Planning and Prepping

It seems doggone near impossible lately for me to maintain an interest in regular posting to this blog. I think it's because I have slowed down so very much in my productivity. There's a direct correlation between the amount of sewing and the amount of blogging. Consequently, if I'm not producing as much, I am not writing as much.

So, what have I been doing in the quilting room?

Preparing for a quilt retreat!

A week from today, I will join most of the Frankfort Girls (and a couple of extras) for a 4-day/3-night retreat at Needles n' Pines over in Nelsonville. It's the same retreat center we go to several times a year, and we always have such a wonderful time together.

Being productive is the name of the game at a retreat, so I should have a few things coming up for future blog posts.

 

I have cut one layer cake into 3" squares for a fun and fast quilt. I bought this layer cake last year while at retreat, and have had as a 2023 goal to make it into something. Wait till you see what I've come up with!

I will be tackling another 2023 goal while there - making a Falling Leaves quilt. I mentioned recently that I've always wanted to make a maple leaf quilt using fall colors, and now I am about to make it a reality. The parts are all cut - I've used only stash fabrics and scraps for this quilt. I have no idea how many individual blocks I will get out of what I've cut, but it will surely give me a whopping start. 

Yet another goal on the '23 list is using my stash of Effie's Woods fabrics in a quilt for my granddaughter. No, she doesn't need another quilt, as my daughter will tell me, but I can't help making 'just one more' for her. I seem to have accumulated quite a bit of this line thanks to my friend Jan who gave me all her remnants after she finished a quilt using Effie's Woods. I have picked up additional pieces along the way, so I will peruse my options for easy, scrappy-style quilts.

Lastly, I'd really like to continue tackling that '23 goals list by using my Winnemucca fabric. Click here to go back to read about the fabric I purchased last summer while vacationing out west. I have no firm plans as yet, but I do see either star blocks or churn dash blocks using this little collection. Or pinwheels blocks. Or 9-patch blocks. Or chains across a quilt with any of the above blocks. Lots of options still under consideration!

So, if asked what I've been up to lately instead of blogging, I guess I'd have to say I've been planning and prepping. Activity like that does not really translate well to blogging content.

Have a great week! It promises to be a hot, busy week here at my house.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Basic Blocks - 9-Patches

My last two posts dealt with my August plans, yet as the saying goes about the best laid plans, sometimes we don't get to be in charge of our plans. This darn virus has put a serious crimp in my quilting, dangit!

When I last checked in, I was all eager to begin some basic 9-patch sewing on two different quilts. First, the pretty pink floral. There are no major decisions being made on this, except for when will I stop and know I have enough of the lighter pink for making all the setting blocks. 

Terribly lit picture, but it shows a basic idea of how I plan to put this quilt together. My current plan is to use the darker pink to make the side and corner triangles, thus giving it a built-in border. I ought to be able to get this made quickly.

Now this blue polka dot/floral print quilt has required a bit more effort - brain effort, that is. My original idea was to use only the blue dot with the print fabrics. In the photo below, the right half of the picture illustrates that look. I fear that continuing with this plan will result in the blue dot completely over-powering the florals - and I want those pretty fabrics to shine more than they appear to in this small mock-up.

I modified my plan by making a few 9-patches with white, which are on the left half of the photo. The florals do get to do more work, and I am not opposed to this option.

I went one step further, though, and made 4 HSTs of the blue dot and white. Maybe this will be the way I end up going?? I am in no shape to make a decision yet (covid brain), so I will marinate in this for awhile.

Never before have I ever thought I needed to invest in an expensive computer program for quilt designing. I enjoy this "figuring out" stuff, and I usually come out okay. With only X-amount of fabrics, though, maybe actually using a pattern would work for me here. 

Nah. I'm an old dog, and not interested in learning that new trick! Hah!

Catch ya' later, dear readers! Time for another nap. Covid has made me really good at napping.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Pulling Fabric

The very thought of making quilts with the fabrics I am sharing today is akin to a kid looking forward to Christmas. It's no secret that I love beginning new projects, and ideas just swirl all the time.

Late last month I put together some fabric groupings which I feel will definitely become quilts very similar to the inspiration quilts I shared in the previous post.

Four fabrics, three of which read solid and that pretty little green and gold print. I could very easily see this becoming a 9-patch.

This grouping has just three components - blue solid, grey solid and the print. I do not recall buying the print, so it could be very old stuff from Grandma's stash.

In addition to these recent pulls, I have some pulls from years past that have not yet been used, so I could return to them and come up with something.
 

Several years ago, I had the idea of making a fall quilt with some or all of these. It still appeals to me, and any of those quilts from the last post would work with these.

This grouping of three fabrics is growing on me. I really had no good ideas for the pink/burgundy print on the bottom, so since it almost reads solid, I put it with two other fabrics that also read solid and came up with this. I think it works. What do you think?

When I last straightened up my fabric tubs which are organized by color, I took these prints above out of the red tub. I just thought they really did not work as red, even though not counting the backgrounds, the main color is in the red family. I know that vivid red plaid doesn't play well with the others, but I can sorta' see a quilt coming together with the rest.

The grouping above all contain that odd color in the wine/burgundy/purple range. I would definitely like this stack made into something. Would you use some or all of it? Does a neutral need to be added? Which inspiration quilt from my previous post do you think would work?

This is my red tub from the last straightening up, and for the most part, it looks the same still. My blue tub, my green tub, and so on look very similar. I need to work at using these rather than storing these. And definitely use these as opposed to buying more!

Here's a nice red grouping that could work nicely as a 9-patch made with the top 4 fabrics; the large floral on the bottom could be the setting blocks. Ooh, yes, yes, yes.

The dreaming continues. And, for DH and I, the vacation continues. Yesterday, we visited a quilt shop in Crystal River. I will share more about it soon. I am not getting nearly as much stitching done as I thought I would. I have worked on that printed cross stitch baby quilt, but only minimally.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Planning for the Week Ahead

Some of you know that this coming week is the quilt retreat for the Frankfort Girls group I sew with. The pandemic forced our canceling last year's retreat, naturally. So we are long overdue for our week of stitching together. Instead of sewing, today, I am packing my projects, loading the car and prepping my contributions for meals.

Reviewing the projects I intend to work on this week seemed like a good plan for today's post. It'll be sorta' like a mini goals list.

In honor of Slow Sunday Stitching, my frequent Sunday post, I will share some handwork that will be completed this week: binding and applique. Two little quilts need binding, and I am taking Lake Effect (which I share most Sundays) to stitch on the applique vines, leaves and berries. Below are the two little quilts needing binding.

Both were quilted this week in my efforts to properly set the tension on the long arm machine. I put two small quilts into the machine at once, and focused almost entirely on upper and lower tension adjustments. I also concentrated on free-motion quilting.

After retreat, I have to work on finishing the commission t-shirt quilt, my reason for precise tension. I am almost there because I practice and tinker on small quilts of my own. This has been a good idea; with each quilt I do, with each pass of the machine across the frame, I gain more and more confidence in my mastery of the long arm.

But I digress. My focus today is retreat planning, not quilting for a customer. 

The marbled blue will be the binding.

 

Besides the hand work of bindings and applique, I have big plans for machine sewing. My agenda includes making the connecting blocks for the Double Irish Chain. I have completed the bigger task of making the 25-patch blocks. It should be relatively easy to complete the remaining blocks, and maybe even construct the quilt top.

Another near-finish on my radar is the red and white quilt, which I have not blogged about very much. I've been rather sporadically making star blocks (shown below), and now both sets of blocks are done; again, just connecting blocks remain. Since I am figuring out the quilt from a picture, this will require a bit of brain work, but I am confident I can manage it.

The connecting block for this quilt involves flying geese units, so. . . MATH. Oh dear. *wink*

And should all of the above be finished, I am taking a just-in-case project. It is from Grandma's quilting boxes, one that she worked on very late in her life. I have always thought I'd finish it, yet had no ideas for doing so. Now I believe I have come up with a worthwhile plan, so I am taking it 'just in case.' Here is one of Grandma's blocks.

That, in a nutshell, outlines the work I am planning for the retreat. I'm taking the laptop, so posting from our retreat site should be manageable. I won't promise any great or lengthy posts, but I do plan to check in.

Hope you all have a productive week! Tomorrow is Sew Along Update day, (link to last update) so come on back to see the latest news!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

An 'Ah-Ha' Moment

After all these years of making quilts, it seems rather unlikely that I would discover something new, but I believe I have. And maybe it isn't new at all; perhaps it is just a new-to-me revelation. Read on to see if you are aware of this occurrence in your own quilting.

"The very act of working on a quilt causes the quilter to dream up plans for making more quilts."

There. What do you think? Could this be an actual phenomenon? Have generations of quilters known this to be true?

I was at the sewing machine yesterday, working on my patriotic version of the Spring Dreams Sew Along. I am currently at the stage where I am attaching sashing strips to cornerstones, and making rows. 

Before too long, I was daydreaming about the next Spring Dreams quilt I will make. It was effortless, I tell you. The idea of making another quilt came to me as naturally as breathing. In September, my sister's son and d-i-l will become first-time parents; that baby will need a quilt. What simpler quilt could be called for than a baby version? I will wait until we have a gender reveal, then get cracking on it.

And you might think - well, that is entirely normal. Everyone knows that making baby quilts is what quilters give to new parents. True; I have recorded making several over the years right here on this very blog. The revelation, at least to me, is the timing of the idea. It came to me whilst nearing the finish of a quilt top. 

Interesting...

But I wasn't done! No! I kept on dreaming. It is clear that I am going to have quite a bit of patriotic fabric remaining when this current quilt is done, so I began planning the next quilt to make with these remnants. Since there are still several jelly roll strips, I supposed a 9-patch would make sense, but perhaps with the yardage I would add hourglass blocks, and then stitch them up for a fun and festive quilt. And just like that, I planned yet another quilt.

Remaining 2.5" strips

Remaining yardage - all from Grandma's stash

See what I mean? Working on a quilt begets plans for more quilts.

This seems rather harmless, and not overly astounding. Just thinking and planning, after all. However, in considering things a bit more thoroughly, it occurs to me that I have been consistently doing this for years - so long, in fact, that my "To Do" list grows significantly with each quilt I stitch. That goals list I share every January becomes laughable by March. I've penciled in so many more quilts to make that an addendum might be in the works.

I don't think this is peculiar just to me. Sharon might have this tendency, too. (Or else we feed off each other!) 

The last few times Sharon has been here to sew, we tossed around ideas for 2-color quilts using solids. This, despite the fact that we were stitching away on our Spring Dreams quilts, and having several other WIPs (works in progress) waiting to be finished. Before too long, we were pulling out fabric tubs and deciding to make Double Irish Chain quilts. 

Mine will be blue and creamy white!

 

If it sounds like I am complaining about this "condition," I assure you that is definitely NOT the case. The very idea of making more and more and more quilts appeals to me on absolutely every level. This pastime provides so much satisfying enjoyment, that it never, ever grows old. 

Wanna' make a quilt? *wink*

Happy Quilting, Friends!

 

 

Forever Planning the Next Quilt

It must be an inherent quilters' quality because I know of many quilters who do this very thing: we have plans for a gazillion quilts all while we are finishing up a current one. We quilters are forever looking forward to the next exciting project, anticipating a great new beginning - touching the fabric, creating a new pattern, or remaking an old favorite. Gives me a thrill just typing about it!

I suppose you have guessed that I have some plans in the works for after my basket quilt top is made, right? I have several, actually.

First, I have a special Christmas quilt I want to get busy on and since that involves secret sewing, I won't be saying any more about that. Second, Sharon and I want to make another 'Chock Full of Charm' quilt using charm packs. Third, I need to put the border on the baby quilt I was making earlier this summer, as the baby was born on Sunday! (Welcome to the world, Grady!)

And last, (for now) I want to make a jelly roll quilt, seeing as how I missed the great Jelly Roll Sewing day back in the middle of the month.

I actually have pulled my jelly roll and matched it up with a neutral from my stash. This very special Minick and Simpson Indigo Crossing jelly roll will be paired with this old Anna Barnes neutral - so old, in fact, that I have absolutely no idea how old it is, nor when or where I bought it.

Recently, Sharon made a jelly roll quilt called Daisy Chain, and I am leaning toward doing that same pattern with this combination. Since I still have a bit of time to decide, I won't firm up my plans for a week or so.

Speaking of Sharon, we have decided to take a break from every week sewing, as she has taken on a more active Grandma role. But we aren't giving it up entirely, and this next Tuesday we will be sharing a day together! Yay! She wants to work on Chock Full of Charms, and I will do the same.

I hope you are having a great Thursday!
Happy Quilting, Friends!

Looking Ahead

Maybe it' a bit too early to being thinking about July's activities, but because I have decisions to make and need to have a plan in place, I am looking ahead.

For Sharon and me, July is Roman Holiday Month! We both have remnants and some new (to us) jelly rolls in our Roman Holiday stashes, and we want to use this beautiful fabric! Through text messages, I know that she, too, is looking ahead and trying to establish a plan so that when July arrives we can go-go-go.

One type of quilt I've never made is a basket quilt, so I think that I would like to pair my Roman Holiday fabric with a basket pattern. This idea has fairly consumed me the past few days, and I have browsed through dozens of books, magazines and internet sites for inspiration.

Many fabric shops, fabric companies and pattern designers offer free patterns, which I have also perused. Moda's blog has a lengthy selection of freebies, and Picnic at Daybreak is one that I particularly like.

I spilled out the content of my Roman Holiday stash and added in the new charm packs and the jelly roll. This picture indicates that most of my quilt will be red, which I wouldn't mind in the least. The collection contains a good bit of brown and green and yellow and blue, believe it or not. I have a bit of yellow yardage which you see in the picture, but I only have the other colors in the precut forms. This definitely limits my options, so I must be deliberate in choosing a basket pattern.

While my brain works this all out, I have been stitching on Lake Effect, watching Cleveland Indians baseball and enjoying a lot of down time. Life is good here!

I've joined Confessions of a Fabric Addict and her weekly party Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!

Happy Quilting, Friends!