Evening in the Garden Quilts

Adventures in Fabric Art

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WIP Wednesday: Some Blocks

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Yesterday I made eight blocks for Kat’s May block drive for Covered in Love, and today I got them in the mail.

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Today I did some cutting for the Twilters! block exchange, and put together a test block.  Easy and fun, and it turned out pretty.  I’m making a lot of these, so there’s a lot more cutting and some chain piecing in my future!  (I did find the fabrics I was looking for for this project, thank goodness, but I decided to use this packet of bright floral remnants instead.)

What are you working on?


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Coral and Aqua Finish

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Yesterday I finished this baby quilt.  It’s 39″ square, with 7″ blocks.

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The part I enjoyed most was quilting the roses free-hand (or free range!) in the solid blocks.  Roses are all different, and can’t be “wrong”, can they?

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I also liked the tiny chevrons I used for the binding.

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We think it’s a success.

Hope you have some great finishes.


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Sunday Stash Report: 4/24/16

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Nothing in and nothing out this week.  I did sew a little every day, though.  I put a few rows of Scrappy Stars Around the Corner together, and the sashing really changes the look (compare here).

This week:  + 0 yards,  – 0 yards
This year: + 47.5 yards,  – 67.5 yards
Net destashed in 2016:  20.00 yards

Hope you’re making progress using your stash.
I’m linking up to the Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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WIP Wednesday: The “Fly” Fabric

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Today I finished Clue 4 in the Scrappy Stars Around the Corner mystery quilt.  I like the way they turned out.

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Here are the blocks laid out without any sashing.  The Snow sashing will lighten it up a lot.image

I’ve gotten questions about this very…interesting fabric that keeps popping up in my quilts.  I bought it about ten years ago, and I’ve been trying to use it up ever since.  Yes, I think those are flies.  Almost look like mosquitos.  Surely not supposed to be butterflies?image

I bought this fabric (probably at JoAnn) for my niece’s cat quilt.  (I’m sorry about these phone photos of film photos.)  I needed a “light” black, and this seemed whimsical.  I bought a couple yards because the entire background was supposed to be black.  And it looked great, design-wise.  But it made a very dark quilt for a graduation gift.  So I bought the pale green (with it’s own insects) to finish it out.  And I was left with lots of cut triangles and yardage to use up.  The best place I found to use a lot of it was the second of these Rail Fence quilts.  And maybe the last of it has ended up in SSAtC. image

Yes, this is the “Tidy Cat” on the yellow patches.  Tidy Cat briefly offered their litter in printed feed sacks about 12? 15?  years ago, so I had saved one or two and they were the genisis of this quilt.  You just never know.

Hope you’re making good progress on your projects!


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Birds in the Air

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As I take it easy to let my new knee heal, it seemed like a good time to show off an old quilt. 

The Twilters! on Facebook are holding an exchange of Birds in the Air blocks in honor of Frances’ new book, so I was reminded of this.

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I made this little quilt in 1993, inspired by Ruth McDowell’s Pattern on Pattern.  It’s all hand pieced and quilted (from back when I did that!).  It’s about 39″ square, made from 6″ blocks.

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Some blocks are like we’re making, others are split down the middle, and then color creates the shifting layers of transparency.  Gives me ideas for fancy ways to set our exchange blocks.

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And, yes, you’ll be glad to know I did have help with these photos.


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Sunday Stash and Knee Report: 4/10/16

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Yuri’s pretty confused.  There’s no sewing going on, his dad is feeding him, and the weather is not cat-friendly, to say the least.   All that should resolve itself soon, and he’ll be back to his routine.

Thanks to everyone for your good wishes for my knee surgery.  They seem to have worked, because I’m doing very well.  It’s been very painful, but I’m walking around fine, using a cane when I go out, and the physical therapist says I’m making great progress.  DH has been doing all the cooking, which is wonderful, but I’ll probably get back to that soon, too.

I’ve been very tired and haven’t felt creative at all.  I have kept up on reading blogs and groups on Facebook and Twitter.  Haven’t touched the knitting.

At least I haven’t bought any fabric (we’re not tracking sandals or workout wear, are we?) so far, so my numbers are still the same.

This week:  + 0 yards,  – 0 yards
This year: + 47.5 yards,  – 67.5 yards
Net destashed in 2016:  20.00 yards

Hope you’re sewing up your stash!


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Sunday Stash and March/April Goals

2016-03-27 10.36.54This week I didn’t buy fabric and I did use 4.25 yards for a commissioned baby quilt.

2016-03-21 15.39.12This week:  + 0 yards,  – 4.25 yards
This year: + 47.5 yards,  – 67.5 yards
Net destashed in 2016:  20.00 yards

Goals:

March Goals

  1. Complete the third clue for Charlotte’s Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.  Yes!  Right here.
  2. Make a back and donate it with the top from Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles mystery quilt.  Well, it’s not mailed yet, but I did make  buy a wide piece of backing to send with it.
  3. Clear the area behind the door in my studio.  This is mostly finished.  There is still a large photo to hang and a couple things I haven’t made decisions about yet.
  4. Make donation blocks for Kat’s March Drive.  Yes!  Here.
  5. Make some summer-themed wall hangings.  Yes!  Here.
  6. Participate in Darla’s March-A-Long, where we sew a little every day. Yes!  I’m very proud that I spent at least 15 minutes, usually much more, sewing/designing/cleaning the studio every day though March 27.

Bonus:  I made two jungle-themed baby quilts, inspired by fabric I had bought 0ver Christmas.  And I made some blocks for Alycia’s drive.

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For April, I don’t have many sewing goals.  I’m going to have a partial knee replacement on Monday, so it will be a while till I can climb up to the studio to work.  In the meantime, I got out some old knitting projects, and I’ll try to catch up all the audio and visual quilting things I usually put off.

April Goals:

  1. Complete Clue 4 for Charlotte’s Scrappy Blocks Around the Corner.
  2. Make blocks for Kat’s April Block Drive.
  3. Watch my Craftsy Classes.
  4. Catch up, more or less, on quilty podcasts.
  5. Work on knitting UFOs.

Happy Easter to everyone!  I’m linking up to the Stash Report at Patchwork Times.


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WIP Wednesday

2016-03-16 13.48.15This week I’ve been making wall hangings/ table runners.  This is finished.

2016-03-16 13.47.55And these need the binding.

IMG_2609Well, okay, I put the binding on this afternoon, and I like this photo!

What are you working on?


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Sunday Stash and February/March Goals

PicMonkey Collage2-28This week I sewed and didn’t buy, so that’s good news for stash reduction.  The Cool Colored twin quilt took 9.5 yards.

This week: + 0 yards,  – 9.5 yards
This year: +38.5 yards,  -43.5 yards
Net destashed added in 2016:  5 yards

 

February Goals

  1. Complete the second clue for Charlotte’s Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.  Yes!
  2. Continue Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles mystery quilt.  Yes!
  3. Unpack fabric lockers and get help moving them over a foot.  This will help with locker and floor access and make it easier to vacuum.  Well, no.  I did unload the lockers and attempt to move them, but they’re heavy and on carpet, so I gave up.  Instead, I moved a lamp in the way, and the roll of batting.  I also tidied up my cords, and changed the sewing machine so it wasn’t plugged into the same outlet as my iron (bad for the computer).  And I vacuumed and dusted.
  4. Find a new home for the little project bins that live under the cutting table.  Yes! There is clear floor space there.
  5. Make donation blocks for Kat’s February Challenge.  Yes!
  6. Make a quilt for my Etsy shop.  Yes, I made three!

Bonus:  I made a blue and green twin quilt to keep at home.

March Goals

  1. Complete the third clue for Charlotte’s Scrappy Stars Around the Corner.
  2. Make a back and donate it with the top from Gyleen’s Bricks, Cobblestones, and Pebbles mystery quilt.
  3. Clear the area behind the door in my studio.
  4. Make donation blocks for Kat’s March Drive.
  5. Make some summer-themed wall hangings.
  6. Participate in Darla’s March-A-Long, where we sew a little every day.

So February was a good month for goals, but it usually is.  As we creep toward spring, outside work and other activities call, and I sew a little less.  Luckily, Darla has her March-A-Long this month to encourage us to sew/prep for at least a few minutes every day, and that helps keep me going.  Hope you join in, too.

2016-02-27 11.02.35Good luck with your goals! I’m linking up to Judy’s report at Patchwork Times.


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Sunday Stash Report: 2/21/16

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One finish this week for 3.75 yards (this string baby quilt), and no new fabric.

This week: + 0 yards,  – 3.75 yards
This year: +38.5 yards,  -34 yards
Net destashed added in 2016:  3.50 yards

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This week I pulled these from my stash for a new twin quilt, and Yuri and I are working away on it.

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Hope you’re taming your stash.  I’m linking up to Judy’s report at Patchwork Times.