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Friday, February 12, 2016

Those String-Pieced Diamonds

With a few finishes behind me in 2016, and feelin' ready to tackle something else, I decided to resurrect a five year old project: Picket Fence. The last time I worked on it was January, 2012, when I went with Hope Quilter friends (my Iowa church quilting group) on a retreat to Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp. I miss every one of these special friends, but not having to dress like that for months!

Picket Fence is one of the patterns in Elsie Campbell's book "String Quilts." I began making string 60-degree diamonds to use up fabric scraps. Then, my friend Carla made some too, and ended up giving me hers! This is Picket Fence then.

Since I decided to make the quilt larger, to fit our king-sized bed, I calculated that I needed 336 diamonds for a 96" X 115" quilt. In June 2014, when I was "queen" of the Mid-Century Modern Bee, I asked those quilters to make diamonds for me too!

I made hundreds of these diamonds myself and have been thrilled to use up lots of old fabrics, especially those traditional prints that I wouldn't think of using in a modern quilt. 

Here's Picket Fence a couple days ago. I fit as many diamonds on my design wall as possible - 14 columns of 16 diamonds each.

Because my web method of quilt top construction doesn't work with the angles of each "block," I'm sewing columns together first. The aqua step stool is how I reach the ceiling to pin each sewn column onto the design wall.

Since the quilt is 21 columns across, as soon as I get these pieced, I'll put up and arrange the next section. The last piecing step will be to sew all those columns together.

Given my upcoming activities, finishing this top will take a few weeks. This weekend I'm participating in Central Florida MQG/Quilting Guild of The Villages activities with Lee Heinrich (FreshlyPieced) - Saturday morning presentation and trunk show, dinner Saturday night, and taking her "Off the Grid" workshop all day Sunday. Monday is my left leg catheterization, and one of the follow-up restrictions that I can't use my sewing machine for several days...

But the design is looking so good, I won't stop now.

Since Picket Fence is an ideal scrap fabric user-upper, this post is linked to Leanne's (SheCanQuilt) blog for February's Scraptastic Tuesday. Linda

17 comments:

  1. KarenFebruary 12, 2016 at 3:07 PM

    I like the medallion quilt in the background.

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    Replies
    1. FlourishingPalmsFebruary 13, 2016 at 4:13 PM

      Thank you, Karen! That quilt is mine and is now finished and on the bed in our guest room. You can see it here: http://flourishingpalms.blogspot.com/2015/12/medical-update-and-more.html

      By the way, I'm replying to you here because you're a "no-reply commenter," which means I am unable to respond to you by email.

      Delete
  2. NancyFebruary 12, 2016 at 4:03 PM

    The Picket Fence is looking good. Glad you dug it out for further work. I like Elsie's book, and she has some lovely applique uses for string piecing in it, too. This will be a good-sized quilt!

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  3. DarFebruary 12, 2016 at 8:21 PM

    I love it, love it!! Now I want to find that pattern and start making my leader/enders into those shapes. Do you think I could do that in a year or two in between other piecing projects??? I really like the way it looks with the colors you used. You always inspire me to do more things with my scraps!!

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  4. GrammyFebruary 12, 2016 at 8:39 PM

    Love this quilt!!!

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  5. ChrisFebruary 12, 2016 at 11:16 PM

    It has such a 3D look!

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  6. DebbieFebruary 13, 2016 at 1:17 AM

    boy this quilt is going to be amazing! I don't envy you putting it together tho - good luck!

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  7. MicheleFebruary 13, 2016 at 7:36 AM

    It does look amazing so far. I'm not sure I'd have it in me to do something like that.

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  8. Blue dragonfly5February 13, 2016 at 5:13 PM

    The quilt looks great. Did you reverse you light and dark triangles from photo one to photo two. I like the light strips going horizontal best as in photo two. How large are the triangles. Can't wait to see this up close.

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  9. Kathy@KayakQuiltingFebruary 13, 2016 at 5:44 PM

    Wow! I don't even know where to begin. This is over the top amazing. Wow!

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  10. SusanFebruary 13, 2016 at 6:33 PM

    Love how the zigzags are looking Linda! Have a great weekend of sewing and inspiration. Good luck for the procedure on Monday...thinking of you!

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  11. Anne / Springleaf StudiosFebruary 13, 2016 at 9:57 PM

    I remember making those diamond blocks. Good luck finishing it up. It will be spectacular. My current project doesn't fit on my design wall either so I've used the bed since it's for the bed.

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  12. Edith Bieri-HanselmannFebruary 14, 2016 at 4:46 AM

    Linda I like thid quilt and are thinking about making one for my bed...... Hmm. Why not, fabric scraps I have sure enough!

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  13. NickyFebruary 14, 2016 at 10:47 AM

    That is a great scrapbusting quilt! It looks very dramatic. Thanks for linking up to #scraptastictuesday!

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    1. FlourishingPalmsFebruary 14, 2016 at 4:27 PM

      Thank you, Nicky! I appreciate that you and Leanne do this on a regular basis. (I wanted to reply to you in an email, but you're a "no-reply commenter.")

      Delete
  14. KarenFebruary 14, 2016 at 11:05 PM

    This is so fabulous, I have got to get mine started!!

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  15. UnknownFebruary 16, 2016 at 12:11 AM

    WOW----this is gorgeous!

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