Grinding through the units

     The four patch HST floral quilt that I showed a block of previously has lots of component units- a 4 patch all floral, a 4 patch floral/background combo, HSTs with black and background, HSTs with black and inside light print. A lot of small unit assembly. 
     I am almost done, but for a few 4 patches and pressing some HSTs. The HST black/backgrund squares still have to be assembled into a flying goose shape. It feels like I am going in slo mo. 
     So here are the parts laid out on the pressing mat, and they fit very easily into a small box. Even though this will be a comfort quilt size, all the time and cutting used seem at odds with how little space the units take up in the box.

All in box

Thinking it through

     I so much appreciate when quilt bloggers show and explain their process of making and thinking. I learn a lot that way- adding to my bag of thinking strategies. In this quilt, Diagonal Variations, I used precut white strips from jellyrollfabric.net  (free pattern frome them). I  bought a Kaffe precut jelly roll from MSQC when it was on sale. Right away, I know I have lost some as they don't buy precuts. (I do hate pinked edges, come on, cut them straight.) My thinking is I need to find quilts my mom can help me with. She is not a quilter but can sew straight seams and wants to help and is always asking to make something. If I use precuts, I can give her something that I don't have to spend a lot of time prepping. Also, to get a selection of that many Kaffe prints, I would have to have invested in a lot of yardage. So, I wait for sales. I had my mom sew a black jelly roll version in this post  (near the bottom).
    She sewed all the strip sets into tubes for me (and she doesn't think she is a quilter). When I was at my daughter's house new baby sitting, I cut the tubes with a strip tube ruler, pressed the blocks open, and trimmed every one of them to 8 3/4" making sure the diagonal was in the center, and used lots of Magic Sizing because of all the bias. I had 68 blocks. 
    When the dust settled back home, I laid them up on the design wall thinking I could get two lap quilts out of it. My first arrangement was 7 blocks by 8 blocks. I then used the leftover blocks to make an arrangement for another quilt. The second quilt was really small. Hmm. I think the 7 x 8 was too short as I am  more convinced a comfort quilt should cover your feet when you are laying down. During my heart attack episode week in the hospital in February, there were no blankets to be had. Someone brought me a comfort quilt at home, but my feet stuck out when I laid on the couch. So, I am not making any short comfort quilts anymore.

7 by 8

Leftover blocks, maybe some sashing?

     So, I used most of the blocks and made an 8 by 8 layout. Somehow the symmetrical design was not very dynamic and lost some punch. And then there is the fact it is a big square. Maybe not for a comfort quilt.

    So, then I tried a 7 by 9. I liked the way it looked even though the sides are not symmetrical. It has some punch in the design. I used all by a couple blocks. I will use one of them for the pocket on the bag. I put painters tape numbers at the top of each column and will sew them as a web that Wanda taught me. 

    Even though the sewing is easy to make the blocks, there is a ton of trimming and careful pressing. When I get the web sewn together and pressed, I will do a row of stay stitching around the outside stretch to keep the bias in check. So that is my thinking on this diagonal variations quilt.

New twist on old place

     The shore of Lake Erie south of the city of Buffalo was extremely popular among all people early in the 20th century. The wealthy build impressive mansions- just for the summer. The rest build shacky cottages- anything to escape the summer heat of the city. Pre-air conditioning times. There is a wonderfully restored Frank Lloyd Wright designed one called Greycliff that is amazing. Just down a bit, is Sun Cliff, built in 1914. In the 40s it was sold to the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo who owned it for 70 years. They used it as a retreat house. I went there as a teenager in the early 70s. Now, it has been purchased recently by a group that is making it into a wedding place, bed and breakfast, and it has a lounge now open. 
     It was near our cottage, so we stopped in for a drink and they let you tour all the grounds and peruse the amazing first floor. There is so much potential here. An absolute fabulous place for a wedding or big party. It was very hot that day and some of my photos are washed out. I can't wait to go back. They have had some classes there also. If you are in the area, check it out and see how the wealthy lived back then.

Side view from back yard, the yellow of the house is washed out

The arbor at the back, by the lake, for weddings. Back of house in background. Pretty impressive.

Looking through the front door, down the walkway, to the arbor by the lake.

.The Lake at the end of the property. It is on a cliff above the Lake.

Looking back at the shale cliffs. Greycliff is somewhere in there.

Beautiful clouds over a blue lake.

The promenade of trees from the back of the house and veranda to the arbor and lake.

Side of house. Stained glass window transoms in room at side of house.

The steep stairs to the lake. Yikes, they had it chained off. Smart.

Tent from wedding the day before.

View from the lounge towards Old Lakeshore Road.

Needed inspiration

     I consider myself extremely blessed to be living around Buffalo, NY. The landscape, lake, sky, terrain I think are all wonderful, changing, and nearby. At the cottage in Angola, I got one good sunset in. The other night it stormed and I did not want to photo lighting over the lake and run.
    The clouds constantly changed and made openings for the sun. It was very warm, but gorgeous. If only I could turn these into sumptuous quilts.

A few moments at the beach

     My husband and I rented a cottage for a week on Lake Erie in Angola, NY. We only stayed a few days, and gave the rest the week to my son and his family as they adore the beach. The 6 and 8 year old were over the moon. While I had the cottage to myself, I used the sunporch as a studio. Bliss. Keep the beach sand for yourself. 

Great porch for sewing even though it was hot

It is all I need to work away

You wouldn't even know I was working away inside.

Experiments

      Before I left for my daughter's and baby mode, my friend Elizabeth and I experimented with discharging on solid fabrics. We used directions from Dharma and what we found on the web. We used diluted bleach in a spray bottle. I tried making a paste with cornstarch, but it liquified before very long and all I got were blobs (the rust piece). 
     We found that the solid black Elizabeth bought from the Amish in Shipshewana on a trip was the best discharge color. The leaves were ones that we preserved last fall with glycerin. We used pennies to hold down the leaves when spraying. Needless to say, we did this outdoors. The fabric was hung to dry, and then I washed it all. Big mistake- all the threads mangled up making a big ball. Lots of detangling and ironing then. These were my attempts. When I showed them at a guild meeting, some asked what we were going to use them for. I hate that question. I hope to make some art quilts out of them, but I don't know what yet. These were experiments.

Used a quilt stencil to spray through

Used a quilt stencil to spray through

Dark blue fabric, quilt stencil

Tried scribbling with paste that was dissolving

Rust fabric, blobby paste

Rust fabric. leaf outlines

Lace over rose fabric

Spray over torn cardboard edge, gave mountain look or clouds if turned upside down

Dark blue fabric

One of my favorites- a center motif

Dark green fabric

Lace over dark green fabric

Another favorite