a little bit in process

So I am easing back into a bit of a schedule with sewing each evening. 

This week I have worked on the following:

Dutch Rose block from this tutorial.

Mending my son's blown-out belt loop with a bit of Aneela Hooey. 

Working on my 2014 Quilt for the Stokes County Humane Society. 

This is my 4th raffle quilt for this worthy organization!

Drawing feathers.

And quilting this, for an old family friend. I started the FMQ in March, and I am almost done. 

More pictures, and it's story to come.

Not too productive

Not a very productive sewing week, to start, but I got a bit of motivation this weekend. I received some incredible hand-dyed scraps from Vicki at Field Trips in Fiber and they inspired me.

I have pieced a top for our guild's charity, Senior Services. We had a sew-in this afternoon and I got it basted. Nice to have something to quilt on this week.

 

Easing into 2013

Some highlights of my holiday break sewing:

 uninterrupted time with my Featherweight

piecing a new "big impact star"

 trying the "scrappy trip around the world" block

details here

 (caution: this is addictive and uses up scraps like crazy!)

joining the #scrappytripalong on instagram

What have you been up to?

Work(s) in process

Almost complete, too! All these 3 now need is binding which I hope to start tonight. Then you can see them!

in process

I have been testing and tweaking my pattern for "Stellar", my big scrappy star. I am teaching this in August, so I need to make sure I have all my measurements right, and my directions clear. So far, so good. I just need to figure out how to write my border instructions.

Sorry for the graininess, the finished photo will be better!

The star is made from a Flea Market Fancy fat quarter bundle I bought from Karen Gray. The background is Kona Charcoal. 

progress report

I had a week in the middle of Maine for work, so no sewing. I have been easing back into my studio since then. Not a ton of progress on any 1 project. Just piddling on several smalls:

Flimsy made from TMQG patriotic blocks:

I fleshed this out using scraps from my stash. Currently 78" by 61".

This is the beginning of something I am making for my partner in the Modern She Made Swap group on Flickr:

3.5" Drunkards path blocks.

5 minis completed (using my Trapunto-faux©  technique) [Sarcasm, why yes!]

1. Grey Lark Mini 18" Square

This uses Lark leftovers on gray Kona. This is FMQed using a layer of poly batting over a layer of cotton batting.

2. Rainbow Star 18" Square

I used a variety of prints from my stash, along with Kona solids and the dark gray border is Westminster Manatee. (Love this gray!) I FMQ-ed this with a layer of wool batting over a layer of cotton. I added the button in a fit of whimsy. THIS quilt is for my TMQG partner in our Doll/Mini swap.

3. DS Quilts Doll Quilt Swap (for my partner)

18" square featuring DSQuilts prints with a dash of FMF thrown in for good measure. I FMQ-ed this with a layer of poly over a layer of cotton batting. 

4. Red Flower 16" Square

Prints given to my by a TMQG sista' {hi Sarah!}, Kona Coal solid, FMQ-ed on 2 layers of cotton batting. To be donated.

5. FMF Flower 18" Square

18" Square,Mostly Flea Market Fancy prints playing with some Westminster solids (which feel so good!) and Kona Gray and Snow. I FMQ-ed this on 2 layers of cotton batting. To be donated.

These small projects are really working for me while I am traveling ever 3 weeks for work. But I am getting the itch to finish my king-sized summer quilt. So, who knows? Maybe I'll get back on that!

Last, but not least in the Trapunt-faux Follies

Now I have moved on to my final trial on this journey.

This trial involves a layer of wool batting over my thin cotton batting. [No brand names here, because I buy my cotton batting on sale from a number of places and I just do not remember. And I bought the wool off the bolt at my LQS over a year ago.]

I switched up my thread to using the YLI Soft Touch in top and bobbin. I really LOVE this thread. I really LOVE all the YLI threads I have used. Never a bad spool and they all play nice with both my Baby Lock (which is a bit peculiar) and my Viking Sapphire (which is not). Anyway, I am using a small thread to focus on the effect of the stitching, not the stitches themselves and this fine thread sinks nicely into the fabric. I also had coordinating colors. I like the Aurifil as well, it is excellent quality but I have to order it as there are no retailers near me that carry it. It is also a bit more pricey than the YLI and honestly, I can't tell a difference in my work. 

Back to the trapunt-faux:

This sample was a total joy to stitch. The wool is like air. It has such a nice loft, quilts very flat and springs back wonderfully. That is why wool is so often used by the pro's in show quilts, it has a great memory and does not hold onto creases like cotton! I love the distinction between the more densely quilted parts and the unquilted parts.  

 I really love this one!

Pars tres, Trapunt-faux

This sample (Trial 1, for those of you keeping track) has 2 layers of cotton batting. I have played with this combo before, but never to this extent).

Pros: I have a lot of cotton batting scraps so this was a great way to use them up. The 2 layers also gives the stiffness I wanted for these minis. The free-motion stitch shows up nicely, but the cotton just does not give any "pouf". Not a bad effect, just different.

  
Again this sample has the YLI Soft Touch (60/2) in top and bobbin. No tension issues, stitched fine. Just not very "trapunto-ish". These minis have been so much fun. I am involved in several mini swaps and really enjoy the process. I am also looking forward to the feedback from my partners. 

Trapunt-faux, part deux

So, here's what I did:

I did "stitch in ditch" around the borders and figures first. I like how this creates a clean line and contains the free motion stitching. I did a stipple of varying scale, pebbling and curly swirls in my flat areas. All have a similar stitch density from quilt to quilt, but I did not get bored doing the same thing time after time.

First up:  Trials 2 & 3, polyester over cotton. Used Aurifil Mako 50/2 in top, YLI Soft Touch 60/2 in bobbin. All was not sunshine and rainbows! I started with PolyX in the top, but my Baby Lock despises that yarn, so I did some un-sewing. Not having a great week anyway, this made me feel like the universe was out to get me.

But it is quilting after all, I grabbed my brass stiletto and brass seam ripper, a Diet Coke and sat on the deck to rip the teeny-tiny stitches.

Then I pulled up my big-girl pants and went back into the studio.

Trial 2:

Trial 3:

I am happy with the extra "pouf" the layer of polyester gives. I had to play a little with my presser foot pressure, even thought the feed dogs are not engaged, and I am using my open-toed quilting foot, I needed to increase the working space beneath the foot to accommodate the extra height. I just do not like handling the polyester batting. I will say, it is cheap, thin, non-name brand batting from a certain chain fabric/craft store so it is readily available and did not require a huge investment for this experiment.

And to answer why I did not place the extra batting and cut away what I did not want: these are all min quilts, intended to hang. The extra layer of batting lends a nice stiffness for this purpose. I would not do this technique on a bed quilt or wrap quilt, it does make it stiff and I like a nice, soft, cushy quilt to wrap up in!

Next up, wool over cotton. I know you can not wait!

Adventures in trapunto, part 1

I am giving faux-trapunto a try. (Trapunt-faux?) I have researched traditional trapunto a bit, but since I have to learn the hard way, I just layered some battings and off I go.

Here is how I matched up my batting and my mini quilts:

Trial 1 - thin cotton batting - 2 layers

Trial 2 and 3 - thin cotton batting on bottom, polyester batting on top (why 2 like this? 'Cause I have 4 minis, and only 3 combinations of battings)

Trial 4 - thin cotton on bottom, wool on top.

More to come!

Mini /doll quilts

Mini /doll quilts, originally uploaded by kheli.

I have been working in a smaller scale since joining in on some swaps.  With some extended travel for work in the near future, I wanted to play with instant quilting gratification. I have 2 of these ready to layer, and need to work out my border on the 3rd. The square in a square is made from my Lark by Amy Butler scraps. One of the modern flowers is Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt, the other is from a stack of FQs gifted to me. Don't know which line, these coordinated well enough for me, they may not have been from the same collection. I am pondering the quilting, and may play with some trapunto. I do have some small pieces of nice wool batting. I hope my partners will like their quilts, I know I do!

Start of quilt for this year's Wood reunion

Start of quilt for this year's Wood reunion, originally uploaded by kheli.

My husband's side of the family has a theme and a charitable organization to sponsor for our reunion each year. It is a great way to share our blessings, and theme's always make parties better, right? Well, this year we are saluting all our family members who have served in the Armed Forces and our financial gift will go to our VFW. I am making this quilt for us to raffle for that. I have been wanting to make another patriotic quilt, so I am really enjoying this!

a lovely heap....and a finish

I have several quilts going right now. I am enjoying the stage each one is in. Gives me something to do, no matter what mood I am in.

First up is "Gypsy Dream". This is to be our summer quilt, so it is on its way to a "king-size". Made from 2 FQ stacks, Kaffe Fasset and Brandon Mably, along with a Laura Gunn off-white print. Currently 90" square, I need to add borders to increase the size. I am in the process of designing my borders before I complete this.

Next is a commissioned t-shirt quilt. I have cut and fused all the shirts, now I need to do my sashing before assembling.

I started this last night! "Pave the Way" by my friend Karen Gray made from a Fat Eighth sampler of Amy Butler's "Lark". I am amazed at how quickly this is going together.

This has been a week of recalibrating since the passing of my beloved mother-in-law. Early in the week was horrible, then mid-week, I finally slept all night and had some small "cries" each day, Friday was good. My husband is also sleeping a bit better so we are working on processing this grief. 

I quilted each night, and finished this, I call her "VooDoo":

 
72" square, the batiks are all scraps from previous quilts. The pattern is my own. The dark gray is "Manatee" a Free Spirit solid, the light gray is Kona "Ash".

Free-motion quilted with YLI Variations, a variegated tri-lobal polyester. The pictures do not show the luster of this yarn! I love it and will be buying additional colors.

Quilt in process

I am quilting a bit each evening. Here is a sneak peak on my current project.

So much fun. So comforting.

Stack o'blocks

Here's my stack of blocks I am piecing for my next king-size quilt.

I keep them beside my machine and do a few every time I sit down to sew.

I love how they are coming together. It is difficult for me to keep from sitting down and sewing this quilt up! I am trying to relax, take my time, and enjoy the process.

A quilter's confession #1

I save fabric because I have a fear I am going to ruin it if I cut into it.

Whew! Glad I got that out! I have always loved and feared fresh new art and craft supplies! Nothing scarier than a sharp pencil and a blank piece of paper.

Yes, I purchase beautiful fabrics, fondle them, fold them, 

and leave them on my shelf.

I cut some up today, was a bit scary, but the quilt top came together nicely.

These were a variety of batiks in orange, red and fuchsia. Bright, warm, sunny on a grey winter day. Next up, quilting!

Work in Process

I have been just playing in my studio. My guild had a scrap exchange and inspired by our speaker, I am making "crazy quilt" blocks out of these scraps.

This will be a long term project. It is nice to have a project to just sew and not have to think too hard about. I made a crazy quilt several years ago. It is always a good way to use scraps, and makes an interesting quilt.

I am also piecing a king-sized quilt for my husband and me (resolution #5). I am using Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably fabrics from my stash. This quilt is going together very fast! These bright red/orange/purple fabrics have intimidated me, but I am jumping in and loving the way they all work together. These patterns seem to have a "gypsy" feel to them, I am thinking of call it " My Gypsy Dream".

The patterned white fabric is a beautiful Laura Gunn fabric, also from my stash.

We have been quite busy as my precious mother-in-law is in the hospital. Sewing is taking a back seat to her! But she seems to be doing better, and always asks what I am making.

What's on my wall 1.5.12

Other than being blind-sided by a massive head cold, 2012 has started out well. As one of my resolutions is to use my stash, I have not 1 but 2 scrap tops in process.

I went through my scrap bin and cut my scraps into 10" squares, 5" squares and 2 1/2" strips. Then I sorted by colors and started getting ideas. That how I work, I fondle the fabric and it tells me what to do! 

This first one is the center for a scrappy quilt. I am planning on adding borders  and large corner stones to get it out to a nice size. 

This second one is really working on me. It is made from scraps from "Sargasso" and it seems this is to be a background for a large applique. The applique hasn't come to me yet, but it will. And yes, this is the 2nd quilt Sargasso scraps have made! Here's the first!

Meanwhile, I am also participating in sewcalgal's Free-motion Challenge. Already feel inspired and looking forward to more.

A bit out of sorts

I am feeling a bit out of sorts.

I am NOT a "Christmas" person.

This dark time of the year is always really hard on me. On top of this, I have had to go low-carb because of my blood sugar. I guess I am in a bit of denial about that.

I have been making quilts. Quilts are always the best therapy.

3, yes 3, my nephew and his wife recently added triplets to our family! Since they arrived premature, I haven't met them yet, but I want to have their quilts ready for Christmas. I used the same fabric line (Lil' Rascals by Chloe's Closet for Moda). I have made each quilt different. Baby #1 (boy) quilt is a large block alternating with a 4 patch; Baby #2(boy) is a disappearing 9 patch; Baby #3 (girl) is a Twister. These are my last quilts I need to have complete before the 25th and I know I will have no trouble finishing them.
 .
I have a commission t-shirt quilt to work on next. Then, I am going to paint my studio/sweatshop. I want to paint it the brightest white I can find to amplify the light. That will make me feel better.

Free motion thoughts

And a work in process!

I had this top cut in about 20 minutes, pieced together in about 2 hours. Takes 1 yard each of the large patterns, 3/4 yd each for the sashing patterns.

Now I am quilting (my favorite part!)

The zen of quilting relaxes me. And I begin to ponder.

Who ever said you CAN'T turn your quilt while quilting?

Why? I am quilting this in segments, from center out. And turning as needed to get to unquilted places.

I really like this "doodling" style of quilting. I haven't seen any just like it, so maybe it is my own style developing itself.

No thoughts, no pressures, just letting the quilt speak and come to life.