The Leftover Scraps

I sewed something I don't often sew last night.  I took all the small scraps from my coins quilt and immediately sewed them into 3 large pieces of patchwork fabric.  

Heavenly Stars!  No loose scraps for the scrap basket. 

What a Concept!! 

I'm going to contemplate how to finish them before I just jump off the cliff with them.  

Do you have any ideas?  

I would want to sell the finished pieces. 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

Coins Quilt: Queen Size Finished!

When I saw this quilt on the longarm first thing this morning, I almost cried.  There was something so familiar about it.  I felt like I had returned to a time when I was myself.  I've promised myself I will never move away from that person again.  

I am tickled to have this quilt for myself.  To start the new year with 2 new quilts is something I can't remember ever having in the past.  Self-love is a bit intoxicating.  

The twin sized coins quilt is "kitted up" with all the pieces stitched and ready for more evening sewing.  The scraps from both quilts will be sewn into a long improvisational strip to become pillow fronts.   That is on the agenda tonight. 

Have a Creative Day Y'All! 

East End Art Market

Last night out on the East End Esplanade on Navigation Blvd was fun but cold!  I didn't take a heavy enough jacket with me & had to resort to bundling up in one of my quilts.  Oh the burden!  We were close to the Latin band playing through the night.  Loved having them close for our listening pleasure.  We set up the booth right across from Ninfa's Restaurant & this location is the 1st and oldest location in Houston. 

On the 4th Friday of the month the East End has organized a 15 mile bike ride through downtown Houston and East End neighborhood for willing cyclists.  I've never seen them riding in mass.  It was wonderful! Such a great way to get neighbors out visiting and enjoying each other's company. 
One couple came limping through the market.  He caught a flat between curbs.  So fun to talk to him and see how excited he was to be out with the cycling mass even with a flat tire!



The East End has been revitalizing for quite a few years.  The management district has worked very hard to bring a variety of activities and people together.  The Esplanade runs through one of the major streets & it is wide enough for festivals.  Here's a picture from the website.  I love the entrance that pays homage to the hispanic community roots in a new modern way.

Coins Quilt: Twin Size Coin Strips

I picked up the batting for my queen sized Coins Quilt Wednesday evening.  When I got home I decided I would load the backing but wait to load the batting (which is really white fleece).  I have started fusing the edges together where they join so I don't accidentally get a gap when quilting; especially since this is a light colored quilt.  So the fusing takes an additional step.  I didn't feel like getting involved that time of the evening.

I didn't mind, however, sitting at the machine and stitching a bunch of strips together.  And, after a fun day of socializing yesterday I did the same thing last night.

So this morning I now have all 8 Coin sets sewn for the twin sized quilt (8 x 72").  Since I had the pink fabrics out already and was determined to see the "last of some of these prints" cut and sewn, I feel very encouraged and revived!
I have the blue strip fabrics pulled too.  Once the queen sized quilt top is quilted, I'll have a  twin sized one to follow on its heels.
Last night I decided that as long as I am still enjoying this color palette I'll continue with more quilts.

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

Coins Quilt: Refining My Ideas

One characteristic I admire about myself is my ability to see a project isn't going as planned and to adjust.  That happened last night on my Coins Quilt.

After pleasurably sewing a very large stack of strips and cutting them into coins, I quickly realized I had more than enough coins for a twin sized quilt.  I actually have enough for a queen sized quilt. 
I also realized that I love these fabrics so much I doubt I want to sell this quilt.  In that split second or two this project morphed into my own queen sized quilt.

I ran over to my EQ program and did a little adjusting of borders and widths to determine that I would need 7 rows of the 10" wide coins. 
I sat the 8" wide coins aside along with the yellow backing fabrics.  Those can become the twin sized quilt that I can sell. 
I also did a quick negotiation with myself and decided "nah, I don't want the traditional borders around the whole quilt.  I'd rather construct this strippy style on the longarm."  I can see it going on  the longarm this afternoon. 

Then I roamed the shelves and boxes of my storage room looking for the strips and backing.  After pulling and tugging at various mental design ideas I decided to keep the strips consistent.  Likewise, instead of my usual pieced backing, I am using a one fabric backing.

I am tickled pink (see what I did there?) how this quilt top is coming together.  It's just melting me.  I love it! 

The pieced coin strips will be separated by the blue gingham check strip.

The backing will be the rosebuds on white fabric. 

I'll have more pictures for you tomorrow!  

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

Coins Quilt: Strip Sets

For the most part I have all the strips sewn together.  All the miscellaneous short lengths are sewn as a group.  I'll trim those to an accurate 8" before sewing them into a long 72" length. 

The fabric strips that were closer to 45" wide have been sewn in groups too.  I'll be cutting them into 10" widths & the remainder will be cut into 8" widths.  I've tried to stay pretty close to what I think I might really need instead of zealously cutting and sewing strips until the cows came home.

I love the pinks!  They really are so calm and relaxing to me.  Just lovely! 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

Recent Thrift Find: P Buckley Moss Framed Art circa 1986

 

When I saw this framed artwork at Goodwill today I knew exactly who the artist is and I knew it was coming home with me.

I was first introduced to P. Buckley Moss in the 1980s through her line of cross stitch patterns. I still have one of her geese pamphlets I doubt I will ever stitch. 

Finding this print in pristine condition with its beautiful 3 mats & carved frame is just wonderful! And of course the subject matter is near and dear to me! 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All!

Thank you Marie Kondo!  :-)

Coins Quilt: Stitching Strips

I'm in the mood for some Zen stitching today.  I am getting reacquainted with many of my favorite fabrics I have collected over the years.  I want to spend time with them.  These strips will become the coins in my latest Coins Quilt.

I finished this project for a friend yesterday.  She pieced several of these panels together and wanted them quilted to a flat sheet for a lightweight summer cover.   As I was working on it I was reminded how wonderful we all are in our own ways! 

Cold and windy here today!

Thankful I have a warm house.

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

TShirt Quilt: Finished!

What a Funky Quilt!  I love it! 

1st Finish of 2019

It's supposed to be cold this weekend.  I might just put this directly on my bed! 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

TShirt Quilt: Quirky Machine Quilting

Before I can load any of my recently finished cotton quilts on my longarm, I have to finish quilting the Tshirt quilt currently on the machine.
In the past couple of weeks I've been reacquainting myself with some designs via YouTube videos.  Since the Tshirt quilt will be mine, I decided it would be a good canvas for some practice stitching.

 

My new motto:  Fun is better than Perfect!  Ha! Ha!  

I've forgotten the right pace to take for smooth curves.  My machine wants to gallop ahead of me & I end up with big swoops.  Oh wait!  I intended to stitch big swoops!  :-)  Changing directions seems to be giving me some pause.  It might be time to review the video again.

Anyway!  It's all fun! 

Have a Creative Day, Y'All! 

Coins Quilt: Fabrics Cut

I'm very pleased with my progress on the upcoming Coins quilt.  The schematic is here.

I think I will like this new idea of cutting everything into a "kit" before sewing.  I am also writing specific notes.  My plan is to sew this quilt before the ink dries on the page but sometimes that is not always possible!  Then, it's good to have notes.

Out of my small collection of yellow vintage pillowcases I was able to cut pieces for a patched backing. It was quite exciting to cut these pieces.  Because they have been washed numerous times they are soft and delicate.  Their floral feminine charm touches my heart.

I wrote notes instructing my future self which pieces should be sewn together.

Out of a few blue pillowcases I cut the lengths for the sashing.  I decided to stay with blue exclusively.  My goal for this series of quilts is to stay with a very narrow color focus.  The white & pink rosebud sheeting will be the quilt's binding.

From the group of pinks, whites and soft yellow fabrics left from my 1000 Triangle Pyramid quilt, I was able to add a few more pieces and cut all the coin strips I will probably need for the 5 lengths.  I had originally planned to have blue mixed in but decided the quilt's structure would be blue and that would be enough for this quilt.  Again, I am trying to edit this series carefully.

These fabrics have been kicking around my fabric stash for a long time.  I am eager to use them as the inner and outer borders for my coins quilt.

Notes, Notes!  Feeling so accomplished here! 

The leftover blues that were not chosen for this coins quilt will be sewn into their own improvisational quilt.  I can hardly wait! 

What a beautiful process!  Working little by little with a select group of fabrics, letting the others hide out in storage and focusing on quilt designs purposely chosen to suit the colors feels like such an accomplishment.  I'm not hauling out all the blue boxes or piling up every pink fabric I own trying to make decisions.  I'm just working with a few until they are sewn into wonderful quilts and artwork.  

How is your studio work going this week?

Are you discovering new ways to work?

Please share! 

Have a Creative Day Y'All! 

Coins Quilt: Basic Plans

There were scraps left over from the Blue & Pink 1000 Triangle Pyramid quilt.  There weren't enough for another quilt by themselves.  Thankfully!  My new resolve is to use them & not return them to the storage bins. 

I pulled fabrics out of the 2 tubs I had earmarked I wanted to use by the end of winter.  What a great idea!  Instead of going through a bunch of boxes, I just had 2 tubs to look through for possible fabrics.  I was pleasantly surprised to find enough for my next quilt.  

It's basically the same palette but I plan to sew a coins quilt next with the fabrics. 

I hopped onto EQ and pulled together a layout for a twin sized quilt.  It's a basic guideline and I'll follow it for the measurements more than anything.  I just want to make sure I have something close to a twin size when I am finished.

So here are the bare bones plans for my next cotton scrap quilt.  In the meantime I have my queen size tshirt quilt on the longarm waiting to be quilted.  Until I quilt it, I won't be able to load any new quilts.  I see what my weekend project is going to be!

Have a Creative Day Y'All! 

Pink & Blue 1000 Triangle Quilt: Ready for Machine Quilting

This quilt top turned out super!  All the seams went together like they are supposed to formed.  I guess I haven't lost my touch for precision patchwork.  I used some thrifted linens: the quilt border was a set of Ralph Lauren pillowcases.  I was pleasantly surprised how much yardage I sourced from them.  The backing is a lovely flat sheet.  The binding is pink chintz from my 1980s stash.  Yea, I have fabric that old. :-)  I'm confident this will be quilted & in use by the end of the month.  Yea!

Will you look at that blue sky?  So wonderful! 

Have a Creative Day Y'All!