Sweet Dreams - V Blocks

     

     With 148 V blocks to make, I needed to be able to pick up my pace.  I only got 40 made on the first day.  The pattern has templates to use to make the blocks.  Most patterns do.  That spells wonky disaster in my book.  I was grateful that in the last quilting class I took, we were provided with our fee Deb Tucker's V Block ruler.   I cannot imagine making 148 blocks without it!

     The directions are simple.  The ruler provides lines to cut the middle triangle and the sides.  For a 3.5 inch block (3 inch) finished, you cut a strip 4" wide.  That gives plenty of room for trimming up without wasting fabric.  And it makes a PERFECT block.

     Since I had starched the fabric with straight starch, it was easy to finger press after the first side was stitched without having to go to the ironing board. Then I added the second side, finger pressed and ended with a touch up from the iron.

     After stitching the sides, the lines on the ruler are easy to see.  First cut comes from this side.

Flip the block over and easy to use lines are on the other side.


Result - perfect block.
Perfectly squared.
Perfect 1/4 seam at the top.

Aren't these luscious looking?  Stacked in groups of 4.

Sweet Dreams, End of Day One

     This quilt needs 60 degree blocks, half square triangle blocks, 3.5 inch squares and 4 patch.  Since each block will be 3 inches finished, I need 3.5 inch blocks.  
     So from the 10 inch squares, I cut 2 - 4 inch strips and 1 - 2 inch strip.  I get bored easily, so decided to make 3 kinds of blocks from each layer cake.

     By the end of the day, this is all I have.  I think I will have to change my strategy tomorrow.  I will need 148 half square triangles, 148 60 degree blocks, and even more 4 patches. 

Sweet Dreams

     "No one has ever made a quilt for me."   We were discussing a quilt I had made for my son in law when my daughter in law said that.  My daughter in law is dear to me.  I have made a quilt for my son ( a Quilt of Valor as he is a combat infantry marine veteran) and my grandbaby (her daughter) and even my daughter in law's mother (a What Cancer Cannot Do panel quilt during her radiation treatments).  I was a little surprised since she is a quilter herself.  I have learned from experience, you don't make Italian food for real Italians.  So I was not sure a quilter would want a quilt made by someone else.  But I was glad to know it.  Of course, it is time for me to make one for her.  With her birthday coming up in February, this is the perfect time.
     Since my daughter in law is a quilter, I knew her quilt had to be extra special.  I have been doing a lot of applique lately.  But for my DIL, I decided on a challenging and complicated pieced project.  First step, always  make a pinterest board - in this case, private of course, so she would have no hints that a quilt was coming.  I have loved Shakespeare in the Park for a long time.  It is on my bucket list.  I also love Storm at Sea.  I remembered some other patterns that look like curved piecing, but it is actually an optical illusion - looked curved (which I am scared of) but is not.  I looked at patterns called Calypso, kaleidoscope and others.  I found 3 patterns that are very similar I was drawn to for this project - one called Emily's wedding quilt,  another called  Aunt Gracie's Garden Quilt, and finally Missouri Star Quilt Company has a tutorial on it.  It is actually 2 blocks put together that look totally different when placed together.  I did not like the edges having incomplete blocks, so I found a pattern just like I wanted called Sweet Dreams in a book of red and white quilt patterns by Martingale Press.  Sweet Dreams, perfect name for my daughter in law's new quilt!

     Emily's Wedding Quilt
     Aunt Gracie's Garden Quilt
     Missouri Star Quilt Company Version
     Sweet Dreams by Lissa Alexander  

     So pattern decided upon!  Then on to fabric choice.
    Several weeks ago, knowing it could come in handy in the future, I had sent a link to Shannon Brinkley's color style quiz to my daughter and DIL.  I wanted to see what color schemes they are most drawn to.  How helpful is that to know!   You can take the quiz here:    Shannon Brinkley's Color Style Quiz
     Both girls came up as "spring" while I fell evenly between spring and winter which are basically the same, just winter is more intense.  White, not cream.  Clear colors, not muted.     Then I saw that Missouri Star Quilt Company's Daily Deal was a layer cake (10 inch squares) that were spring colors and perfect for DIL's quilt!   It was from Riley Blake Designs, called Hand Picked by Tammie Green.  Two layer cakes would be needed for this project.

     I spent the weekend starching and ironing fabric.  Intricate piecing is always easier to manage and more precise with highly starched fabrics.  I use straight liquid starch, not to be confused with spray starch.  I do pour it into a bottle and spray it on.  When dry, the fabric  becomes stiff like card stock.  
     Ready to begin!
   

Baby Arizona

   
  I was recently commissioned to make a baby quilt for a special baby whose name is going to be Arizona.  Her parents lived in Casa Grande, Arizona and had recently moved to Wisconsin.
     It seems the hardest part for me is deciding on a design.  Cacti are big right now, but are they right for a baby quilt?  I was told to make it whimsical.  I spent a lot of time looking at fabrics.  I texted pictures of feminine looking cacti fabrics to the customer for her opinion.  We selected a backing fabric that was light pink with cacti in aquas and pinks and grays.

     Who wants to lay their baby on top of cacti?   I remembered being in the Arizona desert and early one morning seeing a hot air balloon flying over the cacti.  This might be an idea I can go with.  So here is my original sketch that I shared with my customer.  She liked it.

My original sketch of an idea.

     Now to make it a reality.  I went to another fabric store with my backing fabric.  The backing fabric actually caused a problem for me.  The greens were more of an blue green.  Most regular greens I looked at for the cacti clashed with the colors in the backing fabric.  I eventually decided on a triangular print that I thought blended well and would give texture to the cacti.  Then mountain fabrics and sky fabrics were selected.  Desert browns and tans did not go with the backing fabric either.  Since gray is the new neutral, I found grays that would work well as desert floor and mountain - I look for fabrics that will give a shadow and texture effect.  

     Remembering the "rule of thirds"  I began to lay out the proportions for the quilt.

     I stitched the floor of the desert to the sky as a beginning point.  I wanted to match the shape of Picacho Peak for the mountain.  I had visited this area and knew the parents to be had climbed this peak several times.   If I did it just right, they should recognize it.

     I tried freehanding it and could not make it look just right.  Finally, I downloaded the picture to a word document, kept zooming in until the peak section filled the page and printed it.  Then I could trace it onto the fabric.

     The response from the customer when she finally saw the quilt was, "You nailed Picacho Peak."  Just the response I hoped for!

     I used Misty Fuse for the applique.  Shannon Brinkley is the one who turned me on to Misty Fuse.  It leaves the fabric with a natural, not stiffer feel.  I keep all my scraps with Misty Fused backing in a separate container to use on other applique projects.  I also learned from Shannon to use a stabilizer behind the applique when I zigzag the raw edges.  It prevents "tunneling" which if you have ever seen it will know exactly what I mean.  I used a tear away stabilizer behind the edges.

     On to the foreground.  Using some of the backing fabric, I ironed a lightweight interfacing and cut out some of the cacti.  I then raw edge stitched them to the foreground.  Googling suguaro silouettes  I printed outlines changing the sizes.  Using a technique I learned from Bee in My Bonnet's Lori Holt, I stitched around the outline of the suguaro to the same lightweight interfacing bumpy side to right side.  Then I cut a slash in the interfacing, turned it, evened out the edges and pressed it onto the foreground.  I used an applique stitch to attach that gives a hand turned look.

     I decided on 3 balloons in different sizes to give them a look of differing distances.  Each would have one of the baby's names, first, middle and last.  I cut out wrapping paper in order to try out the sizes and placement I wanted.

Wrapping paper to decided on sizes and placement of the hot air balloons.

     Now to the fun part.  Decorating the balloons.  Going through my bin of Misty Fused fabrics I selected fun and bright colors to make each balloon special.  While I had problems choosing fabrics to blend with my backing fabric for the desert, cacti and mountains, I had no compulsions about making the balloons coordinate as balloons flying over the desert are multicolored and beautiful.  To add more whimsy, color and fun, I added pennant banners flying from each balloon.

     When it came time to quilt the quilt, I added desert animal outlines in quilting which represent camouflaged animals.  There are snakes, lizards, foxes, horses, tortoises and other animals.  The sky was quilted with whimsical curls to add to the fun.

     The binding was a fun black and white polka dot.  

     The customer was quite pleased with how it turned and the new parents were excited and happy with the quilt honoring their new baby.

      

Baby Arizona enjoying her quilt.

  

2019 Reading Challenge

Welcome 2019!

The beginning of a new year is always a great time to take stock of your life and what is going on, what you want to accomplish, how you want to change.  I don't necessarily do resolutions, but I will set goals.

One goal I like to keep track of is reading.  I always have a book I am reading, but often fail to keep the list of what I have read.

This year I am challenging my family to use Tim Challies Reading Challenge.  

https://www.challies.com/resources/the-2019-christian-reading-challenge/

I like Tim's list because it keeps me from reading the same type of books over and over again.  His is a list for Christians, but there are plenty of categories that do not fall into a Christian category.

I have finished already a book recommended by a friend, Kristin Hannah's The Great Alone.

Next I have started a book I picked up at a thrift store over a year ago, a biography by Dan Kurzman, Ben-Gurion, Prophet of Fire.  I have always been interested in the history of modern Israel.  This is a physical book.  I normally read a digital book and love audio books while sewing or walking.  I found this article interesting in promoting physical books. 

https://www.epm.org/blog/2019/Jan/4/make-reading-priority?fbclid=IwAR2EErRHWBD6_6bQLySM40V-yzsfsME1V-3F8BZUJTozZ6LaehXEOG17ZxE

So begins my year long reading goals.  Of course, I also have sewing goals, fitness goals, relational goals.

What are your goals for the new year?

So Blessed

Just before bed tonight Google sent me a "one year ago" in photos reminder.  It was pictures of my dear sweet man and I celebrating our anniversary in Key West and snorkeling at Dry Tortugas National Park, a truly spectacular place.  Then I crawled into my plastic mattress cot that is a little too short and a little too narrow to spend the night with my mom on day 14 of her hospital stay.  I felt a little sorry for myself.  Then I decided to consider what all had transpired since those Dry Tortugas photos were made.

We lived in Palm City, Florida.  We had a condo I really liked with a pool I loved.  One of my favorite nieces spent 2 or 3 weeks with us before we left.
  
In August we were able to visit my parents in Alabama and our daughter in Arizona. That trip included hiking in Sedona and Kartchner Caverns.

In September we moved to North Augusta, South Carolina.  While there we were able to get to know Augusta, Georgia a bit; spend 3 days in Savannah, Georgia; 2 days in Charleston, South Carolina; and tour the Biltmore House decorated for Christmas.

In October took a road trip with my youngest son from Alabama to upper Michigan for a special wedding. Then a trip to Indianapolis for granddaughter's first birthday.

In November we went to the SEC Championship football game in Atlanta.

We left North Augusta at the end of January for a 3 month sabbatical for my husband.  In those 3 months we spent quality time with my 88 and 84 year old parents;  spent 3 weeks helping our pregnant daughter get her house in Arizona ready to sale while her husband had to be out of town on business, go to Rocky Point, Mexico with her and her husband, help them move to Colorado and set up their new home.  We were able to go to Indianapolis for a week and visit son, daughter in law, and precious grandbaby.  Spent many good evenings playing Rook and Sequence with my brother and sister in law.

In May my husband started his new year long job just outside of Atlanta.  As our apartment was not available till June 1st, I stayed with my parents AND took a 10 day trip to Spain with my daughter and friend.

Since last year, I have been able to design and finish some of the most complicated quilts I have done, moving from just pieced quilts to learning how to applique.

I moved on June 1 but also helped plan, coordinate, hostess and complete an awesome weekend with a surprise baby shower for my daughter last weekend.  Friends from several states flew in and she was completely shocked and overwhelmed.  All this while my mom was in the hospital with serious issues. 

So as I lay on my cot and looked over what has transpired over the past year, how can I feel low?  My mom is the one sick, not me.  She seemed to turn the corner this afternoon and I see some improvement.  

So I lay on my cot and feel deeply and profoundly blessed.   When I consider these things, my discouragement turns to joy.  I can hardly believe all I have been allowed to do this past year.

This was a stretch for me but cheered on by sister in law.

Quilt for Granddaughter #2

Beary Special Quilt

The famous bull fighting ring in Sevilla

View of the Alhambra from Granada

Theater in Sevilla

 

Special order quilt for former Georgia football player baby

Most ambitious applique project yet.

Visit to Charleston

Lovely Savannah, Georgia in September

Packing for Spain

     How exciting that I am traveling to Spain with my daughter and a friend of hers.  How exciting that I have grown children who still like to hang out with me!
     Days ago I decided on what clothes to take, shoes, and did my final shopping.  I had a whole pharmacy of any medicines that could possibly be needed.  As my hair can get dry and frizzy, I am particular about shampoo.  As my skin is dry, I am particular about body wash and lotion.  As I find it difficult sleeping on different pillows each night, I planned to take my own pillow.  When I did my final shopping trip, I discovered I had turned into my husband and bought snacks to avoid food emergencies. THEN, I discovered "the girls" are only taking a carry on for 10 days in Spain.  Actually, daughter is joining her husband in Paris when we leave Spain and will be traveling Europe for 35 days with only a carry on.
     We will be taking one Ryanair flight while in Spain.  Checking their website to see the price for a check in, I decided I could buy a lot of shampoo and lotion for 40 Euros.  I had already paid for a checked bag on my flights to and from Spain, but American will give a refund for baggage fees.
     Time for a major reshuffle of my packing.
     As for clothes, I had the black ensembles, navy ensembles and khaki ensembles.  Black got thrown out as that saves packing another pair of shoes.  Medications - each woman for herself, only melatonin and aspirin.  One quart size bag will be filled with as much shampoo and conditioner as I can get into it.  Ditch extra underwear and socks.  I will certainly miss my own pillow at night.  
     Still trying to decide how to make sure my Nutter Butters make the flight.