Progress report

These are five blocks for a quilt group - we are each to make floral strip sets in "quilt as you go" fashion. One of the leaders will use narrow sashing strips to join them. I made nine, four in medium tones, five in darker fabrics. She will arrange them by graduation of tones. This will be a charity quilt. 

The other picture is a close-up of some of the quilting on Mariner's Sunset. This shows about 10" in the middle of the compass where the "sun" meets the water. The water has not been quilted but will have horizontal lines of reflection, etc. Now that this is on the machine and square, and controllable, it is more of a "tamed monster" instead of being so intimidation. It's a pleasure to work on, a bit each day, in my style of free motion doodling.

K-6 Scraps from the Strata

This small table topper was inspired by my Scottish heritage that has trouble throwing away leftovers that are large enough to become something else. When making K-4 and K-5, I had triangles and shapes that fit on a smaller version of the triangle normally used to make these Kaleidoscope quilts. So I fiddled with them until I thought they would work, made the pattern to fit the pieces, and this was the result. It was a bit picky, but satisfying in the end. It measures about 21.5" across the widest point. I put a facing on the back instead of a binding around the edges. 

Unfettered and Postcards

This quilt is applique, 27" x 23" and quilted in the ditch. It started with a photo of an old gate. The fence and everything else in the photo was falling down and ruined, but the gate stood, an image of strength. After several sketches and value studies, I picked colors from two favorite paintings, raided my stash, and this is the result. The gate turned sideways, in spite of the power of the uprightness of the original image. It just looked better this way. I don't know where to hang it, but am enjoying the results. I also learned that if pieces must hang down, they need to be carefully planned.

These are postcards that I made and will be sending one a month to a "secret sibling." Since she doesn't know me, I doubt she will see them on here, so decided to post them. They are 4" x 6" and were lots of fun to make. I've received two from whoever got my name. When I have all six from her, I'll post them. She is doing a holiday theme. They are yummy!

This is a great way to use bits and pieces. I love the sky in the upper right (I put in the birds with a pen) and the rocks in lower right. That one curled up on me for the photo, but it isn't in real life. A friend ran with this idea and is making all her Christmas cards from bits of fabric leftover from last year's gift-giving!