A number of years ago, I found this blog where the goal was to see how many quilt blocks you could make each week. It wasn't a competition, and you didn't have to commit to a certain number. So I thought, "Wow! That would be a great motivation to get stuff done!" I signed up and in my head I had targeted (4) blocks to make. I got about 3-1/2 done and went back on the scheduled day to report my progress.
The first person I saw on the leaderboard had sewn 25 blocks. Then next person, 125 blocks. The top person, 600 blocks.
Overthink it all you want-- I quickly decided it was not the group for me, never to return. But because I am the awesome, sewing diva, I would like to report this week-- I got FIVE blocks done! Just think of it-- that's about half a quilt-- with just a little more effort, I could have a quilt done every two weeks. Of course, the math doesn't count the 2.5 years it would take me to sew the blocks together, or the 5.8 years it would take to add the borders, and then let's not even count quilting. I hate those parts.
But anyway-- here are my blocks!
I pressed on with Pressed Flowers and completed Block 11 way ahead of time.
Last post, I was determined add the sashing blocks and get this to the point where all I will have to do is pop in the last block-- that didn't happen.
I really was very unhappy with the way my blocks were coming out-- as usual, I was doing something different, and I had just the exact amount of fabric to do it. So I don't know if it's me or if it's the fabric, but I pre-washed AND starched-- then when I pressed my final block, in some areas, there was barely a 1/8" seam left. Look at the curve on the lower edge of that block above! I went online to see if Bunny Hill, the designer, had another cream background I could use-- you know, these designers use like colors so you can mix and match collections. There was nothing-- but behold! Fat Quarter Shop had more of the sold out print I needed. How is this even possible? Because there is a God, and He cares about our sewing. So two yards are on the way-- I'm going to wash, starch, AND oversize my blocks this time. I still might be able to have it ready for Block 12 by the end of March. Some one on the Sew Sampler group is almost done, and it is a lovely quilt.
Next up-- A Star is Born!
With nothing less than sheer determination, complete focus, and total commandeering of the kitchen table all week, I made it happen!
I just love this star-- the Kona colors are beautiful-- you'd be amazed how many there are in just this range of colors. I started with a completely random placement of just darks and lights, following this diagram--
I set up on the kitchen table-- then all week, as I walked by, I re-arranged to bring out certain things like the yellows and pinks, and made a highlight corner with the whites, and then a softer blend-y corner. It was like working on a jigsaw puzzle all week!
Tuesday...
It was extremely helpful to take snapshots as I went along-- something about seeing the block smaller really showed me which pieces needed to be moved, and which parts I liked. There are more pictures of this on my phone to show you than I'm sure I will have of my eventual grandchildren-- lol.
Here's the back-- yup, all the points were tough-- so I started with open seams for the HSTs to keep bulk down, and then used nesting seams for the larger assembly. I do not know how anyone gets points to line up with open seams, just sayin'.
Fun and done! I am hoping to get the February, March, and April blocks done by the end of April-- surprise, surprise, I'm behind. I'm not make this huge block every month-- I think some of them will just be a couple of 4x4 or 6x6 layouts. I also have some extra pieces to add in to some final glorious layout at then end. I'm calling it "Cosmos"-- it would be a shame if the Cosmos never progressed, wouldn't it? But to keep myself humble-- this is as far as I got with my Barn Star Sampler last year. One block.
After all the spilling of creative juice, the Moonbeams stitch-a-long was the perfect counterpart-- two "kitted" blocks done! Nice big pieces, too-- these are 15" blocks!
I finished the matching cross stitch last week-- that is Release One-- all caught up until April 1st. For those of you who are wondering, this is Fat Quarter Shop's Make-a-Wish quilt-- it is not free, it is suggested to donate $50 for the quilt patterns and $20 for the cross stitch. Wow, they are really having trouble reaching their $100,000 dollar goal each year in this economy-- so please consider it if you are able.
Here's my fifth quilt block-- Kim Diehl leaves...
This is made from a jelly roll in the February Sew Sampler box. I did like the included pattern, but I'm starting to have enough of these throw sized quilts. I don't have a leaf quilt-- the colors just smacked of autumn to me. So let's chase the squirrel. I purchased the Butter Churn jelly roll with the coupon they give you each month-- this is the first time I have ever voluntarily bought a jelly roll.
I think I have enough to make about 24 leaves, so I'm really going to throw myself into that this week and see where I get. I'm not really sure where I'm going with it, since as I said, I have a ton of throws, but I would have a nice 4x6 block layout. Maple leaves are so appropriate for Sugar Meadow-- the sap is flowing on Sugar Meadow, my grandmother's house was on Maple Street, and Mr. SFOs and my first home was on a different Maple Street.
Here's a quick trip down memory lane-- I made this back in the 90s with a random bag of glass chips for over my kitchen sink in the Maple Street house. I was quilting at the time, so you can see the influence. I do love a craft of any type!
Now Mr. SFO has a habit of securing things, well let's say very securely, to the wall. So when the time came to move out of that house-- we were headed to San Francisco-- there was no time to un-secure it and take it with us.
I visit my old home regularly on Zillow-- and was shocked to see that someone renovated my kitchen and my mosaic is gone. This piece no longer exists?
Who would do that?
I have a undeniable pattern of negative thinking at times-- maybe it is ugly and they hated it. Can we expect everyone to love what we love? A little less negative and more likely- it makes sense that when they tried to take it down to put the new cabinets in, it was secured too well and got destroyed-- there were screws through it everywhere. But why be negative at all? Maybe they had the time and love to unsecure it and take it with them? (There have been multiple subsequent owners of this house.) I have also stalked mosaic stores on line to see if this same random bag of mosaic chips are still available, to recreate my masterpiece. Until I find them, I confess my Kim Diehl leaves are heavy with nostalgia for pretty mosaic!
So that's my five blocks-- and I do ask myself, why don't I have 600 a week? It's because I have a day job!
For San Francisco Stitch Co., I worked on the March village all week-- it's still March, so let's not say it's late. You can't just sit down and make a village. Like Rome, they aren't built in a day-- it takes time to let the design simmer, and move things around, and add the details, and work on every space. Here' a sequence for those of you who are curious about the process. I alternate between sketching and digitizing.
And here's the final!
Every so often, I get a note from an older person-- their eyes are bad!-- they can't cross stitch anymore! I always get so much pleasure out of telling them-- with machine embroidery-- YOU GOT THIS! And then I always get the question, well, how to you get the holes to line up? And the answer is-- I DO NOTHING-- no one is going to look that closely and if you are hung up on this, just use higher 28 count fabrics.
This is machine embroidered cross stitch, up close and personal, on a 28ct Lugana.
100% truth. I did nothing to align the holes.
While that simmered all week, I made another set of Quilt labels--
we're all going to have many finishes this spring, aren't we?!!
Sew that's it for my sewing week! Thanks for reading, especially after we all just lost an hour! I can't say enough how much all my bloggy friends mean to me, in this quiet corner of Maine.
Have a sweet week!
Carol
I ABSOLUTE ADORE your glass chip "mosaic"?? piece. It is ABSOLUTELY STUNNING!! I'm glad you have a picture to re-create it some day if you can get all the glass pieces. I have to admit that like you, I go to Zillow and look at our previous houses to see how they've changed (and, I have to say to myself, it's not your house anymore). For me, it was seeing all the landscaping "ripped" out and I would always wish I had taken things from this yard to the new yard if no one was going to keep them.
ReplyDeleteYou've made a LOT of progress this week (you always do). Cosmos is a perfect name and the colors are so warm and welcoming. XOXO Dottie
Glad I'm not the only Zillow Zombie! The house has changed so much now-- brick driveway paved over, A/C unit added where my Japanese Maple was-- boohoo, you can't go home again! xox
DeleteI cried when they dug out my asparagus patch (PA house) and they were going to dig out my Japanese Maple and the realtor told them "wow - you have an expensive tree there". We planted it when it was only 2 feet tall, when we left it was over 8 feet tall. Several of the plants were taken out, including a beautiful climbing rose, gorgeous iris bed, etc. You're right - you can't go back. XOXO Dottie
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