I rarely ever buy kits unless the fabric is one of my favorite groups and there is a great sale. I bought this kit from Craftsy (now Blueprint) on leap year day at a great price. Yes, leap year day 4 years ago. I love the quilt and of course I love the Kaffe Fassett collective fabric. I think I will start cutting it next week. Maybe I'll get it all together before leap year day this year. Maybe.......
The 30s reproduction fabric Trip Around the World quilt is finished. The top was finished in April 2017, almost 3 years ago. At this point it is about 69" x 92".
The backing is a reproduction fabric too.
There are 24 different fabrics in it, 4 fabrics each of 6 different colors. It was traditional in the original 1930s fabric TAW quilts to have one solid paired with a few prints in the same color.
Here is the view preparing for photos. Then I rotate the photos. The design wall is 84" tall so a 92" quilt would have to be draped on the floor if I hung it the other way.
After hand stitching binding for 4 hours last night I have this much left to do. I might have time to finish a small project yet by the end of the month, or maybe get the border sewn on the batik star quilt for another finished top this month. I can dream anyway........
Yesterday I went through my pink/coral/azalea print fabrics and pulled my favorites in the value range I need for the new project. I cut off a strip to die cut triangles and squares and another strip of some for one of my solid and print series quilts.
Then I sorted my postage stamp blocks into piles of color to see which I needed to add more to and also some more neutrals. If you wonder why I have so many solid color fabrics I explained when I was starting the series with solids and prints that I thought I was going to be able to participate in another Nancy Crow workshop several years ago and we were required to bring 100 or more different color solids. Circumstances beyond my control happened and I wasn't able to attend the workshop.
About 1/3 of the hand stitching on the binding is done. I like the binding with both sides of the quilt. The backing fabric said Roaring 20s on the selvage. I'm really not as much aware of the fabric of the 20s and it looks like 30s repro to me.
I'm still cutting for a future project. I will probably have at least another week (maybe 2) of cutting before I am ready to sew. A lot of the fabric will be cut from yardage rather than scraps so there is a lot of pressing out fold marks before cutting. You know the routine, choose the fabrics, press the fabrics, cut the fabrics and finally.......sewing. I'm really going to make the effort to use my favorite fabrics this year.
This is the quilt that I chose to finish next. It is 70" x 94". I got the backing fabric pressed and seamed yesterday morning and loaded it on the longarm.
I didn't get to the quilting until 6 p.m. I planned on a small meander but ended up with closer to a medium size meander. I used Hobbs 80/20 batting and So Fine thread on top, Bottom Line in the bobbin.
I was hoping I would find a piece of lavender 30s reproduction fabric in my stash but the only piece I found was too dark. This pink goes really well with the quilt top and is a good contrast with the back and I have enough of it. I have 6 days to get the hand stitching done on the binding to be a January finish.
I tried to get inspired to cut and press fabric for a large backing yesterday but in the end I just spent the whole day cutting pieces for 3 quilts. Last night I sewed 2 more postage stamp blocks. I have miscounted the blocks three times now. I thought I had 50 made but there are only 44 and I need 63 so I have 19 to go to finish that top in February. Winter weather is back, snow overnight. Now we will see how much will melt with temperatures slightly above freezing.
The zipper quilt top is finally sewn together and I love it! It is 60" x 72". Here is where the inspiration quilt and cutting directions are found. Lynn calls hers "Zip".
I chose the backing fabrics too. The large leaf print will be full width and the other 2 fabrics are from my "long strips" box, leftovers from trimming other backings. I was going to piece another backing yesterday but instead I spent 3 hours sorting a blanket box full of scraps into "I want" and "I don't want" and also into 2 size groups. The box is now half empty.
I decided to put all of the zipper blocks up on the design wall and then decide what I needed for the last 4 blocks.
This is the group of fabrics I cut for the last 4 blocks. Later in the afternoon I got the blocks sewn and last night I sewed the top together. I will get it pressed today and have its photo ready for tomorrow.
Yesterday was errand day after busy days of cleaning and company. I sewed 2 more postage stamp blocks last night. With my plan to finish one of the solid with prints series tops each month, I'm well on track with both the zipper blocks (need 4 more) for January and the postage stamp blocks (need 11 more) for February. I have about half of the blocks made for the framed 9 patches so that will probably be March's finish.
I emptied some project boxes that had batik pieces in them and then sorted them by size. I have a lot of batik scraps........ I also did some cutting for another project I hope to start soon. Cutting takes a long time but then you all knew that already.
I was so happy that the weather cooperated and the art quilters were able to come yesterday. Last year we weren't so lucky and didn't meet until March for the first time of the year. After they left I cut some more pieces for the zipper blocks and got 5 sewn last night. I just need 4 more for the size quilt I want to make and then I can go to the design walls and work on the arrangement.
I knew I wouldn't have much time for sewing yesterday so I just made 3 blocks. The first is a postage stamp block for a quilt in progress.
Then I made 2 zipper blocks. I think I just need 9 more blocks for this quilt. I have decided I want to finish one of the solids with prints quilts each month and this will be the January quilt. The basement is clean and ready for the art quilters today. Cookies are baked.
I'm still having trouble with a light fixture in my main floor studio so I sewed during daylight hours yesterday and finished this top. There are several different secondary patterns but the one I worked for was the 2 vertical heart columns on the 2 sides and then random hearts scattered through the center. There are varying degrees of value contrast so some show up better than others. I will consider this my Valentine quilt this year. It is 55.5" x 69".
Backing choices were made too. The black with circles will be full width and the other 2 pieces are long leftover strips from previous backings. The one in the center is an Australian fabric. I'll probably wait to quilt this one at the beginning of February since I have 2 others lined up to finish first. The art quilters are coming tomorrow so I have to finish the clean up in the basement and bake cookies today. I hope to squeeze in a little sewing too.
My 2 friends came over to sew yesterday so I sewed on my basement studio project. This is just loose pieces on the design wall, no rows sewn together. This is fabrics 1 (rust leaves) through 5. I have 8 fabrics chosen and I'll decide after I piece another zillion 9 patches whether I will stop at fabric 7 or 8. Our snowy/icy/rainy/frigid weekend started about 4 yesterday afternoon with the snow. It is supposed to warm up this morning and rain and then the big deep freeze later this afternoon. I hope we don't get the predicted ice before the rain.
Finally the hand sewing on the binding is done. It ended up about 54.5" x 70.
The 2 extra strips ended up being almost the same width as each other.
Here is a better view of the backing. I was glad to finally use that humongous flower print after owning it for almost 20 years. The colors on this quilt are truer on the close up photos I have shown on previous days.
I sewed rows 5 and 6 last night on the Australian triangle quilt. They are just pinned below the first 4 rows here.
I moved 5 and 6 up on top of the first 4 rows and then added the bottom 2 rows (9 and 10). I moved a few pieces in rows 7 and 8 also. I had to cut 3 more dark large triangles and piece 2 of the small triangle sections to have enough pieces to finish. Two more nights of sewing and it should be a quilt top.
I finished the 2 rows I had partially sewn on Tuesday night and sewed them on the first 2 rows. After I sew the next 2 I'll pin them on top of rows 3 and 4 and move the pieces of rows 7 and 8 up higher so I can design the last 2 rows. I may need to change some of the pieces in rows 7 and 8 so I need them to be in pieces at that point. I have just one half side left to hand sew on the binding of the pastel 16 patch so hopefully I'll have its finished photo on the blog tomorrow.
I'm still hand stitching the binding on the pastel 16 patch quilt and I'm a little over half finished. I'm really loving this binding fabric. A friend came over to sew yesterday and I sewed on my basement studio project, my Blooming 9 Patch most of the day. I'll show it when I get farther along on it. Last night I sewed 2 more partial rows on the Australian triangle quilt. Then I realized I had row 2 on top and row 1 below it so I unpicked the long seam and sewed it back together the right way.
I actually got busy earlier in the day yesterday and chose my binding fabric.
I got it sewn onto the quilt by late afternoon.
And then last night I started hand stitching and got one side almost done.
I also got the top 2 rows sewn on the Australian fabric quilt. The color is way off on this photo. I know now that it will be a little under 55" wide and I think 70" long.
My daughter was at the Apple Store in NC yesterday and was talking to Sharon K. who works there. As they got deeper into conversation about Vicki's use of Apple products Exuberant Color was mentioned and Sharon is one of my fans!!! She reads my blog! Hi Sharon!! When commenting on my blog did you know you can skip the robot thing and go straight to the Publish button?
I got this quilt quilted yesterday afternoon. Once again it is a meandering pattern.
I should call it Double Cross Meandering. I crossed over twice just in this area. This is a message to everyone who won't try free motion quilting because you know you can't do a good job at it: the world didn't come to an end and the quilt police didn't come and put on the handcuffs AND I will have a finished quilt this week.
Since the back is mostly pink the binding will possibly be pink. I used both batiks and regular quilting cottons in the blocks so the binding does not need to be a batik. I will most likely hand finish this binding.
Here is the photo I promised yesterday with the half triangles in the end positions of the rows. I still only have half of my lights in this studio so the photo is a little dark. I still need to add 2 rows to the bottom but there isn't any room so I'll start sewing the top section and then design the bottom 2 rows.
I found some backing fabrics for my pastel 16 patch top that I finished late last year. The 2 pieces on the left are from my "long strips" box and the one on the right is full width. I got it sewn after I took this photo and loaded on the longarm and cut the batting. No excuses now, it needs to be finished.
When I started cutting strips for my last Kaffe Fassett Trip Around the World quilt I cut the strips from the first 8 fabrics at 2.5" instead of 3". I didn't catch my mistake until I sewed those strips together for all 5 stratas. I let them lay on a shelf for over a year until this week. I pulled out my Kaffe 2.5" strip box and looked for options for the rest of the fabrics for the quilt.
I ended up pulling yardage to cut the right number of strips.
The 8 strips at the left are the ones that were already sewn together. Last night's TV sewing was finishing 2 of the stratas. I think I might look for 2 more fabrics to make it a little larger. While my friends were here I cut the side half triangles for my Australian triangle quilt. I'll take a photo and show it tomorrow before I start sewing it together.
I have an 8' bulb burnt out in my main floor studio so I took the yellow blocks to the basement to play on a design wall. I had one smaller block that just needed one more strip so I added that and trimmed it. I pulled that black with white print that looks like it would be a good addition to the mix. I'll continue playing.
I sewed the table runner top that I showed in pieces about 2 weeks ago. I think I have about 5 or 6 table runners waiting to be quilted. I know I have batting already cut for some of them so maybe I'll look for backings today and get some of them finished.
Meanwhile I'm spending an hour or so every day cutting for a future project. My 2 friends are coming over today. I plan on cutting the half triangles that I need for my Australian triangle quilt. I'm sure there is other cutting that I will get done too.
Wednesday night is another TV night and since the yellow, black and white scraps were still spread out on my cabinet I just continued working on them. 3 hours, 3 blocks finished from the beginnings the night before. There isn't much contrast with yellow so I had to add in gold and a couple that were almost yellow-orange. I think this project has just shrunk in size. Since I only want to use batiks in this project I don't have enough variety to keep my interest.
I will figure out what I'm going to make with 7 10" blocks. I will probably still make a few 5" blocks with the rest of the scraps and then I can move on to the next project.
