Tag: Amy Newbold

Turkey Tracks: Done and Hung: Radiating Log Cabin

Turkey Tracks:  January 1, 2020

Done and Hung:  Radiating Log Cabin

Happy New Year 2020 Everyone!

I finished this quilt last night and hung it this morning.  That’s always a production—to get the rod leveled properly—but all went smoothly today.

This block is the “Radiating Log Cabin” designed by Tara Faughnan for Season 1 of The Color Collective, hosted by Amy Newbold’s Sewtopia.  Tara curates a set of solid fabrics for each project; how one combines colors is up to each individual making the block.

I love this quilt!  The block is such a handsome block.

The camera is distorting the rod angle below.  I just checked.  Everything is level in the room.

I hand quilted with size 8 perle cotton—with colors matched to fabric.

The making of this quilt completes all the projects from The Color Collective Season 1.  I did a recent blog post on the six projects I made.

I have so, so enjoyed this journey and am enjoying season 2 and am already a month behind.  LOL.

Thanks you Tara and Amy!

Turkey Tracks: Season 1 Quilts From The Color Collective

Turkey Tracks:  December 16, 2019

Season 1 Quilts From The Color Collective

I’ve almost finished all the six projects from Season 1 of the online class The Color Collective, hosted by Amy Newbold of Sewtopia.  Tara Faughnan designed each block and curated 12 solid fabrics for each project and Sewtopia mailed the fabrics to participants each month and published the videos that helped us with each project.  With each project, Tara taught us a new quilting method.

The first and second projects can be seen in the quilt below:  a machine applique circle method and a foundation pieced cross block.  I thought the two months’ colorways were compatible, so I combined them in this XOXO quilt.

The third project was this radiating log cabin—these blocks of mine are now sewn together and are being hand quilted with perle cotton.  This quilt will complete Season 1 for me.  I’m going to hang it in a bedroom.  On Tara’s website gallery you can see how complicated this block can be.  For one thing, it can be cut up to create whole new looks.

I went down a Lone Star rabbit hole.  I couldn’t stop making Lone Stars via Tara’s method.  I’ve always been afraid to try this block, but once started I could not stop.  There are two more blocks not pictured in this post.

But my favorite block, inspired by Tara’s larger Lone Star scrappy quilt (again, google her web site to see her gallery and her stunning LARGE Lone Star scrappy quilt), is this scrappy Lone Star—made from leftovers of the completed blocks.

This saw tooth block is made by drawing the design on freezer paper.  I love it!  I will always love this method and this design.  It can be varied by drawing, for instance, fat short triangles.

The final project is this 6-pointed star, all made by hand.  The design is drawn on to the fabric, and one sticks to those lines to keep everything working.  I hung this one in my bedroom, and I remain fascinated by how the design changes in different light.  Darker light makes some designs pop out or recede.

In order to keep up, I sometimes made a pillow of the design first, just to make sure that I understood how to make the block.  And, too, to see if I liked the block.  Thus, these pillows.

The method of the seasonal tree quilts come from Kathy Doughty in the book MATERIAL OBSESSIONS.

The Color Collective Season 1 has been a great ride!  My thanks to Amy and Tara for all the fun.  I’m now doing Season 2, and I’m really enjoying the projects.  I have learned so much over the last year, and it is all good.  It has been especially fun to work with solids as they are so graphic and modern.

Turkey Tracks: Sewing Projects, November 2019

Turkey Tracks:  November 7, 2019

Sewing Projects, November 2019

Winter is my intensive sewing time.

The bed is the bedroom next to my quilting room is my project staging area when the longarm holds a quilt.  On the bed there’s a finished quilt top and its backing and binding fabric all set to go when the longarm is empty again.  There are garments—saved to sew in winter.  And, all sorts of other projects, from an EPP project, to The Color Collective blocks, to my own inventions.

Here’s what my design wall looks like now.  The top blocks are meant to use up the solids acquired for The Color Collective projects.  The 14-inch block is from Then Came June’s Checkered Garden Quilt, and I’ve written posted about it before now.  It’s a leader/ender project from Bonnie Hunter’s method.  The big blocks below it are the 20-inch Radiating Log Cabin blocks from Tara Faughnan’s The Color Collective Season 1, hosted by Amy Newbold of Sewtopia.

To the right are various projects—to include just playing with shapes with ideas garnered from a workshop with Amy Friend (curved foundation piecing) and from Nicholas Ball’s new book INSPIRING IMPROV, which I high recommend.

I think there is a flying geese project in the making, done with 6” wide blocks and bright colors.  And the Jen Kingwell “Glitter” blocks are ongoing and will probably wind up in an improv quilt.

Below, hidden are the improv bird blocks I’m making off and on.

My quilting life is very rich I think.

I’ve moved blocks around and around below, but I think I like this arrangement, so will sew it together later today. L Then I have to decide if it is a 60-inch wall hanging or a lap quilt AND how on earth to quilt it.  Hand or machine, for starters.

The “shapes” blocks are fun.  I’m going to cut the teal blue/green block on the right in half and see what develops.  These blocks will go into my Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild “prompt” quilt where other members will make blocks for me as well.  But, my turn will not come up until NEXT November as there are many of us in this challenge.  So there is plenty of time to play with shapes and clear colors over the year.

My Cotton+Steel “Slopes” quilt from Amanda Jean Nyberg is on the long arm now.  I quilt until I get tired, then stop and play with other projects.  It all gets done.

The winterizing outside is DONE, so it’s time to move into my winter sewing in earnest.  And we may get SNOW tomorrow.

I love the change of seasons and enjoy each and every one.

Turkey Tracks: Lone Star 4-patch Done and Hung

Turkey Tracks:  November 2, 2019

Lone Star 4-patch Done and Hung

And boy am I happy with this project, which TODAY replaced a quilt that had been hanging in the stair well for 15+ years.  The old quilt, light-faded and still lovely, is downstairs in the washing machine as I write this post.

A friend from Augusta who was visiting the dog park this morning came home with me and helped me hang this quilt, which involved stair-well drops and a tall ladder.  Thanks Kathryn!!  She made me feel very safe up on the ladder.

I quilted with size 8 perle cotton—and tried to match colors.  The background fabrics are from my stash, but the rest of the fabrics were curated by Tara Faughnan who taught this online class for Amy Newbold’s Sewtopia.  Season 2 of The Color Collective is under way now and promises to be as exciting as Season 1 was.

I used the green color (Kona Pickle) in all of the Lone Stars and bound the quilt with it, and it does seem to be working to unify the project.  Otherwise, I went down a Lone Star rabbit hole of wondering what would happen with light/dark backgrounds and how color and light/dark placement affected the Lone Star.

Now to finish up the Radiating Log Cabin project (probably today for the blocks!) from Season 1.

 

I am having so much fun!

Turkey Tracks: Down a Lone Star Rabbit Hole

Turkey Tracks:  September 8, 2019

Down a Lone Star Rabbit Hole

This large 4-patch (each block is 30 inches unfinished) contains all the fabric colors that Tara Faughnan curated and Amy Newbold of Sewtopia sent to us for this THE COLOR COLLECTIVE project.  I added the navy, pink, and soft green backgrounds as they were what I had in my stash.  I could not stop making these blocks because I wanted to see what would happen with color placement and how they all looked together.  AND because they turned out NOT to be so hard (with Tara’s instructions and videos to guide).

This one is all layered and pinned now.  I’ll hand stitch mostly with perle size 8 cotton, though I may do some grid sewing on the domestic.  It’s going to hang in a stairwell, replacing a quilt that has been hanging for 15+ years.

In part I wanted to see different color combinations appeared on light or dark backgrounds—especially at the points.  You can see on the upper right/pink background of the above 4-patch how light and dark fabrics at the points can have a kind of fireworks effect.  The lower two quilts have a light point on dark background and a dark point on a light background.

The one below has colors from the collection—I added the yellow as I had it on hand—and is going in my bedroom as a wall hanging—to replace another small quilt that has been hanging for many years.  I thought it would go on the wall outside my quilt room—to replace another quilt that has been hanging too long, but while I like the block, the colors don’t quite work in that space, given other nearby colors.

This scrappy one I made from leftover scraps—and it is modeled on a BIG one that Tara Faughnan made that is scrappy.  Google “Tara Faughnan Quilts” to see it.  I’m going to back it with the really dark fabric that came in the collection—a kind of luscious dark navy/purple that you see around the yellow star center above.  I ordered more of that fabric, and it came yesterday and went right in to the washing machine.  I like this one a lot.  Not sure where it will go.

My favorite is on the 4-patch—the top one on the left with all the blues.  I ordered more of those fabrics, except for the pickle color points as I already ordered more of the pickle color.  The pickle is destined to be the binding for the 4-patch.  I added in a chartreuse for the points and will back with the dark navy/purple.

This last one (?) is going to hang on the wall outside my quilt room.  Guess what I’m doing today?

Turkey Tracks: The LAST Pillow

Turkey Tracks:  May 29, 2019

The LAST Pillow

Maybe…

Here’s my trial block for the 5th Color Collective block by Tara Faughnan.

I LOVE this block, which one draws on freezer paper and then uses that method to sew the block.  It is different than foundation piecing, and I really like the method.  BUT, I am still grappling with getting the points to stop at the right place.  I am on my third drawn template now, but am understanding how to get the result I want.

I also discovered that I like the bright colors against a dark background, unlike the Lone Star version with the light grey background.

I used green in this last pillow so it would blend with the other pillows I’ve made.

Here is Tara’s quilt made from this block, though she also sent us other versions one might consider:

WOW!  Look at these wonderful blocks!  Each one represents a new method to learn.

The Color Collective (Amy Nebold/Sewtopia) will continue in the fall.  I will definitely sign up again.

And now there are 10 pillows, scattered around the house.  You have seen pics and posts about these pillows already.  All have been made with Anna Graham’s method with an invisible zipper closing and with lined and quilted fronts and backs—from Anna’s book HANDMADE STYLE.  Her shop is “Noodlehead.”

There is one more block in Season 1 of THE COLOR COLLECTIVE though…

I’m playing with it now…

Turkey Tracks: Noodlehead Market Bags

Turkey Tracks:  May 26, 2019

Noodlehead Market Bags

I’ve been wanting to make Anna Graham’s Market Bag, from her book HANDMADE STYLE, for some time.

As noted in previous posts, The Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild has challenged members to make something in “handmade style” every other month, using Anna Graham’s book as a kickoff point.  In other months, I have made pillows, using blocks from “The Color Collective” online class with Tara Faughnan and supported by Amy Newbold of Sewtopia.  More on that pillow project later.

Here’s my first bag, which uses all Cotton+Steel fabrics.  This one is a gift.

The leather handles came from the Noodlehead store.  I cut the top binding on the bias and hand stitched it on the inside—as I’ve never been able to sew this kind of closing properly from the outside so that it catches all the inside fabric.  Just can’t do it.  I also hand sewed the edges of the pocket in the same manner.

And I lined the pocket and fused the outer fabric to Pellon’s SF 101.

Here’s the bag I made FOR ME, or “ownself,” as I like to say.  I used Essex Linen in pepper and Cotton+Steel fabrics in shades of teal/acid green.  And I put longer handles on this bag for shoulder carrying.  These handles were bought locally at Alewives Quilt Store some time ago when I first saw the Market Bag.

 

I am organizing making Graham’s Explorer purse for a real purse as this market bag is really meant to carry things loose.  As my purse possessions are not secured in pockets for the moment, I made a little lined phone case in the same way the interior pocket is constructed and by closing off the top side binding in the same way the bottom closes off.

I’m going to make the small Explorer Tote.

Explorer Tote Pattern

Turkey Tracks: “XOXO” Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  April 27, 2019

“XOXO” Quilt

I love this quilt.

The two blocks are from my online class with Tara Faughnan, hosted by Amy Newbold of Sewtopia, and made with solid Moda fabrics.  Each month Tara shares one of the blocks she has designed, teaches us with written materials and how-to videos, and chooses a color palate which Amy Newbold of Sewtopia, which hosts the class, sends to us.    These blocks—Color Pop and Color Cross—are from the first two months of the class.

I quilted with big stitches and used size 8 perle cotton.  The backing is one of the Japanese fabrics that Rebecca Babb-Brott carries in her Etsy store, Sew Me A Song.  I bought it for another quilt, but didn’t use it after all.  I Love how it works here.  I had a time choosing which color binding to use—I actually bought a warm navy and, then, a yellow, but finally settled on the “sage” color that is in the quilt.  It works with the front and the back, so I’m happy.

The circle block is 6 inches finished, and the cross block is 8 inches finished—so the math works to align them at 4 circles and 3 crosses.

I always try to take a picture which I can print out 4X6 size and which I can slip into a photo card.  I use these cards for pretty much all correspondence.

While I sew at night, next to me, someone keeps me company.

Turkey Tracks: Lone Star Block Terror

Turkey Tracks:  April 8, 2019

Lone Star Block Terror

I’ve always been terrified of trying a Lone Star block.

The 4th block in The Color Collective online class (Tara Faughnan, and hosted by Amy Newbold at Sewtopia) is…a Lone Star block.

And, whoo hoo!!!  I did it.  Tara’s instructions and videos were excellent.  This class uses all Kona solids, and each month Tara chooses a selection of 12 colors to send us for the block of that month.

She suggested this 4-block arm version for the first try, and I’m glad I did that, even though I loved the bigger 9-block arm much better as it allows 5 colors and a background color.

But one makes trial blocks for a reason.  Here, the light grey makes the block look too “neon.”  And the acid-green star points lose the drama they would have had with a dark background.  The dark background would also have knocked back the neon nature of these colors.

I turned this block into a pillow—which is why I used the light grey in the first place.  It was as simple as I had a light grey invisible zipper.  The pillow construction comes from Anna Graham’s HANDMADE STYLE.  Graham’s patterns are also on the Noodlehead web site.  Both sides of the pillows are lined with muslin and quilted.  And an invisible zipper closes the pillow case.

There is something about these two blocks together that I like a lot.  The Radiating Log Cabin finishes at, I think, 20 inches.  The bigger Lone Star at 30+ inches.   Hmmmm…

I quilted both with size 8 perle cotton with big stitches:

These pillows could likely land up on the bed in the downstairs bedroom just behind this chair.

I have one more pillow insert.  Perhaps I will try block FIVE in a pillow size in days to come…

Then, NO MORE PILLOWS!

But, these new ones have perked up my whole house.

It’s been a nice winter project, and I’m loving learning so many new techniques with The Color Collective class.

PS:  Look where Tara Faughnan took the Lone Star method (TaraFaughnan.com).  Talk about inspiration!

That’s a 36-block arm.  Look at the center, and you’ll see the block comes together in quadrants.  Each quadrant has two arms.

Holy Moly!

 

 

 

Turkey Tracks: How Many Ongoing Project Are There?

Turkey Tracks:  March 4, 2019

How Many Ongoing Projects Are There?

Some of stopped sewing long enough to count up ongoing projects we’ve started.

1.

I was in pretty good shape until I got involved in Sewtopia’s Color Collective project with blocks and solids designed by Tara Faughnan.  (Amy Newbold owns and runs Sewtopia.)  For heaven’s sake, google “Tara Faughnan quilts” and you will be blown away, as I was.  She works in saturated color and solids.  (Tarafaughnan.com)

The first month’s block was the circle; the second, the cross.  I combined them as clearly I got obsessed and couldn’t stop making them.  Note the two projects at the top of the design wall.

This top is done now, and I absolutely love it.  I’ve found, in my stash, a backing I like a lot, and I will buy a binding.  I’m thinking of doing some hand qulting with size 8 pearl cotton.  Here is the top all together.  It glows.

2.

Above the big project on the right is a row of 14-inch blocks, made using scraps from the solid projects and from my solid stash. I saw this block used in a quilt made by Then Came June called “Checkered Garden Quilt” and using Alison Glass bright fabrics in the Road Trip line.  I fell in love with it.  (Here is a picture: https://thencamejune.com/products/road-trip-checkered-garden-quilt.)  This block has been called “part Trip Around the World,” part “Granny” block.

Here’s the next block cut out and ready to go and waiting in the adjacent bedroom—sitting atop my Traveling Quilt.

3.

Above left is the start of the “Slopes” quilt by Amanda Jean Nybery of Crazy Mom Quilts.  The book is NO SCRAP LEFT BEHIND.  I am cutting the dark Cotton+Steel fabrics—a few a day—for this quilt.  I’m using leftover 1 1/2-inch blocks combined with leftover solid pieces for the row of “little” pieces near the top of the quilt.  I might do more than one of these rows.  Who knows?  Not me.

4.

I have a bird quilt project going and have made three of the big blocks and one of Jen Kingwell’s “The Avenue” of trees blocks.  I’ve been saving bird fabric for several years, but I’m choosing only the artist-types for this quilt.   I want to use in an improv style.

The 9-inch tree block is bigger visually than I thought for some reason.  Inspired by Tori Manzi’s recent tree blocks on our Mt Battie “Bee Inspired” project, I’ll probably group these in lines and make them in seasonal colors.  This one would be “spring.”

The I’m thinking this will look like a MUCH BIGGER version of this little quilt I made in a Timna Tarr workshop.

5.

My Sunday Morning Quilt is done and getting its binding.  Cheryl Arkison is the designer, and it’s in the book she did with Amanda Jean Nyberg called SUNDAY MORNING QUILTS.  The thread color I ordered arrived.  My go-to grey just didn’t work well on the backing.  This quilt is the “cool” to the “warm” herringbone quilt I finished not long ago, designed by Victoria Findlay Wolf and in her delicious book MODERN QUILT MAGIC.  See previous blog posts for that quilt.  Both of these quilts are LUCIOUS!  And both are totally Cotton+Steel low volume fabrics.

 

6.  My “Wild and Goosey” quilt is once again on the back burner.  Bonnie Hunter designed the block.  I have all the sashing cut, and the design I want to do for it all planned.  I’m sure I’ll need more of the little blocks though.

7.

Right now I am working on the “parts department” improv quilt.  See the earlier post on this quilt project.

8.

There is the EPP “36-Ring Circus” project.  This one is slow as there is a big learning curve.  That’s ok.

9.  There are more pillows from a method shown by Anna Graham of Noodlehead projects (HANDMADE STYLE) in the works.  This project is one of two from Mt. Battie Modern Quilt Guild.

10 and 11.

There are TWO blocks to make as part of the Color Collective class.  The fabric for the first one is all washed and ready to go.

12.

Here are the FIRST blocks for the Mt Battie Modern Quilt Guild’s challenge “Bee Inspired.”  These blocks were made for Donna Strawser, whose prompt was “Mid-Coast Maine.”  You can see the individual blocks better on the Mt. Battie Facebook page or on Instagram.  Thirteen quilters each made one of these blocks for Donna, and she made one for herself, so 14 blocks.  Mine is the white winter birch trees at dawn.  Tori Manzi made the four trees at the bottom, by season.  They really need to be seen lined up together, a you can on FB or IG.  Donna will now set these blocks into a quilt and will bring it back to show us at some point.  I will need to make a block for our next Bee Inspired event in April:  “Dark and Light” for Vicki Fletcher.

I really, really loved this block I made and might do another version for one of the pillows:

13.  I am gathering bits for a Rice Bowl bag or two.  See earlier post, but the designer is kzstevens and the pattern is in her Etsy store.

14.  I want to make a little sewing folder like friend Megan Bruns showed me the other day.

So…

That list is not actually too bad.  In any case, I’m having so much fun, even though I’m not getting as much time as usual, due to the needs of my boyfriend, AC Slater, who will be 1 year next month.  He’s a crazy man and has me visiting the dog park daily, as the snow and ice are pretty risky on the wood paths.