Design Wall, February 27, 2012

 Yay, I finished the top (I think). I really enjoyed making this and I love the colors. But I was wondering, should I include a border on the top and bottom. I did a mock-up below to see what it might look like. I'm leaning toward no border, but my husband likes it better with...what do you think?

 Then I also started a charity quilt with strips. The colors are pretty awful here, but I think you get the idea. These are  strips I cut from the guild stash and am making into a quilt to encourage others in the guild to do the same. I'm making 3 more strip sets so people can just  pick them up and make what they want. Hope it works.

To see what others are working on, check out Judy's blog.

Modern Bargello Top is Done

Well here is it pieced. I took this inside (of course) because I don't have a place to take it without direct sunlight. When the sun goes behind the mountains I'll move it outside and take one. It will be interesting to see the difference in the colors. The proportions aren't quite right. I think I need to make it a bit shorter, or a bit wider. I'll have to look at it more closely...but I really like it.

I'm still debating whether I should add a top and bottom border with squares of color. What do you think? No border, or border? At the moment I'm leaning toward no border. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

I have no idea how I am going to finish it, but I have faith that I'll figure it out.

It's hard to get a good picture....

especially in the evening when the winds start to shift...

the colors are much better here...

so I waited till the sun was behind the mountains....ta dah!

The colors are much more true in this picture, though the inside photo isn't awful.

Some Progress

Here is what I'm thinking. I may add a line of colored squares to the top and bottom, but I'm not sure about that yet. I actually have two more sets of colors, but I don't want make this too big to quilt. I have been making more twin size quilts, I guess large lap size. Big enough to cuddle under, but not so big that I can't quilt them easily. I have no idea who this is for, but my quilts have been finding homes, so I'm not too concerned. Maybe I'll have it done today!

Bargello Progress

I have four of the nine blocks done. When I cut some of the brown strips I made them too large (better than too small) so had to trim them, otherwise this is going together very well. I have five more blocks to put together then I work on the layout and add the extra brown fabric for the rest of the background. I also have to decide if I am going to add a top and bottom border of colors just to finish it off. I 'll know better once I have most of it together.

So far, I like it.

Design Wall Monday-February 20, 2012

 These are the colors I'm going to use, with one missing. And below is the quilt design. I saw something like this while surfing the net, but it was a two-color quilt with white background. I decided to try something a bit different. I can't find the original picture again, so can't send you there.

Here is a mock-up of the quilt. I don't know exactly what it is going to look like. I'm making it up as I go along. I may add a row at the top and bottom with squares of color, maybe one from each to sort of finish it.

I also finished my One Block Wonder. I took this picture outside (finally) so the colors are much more true. This is my UFO for February, so I started another top. I am trying to quilt each new one that I start, and so far so good.

To see what other quilters are doing, check out Judy's blog. 

Modern Bargello

This is going to be my next quilt. I don't have solids in these colors, so I am going to shop my stash and see what I do have. I saw a picture of a quilt online that was the inspiration for this. It was red blocks on white background though, and I have no idea where it is now.

I'm going to figure this one out as I go. I did buy dark brown fabric this morning, so I can begin. It will be interesting to see what I get.

UFO-One More Done

 One more UFO done...this on is for February. Wow look at the colors of this picture. How much better they are when they are taking in natural light.

The quilting is quite simple. The backing is about the color of the inner border, and it is fleece.

Here is a detail that shows some of the quilting. You can see it is a simple swirl. I decided to use a light colored thread...I like it a bit more when there is light thread on dark fabric, than dark thread on light fabric.

This is the fifth quilt I've finished this year...YIPPEE!

Design Wall Monday-February 12, 2012

 I've started the quilting on the one block wonder. If you click on the picture to enlarge it you might be able to see it. Its very simple, but I think it is OK. Because of the pattern of the fabric, I don't know if it will really be noticed once it's all done.

I included this picture so you can get a better idea of what the quilting looks like. The color on this is REALLY off. Some day I will take pictures during the day, and not 9 at night and maybe I'll get better color. This is a pretty thin fleece. I was looking for a periwinkle (thanks Wynne Ann) but couldn't find a blue that looked good at all. I didn't want to use a dark blue, so went with the green.

I have a light green small border that you can see in this picture, and the backing goes with it pretty well. I think I'll have this quilt finished by the end of the week, then I'll start another. I don't know if I am going to quilt another, or if I'll start piecing another top.

Last Wednesday I finished Ocean Rain and I washed it today. I like the way it looks. I also figured something out about the labels I've been making. I'm using pigma pens, and they have been fading. I decided to try heat setting the most recent one and it worked. I didn't notice any fading after I washed this today. yay!

To see what other quilters have on their design walls, check out Judy's blog.

One More Done

 Wow, I am being pretty productive early in 2012. This is the  first quilt finished in February, but the fourth one this year, yay!

I really like the colors, the quilting and the design of this quilt. I just like the whole thing. I don't have a recipient yet, but we'll see, we'll see!

Design Wall Monday-February 6, 2012

 I think the quilting is done, but I might want to quilt across the quilt on the larger squares. The bottom in this pic looks all wrinkly. It may well be, but I think it's just the way it is hanging.  I was thinking about the name is church today (oops) and thought of trying to quilt drips of water down the quilt. Then I though of the circles and decided to try it. I don't know if I love if, but I know I don't hate it and that's a step up from some of the quilting I have done on some of my quilts.

I started this on Thursday...had a snow day on Friday, sewed with a friend on Saturday so got the top piece by Saturday evening. This morning I cut a pieced the back. Used the diagonal piecing method I talked about here and had it pinned before I went to church. I quilted this from after church (about 2:30 till 8:30) till just now. Pretty quick. Looks like I'm on a quilting streak...I even did the dishes in there!

Here is a detail. It's not fancy, but I like it. I did a simple double sewed circle in each cornerstone, and then sewed to the next intersection and did it again. The thread is an aqua color so is visible but doesn't shout. I think I'll wait a couple of days to see if it needs more quilting, or if it's done. The batting/backing is fleece, so I don't have to worry about the batting coming apart. The blocks are only 3 1/2 inches square, so right now the quilting lines right now are about 5 1/2 inches apart. I don't know if I would like the light thread on the darker blocks, or dark thread across the light sashing. I'll just have to cogitate a while.

To see what more quilters are doing, check out Judy's blog.

Quilting the Rain

 Here is the pattern I came up with for this quilt. I think I am going to quilt the larger blocks in the same way. I just haven't decided if I'll make the circles about the same size as those is the sashing, or make them larger to almost fit the larger squares. What do you think? Large or small?

Jungle Rain--or Maybe this is Ocean Rain

 I like it! One row of sashing on the bottom is missing, and the top is done. Now, how to quilt it.

Jungle Rain Layout

 Here is the layout. I like it. Now for lots of sashing and cornerstones.

Then Next Thing

 I bought some fleece for the backing for the One Block Wonder. I was looking for periwinkle as Wynn Anne suggested, but there was none to be found, so I went with a soft spring green. I think it will look very nice. It's a very light fleece, so this one will be for the summer months, or winter in warmer climes.

I also decided on my next project to make.... it's very simple, I wish I could say I thought of it myself, but alas it's a free pattern and was available on the Timeless Treasures site. Its called Jungle Rain and if you're interested I've shared it. I had downloaded it earlier and saved it, it's in my google docs so I can share.

It looks like this. See, very simple. It's all in the color choices. I love  how it looks. I don't have the same colors, but I'll use greens and blues I have. The size is 62 x 77, so it can be my next QOV...we'll see. Each color only needs a fat quarter (twenty 4" squares of each color) so it could be made in many different colors, just using light, medium and dark fabrics.