trucking along

Not sure why I haven’t written, since I have been feeling quite creative lately. Seems like I want to put all of my creative energy into making quilt tops, which makes sense I suppose, since I have to quilt out of my normal environment for a bit.

I do have my stash of projects (see previous post on that…), so I’ve felt inclined to work through them, and told myself when I get through those then I can make up some new ones. Well, I did start three new projects, but one I am finished with and a second one I am fervently making progress. It’s a small wall hanging, but here is the finished top:

So let’s see… I don’t think I had this one finished last time I posted, but essentially it’s still not finished. It’s really bright, much more so than I anticipated, but I think once I get more fabric for the border it will be more appealing.

Then I finished up with my Halloween squares. I actually have more of this center panel fabric, but I need a break from it for a bit. So I made these tops in a simple manner, but varying from each other slightly.

Then I had squares left over (before I realized I had more of the center panels…) so I took this magenta bat fabric that I was going to use with the center panels, but decided it didn’t coordinate, and stripped it with the remaining squares I had already sewn together in a long strip. I ended up using almost every square, and each strip I’d cut from the batty fabric. Just need more of the border fabric to complete it (it will be black with stars on it).

I know I had finished this one, a simple but beautiful top.

That put me in the mood to make more sophisticated and less playful quilts, and to use the colors of fall. The problem is that the two quilts I decided to make I actually have patterns for, and I don’t usually use patterns, so this was sort of hard for me to have directions I was supposed to follow. The result was that I got partway through cutting for one of the quilts and set it aside.

But the Jacob’s Ladder is coming along nicely. I have my 4blocks finished and my border blocks and triangles all cut.

I’m not sure if this one is next (haven’t quite decided which of this pile of fabrics to use yet),

or a simple pattern I got from a sewing group that I will use batiks with. Not sure the colors I want to use so this one is still marinating in my brain.

And then I want to do this one, which is interesting because I’m really not a big triangle girl…

Oh and I got this panel just before it ran out at the quilt shop! So many ideas of what to do with this!

And then… more triangles on the bench… but it looks SOOO cool!!

Now of course the trouble is that those projects from my previous post??? well, most of them are still on my shelf awaiting my attention. I got through the HW quilts, and that moda diamond quilt with the great corners, and cleared out a Quilt of Valor and customer work, so…

I guess all that matters is that I’m productive and making things. That makes me happy, especially knowing that some of these will go to charity. 🙂 And maybe by the time it gets cold again here in Texas, I’ll have some of these quilted so someone can enjoy the warmth and beauty of them!

Happy quilt making my friends! I’m getting back to it!

Man down!!! Man down!!!

Woman, in this case. Actually machine but she’s female so there.

I can attest for all of you that this is the saddest moment of my quilting career. My machine bearings need to be fixed. So I can’t quilt on her until she’s sent out and come back to me. 😦

Technically I can quilt because of a very good friend that has offered use of her machine for me to finish my clients quilts, but this feels like losing a friend. I know that ultimately she’ll be ok, even better than she was. But considering that she is vital to my business and my sanity, I think this is a moment to bow our heads.

So to keep myself entertained whilst she sits quietly aside, I have made the conscious decision to finish some UFO’s (un-finished objects). I finished my rag quilt (yes, the one I started 6 months ago).

I finished the 9 patch variation top I was working on at retreat last summer. I don’t like how the middle border looks, but I’m not so dissatisfied that I’ll take it out.

A few months ago I had some time and inclination, so I cut strips and squares and matched fabrics to patterns or photos I saw in magazines. I had just spent more than a few Franklins at the quilt shop, so I figured I’d better get to using all that beautiful, colorful eye candy. Then I got busy quilting and my piles have been awaiting me since. So I started working on those again yesterday as well. I really like how this one is turning out. The border will make it, with some really cool cornerstones.

Not sure what will be next after that… maybe the cats in boxes…

maybe the Halloween quilts (I cut fabric for probably 3 of these):

or the black and red skulls that seem to be so popular…

Maybe more flowers

or this cat fabric

maybe I’ll get to Amy’s cupcake applique pattern (probably not),

or the Tree pattern I got from my mom (with precut strips, you’d think I’d go for the easy first).

Then there is this thing… I really like it because of what it represents. It’s the earth – water and land in a squarish spiral. It includes oil swirling in the water, flames roaring through the forest, flowers and waves. Still needs to be finished.

I started to cut 1″ squares and strips for this Scraps of Life quilt, from work shirt material..

and these are 1.25″ strips of scraps I was going to just sew together in rainbow fashion to see what I ended up with.

These are spare squares for another random patchwork quilt:

oh and then the quilt I was going to make for Amy from this photo… haven’t gotten very far.

Ooooh forgot about these! Dots and hearts:

and these little turquoise blue birds!

I also picked out these fabrics because they looked so good together. Haven’t decided the patterns yet…

shucks, here’s the fairy frost I cut squares and strips for!

ooh, and the fabric and pattern I set aside to make this bag:

so I guess I should just stop panicking and get to work on these. I feel a little overwhelmed now with so many projects to choose from! I think I’ll start with finishing the diamond quilts borders. Happy quilting (or quilt making!) my friends!