Tag: Cotton+Steel Fabrics

Daffodils, White Violets, and Churn Dash Blocks

Turkey Tracks: May 14, 2022

Daffodils, White Violets, and Churn Dash Blocks

My daffodils have been awesome this year. And some are still blooming strongly. The cool of spring helps. We’ve had a few warm days (low 70s), but we have rain and cooler temps coming in, so maybe the daffs will hang out a bit longer.

The daffodils are the first of the garden plants to come inside each year. Here’s a bouquet on my dining table.

And a bouquet in the kitchen window—alongside some white violets that are blooming all over the place in the garden. Some of my daffs are so ”fluffy” they look like little peonies.

I finished the Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society Churn Dash blocks for this very, very scrappy but fun quilt top. I’ve started sewing the rows together. I like the secondary patterns that emerge when one buts up the blocks together. I can re-iron one set of seams (the sides) between blocks, but not another set (top to bottom)—which means I’ll have to snip and bend those seams to get them flatter. This is the 8th quilt from this winter project.

I have a small pile of fabrics that might be big enough for a pieced backing—and a cheerful red I can use for the binding.

This whole project has decimated the C+S stash, but has also produced a lot of cut blocks in various sizes that also need to be made into quilt tops.

It is the nature of quilting, and it is all good.

Until, it isn’t.

One can go crazy with using up all the tiny scraps. I’m doing a better job of setting reasonable boundaries of where the crazy vs. sane boundaries are. For me, anyway.

Cotton+Steel Stash Project Cutting Done!

Turkey Tracks: March 28, 2022

Cotton+Steel Stash Project Cutting Done!

Yesterday morning, Sunday, was another beautiful spring morning.

AC and I went to the Snow Bowl again, and there was running, walking, chasing the ball, and swimming in all the watery places.

Then, the promised weather started rolling in as we got ready to go home for lunch.

How dramatic are those clouds? We got a little snow during the night—just a coating—when the temps dropped. This week is meant to be fairly clear at the moment, but will be a bit cooler than last week.

Last week I ironed the last of the Cotton+Steel stash and those pieces into squares and strips. I kept out bigger pieces to use for backings and bindings. And I didn’t cut into several big pieces that were low volume, as I may need them as I move through this big project to augment the low volume pieces already cut. If I don’t, they will go into the regular stash.

Anyway, here are the last fabrics I cut. The fabrics on the upper longarm roller bar are meant for fussy cutting centers for the Churn Dash blocks or for the backing for the ”warm” ”Pot-Pourri 3” quilt—and I laid out that backing yesterday after sewing that top together.

The table with strips for Churn Dash blocks is overflowing—especially after this last big cutting.

And I now have two bins of color-sorted squares ready to be used for more of the scrappy ”Pot-Pourri” quilts:

Indeed, the whole project has more or less been moved to the bed next door to the quilt room so I can use the longarm. The basket of solids is another scrappy project I’ll get back to some day. And the strips and squares on the right are smaller pieces that evolved from the major cutting project. They will be used down the road.

And, here’s a sneak peek at the next Churn Dash quilt blocks and their sashings and corner stones, which are all cut. I think a binding I cut will also work for this new ”Eye Candy 3” quilt.

And off we go into a whole new week.

I intend to enjoy this week, and I hope you enjoy yours as well.

“Pot-Pourri” and “Eye Candy” Quilts Land

Turkey Tracks: February 24, 2022

“Pot-Pourri” and ”Eye Candy” Quilts Land

As you know I’ve been making baby quilts. Maybe I should say I’m making quilts for children.

I mailed these two quilts to my niece in Wyoming last week—for the new baby, but with the added notion that her existing three children might like to adopt these quilts first and that that was fine by me. They are meant to be used and loved. Niece Lucy has three children (a girl and two boys) and is expecting a boy in July.

The Churn Dash block quilt ”Eye Candy” is smaller—and is probably too small for these children to use. But ”Pot-Pourri,” it’s lap size.

The fabrics are all Cotton+Steel/Ruby Star Society from my stash. And I pieced the back from that stash as well.

I used the ”Check and Chase” pantograph by Lorien Quilting with a ”parchment” colored thread.

For ”Eye Candy” I fussy cut the block centers and used the ”Check and Chase” pantograph with a soft grey thread.

I had such fun choosing the block centers.

And, again, I pieced the back.

Lucy sent me this picture when the box arrived. My grand-niece Willa was present and liked ”Pot-Pourri.”

Soon, this picture followed.

Can I just tell you how happy I am to see this precious child love a quilt?

Now, of course, I have to keep an eye out for quilts for the two boys. After the current crop of needed baby quilts are made and mailed.

”Pot-Pourri 2” is on the design wall and ”Eye Candy 2” will go on the longarm today.

And I saw a pattern this morning that would work well for at least one of Lucy’s boys.

Mid November Quilty Update

Turkey Tracks: November 13, 2020

I have FOUR quilts to longarm now—each is all set up with all their parts organized, including their labels and bindings.

And while my quilt room is feeling MUCH less tangled with projects now, the bed in the adjacent bedroom is piled high with these projects.

First up to quilt will be the Wild Goose quilt, seen here on the design wall a while back:

Next will be the funky rail fence quilt designed by Sajata Shah and which can be seen in her book CULTURAL FUSION QUILTS.

The TWO Sugaridoo QAL quilt tops are finished as of yesterday. These two quilts have been a year-long journey. Here’s the rainbow solid one. You can see a piece of the backing fabric on the cutting board. I wanted something quiet, though I was tempted by the very bright choices others are making. I am going to bind in the darker grey accent fabric.

Here’s a close up pic of the LAST row, row 11.

Row 11 is so graphic. It was so fun to make. And in general, I have learned a lot during this project and have now 12 new patterns and several quilty methods new to me.

Here is the Cotton+Steel version:

And a close up of those bottom rows:

I have absolutely no idea how I should quilt these quilts. At 70 by 90, they are just way too big to be done on the domestic machine with a grid. And I don’t do intensive longarm quilting with rulers. I just don’t. And I don’t like intensive quilting on a functional quilt as it makes them too stiff. So I will do something overall—either freehand or with a pantograph.

I have TWO leader/ender projects on the design wall; each is endlessly fun and are using up the solid scraps. The tree block is inspired by a quilt by Crazy Mom Quilts, and the striped quilt is inspired by a quilt by Tara Faughnan.

AND, in the relatively clean quilt room, I will now wade into the first Color Collective project as the white background fabric I ordered arrived this week.

People taking the class are showing their completed blocks now in the online social media groups (FB and Instagram), and their different color choices are so fun and so inspiring to see.

Turkey Tracks: Sugaridoo QAL: Row 6

April 13, 2020

Sugaridoo QAL: Row 6

Here’s Row 6 of the Sugaridoo QAL.

I am doing two rows—one in the rainbow colors Sugaridoo designed and one with Cotton+Steel fabrics I have on hand. As you will see with the C+S rows, it isn’t always possible to replicate Sugaridoo’s colors exactly. And that’s ok by me.

These are the first rows that one could sew together with its adjacent row, made earlier. Sugaridoo may separate rows with sashing strips, but I thought these two rows wanted to be together. I can always take them apart if I change my mind later.

I made my braids the same size, except for the accent pieces—which differs from the Sugaridoo pattern, which used different sizes across the row.

Row 7 will drop next week some time.

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: Lending Some Quilts

Turkey Tracks:  August 4, 2019

Lending Some Quilts

Karen Martin and I loaned Fiddlehead Artisan Supply (Belfast, Maine) some quilts for their booth at the recent state quilt show (Pine Tree Quilt Guild).  That’s my Katja Marek Millifiori to the left of the Fiddlehead sign.  Below it is a Katja Marek 54-hexigon quilt—all based on Marek’s book THE NEW HEXAGON.  The blocks are all Cotton+Steel.

Karen’s wonderful Tula Pink (greys, blacks, whites, and yellow) is to the right of the Fiddlehead sign.  This quilt is from Tula Pink’s 100 MODERN QUILT BLOCKS.

The quilt behind the service desk is my Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s herringbone method from her MODERN QUILT MAGIC book.  This quilt is all Cotton+Steel low volume fabrics.  I’m assuming that most of you know that C+S has moved to Moda, taking their designs with them, and are now known as Ruby Star Society.  Their first fabrics from Moda are shipping this month.

Here are close-ups of these quilts.

 

 

 

Turkey Tracks: Sunday Morning Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  March 10, 2019

Sunday Morning Quilt

I love this yummy quilt.

The pattern came from SUNDAY MORNING QUILTS (Amanda Jean Nyberg, Cheryl Arkison) and was designed by Cheryl Arkison.  I used all Cotton+Steel fabrics, except for the solid binding.  And I made it as a “cool” companion to the “warm” quilt (see below) using the herringbone pattern Victoria Findlay Wolfe designed (MODERN QUILT MAGIC).

I quilted with the “Simple Feathers” pantograph designed by Anne Bright.  And I used a soft smoky seafoam green thread that disappeared into the backing, from Signature threads.

 

Here’s the “warm” quilt, to remind:  “Bee Warm.”

 

Both of these quilts have lived in my mind for some years now.  It’s so good to have them be really here.

The Cotton+Steel designers have left their original home and are now “Ruby Star Society.”  Their first collection from their new home arrives this summer.  I just signed up for the Pink Castle “Ruby Star Society” fat quarter club which will start in July.  Yeah!!!

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.

Turkey Tracks: The “36-Ring Circus” EPP Project

Turkey Tracks:  February 24, 2019

The “36-Ring Circus” EPP Project

…is taking shape.

There are six rows, six rings to a row.  I’m working on the last ring of row one now.

This project is the hardest I’ve done as sewing the rings to the center block is challenging.  There is a learning curve here, but I am getting faster now, which is also probably driven by seeing enough of it now to think I like it.

So far, the centers are Cotton+Steel, but I’m not sure I’ll keep to those fabrics.  The outer rings are pastels, and the inner connecting pieces are solid darks.  The quilt is designed by Joanne Lewis, and the pattern is at Paper Pieces.  I did NOT buy all the templates for the centers, just the ones for the center points and the rings.  It’s easy enough to just trace what I need for the centers from the paper templates and add an eyeballed seam allowance.

 

A few years back I discovered that this old lap top “table” platform works great for EPP projects.  With pins and clips, I can keep everything together, from my thimble, my thread, to my scissors.  PLUS, the high width of one side is perfect in terms of getting the project up high enough from my lap so that I am not hunching over and making my neck sore.  I usually sew this project at night in front of the tv, so I prop the top edge against a tv table edge, and that makes the height-from-lap distance really perfect.