WIP Wednesday, 2/23/22

 As promised, I completed two pillows using the Asian Love Banner pattern by Berene Campbell @happysewlucky. Each pattern says "love" in a different Asian language. 

Filipino:

Vietnamese:

I was able to deliver each one yesterday. The first one went to my oncology physical therapist, Michelle. I see her once a month post breast cancer treatment to keep the cording from my lymph node removal and lymphedema in check. She is amazing, and if I have to see her once a month forever, I will not be sad.

The second went to longtime good friend, Jane.

I've been working on the Double Ruby Ring during the evening and completed two in the past week. 

Don't they look pretty together? 

This one was completed last night. After I finished, it seemed that the chartreuse block stuck out like a sore thumb. But I'm not going to pull it out quite yet. My friend Carrie @gotchacoveredquilting suggested I wait until some more blocks are done. If I add a pop of chartreuse in a couple of other blocks, this one won't stick out so much. Good advice. 

That's it for this week. Off to work on my second pineapple block. I made a silly mistake on the first one--I forgot to sew the last ring of the dotted fabric, but then sewed three strips of scraps in each corner before I realized what I had done. Ugh. So then I had to un-sew each of the four corners and correct my mistake. (Posting the picture from last week so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about.)

Having to a correct a mistake from either foundation paper piecing or English paper piecing is definitely not fun. But sometimes you just have to do it. I always try to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. It's quite possible that I will manage to make a different mistake but hopefully not.  So fingers crossed...

WIP Wednesday, 2/16/22

This is about the only thing that used to happen to my scraps. They would get dumped on the floor by these cuties (circa 2016) and then I would have to stuff them back into the bin because it was not nearly as fun as dumping them on the floor.

Well, as I mentioned last week, I went through my bin, sorted the scraps, and made my first pineapple block, using the foundation papers by Amber Johnson of @gigis_thimble.

I'm using my long-hoarded Firefly fabric from the Hello Bear line by Bonnie Christine as a consistent background for the blocks and I'm really happy with it. It was a very slow process making this first block. I think I have found my groove and hopefully the next ones will be quicker.

I'm still up to date with the Riley Blake block of the week challenge.

Sundial designed by Christopher Thompson of @the_tattooed_quilter.

Scrappy Churn Dash designed by Sandy Gervais of (@gervaissandy

I began making two of the Asian Love Banners designed by Berene of @happysewlucky, but they are not far enough along to show yet. They will be completed for next week, as well as another Double Ruby Ring block. 

Happy sewing.

WIP Wednesday

 

Block 4 of the Riley Blake Designs 2022 block challenge: Tulip by Jill Finley of @jillilystudio.

I completed the Deco quilt top designed by Brittany Lloyd of Lo and Behold Stitchery. I really like Brittany's patterns. They are well written and look harder to make than they actually are. I don't usually like working with a kit of fabrics chosen by someone else, but Brittany's choice of colors for this one was stellar.

I made another Double Ruby Ring block. This has proven to be the perfect project to work on while watching the Olympics in the evening. 

I'm happy Michelle likes it. :)

And finally, I began something I've never done before.  Well, two things actually.

1. I've never made a scrap quilt. I have made quite a few "scrappy" quilts, but that fabric is pulled from my stash. I end up making scraps that go in my bin but I've never used said scraps to make a quilt.

2. I've never made a pineapple block quilt. I ordered the foundation paper pieces from Amber Johnson of @gigisthimble, went through all my scraps, separating the larger ones in three piles by value--light, medium and dark--because I also want to make a Plaidish quilt by @kitchentablequilting. The strips went into this paper bag and I will randomly pull them out. The center square will be the red and white polka dot, and the "background" will be the other fabric. I started last night and I can already tell you, making a pineapple block takes a loooooong time! I'll be happy to have even one completed block to post next week. :) It was such fun going through my scraps. I found lots of favorite fabrics in my packed-to-the-brim container. And a lot of mysterious fabrics that I must have acquired from other people. 

Til next week...

January Sewing Update

Back in the day, I posted frequently about quilting progress, projects I was working on and completed quilts. While I have continued to sew, posting about it has become a rarity it seems. In 2022, I want to keep better track of what I'm doing. Following Jeni Baker's lead, I am also tracking my fabric purchases and the amount of fabric I use up/destash. My goal is to sew mainly from what I already have on hand. 

So. On to things I worked on in January.

WORKS IN PROGRESS:

My friends, Stephanie and Pam, and I decided to choose a block of the month we could each work on, and then Zoom once a month and sew together. We chose the Hygge quilt by Annemarie Chaney. I'll be honest and say I'm not a huge Tula Pink fan, but I have always thought her Holiday Homies line was really cute. It comes in flannel and seemed like a win-win. It will be a little bit "holiday" but not too much, so we can use it throughout the cold months, not just Christmas.

The first block was this series of cute mugs.

I started the Riley Blake Designs 2022 Block Challenge. Three blocks were released in January, one each Tuesday for three weeks. I'm using a fat quarter bundle that I have had for a long time: Rosa by Crystal Manning for Moda Fabrics. I had just been waiting for the "right" project and this seems to be the one.

Daisy Chain, designed by Lori Holt of @beeinmybonnet

Sweetheart designed by Beverly McCullough of @flamingotoes

I loved that I could add the sweet selvage in the center of the heart--a fun little touch.

Autumn Leaf designed by Kristy Lea of @quietplaydesigns

This was a seemingly simple block that I ended up making and remaking. I didn't take a photo of the first time I made it, but I switched these two around. So Jack the Ripper to the rescue.

Take two. I was sure I had it right until my friend, Elizabeth (@occasionalpiecequilt) pointed out that she thought the lower leaves were each facing the wrong way. What?? Unsewing. Again.

Third time's a charm.

My current EPP project is Double Ruby Ring by Michelle Bartholomew. I nearly gave up on this project after the first block because the "flat back" stitch and I do NOT get along. Elizabeth (@occasionalpiecequilt) to the rescue again.  She told me I could just do my normal whipstich even though I was working with concave and convex units. "Trust me," she said. "Things will match up," she said. And she was right. So I have renewed vigor to work on this project with my gorgeous Oakshott scraps. It will be a good project during the next two weeks of watching Winter Olympics.

Deco quilt designed by Lo and Behold Stitchery. This was a sewalong from a few months ago. But I am notorious for never even beginning a sewalong until long after it is finished. I finished piecing the last of the blocks last night and it is finally ready to stitch the top.

COMPLETED PROJECTS

I finished two pillows in January.

This is for a friend who did me a big favor. It will go in the mail after I finished another small project to include.

This was for my granddaughter, Charlotte, with a cute little label from Kylie and the Machine.

I did a big destash in January, so the numbers look great:

Used up/destashed: 64 yards

Brought in: 9 yards

Net: -55 yards

Year to date: -55 yards

I think that pretty much sums up January. 

Quilts by the Water: I Heart You/Pismo, CA

 While the majority of quilts in the calendar are original designs, I Heart You was designed by Meghan Buchanan of Then Came June and Lindsey Neill of Pen and Paper Patterns.

For some reason, I did not take many process photos. A few things about this quilt:

*I have an extensive stash of pink fabric. This is the only pink quilt I have made to date. 

*I used one of my favorite fabric lines. It is by an Australian designer, Saffron Craig. Years ago, I purchased quite a bit of her fabric. I particularly like this one because at the time, a lot of pink fabrics were paired with black. This one was paired with brown. So I was able to use brown and white striped fabric for the binding. 

I liked that I had some white-on-white fabric with cute little hearts--it really fit the theme.

I used leftovers of the main print on the back, as well as another Saffron Craig design with dandelions. The main backing fabric is a fun print by Alexander Henry.

I wish I had more photos of this fun quilt.

Quilt: I Heart You

Designed by: Meghan Buchanan and Lindsey Neill

Made by: Cindy Wiens

Quilted by: Darby Myers

Size: 54" x 60"