A Flimsy to Show You!

Oh, my gosh - at long last I have a finish to share! How long has it been? I've spent so much time procrastinating these past few weeks. (Is there an award for that? Hah!) Woe is me!

Yesterday, I changed my ways. Sharon was here to sew and boy, oh boy, did we have a productive day! I checked my list for something that I thought I could finish in just one very-focused, industrious, nose-to-the-grindstone day. I decided that I could turn my Swoon blocks into a flimsy - so I did! Yay!! Before I went to bed last night, I had my lovely Swoon flimsy pressed and ready for a photo shoot.

For years, I have wanted to make Swoon, and now I finally have. Here's a link for my very beginning on this quilt, but I have had the pattern since quite a lot longer. I guess good things are worth waiting on. I sure don't think I would  have used my blue KF fabrics had I decided to make this 4 or 5 years ago. I really love it in these fabrics.

I did take a few pictures last night, but I just can't account for the dark lighting with my limited editing skills. Daylight pictures are below.

I don't know what the pattern instructions say to do about sashing and cornerstones. I didn't dig it out to see what the designers recommended because I had another idea: I'd seen a picture of someone's Swoon quilt with plain dark cornerstones. This prompted me to take that a step further and make little stars - what do you think? I think they are just as cute as can be. I used a 2-inch sashing and 2-inch square, then to make the points I used 1.25-inch squares with the sew-and-flip method. It took some figuring, but it wasn't too difficult.

I will show you a little bonus project from this experiment in an upcoming post. I made a sample star and have an idea of something cute to make out of it. I'll try to whip it out today.

I'll be linking up with the gals over at Sew Fresh Quilts for their weekly Let's Bee Social party.

Hope you are having a productive week! I would like to think I can carry this momentum on to the next item on my to-do list.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Swoon Blocks Complete!

Swoon parts were all over the place, and even though I had another project that really needed to be my focus, I couldn't really get anything else done until I sewed the Swoons together. So I did.

I only had two blocks to make, but I was delayed because I found myself short of one fabric. Grrr, I hate when that happens. I was unprepared for making a decision about substituting, but I eventually got my wits about me and took care of business.

This is the 8th block, and it is the one with the fabric shortage. The pointy bursts that pop out of the center are all supposed to be that blue bead fabric, but 4 of the points are dahlia petals. I figure it's no big deal. In the whole scheme of things, I don't think it is all that noticeable.

This is block 9 and it is all uniform - nice to finish with relative ease. I have taken the 9 individual block pictures and made a collage of them; this creates somewhat of a simulation of the quilt. I don't know if this is the way I will eventually place the blocks, but for a general idea, I figured this would suffice.

The blocks are now stacked on the back shelf for awhile. I will eventually get them sewn into a quilt top. For now, I have a commission t-shirt quilt that I need to get cracking on, and suddenly I am motivated to do it! More on that tomorrow!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Workin' On Swoon

I worked rather diligently this week to try to finish the last of the 3 Swoon blocks, but I met an obstacle that really slowed me down. I ran out of one fabric I needed for the pointy "bursts" coming off the center star. I searched this sewing room high and low for 8x4" of this blue with no luck whatsoever. Then I sent the pic to 2 friends who also collect KF fabrics, and they didn't have it, either.

Can you see that I was scrimping with this? I have pieced the blue to get these two HSTs.

So what to do...well, I decided that I would end up with a "humble block," one that is intentionally made with a mistake, so that the quilter remains humble in her imperfections.

Here's the substitute I have decided to  use.

If one knows to look for it, it will be easy to locate, but in the larger scheme, it will be just another purply-blue in a vast collection of blues. I think it will be fun having it in there, and I am eager to get on with finishing this block and the 9th block.

And speaking of the 9th block, here are the parts for it:

I sure hope I can get this quilt top together before the end of June. That's the goal.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Back to Swoon

In March I worked rather diligently on making 6 Swoon blocks, and had just 3 more to make to finish the quilt top. Well, stuff happened, other projects took center stage, and Swoon was pushed aside.

On Tuesday, I spent the day sewing with friends at Terry's house, and I took the parts for the 3 remaining blocks - perhaps just one day of chain-piecing and focus would see these three blocks finished off.

I was thinking I could do more than was practical, I guess. It had been so long since I'd worked on Swoon, that I couldn't remember the exact directions for sewing. Then I had the parts for all three blocks, and I couldn't recall which fabrics I'd planned for each one. So I spent a lot of time studying instead of sewing.

I did get the center star of the first block made and the parts for the outer ring were made by the time I went home that evening, I put the finishing touches on just the one block.

I am still loving the decision to use blue Kaffe Fassett/Westminster fabrics on white. I hope that just a day or two more will result in the blocks completed. Then I will think on how the top will come together.

I've linked up with the birthday girl over at My Quilt Infatuation for her Needle and Thread Thursday.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Swoon Update

On Saturday, I spread out a wonderful array of blue and blue-ish Kaffe Fassett fabrics with the intent of cutting out the remaining 3 Swoon blocks I need to complete the quilt top.

After struggling to come up with three pleasing combinations, I have finally made progress and here are my groupings.

I don't know if this pictures adequately shows 3 distinct groups, but to the right of the white is one block, under the white is another block and diagonal from the white is the last block. I hope to stitch these up in assembly-line fashion. All previous 6 blocks were done individually, which takes longer. These may well be finished by the end of the week. We shall see.

Short and sweet today, Peeps!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Fifth Swoon Block

I'm really having fun making these big 24" Swoon blocks. Why I "dithered" so long about it, I will never know. It's really rather ridiculous how sometimes we can marinate in an indecisive stew for so, so long. There may come a time when I do get around to making the 16" blocks, but for now I am 100% thrilled with my big'uns.

I have had to stop working on these in order to do some other pressing tasks, so perhaps this weekend I will get back to making the final 4 (Final Four - ha! - that's timely, you know!) *grinning*

I spent Tuesday working on my Small Tumblers UFO and got to check that off the March list. Then in addition to university classes on Wednesday, I had to read a book for book club - yes, the whole book. After waiting too long to get it from a library hold, I ordered it for my Kindle app and nearly read all of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Easy, pleasant story. Sweet characters and a wonderful story of finding oneself after the death of a spouse. We had a nice discussion this morning at our meeting.

Now, do I get back to work on Swoons, or do I tackle those two baby quilts? Neither of them would take long to finish. And, guess what? I have recently learned of another baby due in July that will need to have a quilt, as both his sisters have gotten one. I must get these made and then get a few made ahead! All these young people from our children's generation are popping out babies, so I am sure a few put back would be a very smart idea.

Stay tuned for what I come up with; there surely is never any lacking in projects, you know.

I will join in the fun over at Needle and Thread Thursday, although I've very nearly missed getting a post up today. I've been sporadic, I know.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Four Swoons Down; Five to Go

Continuing my progress on making swoon blocks, and my biggest problem is deciding which fabric to use next. As I look at the four blocks I have finished, I think I need to get more blue into the mix. After all, that was my original desire - a blue Kaffe swoon quilt. As things stand now, it is more purple and aqua than blue.

Above are two pictures of my fourth block, which I absolutely love. That center star fabric is a nice mix of blue and purple, so I think I will use it in an outer ring on a future block.

Now, let's have a look at the four blocks laid out together. It shows that more blue is absolutely needed.

Still fun; still motivated. I may take a break from them for a bit, though, to get to work on a few other things that are needing attention.

I will link up with Crazy Mom Quilts and her Finish It Up Friday link party.

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!

Beautiful Blues

Never, in all the aforementioned dithering about making Swoon, did I ever consider making this pattern in fabrics from Kaffe Fassett, et al. (Dithering post is here.) And now, look at what I've done.

All tubs of my KF fabrics are out and opened - one giant tub and three smaller tubs.

I'm pulling blues mostly, but if a purple or a green or an aqua gets in the mix, then that will be just fine. And of course, there will be pops of fuchsia and orange and red, as well.

Certainly, I have enough to make 8 more blocks, wouldn't you agree? These need to coordinate with this block, below, which began as just my sample for the "real" Swoon I was planning to make out of Pom Pom de Paris fabric. The thing is, though, I found that I just loved this block and thought how nice it would be incorporated into the full-fledged quilt.

And, yes, I still think I'd like to  make this pattern in Pom Pom de Paris, but this one has taken top billing. Crazy how I operate, I know. But ya' gotta' just go with the flow. These cool blues, purples and greens will be awesome together.

It's Monday! That means a Making Monday Linky Party! Click over to Love Laugh Quilt to see what everyone is doing today!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

I've Dithered Long Enough

Dithering prevents one from getting anything done. Since about 2011 or 2012, I have dithered about making a Swoon quilt; I keep finding things to think about or options to consider or combinations to ponder - all for what? Am I going to make a quilt I don't like? I doubt it. Most everything I've ever made has pleased me.

Recently, the designers came out with a smaller version, and I saw gazillions of blocks on the blogs and on Instagram with three colors plus a background instead of two plus a background. I now had MORE to take into consideration!

Finally, the new month and a relatively clean slate prompted me into action. By gosh, just make the pattern you have and get on with it! Dither no more!

I began making this block with totally different fabric. Then I decided that I ought to make a sample block first, so grabbed some fabric on my table - that center blue/aqua and some white. I stopped when I finished the center star block. After a couple of days, I thought, "Go ahead and finish the entire block using Kaffe Fassett fabrics." So I fished around in the stash to see what I could coordinate, and the result is what you see above.

So this is a sample or test block. You know what? I think I am going to stay with the KF fabrics and do the other 8 blocks.

Hopefully I can stay focused on this and get the rest finished - this month?? Maybe!

I will link up with  Finish It Up Friday; Amanda Jean always has such interesting guests participating in her linkups.

Happy Quilting, Friends!