Bygone Baskets twin

I finished getting the Bygone Baskets quilt put together.  It looks very nice and concise.

I wonder if it needs a border or if a solid colored binding will be enough.

I got online because I thought surely someone else has finished their BOM and posted picutres.  I found the photo below and laughed as I thought, "We had the same idea!"

https://gramho.com/media/2308472648383819549

She made the quilt in different colors, of course, but she made an extra block (like I did) and put it on point (like I did).  Isn't the blue sashing pretty.  It's so fun to see it made up in different fabrics.

My hibiscus has bloomed.  I can see it from my backdoor.  Wasn't it nice that the first bloom  was pointed toward the door so I wouldn't miss it?

I bottled a batch of green beans today.  I spend over an hour just snipping off the ends.  But, I have 7 hearty quarts to put in the fruit room.  Well worth the effort.

Robin

A quilter's work is never done

I'm finally getting this quilt top layered and ready to quilt.  I think I'm going to use the floor hoop where I can turn it around as I quilt around the circles.

I'm having a hard time naming this quilt because I've come up with so many name I like.  The first one was "Absence of Heat"  but that doesn't sound right anymore.  The other names that have come to mind are  "Solace", "Stardust", and "Mellow".  Hmmmmmmm

This was a fun quilt to put together because it was so simple.  I hand appliqued the circles which was a relaxing hand project.

I used some of my favorite old 3 Sisters fabrics.  They are always so sweet - 

From Gingham Rose to Seaside Rose to  Aviary and other lines I've forgotten.  

This is the backing for the quilt.  Both of these fabrics are from the Seaside Rose line in 2002 or something.  I absolute love the one with the big roses.  I've saved it for a long time.  I didn't have enough for the whole back so I teamed up these two fabrics.  It was supposed to just be four big pieces but I accidentally cut one of them in 1/2.  I like this placement much better than my original plan.

I finished my Alletaire quilt.  It was a mystery quilt-a-long by Bonnie Hunter in 2016.  I know you've seen dozens of these online but that doesn't detract from the fact that it is a really pretty quilt  I think it's Bonnie's BEST one.

I used DMC size 8 in gold and a big stitch.  I thought it would show up a lot more than it does.

And it didn't take as much thread as I thought it would so I've got 5 more balls of gold that I need to figure out a use for.

I call it "Manistique" after a little town in the UP of Michigan.

Robin

I made another block

I haven't sewn the center of the flower down.

Well, I made another block for the Beyond Baskets quilt (see previous post.  It certainly isn't the most glamorous block I've ever made but it's done.  It took me all day.  I had to figure out what fabrics I had big enough pieces of and then I had to figure out which fabrics to use in which position and what fabrics had already been used in the blocks that would be surrounding it.  

Have I totally confused you?

It probably took me 2 hours to just figure all that out because I kept going back and forth on placement.

The fabrics are from a line by Paula Barnes called Hill Country Heritage.  I was able to find a green piece of fabric for the grass in the basket in my stash by Paula Barnes so it's different than the rest but it goes just fine and doesn't detract.

Above are all the blocks with sashing  between.  The new block is left on the second row from the top.

This shows using the black stripe at the top as side setting triangles.  It looks too dark to me.  (And my carpet makes everything look weird)

This picture shows light side setting triangles (which I like much better ) and extending the sashing out next to the triangles. This will give me some light spaces to do some nice quilting.   I haven't sewn anything down, I'm just trying to get an idea of what the differences are and what I prefer.

And this picture shows another option with colorful cornerstones between the sashing.  I actually think the cornerstones are too distracting.  I wish my pictures were brighter but I was taking them in the basement (which is delightfully cool in spite of the heat).

Well, what do you think?  I enjoyed your input so much from my last post and it motivated me to get busy.

I don't think I would have regretted not making another block and just finishing this quilt off like the pattern.  But, I really do think this on point setting is a better choice.  It will measure approx. 72" sq.

I just realized I have the two multi-colored baskets next to each other - shoot!

Robin

Temecula BOM

I have been sewing along with Temecula Quilt Co. BOM called "Beyond Baskets".  It started in January and I was sent enough fabric and a pattern to make 2 basket blocks each month for 6 months.  I just finished the 12th block today.

Here are some of the blocks close up.  This block above was supposed to have a spiked flower but I thought the quilt needed some tulips.

These little hexagon pieces are one inch across.  The pattern came with a template and I had to piece them by hand.  There was also a tiny template for the stars (pictured in the block in the middle below).

Below is a picture what the quilt is supposed to look like when it's finished.

But, I like my baskets upright instead of leaning to the left so I'm thinking about a different setting.

Here is a picture of the stripe for sashing and the binding.  I like the combination.  The binding really stands out (see picture of pattern).

Close-up of sashing fabric.  I thought this was going to be a 19th century quilt and this fabric looks more modern and playful.  But, it goes with the rest of the fabrics just fine.  There is some of this fabric in the basket of the block on the lower left  with the red flower.  The picture is a little dark - downstairs photography. . . 

This picture above is one setting for having the baskets upright.  But, it makes an odd sized quilt.

I like this setting much better but it would mean I would have to make another block.  Sigh~  I really want to be done.  

I have plenty of left- over fabric including the muslin background pictured with the sashing fabric.

Do I make another basket block?  It would mean my geometry skills would have to come into play figuring out setting triangles and estimated fabric.  

Do I put the sashing between the blocks on point?  

What other fabric do I have that would go with the rest?  

OR . . . do I just go ahead and finish it like the original pattern and then I can go on to something else I want to make?

I think I'll go take my morning shower  and leave these world shattering decisions for later.

Robin

Hourglass marathon

I originally went into my sewing room to just follow my muse.  I felt like some carefree sewing.

I picked up the HSTs from a previous project. and started sewing them into hourglass units.

Then I added some sashing and orange cornerstones.   I added a small inner border out of some orange alphabet fabric to repeat the orange in the cornerstones.  It looks good but it's hardly noticeable.

I found some gold fabric I liked and put a frame around it.  I was satisfied, I hung it on the design wall and went on with other things.

  

But, the more I looked at it the more I didn't like the gold border.  So I took it off and replaced it with this weather vane fabric from a backing for my 2nd Women of Grace and Charm quilt.

It looked much better.

It was then that I decided to start making hourglass units to repeat the center and make it into a quilt.

If one row of hourglass units is good then a few more would be even better - right?

Three more rows. . . it's coming along.  I didn't realize what I was getting myself into.  Doing a quilt like this is - well, it's like adding 8 borders.  Borders aren't really my favorite thing but the starting gun had fired and I was sprinting.

I added another border of the weather vane fabric and made it as wide as one of the borders of hourglass units.

I added four more borders all the way around and then two more borders on the top and bottom to get a rectangular quilt.  

Don't you like the rocks that are helping to keep the breeze at bay.

It measures 77" X 91".  

I'm going to tie it and I'll have a great camp quilt.

One thing I know, I won't be making another hourglass quilt.  I had to trim to size all 560 units and even then the corners are very iffy.  The trimming took hours and hours.

The bonus is using up all those scraps - yippee!!!

Robin

 

Hourglass prompt

When the prompt was given to make something using the hourglass block this quilt came to mind.  Isn't it fabulous?  I've saved this picture for years and it looks like it would be so fun to make and think of all the scraps it would use up.

By Niftyquilts.blogspot.com  

It was on pinterest. . . 

But, every time I examined the picture to figure out how to put it together I got a little discouraged.  I knew I would have fun making the top but I didn't think it would be very fun to hand quilt (which is what I do).  

I also thought that none of my kids would want it - they aren't really in to improv  or non-distinguishable patterns or wonky blocks.

In fact my oldest son sent me a picture over the weekend of a quilt they were using to block the sun at a window (they were at his in-laws and wanted to sleep in).  He asked me what the pattern was and why it was a little off.  

It was determined that it wasn't a handmade quilt so the workmanship wasn't exacting and the fabrics had probably shrunk differently when washed.

He said, "I'm used to your quilts, I've turned into a quilt snob!"

I think that was a compliment?

Robin