DONE!!!!

What was I thinking?  My first finish challenge ever and I pick a quilt top that's not even done.  (See just how undone it was here: January Goal

Oh, and it's frickin' TAX season.

OK - I was an adult and I DID prepare all my tax forms first.

And then I FINISHED THE QUILT!!!!

Just now.

With minutes to spare.

The Front

The Quilting

And check out that sexy border!!

 No time to format or elaborate.  I gotta figure out how to link this to the finish page!

a demain!

sash

Book Anticipation!

I'm in a bit of a literary dither right now.

And also THIS!!

THIS!!!

 And - oh yeah - THIS!!!

This Star Won't Go Out 
 (not easy to photograph your own right hand)

OK - I'll calm down a little,
but my Nerdfighter heart is
pretty darn full right now.











dftba
sash

Going Modern

Mondays seem so much better if there is a little bit of sunshine & the mailman brings NEW FABRIC!!!

Check out this BEAUTIFUL bundle of solids from Kaffe Fassett.

The texture is so rich and deep.  LOVE this fabric.  This is the dark fat quarter set - 34 different colors!  There is also a light set.  What a great line.

Anyway, I will be taking this bundle to Fabric Depot to pick out a coordinating white (gotta hunt for something with a weight and texture to match the shot cloth).  Then the fabric is destined for this quilt: Solid - Wedge - Star. 

Full disclosure here - I'm not going to use the technique in the video.  I adore Jenny from Missouri Star, but her assembly on this one really misses the boat.  Oh - we'll match up through the HST's, but then she uses a layer cake and wedge template to make the white parts.  So cutting around the template, ironing in 1/2, line up, sew, trim.  And you get 2 little angle bits from a 10x10" square?  That's too complex & pretty high waste ratio to me.

I'll try to remember to take pictures as I go but, basically, I'll be using 4" strips of white.  I'll iron the HST triangle to get my sewing line, use the diagonal of my HST to line up the strip.  After trimming the 1/4" seam allowance (with my add-a-quarter ruler and a piece of cardboard), the rest of the white strip gets flipped around onto the next square.  (Seriously - watch that video about 3:30 in.)

I know.  Show you the pictures.  OK.  Drawings and pictures in a future post - I promise.

Another fun thing?  I put this into EQ7 - to figure out overall dimensions and yardage for the borders.  As I flipped the sub blocks around to make the stars, there were several other cool patterns you can make from the same technique.  In particular, a cool check mark effect that would be neat as a monochromatic.

I'm glad I've committed to finishing the quilt for KT by the end of January.  Otherwise I'm pretty sure this fabric would be on the cutting block tonight!!

- sash

Official Type Linky Thing

How's THAT for a technical title?


If it worked, then this is my first project in  A Lovely Year Of Finishes.


I've already blogged (in mysterious black & white) about this quilt.  Sadly, it was another wrapped UFO.  KT had to squint & imagine her completed quilt.  I am determined that it will be finished while it's still chilly enough for quilts, so it's the perfect project for my January finish.

Serenade Herringbone for KT

The piecing - once I reworked the traditional friendship block so that my mathematically compulsive brain wouldn't explode - went together smoothly.  Pressing & squaring after ever strip kept it even & I'm pleased with the way the colors look in the panels.  If I'd just added another border I could have stuck the landing & at least had the thing sandwiched for Christmas.

But then I was doodling in church - as I often do - & starting drawing wiggly, organic, vine like things around the edge of a herringbone scribble.  Hmmm.  That would look cool.  I wonder if I could do that??

Well - yes.  I can do it.  Not quickly, however.  Piecing the first side there took a long time.

One Improv Pieced Curvy Organic Border

Serious trial and error.  The others will be smoother, but on Christmas Eve I decided to attach ONE border instead of sewing more.  Slapped a bow on it about 11:30 - just before Santa arrived.

So my goal for this project in January is:

• Finish piecing the curvy border thingy
• Attach the borders
• Sandwich (backing of grey/green textured minky:
• Quilt (using my Pfaff Ambition & grey Presencia thread)
• Bind (Black?  Brown?)
• Label (Maybe the quilt-diva's embroidery machine will be back in service by then?)

Slam dunk, right?

- sash

2014. Wow.

I have 13 more minutes to say "Hello 2014!"

2013 ended with a sniffle & a cough, but I'm cautiously optimistic about the year ahead.  Or maybe that's the cold meds talking.

High fever and low energy lead to a stack & whack project (You can only play so many hours of Minecraft - even on Nyquil).  Here's the photo with the blocks laid out.

I just finished assembly tonight & cut a border of chocolate brown.  It's busy, but it shows off the Acacia fabric that I LOVE so much.  This was one layer cake & there is a tutorial by Missouri Star Quilt.  I want to make several laps quilts to scatter around the house.  Fun patterns, low pressure, bright color - little bits of warmth for the family to enjoy.

KT loved her quilt top - even having to imagine the rest of the border.

The pillowcases were a success.

And I ventured out to the Fabric Depot sale.  Probably not a great move in getting over the chest cold, but all the Christmas prints were at 50%.  I didn't need any more penguins or snowmen, but many holiday lines have complementary fabrics without holiday motifs.  I got some beautiful jewels tone prints & beautiful swirled solids.

Oops - I've run over my 13 minutes.  Enough looking back - it's time for goals & planning & resolutions, right?  Well, I don't know about that, but I've enjoyed following a couple blogs this year and their "Lovely Year of Finishes".  So here's my first goal for 2014.  I will participate in the 2014 Lovely Year of Finishes.  That means posting here and linking up...somewhere... at the beginning and end of each month.  Setting one project as a goal, finishing that project, and posting it.

So sewing, finishing projects, blogging... all good things, right?

Here's the link to check it out.  I'll take a photo of KT's quilt & that will be my January goal.  Borders, sandwiched, quilted, & bound by the end of January.

I'm tempted to go start now - but I think getting more sleep is another goal for 2014 so the borders will have to wait until tomorrow.

A demain,

sash