Design Wall Monday 4-9-12

I am happy to say that this is finished… It’s the quilt from my last DWM post.  It’s called Twisting With the Stars by Little Louise Designs.

Here is a closer look at the border ribbon detail.

Amazing that the quilt above started out looking like this.

I am so happy to be quilting again… last year at this time I had a whole different existence.  Only good thing about that time of year is that my daughter and grandkids were here taking care of me!

Check out what other quilters are working on this week at Judy L’s Design Wall Monday post today.

Design Wall Monday 4-2-12

Monday all over again!

Today’s project is from a pattern called Twisting With The Stars from Little Louise Designs.

I know this picture doesn’t show much.  I have one block with all the components but not sewn completely yet… but I had to see the star before I continued with getting the other blocks going.

This was one of the patterns I picked up at the AQS Lancaster Quilt Show a couple weeks ago.  It’s designed to use Layer Cakes (10” precuts) or Jelly Rolls (2 1/2” strips).  The pattern showcases some beautiful bright fabrics… but since I had no precuts I just grabbed a bunch of my Black & White FQ’s and cut what I needed.

A few of these B&W’s go way back… long before I was really careful about the quality of fabric I bought.  With a strong light I wonder if one couldn’t see right through some of these.  I probably should try and cull my collection – but I’m a sucker for the print design and the last time I tried to weed out FQ’s I only came up with one… LOL

Be sure to go check out other Design Wall Monday posts at Judy L’s Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday 1-30-12

My goodness what happened to January?

I am still in Texas - will be for several more weeks - but I've been sewing over at my sisters house this past weekend in between trips to local antique shops to poke around.

For my travels to Texas I brought along some long over due unfinished projects to work on - things that had been sitting unfinished for way too long.

This project was started many years ago (maybe 9?? years) after I participated in a year long 5" Fabric Swap at Southampton Quilts - my favorite quilt shop up in Massachusetts.  After the swap finished - I had begun this Morning Star Quilt out of the Nickel Quilts book.  I had most of the individual components made but had not put anything together to assemble a block... much less 24 blocks.  It took me a day of counting and organizing to figure out just where I was in the process... not sure why I never make notes to myself?

I am working on getting the blocks assembled - here are 4 blocks stuck up on the design wall right now.  I have the others ready to sew the final seam and then I’ll start putting rows together.  I’d really like to put a great big dent in this before I head back over to my folks house tomorrow morning as I don’t think I’ll get to do any sewing while I’m over there.  But I’ll be back here at my sisters the next week so there is still lots of time.

Be sure to check out other Design Wall Monday Reports at Judy L’s Patchwork Times Blog.

Design Wall Monday 1-9-12

Yet another edition of Design Wall Monday hosted by Judy L of Patchwork Times.  Be sure to check out what other quilters are working on.

I am finishing up this 4 Patch Stacked Posie Quilt – I am using only 16 of the 36 posie blocks… so I can make another quilt with the leftovers – just need an new design plan.  I have found that it’s easy to get a bigger quilt by setting the posie block within a block.  These blocks end up being about 18 inches.  Three rows are stitched but not joined together yet… I’m working on finishing up the sashing on the bottom row and then will join them together.  With a 9 inch black (yes I have enough!!) border this will finish off at 100” square.

No longer on the design wall is this Bouillabaisse Quilt.  I wanted to get it done and out of the way so I spent some time this week pulling and pondering options and decided on this green leaf print.  It is a mid value – not too light or dark and the color is sorta neutral too.  I didn’t get a picture of the whole quilt because the Posie quilt above is on the wall.  This will serve as a shop sample for a class later in the spring.

By the end of the week I’ll be able to mark these both off as complete… well complete tops at least!

Design Wall Monday 1-2-2012

Design Wall Mondays hosted by Judy L from Patchwork Times is an opportunity to show off what we are working on and share with other quilters.  Not sure how often I’ll post - but here is my design wall today.
Those of you who know me – know that there isn’t a border I can’t screw up… and to be consistent – because consistency counts – I don’t have enough black to add the 6 inch border.  That’s what I get for using the black I had on hand and not verifying that it was enough or more than enough to accommodate a change.  You really can’t mix blacks… it just doesn’t work.  This black is a little bit grey and another black I have is black-black.  I have enough to put a 2” border on… and maybe I’ll call it done at that point.  That would make it 64” x 84”… plenty big enough.
I did pull some other black and white prints to see if they would work as a border but I’m not convinced any of them work like I’d like them too.

Oh well… I am consistent!
The pattern is Bouillabaisse by Pie In The Sky Quilts.

Design Wall Monday Dec. 19

I believe this is the first Design Wall Monday I’ve participated in this year… better late than never ya think?  LOL

I actually have something on the Design Wall and have spent part of my day sewing the remaining strip sets together and cutting triangles.  I’d like to try and get at least one more block made before all the holiday hustle starts.  Sorry about the picture - It’s night and my iPod doesn’t take great pictures – the colors really are much nicer.

The Pattern is called Bouillabaisse by Pie In The Sky Quilts.  I first saw a finished top at Southampton Quilts when I was up working the Fall Shop Hop.  I cut and began piecing the strip sets 2 weeks later when I went to the quilt show up in New Hampshire.  This first block was completed at that time.

Check out the other listings today on Judy L’s Patchwork Times site…

Design Wall 4-19

It does feel good to have these blocks done… which means about half of this project is complete – the easy half… LOL

I’m now working on the applique pieces… just 4 little curves on the edges – very easy stitching – there’s just a lot of them – or so it seems. 

In this picture of my design wall – please ignore all the boxes in the background… the short story is that all the boxes that were in the attic storage room are in my studio now.  Uuuuugh!  As we drug them all out yesterday – we both decided that we were not going to put ‘junk’ back in there – so there’s going to be more sorting going on than sewing for a while.

Check out what’s on others design walls over at Judy L’s Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday 4-12

It’s been awhile since I posted to DWM… but that’s because it’s been awhile since I’ve done enough sewing to make any kind of difference.

Although I don’t have a picture of these actually on my wall (they really are up there… on the third floor… on the design wall – honest) I do have a picture of them in a pile as I was working on them.

I now have half done… the pitiful 5 pieced blocks that had stood alone for so many months now have company and are hopeful to be completed…

I have made a little headway with the applique blocks… but not nearly enough to brag about.  I’ve got a new batch of them prepared to stitch…

Here what they are suppose to look like…

UPDATE ADDED:  Sorry… I should have thought to add the info on the source.  This pattern is called Peas in a Pod in the Kim Diehl “Simple Comforts” book from That Patchwork Place.

I’ve mixed some Civil War fabrics I had already in my stash with the new Moda Civil War Homefront line.

Again – sorry I didn’t add this originally.

Design Wall Monday - 12-7

Nothing is on the Design Wall this week as my hands will be filled with...

A vacuum, duster, mop and cleaning rags... my daughter and grand kids arrive on Friday!

The next couple weeks will be filled with hugs, cuddles, Christmas decorating, cooking baking and other general childish fooling around I think... we may even get in some sewing but I'm not holding my breath.

And that whole working at a quilt shop thing I do... well - my boss says she really doesn't expect to see me while my family is in.  How cool is that!  I'll probably still get in one day a week or so if we don't have anything else planned - but it's nice to know that family comes first in her book!

Check out what's on others design walls at Judy's Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday - 11-30

Empty... not that I don't have anything to do - I finished the Atkinson Designs Fire Escape and haven't put back up any of the two other projects I had removed - they are still considered "in the works" though.

But I thought it would be a good time to show you what my design wall is made of.

My wall is made up of 3 panels of 1 1/2 inch insulation board I picked up at Home Depot.  The panels are 2 feet wide and were 8 foot long - I cut them down to 6 foot.  They are marked as 'basement wall insulation system'... they have this notch in them that runs the length to fit over the wall studs.  When I butt them together I use a large binder clip to hold them at the top and (sometimes) bottom.

Two of them I covered with some white felt I had and the third panel I used a piece of leftover cotton batting.  Not sure which I think works best... they both seem to hold on to everything I put up.  You could also use the back side of a vinyl table cloth.

On two of these panels I used a staple gun to hold the felt in place and on the third I used double sided carpet tape. 

I think the double sided carpet tape works the best - the staples fall out and you have to use a bazillion of them to hold.  Which is why I switched to the tape - I ran out of staples.  Put the tape on the back side of the board and wrap your batting or felt around and secure.  Personally I like the cloth tape the best - but the paper tape will work as well - just make sure it's "double sided carpet tape".

One of these days I'll redo the ones with staples... someday when I don't have anything else to do... or all the staples have fallen out.  LOL

I like these units because they are portable, lightweight, very rigid/durable, and with each being 2 ft wide I can move them around easily.  I'd actually like to get 2 more in the future... you know - some day when I don't have anything else to do!

Hop over to Judy's blog and check out what is happening on other design walls around the world...

Design Wall Monday - 11-23 - updated

OK first I've gotta ask... What the heck happened to November?  It's the 23rd already!! 

Yeah I guess I knew it was coming... Thanksgiving is this week... and Our Little Turkey is going to be a year old!  And just a few short weeks later they will be sleeping right here at Granny's Stone House!  I need to sit on the floor and get a birds eye view of things and start to baby proof stuff... LOL

Anyway... all three sections of my Design Wall are shoved together this week.  I've got the long strips all in position and need to finish piecing the 4 patch units - just one color combination is completed and in place in rows 1 and 6.

I'm off today for a trip out towards Philly to meet up with my sister.  Then I need to do some grocery shopping when I get home... otherwise we ain't having Turkey on Thursday... or anything else for that matter.

If you stopped in from this weeks Judy L's Design Wall Monday post - Thanks for Stopping In!  And if you are a regular visitor... Thank You too!  I do enjoy the company!

Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to the walls... but I like my walls - so it's OK when that happens!

MONDAY EVENING NOTE:  I did forget to mention in this post what the pattern is... I had linked to it in my previous entry but y'all don't all know that.  The pattern is called Fire Escape from Atkinson Designs.

Design Wall Monday... 11-9

Finally - I've made up the vine for the other Serendipity blocks.  Here is the single wall unit with Block #2 in the works... all the freezer paper pattern pieces are cut out.  Now to select the fabric to go with them and get the vine stitched in place.

 

The double wall unit has the vines for the other blocks... this is just a holding area for now.

No other progress on the other items. But I do have a stack of block pairs to sew together and hopefully make a quilt out of over the next couple days.  I'll post pictures later when I have some together.

Check out what other quilters have on their design walls by visiting over at Judy L's Patchwork Times...

Monday Design Wall - Nov 2

Well... the double design wall unit looks just like it did last week when I posted.  Nothing has changed on any of those projects this week...

My single wall unit is holding up some fabrics I'm looking at for Christmas Tree Napkins and some paper patterns I was playing with along with a larger freezer paper pattern.  I am trying real hard to not go and buy anything new - so I've been digging through my stash... I might just be happy with these combinations the more I look at them.  Maybe I should just go clip the corners and throw them in the wash and be done with it...

Yesterdays Stash post has a couple links to patterns or ideas for the napkins... so I won't repeat them today.

Geesh... it's only 8:00 am and I feel like I've been up for hours... oh - wait - I have been up for hours!  You know 4:45 AM comes around very early in the morning pretty much in the middle of the night!  The Engineer now leaves at 5:45 AM for a long drive in to work - so the least I can do is get up and make breakfast and coffee for him. 

My other option is to go and get a real job.  Naaah - I don't want a real job!  I like working 12 hours a week at the quilt shop... so I can do this Domestic Diva thing... yawn ---- big s t r e t c h.  The hard part is heading to bed at 9:30 PM but I'll get use to it in time.  Well mostly because I'll be exhausted by then I'm sure.

Check out what's on other design walls at Judy L's blog.

Design Wall Monday 10-26

It's been a busy week here but I haven't spent as much time in my studio as I would have liked.  I have the first block mostly done... there are still berries and a bird to go on before I call it finished.  This machine applique moves along very quickly!   

The other main blocks are now pieced.  I still need to make the sashing blocks that separate these - they are cut so I'll finish those this week.  I think my plan of attack will be to get all the vines attached.  Then I'll spend some quality time with my marker and light box drawing off the pieces for all the blocks.  Then I can play with picking fabric for the other flowers and leaves.

I have done some more hand applique on the Peas in a Pod but they are only partials and are still sitting next to the couch - they haven't migrated back up to the studio yet.

So what's on your design wall?

Design Wall Monday 10-19

I'm participating again this week in Judy L's Design Wall Monday post.  If you've come over from there... thanks for stopping by!  If you haven't been yet... go check out what other quilters are up to.

I'm really pleased to see progress this week on my design wall - it's not much but it is progress.  Progress mostly because I decided to switch gears and machine applique a project rather than hand applique.  I had planned hand applique because initially I was going to make just one block as a sample for the quilt shop... but I really like the quilt and want the whole thing AND I can use it as my "Pick a Number Please" challenge - so machine appy it is!  The Pattern is Serendipity Sampler from Kim Diehl's new Simple Comforts Book.  Who knows if I get this one done I may make another challenge entry as well.  Anyhoo here is one of my Design Wall panels that I've got set over by the ironing board - I appreciate the portability of these things.  The first block with the vines stitched in place - I'll start on the flowers and leaves today.

The other 2 Design Wall sections are still on the other side of the room - top right the same ole Peas in a Pod blocks (also from Kim Diehl's Simple Comforts book)... nothing new there just rearranged.  Below that are those leftover strips I sewed together last week - I didn't like them just strung together - so these are folded in half and pinned on the board next to each other with the light blocks running down the center.  I'll ponder that a while.  Bottom left is a second block background for the Serendipity Sampler.  Top left are 3 orphan blocks I ran across whilst rummaging through scrap bins... not sure if I want to do something with them or if they'll go in an 'Orphan Block' bin.  I'll just look at them for now. I also have this vinyl tablecloth hanging flannel side out on one end of my room.  It's just a catch all right now - nothing I'm working on just stuff I don't want to put away just yet.

So what are y'all up to this week?

Design Wall Monday

The thing I like best about my design wall is that it's portable.  Last week I had all three sections set out and they were actually on the other side of the room about where I'm standing to take this picture.  All the stuff was removed and the individual panels were moved out of the way while I rearranged things to make room for the new ironing stand.  Right now the third panel is behind the other two. 

On my design wall this week:  top right are the few blocks I've completed from the peas in a pod quilt.  The others are sitting next to me waiting for me to get off the computer and stitch a few.  Below that is a panel that will be for another applique project... more about that another day as I'm still picking fabrics out of my stash.  Top left are some strips from a quilt I made 5 years ago for a class I was going to teach...  I found the leftover strips while digging around though one of my scrap bins.  I spent a couple minutes this afternoon and sewed them together to make two sets - not sure what else I'll do with them - they are too narrow and too long for individual placemats so maybe I'll join them together and make a long table runner. Here's a picture of the quilt - it ended up a gift to my son a few years back.  Allegro is an Atkinson Design pattern.

I backed the quilt with flannel and used the leaf print on it as my quilting pattern...

Sorry I got distracted with a trip down memory lane.

Go visit Judy L over at Patchwork Times and see what's up on other design walls...

Design Wall Monday...

Judy L over at Patchwork Times has been running a series called Design Wall Monday - encouraging quilters to show what's up on their design walls...

Now that I'm actually working on things again I've got stuff up on the design wall...

Most of the blocks are for Bonnie Hunters Double Delight from back at the beginning of the year.  All of the double 9 patch blocks are finished and while I watched NASCAR Sunday I pinned more of the star blocks together... those will be sewn later today.

Top left is one block I've sewn from a strip pattern... once I have a complete block done I'll give ya more details.

Bottom left is from another strip project - a pattern I drew up when I worked at Southampton Quilts in MA.  The sample quilt was made by one of the owners and it is a very popular pattern to go with the strip sets they sold at the shop.  I've always wanted to make one... I've got the blocks done - now I need to make some rows!  Maybe I'll use the blocks as leaders and enders... hmmmm that's one way to get them stitched together!  LOL

So that's what's on my design wall today...