WIP Wednesday

WIP (Works in Progress)

The top right blocks are from kits. The bottom right versions are from my stash. I love the wolf. This is such a messy process going through my stash to find just the right piece...and since I'm using batiks it usually means I'm cutting a hole in the middle of my fabric instead of grabbing a piece from the edge to get just the right color.

A couple of folks have asked about where to get the pattern...not available as far as I know. It was a shop hop pattern for Alaska in 2010. I have only seen one shop hop pattern released later as an entire pattern to purchase after the fact and that was for the 2009 shop hop...whichI will tackle sometime this year. There is only one other flower block in the quilt and most were drawn to the flowers. Now it's critters and fish that fill out the rest of the blocks.

Design Wall Monday - Seeing Double

I have begun working in earnest on my January UFO. I was just planning on making one quilt but this project has doubled. This is a quilt that started as a shop hop for Alaska in 2010. I love batiks so when I saw the design I was hooked.

I started collecting all the blocks. There were 13 quilt shops participating around the state. Each shop's package contained all the fabric needed to make an applique block plus one of the setting blocks and four strips for the border. Then I saw the finishing kit, Northern Threads, a quilt shop in Fairbanks put together.

I loved this even more! So I bought the finishing kit which had fabric for everything but the applique pieces. The applique blocks are on larger blocks for this setting and a slightly different color. So I couldn't just use the blocks I had started to make from the original kits. Now I am forced to make two quilts. It will be fun to see which one I prefer when it is all done. 

Friday Wrap Up

I am determined not to let my last project of 2011 become my first UFO for 2012 so I stayed up late and got an inner border and my HST border added. Found a beautiful purple batik in my stash...2 yards! Now I just need to add my last border. I am even toying with the possibility of quilting it.  I need to start looking for a backing...this is a big quilt...94 x 109 once the borders are on. How do I always wind up with huge quilts?

Anne Sutton's new blog-along is calling to me. Just out of curiosity, I printed up the instructions. It looks so easy!  And so pretty! It requires a dresden ruler/template. Again...just out of curiosity...I checked my drawer of acrylic templates that I rarely use...most of them I have never used but I was sure when I bought them that they were necessary.

Low and behold...I already own a dresden fan template...and it's even the right size. Guess it's just meant to be...I'll be adding that button to my blog...Scrappy Plate Club...here I come.

The Fix Is In

Sew much better...errant blocks rotated.

Strips of Half Square Triangles made for borders.

I had one HST left over...I love it when it all works out just right.

Wednesday Progress

I was all set to say I had the main body of this top done but...

looks like I have a block turned the wrong way...can you spot it? (correction...two blocks are wrong!)

This is a Bonnie Hunter pattern, Pineapple Blossom. It's a freebie on her website. I'm working on the "scrap" half square triangles for a border...don't think I'll have enough to go around the quilt...more creativity required.

Time to start tackling my January UFO.

I'm actually going to read the directions and figure out a plan of attack. I never buy kits but this was irresistible for me.

I almost forgot. I have made some progress on my Bucilla stocking kits.

I also wanted to share how to add blush to faces. I've used makeup blush before and craft paint with a stencil brush but I learned this trick when I took a doll making class last year. It involves getting a prismacolor pencil from a craft store like Michaels or JoAnns. This one is scarlet lake. You will also need a piece of scrap fabric that is not dyed...I have a piece of unbleached muslin.

Rub a patch of color onto the fabric...hard...really make it strongly colored.

Then you are going to make a test spot. Rub the fabric with the colored area onto your sample fabric. Do not directly color your faces with the pencil.

Now my faces are ready for embroidery.

Back to Icky Chores

I sew enjoyed Saturday and Sunday. 

This little picture is deceiving...this is going to be a big quilt. The last row won't fit on the design wall so the last three are stacked together. Bonnie Hunter's pattern, Pineapple Blossom done with mulberry Bali pops. The blocks are 12". I'm still working on the sashings.  I had to raid my stash since I ran out of pop strips...certainly not a problem.

A new year means getting caught up on 2011...paperwork. There is nothing I hate more than paperwork. We are into sub zero temperatures so I might as well git-r-done.

Welcome 2012

The first order of business is the changing of the calendar in the studio...

This Bernese mom and pup look just like my girl, Jenny. She had a rough night last night with all the fireworks. I finally put her in the truck which was parked in the garage with the garage heater running (the blower from the heater is very noisy...it was about -2 last night so the garage definitely needed to be heated.) I did give her a heavy dose of Benerdryl but it didn't seem to help much. Tonka wasn't bothered at all. He reminds me of a little toddler that plays hard all day and is ready to crash at bedtime...no matter what else is happening. So I'm getting an unusually late start to my day and I didn't have a single adult beverage last night!

Reading about so many of you spending the weekend sewing, I decided that was just what I was going to do...it just makes me sew happy! I worked on a new project that was started on Thursday at my Breakfast Club, Bonnie Hunter's Pineapple Blossom. I got all of the blocks done!

I hope to completely finish the top today. It could happen.

I couldn't wait to see which UFO number was drawn by Judy and it's #5...a tough one! But I love this quilt so it is exciting to think that I might have the blocks done by the end of this month.

I've started it...but all of the appliques are done with fusible web so they have to be secured with an outline stitch. I think there are 16 blocks in total. I've got the perfect wall for this quilt in the new house!