Three Left Turns

I am not sure whether to call this a 2013 quilt, or a 2014 quilt.  I pieced this over Christmas break but finished it today - it was not a planned project, but a friend is undergoing some medical stuff and I wanted to do a quilt for him.  I had seen this pattern online and wanted to try it for myself.  Only it featured the Moda hexagon precuts - which I didn't have.  And a lot of white - which I didn't think was the right choice for this particular project.

I wanted to use the grey for my background, and I wanted to cut my own hexagons.  Since I have the Hex-N-More ruler from Jaybird Quilts, I figured I could cut away at a bundle of batik and do my own thing.  Except I didn't figure on how hexagons are measured - I did 6.5" strips figuring I would get 6" hexagons, which is what I thought the Moda precuts were.  Except they are 6" through the middle, not height, so my hexagons ended up both taller and wider than the Moda ones.

No trouble - I adjusted my sashing accordingly (um - after I had already cut it too narrow and had to go back and recut), and dropped one hexagon out of each row - adding them in on my backing.  The finished dimensions are about the same - though I used less fabric in my side strips as a result.

I am happy with how it turned out - and would probably make it or something like it again.  Start to finish for the piecing including the cutting was less than a day.

The quilting I finished up on this today - just straight lines with some variegated Aurifil on the front, and a solid grey thread on the back.  Binding was the same fabric as the background, and as we were home with a "snow day" due to the Polar Vortex I was able to quilt AND bind this today (and snuggle under it in the process).

The recipient is a big baseball fan - so that dictated both the backing fabric and the name of the quilt.

Lotus Rose

Quilt 4 of 6 - Christmas 2013
Lotus Rose

This project was a long time in the making. I started it in May while teaching a class at Chestnut Bay Quilting on the Lotus pattern by Jaybird Quilts.  It was a gift for my sister-in-law.  This is another one of those "deceptively easy" patterns that looks complicated but is not really.  I made 4 Lotus quilts this year - and would definitely make one again!!!

The toughest part on this one was the quilting - it is a very big quilt and I decided on straight line quilting - not hard but time consuming wrestling it under my little machine.

I love how this one turned out - parting with it was tough but we visit them often so I will get to snuggle under it again sometime... I hope (unless she keeps it hidden!).  I love how it is soft and feminine - but not so frilly that it won't fit well in a household with my brother and 2 nephews.  (and I also love that I have more of this fabric!!!)

Very hard to get a picture of this indoors -and the weather outside was NOT cooperating.

The label.

The back is this wonderful mottled batik.  It was tough to get a shot of the quilting but it created these wonderful diamond and triangle shapes on the back.

Tranquil Garden

Quilt 1 of 6 -Christmas 2013
Tranquil Garden - from the Hugs and Kisses pattern by Jaybird Quilts using the Lazy Angle Ruler by Lazy Girl Designs.  This is a quick and easy pattern to make - with very dramatic results.  I made 2 quilts with this for Christmas - and each turned out very different.  I would definitely make more.

The quilt after washing.

Free motion quilting - with markings from a Frixion pen.

Quilting after washing.

Quilting from the back.

The pieced backing.

The label.

 

Cranberry Dreams

Quilt 6 of 6 - Christmas 2013
(NOTE:  I wrote these posts in no particular order - but now that I know which quilts have been delivered I am changing the posting order... so the numbering will be non-sequential)

This quilt was done with the Lazy Angle Ruler and a Jaybird Quilts pattern (one of 2 I did using this pattern - it WILL get used again).

I did not have as many fabrics to work with on this - so chose to add borders to make it a nice comfy size.

And again - I forgot to get some "after" pictures on this one.  (as of composing time -this one was still in the wrapping paper -texting a request for photos)

Photo of quilt awaiting quilting.

Photo after gifting - draped over the back of Dad's couch so not super clear.

And the best photo of all - 'cause it's really not the quilt that's the true focus!!! (she was on the phone with me when this photo was taken -so I got to hear her unwrap it)

 

Fiorire

Fiorire - to flower, to bloom, to blossom, to flourish.

This quilt is a graduation gift for a dear friend who has done - and is doing- exactly that!  It will be sent with wishes for continual blooms in her life!

This was done with the Lazy Angle Ruler by Lazy Girl Designs and a pattern by Jaybird Quilts (links here because I am being too lazy to link them all again) - though I took a few liberties to make it a bit bigger (and added a few different blocks because I messed up the math).  I also added a pieced border to this.  It is a nice generous throw - with a flannel "batting" so it drapes ever so nicely.

The backing is a piece of fabric from Ikea - wide enough for what I needed, but just a smidge too short, so I added in a pieced strip up top.  I didn't pre-wash this and it held up nicely - adding to the overall "crinkle" that I love so much in my quilts.  I loved the birds -and they fit nicely with this quilt - even though they are a bit more "subdued" than what is going on with the front and all the colors.

I did a concentric spiral quilting on this - which is something I have done a few times now.  I like how the gentle curve breaks up the angularity of the blocks.  In the lower corner of this picture, you can see where I added some free motion quilting in the center of the spiral, loosely following one of the flowers on the fabric.

I love how the quilt looks with the flowers in the garden (actually my neighbor's garden) - many of the same colors are blooming in the fabrics and in the flowerbeds.

I am not sure when I will get this delivered - I would rather not ship it and the recipient is not local - but hoping it will be soon.

Design Wall Monday - being 'challenged'

So - this is 'some' of what I have been working on.  I am perpetually challenged by "quilters distraction disorder" and the "I must try this new pattern or technique NOW" syndrome.  Hence the "art quilt" to the left, the "one block wonder" to the right, and the triangle diamond blocks below.

The one I am being "challenged" most by is the art quilt.  This is part of the Caledonia Quilt Guild members challenge - we were each given one piece of the same fabric, and challenged to make something with it - not to exceed 30" square.

I had been playing with these "Lotus" blocks for a while using the Hex-N-More ruler from Jaybird Quilts.  I had made a class sample using the batiks, and then made these blocks using the leftovers - and a smaller scale.  I set them a bit differently - "fussy setting" the challenge fabric into one big "flower" and the blue surrounding it.

I liked the idea of this being a garden -especially since our quilt show is "A Garden of Quilts" but my inspiration after the first layout fizzled for a while.  Then I decided to turn this quilt into Mary Ellen's Garden - inspired by my high school Latin teacher, who is a gardener and quilter.

When Jill was here, I sought out some "tree" like fabrics, and some cobblestones.  After pondering a bit with the idea of adding a stone path, I decided to add a wall, a tree, some branches, and some leaves.  More embellishing will follow with beads, silk embroidery, cording flowers and a jungle vine.

My intent is to put this in the show - and then give it to Mrs. Westlake (Mary Ellen) as a gift.  It pales in comparison to her actual garden - but I know she will appreciate it.

Some free motion quilting of bark on the tree trunk - including a big knot.

"leaf" clusters waiting to be appliqued - there are more and they will fill the top edge and corner of the quilt.

Mrs. Westlake also likes bird watching, so I had to add a bird house.

Dick and Jane and Hexagons - oh my

I have been having more fun with the Dick and Jane fabrics, and the Jaybird Quilts Hex-N-More ruler.  After finishing the baby quilt last week, I had some bits and pieces left over.  I had intended to make a quilt for the faculty/staff appreciation luncheon at my son's school, and as they had learned about hexagons in 2nd grade this year, I thought the shape was a fitting one to use.  The Hex-N-More ruler made it easy for me to cut my scraps into half hexagons for quick assembly, and I added some shirting and a wide panel of the Dick and Jane word print fabric to make this a nice throw size.

For the backing, again I chose to not cut one of the fabric panels, and brought it out to the width I needed with some more of the Dick and Jane text.  A soft yellow star that was included in all 3 Dick and Jane quilts formed the rest of the backing -and with this project I pretty much used up the last of it.

Quilting this was fun.  Jill had brought a selection of different threads with her for me to try, and had a great golden yellow/orange variegated that worked nicely - not overpowering the fabrics but popping nicely to show some quilting detail.  I did some moderately heavy straight lines through the shirting and word panel, then followed the hexagons in a great zig zaggy pattern that shows up nicely on the back and adds some nice dimension to the whole project.

I finished the whole thing with a dark indigo blue/white binding.  I just love the vibrant colors on this.  It will be a door prize at the event - so it could go to anyone at the Munchkin's school.  Last year's quilt was won by someone who works in the cafeteria.  It is a great way to thank ALL the staff that make the school run so smoothly.

 

Design Wall (and floor) Monday

 I've been working on a specific project - and playing a bit.  Two weeks ago, I taught a class at Chestnut Bay Quilting using the Jaybird Quilts Lotus pattern and Hex-N-More ruler.  This was my FOURTH Lotus quilt - and the first time making the twin sized version.  I think I am going to need a bigger floor - it got a little bit tight laying this one out.  This pattern goes together so quickly, though - I started cutting this on May 17 - and as of last night I have 4 of the 6 rows assemble and attached together.  This quilt will be a Christmas gift, so I have a bit of time to figure out the backing and the quilting, though I do have some good ideas.

Using the same ruler - I decided to try my hand at a one-block-wonder.  I had previously done a kaleidoscope technique, and from the reading I had done on OBW, I figured that it was not all that difficult.  With the Hex-N-More ruler, and some great floral I picked up at a bargain basement price, I set to work stacking and whacking.  I was cutting 3.5" triangles, and these little blocks were from the leftover tails of each strip - not wide enough for the 3.5" so I cut out a 2.5".  I think I will put this together into a tote bag panel - perhaps to put the final quilt in?