What's going on on the quilting front?
I helped my friend T-san put together the blocks she was making into a baby quilt. T-san is going through chemo therapy now and the applique was getting to be too much for her. As she finds quilting easier I took her blocks and fabric choices home and made up a flimsy for her. T-san chose the quilting pattern and I marked the lines and got a quilt sandwich back to her yesterday. Such pretty fabric choices! The quilt is going to be wonderful. I'll get a photo when of it when we get to the binding stage.
I also finished the quilting on the McKenna "Out to Lunch" quilt. So pretty! I think the berries on it are supposed to be huckleberries but I'm calling them blueberries because my blueberry bush looks like it is going to give us a lot of blueberries this year!
The grid applique quilt that I'm working on is growing slowly. I found the pattern in a box of quilting and applique books a blog friend sent me and the pattern is called Charming. The pattern photo is quite bright and cheery with loads of colorful prints being used, but as I'm limiting myself to the antique squares that I inherited, the colors are a bit muted (but I like that too).
By the way... Do you notice that the above pattern is holey and taped in numerous places? I left it by my sewing chair and one morning woke up to find it scattered all over the living room in pieces!
"I'm using this!!!! Who tore up my pattern?!"
All four cats who were within chair distance looked up at me innocently. I can't scold anybody as I don't know who the culprit is. This has actually happened to me a couple of times. If anyone wants to borrow a pattern be prepared for tape and holes!
I have a feeling that I'm going to run out of squares pretty soon... What would you do? Add squares from your stash (it's not like I don't have a billion 2 inch squares already cut and ready to use!) to fill the grid or leave the grid unfilled in places? I need to make a decision pretty soon as I think I only have about 20 of these antique squares left.
Part of me wants to fill the grid as planned. Part of me wants to keep the fabrics purely antique. Decisions, decisions.
You could try a swap with other quilters that might have antique fabrics?
ReplyDeleteOr look for charms for sale on etsy or something?
Good luck - I love the look of it and I hope you finished it off with more antique fabrics.
You have some lovely choices so far!
Looks like Liberty of London prints would play well with what you already have. They would have that same muted look, too. There are sites that sell small Liberty assortments. Or you could look for more vintage fabrics online. Or put a shout-out to your quilting friends, who might have such fabrics lurking in their sewing rooms...
ReplyDeleteDon't feel too bad about your pattern getting a little cat mangled. I had the cat-king of the paper chewers who would eat (as in completely chew & swallow) anything from coupons to receipts to recipes I had clipped to hunks from homework papers. Try running a house without ever leaving a piece of paper out anywhere. I also had a cat who managed to open a plastic storage box, remove some cut fabric squares, and eat them. This prompted a 5am visit to the emergency vet. So just when you think you have a bad kitty, someone out there is bound to have one who's even worse. Or two! LOL
I like your "Out for lunch" quilt; the fabric choice for the background looks like a water painting.
ReplyDeleteI think that for your Charming quilt, adding more fabrics to the given ones you already have would depend on what size of quilt you want; you could check with your Liberty fabric crumbs or if you have any "1930's" look alike fabrics that could be added to the quilt; or you could finish it with those fabrics you received, if it does not need to be bigger.
Well, stash becomes vintage in a short time. I'd keep going with it.
ReplyDeleteI have patched papers too but I know the culprit (And Nikko knows when I am about to discover the damage because I see her hiding in the genkan.)..
I LOVE the idea of leaving the grid unfilled!
ReplyDeleteThe bear scene would work for Maine with the blueberry crops there.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of keeping the look of the antique pieces. You could make it a narrow long piece to hang in a position where wider things don't work.
Sandy in the UK
What do you consider antique fabric? I would be more than willing to send you squares. Some of my fabric goes back may many years. PS how is Vel doing?
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya, The quilt with the bears is gorgeous! And, we have had pet disasters here, too, but they are usually under control after our pups are out of the puppy stage. I still look at the corner of a plastic laundry basket that was chewed by one of our pups many years ago with fond memories. I miss that guy.
ReplyDeleteHi Tanya
ReplyDeleteA lady in our quilt guild made a small wall hanging similar to this and she had each one of us contribute squares to the quilt...that might be a solution for you...depends on what you'll do with the quilt after...
Elaine in Fairview, Alberta, Canada. Stenbraatenathotmaildotcom