Playground and More . . .

I've pieced all my Playground blocks.

I like all the Denyse Schmidt fabric that I'm using and I like this block so I should like this quilt, but right now it's still a little on the wild side for me.  The next step, adding the border, should change the look a lot I think.  Still, working with this fabric continues to be a very good exercise for me .

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I bought a new quilt book, something I rarely do. This book was released the end of last year, so not only is it unusual for me to purchase a book, it's rarer still that I purchase a book that's a new release.

It's billed as a modern quilt book, and I think it has a great fresh feel, but I wouldn't consider it overly modern, I think any style of quilter would enjoy the projects in this book.

There are several patterns in this book that I like, but what I like most is the "Designer Note" section included with each pattern, with helpful information about something specific for the project or how to make the project a little different.    A review left on Amazon for this book mentioned some of the block sizes being incorrect, so far I have not found any errors, if I do I'll pass them along.

This pattern is my favorite, it's called Spiced Chai Quilt.  It finishes at 60" x 60".    It's a simple pattern but the positioning of the blocks along with their color placement really appeals to me.  I think this quilt tells a story, it reminds me of winter, with all those dark blocks, and the reminder that spring always comes, that would be the bright blocks.  Or maybe how a down gray day always has a few bright spots too.

This block is the same block I just pieced for Jersey Girl!  How different these two projects look, but I love them both.

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Several quilters have asked me where I buy the Moda Weave fabric that I use, particularly the Black Moda Weave that I used for Morning Joe and is a perfect match for American Jane fabric.  I buy my weave fabric from a shop called Janie Lou.  I've visited the shop in person and have placed orders online, the service has always been wonderful, I highly recommend the shop.  The shop is located fairly close to the St. Louis, Missouri  airport, if you happen to be in the area stop by.  That's become my ritual, to allow extra time before a flight to pop in.  The shop is run by two sisters and carries fabric you don't see everywhere.  Here's a link if you want to do al title shopping yourself.  (click here)

I think that's all I have to report for today, but that's probably plenty!

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Happy Valentine's Day!

I've got Tickled Red out at my house to help me celebrate Valentine's Day.  

I'm so glad I started making these smaller quilts for my tables and couches, and it makes me wonder what took me so long.    Last year I made this one for Valentine's Day, Hat Trick for Easter, and the year before I created a design for the 4th of July.  Maybe I can make something for Fall and Thanksgiving this year.  There are so many patterns available now for this size of quilt and they are perfect for holiday themed fabric or playing around with some fabric that's outside your comfort zone.  Tickled Red was made from a Little Bites pattern by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company, there are 6 other Little Bites patterns currently available that call for small amounts of fabric and finish at around 24 inches .  (click here)

Tickled Red is Lifetime Quilt Number 101, click here if you need more details.

And speaking of working with fabric outside your comfort zone, I've started on Playground from the Material Obsession 2 book by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke.

This was one of my To Do's for 2014.  I picked this pattern because I think it will be a good quilt to help me work with and get used to more modern fabric.  I want to make sure I have a good feel for working with the larger prints and bright colors before I start my modern Gypsy Kisses project.

For Playground I'm going with an assortment of lines by Denyse Schmidt.

And here are half the pieced center blocks.  I'm supposed to be alternating the lights and darks.  I have to admit to not being overly wild about this project, because it is just that, wild.  But a friend reminded me that I picked this pattern because I liked it, and that I would probably like my project once it was finished.  It's definitely a change of pace!

These blocks finish at 14 inches.  The pattern has 5 rows of 4 blocks.  I like my quilts to finish a little smaller than this one, which is 78" x 91",  so I'm going with 4 rows of 4 blocks.  I'm using the Easy Angle to make my half square triangle units.

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What's up at my house . . .

Dresden Doilies 

I'm still working on hand appliquéing my dresden blocks to my red background.  I've added the top and bottom outer border since you've seen it last, two side borders left to add.

One of my 2014 goals is to finish my pineapple quilt, this red and white pineapple quilt.  I've decided to  make 10 blocks once a month, in-between projects. That's what I'm working on now.  My goal is 100 blocks, I'm not even halfway there, but 10 blocks a month gets me a finished quilt this year, hopefully before fall!

This is an easy project to start and stop on, all my strips are cut and in project boxes, and I'm paper piecing the blocks, so it's easy to pick up where I left off.

I have made a sample border block.

Instead of having the blocks go out into infinity and beyond, I thought I might like a border, a pieced border, a pieced pineapple border.

So I can go with the block on the left, which is the same block for all of the quilt, or the block on the right, which keeps the pineapple look but gives the quilt a stopping point.  I'm leaning towards the block on the right for my outer border.  I would also need to make 4 special blocks for each corner.

When I blogged about making a year round Toulouse I got several comments about obtaining the pattern.  The pattern is available in the Miss Rosie Online Store.  You can order a paper pattern or an instant download PDF pattern.  I see me making this quilt sooner as opposed to later, like maybe March.  Keep it in mind as you work on your current projects and upcoming project list, maybe we can sew along together!

Click here for pdf pattern link.

Thanks also for your emails and concerns  regarding the goings on at my house.  Yes, I'm blogging less but am fine, we're all fine.  Several of  my blogging buddies have quit blogging altogether, right now I intend to continue to blog, but probably not every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as in the past.  But all is good here!

Happy Sewing!

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Jersey Girl to California Girl . . .

When my favorite daughter was home for Christmas (I'm always amazed when parents say they don't have a favorite child, my California daughter is my favorite child by far) in addition to going home with   her Christmas haul and my French Vintage quilt (LQ#80 ) she also tried to talk me out of my Chicken Feed quilt (LQ#119).  I was having no part of that, Chicken Feed looks too perfect on the red couch to be moving to California.  While my daughter did love the bright American Jane colors of Chicken Feed, I think what she liked best was its size, which is 45" x 45".  She said it was just the perfect size to have on her lap.  So when Sherri and Sinta selected Jersey Girl for the January Schnibbles sew-along I immediately thought that it had the potential to be a perfect lap quilt for my daughter.  

Turns out it does make a perfect lap size quilt!

Carrie's pattern finished at 36" x 36" so I made my version a tad bigger to be closer in size to the Chicken Feed quilt my daughter liked.  I added a half inch to each block in the pattern, bumped up the sashing a smidgen, and added an inner border to get a quilt that finished at 50" x 50".

Since this quilt is going to be living with my daughter at her house I've renamed my top California Girl.

This is Lifetime Quilt Number 124.

The pattern is Jersey Girl by Carrie Nelson for Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

It finished at 50" x  50"

The majority of the fabric is Scrumptious by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.

It has approximately 525 pieces.

Sinta and Sherri are extending the January sew along date to February 3rd, so if you've not made your Jersey Girl yet get your pattern (click here) and get to it.   You can easily make this pattern in a weekend, what else do you have to do while waiting for the Super Bowl to start!

My California Girl looks mighty fine on the red couch too, I hope it finds its way to California!

Housekeeping Items:

I got a few questions about my pattern binders, I blogged about them here.  Although at that time I only had 4 binders, it appears as if I add a binder a year, but you get the general idea on my set up.

There's a Gypsy Kisses Instagram sew-along in the works and I'm hoping to join in, several folks left comments about wanting to make a pickle dish quilt so I thought I would pass the information on to you.  Follow Jennifer Fortuna at jennfortuna if you want to follow along or join in the fun.

One last thing, I only have one child, but I just know if I had more than one she would be my favorite!

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2014 Goals

So I shared my UFO's and Finishes from 2013, now it's time to talk about what I would like to work on in 2014.

I don't keep a strict To Do list, but I do like to have a general idea of what I would like to accomplish each year.  Last year my list was pretty short, it had 4 items and they weren't even all that specific; "dot quilt, churn dash, pineapple and two color".   That's exactly what I had on my list.  I did start a dot quilt and continue to work on it, I call it Clown Pants.  I did start a mini churn dash quilt, it's a UFO.  Pineapple, another UFO.  At least I started and finished my two color quilt, Blue and White, Lifetime Quilt # 112.

The reason my actual list isn't more extensive is because I also keep an "Up Next" binder.  I use binders  to store my patterns and I'm up to seven binders now; Up Next, two binders for patterns of projects that are finished, a giant catch all binder, a binder for all my Miss Rosie, Schnibbles and Little Bites patterns, a binder for my Primitive Gatherings, Red Crinoline and other civil war/primitive quilt patterns, and a binder for holiday themed projects and quilts.   I should really take the patterns in the catch all binder and make 4 smaller ones, I have enough star patterns and 9 block/square patterns to fill two separate binders.  Maybe that should be on my To Do list, organize quilt pattern binders.

Sorry I digress, so the first thing I do each year is go through the Up Next binder and take out what's not going to be up next and add patterns that are.  Some patterns get to stay in the binder, I'll talk about those first.

I love basket quilts, I want to make a new basket quilt each year.

I thought I would make either Sweet Caroline or Petit Fours, both by Fig Tree, in 2013, but Canasta beat them out. I'm guessing I'll add a basket quilt to my Lifetime Quilt List in 2014, hopefully one of these.

This is Papillon, also by Fig Tree, this pattern has been in my Up Next binder for at least two years.  

I still love that quilt and want to make it. I've come close a couple of times, but honestly, I'm worried about the way this quilt is assembled and am afraid my blocks won't line up nice and neat like in the pattern cover, maybe this is the year I at least give this block a try.  I love the bow tie blocks and I love how the background changes but the blocks do not.  If you've made this quilt would you please let me know if you had any problems getting everything to match up correctly?

Debonaire, another pattern that has been in my Up Next binder for more than one year.

This pattern was released in 2011!  Where does time go.  It's my very favorite Sew Emma pattern.  It was designed by Rachel Griffith.  Initially it was the red and beige combo that caught  my fancy, but now I think I would enjoy this quilt even more made with a different combination of colors.

Toulouse, by Miss Rosie Quilt Co., is one of my top ten all time favorite quilts that I've finished.

I love this pattern and goose in the pond is my all time favorite block.  My Toulouse is a Christmas quilt, so one of my all time favorite quilts is only out for one month a year.  I would love to make another Toulouse from fabric that is not holiday themed so I could enjoy it every month except December.  Then I would have a Toulouse for every month of the year!  With so many wonderful patterns filling 7 binders, let alone a book shelf full of pattern books,  it's hard to think about making the same pattern twice, except in this case.  I keep hoping someone will start a sew along for me to join, you know how I like a good sew-along.  I think this quilt pattern is perfect for all quilters and if I was teaching a beginner class, I would teach this pattern.  It covers all the basics, hsts, 9 patches, split rails and flying geese blocks.  Simple blocks put together in a way that makes them look amazing.

These Miss Rosie Quilt Co. patterns have been in my Up Next binder for a couple of years too,

Due South, Brown-Eyed Girl, Scarlett Queen and Opening Day.  And they are staying in there.  I will get to them, sometime.

Madder Stars.

This is the last of the patterns that were in my binder and are staying.  This pattern is in the Elegant Quilts, Country Charm book by Leonie Bateman and Deirdre Bond-Abel.  Even though my tastes are leaning towards more modern and lighter and brighter quilts, I still love this pattern and want to make this quilt.

Here are some patterns that I added to my Up Next binder:

Some geometrical designs by American Jane.  Right now I couldn't even pick one out of the three, I love them all.

Hook, by Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.

I'll make this top whether Sinta and Sherri pick it for their Schnibbles sew-along or not, but I'm hoping they do!

I am intrigued by this Urban 9 Patch block from Sew Kind of Wonderful.

I've seen some amazing color combinations and variations of this block.  I've got the ruler, I just need to spend an afternoon playing around with it.  I think once I do I'll be hooked.

Bangles

This pattern is in the Hand Quilted with Love book by Sarah Fielke.  I loved this pattern when I first bought the book and fell a little harder when I saw Cindy's version at Hyacinth Quilt Designs.  (click here)  One thing worrying me is the Y-seams, but Cindy tackled them with no problems, and while I'm not as experienced as Cindy, I think every quilter should try a pattern that requires Y-seams at least once, hopefully this one will be my once this year.

Can anyone have too many red and white quilts?

I don't think so, A Red Letter Day and Red Prelude by Roxie and Joe Wood for ThimbleCreek Quilts  are on my list.

This pattern is from the Material Obsession 2 book by Kathy Doughty and Sarah Fielke.

It's called Playground and I love it.  I'm not sure if it's the colors or the big blocks, this quilt finishes at 78" x 91", a little bigger than my desired size of 75" x75", but if I go with 4 rows of 4 blocks I think I'll still have a good look and be closer to my perfect size. 

For several years now I've been thinking I needed to make either a wedding ring or pickle dish quilt, a right of passage quilt for all quilters. This last year several pickle dish quilts have caught my attention and 2014 will be the year I start one, I've caught the pickle dish fever.

There are several different ways to piece a pickle dish quilt so my first order of business is to pick a pattern.  

This one is by Kaffe Fassett and finishes at 67" x 67".

This one is called Gypsy Kisses,

and is by Kathy Doughty from the Material Obsession 2 book.  It finishes at 92" x 103". Besides deciding on a pattern I need to find the perfect focus fabric.  I can't imagine spending all that time piecing this quilt to end up with an ugly quilt when you're done!!

Cindy at Hyacinth is working on a pickle dish quilt using April Showers by Bonnie and Camille for Moda.  (click here)  And Jessica at Twin Fibers made a Gypsy Kisses using Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie and Camille for Moda. (click here)  I'm head over heals in love with both versions and would love to copy them, but I'll come up with something else for my quilt, I want mine to be different.  This is another quilt that I think would make a good sew-along project.

So besides ALL these ideas I also plan to participate in Sinta and Sherri's  Schnibbles sew-along and have started the January project, Jersey Girl.  My general goal is one finish a month, that's 12 projects, I may have some carry overs for 2015! But that's OK, if I finish half the quilts on my list, 2014 will be an amazing and productive quilting year.  I hope the same for you.

On an entirely different subject, if you want to see what's going on in my sewing room on a daily basis, I usually post something to Instagram daily, follow me, Thelmacupcake, if you're interested.

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