Quilt Reveal: Orange 2-2-22

 

The Project Quilting Challenge this week is Kitchen. There were two things pushing me to do the challenge. 

1. Today is February 2, 2022 and I wanted to put that date as a finish date on a quilt and it is taking me too long to finish the back of Lansing Leaves. 

2. I got the idea to make an orange quilt and there are orange scraps on my table.

It is raw edge applique. The orange is a scrap from Lansing Leaves. The blue is from Amalfi. I hope I wasn't saving it for the binding. If I was, I am going to have to make a scrappy binding for it.

The batting was a fusible, which I hadn't realized before I pressed it, so I didn't get a second pass at those corners.

I got the bright idea to make a cut underneath a label to turn the quilt right side out, but it turns out that I put the front layer on top which did not give me access to the cut. Luckily, I figured that out and left an opening along the edge. I was able to make the edge pretty neat, but I ran out of bobbin thread so that kept it from being as neat as it could be.

 

It was still a fun little quilt and now I have a quilt with 2-2-22 as a finish date. I embroidered it on the front so everyone can see it.

There is a new quiltalong that began yesterday. It is a traditional quilt called Aunt Daisy. It is not a mystery, but the pattern will be released monthly. The pattern is free on the blog and there is a Facebook group if you want to see everyone's progress and fabric choices.

The Ohio Arts Council's Riffe Gallery is showing a tour of the Quilt National 2021 exhibit on their Facebook page. If you can't go in person, this is a great presentation to watch.

2021: Week 23 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

 

2021:  Week 23 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

If you recall from my last post, the Amalfi Coast quilt changed sizes between the time I was measuring and cutting the inner border fabric and the time I sewed that inner border fabric to the side of the quilt. I put the Amalfi Coast quilt on a timeout because it needed some time to think about what it had done. By the way, Barbara Brackman did a post about the quilt block. Apparently it is called housetop and not rooftop, so it is a good thing I am calling the quilt Amalfi Coast.

While it is in timeout, I have focused my attention on the Quote Quilt. I have been reading Rhonda Dort's instructions on how to make a hexagon crazy quilt and she recommended a particular kind of stabilizer, which I bought for that quilt. I haven't started the hexagon crazy quilt or the million other quilts I want to start because of my lack of time, and because there still have enough momentum in the quilts that have already been started to continue to move them along.

 

 

Anyway, I decided to add some of that stabilizer to the back of the heavier parts of the Quote quilt - the booklet and the quilter. I need to sew more of it to secure it on before sandwiching. I also made the decision to use a dark blue backing fabric instead of the sheet/interfacing combination I have already prepared. That sheet which already has the interfacing fused on will become a Kawandi quilt once I am ready to start new projects.

15 minute days this week --2 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 142 out of 157 days

Success rate  = 90%

 

What a big drop from 93% to 90%! Last year at this time, I was at 91%, so I am not too far behind. My work schedule is dramatically opening up again so I don't think I will have any trouble with catching up.

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15 Minutes to Stitch

2021: Week 21 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

 

We have suddenly reached summer, heat-wise, and Zeus is ready to take off his winter coat. I bought a trimmer and have been playing amateur groomer. I weaved that rug from strips cut out of jeans a few years ago and when I brought it down, Zeus has claimed it for his own.

I planted a couple of tomato plants and a flower. My lawn mower stopped working last week so I hired the job out to someone who was cutting the neighbor's lawn. I thought that would help free some time this weekend. They whipped around my yard so quickly, but didn't use the mulching function. With all the rain we have been having, there were glass clippings everywhere and I had to spend the time I normally spend mowing to rake the clippings.

2021:  Week 21 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

I didn't take a lot of photos this week, so here is an old quilt I made for my daughter. It's called Kanji Wishes. Fabric from this quilt is also in the quote quilt, and other quilts. 

I worked six days this week, so quilting had to take a backseat. I can again take credit for two days.  I spent one day cutting inner border strips and cornerstones, and another day sewing the sashing rectangles to the cornerstone squares. All this for the Amalfi quilt, formerly known as Seaglass Rooftops.

15 minute days this week --2 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 133 out of 143 days

Success rate  = 93%

 

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Week 20 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 I want to thank everyone on their input for the border fabric for the Amalfi quilt. It is so nice that there is consensus about the solid inner border and the floral fabric for the outer border. I can now move forward with confidence without any second guessing. I really liked that combination too, but I was thinking that the criteria I was trying to give the eye a place to rest and the floral fabric does not fit that criteria.  I now realize that a fabric that is too calm would not fit with the overall mood of the quilt.

2021:  Weeks 20 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

I had a 100% success rate in quilting for 15 minutes a day this year, until this week.  I knew there was no way I would be able to keep it up, but I managed until now. This week, I can take credit for two days.  I spent one day auditioning the border fabrics for the Amalfi quilt, formerly known as Seaglass Rooftops. On another day, I fussy cut the fabric for the remaining sashing.

15 minute days this week --2 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 131 out of 136 days

Success rate  = 96%

 

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Decisions, Decisions

 I haven't cut or sewn the remaining sashing on the Amalfi quilt yet, but my thoughts have already moved on to figuring out what I will use for the border. I will need to add an inner border to separate the busy sashing from the outer border.

 As a reminder, here is what the blocks look like, although they are now put together and pressed and don't look as chaotic.

What say you?

 

Solid inner border, floral outer border.

Dark inner border with polka dot outer border.

Lighter inner border, polka dot outer border.

Dark inner border, lighter outer border.

 

Here are the same photos, smaller, so you can see them side by side to compare.

Or some other combination thereof?

What about the binding? What I don't use in the border can be used for binding.

Robin wanted to see the dark border with the floral.  It is taken in different lighting conditions, but hopefully it still gives you a good idea about how it will look.

Week 18 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

These Amalfi Coast blocks are so much fun - I really like the blues I am using - that I am extra motivated to work on them. 

2021:  Weeks 17 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 122 out of 122 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 95% at this time last year. I am ahead of last year, but I will be working overtime this spring and hope to have more work this year, so I have a feeling that I will eventually fall behind. If I wind up at the same place as last year, I will be happy.

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Continued Progress on Two Quilts

 

Work has been gearing up for our peak season, and my time is going to be very limited soon.  My lawn mower has a burning smell so I decided to give it a rest, which gave me some more quilting time. I received my second vaccine, and I tolerated it better than the first one.

2021:  Weeks 16 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

The photo shows the books I bought during the AQS clearance sale. Buying them in a big batch like this makes it difficult to savor each one individually, but I am going to try.

I finished sewing down the binding of the shirts quilt and made great progress with the hand stitching part. That part usually takes me a while. The photo at the top shows the four fabrics used in the backing and the binding.

I also cut more sashing for the Amalfi Coast quilt.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 108 out of 108 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 100% at this time last year too.

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Off the Wall Friday

 

Progress on Two Quilts

 

This week, for the Amalfi Coast quilt, I added sashing pieces to two sides of the rooftops blocks. The sewing machine speeds them all through, and now I need to cut more sashing pieces.

I also made the binding for the blue shirts quilt. I couldn't find a blue fabric I liked, and I didn't like the way a dark binding cut off the calmness of the blue front, so I chose this grayish piece. It really closes off the quilt while keeping the mood. I made the binding extra wide since this is a big quilt. I've sewn the binding on two of the sides and will be able to finish the machine sewing today.

2021:  Weeks 15 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

My allergy medicine is trying to keep my allergies at bay. Work is gearing up, and the yard work has resumed for the year so stitching time is harder to come by, but I am eager to make progress on my quilts and managed to find the time.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 101 out of 101 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 100% at this time last year too.

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 I'm not sure what this sign is trying to say, but it sounds like a good motto overall.

Happy Easter

 

 

This is a quilt I made in April 2019. 

2021:  Weeks 14 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

This week has found me with a rotary cutter firmly in hand, trimming the shirts quilt and cutting the sashing for the Amalfi (formerly known as sea glass rooftops) quilt. I have doubled up on quality control and safety checks so the process is slower than usual.

The diamonds in the sashing fabric are not the same size, so there is fussy cutting involved, which has slowed down that process tremendously. I don't like the way it looks without the fussy cutting and I bought a lot of that fabric just for that reason, so I will take the time to fussy cut. The first column cut is the way I want, the second is a smidgen off, and I will use it that way, and then the third column winds up being an inch away. I can use the extra inch in a strip quilt so I am not worried.

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 94 out of 94 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

I was at 100% at this time last year too.

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15 Minutes to Stitch

 

Sea Glass Rooftops

 

 

There is no Project Quilting challenge this week, which is good because I was eyeing the blue green fabrics I used for the Oak Leaf and Reel challenge quilt. Making a rooftop quilt has been on my to-make list for a long time and those aqua and teal fabrics asked if they could help.  The name rooftop is a Gee's Bend quilter's term for a courthouse square variation that goes around and around a center square. 

 

 

Since I am using yardage, I have decided not to make it improv, but instead make a more traditional block in these brighter fabrics. Each block starts with a 2 " finished square of the floral fabric in the center and 1" finished rounds. I did add some rogue strips for some extra interest. Each block has a different combination of fabric. The bright light is muting the colors a little bit.

I got more aqua and teal fabrics from upstairs -- I am stealing from a box of fabrics I am saving for a triangle quilt, but I think there is enough fabric in there to spare. If not, I might have to go shopping. Probably from my stash because the triangle quilt has a plan with a wider range of colors. I know I will cut off the outisde points of the diamonds in the sashing, but I would have to waste a lot of fabric to save them. The inside points will be suffice.

I am thinking of a baby quilt and am still deciding on the size. I might add another round to these blocks.

2021:  Weeks 11 of 15 Minutes to Stitch

 

 

I spent my week making the teal and aqua rooftops. I forgot to show you this book with a fabric cover that  I received from Ronda Winstead. She runs the Stitching Fabrics, Papers & More Facebook group and has a YouTube channel as well. Thank you again, Ronda! It is so beautiful!

15 minute days this week --7 out of 7

15 minute days this year -- 73 out of 73 days

Success rate  = 100%

 

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