Accomplishing Things

For awhile this week, I had a supreme sense of accomplishment - at last! 

Sometimes, I find myself with several projects on my work table that require minimal time and attention. Most of the time, just the finishing needs to be tackled. Why I delay finishing things and turn instead to starting something else defies logic, but that's the way I roll more times than I care to admit. At some point, I reach option paralysis, unable to move toward any of the projects - too many options! Deciding which to tackle is just too daunting.

I forged ahead, though, and a breakthrough occurred! Yeaaahh! 

First, I reached for the Tilda hexie flowers and finally finished the next stage that project by sewing the applique blocks to the 9-patch blocks. Small quilt; easy, quick finish. I did finish that little flimsy and I will share it in an upcoming post.

 Next, I tackled a reconstruction project - Snowbird Stars. I haven't yet mentioned it here on the blog, but once you see it, I think you will understand. Tearing into this quilt was a total unplanned event, but the placement of the two lightest setting blocks, didn't please me at all. I knew a correction was coming. 

 

Snowbird Stars, a flimsy I stitched in 2015 is one I am considering for quilting with the new backings mentioned in the last post. I knew I would redo the center to balance the setting blocks more symmetrically. I had already ripped out the blocks, then stopped - left it in a heap of blocks and threads - a deconstruction mess that would be super simple to stitch back together. 

 

Back to work and finish this thing! Yes. I am so much happier with the quilt top now that I've placed the two light setting blocks in the center of the quilt. And I probably will select this top to quilt with one of those new backings I bought.

Was I done? NO! I went back to the quilting room after supper and finally put that oft-mentioned binding on 9-Patch Strippy. I'd been planning on this to be one of my major to-be-accomplished-while-recovering projects, and yet I'd not followed through. It's a big quilt, so I expected I would be in for a bit of a wrestle, but I did just fine - no difficulty at all.  

Another 10-year-old quilt finally finished and ready for use, as needed. This has always been one of my favorite quilt tops, and it's a design totally of my own making. 

These projects had been nagging me to the point of paralysis for days, and yet when I finally put my mind to it, I made significant progress on them. Gosh, that felt good. 

Having these lifted from my mental to-do list allows me to more willingly think about going to the long arm machine to work out the tension kinks I know I need to address.  

In due time, I eventually do the things that need to be done.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne 

Side-by-side Comparison

One aspect of quilts that has always fascinated me is the different looks a single pattern can have with the change of colors and fabrics. I have an example of what I mean. Awhile back, I had a request from a reader to show the finished quilt top Sharon made of her Confetti Stars pattern (by Thimbleberries) using Snowbird fabric by Laundry Basket Quilts/Moda.

Wonderful, isn't it? Here's a short version of the story of the quilt. Both Sharon and I had our own stashes of the Snowbird fabric. We began collecting it in big or little hunks, as we found bargains, or as we felt a particularly strong urge for more. (You know what I mean, I'm sure.)

At some point after about 6 months, we made a plan. We would use the old standby and go-to star pattern by Thimbleberries: Confetti Stars and we would do our own individual interpretation of the various design parts--borders, setting blocks, stars, etc. We set aside the month of February or March to do it together. You can click back to this link and read what I wrote in March 2015.

As you can see, Sharon used dark setting triangles along with the wonderful dark floral for the border. My quilt, below, has lighter setting triangles. There are other differences, too, but they are subtle. You probably can't tell that Sharon's is more controlled with how stars were made. My construction method was more haphazard and loose. Sharon's star points are all dots and her star centers are all florals; my star points are everything and so are my star centers.

You may recall that this Confetti Star pattern is the one we use for our retirement quilts, and you can find several examples throughout this blog by searching these key words: Confetti Stars; retirement quilts; and maybe Thimbleberries.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Finshed Top - Snowbird Stars

Rainy days are for finishing quilt tops, I suppose. That is how I spent my Friday. The day was wet, wet, wet - at least an inch of rain on already soaked and thawing ground. Water everywhere.

So I sewed.

And this is the most unbelievable part - the finished quilt measures exactly what the pattern says it should. Yessirreee! I was super-diligent about my cutting and construction, and the results are very good. Precision pays off.

Snowbird, a fabric by Laundry Basket Quilts (Moda) caught my attention from the very first time I saw it. Sherrie's mom, Pat, made a quilt using this fabric at last June's quilt camp. By the end of the week, I had purchased 1-yard cuts of 5 fabrics, and had absolutely no clue as to what I would do with it. I just knew I needed to have some Snowbird! After discussing options with Sharon (she was smitten, too), we came up with the idea of making the same pattern, each to our own liking to see the variations.

My stars are all random centers and points on a neutral background. My setting squares are all dots. My setting triangles are the lightest floral and the border is the darkest floral. That border is what makes it a success, in my opinion. If I could re-do one thing, I would use a fabric with more beige or light blue in the setting triangles, as it seems those triangles get sorta' lost. But this is fine. I won't change it a bit (Hindsight, you know.)

Now, what will I get busy on next? UFO challenge projects? Finishing other UFOs, not on the challenge? Start something new? Tidy up the sewing room? Putter?

I just can't decide.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Sharon P.'s Update

I become so self-absorbed in what I am making that I sometimes forget that some of my dear friends are getting things accomplished, too, and I like to try to show these things to you from time to time. On Tuesday when Sharon and I sewed together, she made significant progress on her version of Snowbird Stars, and I have neglected to show them to you. Let us remedy that this instant.

A more whispery-soft star is nowhere to be found. I'm sure of it. Sharon's star blocks are all floral centers with dotted points. There are 5 different combinations. Let's take a closer look at these barely-there stars.

Don't they make you feel like you ought to be whispering? The wispy nature of those neutrals put together this way really exude calm and peace and comfort. Mix these with the other combinations she's made and she will have an awesome quilt. The previous blocks can be seen here.

I am nearly finished with the center of my quilt top. I have a couple of more seams to stitch on the center part, and then corner setting triangles need to be cut and sewn on. Then there's the binding! It will be straightforward, so I should have it all done today. We shall see.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Those Stars Are Done

Finally getting to a major completion point in the quilt-making process is a really big deal for me. I think about having to make 30 stars - that's 120 flying geese units or 240 squares that need to be marked diagonally. The next quilt I make that requires flying geese will be made with the no-waste method. I've done it before and it works.  Anyway, I'm getting off on a tangent. The star of today's show (pun intended) is my stack of finished stars.

Ta-dahh! Finished the last of them on Tuesday while Sharon was here sewing with me. What a sense of accomplishment. I have a few shots of them laid out on the bed. It looks pretty cool seeing them all touching like this, but in the actual quilt there will be a setting block between each star.

That bottom picture shows all 33 blocks laid out on the guest bed. Yes, I said 33. Somehow I miscalculated how many I'd made and ended up making 3 more than I need. (I believe I've referenced here in previous posts that math is not my strongest suit.)

I am already at work on setting the quilt top together. I sewed yesterday (Wednesday) at Terry's and got about a third of the top constructed. Pictures to come, of course! Stay tuned!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Snowbird Stars Progress

I haven't been setting any records, but I am finishing a few stars. Slow and steady, as they say.

My collection of stars for the Snowbird Stars quilt is growing. I just love them! Take a look.

Isn't it going to look fantastic? I am now trying to decide what I am doing as far as setting squares go. I was thinking I would use one consistent fabric, but now I am considering a variety. The fabrics in this line are all just gorgeous, so I know I can't go wrong.

The pattern is Christmas Confetti by Thimbleberries. The fabric is Snowbird by Laundry Basket Quilts for Moda.

 

 

 

I have run out of my neutral background, so last evening I decided to see what the stars would look like done with light stars on a dark background. 

 

See what I mean about this fabric line? Every combination I've tried has look fantastic. 

Sharon's Snowbird Stars

When we met for sewing on Tuesday, Sharon already had her star parts cut out, so she went straight to sewing and finished 15 stars. Quite an accomplishment! She made 5 stars of 3 different color combinations, so I will just show you the 3 different combinations rather than all 15 stars.

I seriously believe that no color combination will disappoint. Every single star - Sharon's here, and mine from the last post - is just as scrumptious as the next.

The pattern calls for 30 stars, so we have a ways to go, but what fun to see these beauties coming together. And to finally be using this gorgeous fabric. I'm anxious to get back to the sewing room.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Snowbird Stars Started

I think you know that Sharon P. and I are joining in a March project. Each of us had purchased a little stash of Moda's Snowbird fabric. Not wanting to just gaze at the beautiful blue fabrics, we decided that we'd get in gear and use it in a quilt. Our quilt choice is Confetti Stars from an old Thimbleberries book. Yesterday, when Sharon was here to sew, we began our quilts. I will show you mine in this post, and Sharon's tomorrow.

Aren't the blues in this line just gorgeous? I loved it from the first time I laid eyes on it. I finished 5 stars. Sharon finished 15. I will show you some of her in the next post.

I had to spend some of my day yesterday getting ready to teach the SPARK! class. I regret that I didn't take a single picture at the class. What?!? I know. How incredibly forgetful of me.

The class went well. All six of my beginning quilters - well, make that 5 beginners; the 6th student was the high school home ec teacher who thinks she needs a refresher. Ha! - were enthusiastic and willing to try. I had a great time.I hope they did, too.

Happy Quilting, Friends!