4 blocks..................

I got 4 blocks sewn last night.  They are 18" square so this is 36" square.  I have to figure out what kind of layout I will be able to do with such big blocks.

I looked for binding fabric for the Kaffe zipper quilt and this is one that I think will work.  (larger photo farther down this post).

This is the second one and it's hard to see what the print looks like here, but look at the next photo.  I like both of these and haven't made a decision yet.

I was totally shocked that the wild print looks as good as it does.  I figured the colors and values were right and that is why I tried it.  As a narrow strip it looks good.

Yesterday was in the low 70s and 100% sunshine so I was able to pick a lot more tomatoes than I have in the last week.  I only have a few ripe enough to eat so next week looks like more salads.

 

Keeping busy.........................

I trimmed the Kaffe Zipper quilt yesterday.  I like the straight line quilting on it, quilted by longarm quilter Robin Diaz.

Since the edge of the quilt has the lightest and the darkest fabrics, I'm not sure what I will choose for the binding.

Last night while watching TV I did some sorting.  The triangles are Marcia Derse fabrics.  When I discovered the tray I noticed it had all dark fabrics and some already sewn triangle pairs so I cut some new light ones for variety.  I'll use this as one of my mindless sewing sessions now that the new season of TV shows are on.

I'm still trying to decide where I'm going with this project.  In the original Fractured quilt each block has a different background fabric.  There are lots more dark fabrics to cut so they won't be repeated in blocks next to each other like you see here.

I started laying out the third background fabric and then it was time to quit for the night.

Today I hope to cut the rest of the dark fabrics.

 

Cutting some pieces................

I thought I was cutting enough for a block but obviously I only cut 6 pieces instead of 9 alike.  The pieces are 6" tall so they are way bigger than the ones in the original Fractured quilts.  That means 3 blocks across is 54" and 4 across is 72".

That made me wonder if I would rather have one background fabric per block and 9 different colors per block.  I think this is the way to go.  I'll be doing more cutting today.  The new fall shows are starting this week and I need TV sewing.
  

Pressing day....

The internet went down at 10:15 Saturday night. I'm trying posting from my phone.  I don't have any idea what size the photos will be.  Sunday morning: I came in and repaired the post.  I have more to learn when posting from my phone.

I turned on the iron and pressed the backing for the 9 patch quilt.

Then I pressed the backing for this small quilt which I will quilt on my Pfaff.

 

I started pressing the 28 fat quarters and got 20 of 28 pressed.  I hate the deep creases that the companies press in them.

This is the die I will use.  The section on the right will cut the pieces for Fractured. 

Still thinking..............

I spent a large part of the day yesterday gathering and packing things to take to the thrift shop in town.  What was on my mind though was still these fabrics.  I divided them by dark and light last night to check out an idea.

I thought maybe I would like to make another quilt similar to this one that I made in 2013.  In this one the angle is different in each block but I have a die for the block which would make them all the same angle.  I was thinking about cutting out a few pieces yesterday but just never got around to it.  If you want to see more like this, click on the Label Fractured quilt on the label list on the right sidebar. You can also click on the label at the bottom of each post.  On a cellphone to see the label links you may need to scroll to the bottom and click on View web version. 

2 days of gloom..............

It's hard to get motivated when it is dark and rainy out, having to turn on lights during the day.  The last I checked we had 2.5" of rain for the 2 days but we got quite a bit more after I checked.

I needed to do a load of laundry so while I was in the basement I cut the batting and pieced the backing for the fall color 9 patch quilt.  The backing is an early batik, probably late 1990s and has always been a favorite.  I have used it for the backing on one African quilt in the past so I had quite a bit of it.  I still need to press it and it will then be ready to travel for quilting.

I was looking through a pile of blocks in the studio and there were these 3 stacks pinned together from the last time I played with them.  I contemplated whether to make more blocks.  The fabrics are all by Marcia Derse.

This is the layout I had on the design wall in March.  The blocks will finish at 8" so 20 blocks would make a nicer size small quilt.  Or.....I could scatter them irregularly and fill in with odd sections of piecing.  It was a bright spot in the day to see color as I listened to the rain falling.

Sunshine is predicted for at least parts of the days of the rest of the week and into next week.
 

Here we are again, first day of the new month....................

The first of a new month is the same every time, I'm free of the monthly recap of the last month, I can do whatever I want.  But......what do I want.  I have so many different groups of fabric that I want to work with, that's usually where is starts for me.  I bought this group a couple years ago.  I have had it on a shelf where I see it every time that I enter my studio.

My first thought was maybe the smaller die for Snail's Trail (8").  I really enjoy piecing that block.

Then I thought about the Weathervane die from which I can make these 2 blocks.  I made these samples several years ago to remind me that there were 2 options with one die.

I have one yard of each of these light fabrics plus a fat quarter of each in the pack.  I need to figure out how many blocks I could get out of one of these.  There are a few other light fabrics if I decide on a variety instead of just one.

Just doing a lot of thinking out loud right now.