Ready for Sashing

It really is coming along!

A Tortoise Pace

Just a quick note about my slow progress. 

Finished three of the setting blocks for my "Sweet Peas in the Meadow."

2012 UFOs - 0 for 2

I'm an excellent gather. Not so great at being a finisher.

This is the second month I have failed to finish a UFO. 

(I heard you gasp with disappointment.)

I've been thinking about the January UFO a lot..it's uncharted territory...the next step is top-stitching and drawing with thread to enhance the appliques. I've been thinking about doing the thread play on each block with a piece of batting underneath. After I'm done I would trim away the excess...kind of like a fake trapunto effect. I don't like quilting through the appliques on my longarm but I want a quilted effect...I thought this might work. But of course I need to experiment on a practice piece before I touch the real blocks.

One day I will take the plunge...hopefully  very soon.

I thought the February UFO would be so easy to finish...but I didn't have enough fabric for the layout design I came up with in EQ7. (Initially I planned to go with the layout provided by Shannon at Pieceful Kwilter) I have everything now so hopefully I will get the top done this month.

March's UFO...#8....another tough one with lots of work. A Moda U design that involves finishing several hand applique blocks. But even more tough...I need to come up with a final layout for the design.

Perhaps you thought I had another wildlife encounter?

I did...bright and early this morning...leaving the building site...

here's my new friend. Bullwinkle of Bellwinkle...I don't know the difference without antlers in the fall.

I was almost close enough to touch this one...it really didn't care about me at all. I guess that's a good thing.

Nifty HSTs

I'm starting a border made of HSTs. Carrie Nelson has a nifty method...reminds me of triangulations paper but instead you draw the lines on your fabric. I like it.

Align your two fabrics, right sides together...stitch down both sides of the center line.

Slice up the block.

Press...now I need to trim to the correct size. 

This is Carrie Nelson's book full of wonderful designs based on nifty tricks like this.

I really like this book!

Another trick of Carrie's is to clip seams to make them oppose when stitching blocks and rows together. I have never done this before but she has converted me...there were just too many points in this quilt to make pressing work for every situation  without clipping the seams sometimes.

And from the front you can see how nicely the points turn out with a little clipping.

Back to sewing border  blocks.

Design Wall Monday

I thought I would never get to my blog today...I think I'm getting a cold...I feel like I'm moving in slow motion. I feel amazingly better now that I'm in my sewing room (I really should be tackling chores).

I'm halfway through sewing rows together on my Purple Mountains Majesty quilt.

Then it will be time to start the borders. I'm going with my own design...worked out on EQ7.

In the mail today I got the last of the fabric I need to start the alternating blocks of the 2011 BOM from Pieceful Kwilter. I ordered the opal from Batik Plus...they carry older lines of Hoffman prints. I love ordering from them...they send a gift...a fat quarter. Love the one they sent me.

I wanted to share a mock-up print of the block I made with EQ7 (on the right). It really helps to see the block in actual size with the fabrics I am using.

I hope I find time to see what everyone else is posting about their Design Walls at Judy's. Her latest quilt is so pretty!

More Wild Sightings...Not Necessarily Wildlife

Once again I was making my trek to the new house up Eagle River Road. The road parallels Eagle River although usually you can't see too much of the river from the road. 

Would I see another lynx today? I was looking...instead I saw wild humans!

You are looking at a frozen river top, covered with snow and wild humans racing bikes.

Hope this race gets coverage on the local news tonight because I think this is absolutely amazing...amazingly crazy. Really? Riding your bike up a frozen river covered in snow? I thought I was hardy walking my dogs down the street today.

On the quilting front...thanks for the validating comments regarding the last border...still more chores to do before I start sewing. I just had to take a quick blog break. I still can't get over the bike race! On a frozen river top! In the snow! 

More Playtime

I got all of the Oso blocks done last night...it is a quick technique. If you have Carrie Nelson's book, "Another Bite of Schnibbles," this pattern comes in three sizes...I did the biggie size so my blocks are 12".

As usual...I had to play in EQ7 to change up the borders. The first is basically Carrie's version with smaller Oso corner blocks added.

Carrie has a quick method for making HSTs so I thought about bringing some of those into the border.

This is what I went to bed thinking about. Now for the day's chores to ponder more before sewing time tonight.

Quick addition. Looking at my post I had another thought...