Anna's Flower Garden

It's done and boy am I glad for that.   It turned out really cute but it was a LOT of work.  At one point, I really asked myself why I thought this was a good idea.  That was when I was about 3/4 of the way through putting the hexagons together and TIRED of them.  But I finished it.

With each completed project, I take some time to think about what worked and what didn't.  What I'd do differently, etc.  In this instance, I will readily tell you that it was my first and last "Flower Garden" quilt.  In person, it is really awesome to look at and feel.  But the piecing grew boring and tedious.  And even with an open-toe walking foot, it was hit or miss if the seams would end in the right spot.  As a result, I quilted it heavily so it won't decide to come undone with regular use.   I am finding that there are some projects where I really like the piecing but not the quilting and others work the opposite.  I didn't mind the quilting on this but it would have been better with the regular cotton batting I generally use.  However, I figured it would hide the "issues" I did not fix in the quilt top.  It mostly did.   I don't use extra puffy batting again though. 

After several quilting projects done, I am finding that I really enjoy piecing and quilting "art" quilts and I have one well under way currently.

Nearly There

This is "Anna's Flower Garden."

I dare say this quilt has been my nemesis.  One of those "seemed like a good idea at the time."  Hexagons, ugh!  Putting the individual flowers together was fine.  But putting them all together was tedious!  And they did not come together without issue.  Most of those issues I did not fix.  I thought I'd quilt them out by using a super puffy batting and for the most part, that has worked to hide the imperfections well.  But I hate the puffy batting.  Mainly because of my tiny harp space in which to work with it.  And once quilted, it is very stiff under the arm of the machine.  This won't be an issue in everyday use for for quilting, it is a PITA! 

But as my husband says, this quilt is really adorable and awesome.  I am just thankful it is not huge like my past quilts have been.  And I will be really grateful when the quilting is done.  That part I am enjoying when the batting co-operates.  At any rate, my daughter hasn't seen this at all so it will be a complete surprise.  We have been working to really deep clean and reorganize her room this past weekend.  I was planning to save this quilt to give her for her birthday in late February but now I am thinking I will give it to her when her room is completely finished.   She has been working very hard to clean out and has been a good sport about all the things that went to the garbage.  So this will be a special treat I think.  And I'll just be glad to get it done!

Masters of the Undersea

This is the quilt I made for my 16 year old son for Christmas. 

 

 

 

 

My son has been really interested in the quilting process from the start of my quilting journey.  He begged me to give him "Traveling Stars."  I told him I'd make one specifically for him for Christmas.  He loves all things camo and orange.  The fish entered the picture when his previous store bought quilt with a fishing theme ended up in so many tatters that he packed it away for "memories."  I wanted to make him something that would, in a way, bring that quilt back to life.  This did.  He loves it.  I really enjoyed making it. 

The quilt top only took seven days to piece but the quilting took a month.  I see that as tons of practice and this quilt really put my free motion quilting into a new and better place.

Done

Monsoon = done

Star Canvass = done

 

 

 

Now, on to Anna's Flower Garden, pieced and ready to baste.  Photos coming soon.

Monsoon

My son recently took an art class in high school.  He does not consider himself artistic in any way.  The projects required did not seem appropriate for a beginning art class at all which only added to his dismay.  One of the first projects was painting a still life.    He was really concerned about his ability to paint anything realistic so I suggested we sit down at the table together and just do a practice project and see where it took us.  This is what he came up with.

While this was not what the teacher had in mind for a still life, I really loved it.  It is probably the only painting my son will ever create.   As it was a warm-up project, we did not use good paper and thus it has already curled at the edges.   I did scan it into a computer folder for safe-keeping, however, I really wanted to have a lasting impression of this so I decided to make it into a quilted wall hanging.  Here is what I came up with.

Monsoon

This is my first quilted project inspired by art.  The rust, turquoise, and maroon/gray fabrics are from my hand-dyed hemp stash.  Remnants of other projects put into good use.   The rust and turquoise fabrics are hemp jerseys which I was a bit reluctant to use but once fused, they were quite a nice surprise.  They really puffed up well with quilting and there were no issues with stretch at all.  I have several other hand-dyed jerseys in my stash and after doing this little trial project, I am pondering a much larger one.

All that is left to do with "Monsoon" is to add binding and a hanger.  I already have a place picked out to display it.

You might be wondering what my son thinks of it.  First, he was astounded that I liked this picture so much that I'd even want to recreate it.  And second, he LOVES it.   Perhaps it will inspire him to paint something else.

This post is linked up with Freshly Pieced Modern Quilts WIP Wednesday.

Steady Progress

My "Star Canvass" quilt is coming along nicely.

I finished another flower yesterday.  Just three more to go.

I joined Christina Cameli's Craftsy class and am loving it.  I did not realize she was a midwife until joining the class but I recognize and appreciate the gentleness of spirit that she has.  I have the utmost respect for midwives and have found them to have that very same gentleness - I chose to have each of my four babies at home in the bathtub with my beloved midwife, Toni Erickson.  Sadly, Toni has passed on.  

Anyway, I have been pondering what to do with some of the blocks in this quilt and now I know.

The inner square is a paisley design I learned from Leah Day's Free Motion Project.  The outer design is asterisk string that I learned in Christina's class.  It works really well with the overall South West feel of this quilt.  And it is easy and fast to stitch.   The only thing left to decide is how to finish the stars.  I have some ideas on that but nothing solid.

I got a new lamp to sew with yesterday and am really happy with the lighting it provides.

The large silver lamp is the Tertial work lamp from Ikea.  It is perfect.  I had another clamp on work light but it was really old when I got it and it died.   Between the smaller lamp in the back and the Tertial lamp on the side, I can make shadows and light work well for seeing stitching.  I am excited to experiment more with lighting today as I continue to stitch on "Star Canvass."

Working on "Star Canvass"

With a few large quilts under my belt and several smaller projects, I decided to make a wall hanging to go with "Interlude" that would give me a canvass to practice more free motion.  This is what I came up with.

I have already worked through all the aqua/rust colored squares with a paisley design.

Currently I am working through the large white squares with a floral design.

There are ten white squares.  I am done with 6, working on the 7th.

Flower done, pebbling comes next.

I am liking the look so far.  Several months ago, I did not think I could even make any object that would be recognizable in free motion.   With each quilting project done, I step back and ask myself what worked, what did not.  What would make the process better, easier, and more enjoyable?  And ultimately, what can I quilt.  What can "I" quilt that will look decent.  Even good?  Perhaps great?  I am finding that busy fabrics are not my friend.  I need to free motion with a contrasting thread in order to see what I am doing.  I didn't use contrasting threads at first because I wanted to hide all the ugly stitching.  But with several large projects finished, I have been feeling much bolder.  And as I look at "Star Canvass," I think, "This is where I am at right now.  This is what I can do."  And it is SO MUCH MORE than what I could do even last month so I am happy.  Is there room for improvement?  Yes, definitely.  But I am enjoying the process.

My husband says the stitching looks awesome!  But then he has said that all along.  Even from the beginning.  I called him out for being too nice.  I said, "Tell me the truth."  He said it was the truth.  On this project, he did say that it was far and away my best work.  I accept that.

I keep thinking all these projects are just practice for that great quilt I will make one day.  And I have some pretty good ideas of what that great quilt will look like.