Here's a couple close-up shots showing the fun I had quilting this one. These two look the similar and actually there were two of each design on the quilt, but true to my ADD, I had to do a different design on each block. (See this post)
Also finished my hubby's lap quilt. I've been teasing him because he is treating it like a kid who never had a blankie! It is 52" x 76" and quilted with free-motion leaves. It is also really soft and cuddly. I might have to make myself one like this!
Next is a king-size for my son. I might not be back for awhile. I've been procrastinating on this one for a couple years.
Finally this one is quilted and ready for the binding. I've cut the strips and just need to join them and get with it.
Here's what it looks like thrown on the bed in our guest room. It took 16.5 hours to quilt it (I was practicing with rulers - LOL) and at $30 an hour, that is a mere $495. Add 12 blocks, piecing, and fabric, and this one is expensive ! I've not decided what to do with it yet.
But it was kind of fun... I used Glide to quilt it, and learned a great deal about making the long arm work with several different types of rulers.
Cobblestone Lane (or whatever I wind up naming it) is going slow, mainly because those blocks have no 'one size fits all' quilting design. Each one is a puzzle and my experience is not extensive on this sort of quilt. However, it it happening... slooowly! I'm into the second row of blocks so have done about one third.
My side table has a pile of fabric to make a BOM, the one from The Quilt Show designed by Sue Garman. It is a medallion that could be any size, depending on when you stop adding rounds. I like her design, colors, except the red borders that too me are too much contrast. After much thought, I decided to give it a go with softer colors in taupe with some yellowish and greenish tossed in. The entire thing is paper-pieced, which is one of my favorite techniques and one reason for the decision to make it. The other is that Sue Garman passed away a few weeks ago. I have never met her, but for some reason shed some tears and wanted to do this because of her.
On the back burner collecting fabric and courage
- King-size for son Scott, who wanted a beach scene landscape. I drew the scene, had it enlarged full size (cost about $50) and am staring at it in fear and trepidation.
- King-size for daughter Karen, who wanted a minimalist 'subway tile' look in using dark to light shades of taupe. I have 1-2 more fabrics to find, a dark and a light.
- Several baby quilt panels to make for Basically Babies
- And prep for Quilts of Valour sewing bee near the end of this month... which I'm hosting and our Canadian past-president is working with me. We did this in Nov/2015 and had a wonderful time. Even presented a quilt to a PTSD soldier and his buddy who stayed most of the day and help the volunteers cut out fabric.
- And about a dozen project boxes with patterns/fabrics ready to go
- And about three dozen 'I'd like to' patterns, some with fabrics or in kits
Now I need to make supper... that list makes me feel a bit weak...
Finally Cobblestone Lane is on the longarm. I'm still not sure of how to quilt all the parts, but so far have used in-ditch, 1/4" parallel lines, and some curves.
That cord has children's scissors attached. I put them around my neck when at work. Some use an apron with pockets for their various tools, but this works better for me. The thing that isn't working is my body -- doing ruler work makes my shoulders sore -- at least until I remembered to put some tape on them so they don't slide as easily.
I'm in the middle of putting the borders on Cobblestone Lane. Don't know why this takes so long, maybe because my meds have slowed my pulse to 48 - 52 most of the time? But it is better to be slow than stopped!
No photo but soon. I'm reading blogs though, and encouraged by your progress!
The past two months have been a challenge, but quilting is good therapy. So are naps and this is why this quilt is taking so long. However, now that the blocks are done and all the other parts are cut and labeled, it is going together -- at last.
The corner and first block are sewn together. The sashing and next row of blocks are just pinned to the design wall. I'm usually into artsy rather than making a zillion pieces, but this was fun and I'm loving the way it looks so far.
I made an enlarged photocopy and have been sketching quilting motifs and ideas, so when the time comes to get stitching, there will be some options to select.
Btw, I'm feeling okay, have lost the few pounds that were mostly water, and my heart is beating normally. Yet I'm aware that each day is a gift, so taking life (thankfully) one day at a time.
This quilt is coming along... lots of piecing, but relaxing. I had a cardioversion last Thursday and haven't felt like doing much since then, so welcome this as a recuperation project. (For those who don't know, a cardioversion is used to correct an irregular heartbeat. They put me to sleep and put the paddles to me, about the same as being electrocuted. Sort of zaps all the zip out of you... BUT my heart ECG is picture perfect, regular and I'm feeling better every day.)
Anyway, all the blocks are done except the appliqued two in the middle. The third photo below shows progress on the first one. The lighting is not good on any of these, but the color is most accurate on the bottom photo of the applique block.
This is a shot of some of the sashing strips that go between the blocks. They have small 9-patches as cornerstones. I like the larger 9-patches made into 9-patch blocks. When the quilt is done, it has the effect of an Irish chain.
This applique block has more leaves, etc. so is about half finished. The biggest challenge will be figuring out how to quilt this one!
A few more blocks are done for "Cobblestone Lane" and I'm having fun. Here are the blocks and the next picture is my work table. Foundation paper-piecing is a favorite construction method, probably because I'm anal about accurate piecing.
These blocks resist taking a photo. The backing on the design wall is doing the same. It looks bluish on one side and the right color on the other. The blocks don't even look the same size, but they are. I've five more to make, two of which are applique.
I work in strips most of the time rather than cutting pieces for each space in the pattern. However, sometimes a spot just calls for a fussy cut.
On a personal note, I have A-fib, which has been fine more than four years, but this month it decided to act up. My heart rate fluctuates all over the place, but I feel okay, just slow and sleepy. I didn't get into the ER soon enough for a quick fix, so am on a blood thinner to ensure no clots. That takes a month, so my 'fix' will be June 9. :-(
Response to my nativity pattern has been a nice surprise. Sales are brisk. I'm hoping that everyone who bought the pattern is busily making the quilt! It looks difficult, but is more time-consuming than hard to make.
I'm working on a pattern purchased who knows when. It is one of those "I'd like to make this" projects that I'd collected all needed fabric but stuck in a box and forgot about. At the beginning of the year, I picked twelve such projects, numbered them, and asked my hubby to pick a number each month. The funniest thing happened with this one. I had the main instructions for the sashing, etc. but thought I'd lost the block patterns. So I drew them using EQ7 as foundation paper-pieced blocks... then I found the patterns. Actually, that was a good thing. I love FPP and they are going together easily that way rather than cutting all those squares and triangles.
Here are three of the blocks so far. The reds are too dark in the photo. They will finish at 12" and the sashing is 9-patches with strips in the same colors. It looks a bit like an Irish Chain.
We are downwind of the wildfire in Fort McMurray so have some smoke in the air now and then. This has been a horrible event in our province, as you've seen on the news. People are making quilts, yet the greater need has been basics like toothbrushes and underwear for the 80,000 people who had to leave that city. Some homes have burned and this week, several simply exploded, even though the fire has moved away. It is still not a safe place for those waiting to go home, even to find out if they have a home to go to.The fire is immense and still out of control.
