Thursday, September 24, 2015

Stop! Those Waves Are Making Me Sea Sick!

 It was time.
My leaders and Enders project
had become an endless ordeal.

I had started this in December, 2011.

It is one of Bonnie Hunter's free pattern , Ocean Waves,
on her website, Quiltville.

I knew I'd never make it as big as her quilt
with 5,884 pieces.

I just wanted to make another red and white quilt so
I  cut tons of reds and creams

into strips,

used Thangles,

 and began using them
as the leaders and enders to 
 multiple, multiple projects
over the last 4 years.

Occasionally, 
I'd sew a few blocks together.
But lately,
the idea of making more and more
half square triangles just became oppressive.
It was time to stop.

I laid out what I'd made so far.
I was actually pleasantly surprised
at what I had completed.

I decided to make the quilt a square
using 9 blocks x 9 blocks.

 so that all 4 corners would be the same.

That meant sewing only a few more blocks
from the hundreds of half square triangles 
I had in reserve.

Using the Thangles,
despite having to have remove the paper,
made very exact HS Triangles.
Toss in my sewing
and the blocks matched up pretty well.

Even after the center was done
there were still lots of pieces to use up.

The pieced border was perfect
along with the scrappy inside and
outer borders.

 My endless ocean waves
75" x 75"

aren't rocking my boat any longer.

Everything's calm now, thank goodness, and
the quilt is just waiting it's turn 
to be machine quilted.
I feel much better.

Until Next Time-

Thursday, September 17, 2015

A Taste Of the Highlands

Exploring different cultures
usually involves long distance traveling,
airline hassles, and time zone adjustments,
but this weekend it was only a 30 mile
drive up the Big Thompson canyon
to Estes Park,

the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park
which is celebrating it's 100th year anniversary.

This past weekend we enjoyed the 
Long's Peak
Scottish Irish Festival.

Click  to
enjoy some of the music from
The Elders.
Bet you can't keep your feet still.




I'm not too familiar with Scottish History
other than from Braveheart
so it was very interesting to 
investigate different clans and
their tartans,

the strong man challenge,

light armor jousting,

and heavy armor jousting. 

Of course, one way to enjoy a different culture
is through the food.

 No, I didn't try it.

But instead enjoyed a Scottish Meat Pie
and Ale.

There was
 
 dancing,

dulcimers,

dogs,

pipes,

and kilts


One guy's t-shirt read:
Yes, this is a kilt,
If I were wearing something underneath,
it would be a skirt!

We had a fun highlands experience,
but exploring the real Scotland

 is still on my bucket list.

(So, are your feet still tapping?)


Until Next Time-

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Baskets of Stars

Back in May I purchased a kit
designed by Moda.
I'm generally not a kit buyer,
but this one just spoke to me.
It is one of the
"Collection for a Cause"
Mill Book Series
Circa 1892

This particular quilt is
supporting the cause...
The Texas Quilt Museum.

I always hope that with each new
project there's at least one new idea or technique
that I can learn and

add to my tool belt.

This pattern had an accurate and different way to
applique the basket handles.


Two basket handles were
included in this oval shape.
It made for easier and
accurate placement on the background pieces.

I appliqued it as usual, but
knotted at the beginning and ending
of each handle individually.

The seam allowance was included in the oval shape
so when the square was cut in half
to yield 2 basket handles

there was adequate seams to
attach it to the pieced basket.
The knots prevented the handles from
coming unstitched.


The pattern is available here.

It's easy and doable.
It was inspired by this quilt 

There's some applique,

some piecing,

 but no borders.

The baskets alternating with the appliqued stars
are set square, not on point, but
they actually create the look

 of a diagonal set.


Basket of Stars was fun to reproduce. 
It's a classic design and would
work up great with any reproduction
fabrics in your collection.
I love being connected to the
rich quilting history of the past,
and this pattern takes us back.

Until Next Time-

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Day by Day


  Day 1- get a package in the mail
from fatquartershop.com


Day 2- Cut and Sew two borders
and baste


Day 3- Simple Machine Quilting

 Day 4- Sew the Binding



Day 5- Time to play at Nana's

 Don't you wish every quilt was this quick!
 Until Next Time-