boo

I've been hiding.

But here are a couple of blocks to share.





I've been practicing my wonky stars for a couple of block swaps. The first is a black and white star for the last month of the solid bee challenge. (Just a couple months late...)

The next one is a fun little rainbow block for our next Modern Quilt Guild swap.

Next month we are having a block lottery. Bring a block and one lucky person will win them all. Enough to get started on a very fun quilt.

Happy Halloween everyone!

black and white

I messed up on this block more times than I would like to remember...

But I adore it.

It is my solid bee block for July. The task was a black and white block for a sampler quilt. I chose to modernize a traditional block from my book of blocks. With all the sampler and traditional quilting going on in blog-land lately, I'm renewing my task of tackling traditional with a twist blocks, so you may see more coming from me in the future.

And I'm definitely making this one again - potentially in black and white.

reading rainbow

A string block made for Jess at SewCraftyJess for the Solid Bee Block. I actually got it out before June was over!! The colors were great on this one - she's been sending out string blocks to all her bees and should have enough soon. I was interested in a rainbow, but realized too late that I didn't have enough yellow to start out all the quadrants. So I subbed in some light gray (and stopped using it at the points). I wonder if I'll be able to find mine when they are all put together...

This was the first time I've done a string pieced block - I would love to do a whole quilt in a scrappy rainbow theme, but wonder if I could make enough for a whole quilt. As I learn different techniques, I learn more about what I like in quilting and what makes my skin crawl. I don't really like ironing in between sewing. If I can get away without doing it until the end - that is my kind of quilt. (Really who am I kidding - even if I should iron in-between, I often don't).

Oh yah - the theme song for Reading Rainbow was running through my head the whole time...if it's in your head now - you're welcome!!

butterfly

It's spring! And to celebrate, I did a bit of cleaning this weekend. Enough that I was able to uncover my sewing space and knock out some unfinished projects that have been patiently waiting for me.

Above is my modern/abstract take on the April Solid Bee request - butterflies. I didn't really want to applique - it's not my strong point. So I just started piecing triangle-ish pieces together and kept going until I had something resembling a butterfly wing. A black body pulls the two different sides together and left-over blue sky defines the 'wings'.

It's not April anymore, but that isn't surprising the way my life has been crazy lately. I'm going to try and be here and in my studio more than I have been in the last few months. I miss both so much! I have a springy purse in my head to get working on and a pile of unfinished quilts to attend to.

If you are still checking in to this quiet blog - thanks for staying...I can't wait to stop by more often.

circle trees

I finally pulled my machine out of the basement and did some sewing on our dining room table last night. I'm a month behind on our solid quilting bee, so that was first on the list. Modern tree blocks for Corley, just in time for spring.



I wish I could remember where I saw this technique first...it popped into my head immediately when I found out we were making trees.



It is actually a reverse applique of sorts.

I just tried to explain the process, but I think I'll have to do a tutorial. It isn't complicated, but I'm a visual person, so I'll get some step by step photos. Or I'll just keep searching for the original inspiration/instructions. We're over the hump - happy Wednesday!

stained glass

Hey look - I got something done!! This is my last minute block for this month's solid bee. Gwen asked for Mondrian (which I've heard described as 'partridge family style' by a client) inspired blocks with really pretty jewel toned solids. I think the quilt will be a stunner. Can't wait to see it finished!

triangle squared

I couldn't help myself - one more block for the solid bee!

geometry

Another bee block! This one is so pretty. Natalie asked for blocks inspired by the artist Carl Kleiner and his series of works in paper.

She sent out a rainbow of colors and requested triangles similar to the one above framed with a rich brown. I was immediately drawn to the orange/red/pink in my package and just ignored the blues/green/yellow...lately I've been really drawn to clashing colors - I really love how the pink pops.

And I had to get a pleat in the mix.

The block was paper pieced on an 8.5x11" sheet of computer paper.

old school

First quilt top of the new year! A lot of people have been asking about this one - last night I put the blocks from here and here together, so I can finally share the whole concept.

 

All the blocks were fabulous, but they were all different sizes, colors, shapes, so I was continuously moving some things around throughout the process. The four blocks along the left side were around the same width, so I started by sewing them together with a 2" strip between each and trimming/squaring up as needed. I continued the same way with all the blocks - matching up similar sizes and adding gray as needed.

The arrangement ended up very random and I think that helps to combine the varied sized tetris blocks in a way that works. I will probably add more gray to make it a bit wider...not sure if I want it symmetrical or not...I love the idea of some tetris pieces running into the binding.

The colors match our living room/main floor and are Kona Cottons in Coal, Lagoon, Pond, and Coral. 

So there you have it. My super nerdy, super bright tetris quilt (I heart the 80's)!

another helping of bee

A few more bee blocks. The month of November and December these have been trickling in and this is the second half (I shared the first bunch and explained the theme here). I literally jumped up and down each time I got a package in the mail. I heart quilting bees. Thanks ladies for your blocks!

4square

block: solid bee - December
size: 12" square
fabric: kona solids 2 1/2 strips

This is Lynne's block for the solid bee that I'm in. She sent out random strips from a jelly roll (I added the dark blue) and we made four colorful squares. I don't know what she will name the quilt - I'm excited to see all the colors together - but I'm calling this block 4square. Brings back memories of 6th grade. We played four-square everyday (not part of gym class or recess) and it was awesome.

bee update

I mentioned that I was in a quilting bee and November was my month - time to share some of the gorgeous blocks I've been receiving!

I asked the ladies to give me tetris-themed blocks. No rules - what-ever size they came up with and any of the traditional tetris shapes (plus a cross). I was hoping the blocks would all come back with different styles connected with a central theme.

And boy have these girls delivered - I've received such a variety of tetris blocks! (I've taken a photo of each one as they came in, so I could document who they were from, get the same light, and square them up - yes I am a bit A, even though you could never convince the one who lives with me...)

I'm still expecting a few more and can't wait - it's like an early xmas present each time they arrive!

bee square

It's been a busy week. A strange one too. The husband was out farming all last week, so I had a house to myself to bump around in. I spread out some projects and got to work on lots of things! I started a new baby boy quilt with some Katie Jump Rope fabric that I found in South Dakota - I know it's out of print, but it keeps popping up in some random places - so I keep buying a few yards. I am working on a new bag prototype and quite please with the results so far. And finally, November is my month for the quilting bee, so I got to work cutting and dividing fabric.

The theme for this quilt is old-school tetris, which just popped into my head one day while brainstorming ideas. I thought it would be really great to get different perspectives and takes on the different shapes - making it the perfect bee quilt.

This is my sample block with a few of the pieces. I'm sending out gray, blues and greens and a bit of red to coordinate with our living room. Can't wait to see the end result!!

spinning

block: double pinwheel
size: 10.5" square
fabric: blue bubbles, brown checked and white swirls

This was my practice pinwheel. I'm in a solid quilting bee and September is our first month. Krista sent out pink, yellow and white solids and requested pinwheels. I needed to do a practice to make sure I got the numbers right - 7/8" is the magic number when you're working with triangles. I like it so much, I may start my own pinwheel sampler quilt!

Here is the real deal:

I didn't have enough solid white by mail or in my stash, so I improvised and did a little variation on the top pinwheel. This one is like a propeller and I love that the white pin in the middle really pops!

Because photo-trickery, the corners wouldn't line up when I cropped, so it looks like they are way off point at the bottom. Don't worry - they're not!