WIPs and more

As usual I have a few things on the go. Although I have condensed my workspace and been away, I still seem to get things done.

I've continued to make blocks each month for the Block Lotto. This year's modern modular blocks have been great (although I have not won any yet) - I continue to be inspired by them. In fact, my latest quilt is made from blocks that we did in December 2012. I liked these so much and I've been waiting for an opportunity to use this pattern.

Some friends are getting married in June and I intended to make them a quilt to celebrate the event. Unfortunately, I am off to a late start and was having difficulty determining what to do for them. I had asked about colors and styles, but that's not always easy for a non-quilter to answer. Finally, I had a chance to speak to the bride-to-be and show her some fabrics from my stash to get inspiration. So, my design brief is: neutrals, green-blues (or is it blue-greens?), and traditional blocks.

I've ordered some new fabrics, but have made two blocks from my stash to get started. The narrow strips will be made with jade/peacock/teal and also some darker grays to mix it up. The block finishes at 8 inches, I'm not sure how big the quilt will be - I suspect it will be as big as it gets when I run out of time!

My tea towel quilt is progressing along (more here). I decided to do mostly stitch-in-the-ditch around the piecing and added some semicircles to the white border to echo the pieced semicircles on the first border. I am planning to hand quilt the center panel (my tea towel), but have not managed to get started on that.

The Monday Modern group that I belong to is doing a block lotto as well. Originally, we did bee blocks making them for each member using her own fabric and specifications. These blocks are specified by someone each month, made using fabric from our stashes, and then we draw names for a winner. So far, we have done three including these for May (eek, May almost).

I have also had another stab at my green HST quilt. I've made 32/36 of the blocks plus 8/24 of the 2-square-wide edge rectangles. This is taking me a long time (a really long, long time) but I am motivated to get it put together. More about this one from some old posts - the first one dated July 2011 (really?)

I'll be linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced when it turns Wednesday in her neck of the woods.

Round robin progress

For the third year in a row I am participating in a round robin organized by an online Block Lotto friend. We are on the third round - adding a second border to someone's center block. I would love to show what I have done, but it's all supposed to be secret. I can show you a color-modified peek though.

I am at my mother's house in Virginia right now - my father is very sick and is in the hospital under hospice care. I made the decision to come home on short notice from New Zealand to be with my family. Mom and I are talking about making a small quilt to be placed in the casket with my dad. He will (eventually) be buried with full military honors in Arlington Cemetery, so I am thinking about something patriotic with a stars and stripes motif.

I wonder if it's a strange thing to be designing a quilt at a time like this, but it is something that my mother and I share and we all know that quilting is therapeutic. It will keep me busy as well. I have some ideas, but I need to keep it simple so it doesn't become a burden on us to get it finished.

I was making my bed this morning (uber-uncomfortable futon couch) and wanted to take a photo of the three quilts I have been using. I was so cold the first night and none of them are bed sized, so I thought three was appropriate.

The bottom one was made in a class we did together in Queenstown a few years ago using a 4-patch caleidoscope technique. The fan quilt is made with Laura Ashley prints that were purchased in England in the 70s - I think my mother started piecing this by hand about 35 years ago and finished it recently. The last quilt is a simple block pattern made with Asian prints. A nice mix to keep me cozy.