Needing to get that 36" X 48" String Diamond quilt finished and sent off to a new grand-nephew, I quilted it this past week. I was happy to do spiral quilting as it's an easy way to create quilting texture with a walking foot. My Bernina 770QE handled it beautifully.
I used variegated blue 40-weight YLI thread for quilting. I've had this fun fleece fabric for years and decided it suited this quilt top. I didn't use batting since the fleece has a nice weight.
While on retreat I made a tote that's a new pattern from Christina Cameli @afewscraps It's her "Sunbeam Tote." She asked me if I'd be interested in testing the pattern. The front is foundation pieced onto muslin using scrap fabrics. I love that!
The tote back is a single piece of fabric and I thought this Kaffe Fassett print was perfect for it. I'm not at all fond of Kaffe prints - I usually avoid them! - but this one has been in my stash for years and needed to be used.
Did you notice the orange base and detail on the straps? That's "vegan leather" (Ha! It's vinyl) purchased from a QuiltCon vendor earlier this year. The pattern is meant to be piece with cork, but this works too. I like that Christina thought to add the accent to the webbing straps.
The tote is open - nice and roomy - with two pockets on one side. I'm pretty sure I'll be using this bag fairly regularly. After all, it does look a bit like Florida!
Also this week I caught up on my 2019 temperature quilt. This is every day from January 1 (upper left) through September 30 (lower right). As you can see, quite obviously, the days went orangey-red starting in May. Those pops of "dark days" are amethyst and bordeaux (Painter's Palette solids) and represent the hottest days: 95-97 F and 98-plus F, respectively. I'm sure hoping for some lower temps to give the quilt balance, as I add more days to the right-hand side.
This is my temperature quilt color key. It's apparent that the two hottest temps (upper left) should have been swapped around.
I've begun quilting the batiks quilt I reluctantly made (I really dislike batiks), intending to enter the QuiltCon challenge. However, this is the quilt I made without carefully reading the rules. I added prints to the four challenge fabrics when only solids are permitted. Sigh. But I'm finishing it anyway. I first walking-foot quilted 60-degree angles across the top and am now filling in diamonds with free motion quilting designs suggested in Christina Cameli's "Texture Quilting" book.
And then there's this! The mess I left last night when I went to bed can only mean one thing. Something scrappy! I'm digging through two canvas bins worth of solid fabric scraps to make something new. It takes a lot of effort to sort through these rumpled piles, press fabrics, and cut what I want. I'm not very good at keeping fabric in a ready-to-use condition. How do you keep your scraps neat and tidy?
Escape room- a great term for it! Lots of fun things happening in yours. I love string quilts- yours looks great. I keep scraps in bags by color. Periodically I'll go through a bag and cut squares and rectangles of several sizes, stack and store them. I also keep a zipper bag of pieces to sew together at the seam ends of another projects. Slowly they build up into.... something. But it's a constant battle. You have lots of work ahead of you on your pile! Listen to a book and plug away at it.
ReplyDeleteMy scraps are mostly in wrinkled piles because I just keep shoving more into the drawers. I do have a couple of plans to use them but not just yet. Too many other things going on. You and I are on opposite side of the fence when it comes to Kaffe fabrics. I don't love all of them but they are certainly a large large part of my stash.
ReplyDeleteThe baby quilt is darling and using fleece is a great idea. Extra soft and warm. Love the Florida bag as well. As for scraps . . . I try to use them as I can but am not really fond of all the sorting and pressing (read lazy), but I'm collecting more and need to do something with them soon. I've been looking for patterns for a new horizontally hung quilt in the kitchen and think I've found several that can be adapted and use up my scraps.
ReplyDeleteI see a theme of sorts here, nearly every project has at least some orange - must be October! Ah, scraps, how does anyone keep them pressed!? I keep most of my scraps in smaller clear totes, by color, though there always seems to be a pile of new scraps on the floor next to the bins. I think it's a losing battle to try to keep up with them entirely. And mine are always rumpled.
ReplyDeleteI love your 2019 temperature quilt! That's is SO cool!
ReplyDeleteI am also awaiting some medical results and while it's on my mind a lot of the time, I'm finding sewing invaluable for keeping myself occupied. Also a lot of reading. Good luck, Linda.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate what you're going through, Daphne. Waiting for procedures, tests, and results is tedious and worrisome. I agree that the best therapy is staying occupied! Preferably in the sewing room! And reading is excellent, of course. I'm listening to "The Alice Network" right now. It's really good, though somewhat disturbing. Perhaps I need something that's a little more light-hearted, for the current state of my emotions. Best wishes. And a hug. Linda
DeleteThanks, Linda :) Only two days to go now to get the results.
DeleteI'm loving the look of the temperature quilt Linda!
ReplyDeleteI always have this idea that I can sit and watch a movie and iron scraps, then just place them neatly in bins.
ReplyDeleteIt never happens
I love all of your massive progress
I've been stalled for a couple of days, but I was productive last week. Your post reminds me to keep going, to identify the project and then move it along. All your quilts are fun to look at, and I smiled at your scrappy pile--mine's about the same, in two different places. Looking forward to what you'll be coming up with next.
ReplyDeleteLove that temperature quilt, and that reminds me to get my September done up. I feel like you do: I hope I get some symmetry in colors on the the other side of the quilt. Time will tell. Hugs!
My scraps look just like yours! Organize them? Ha! I’m too busy sewing! Christina's bag pattern is very pretty in your fabrics. The Kaffe back works perfectly. I’m glad you’re the personality type that stays busy during an upset. You’ve accomplished so much and everything looks so bright and fresh.
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