Getting a head start on one of the challenge quilts

As I finished the September's American, Patchwork & Quilting UFO challenge quilt. I figured I'd get a head start on another quilt on that list.  I am not sure what the next quilt will be.  It's out of three quilts (October, November & December).  Out of the three, this quilt is the one that has the most work to be done.  I've cut out all the pieces, sorted out the fabrics for the 350 nine-patches and the 70 half square triangle units.  I also wanted to see what the blocks would look like, so I made one up.  It looks good.  At least I think so.

This quilt is special.  This is a quilt using up shirting fabrics from the men in my life.  Everyone contributing their shirts as they finish with them.  My husband, my brother, my nephew, my sister-law's brother-in-law, I also have a few female shirts from my sister's mother-in-law.  Some even came from friends that knew I was collections shirts.

These are all the sorted units.  A lot to sew up.  I'll do what I can until the next quilt number is called. I'm kind of hoping this is the next number called, though I also look forward to the other two quilts too.

Pattern for this quilt is one of Bonnie Hunter's from her book Scraps & Shirttails II called Tumalo Trail.  

Almost done my September's American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge quilt

We are nearing the end of September.  Just in time I finished my American, Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge quilt for the month of September.  I plan on waiting to quilt it, as my machine is occupied at the moment with a large practice piece.  I have a small window of time between clients to practice different technics in free hand, free motion quilting.

All the blocks are done and attached and the border fabric I chose below, is cut and attached as well.

Last post I showed you some samples of quilting options for the centre cream sections, but I am still trying to figure out exactly what I want for the chains and the borders.

Today I am working on a lot of loose ends and catching up on my 3-way BOM blocks for all three styles of quilting.  At this point I have only 2 1/2 more blocks to sew together to finish.  I also went ahead and did one other block that was easy enough to figure out the measurements for.  I'll share them all with you on another post.

Enjoy you day!

Playing around with quilting designs

I've been playing around with different ideas for quilting the cream sections of the drunkards path quilt. When all the blocks are together, you get this unusual shape, formed in the middle between the chains, when the blocks are sewn.

I drew this shape on paper to use with my homemade erasable plastic paper protector (table cover/protector).  I place the paper with the shape drawn on it under the plastic and start playing.  Once you make a design, you evaluate it, erase it and try again.  If I come across something that has potential, I will take a picture of it.  This way I can come back to it and choose later.

Above I used the organic petal feathers with a tendril/swirl to extend in the awkward space.  I like this, but I am afraid there may be too much thread buildup in the centre for my taste.

I came up with this possibility.  It's ok.......but a bit too simple.  I liked the fact that is wasn't quite so busy as the first design, but thought it lacked something to actually "fit" the space.  Later, after a few more options, I thought to use a combination of the first two designs.

I think I like this one better.  It is still simple, but the petal will "fit" the space better by contouring the curves.  I noted that in each of the samples I took a picture of, I always used the tendril/swirl in that odd shape.  It seems to be the best option to get up there to quilt that little area.

I will continue to play around with the design.  See what else I can come up with.  I don't usually commit to anything until I actually start quilting the quilt.  So, if anyone else has any other ideas, please pass them along.  I'd love to see what other people would come up with.

My green and red appliqué quilt

I have finally come up with and settled on the last four block designs for my green and red appliqué quilt, which as it turns out is no longer just green and red.

I've added a yellow, pink, double pink, and a blue.  I didn't want this quilt to look like a Christmas quilt. I think I will call this quilt my version of the Baltimore album appliqué quilt............or maybe not.  That is such a mouth full.      

This first block in the top picture is a bit outside of the usual Baltimore album style, with a more modern feel to it, with the curved hearts, instead if a simple solid heart.  This will be the "my version" part of the name I was thinking on calling this quilt.

I am really not good at names for my quilts.  I tend to go with the basic description as the name.  I think I need to start being more creative.  Think outside the box and come up with an individual name.  Maybe something like Gathering Flowers.  How does that sound?  Many of the blocks are of flowers or flowers in baskets, that sort of thing.  I think that works for me.

From this point onward this quilt will simply be called Gathering Flowers.

The one above is a variation of another block I have where the flower is in the middle.  This one though I decided to use berries and curved stems in the corners.  I am liking this one.

This next block is being added as a representation of my French heritage.  The fleur-de-lil will add in some more blue into the quilt.  I have a few blue baskets and now these fleur-de-lil.

This last block is back to flowers.  I have committed to this block, however I will be doing this one last.  I hesitate with this one, as I am thinking that in my subconscious I am not 100% sold on this block.  I am not sure about the single layer flowers, which is different than all the other blocks. We shall see....

I am looking forward to getting back into this quilt.  I did so much on this quilt already with most of the green stems, outside of these blocks and a couple of others.  I also did all the blue stems of the basket blocks too.  The only reason I am holding myself off at this time is because I have so many other handwork quilt/projects on the go that I want to get it a bit more under control, so that when I get back to this one, I can sit and really enjoy it, without the guilt of knowing I should be working on other things.  The To Grandmother's House We Go quilt being one of them.

Soon though, as I am making great progress on a lot of my quilts.  My UFO list is shrinking. Yay!

Progress on September's UFO challenge

The countdown is started.........not many days left of September!

This is my September's UFO challenge quilt.  I had all of the little curved units done and just needing to assemble the blocks.  So I thought it would be a snap, but by mid September this is all I have done.

All I can say is, I'd better get a move on it, if I want to finish this quilt in September!

Though I would settle for just having the quilt top done too.  I'm still working out different ideas on how I want to quilt this quilt, so that may not happen in September.

Finished the last red hearts quilt

Here are the last of the red heart blocks that were given to me by a friend.  She made a total of 20 of them and in the end changed her mind about the quilt she was going to make.  I figure she gave them to me knowing that I do charity quilts.

This is the last quilt of three that I made out of the blocks.  The first two were small NICU quilts.  This quilt is larger at 45" square, a good size for a cuddle quilt.

I took this picture while I was working on the blocks, a long time ago and thought I would have posted about it a lot earlier than now.   Since this picture, I've finished the top, as you see below.

I am a bit behind on my posts, but eventually I will catch up.  I don't always get a chance to do quilting each day, but when I do I take pictures.  You may find some of them posted out of order, but they will be posted.  For me posting is my sort of quilting diary, where I keep track of what I've been up to.  I like sometimes going back and checking things out. Sometimes I get motivated and spurred on to finishing more of my UFOs.

So, since the above picture, which was taken a while ago, I've even quilted the quilt and binded it too!  Label is on as well and it is ready to be delivered to Project Linus for distribution.

I quilted the above quilt using an edge to edge pantograph called Be Mine, that I purchased from Urban Elementz.  It has hearts in the shape of flowers with leaves and ribbon swirls.  It's very pretty.

Below is the last NICU quilt that I did, that didn't make the previous post, when I spoke about finishing it, as I hadn't finished the quilting yet.  This one is also quilted with an edge to edge pantograph.  I chose to quilt this quilt using the Painted Daisies design.

Enjoy this lovely morning and have a great day!

Got bitten by the hexies again

When we were on our way to the cottage for the Jenkins' family reunion, I took my hexagons with me.  I finished the one diamond along the way and a bit while there.

Well......that didn't satisfy my need and desire to get back into doing my handwork projects.  In the week that followed that trip, I got two more floret sections done, including the borders beside the florets.  This whole section is all attached together.  Yay!

I don't feel like the need to do handwork has left my system quite yet, so not only did I hang my finished section on my design wall, but I also took out the section that I had already completed to put up on the wall with it.  Soon I will take the time to attach these two sections together.

Together it looks big, however this does not even represent an eighth of the quilt top.  Though to my credit, I also have the florets for the top border done and assembled together, as well as the bottom florets.  I even have some of the second borders for these florets completed too!

The florets further down the design wall are the upcoming parts to complete.  The piece in the top picture goes just below the yellow floret that you see in the bottom picture.  I am currently working on the side pieces for the next floret, the blue one.

But......first I have to sewing down the binding by hand on three quilts, before the next guild meeting.