Tag: Handfuls of Scraps

Turkey Tracks: “Bee Land” Quilt

Turkey Tracks:  January 9, 2017

“Bee Land” Quilt

I can’t quite believe that I have finished this quilt.

I started it in Charleston, SC, Thanksgiving 2015 as my “take along” project.  I used scraps from my 2 1/2 inch square bin.  It felt more than a little daunting to take on a project this size with so many tiny (1-inch) pieces to make by hand using English Paper Piecing.

I called it “Bee Land,” after finishing the binding a few days ago.

The design is from Edyta Sitar’s “Flower Garden,” which is on the cover of her book HANDFULS OF SCRAPS.

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I did NOT attempt to do Edyta’s amazing applique borders, as you can see.

As a side note, I met Edyta in Houston in October 2014 and saw this quilt in her booth.  It is so gorgeous “in person,” as is Edyta Sitar.  It was a pleasure to meet and talk with her.  I have many of her books and so love her tiny, tiny pieces and exquisite work.

The quilting went so well on this quilt.  Lucy the Longarm behaved beautifully.  And I like the warm old gold thread color I used.  The pantograph is a 12-inch version of “Simple Feathers” by Anne Bright.

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The doll faces look lacy from a distance.

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I had another fabric for the borders, a blue fabric with medallions, but discarded it in favor of the warmer red/orange.  AND, I had TWO other backings, one to go with the blue fabric and another modern fabric that was whimsical.  At the last minute I settled on a more traditional fabric that I had bought in last year’s April “Shop Hop” for 40% off.  It’s perfect for this quilt.

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It is a really good feeling to finish a quilt you have spent a year +++ making.  There were hours of sewing pleasure with this project  It is all done by hand except for the binding and the quilting on Lucy.

I would love to make this quilt again using low-volume fabrics that are very light and bright, whimsical fabrics.

Turkey Tracks: Done! Fun!

Turkey Tracks:  December 30, 2016

DONE!  FUN!

As many of you know, I started A LOT of projects over the course of last year–like agreeing to make 99 Farmer’s Wife blocks (Laurie Aaron Bird).

And, starting SEVERAL English Paper Piecing projects (Katja Marek).

And, making blocks for a future improv quilt with Coastal Quilters friends.

And, getting the right borders and backing for the big Hexie quilt–which needs a good name (Edyta Sitar)

And, planning and making TWO baby quilts.

And, working on another quilt made from the 1600 four-patches I sewed out of the 2″ square blocks two summers ago.

And, collecting the makings for a BIG travel bag.

And, starting the day after Thanksgiving, working on “clues” for Bonnie Hunter’s 2016 Mystery Quilt “En Provence.”

Trust me, the list is MUCH longer than just these items.

So….  It is fun to see many of these projects coming to fruition.  At last.  DONE!!!

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Here’s what a pile of the 99 Farmer’s Wife blocks looks like:

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Here are the last five blocks:

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I’ve got the blocks up on the design wall–using a method thought up by Lynn Vermeulen, who separated her blocks into different color piles before laying them out.  Great idea, Lynn.

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I am letting the blocks bubble on the design wall before sewing them together, and already I’ve swapped blocks out quite a bit since I took this picture.

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Can we talk about this project?  If you are thinking about doing it and foundation piecing the blocks, be warned that you must be somewhat sadomasochistic to even think about it as this project does bring both pleasure and pain.  I think that whoever did the foundation piecing plans didn’t really know that much about foundation piecing.  Some of the more difficult blocks are needlessly difficult–and if some had been drawn as the hand-piecing instructions showed, they would have been much easier.  Additionally, many times the seams did not but up, which made for a really bulky block.  So, I found myself taking out the papers to flip over a seam if I could and/or cutting into a seam to make the top flip so seams would but up.  I pressed open a lot of seams as well, which is not ideal in terms of quilt wear.  I really hope that if Laurie Aaron Bird produces an updated book that she will have someone new look at the foundation piecing patterns.

Having said that warning, the blocks are lovely, and the quilt is exciting.

I’m up-to-date on the Bonnie Hunter clues and will be starting this week’s tomorrow.  Here’s last week’s:

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The 4-patch red/neutral quilt is finished now and bound.  I’ll take pictures tomorrow and post them here.  This quilt is “So Sweet.”

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The second baby quilt is underway.

The big hexie quilt that I started Thanksgiving 2015 is ON THE LONGARM!  This quilt is on the cover of Edyta Sitar’s HANDFULS OF SCRAPS.

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Next up on the longarm, the Farmer’s Wife quilt.

I have two pieces of the Katja Marek THE NEW HEXAGON millifiore quilt completed–and am hyperventilating about whether it is working or not.  The top block seems very…bold?  But this quilt does have a place for bold, and it is too early to tell.  These are rosettes 1 and 9, and I am working on 11, which will sit next to rosette 9 on the upper border.  I wanted to use neutrals and fall/winter colors/themes.  Time will tell.

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This project will be a challenge for the Coastal Quilters for 2017.

 

Turkey Tracks: Hexie Quilt Center DONE

Turkey Tracks:  May 3, 2016

Hexie Quilt Center DONE

I started this project in mid-November 2015 and finished it yesterday, May 2, 2016.

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The pattern is from Edyta Sitar’s HANDFULS OF SCRAPS book.  I used only fabric from my 2 1/2-inch strips and from the 2 1/2-inch square bin.

So, it is totally scrappy.

I went yesterday with Megan Bruns to get help from Rhea Butler at Alewives Quilting with picking out the borders, backing, and binding–all of which were due to a generous certificate from Bryan and Corinne Enright for my birthday this year.  Corinne likes this quilt, so her name will be put on it.  I may have to love on it a bit first…

 

Turkey Tracks: April Quilty Update

Turkey Tracks:  April

April Quilty Update

And then there were TWO quiltlets:

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They will go together like this:

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A reminder:  this project is from Katja Marek’s 2016 challenge:  one quilt-let a week.  There are 52 blocks–taken from her book,  THE NEW HEXAGON.  I figure those who started on time are into their 14th week!!  I have a third block cut out and ready to be sewn.  They are so fun to make.

I made seven of the flower blocks while in Charleston for the big hexie quilt, based on Edyta Sitar’s quilt on the cover of her HANDFULS OF SCRAPS.

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These are all from my 2 1/2-inch scrap bin.

I finished the last of the blocks yesterday:

 

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Now, on to the last of the neutrals…

I’m working on a quilt for granddaughter Mina.  AND, I’ve finished seven of the eight FARMER’S WIFE blocks for this month–three more to go and pics will come when I’m finished.

Turkey Tracks: Hexie Project Update

Turkey Tracks:  March 24, 2016

Hexie Project Update

Last night I sewed several big pieces on to the mother ship.

Here’s what the hexie project looks like now:

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The pattern is from Edyta Sitar’s HANDFULS OF SCRAPS.

Seems like I’m more than halfway done now.  I started this project back in mid-November 2015.

I’m going to float this main piece on wide borders and applique it down.  Then I’ll remove the paper pieces.

I am really liking this quilt, and I love the hand work at night.

The fabric is ALL from my 2 1/2-inch square scrap bin or from 2 1/2-inch strips.

Turkey Tracks: Quilting Update–February 2016

Turkey Tracks:  February 6, 2016

Quilting Update–February 2016

Yesterday was our first real “snow day” of winter.

Finally:

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I sewed all day–and the day just flew by.

Here’s what my design wall looks like now:

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Yep.  That’s SEVEN active projects, if you count “Allietore,” which is waiting  on the long arm to be loaded and quilted.

Note how the hexie project has grown.  (From Edyta Sitar’s HANDFULS OF SCRAPS.)  I’m using my 2 1/2-inch scrap blocks to make this quilt.  The top right side shows the top and right borders–with relation to the center blocks.  I’m working on the top left part now.

The blue blocks are waiting for me to finish more of the large half-square triangles–they are going through the leader/ender process–I only need about 70 more of them.  That’s a Jacob’s Ladder nine-patch block.

On the far right are more Farmer’s Wife blocks–see earlier posts–and I will do a separate entry on those blocks.  They are so fun and pretty.  And, addictive.

I will need to make more of the sashings (from my crumb bag) for the cheddar quilt.  I have a lot, but not enough for 30 or so blocks.  But I like how this quilt is going to look.  Lively and full of energy.

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These blocks are the start of a quilt using a collection of Kaffe Fasset prints that I got at the Norfolk Mancuso show some years back.  There was a demo quilt using these fabrics and the pink polka dot fabrics in a snowball block.  I fell in love with it.  I’ve got some wild fabric out of that collection for the back and borders.  AND, there are darker prints in this mix as well.  Not all are ironed and cut yet.  This quilt will be very feminine, but with some wild twists–and it’s for a granddaughter.

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I’ve longed to try Bonnie Hunter’s Wild and Goosey block for some time.  So, guess what else is coming out of my crumb bag?  I couldn’t resist.  I have two of these blocks finished after yesterday’s snow day.

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I really like the black and white neutrals in the cross piece.  Will likely stick to that idea.  Probably this will be a quilt for my newest granddaughter–as it will match the bright nature of her sisters’ recently finished quilts for their new bedroom.  (Pics on these quilts after they have been delivered.)

I still have over a thousand 4-patch blocks from last summer’s work, but I have ideas about those blocks…

Will the winter be long enough???