AMQG ideas for fundraising quilt

I volunteered to organise a collaborative fundraising quilt for the Auckland Modern Quilt Guild (AMQG). Because we are modern and because there is a mix of skills I thought that an easy 'liberated' design would be best.

I've narrowed the choices down to three designs - color choices are still negotiable.

I've had lots of inspiration out in blogsphere on these, but no one specific design. My Block Lotto experience will help me with this, I hope. That's probably why I volunteered.

Candidate number 1: wonky stars

Wonky stars made from a few scrappy flying geese and arranged into a 9-patch. I used bits and pieces from my scrap basket in blue/white/grey. I like the color combo, but think that the greys should be limited to lighter shades; the dark ones I don't like so much.

My thought is to allow any size star and each block can include multiple stars. All final blocks should be a set size (9" or 12" finished). I envision lots of stars floating on the background.

Candidate number 2: asterisks

A quick and simple design created by slashing a background square and inserting strips of color. This one could be very specific about size of block and width of strips or people could choose the sizes themselves. I think my strips are a little wider than I'd prefer.

Candidate number 3: log cabin squares

I confess that this is my favorite one. An easy log cabin design with each row being a single color and width. This one will result in a really modern look and we can practically use any colors as long as the inner and outer squares are a consistent color.

Comments are welcome!

Crumb quilt FMQ (almost) done

A busy weekend and I was determined to get a few hours of sewing done. I figured that I could finish up the FMQ on my crumb quilt in less than 2 hours. So, when I snuck upstairs on Sunday afternoon I was ready to go.

All went well until I had to wind up a new bobbin and I realised that my thread was running a bit low - would I make it? I only had about 2 square feet to finish. It was touch and go...and...I ran out. With only a 4"x4" section unquilted I was out of pink veriagated thread. What to do? My solution - leave it.

I've trimmed the edges and I'm ready for the binding. I'll be glad to finish this one; I have many other projects waiting in queue.

I'm linking up to Amy's One Thing, One Week Challenge. Check it out.

Block Lotto blocks for February

This month's block is in honor of Valentine's day and is based on hearts in pink, orange, cream, and gray. As usual, the Block Lotto has inspired me to try a few things - I can't pass up a challenge especially when given such an open invitation to experiment. Plus, I love the color scheme!

I started by drafting a pattern for a pieced heart in a classic shape. I divided the block into rectangles. Four rectangles are quarter circles (actually they turned out to be ovals) - basically a modified drunkard's path. The other rectangles are either 1/2 triangles or plain. Originally I tried to do this using squares but I did not like the proportions - rectangles worked much better. I made two of these with different color variations and may make another.

I also made one using string blocks. I started with four small squares and two large ones - these I trimmed down to rectangles before pieceing them together. Once again, I found the rectangle components worked better than squares.






Using inspiration from my crumb quilt (which is slowly edging towards a finish), I made a few small crumb hearts which I surrounded with cream scraps.








I usually like to draft my own patterns, but sometimes I just get lazy and look for some help from another quilter. This time I found a 3" paper pieced heart by Carol Doak. I made 4 of them and then added some sashing between to make the finished 9" block.

I really enjoyed making these, but may have to leave my total at 5. We are allowed to make 9 but I have my round robin to start working on and a few UFOs that need my attention...

WIP Wednesday

I have hardly had a chance to sew these past few weeks. The family was still at the beach and I was back and forth to work mid week. Somehow my projects have been set aside this month. I suppose that I did get some things done over Christmas and I sat down one day while commuting on the ferry and made note of all my WIPs and what I could do in the near future on each. Some things I've already finished!

• Crumb Quilt:
• Sandwich ✓
• Baste ✓
• FMQ - started
• Bind
• Green 1/2 Square Triangles:
• Finish last batch of squares ✓
• Piece blocks
• Blue Snowflake:
• Commit to layout ✓
• Continue making applique blocks
• Butterfly Hearts:
• Design layout and quilting pattern ✓
• Quilt background
• Applique hearts
• Blue/Brown dots:
• Sketch design ✓
• Draft templates

Blue Snowflakes

I finished one half-finished block and did one more (start to finish).

Crumb Quilt

I'm halfway through the quilting. I chose a variegated pink/fuchia thread and am doing an all-over loopy pattern. I don't usually do the all-over pattern, but I thought it would work well with the quilt.

One Thing, One Week Challenge

Amy has a challenge to set a goal and complete it in a week. I chose to finish my green 1/2 square triangles. I went away to the beach house for a few weeks with about half of the squares done. I wanted to finish them before I went back to work on the 10th, but somehow, I didn't quite make it.

Last weekend I had about 100 more to finish, and that's what I set out to do. I finished them on Sunday and now have the 1,452 squares to start making my 6x6 blocks. It's taken me a long time to get to this stage, mainly because making so many 1/2 square trianges can be a little ...umm... monotonous. Here's a photo of my squares - it doesn't really look that impressive, does it? But I know the finished quilt will be amazing.

The finished blocks will create a series of small, medium, and large green squares. I also spent some time on the weekend working out how to make the quilt a little bigger but did not want to ruin the continuity of the overall pattern by adding a typical border. My solution is to add two more rows of small squares made up of solid white/cream squares and some more tiangle components. This will extend the pattern into the "border" and make every green square in the pattern complete. It's hard to visualise, but I'll make some up and post them soon.

Here's a picture of the 4 blocks that I have made so far.

The year in review

I thought it would be a good exercise to review all of the projects that I have started and finished in 2011. It was a busy year both in and out of my quilting world. The year started with the completion of my 2010 Easter challenge to finish all of the UFOs that I found in my closet. I am happy to report that I achieved what I set out to do (mostly).

Finishes in 2011

Caramel Kitties: Started 13 years ago for the daughter of a friend. Added more borders to increase the size to a single bed. The color scheme is quite muted but is fresh and pretty. I included this one in the Blogger's Quilt Festival - see the post here. Finished January 2011.

Beach Creatures: Started 14+ years ago for my oldest nephew. Only a few of the applique blocks were done. My applique technique was ... primitive to say the least but the overall effect and the machine quilting rescued this one. None of the novelty prints matched, but somehow it all came together. Finished March 2011

One-patch: This one was started in April at the Remarkables Symposium in Queenstown during a class with Natalie Murdoch. My mother also attended the same class I have yet to see her finished quilt). I did a long post about this quilt and the lessons I learned while making it - check it out here. Finished September 2011.

Challenge cushion: Made for a challenge held by the Auckland Modern Quilt Guild. We were presented with a fat 1/8 of a (not so nice) green/blue print and challenged to make a quilted pillow of any size or style that used at least half of the fabric on the 'front' of the pillow. I went with a design of 9 small blocks with several black and white prints. The pillow is quite big, but that's what I like about it. Finished November 2011

Owl baby quilt: Made for a friend at work who is expecting a baby early next year. This is the third baby quilt I've started (see above), but it was finished in about 14 days, not 14 years. That's a big improvement! It's a big quilt for a baby, but will be great for many years (I hope). Finished December 2011.

Christmas makeup bags: I made eight of these in three color schemes for four generations of women in my family from age 8 to 98. I go tthe idea and some instructions from the web, but made a few changes to speed up the production. I love making gifts and often make a single item that I can vary for all the women on my list. The men usually get shirts, or books - somehow I never manage to come up with a good handmade gift for them.

Block Lotto: I played every month in 2011 and never won. I learned so much and was inspired by everything I did and saw on Block Lotto. I hope that this year will be as inspiring - but is it selfish to want to win once every so often? Fingers crossed as usual.

Started but not finished in 2011

Blue snowflake: I started this quilt in April at Symposium and have managed to finish three blocks and am halfway through the fourth. I found that during the winter months I quite liked sitting in the sunniest room in the house to hand sew, but as the weather warmed up, I moved away from it. I hope to do some more while at the beach over Christmas. I'm planning at least 9 of the light on dark blocks and am considering 9 dark on light blocks. Still have not decided but I think I have all the fabric I need.

Butterfly hearts: I started this about a year ago for my DD using a collection of butterfly prints on a pieced cream/beige background. I have been a bit stuck trying to decide how to do the raw-edge applique and the quilting to get just the right effect. I have basted the layers and am just about ready to dive in.

Green/white half-square triangles: This quilt falls into the 'what was I thinking' category. At last count, I still need to make about 600 more squares. I know it will be spectacular when it is done and it is a great project to pick up if I'm having a creative block. While I'm at the beach over the next few weeks, it might be a good project to do in the evenings. One day I will finish it...

Crumb quilt: I finished the top in October as part of a Crumb Along but set it aside to work on Christmas gifts and a baby quilt. I have everything I need for the backing and binding and this will probably be the first finish in 2012. I'm not sure how I will quilt it - probably an all-over pattern rather than my usual style of working within the piecing design.

Finished baby quilt

I am so pleased with this little quilt: firstly, because it went together so quickly, but also because I like it. The 60-degree equilateral triangles wee also fun to work with and I'm sure that the pattern variations are endless. These triangles finish at 5" tall - I made them this big so that the cute prints did not get lost.

The back is pieced with two prints in wide stripes.

The free-motion quilting started with spirals on the light-colored hexagons. Then I did a bounce around the perimeter of each dark triangle. It looks like the spirals go out into the dark tringles - this was not really planned, but I like the effect.

I also labeled this quilt, whch is a first (I know, shame on me). I had all sorts of grand ideas, but ended up writing one and sewing it on quickly the night before I had to give the quilt away. I will do better next time, I promise.

Wednesday update

There's no WIP this week on Freshly Pieced and no Block Lotto this month either. Everyone is taking a holiday.

The baby quilt that I started last week is almost done. I've quilted and bound it. Really, it's just some thread tidying that's left to do. I'm really pleased with the end result and am amazed at how quickly it went together. Here's a quick preview - I'll take some better pictures soon.



I've joined a round robin through Floribunda Quilts. I've never done one before and am keen to give it a go. The only problem is that everything is a secret, so I won't be able to post any detail. I'm thinking about my center block design already. The finished quilt will be very small (20"), so I want to do something that's different than my usual style that can stand alone. So often in quilts I rely on the repetition and variety of fabrics to make an impact - in a small piece that will likely hang on the wall the focus is much different. I don't have a lot of time because the first center block needs to be sent in less than 4 weeks. Time to get the sketch book out.