TRADITIONAL COMFORT ZONE

I've tried to think a little out of the box on my last few projects. 

So to change things up a bit this week, I decided I would start something really traditional ---- a log cabin with reproduction fabrics.

For me, traditional-type quilts are the most fun to make.  I'm always inspired by antique quilts, as that is where my quilting travels began 50 years ago.  Plus, I'm intrigued by all of the reproduction fabrics on the market today.

If I can pull out 100 (or more) different fabric scraps for a project, the fun just increases.

I'm paper-piecing those little 4" squares.  Is paper-piecing traditional?  I don't know, but I love the accuracy.

Traditional just feels comfortable to me!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
What a Hoot Quilts for BOMS Away Monday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

PILLOW SAGA

My pillow saga started a month ago when I decided I needed four new pillows for my living room to brighten it up for summer.  You can read about the first three pillows here, here, and here.

This is pillow #4:

I randomly picked blues and reds from my scraps for the postage stamp portion, and added the polka-dot and yellow from my previous pillow.

After finishing the four pillows, I scattered them in my very traditional living room.  They looked so bright, modern and out of place!  What was I thinking???

At any rate, they are not going to waste as they look pretty good on our screened-in porch.  Not what I planned; so, back to the drawing board for the living room.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

GRADATION PILLOW

My favorite part of quiltmaking is playing with fabrics.  I love to check out how different fabrics interact with their neighbors.  Do they meld together or clash?  Is there color contrast or not?  Does a blue have undertones of green or maybe red?  Are the textures similar or contrasting?  Does an ugly fabric make its neighbor look better or worse?  And, on and on ----

One of my favorite exercises is a gradation of one color using many shades.  In this pillow, I chose 10 different fabrics for each of three colorways.

Shading from dark to light and back to dark again; and checking for texture.

  The fun part for me is to limit myself to only those fabrics in my scrap/stash bins.  It's always a learning experience for me to see what type/color fabric would make a gradation better.  Then, when shopping I try to remember what my stash is needing!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
What a Hoot Quilts for BOMS Away Monday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

WILD SIDE

I must have suppressed my wild side in the 1960s, because occasionally my bohemian side surfaces.  Consequently, I made this pillow this week.

Actually, I wanted to practice my curved piecing.

I found the curves to be easy.  It must have been from setting in all of those sleeves during years of clothing construction.

For the most part, I even like my machine quilting on this project.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

PERILS OF PAULINE or is it just a PITIFUL PEARL pillow?

I'm still at it ---- trying to transition from a machine piecing, hand quilting, hand appliqueing quilter to an all machine quilter.  Due to failing eyesight and arthritic fingers, I can't just give up the quilting that has been a part of my life since I was 11 years old.

I decided I needed to practice on some machine applique, so I've been working on a pillow.  I chose an applique technique that uses interfacing to finish the seams then is zigzagged on the background squares.  

I'm okay with my choice of fabrics and the design; but, frankly, my workmanship sucks!  I found this technique tedious and difficult turning all those small leaves.  However, I slogged through all 42 pieces.

My points are not very good, the zigzag is uneven, and the applique placement is sometimes wonky.  By the time, I got to the machine quilting, I was so over this project.  Therefore, I wasn't as careful as I should have been with the stitching.

I have a feeling that this pillow will soon be demoted from a house pillow to a porch pillow.

In the meantime, I need to find another method to machine applique and then practice, practice, practice.

I'm joining the following:
Sew Fresh Quilts for Lets Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

MOVING SLOW ---

I've been dealing with some minor health issues this last month --- nothing serious for which I am thankful --- just several things at once.

Not much time has been spent in my sewing room, but I hope to get back with it soon!!

DOING A LITTLE APPLIQUE

DONATION BASKET WITH BARS TABLE RUNNER

The youth group at our church is raising money for a mission trip to Alaska.  For one of their fundraisers, they are sponsoring a dinner and a silent auction.

As a donation to the auction, I did up an "Ice Cream Social for Four" gift basket including a quilted table runner.

In addition to the runner, it includes ice cream bowls, napkins, toppings, sprinkles, cookies, and a gift card for ice cream.

Here's the runner ----

I used up my Riley Blake and Bonnie and Camille scraps left over from a previous table runner.

And included simple wavy machine quilting.

Another enjoyable project !!!!!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Have a Daily Cup for Share Your Cup Thursday
Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

BOXES AND LADDERS SPRING TABLE RUNNER

They say that it is "Springtime in the Rockies"; but as a snow-loving person, I'm still hoping for a good April snowstorm.  Never the less, when I was at a Colorado Springs quilt store a couple of weeks ago; I picked up several fat quarters of springy, happy and bright fabrics from Riley Blake and a pre-cut 5" stack of Bonnie and Camille fabrics. They seemed perfect for a new table runner that I could work on practicing my machine quilting.

 Will I ever be satisfied with my machine quilting?  I'm beginning to wonder, but I'll keep practicing.

I chose the red-checked fabric for my binding --- it's a little "out there", but it is growing on me! 

No pattern available --- I did my usual thing, and made it up as I went.
I'm working on another runner in a different design to give away as I had plenty of fabric left over.  Maybe, I can convince myself that Spring is really here.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or not Friday
Confessions of a fabric addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

Selvage Quilt Finish

I love fabric, plus I have huge stash of fabric scraps that span several decades.  So, a selvage quilt was a perfect project.  I managed to squeeze in 254 selvages in a 23" x 23" mini-quilt.  It was so fun to revisit favorite designers, collections, companies, colors, and designs!

Even though I didn't plan it this way, four of my favorite fabric designers ended up in a row together:  Judie Rothermel, Jo Morton, Linda Bannock, and Jinny Beyer.

The variety of fabric collection names is interesting, plus some even have the dates of manufacture.

My favorite has to be the one in the center of the photo below.  It was the selvage of a Dick and Jane fabric that I picked up at the Houston Quilt Festival 20 years ago.  It has part of a picture of "Sally", one of the characters of the Dick and Jane books and my namesake.  And, it has the year of 1996 --- the year my first grandchild was born.

I probably have enough selvages for another project, but I'm moving on ----- I found an old fabric in my scraps from probably the 1980s that is just crying out for some 'fussy cutting'.  And, I'm hoping for trip out of town to the quilt store in Colorado Springs this week. Can't wait to get started on another new project.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Busy Hands Quilt for Finished or not Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
What a Hoot Quilts for BOMS Away Monday

SELVAGE QUILTS

Finally, I'm back doing a little quilting.  Probably should be doing other things, but you know how that goes!

The intrigue of selvage (or selvedge) quilts has been too strong for me to ignore.  So, several months ago I started to save some selvages as I worked on other projects.  Not knowing what I was going to do with them, I mistakenly cut them too narrow.

Now, it is necessary to scale down to a mini-quilt!

It has been fun going through them all: trimming, slicing, and dicing.

 I figure at this mini scale, it will take a least 250 selvages (some will be repeats with different sections of the printing).

 So far, the oldest I have found with a date is in the 1990s.  I know that I will find some from my stash from the 1970s and 1980s.  Do you remember the VIP cotton prints?  They were some of the first 100% cotton prints available at JC Penney's after the 1976 quilt revival.  I know I have some selvages yet to be discovered from that era.  Can you imagine searching for fabrics suitable for quilts before the Internet and local quilt stores?  We were thrilled to find 100% cotton fabrics for sale at that time.

And I know ---- don't laugh at my rotary cutter ---- it's from the early 1980s, the only one I've ever owned.

I can hardly wait to start the sewing process!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

A MUG RUG FOR A VALENTINE'S PRESENT

It's been over a month since I last posted.  Not much quilting has gone on.  I've been working on making doll clothes for an 18" doll for a charity donation project.  It did include a doll quilt --- more on that in the future.  I hope to get back to quilting regularly in the next week or so ----

I took an afternoon off from the doll clothes to make a mug rug for my granddaughter for a Valentine's present to use in her office.

Fun fabrics were from the Loralie Harris fabric line.  I discovered her studio recently moved within less than 10 miles from my house, and carries all of her panels and fabrics.  I'll be using more of her fun polka-dot and checked fabrics in the future, I'm sure!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

FALLING WATER GRADATION TABLE RUNNER

This was a Christmas gift for a friend.  She is not a quilter, but has supported and encouraged me for the last 35 years in my quilting endeavors.  She is always interested in the way I choose colors and fabrics for a quilt, so I thought a gradation table runner in blues/teals/green was in order.

I used about 20+ fabrics, and mixed them up in a gradation of colors.  It measures 14" x 40".

It's machine quilted in easy wavy-line quilting using my walking foot and a variegated teal thread.

----- a fun, fast, easy table runner!

I'm joining in the following:

Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making

Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

NECKTIE PILLOW

A friend gave me some neckties that belonged to her husband, and asked if I would make her something to preserve the memories.  Her husband is a pastor, so there are many memories in his ties over the last 50+ years.

 I've had no experience with neckties, but I thought "why not?" and gave it a try keeping it small with a 14" pillow.

After deconstructing the ties,  I paper-pieced the four individual blocks.  The ties were mostly slippery silk, but in several different textures.

After joining the four blocks, I backed them with fusible fleece and machine embroidered along the seams using a variegated machine embroidery thread.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday
Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or Not Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

I SPY BOOK

One of my friends is expecting a new granddaughter in January.  This grandmother is working on a cute quilt for the long-awaited child; so I wanted to do something a little different.

I've been wanting to do an "I Spy" project for a long time, and have stock-piled a few suitable fabrics for several years.  Instead of a quilt, I decided to try my hand at a soft "I Spy" book.

Those that know me know that I never use a pattern; I just dive in, and hope for the best.  
First, I cut my "I Spy" images from the fabric.  Some of them were less than an inch in size.  For each page, I then added strips of fabric joining the collages until I had a page that measured 7 1/2" square.

I made a total of 12 pages including the front and back cover.  The mother-to-be loves bright colors, so I assume the baby will, too.  I chose my brightest scraps and arranged the pages in rainbow colors.

FRONT COVER

PAGES 1 AND 2

PAGES 3 AND 4

PAGES 5 AND 6

PAGES 7 AND 8

PAGES 9 AND 10

AND, FOR THE NEW DADDY -- THE BACK COVER

I machine quilted with a variegated embroidery thread.  My regular machine was at the repair shop; and being impatient, I quilted it on my old Singer Featherweight without benefit of a walking foot.  It would probably look better if I had used some straight lines to follow!!!

Even though this was kind of labor/time-intensive; it turned out just like I imagined, and it was so much fun choosing fabrics.

It's far from perfect -- if I was to do it over, I would have made the spine 1" instead of 1/2" as I didn't allow enough area for the thickness of all the fabric pages.
My grandmother-in-law always said when making clothes for kids --- you'll never see your mistakes on a galloping horse!  So be it with soft books -- it's made to be chewed on, slept on, toted around, etc. and hopefully enjoyed!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Busy Hands Quilts for Finished or not Friday
Sew Can She for Show Off Saturday