Friday, February 27, 2009

More Blocks - 4 more to go!

I've only got 4 more blocks to make before I finish my 25 block sampler! Here's the latest additions I made today -
Louisiana

Maple Star

Cake Stand

Indian Star

Pussy in the Corner (made this last time)

Monday, February 23, 2009

Another Block and Sashings!

I made Yankee Puzzle tonight. I messed up when I stitched it together and had to "unsew" and re-do it. Because of that I only made it through one block tonight, but I did add sashings and cornerstones to my "bad" block from yesterday to test it out. I loved the way it looked framed. I chose a tan colored sashing with little chickens on it, and the cornerstones are red bandana print. It looked great and really put a fire into me to finish the last 6 or so blocks (maybe 11, depending on whether it will be 4x5 or 5x5) to get this sucker put together. My very first quilt almost done!
I think next I'll be making a lap-sized log cabin quilt for my mom. It will likely be a scrappy tan and black pattern since we both like that combination of colors. I'm also signed up for the Irish Chain class, but if nobody else signs up they'll have to cancel it and credit me for the class fee. Hope not.

New blocks

I made two blocks last night, one went really well, one went very not so well. The first one I made was supposed to be a 12 1/2" block, which I planned to rework to make it a 12" block like the rest of my sampler. Turned out to be much more difficult than I expected. I will be 'pointless' when the block is sewn into a quilt. ohhh well.
My bad block
My second block went muuuch better. The block was perfect! All my points were there, and everything lined up well.
My good block

I also made a jewel box block the time before last, but I forgot to post a photo so here it is:

Thursday, February 19, 2009

More Blocks

I'm a junkie. Nuff said. But hey, it helps me keep my mind off waiting for grad school admissions letters to come! I worked on blocks again today, and I roped my mom into visiting a quilt shop with me. She was impressed with the selection and I got a fat quarter of a cute fabric to add into my blocks. Must wash asap.
Junkie caught in action
My favorite block of the day, Return of the Swallows
Block I finished that I had started making last night when I got too tired
From yesterday, forgot to add a photo last night

Pictures

So I think I'm beginning to be a junkie. I was piecing blocks together until 10pm last night. I like the Eccentric Star block I made, but my favorite is still the Fox and Geese with Turnstile center, which I now have a photo of! I also adore the last block I was making, I believe it's called Four Corners. I was making slight changes to it, but I looove the mini American flags I've worked in. I'll post photos tonight after I finish the block today I'm sure.
Fox and Geese

Eccentric Star

Makeshift display wall with my blocks on it

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Next Class

I signed up for the upcoming Irish Chain class at Material Possessions, taught by Kathy Awender. I am excited to make it, and I have been trying to decide how I want the color scheme. I am considering batiks - perhaps a black, white, and red motif. I am probably going to attempt the double-chain. It can be done either single or double, depending on the quilter's ability level. My cousin thinks I can go ahead and try the double.
Thursday I plan to head back to my cousin's quilting studio to try and make a few of the simpler blocks I want in my sampler by myself. It will be good to gauge how well I do on a few blocks without the benefit of my cousin's one on one guidance. I'll let you know how that goes!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Three more blocks

I made three new blocks for my first quilt today. The first was churn dash originally, but I turned the triangle squares in the corner around, which apparently made it more like another block, called Shoo Fly. Then I made Crockett something, haha. Clearly I was paying more attention to the block-making than the names. Last I made Fox and Geese. It has flying geese all around, triangle squares in the corners, and I opted to put a pinwheel (6" Turnstile block) in the center instead of a solid 6" square. It is my favorite block I've made to date. I ♥ it.
The machine I'm now using, an Activa 145

 My cousin is going to sell me her travel Bernina, which is smaller than the top of the line machine she's got. She still has a featherweight for traveling so I won't cripple her, but it will certainly be 1000x better than the Kenmore I'd been using. I forgot my camera today, and left all the blocks at my cousin's quilting studio where I have my machine set up, so I'll post photos next time I go over there.

Monday, February 9, 2009

The Fall Quilt Marsh Made Me

My cousin is an award-winning quilter. When I was a little girl, she made me a beautiful pastel quilt made from Aunt Gracie fabrics, which went to my younger cousins eventually (on loan, I want it back someday when she makes one for them!). To replace it, this summer she made a gorgeous fall-colored quilt with nature motifs. I wanted to share it here since it's stunning  =)
Here's the finished product!

Check out the bird quilted into the quilt, in gold thread, by her friend Madeline!

Aren't the fabrics gorgeous, and doesn't that gold stitching just pull it all together??

Thank you Marsh!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

My First Quilt Block!

My cousin is an award-winning quilter. I have decided to try and learn from her while I'm still in California, finishing up college. I took a class at Material Possessions, in Lake Forest, CA the other night. In the class, called No Longer Clueless with Carol Madden, I make my very first quilt block, and the first thing I've ever produced on a sewing machine. 
Here are my first four blocks, starting left with the one I made in the class.

It's a pretty pitiful block, and I screwed up in a few places, but I was so proud of myself. 
The second block I ever made!

The next day, I met my cousin at her quilting studio and she helped me repeat the process and make another block. With her one-on-one attention, the block was 100x better than my first attempt. Then I made another, and another.
The third.

I am hooked! I love the fabrics and deciding how they'll go, then changing you mind the minute the pieces start to come together. What a relaxing, creative hobby!
The fourth.

I'm going to make my blocks into a sampler quilt (I won't be including my first block in that quilt, too crooked!) and depending on the size, I'll either try and learn to machine quilt it together or send it to someone who will do a quick and dirty cheap quilting for me. It's my first quilt, made with cheap fabrics so I could practice, and I don't want to spend too much money on getting it sandwiched together. I'll save that for a better one =)