March UFO Finished

Three-for-three. Rarely do I have such a rate of staying caught up. We began the year with a UFO challenge - "we" being the Frankfort Girls - and late last night I finished the March goal, making my finish rate 100%. *Yeah!*

We drew the number 7 for this month, and on my list that was the quilt I call Small Tumblers. (I also have a UFO called Large Tumblers, thus necessitating a distinction.) I began this quilt back in 2013 - read about it here, after buying the Tumbler template.

I'd worked on this earlier in the month, getting the center portion completed (click here to review). It has been hanging on the design wall ever since. My brain was working out what the next step or two would be. I knew I wanted a somewhat narrow inner border. I was thinking yellow or orange, but I ended up going with the pastel purples you see above. I had to do the top and bottom in one design, and the sides in the other.

I trimmed the tumblers and added the inner borders. Then more decision-making. I had considered making an outer border of 3 rows of tumblers. However, I wanted to be done, so I tossed that idea and began auditioning options.

Option 1 - primarily yellow floral.

Option 2 - primarily red/pink floral.

Option 3 - primarily blue/pink floral.

And the winner is...

Option 1 which is called Iris and Peony. I just love how it looks. It is a great way to keep those lovely blooms and leaves in tact.

This picture quality is terrible (I am unable to access my editing program; needing help), but trust me, it is lovely. This is a nice-sized twin bed quilt, measuring 58"x82".

This picture looks somewhat better. When I was making the tumblers, I was using up scraps, so there is tremendous randomness to the fabrics used. The pastel background of the borders helps calm all that chaos down, and the wonderful floral outer border adds lots of pizzazz. I am very pleased and glad I didn't fuss with adding a tumbler outer border. That would have taken too much time with very little impact, I fear. This was the better way to go.

I'm joining the fun over at Sew Fresh Quilts for her Let's Bee Social link party. Go take a look! :)

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Swoon Progress

My goodness, what a difference a week makes. Last week at this time, I was still all a-dither about which Swoon to make, which fabric to use, yadda-yadda-yadda.

This week, I have 3 blocks made and am having a grand old time selecting the Kaffe Fassett and Phillip Jacobs (Rowan/Westminster Fibers) fabrics I want to combine for the upcoming blocks. I am going to stay with all the cool colors - blue, purple, green, aqua.

Block #2 has the center you see above. I did fussy cut the flower to be in the center of the block, or near-center. Here is the completed block #2.

I'm super-stoked to see these come together! I have had some of this fabric for at least 10 years, and to finally be using it on this quilt is really exciting.

Now I have the third block done, too. I am getting more efficient with my construction process and I can do a block much faster now. First, let's have a look at the center.

Yes, I know the corner triangles are supposed to be of the outer ring fabric and not the center star fabric, but you know what? I just left them. These fabrics are so forgiving in how they mesh with one another, that I knew I could live with it.

And just like that, I am 33% finished with this quilt top! Wowza! Like I said, I'm stoked to make more.

Click here to see the first block.

I'm participating in the Wednesday Let's Bee Social party with Laura over at Sew Fresh Quilts. Click the link to see all the fun.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Sewing With Sharon

These Tuesdays when Sharon and I sew together have been the main reason I have been getting so many things checked off my to-do list. We are more industrious when we sew together - it's as if we are holding each other accountable.

Anyhoo, Sharon has been working on another beauty. Truly, she has the best eye for color of just about anyone I know. And we both know you can't go wrong with Westminster fabrics - Kaffe Fassett and Phillip Jacobs - in their glorious blues.

Why show you one picture when three are available?? The saturation of color here makes me want to dive in to this pool of refreshingly cool blues. Sharon has been planning this quilt for awhile and did some fussy cutting to get the flowers she wanted centered in the blocks. The sashing is done in one direction; the next task is to attach the sashing going the other way. This will create a frame around each gorgeous block. You can see what I mean in this next picture where she has laid a few strips across the blocks.

Magical, isn't it? This will be an absolutely stunning quilt. I am so eager to see her finished quilt top. I will certainly share it with you all, too.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Clarifying my Terminology

In my quilting vocabulary, when I refer to using Kaffe Fassett fabrics, I am actually referring to the family of Westminster fabrics of Fassett, Mably, Jacobs and Nagley. From the very beginning of my infatuation with these fabrics, I've always just called them "Kaffe fabrics." I suppose if I owned or worked in a quilt shop, I would be more apt to make the proper distinctions. Well, why-ever I do it,  here on this blog, I have repeatedly referred to the fabrics inaccurately.

The current project coming together in my sewing room is a Kaffe Fassett design called Broken Dishes from the book Kaleidoscope of Quilts.

 I've had my eye on this quilt for over 2 years, maybe 3, as a result of this quilt's being featured in all the magazines for a thread adverstisement. I'm sure many of you remember it. The more I saw it, the more it called to me.

I began the collecting of fabrics, and before I knew it, I was out of control. I bought about 6 fat quarter packs from an on-line store to start with, and in no time, I had a tub so full, I can't lift it! (Stash building at its finest!!)

I continue to work on my Broken Dishes, slow but steady. I find myself doing the work in steps, i.e. mark the diagonal lines on all the half-square triangles, or press all the seams open, etc. There are so many small pieces that it becomes overwhelming to think about all of it.

Maybe I will switch things up a bit today. I'm thinking about making a few of the border blocks; they consist of larger - and fewer - pieces.