New start: it's a Kim Brackett pattern!

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

I saw a quilt finish on the Colorful Fabricolic's page.  I emailed her about it and she was kind enough to send an image of her notes, and that her source was a quilt with this pattern on Pinterest.

Well at quilt guild the next week, we were sharing books of quilt patterns, and I saw this pattern in this book by Kin Brackett!

So no notes here on sizes, units, etc.  Get the book, and support our quilt designers/authors.

The pattern is called 3 patch, and is shown in the book here:

(Taken at guild meeting, and the shine is the reflection off the shiny paper).

Here is mine, in 1800's reproduction fabrics, not quite done:

But I want the quilt to be 60 by 80 inches, for charity giving.  This top needs to be a little bit longer (add more blocks) and a bit wider (add some strips) and bordered.

The border fabric I found in my stash was not quite 2 yards in length.  I had to add a few inches to it for the side borders, and given the print, if it didn't match it would be very obvious. I carefully pattern matched the two pieces of fabric.  A picture is below.  The point of the scissors is at the join.

Pretty good, if I do say so myself.

I will quilt this one myself.  Binding has been made and set aside.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Tidepools project now quilted and bound

 Hello and welcome to my blog.

I have a finish to report - Tidepools, based on a pattern by Scott Flangan.  He calls the pattern Plateau.

The start of the project is described HERE.

A finished top is described HERE.

The top looks like this:

I bound the quilt with binding that's the same fabric as the outer border, and top stitched it with olive green thread, which looks kind of gray:

Here is a corner:

As for my last post and last project, I am a bit disappointed in the long arm quilting.  The top tension is off, and the bottom thread is pulled up, especially where the quilting changes directions.  See the blue arrows in the picture below (I know, hard to make out - click on the picture to enlarge).

But it is done and it's on my bed.  I love the teal and green colors.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Quilt done: Contessa pattern in bright batiks, for Mom

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I am a reporting a finish from this year, a project I started in August and blogged about HERE.

It is a pattern called Contessa and I chose it and the fabrics in consultation with my mom, as the quilt is for her.

The overall quilt, after washing:

I washed it with 5 color catchers and it's a good thing too, as the catchers were bright pink when they came out of the washer.

A view of the backing:

I have to say I'm a little disappointed with the long arm quilting.  The top thread over all the quilt is too tight and is pulling the bottom thread up to the top.  On the points of the leaves in the quilting pattern, it's pulling the bottom thread way up.

Look at the leaf shape nearest the center of the picture.

There is not much to be done about it now.  I have added the binding (same eggplant batik as the outer border) by machine.  Then washed it as noted above.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss (she featured by Over and Down Under top - thank you!), Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Frederique at Quilting, Patchwork, Applique, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Top done: Over and Down Under in batiks

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

I have a top finished, soon to go to a local long arm quilter that I like.  When you are retired, there is plenty of time to move projects forward.

I used a purchased pattern called Over and Down Under, and a roll up of bright batiks 2.5 inch strips:

My start on the project is described in this Blog Post.

You have to keep close track of the squares you are sewing together, and their order.  For example:  this set of squares is sewn together in the wrong order:

I had to rip this unit down to the individual squares and resew.  But, hurrah, I got the center section finished!

And then added borders:

The background fabric is a Kona solid called Charcoal.  A close up of one corner:

I really like this roll of batik fabrics.  Unfortunately, I don't think it's available anymore.

I am getting back from my long arm quilter 2 quilts today.  I'll blog about them next week.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Little Crazy quilt finish

 Hello and welcome to my blog.

I was busy this weekend working on my Over and Down Under project, but it's not finished and not at a place to show the world.

Instead I will show a small finish.  In cleaning my upstairs sewing space, I uncovered a small experimental piece that must date back to before 2009.  I didn't discuss it on this blog, which I started in 2009.  I sewed bits and pieces of 1930's reproduction fabric together in a crazy quilt fashion.  I then embroidered the seam lines with the special stitches on my trusty old Kenmore.  This imitated a style seen in the 1930's, where a crazy block would be embroidered by hand with 'chicken scratch' embroidery.

The quiltlet is 15 by 14.5 inches.  I layered it, machine sewed a few lines of quilting to hold it together, and bound it on Sunday.

And a close up of the fabrics and stitching:

It's not to everyone's taste but it was a neat experiment.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery (she featured my last blog post, thank you!), Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

New start: Over and Down Under in bright batik fabrics

 Hello and welcome to my blog.

For National Sew a Jelly roll day (Sept.20) I started a new project using the pattern Over and Down Under, which I have used before.  On the 20th I just cut and prepped fabric, and started sewing on the 21st, continuing into yesterday.

The pattern and the jelly roll/roll-up I used:

The fabric is cut according to the directions, & laid out:

The gray squares on the upper right are my background fabric. There are doubles of most the colors.  I decided to have a rainbow gradient running sideways and up and down.

I pulled out a table to lay out my borders, so I wouldn't have to stoop down to the floor.

Starting on the upper left corner, I laid out the fabric squares on my sewing table and sewed them together, paying close attention to keeping them in order.

Here is one fourth (upper left quadrant) sewn together, not attached to the border yet.

The interwoven pattern is clear, but there is a bit of a mish mash in the middle where like colored squares come together.  I wonder if I should have set warm colors (dark red, red, orange, yellow) going sideways and cool colors (green, blue, purple) going up and down.  Well, it's too late for that now.  I will continue sewing this up this week.  When the center is done, the borders will be added.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Contessa pattern (again), in 30's repro prints

 Good day, and welcome to my quilting blog.

Today I am hemming corduroy slacks I just purchased, but I have been busy this last week, working on a new iteration of the Contessa pattern.  I used this pattern in making a top for my mom, shown in This Post.

I enjoyed the process, so started cutting into my 1930's to 1940's scraps and fat quarters, for another version.  This does not always happen to me.  I cut fabric with wild abandon, not counting.  So I now have enough strips to make two quilts!  And I bought more Kona Snow for the background fabric needed.  

Here are some blocks, laid out on the design floor:

The slight creaminess of the Kona Snow fabric makes a nice background.  Many of my reproduction fabrics have leaves, flowers, or geometric patterns.

But I made an effort to include novelty fabrics with dogs, cats, kids playing, children's toys, etc. for fun.

As soon as I am done with hemming, I will get back to this project.

Oh! but later this week (Sept. 20) it's National Sew a Jelly Roll Day!  Of course I have a new project lined up for this too.  I'll be using the Over and Down Under pattern and some bright batik fabric strips.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

A finish: Clean up quilt

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

I have a UFO finish to report.  It is the pattern Clean Up by Quilted Twins.  It's a free pattern and can be found on their website.  Links to it in my previous posts:

Start of project is HERE.

Continuation of project is HERE.

Almost a top is HERE.

And now it quilted by a local long armer and bound.  The reveal:

Yes, many small squares, that finish at 1.5 inches.  It uses up a lot of scraps.  It's about 60 by 80 inches in size, maybe?  The Quilted Twins directions are for a larger quilt.

A close up of a corner:

and another close up, showing some really vintage fabrics, some from the 1980's.

No home for this one yet, but I hope to find a charity to accept it.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss (she featured my Contessa top - thank you!), Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Contessa pattern: a quilt for Mom

Good day, and welcome to my blog. 

I have been busy in my sewing room!  I am making a quilt (now a top) for my mom, and have been consulting with her every step of the way.

She likes bright colors: yellow, orange, red, even to magenta.  I found a set of 2.5 inch strips in these colors, and bought other fabrics to match, as my initial pick of a pattern required extra fabric for background and borders.

The package of strips is from CinBarDesigns on Etsy, and the other matching fabric, including the eggplant batik, came from Creekside Quilts.  CinBar Designs doesn't have this fabric set any more, but she has lots of other pretty batiks.  And Creekside Quilts has a great selection of batiks, and great customer service!

The pattern I chose, with Mom's input, is the Contessa pattern, available for free from Moda.  

I used the eggplant-colored batik, not white, for the background.

The pattern as written makes a top finishing at 60 inches by 70 inches, but I added borders.  A thin eggplant-colored border, then a warm yellow, then a wider eggplant border.  Here is what the top looks like now.

And a close-up of a corner:

I also consulted with Mom as to backing fabric.  The back of this quilt will be as bright as the front.  Our pick, from Backside Fabrics:

This will be arriving this week or next, and then it's off to the Long arm quilter I use.  I have plenty of time to get this project done for Christmas.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Voyager: I received my fabric and I have a top

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

In my last blog entry I was waiting on some fabric from the Sun Valley fabric line to get going on my Villa Rosa Voyager blocks.  I did receive my fabric and I have been sewing away.  Here is one block:

I was waiting on the center yellow-orange fabric.  Here is the quilt top laid out on the floor, with some keystoning in the pic:

The top is about 58 inches, by 70 inches in size.  And a close-up of one corner:

I am calling this the Autumn Gold quilt.  Autumn colors, yes, but also a lot of gold highlights on the fabric used.  Binding is made and stored, and this top is waiting its turn to go to the long arm quilter that I use.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Villa Rosa Voyager: A start but waiting on fabric

 Good day and welcome to my blog.

A jelly roll/rollup of fabric (Sun Valley) surfaced in my sewing room.  I think I purchased it 2 years ago.

Beautiful shades of brown and gold, with gold highlights, perhaps more highlights than I normally like.  The fabric strips definitely look better released from the packaging, rather then rolled up.  And I have a pattern from Villa Rosa called Voyager, that would use the 40 strips in a full roll:

But a center fabric is needed for each block.  I ordered a yellow-gold fabric from this fabric line, and I am waiting for it to arrive.  However, I have started sewing strips of fabric together.  I sorted the strips into dark-dark, dark-medium, medium-light, and light-light groupings.  There needs to be some contrast between the two strips, but not much.  I paired the dark-dark strips with the light-medium strips, and the medium-dark strips with the light-light strips.

And cut them to the length specified.

And now I wait.  If the fabric doesn't come today, I will set this aside and start on another project, so that I have something to blog about next week.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

Pinwheel #8 project advances

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.  Today I am reporting some progress on my current project, a pinwheel pattern.

Beginning of this project, and link to the pattern source on Quilter's Cache, is HERE.

Careful pressing is needed for these blocks, with the last seam pressed open:

My blocks came out a little larger than 10.5 inches unfinished.  Better than too small, I suppose.  I trimmed blocks but this led to some chopped off points, as in the brown triangle at the bottom:

Well, probably no one will notice in the final quilt.  I set the blocks with white sashing and blue repro fabric cornerstones, and sewed the blocks into pairs.  Here is where we are today:

Laid out on my floor, in a 6 by 5 setting.  I still need to sew these together.  Then, think about borders.  I have leftover fabric from other quilt projects that I can use for this project.  The pieces are 2+ yards long, of varying widths.

The true green fabric in the middle is the narrowest of the 4 fabrics.  I'll have to unfold and measure these remnants carefully.  Maybe an inner narrow border, and a wider outer border?  We shall see.

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

A restart on a really old UFO

 Good day, and welcome to my blog.

My last project is now a top, and is folded up, awaiting its turn to go to the long arm quilter.  A look on the shelf near my sewing machine resulted in the excavation of a gallon plastic bag full of triangles, and a pattern:

That is the Pinwheel #8 pattern, from the Quilters Cache.  The date at the bottom of the printout was 2008, and a search of my blog indicated that I had worked on a pinwheel pattern in 2009.  This traditional pattern makes a 10 inch block (finished) and looks great in 30's reproduction fabrics.  A really old UFO (Unfinished object)!

As I counted the triangles, I mentally counted how much white background I would have to buy.  But a look in my messy sewing area uncovered about 4 yards of Kona Snow solid that works perfectly.   

And four blocks together:

I have about 24 blocks done now, and I still have cut triangles left.  I am aiming for 30 or 35 blocks and a 5 by 6 or a 5 by 7 block setting.  I will also have sashing in between the blocks.  I must consider a border too.  I am sure I have something in the sewing area!

Linking up with Monday Musings, Sew and Tell at Melva Loves Scraps, Wednesday Wait Loss, (she featured my Tidepools top - thank you!) Needle and Thread Thursday, Put your Foot Down at the Quiltery, Nina-Marie, Finished or Not at Alycia Quilts, From Bolt to Beauty, Oh Scrap at Quilting is more Fun than Housework.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt and stamp posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian