Paint Chip Challenge/Day 7 April Showers Hop

When I was telling you about the Friendship Quilters guild meeting this past Saturday, I spoke about the Michael Miller Challenge that was revealed by those of us who participated  using salespeople samples that were belatedly sent for last fall's retreat.  What fun those were and I hope to borrow a few of Beth's pictures to post here so you can see them. 

What I forgot to tell you is that we will be doing another paint chip challenge.  I really enjoyed doing this last year.  (I had greens and was able to use the shades in a watermelon Button Up.)  Shelia had quite a stack of paint color strips arranged in her hands upside down and fan folded.  I pulled Valspar 234A grouping but I found these images from a site called My Perfect Color through a google search, a match to the funky names assigned by Valspar they say.  I can't say for sure once it hits the monitor but I will be going to Lowe's to get a few extra paint chips this color to have one with me at all times.  Mom already told me that her orange-y tones were lacking, LOL.

Orange Blossom 234A-1

Peach Frost  234A-2

Rich Honey 234A-3

Fresh Melon  234A-4

Desert Mirage  234A-5

Tiger Lily  234A-6

Kind of a Southwest or Fall vibe to me and I am reasonably sure what I will be making with the 2 of the 6 colors I am to include in my piece.  Shelia said it does not have to match exactly, you know how they are constantly tweaking color from year to year and that means fabric shades change too.  Try to come as close as you can, she said.  Should be fun!

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Okay here is the list for Day 7 of the April Shower's Blog Hop---what a talented group of people this round has brought!  Today will be no different, I'm sure.  I was just looking at the possible pattern choice several days before Shelia threw down the gauntlet, so to speak so I sure it will work, if I can find the fabrics in my stash or through a later shop visit. 

TUESDAY, APRIL 16th

Cathi @ Quilt Obsession

Jane @ Jane's Fabrics and Quilts

Heidi @ Nutz4Redwork

Cherry @ Cherry'sPrairiePrimatives

Christine @ Quilt Monster in my Closet

Vickie @ More Stars in Comanche

Pauline @ Stekje

Jan @ Jan's Art Friendzy

Nissa @ Nissa Made Stuff

Robin @ As Sweet As Peaches

Lyndsey @ Sew Many Yarns

Eleni - Guest Post @ Sew at Home Mummy

Journey of a thousand steps.................

There have been a little progress around here in the "preparing to sew" department.  I pulled the two main fabric bins out that contain my green fabric stash and tried to what I had that would work for the Paint Chip Challenge.  When I found the light colored tones and couple darks that possibly work, I knew that my idea to proceed with the August Button Up was probably the way to go.  The light greens are for the watermelon rind area and darks for the rind itself.  Even if some of these are not quite the "right" shade for the paint chip deal they WILL work for the overall project as there are 6 different blocks.  The notes on the paint chip card are the shades of Moda Marble that I thought were close if I had to buy some yardage.

The pattern shows a black with red and green print for the sashing that I in no way can duplicate.  Either of the bits on the top would work and the top one probably more so because there is some red in it.  That choice will depend on what I use as the background in the block.  (They show 6 different light and dark greens, red, creams, etc in the pattern photo.)  I was light on rosy-pinky reds so I ordered some of that but refrained from any more than that preferring to use my stash where I could.   I can use some of the same colors in the May basket button up when I get around to it.   That last swirly piece on the bottom of the stack may be the backing. 

Speaking of the May Button Up, yesterday I found something that I like way more by the same designers.  The  Martingale Publishing blog  had some free summer themed patterns offered from some of  books of their stable of authors.  Of course, the Freebie #4 Liberty Door Panel Quilt caught my eye because it is from the Joined at the Hip gals.   Whats more, it is just 4 inches narrower than the button up panels so it would need only a few minor adjustments on the vertical sides to bump it up.  So a click on the book title Folk Art Favorites  and it shows more images shows.  There is  that same house but #3 in the slideshow has a cool harvest quilt and I LOVE #4 Bloom better than the May Button Up.    Bloom could cover BOTH May and June but again, would need the width bumped up.  Harvest could cover the rather plain September Button Up for September and October.  That is, IF I go that route.  Just scheming at the moment or rather imagining the possibilities.  Sometimes that is all it takes for me to get out the sewing doldrums.  That and giving myself permission NOT to quilt on that stack that is taunting me right now.  Journey of a thousand steps................

This is what I am actually preparing to sew after spending some time cutting yesterday and some time this morning when I laid hands on the WOW I had tucked away "in a safe place".  Fabricate quilt shop in Bar Harbor, Maine that is the home shop for a dear long time online friend is sponsoring a Fight Like a Quilter "Many Hearts" quilt block.  The local participants purchased a kit for a $5 donation, every cent of it,  to raise funds for those fighting ovarian cancer and off set their travel costs for treatment.  Maggie had done me some favors recently and this is one way I can repay her for her kindnesses.  Being so far away, I did not get the quilt kit with their fabric strips but believe I can come close to the feel of their blocks in spite of that. The organizers emailed me the pattern and I'll send the donation with the block or blocks.  They plan to raffle the quilt(s) throughout the summer and fall and every block maker will automatically be entered in the pot 5 times.  I over-cut so they may get more than one or I'll keep the one that did not turn out near as well. 

And sew it goes----quilting waited this long what is another day ---or two?  Next time I post it will be an actual quilt block, not a sketch!

standstill

Once again I have come to a screeching halt for sewing, quilting, piecing, whatever but that is not to say that it has not been on my mind.   Just the execution has stopped, LOL.

I can show you what I was piddling with the other day. I finally laid hands on the misplaced pieces of binding corners that one of the Belles had lent to me but I had not had time to explore yet. I thought I would make my OWN set so I could return hers plus try out the technique. This method eliminates the need to slip stitch the miter closed---turn it over and it is already mitered by machine and supposedly a nicer finish. I can bind fairly well but my corners always look a little sloppy to me so why not try it, was my thought.

First off let me say that this idea has probably been around since at least 1993. Linda Goodman Emery designed a mini-miter thing called "Corner Mark-It" way back when as it says so in the insert of the one I bought and stuck in my "carry to sewing events" basket. Never used it, never tried the technique. Must have considered it at some point or why buy the tool?  I had some problems mostly because I cut my strips 2 1/4 and not 2 or 2 1/2 inch like the ruler suggests but had hoped I could make some adjustments.

Also Rosa's examples some doing a variation of a mitered corner that I am used to doing but you don't start the seam at the folded edge as you normally do. I took some pictures that might explain it better than my words.

Goodman Emery and Deborah Manlove both use straight strips for binding---folded back out the way to add into the quilt sides and then a pointy seam thing. Manlove uses her own tool called "The binding Thingy" but it looks very similar to the Corner Mark-it but narrower and few more lines on it but it looks similar.  Yep, I bought another tool only to find it I had something very much like it.  And it doesn't work any better than the other one because my strips are a tad too narrow.   Manlove has a video on you tube if you want to check it out---maybe it will work better for you but as for me, till the cut binding is used up it is the old way for me!  I need more practice, LOL.

Here I am trying to make my set like Rosa's------up to that point business as usual but I hope you can see that the stitching did not start where it normally does.

Below shows the angle marked with the tool.   My problem was the extra wide seams on the machine to attach it in her example set and the wider binding to accommodate it.

But it did work if you look at the example below----I got mine to work but poked a hole in it trying to get the corner to lay down right. I also may have trimmed it incorrectly.

Then I switched over to doing it the Tangled Threads "Binding Thing" way.  I think I get it.

It did work but I see a few stray threads on the front and the binding folds over a bit more than it should.  She suggests adding a bit of batting to fill the corner and mine would need it especially since I probably trimmed away more than I should  have.

Again, I need practice and properly cut width strips before I try it again.  Operator error, LOL not the fault of the designer at this point.

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I had switched out machines after Bama Belles met last week thinking I would start quilting.  As I said that did not happen and may not happen today either.   I did not feel well on Thursday and spent most of the day down in bed.  Friday was feeling better but it still didn't happen.  I was uploading music to I-tunes so I could donate the CDs and DVDs----less is more after all.   Saturday Friendship Quilters guild in Pell City.  Yesterday, grocery errands and typing up minutes for both the guild meeting and the executive board meeting plus dealing with some of my own home matters paperwork.  I have the usual Monday errands to run---post office, bank and another run to Walmart for my own purchases plus get my hair trimmed in an hour across the lane, two meals to fix and husband who needs HIS hair cut too.  Always something!   I promise I will be back, Eric the Red,  just not today. (I quilt with my Viking).  I may try to cut out the "Fight Like a Quilter" heart block I need to have turned in to a quilt shop in Maine by mid June though.  Sewing it would be "gravy" on a day like today.

Also under consideration---------
Shelia has issued a paint chip challenge for Friendship Quilters with a small project of any type in time for the Christmas meeting.  Here is the one I pulled---she had them fan folded like an upside down deck of cards and we drew one.   Mine ranges from "Clear Spearmint Frost through Fine Pesto and ends with Raw Winter Spinach"   Who thinks up these wacky names???  But suffice it to say, it is a nice shade of green, fairly clear toned and not overly grayed to the sage end of things.  I think the Moda Marbles card matches at least three of them fairly closely but I need to take it out in the sunlight, if that ever comes around again, to be sure.  We are to use two colors minimum of the 7 on the card.  So far my existing stash does not show any matches.  Maybe I should mail one of these paint chip things to my mom and see how her stash matches up?  I won't need much!!

 Participation is voluntary but it might be fun especially since the field is so wide open as to what to make.  It could be anything from a mug rug, purse or wall hanging and any points in between.  If I am really clever I could kill two birds with one stone too---combine challenges. Or come to think of it,  these tones may work in the August button up when I need to come up with greens and pinks for summer watermelons.      Hey, I am liking that idea!!!    HMMMMMM  Image is from the Joined at the Hip button up website and this is BU#8 for the month of August.

I also like the Monica Solorio-Snow from Happy Zombie blog's "Bubble Runner" shown in the October 2011 American Patchwork and Quilting magazine----fun brights that might work for this idea.  Picture of it seen HERE.  Inspired by that cake plate shown next to it, says in the article.  HMMMM again.

I can keep up the surfing all day.  Googling "paint chip challenge" and see what pops up might be dangerous when I have other stuff to do.  Got go get this day rolling starting with getting dressed and making my bed!

Hope you have a good day and thx for stopping by---------