Recent Road Trip Projects

I forgot to show you what I worked on while we were travelling to Asheville a few weeks ago.  The trip to see our kids usually takes between 8 1/2 and 9 1/2 hours depending on whether we go to Asheville or Charlotte.  So I usually start out working on dishcloths.  I make knitted and crocheted ones.  They are so easy and mindless to make.   And then I have something I can give when I arrive :).  If not, they go home with me to be given away another time.

This is a group of fabric I've been collecting for over 4 years.  It started with finding the batik (on top) at Mary Jo's.  The colors are phenomenal but I just have not been able to find the right pattern. ( I didn't take these, just the book).

I recently checked this book of our Guild's library.  I think I've found the perfect pattern for this project!!  So I took graph paper, pencil and eraser and worked on graphing out a pattern.  More to come...  This is one of Jean and Valori's older books but it's fabulous!

Then of course there's the hexies project.  This is a long term project as the only time I work on this is usually in the car.  A friend gifted me hundreds of hexies all prepped and ready to be joined (oh, and by the way, she's the same one who gifted me the orphan block from the previous post).  While 30's are not my passion, the colors are fun and happy and I'm content to work on this slowly.

I do think it's going to be beautiful. I don't plan on any setting hexies, I'm just going to join them like this.  It's going to be plenty big enough.

Last, but not least, is a big bunch of leftover scraps from my wild Pineapple Quilt.  I also used these scraps when I designed the One of a Kind quilt and I still have a whole tote of them that I'm going to have to find projects for .  I swear, I think these things multiply during the night LOL!!! 

I'm playing around with a variation of a quilt I saw in APQ several years ago.

I took a small cutting mat, rotary cutter and ruler and went to town.  Each center will have this Kaffe fabric, and the surrounding logs are basically anything.

As you can see, it's going to be a happy quilt!!!  Out of the all the pineapple projects, this one is the most like me - I think I'm going to love this one!!  I'm hoping to get some serious sewing done on this project now that I have so many blocks prepped.

Since my DH made some business calls on the way up and back, I did all the cutting in the hotel room (lest you think I tried to rotary cut in the car!!)  All the other projects were done in the car.

The sun is out - I'm lovin' it!

-Karen

Pineapple Progress

Kind of sounds like the book "Pilgrim's Progress" doesn't it? Anyway, back to the project at hand. I've been working and this is where I am. Here is the quilt with my 4 focal blocks (2 big and 2 small) and the fillers to equal 10 blocks across and 10 blocks down. That makes this 40 x 40 without borders. Personally, I thought it needed more. And I didn't like the blue solid strip in the top middle. The small strips on the big pineapple blocks were to bring it to a total of 14 1/2". The bigger strips enlarged them to 16 1/2". Remember, this technique is all based on 2", 4", 6", etc. So I added one more row on the lefthand side and another row across the top. I also changed out the solid strip and added a row of half square triangles.

Here's a closer look. I really like the balance of the blocks. I thought the pinwheel blocks gave the most movement, so I used those more frequently. I also really liked the way the little yellow 4 patches moved across the quilt. I got that idea from working on my Trail Mix quilt (still need to get back to that.... big sigh). I forgot to show you where the kitty is, he's in one of the 16 patch blocks. (This also reminds me to update you on Rodger, nothing, and it's been over 3 weeks.....). This kind of makes putting a kitty in every quilt even more special now.

And lastly, I decided to add one more row to the bottom to kind of give it some "weight". I've sewn this together in sections so I can take it apart and then when I give the program, I'll be able to show how it all builds and goes together. So now I have to decide, border or no border?? What do you think??

Until next time,

-Karen

Weekend work on UFO's

I am finally seeing some light at the end of this tunnel!! I have been trying to put my studio back in order and finish a myriad of UFO's. Here is my pineapple quilt, ready to be basted and quilted!! Can I hear a big yea!!!!!!! It goes all the way back from here to here. It has been a process and a journey. I think when you go outside your comfort zone, that's what happens. I decided against the blue inner border from a previous post. It seemed too heavy and contrived. I went with this periwinkle blue/purple and then a tiny inset of aqua. The border fabric has so much of the aqua color in it, I wanted to draw that color from the inside to the outside (see last picture).

I called a friend of mine who's an expert on Pineapple quilts and we discussed possible quilting designs. I'm going to play with ideas but I hope to start the quilting soon.

I don't have a backing picked out yet, not sure which way I want to go. I'm still not sure I'm keeping this one, it really almost does glow in the dark LOL!!! But it is growing on me.....

Until next time,

-Karen

Piles of Projects!

I'm not sure what my problem is, lately I just keep going from one project to another. Can't quite get into a rhythm. I took my camera to my studio and literally turned in a circle and saw pile after pile of projects. Here's the 2 partially finished pineapple blocks that Kim and I started. We're not sure they will ever become a quilt (big sigh). As much as I don't want to, we may be going to Plan B. Here are the scraps of the strips used in the 2 blocks, still on my cutting table.

Here's the original Kaffe fabric I bought several weeks ago and the 2 1/2" strips I've cut. Not sure what I'm going to do with these - but these still make me happy.

This is a project for the guild up on my design wall. These are the fabrics that I got in the jelly roll swap. I'll do a post about that soon.

Trying to decide on color combinations.

Three more blocks ready to go on the design wall.

These are the fabrics I've been collecting for my next quilt for our quilt show. I'm still working on a pattern/ layout. I've got ideas but so far they're just on paper. I am very excited about this quilt, I need to sit down and start on it soon. This will include fabric that I dyed myself! Took a class last fall, putting this in one of my quilts will be a first for me. Another reason I'm excited.

This is a T-shirt quilt that is almost ready to baste. I've got to get another piece of fabric to add to the back. I just bought an open toe darning foot. Can't wait to try it out and see if makes any diffenence in the quilting.

This is a basket of pinks that I cut into strips for a new project that I put together for our last road trip when we went to Asheville (I always try to plan a project - even if I don't work on it).

Here's a peek at my new tree. This is what I'm currently working on, trying to get done. I always forget how long it takes to applique, but I do love it.

So until next time, make something beautiful.
Karen