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-

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-

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 

in the Texas Quilt Museums collection.

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-

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-