TGIFF - So. Much. Purple.

Hey there! I'm Jenn @ A Quarter Inch from the Edge and I'm happy to be hosting this week's edition of TGIFF. If you're new to my blog, have a little tour around and check out some of my past posts.

I kind of felt like I should have photographed this one in the rain, but that was beyond my photographic skills!

This Kona strip quilt was made purely from my stash. Normally, I work in a pop of colour here and there, but this little lovely is destined for a new baby of a co-worker. I know her room is primarily purple, but I have no idea on accent colours!

As I said, these purples were from my stash, so most of them were already labeled. I do like to keep a running log of Konas used so I can keep my Kona Love list semi up to date! If you've never made an endless strip quilt or a jelly roll race as some people call them, you really should! They're a great stash buster and are super easy! Here's a quick tutorial by Wisecraft. Full disclosure: I didn't use this tutorial, but I thought you might like some instructions!

 These quilts can get a little messy, but the end result is satisfying!

I like to sew my strips into groups of four rows and cut them to width. I then lay them out on the design wall to ensure a pleasing distribution of lights and darks. It's scappy, but planned!

As for quilting, I like to break up the linear-ness (is that even a word?!) of the piecing with some wavy organic quilting. It's also easy as all get out. And it looks better and better each time it gets washed. Baby quilts get washed.... a lot!

Binding? Scrappy. Lawn? Not green enough yet for nice pictures.

Spring is coming in Eastern Canada, but not fast enough for my liking. Thank goodness for these happy crocuses that we (Double Trouble and I) planted last fall.

I even hit the stash for my backing. Kona Snow with a pop of purple. I'm also planning on adding the wee little girlie's name to the back, but I didn't want it in the pics! Here's hoping that the new mama (and her kiddo) like it.

The Deets  
Title: Purple Rain for Miss E
Size: 35 by 45 inches (my preferred baby quilt dimensions!)

Fabric Used: Kona from my stash
Konas Used: Bright Periwinkle, Dahlia, Hibiscus, Lavender, Mulberry, Orchid, Pansy, Petunia, Regal, Tulip, Violet
Quilting: Wavy organic
Backing: Kona Snow

Binding: Scrappy purple Konas!

Now it's your turn. Link up those fabulous finishes here and don't forget to tour the other blogs and spread the comment love! Please include a link and/or button for Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday! so your visitors know what this TGIFF thing is all about!

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Friday Finish - Return of the Zissertwin!

Pillow, that is!

After finishing Daylily Daze for my parents, I really wanted to make a little thank you for the couple that created this lovely daylily, Zissertwin.

 

It's named for DT... another one of their aliases! The block features colours pulled from the Zissertwin daylily using Play Craft's Palette Builder 2.1. I added an asymmetrical border in foliage greens. 

For the quilting, I used a green thread and went for the classic wavy organic lines. I think it softens the hard lines of the 16 patch.

If only there were a few daylilies blooming to keep this pillow company. Alas, it's still a little early for blooms my part of the world. A couple more weeks to go!

 

This pillow's already made its way to its new home. I'm linking up today with TGIFF @ Celtic Thistle Stitches, as well as with Finish Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts.

J

P.S. This is one of my goals for Q2 of the 2016 Finish Along.

WIP Wednesday - And the Glamp prep goes on and on...

Ack... the Glamp prep. How is there only ½ a sleep until I go? Ack! Fabric was still arriving on the week-end. I didn't even bother with my LQS for this one... just click click clicked my way to Mad About Patchwork.  I love that she'll cut fat quarters of pretty much anything!

Does this picture confuse you? The colour of this allegedly Kona coordinated Carolyn Friedlander print is Leaf. And that's a Leaf swatch. Yikes. Not to so much. I wish I could get the ear of dear Mr. Kaufman because this Kona Coordinated business needs some tweaking.

 So off to the colour card I went. Wasabi was the ultimate winner.

 It might not work perfectly with the CF print, but with the other lime-citrony prints... it's a go!
And then there's the background. I ordered these lovelies from Dinkydoo Modern Fabrics. Mmmmm... Lizzy House Whisper Palette. I love 'em. But they just didn't speak to me once I put them with the ever growing Glamp pile.

 Then I piled them all on a hunk of Kona Silver. When in doubt, Kona.

And with that decision made, I could get to cutting. Four of the six Glamp Stitchalot instructors have opted for paper piecing, so there's not much cutting I can do in advance. But Elizabeth Hartman's row is blissful piecing. No paper required! So many wee pieces. So much labeling with my trusty masking tape!

Next up Violet Craft's block. Curves. Templates. Oh my. I was wracking my brain for the best way to cut those pieces. Thanks to my Skill Builder shenanigans, I'm well versed in the world of freezer paper. Easy peasy!

The fabric is pulled. Many of the pieces are cut. My swap pouch is made. My pick up at Glamp order from Pink Castle Fabrics is placed. Flight? Hotel? Check. Check. What more is there to do? Oh. Guess I better pack some clothes and stuff!

I'm linking up today with the lovely Lorna @ Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social!

J

Friday Finish - I Spy with My Little Eye!

 Squee! It's done! And just in time for DT's half birthday. They're 18 months old today. Time is flying!

And what better present than a quilt? True confession. It's a total coincidence that this was finished in time for their half-birthday.

156 fussy cut and Kona wonky framed Polaroid blocks. No repetition of fabrics, though there are more than a couple hedgehogs, foxes and owls... they are very popular!

I had a couple different plans for the binding. In the end, I didn't want to take away from the rainbow goodness of the top, so I opted for a matched binding. Fiddly? Yes. Worth it? Definitely! And it brings some rainbow to the back as well!

 Every time I look at this quilt, I see another fun block. I can't wait for DT to be able to name them all.

  More quilts loungin' on rocks. If only we both could have stayed all day.

  My quilts seem to want to go to the park lately. Or maybe it's me.

I'm almost as pleased with the back as I am with the front! I improv pieced the letters. On the back, you can see the simple quilting. Stitched in the ditch around each Kona frame with travel lines through the improv sections. This quilt is all about the colour and the Polaroids, so the quilting needed to be simple. Thanks to Val @ Purple Boots and Pigtails and Linda @ Scrapmaster for their quilting consult!

And the eye! I am so very, very happy. I printed a clip art eye and free pieced it. Yup. It was crazy. And it worked. (For the record, I did an extensive search for a paper piecing pattern first!)

 Who can resist a binding roll, even a sloppy one, with all that Kona rainbow goodness?

The Deets  
Title: I Spy Polaroid for DT
Size: ???
Fabric Used: Fussy cut prints and lots of Kona
Konas Used: Medium Grey, Tomato, Red, Rich Red, Cardinal, Persimmon, Carrot, Tangerine, Orange, Papaya, Sunflower, Buttercup, Canary, Sunny, Corn Yellow, Chartreuse, Kiwi, Parrot, Grasshopper, Lime, Cactus, Pacific, Peacock, Turquoise, Malibu, Niagara, Riviera, Regal, Amethyst, Purple, Magenta, Heliotrope, Tulip, Wisteria, Lilac
Quilting: Stitch in the ditch around each framed Polaroid blocks
Binding: Pieced Kona rainbow 

Backing: Predominately Kona Medium Grey with improv pieced letters and various sizes of Polaroid blocks

Favourite Part(s): Seeing DT pointing and naming the critters in the Polaroids (see below), swapping with my quilty pals to get lots of variety in those Polaroids, 

You can read more about the process of creating this quilt here, here, here, here, and here.

And here's what you've really been waiting for! They don't appear here often, but it seemed fitting. GT is fascinated with this particular deer. Days later, she keeps coming back to it.

 "Cah-cah" = car. One of BT's first words and a go-to in his vocabulary.

This quilt makes me so very happy. Working on it was a joy. Watching DT interact with it? More joy. Imagining the play for years to come? Boundless joy. What more can a mom ask for?

I'm linking up today with TGIFF @ Quokka Quilts, as well as Finish Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts. Happy Friday the 13th!

J

P.S. This was one of my goals for Q2 of the 2016 Finish Along.

Sunday Stash - A few little treasures & A Winner!

Just when you thought all the fun and games from the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild's first retreat were over, I have my fabric acquisitions from the week-end to share. Given that one of our retreat sponsors was It's Sew Time in Elmsdale, NS, I really did have to stop and support the shop. ☺

I found these little treasures (even though the colour's a little off on this pic). From front to back, Blueberry Park Rough Patch in Limelight, Ann Kelle Ovals (I can NOT resist them!), and some Carolyn Friedlander Architextures Crosshatch in Yarrow. It was a clean sweep for Robert Kaufman!

And as if that weren't enough, when I got to retreat, Aimee @ Candy Coated Quilts was handing out her Candy Coated Collection subscriptions for April and May. Very spring-y!

Inspired by a pic of daffodils, April's bundle features Jungle, Pesto, Meringue, Lemon, and (of course) Daffodil. My selection of yellows is refreshed!

And then there's May. I love me some lilacs and this bundle's got me looking forward to the blossoms that will pop out all over my neighbourhood in June.

Mulberry, Dahlia, Lavender, Bright Periwinkle, and Hibiscus. How did Aimee know that my stock of purples was perilously low?

And because it's almost as much fun to add to someone else's stash as your own, I have a winner from last week's Tula Tigers for T Giveaway. Mr. Random Number Generator selected #22. That' happens to be Aimee @ Candy Coated Quilts! I swear it wasn't rigged! She said she'd make herself a lovely little iPad cover and I look forward to seeing it.

Thank you to Fabric Please! for sponsoring the quilt and the giveaway!

I'm linking up with Sunday Stash over at Molli Sparkles. Go on. Take a look. I know there will be some fabulous fabric eye candy!

J

WIP Wednesday - Back Assward Daylilies

Daylily Daze as left me a little dazed. What else can explain doing a WIP post about a quilt that has already been finished? But seriously, where this one lived in the QPP (Quilting Protection Program) for so long, I really couldn't share much about it in progress.

Where to begin? I wish I could remember just how the idea to make this quilt came to me, but alas, I can't. Daylilies + Kona. That's likely where it started. If you're not familiar with daylilies, you're missing out. There are thousands upon thousands of varieties, each one seemingly more beautiful that the last. So many colour palettes to choose from!

Are you in love yet? You should be. But I digress. Back to the quilting part. After taking/finding pics, the next step was to run some of these blooms through the amazing Palette Builder @ Play Crafts.

Instead of just letting the Kona colour card chips fall where they may, I shifted the colour sample points to only appear on the blooms. I also made palettes with eight colours instead of the default six.

I also made sure that each colour sample point gave me a unique Kona. I didn't want any repetition in the block. As I created each palette, I saved it to my computer with a number. Then I opened a Word file and printed them.

There was a lot of note taking and highlighting as I worked on this one.
 So much Kona... ♥♥♥
I laid the cut squares on top of the daylily pics and used the list of Konas as a checklist.

When all the squares were cut (i.e. all the colours checked off), I popped them in a labeled mini ziptop bag.

 

When a block was sewn, I pulled the label off the bag and transferred it to the block.

Let's not pretend that all 103 colours I used were in my stash. There was at least one trip to the LQS (and some mooching from my pal Anja @ Anja Quilts!). As you can see, my trusty notebook went with me!

I played with the layout... first putting them in numerical order (1 to 30), then creating other number patterns. Finally I moved them about to give better colour distribution. 

 If you're looking for it, the Zissertwin block is centre stage on the bottom row! ☺

Time for some sashing! For the sashing, I knew I wanted greens, so off I went to the Palette Builder again. This time I shifted the colour sample points onto the foliage.

 Most were in my stash (yay for stashes!), but I did have to pop to my LQS for a few. 

 I cut all those lovely greens into 2½ inch strips, then subcut them into 10½, 8½, and 6½ inch segments. Then I used my skills from making Endless Strip quilts and sewed them into one long piece.

I sewed the vertical sashing first, chain piecing the blocks to the endless green strip. Then I cut the blocks and sashing apart and sewed each row to the strip. It's this technique that makes the sashing look woven in places.

  The same endless green strip was used for borders (it really was endless!)

But it needed more weight. Enter a second border! Then layering, quilting in wavy lines, and binding. Nothing too revolutionary about that...

Phew! That was a lot of WIP for one post. Are you feeling like you want to make one of these? It doesn't have to be dayliles. It could be anything. The possibilities are endless. I'm thinking of my Hawaii vacation pics next. Please leave me a comment telling me what collection of pics you'd give the Palette Builder treatment to!

I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts and (retro-actively) with Tips and Tutorials Tuesdays @ Late Night Quilter This may not be a full on tutorial, but I feel like you'd have a great start if you wanted to make one of your own! (And I hope you'll link up with me or drop me an e-mail if you do!)

J