DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I didn't feel like machine quilting on a large project yesterday, so I went hunting in my closet of panels and projects.  I found a project that my friend had wanted to make, but had forgotten about.  I had spent some time several years ago, planning the quilt, and writing instructions.

 I had a panel that consisted of several small units, so I had cut them apart.  There is a polka dot theme in all the panel fabrics, so I pulled a collection of polka dot fabrics from my stash.  I followed my written instructions and the top went together quickly!
It is now pin-basted and ready to quilt! 

I'm not sure how I'll quilt it, but will start by "stitch in the ditch", then some free form outlining of all the animals.  I have also made some "unstuffed, piped binding" to try on this project.

Check out what others are doing at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

TRIANGLE TWIST IS FINISHED!

After finishing the "stitch in the ditch", I added swirls to each of the "melon" shapes in the border units.  

I also used the tiny piping accent between the quilt top and the binding.

 I decided to make a free-form fill design for the rest of the background areas.  

I stitched an undulating line first, completely circling the centre design.  I stitched into the outside area first (toward the border), as it seemed easier to figure out.  Once I began the inside space, I quickly decided how to fill all the unusual areas with quilting.  The centre twisted triangles are just stitched in the ditch. 



 I've enjoyed the challenges that this quilt has provided, but I'm ready for a simple project!!!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Used this week  6 yards

Used year to date  131.875 yards

Added this week  0 yards

Added year to date  108.875 yards

Net used 2012  23 yards

I finished my Southwest Tree of Life quilt!  I managed to find the 1/16" cord for the mini piping between the final border and the binding.  My only difficulty with this project was running out of the variegated thread that I was using to quilt the final border!  It was an older thread that had been in my collection for quite some time, and I've never seen it since buying it!  Fortunately I found another thread that worked - just a slightly different collection of colours.  I had to hunt for the 8 inch section where I used it, so  I think it works just fine.

 I had fun quilting the black areas with a greeny black thread.  I enjoy free-motion quilting so much that it always surprises me when I hear how many people are afraid to try.....

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I have two items on the go this Monday.  I finished the appliqued border on the Southwest tree of life quilt.

 I love the look of the wavy border, and had planned to use the same fabric for binding.  Thought it needed something else, so I decided to add some piping between the border and binding.  After auditioning many fabrics, with DH sharing his opinion, I've decided to use this gold-orange-reddish swirl fabric to add a visual break.

 I spent yesterday afternoon, between baking desserts and doing laundry, piecing the backing for my "half log cabin blues" quilt.  The backing is clamped to the table, layered with batting, then the top, ready to be pin basted today.  I miss the large tables that are available when I'm in Florida.  At home, I have my smallish cutting table, and with a larger quilt (this one is 71x83"), I have to get DH to help when I need to reposition it to baste the next section.  I am very careful to check for ripples etc., on the back when I have to move to the next area.  I'm thinking that feathers travelling along the wavy lines might look good - I'll have time to decide while I'm pin-basting!

Check out what other creative quilters are working on at Judy's blog.

LARGE POLKA DOTS

I've always been fascinated with Drunkard's Path blocks, and found a pattern, using polka dot fabric to make a miniature Drunkard's Path quilt!  I've been hunting for 1 inch polka dots in opposite colours (eg. red with white dots and white with red dots), for a while, and when I found them, it was usually only available in one colourway.  The polka dot fabric also has to have enough background around each dot to cut the blocks.
On my trip to Kitchener-Waterloo, I found the right colourways, but only in 3/4 inch dots. 
So here is how I drafted a template to cut the small blocks.

I began by drawing a 3/4 inch circle.  I used my perfect circle templates to do this, but chose one a bit smaller than 3/4 inch to compensate for the ink line.  Then I drew a vertical line through the centre of the circle, then another at right angles to the first.
When I check the original pattern, the distance from the edge of the quarter circle was half the partial diameter.  The quarter circle was 3/8 inch, so I added another 3/16 inch to the left of the circle.  That made the finished block size 9/16 inch.  I then add the 1/4 inch seam allowance to all four sides which made the cut size  1 1/16 inch square.
I made a second template and taped it to the corner of my small ruler, using this to help line up the corner on each polka dot.  With my fabric, I found I could only cut every other row of dots.

  These are the two blocks that are needed to make the quilt.  I made stacks of pieces, and then made up the simple 4-patch blocks.  These two blocks alternate to make the quilt top.  There are 12 of one block and 13 of the other.

 Here is my finished quilt top.  Mine ended up at 10 1/2 inches square.  I didn't have any fabric the matching shade of blue for a border, but pulled this great dotty fabric from my stash.  I added tiny yellow piping , using the "Piping Hot Binding" method.  It will finish with yellow binding as well.
Now I have to find other drunkard's path variations to play with more polka dots!