Black and Whites

     Because this quilt was literally finished and packaged for a quilt show, I never got to take a photo of it. But now it is back. Here is the Leymoyne Star made fabric I did last year at QBL, but just quilted on the Nolting (finally).

Detail

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Front

     Also, a woman from my guild gave me a selection of black and whites for looking at her vintage machine and offering suggestions on how to clean it up. Just super!!

Three D bugaboos

     I am not very good at making three dimensional sewn pieces. However, my son is going to have his birthday this week (33). At Christmas, he told me he wanted a cover for his amp. So I bought a nice heavy cover on ebay.

     And then he informed me he wanted a unique cover, not like this. He thought I could do something "creative" with it. It sat in my project corner until this week. Then I remembered it. I know batiks are strong fabric and I could do made fabric pieces, but I had to be careful that it does not read cutesy or forced. He plays in a band out sometimes. 
     I pulled out my boxes of green and blue batiks. I thought I could do one side in mostly blues and morph into greens over the top and down the back. The vinyl is plenty stiff, so I am not going to add batting. So, I made a huge mess of my studio and kept sewing and slicing.

Green back

Narrow side 1

Blue Side

Using the Singer 15 attempting to sew down

First sewn down side

     I have no idea how to do this. I made the fabric, then ironed a small hem, pinned it close to the binding and used a small stitch. I was going to make a freezer paper pattern, but the cover seems wonky, not straight. 
     The other issue I have to figure out is the Fender logo. It is screen printed on the vinyl, but to cut the fabric around it looks tacky, ruins the design of the fabric. If I cut the vinyl apart to put the logo on top, I compromise the structure of the cover. I traced the logo on steam a seam, and am going to try to cut out white fused fabric and zig zag it on with black thread. Oh my, can't wait for that, yikes.

It is not a quilt until it's bound- times three!

     I don't think there is any part of the quilting process that I don't like. Oh, except ripping out. Ever since I learned glue binding, it is not an issue for me. However, specific tasks like that are better done in groups because of the necessary routine and skill. So, I had two comfort quilts and one made fabric one ready for binding. I made all the binding at one time, then glued it all on the fronts, sewed all, pressed, glued to the back and then sewed all on. I think I get better at doing binding this way.  I know I just posted one of them recently, but I thought the difference a binding makes was worth another posting.

Exploding Squares

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Bright HSTs

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Improv with Made Fabric

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Improv with made fabric done but for binding!

     Last July, I took a class at Quilting by the Lake with Victoria Findlay Wolfe on using made fabric. I finally finished the quilt, but for the binding, which is cut and ready. I quilted it on the Nolting and you can see how wobbly I am. I can do straight lines. Everything else is suspect. The back also make use of the made fabric. It is about 53 x 53. Love the process. Love to sew made fabric.

Front

Detail

Back

Detail back

Vintage fabric- Japanese style!

     One of the women in my painting class, Patty, was taking a vacation to Japan. She asked if I wanted anything and I jokingly said "fabric". Today at class, Patty had a bundle of vintage fabric scraps to give me. I opened it up at home and am amazed at all the kinds of fabrics and looks. I think I have to wash it all (some silks) somehow. Then, I am thinking how to make this into an improv type quilt so I don't have to cut the fabric much. Kind a Gee's Bend thing. I think I will have to sew the fabric to a backing, because some of the fabric is real thin. I am not a handsewer, so that idea won't work for me. Hmm.

All kinds of things here

Trying a block

     It is no secret I love scraps. I love controlled wonky. So, I found an idea to start from the center and add out and around. I don't know whether to limit the size and make a bunch, or to make giant ones. As usual, wonky takes longer.

Fading Charms in focus!

      On the rainy Sunday, I finished the last round of squares and strips on this leader and ender quilt. All of the 2 1/2" squares are childrens fabric and are scraps from others and what I have collected. Pieced on the lovely and nimble Singer 301. The pattern is free from Wedding Dress Blues. I am also working on her Film at Five quilt as a leader ender.
     Since it was raining, I spread it out in the family room. Tugger (aka Mr. Trouble) appeared from nowhere and placed himself in the middle by the time I got back with the camera. How does he know the center? My husband says it is because he thinks he is the center of the universe.

Smack in the middle

     Today, I took the quilt outside and tried to photo it although it is a wee bit too big for where I photo the quilts. Hmm, have to find another spot. Don't know what kind of backing to do.

BasiX winner and fabric

    First, the winner of the BasiX template is Crickets Corner. The template is working its way through the USPS as I write. Thank you for all who took the time to write.
    Second, I bought a piece of hand dye fabric at the Genesee Valley Show from Stone Row Fabrics. I think this would be perfect for a lily pond. I don't want to use fusible on the appliqued fabric, so I need to come up with plan B.

     My outdoor garden has been doing well. The rain we got last weekend helped. Right after I took the photo above half hour ago, the sky opened up with torrential rain and I just got the photo in. It is still raining!
 

Great colors- A Kaffe fabric?

My little fish pond

At the Genesee Valley Quilt Guild Show

     Not only was I at the show on Sunday, June 7th, but so were three of my quilts. After seeing them up, I saw all their flaws and thought maybe I should not have sent them. I picked them up after the show along with sealed envelopes of judges comments. 
     I waited until this morning to read them. I should have not opened them. I never entered for recognition, just to show my ideas. I was given a bunch of minuses for piecing technique, FMQ stitches, and binding. I thought that was the decent part.  Hmm. No more judged shows or if I do, I will toss the comments on the way out of the show. Now my quilts seem less to me. I put one of them on a guest bed and it seems at home there.

Both quilts are mine

Rubik's crush

BasiX Template Giveaway

    My grandmother always used to buy kitchen gadgets when she saw demonstrations in stores or fairs. I don't think she ever used most of them or knew how to use them. She was an excellent cook and baker and so she did not really need any of them. I guess that is where I get one of my myriad of flaws.
    At quilt shows, I am a sucker for template demos. I buy them thinking it will change my quilts and make me a better quilter. At Paducah, I saw this demo of the basiX. It looked terrific. I bought it. I should have bought the Block Lock. Now, when I am looking at it I know I will not make these quilts. It is just not my style. So when Vicki announced her giveaway and a link, I will mail this to someone who:
1. Is really truly going to use it. It is for 2 1/2" strips. Look up the site www.XBlocks.com and see if it is your cup of tea.
2. Tells me one post on my blog they like. 
3. I will choose the winner randomly by number on Thursday. Make sure you are not a no reply blogger.

Unused template, just the plastic wrapper is off.

Take 2 on Flowering Snowball

    Using made fabric, I started to make blocks for the flowering snowball with white/black prints. I got 5 made and realized that it was too confusing and did not read right. So, I cut a bunch of different yellows and tried again. I have 6 done and think it is much better. I think I will stick to yellows and not introduce another color. There is too much going on with all the made fabric. 
   I was challenged by Deanna  to make 4 blocks in May and 4 in June. Well, I need to make more of the yellow before June is out. I just got the hang of it again. I don't use pins when I sew curves. I wonder if anyone would want a tutorial putting this block together at some point. I would consider a video, but I don't know how to make one. I do have a digital SLR that is supposed to have video, but I don't know how to take it or edit it.

Hands2Help Challenge in the Mail!

     Once again, I finished my participation in the Hands2Help Challenge from Sarah, Confessions of a Fabric Addict by mailing the completed quilts to Happy Chemo. I was able to mail three. Two of them were tops donated to me. I clean/tune up vintage sewing machines and just ask for donations towards making comfort quilts- whatever they want- actual fabric, batting, money for the books, etc. One woman, Kathleen, gave me two tops. A friend, Kris of Chasen Dreams, long armed them for me so I had those two to donate. Then I had bought 2 charm packs of Marcia Derse fabric from MSQC and did a HST challenge with Vicki Welsh. That was also long armed by the wonderful Kris. All three left Buffalo, NY today courtesy of USPS.
     I am linking up with Sarah to show these quilts as requested by her.

Derse HSTs

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