Happy birthday to...

Miss K! As in the recipient of Miss K's Dare!

It's been a long time since Miss K had a new quilt. She got her last one on her 2nd birthday, just 11 short years ago. I can hardly believe she's officially a teenager. I know aunties say that sort of dreck all the time, but I really feel that way.

If you're a reader of my WiP posts, you'll know that this quilt has been lurking around the studio for a few months at least. It's a Kona-fest to be sure... featuring Ash Regal, British Peri, Lilac and Peacock.

 A lot of planning went into the placement of those "random blue blocks.

 A breezy day out in the sunshine before quilting!

This quilt was crying out for a little something different for it's photoshoot. It seemed only right given that the original pattern is called Dare to Different.

So we went on a little adventure...

This is Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet - proud Haligonian and founder of the Cunard Line. He's a serious fellow, but seems to appreciate a colourful quilt. 

I think Sir Samuel was actually having some fun here. The functionary that popped out of an office somewhere to tell me that I couldn't do what I was doing didn't seem to think so. Fun sponge. Lucky for me, I'd already been there for 10 minutes snapping pics before he "caught" me.

You likely can't see it, but every once in a while in that grey diagonal stitching, there's a line of purple or peacock. Gotta throw a little surprise in there!

 Showing off that peacock backing... and Sir Samuel's lovely frockcoat!

 Just so you can see it all spread out...

And after all my obsessing, the newly minted teenager loved it. Love, happiness, and quilts. A perfect combo.

Happy birthday, Miss K! Love you!

(A very proud, as always) Aunt J

Finish up Friday - Inaugural edition!

So yeah... I might be over Work In Progress Wednesday. Sometimes a weekly accounting of the stuff still to be done is disheartening.You know what's doesn't cause my heart to sink? Finishing stuff! Which I have been doing like crazy the past two weeks! There is no longer anything on Gotta Do portion of The List (January 2013 edition). I've finished Miss K's Dare.... just a little peak of that since I'm saving the full photo essay ☺ for Miss K's birthday!

And, I've finished the quilting and binding on Mme S S's retirement quilt. Now all I need to do is schedule a night for her to come for dinner.

Since I finished those two projects, I felt free to just make some stuff. I sewed up another baby quilt top using orphans from my Jewel Square quilt. I positively hate to throw out blocks that I worked so hard on (but on this one, I couldn't face any more paper piecing)! I opted to use them with my signature solid (not plain, Q-D, solid!) Kona Ash. I like to think I was working on the modern quilt aesthetic principle of asymmetry here. How quilt pretentious is that?

Speaking of orphans, I made this nine patch from bits left over from Miss K's Dare and my Transformer quilt (and few others thrown in). I really just wanted to use up some sections of 2½ inch strips that were already sewn together. I liked the colours, but the top was just a little... meh. Then I quilted it! I wish I'd taken a before and after shot because the chevron/zigzag quilting really makes it!

Also in the baby quilt department, I quilted the roman stripe quilt that I've been calling Whoo likes pink? So cute... wish someone would have a baby girl.


You know that point on a project where the enjoyment of working on it is overtaken by the overwhelming urge to finish it? I completely felt that one on Mme S S's quilt. It happened about 2/3 of the way through quilting! There's just this moment where you want to be done so you can either send the quilt-gift on to it's new home or start enjoying it for yourself.

Do you get that feeling? Tell me all about it, quilt-y people!

J

WIP - The summer begins...

How is it that summer has finally arrived just as I get to the sweatiest (sorry, people) part of the quilting process in the majority of my projects? For those of you who have never quilted a queen size quilt in 25+ degrees with 80% humidity, you haven't lived. I'd like to think it has weight loss effects... 

Mme S-S's retirement quilt - Tonnes of progress has been made! I finished the blocks for the top over the week-end and even pieced a back with the remaining fabric. I've even got it layered and ready to quilt. I'm a little stumped - suggestions welcome!






 


K's Dare - Went on a FART (Fabric Acquisition Road Trip) last Friday, but was unsuccessful in the
search for backing fabric. I ended up buying a whack of Kona (Peacock). It's not exactly what I had in mind, but options for fabric shopping in person are pretty limited in my city! I had to get a move on since the birthday looms large on the horizon!
 
And yes, I do measure and label all the fabric in my stash! Early on in my quilting, I got tired of measuring pieces of fabric to see if I had enough. I won't go into all the details, but there is colour-coding (those who know me would not be shocked by this!).

 Transformer - No progress
Ocean Strata - No progress
 
2013 M1 quilt  - Top is completed, layered, and ready to quilt. Part of me wants to get this little job out of the way even though it doesn't really have to be done until September!

Warm/Cool HST - No progress.

And two new projects for the list...

Lunch Box Challenge (mine) - Batting and backing are purchased, just needs to be layered. I think I'll wait until I have K's Dare and Mme S-S's quilts well in hand before I layer and quilt!

Lunch Box Challenge (not mine)  - Why do I have two Lunch Box Challenge quilts, you ask? Well, a member of our guild became ill this year and passed away just after the Lunch Box Challenge reveal. Her quilt was homeless... her intent had been to donate it to someone with mental illness. When the call went out for someone to quilt it, I put my name forward. I didn't know this sweet little lady well, but I'd like to think that someone would do the same for me! I'd show you the full quilt, but it's already folded/rolled and ready to quilt. If you look carefully, you'll see what happens when you don't plan carefully when buying backing!

WIP!

It's Wednesday and I've been sewing! I should be headed off to bed by now, but I just had to share what I've been plugging away on for the past few days.

First, the WiP's!

Child's Play - no progress
Jewel Squares - no progress
Mr & Mrs Cousin's wedding quilt - borders complete, backing to be ordered
Mme S-S's retirement quilt - no progress
Miss K's birthday quilt (henceforth to be referred to as K's Dare) - first 24 blocks of 70(ish) complete!

 I don't always tend to work exactly as the pattern indicates and Miss K's Dare is no exception. I get frustrated when the pattern says to cut a certain number of strips (or pieces or whatever) and there's extra at the end. I also decided that this particular pattern could be put together MUCH more quickly using strip piecing.

It does mean I take a lot of little notes - as evidenced by my notebook. I keep one of these on my studio desk... it prevents those post-its or scraps of paper from taking a hike when I most need to remember something!

The first 24 blocks done! I guess I should probably find out just what size Miss K's bed is!

That's the great thing about simple blocks in solids... you can always make more!

I also whipped up a couple other projects this past weekend. I was trying to get in as much quilt therapy as possible before returning to work. Ugh. A co-worker bought his first home recently, so I thought a little housewarming gift might be in order. I couldn't just go buy him something manly like an extension cord, now could I?

I was inspired by a photo on Flickr, but I there's no real pattern. I pieced the blues and greens willy nilly. It was so relaxing... I should make more things this way. It really feels like you're creating something new and exciting!




And I've added another quilt to the never end pile of baby quilts. It's not that I'm obsessed with babies, I just like making little projects with fun colour pathways. I've almost worked the orange and teal out of my system (and out of my stash)... just in case you're getting tired of it!

The pattern is my own invention... playing with four patches and offset sashing. The quilting is straight line and random. I just kept turning the quilt and stitching across. When I showed it to a quilter at my guild meeting, she commented on how she'd never get her lines that straight. I had to let her in on my secret....

... masking tape! Been using it since I started! Marking quilts is just too fussy (and unpredictable) for me!

Keep on quiltin' on!

J

P.S. Yes, that's more Kona Ash! I think I should buy it by the bolt!