Tish N Wonderland

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

The Battle For My Attention--Whole Cloth Distraction

I posted this picture last night on Instagram with the caption, "The battle for my attention. Write a blog post, quilt dandelion, quilt whole cloth or piece a block. Who will win, who will lose?" I guess now it is time to announce the winners. Since I still had my walking foot on the machine and the block pieces already cut, I switched to my piecing foot and worked on the next block for my Modern Building Block quilt. I work on these blocks one at a time as little rewards to myself for doing something good. Technically, I hadn't earned the right to piece another, but rules were made for breaking. So in no time I had a 12 inch block to go with my two 6 inch blocks. Only 45 more to go!

Then I decided to give the whole cloth block quilt along another go. The next step was to fill the inside of our diamonds with feathers. If you've been to my page before you know I'm on the constant chase of dragon I call feathers. I wrote a post about it a few days ago that did not end as I wanted it to. So now I was faced with the beast again. The feathers that was stitched in our teachers blocks were more symmetrical and I tried very hard to accomplish this. I used my trusty Plexiglas to practice on my quilt top and a template she provided.

The first picture is one of my attempts to recreate what Ren had done. I just couldn't make it work. Mine kept looking like big fat sausage fingers. Then I tired free forming them, which seemed better but they seemed more like saggy sad hearts. So I tried more of the same but tried adding bling inside my plumes for a distraction. That just didn't feel right either.

Finally after more time that I would like to admit to, I found my flow and drew something that looks decent.

Once I started curving, the stem my brain was able to a line up all the dots it needed to give me something that looked much much better. Since I finally had a winner, I sped to the machine to get this knocked out.

In the instructor's block, she did a micro stipple in the areas outside of the diamonds. I will go on record stating that I am not the biggest fan of stippling. It does have a time and a place, but I thought about going out on a limb and doing a dense scribbling. I just love this dense filler, you can read more about it here. I think adding this dense filler really made the diamonds pop.

Now for a close up so that you can see the neat pattern created by the scribbling. I think it sort of looks like a delicate lace. Most people are like, wow, how did you do that? To some I say it is so easy, anyone can do it. To others I just smile and let them think I'm a genius.

Please ignore Oliver's tiny black cat hair if you see it. They are everywhere.

How did the blog and the dandelion block turn out? Well, bogging was a success too. I was able to get one and a half posts written. As for the dandelion block...I have no idea what you are even talking about? Until next time, I hope everyone has a quilty day!

Today I'm linking up with

Pet Project Show @ Pink Doxies

Creative Goodness @ Quilt Shop Gal

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

WIP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts

Monday, July 13, 2015

Week 3 Blog Hop and A New Quilt Along

I think I have been more productive the past few weeks than I have been for a while. With it being summer and everyone pulled in so many directions (and yards to be mowed) I think that is a huge accomplishment. Time is closing in on completing the block for the Quilters musical being preformed by our local theater group. I was able to get all of the seams stitched in the ditch this weekend. I will take it to the guild meeting tonight to share my quilting plan with the other members and get their options. So I'm looking forward to another finish hopefully by this weekend.

Dandelion after it was pieced

The clouds parted and we had two days of sunshine. TWO DAYS! This has been the rainiest summer that I can remember in a long time. Sadly, between my yard and my mother's we have two square patches of land that had to be mowed around because it was too wet to mow. I'm talking small lakes in the middle of the field. From across the valley it probably looks like we missed those spots which would lead the neighbors to ask themselves if I may have been drinking wine and mowing. (I do not drink and drive or mow for that matter) But I digress, the two days of sun did allow me time to get pictures of some of my completed quilts from over the years. Hopefully, I can get a page of the quilts I finished in 2014 up soon.

Then Friday evening while playing around on Facebook, I innocently liked some pictures a lady had posted of whole cloth blocks she had quilted. Simply put, they were beautiful. Later she posted in the group that if anyone was interested she would try her hand at hosting a quilt along on Facebook to show us how to create her blocks. Of course I had to join in on this.

Her name is Ren and the Facebook group is called Free Motion Quilt Along with Ren and is open to anyone who wants to join. Every Sunday she will be posting instructions for the week. Saturday she posted a supply list which I quickly rounded up.

Then on Sunday she posted the marking instructions in a PDF file and gave us the go ahead to stitch all of our straight lines.

Today is also week three of the 2015 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop. I know that I am looking forward to meeting a new batch of my hive members and everyone in the other hives. Our hive, The Sewcial Swarm introduces five of it's members today.

Elenor @ Cat Approved Quilting

Lisa @ Sunlight In Winter Quilts

Vicki @ Orchid Owl Quilts

Corinne @ Must Love Quilts

Karen @ Sugar Free Quilts

Also don't forget to check out our fearless leaders in the quest for learning and growing. They are hosting some pretty neat giveaways and you can meet the members of their hives as well.

Terri Ann @ Childlike Fasination (my hive leader)

Yvonne @ Quilting Jet Girl

Stephanie @ Late Night Quilter

Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs

That's enough rambling from me for now. I hope everyone has a productive day and that you will join me again on my adventures in wonderland.

Today I am linking up with...

Sew Cute Tuesday@ Blossom Heart Quilts

Linky Tuesday@ Free Motion by the River

Monday Makers @ Hug-a-Bit Quilts

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Keeping It Simple--Dandelion Block

Our local theater group recently asked our quilt guild if we would help recreate the blocks needed for the musical Quilters they will be performing in early August. When our president then asked for volunteers, I immediately jumped thinking this would be a fun project to help with. Plus I'll admit I thought it would be neat to see something I created on stage.

When the email deciding who would do what block went out, I was not quick enough to get in on the conversation and by the time I did most of the blocks within my skill level where taken. After speaking to the lady in charge, I thought I might just quilt several of the blocks after they were pieced since that is something that I might enjoy more than some. However, she made a comment in the email that keeps replaying in my head. She said I didn't have to quilt them as elaborate as my usual beautiful work. That was a 100% a complement (and I appreciated it) but it made me start thinking. Can I quilt something that isn't sort of over the top and elaborate? I have gotten into the habit of wanting to cover my quilts (especially my smaller quilts) with as much thread bling I as I possibly can. I LOVE texture and I love quilting that stands out. Can I tone this down? With these pieces being time period specific, they would have been hand quilted not machine quilted and would probably not been covered in head to toe dense quilting.

After going to the meeting, I still ended up agreeing to help quilt anything that needs completed but they also found an unclaimed block that was within my skill levels. I am in charge of the Dandelion block. They would like the blocks to be 30 inches with a 3 inch boarder around them. One of the ladies in our group is a EQ7 pro (she even teaches classes--note to self sign up for them) and she was kind enough to print patterns for us.

My block is pretty straight forward, rectangles, squares and half square triangles. The cutting instructions for my block are in 16ths and not exactly how I would do it, so that has lead me to rely on my math skills. Thank goodness I paid attention in school.

I also had to search for fabrics in my stash that might pass for the time period. Sadly, I had to shy away from lime green and hot pinks. But I think I didn't do a to shabby job.

So after some calculating and recalculating, I am about 1/2 finished piecing it together. I think the top part will go much quicker than the bottom half has.

Hopefully by the weekend I will be ready to quilt it...that's the goal anyway. So my thoughts are doing simple continuous curves in the flower and possibly the leaves. Matchstick/straight lines in the background and then something in the ground section. I thought about pebbling, but wasn't sure if that would be too wild. Oh, I almost forgot the boarders. Maybe just some cross hatching in them? I am completely open to suggestions...please feel free to comment and give me some advice.

Today I linked up with Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Piece-ful Weekend

This past weekend held one of the United States biggest holidays, Independence Day. A time when everyone comes together to celebrate their patriotism for their country. While most Americans were out enjoying barbecues, parties and fireworks, my little family decided to just stay home and enjoy each others company. For me that meant I could kick back and enjoy a piece-ful weekend. Yup, that is spelled correctly. I spent my three day weekend finishing up my Hi-De-Ho Cheerio quilt and piecing on projects that needed some attention.

Hi-De-Ho Cherrio

The first item to get my undivided attention was the cutting of the two color ways I chose for the Midnight Mystery Quilt being hosted by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs. The mystery quilt started in June and will run until March 2016. So far she has given us fabric requirements and cutting instructions. I have to admit I did some snooping around on her page and checked out the previous mystery quilt she hosted...and I loved it. I loved it so much I decided to make two of this one. I cannot wait to see the finished product. Or rather, I will have to wait, since we only get it in little pieces at a time.

After getting everything separated into bags (so I can remember which fabric is what) and taking a quick Netflix break, I moved on to the July block for Pat Sloan's Vacationtime Mystery BOM. I participated in last years Globetrotting quilt (check out my quilt here) and had so much fun, I had to do this one as well. I decided on Miss Kate by Bonnie and Camille for my fabric. Since my family doesn't travel much, Vacationtime is my vacation time.

Then I moved on to a project that I have been neglecting for about four months now. Several years ago my husband asked me to make him a quilt using Oriental prints we found in red, black and white. Of course I said yes, but they sadly set in boxes because I had no idea what to do with them. At the beginning of the year I found the Gold Coast Quilters Guild's BOM called Journey to Japan (you guessed it) mystery quilt. Each month for 2015 they would be posting a Japanese block designed by Susan Briscoe author of books on Japanese quilting. This was perfect. However, after finishing the first two blocks, I kinda lost my steam for the project and quit. This was my chance to give it another whirl. I'm happy to say that I now have seven completed blocks and my husband likes them all. Win!

Since I had made so much progress, I rewarded myself by making another block for the Modern Building Blocks Quilt I started last month. Now my little six inch block has a friend...another six inch block. Only like 40+ more blocks to go. I'm hoping to just take my time and enjoy this quilt.

I did leave one thing on my to-do list undone. I started the QM Bitty Block Quilt at the beginning of the year as well. It will be a row quilt of little 3 and 4 inch blocks. I have decided to do the smaller lap quilt version. I made the decision this weekend to wait a few months before I start it up again in order to figure out which blocks I want to use for my rows. The smaller quilt will not need as many. So for now they are just kind of hanging out where ever they are not in the way. I just love looking at them. So tiny. So cute.

And last but not least is the project that I must focus on until I get it finished. Our community theater group will be performing the musical Quilters at the beginning of August and needed the guilds help in recreating 20-36 inch quilt blocks to be used in the show. I am tackling the Dandelion block. I'm hoping to have it completely finished by next week...if life doesn't get in the way. How far have I made it, you ask? I have picked out my fabric and have instructions...so practically finished. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Well, this pretty much wraps up my piece-ful weekend. I don't like to think of it as being anti-social but more of celebrating old school/pioneer woman way. Hope everyone else had a great weekend as well. And here is to hoping we all are productive!

I am linking up today with WIP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

Hi-De-Ho Cherrio

I am happy to say that I just finished the next 2015 Aurifil Designer Mystery BOM hosted by Pat Sloan and Aurifil thread. This month's feature designers was Barb Groves and Mary Jacobson from Me and My Sister Designs. You can read Pat's interview with them here and also pick up a copy of the free pattern for Hi-De-Ho Cherrio.

As soon as I printed out my copy of the pattern, I couldn't help myself. My pen just started drawing. I didn't even know what fabrics I wanted to use, but I already had an idea of how I would quilt it.

When I attacked my fabric stash, I found a great piece of fabric that almost looked like a lace print for the background. And for whatever reason, the purples and greens where calling out to me. It just had to be.

Soon the rotary cutter was going and the fabric was flying. In no time at all, I had sections cut and blocks pieced together.

Whala--A finished quilt top.

Since I already had an idea of how I wanted to quilt it, I wasted no time marking the top with registration lines to carry out my plan.

Free quilting tip...wine glasses make great stencils :)

My original idea was to quilt feather wreaths in the octagon shaped blocks. That is why I used my wine glass to mark circles on the blocks. I practiced for several days trying to perfect them. You can read about my attempts here. In the end, I just didn't feel comfortable enough trying to put them on the actual quilt. So I went back to the drawing board and pulled from quilting designs I felt comfortable with, good ol' loops and ribbon candy.

Then it was time to break into my Aurifil thread stash and choose the lucky spools.

I ended up using the purple, middle green and the neutral color for my quilting. I could not have been happier with the results. I even went with a scrappy binding to frame the quilt.

And how about one more for good measure.

Here are the other Aurifil minis so far for the year.

Spring Tiles, Secret Garden, March Mini, Chubby Churn Dash and Flurry

If you are looking for a fun quick project...possibly even for a craft swap please check these out. One of my online quilty friends named Debby Brown (she even has a beginners free motion quilting class on Craftsy called Free-Motioin Qulting with Lines, Curves and Loops) turned her minis into cute quilted pillows. You can check them out here.