works in progress---post 2

As it is in a lot of quilt groups (I hope so anyway!) there is a lot of sharing and "consultation" going on.   The Belles and I don't ever seem to be able to pull off an organized show and tell, LOL.  People arrive when they can and leave when they must.   We scatter out all over the Fellowship Hall---some pinning, some sewing, some binding, some looking at books and magazines from our library cart.  We spread things out on the tables or holler when we have something to hold up.  Fairly informal.   Opinions are solicited or kept to ourselves.

These are a few of the projects seen at the Tuesday meeting-----

That gray-y black tone on tone used in this top is the challenge fabric this year.  Bev donated it and we had like 20 yards of it to do something with.   It might have been easier to work with it were 1)  not a bit directional in the striations and  2) if it were truly black.  I guess that is where the challenge comes in!  As far as I know, Beverly is the first one to get a top made with  the challenge yardage.

She said at first she was not so crazy about the quilt.  It has an Amish quilt feel to it, doesn't it?   By the time she finished it was growing on her.  Her husband Jack was helping her decided what fabrics to include--- if he groaned that meant a veto of the choice but he okay'd others, from what Beverly reported.  I think this "works" as she stayed with the grayed, dusty tones  in the blues, pinks, greens and then added just enough brights to make it pop.   We dug around in the closet for some backing but will pin it down the line.   After all, we only have to have a top done by December  (if we can---that is loose too, LOL)


Next up we have Marilyn's Wonky Stars that she is making as an ovarian cancer fund raiser.  We were consulting about whether she should include some of the non-teal blocks or the ones that were not screaming teal but had teal in the prints.  I was always told to look at what a block looks to be from 10 feet away (or the camera lens, door peephole) and then decide.  It may look tan or gray from the distance and you have to decide if it fits or not.

We were also wondering what size to cut the sashing----looks like the churches' vinyl table cloth looks pretty good with the blocks floating on it.   She is considering doing little wonky stars in the sashing.  I had some EQ sketches that had been done that way and some friendship stars that have the same sizes of block stitched in to show her though I have also done the teeny ones in the sashing as well.  We had talked on the phone about it the day before so that was why I knew to throw the project box in the car. It can be done scrappy but you have to be watchful and a design wall helps immensely.  Well, HERE is a post about that   I don't think that the actual project progressed much past the picture show in THIS post, LOL.  Another one to re-visit circa 2006.

The next picture shows Brenda's recently completed Grandmother's Flower Garden top.  I love the applique she has done in the corners!  She is considering adding a few buds to it.   Other than admiring it we were discussing how she might hand quilt it.  The blocks are hand done so she wants to hand quilt it but not every stinkin' hexie!!

We talked about how you often see them quilted a quarter inch in from the seam lines but each and every hexagon.  Could you just do it a quarter inch away from the centers and do the same thing on the outside or inside of the rosette??  Try it and see if it will pop and recede in a pleasing manner to you, maybe on a small project first.   I believe she is planning on cross hatching in the outer border since there is a fair amount of space to be filled there.   Wouldn't double lines look cool--even with the initial grid about 2.5 or 3 inches apart??  That just came to me.   Not my quilt so I can come up with more work ideas, LOL.


The next three are some of the shots I took of Bev's Block of the Month Crazy Patches.  (Just a few selected months are shown here though she has all 12 of them done.)  Bev is so inventive and seems to enjoy improvisational work with fun embellishments so this is right up her alley, I would say.   I think you will see themes each block represents.

Here we have Pat F and Betsy pinning Pat's fall toned quilt.  The girls set up two tables since Bev was pinning some of her Christmas gift quilts and the usual one was tied up for quite a bit.   Table two is normally covered with the Bunn-o matic and the coffee supplies.  Actually this worked better for Pat as the table is longer than the one we normally use.  The quilt would need to be shifted up and down as well as side to side.

And this was another point of discussion.  How to make an Album Cross block.  Brenda and I were talking about it at the last meeting in relation to a quilt she was considering.  The background information is found on that post.  Crossed Canoes versus Album Cross---less pieces but still effective.

The Fons and Porter method I had in mind was in their magazine September/October 1998 when it was still called "Sew Many Quilts"   I found the magazine the other day while looking for something else FOR someone else, LOL.    My mind leapt to the abandoned blocks from my mom that I had taken apart to re-purpose the fabric.  I cut out 6 blocks that would finish 8 inches as the magazine shows---some used the re-purposed fabric and others, some of the over-cuts from that Prairie Stroll top I was working on.

Even though the block was not pieced yet, I showed the girls how Liz avoided making a template as you use an overlay at the half way mark of your finished blocks and just trim the extra fabric away using your 8 1/2 inch square ruler.  I had some vinyl to attach to the ruler top that I had picked up years ago at a quilt show from Master Piece Products called Static Sticker.  There are 1/4 inch grid lines marked on the back of the vinyl make it easy to trim to size. You can see the seam lines and it comes right off when you no longer need it.

That brings up to today's creative plans-----
In my haste Tuesday morning I mis-cut the 2 1/2 inch strips I had intended to use with the re-claimed fabric.  I decided to see if I can make a six inch finished Album Cross block instead of the 8 inch finished shown in the magazine.  I'll  use the same principles but  will be looking for the 3 1/4 inch mark to orient my little square---you have to angle the square with one tip on the  middle of the block horizontally and vertically.  6 inch finished---this might go in my Farmer's Wife Sampler.  There is a similar block listed that she called Seasons but more chunky looking.  2 inch strips would work and I have an easy way to piece it.  Because I may be using white sashing on that project I think I am going to put these cut QST back in the abandoned block project bag and cut a soft green background instead---I just decided that.    Whip that block right up today!

Also on today's plans----start on the QOV binding.  I think I'll put up the machine after I whip up that little block and spread out for a day or two--- or knowing me, three.  Gotta be done as a deadline awaits.  Jane, Aline, me and I think Bev all have quilts that will need to be delivered for the Veteran's Home and we are shooting for the Aug. 30th small group day.

I did get the Prairie Stroll top colored flap and borders on yesterday.  Backing has been found for it and it is now with the 4 other pro bono tops in my bedroom closet.   Still not ready to pin those, nor could I this week with the tables in continuous use even if I wanted to---which I didn't.  I already told you 3 of them need marking and batting pieced meaning more work, LOL.

Okay, posting is done, the laundry is done, almost time for lunch----and that is how a morning can slip away from you!