My Double Wedding Ring . . . .

This is a quilt I didn't think I would EVER make.

Wasn't ever a fan of the pattern, thought it was too

"Old-Fashioned"

Haha.  Boy was I wrong.

After Victoria's DWR  win at Quiltcon 2 years ago,

and then her DWR Challenge, I got the bug.

I made this single ring for the challenge.

I only did a single ring because I was a judge and couldn't win,

so I was a slacker. Haha.

And I still wasn't sold on this pattern.

Then I saw so many wonderful DWR quilts coming out of

Victoria's inspiration, I decided to give it a whirl

I had been hoarding Kaffe Fassett stripes and plaids for a while.

Couldn't cut them up.  Haha.

Then I found some rich peppered cotton solids 

and started a "Plan" so to speak.

Actually I just started cutting everything up.

No counting how many I need of this or that.

Sound familiar? 

Put it away for a while, dragged it back out and cut some more.

Then I started sewing the melons together.  Still no real plan.

I didn't even lay it all out first, 

just made each melon as I liked them.

I started with all the deep blues, purples and greens on one side,

and worked my way across the design wall.

More sewing and slapping up.

But I had all these bright yellows, pinks and greens too.

I put them on the end.

This pattern does take awhile to put together.

Patience is the word!

I sewed all the melons first.

It was coming together.

I liked it but . . . .  Didn't love it.

So off the wall it went for a while.

I had other quilts calling my name.

Then when Victoria's book came out.

It is such a great book!  You have to get it!

Inspiration re-fired!

I had most of the  pieces cut and put together,

so I played around with the layout.

I wanted it scrappy, and it surely is!

I added in a few other Kaffe prints 

where I had run out of what I was using.

I sewed the rings into rows,

and slowly put the rows together.

Because everything was overlapping on my design wall,

I had no idea how big this was going to be!

Below is on a third of it!

It was a slow sewing process 

and I tend to pin the hell out of everything

curvy!  But that's just me.  

It was definitely worth taking my time on.

See here, I sewed the it together wrong!

Jack the Ripper makes an appearance.

It's not perfect, there are some puckers and tucks.

I'm hoping the quilting will take that out.

I am so pleased with this top.

I am also pleased that I tried something

I didn't think I ever would.

Good lesson don't you think?

What are you afraid of?

Or not interested in?

Take a chance, you might be inspired.

Local Fabric Shop . . . kinda . . .

Today was the day we were all supposed 

to shop at our local quilt shops . . .

Well, I had to work . . . in an office.

But . . . this past weekend I was visiting my family north of Boston

and we (I) did a little fabric shopping.

We visited Portsmouth Fabric Company, one of my faves!

Whenever I go north I try to con the family into a trip up to Portsmouth.

(There is a great brewery there too!)

This shop is a distributor for Kaffe Fassett,

so they  have all the new lines, but they also carry all the

golden oldies that I love.

The colors and yumminess are almost overwhelming!

I'm not even going to admit to how much I stocked up!

I usually stick to the fabric, but the quilts caught my eye this time around.

Then I turned the corner and saw a little "show" by this quilt artist.

Beautiful appliqued paintings of scenes under the sea.

I just love these!

And they remind me of a block that Helen did for one of our Bees.

It wasn't all fabric shopping . . .

I saw this lovely little cameo in a consignment shop.

I didn't buy, just taking the picture was enough.

While my aunt and uncle looked at couches at the Crate & Barrel outlet,

I found fabric!  Haha.  I always do!

I got four yards of Marimekko fabric for some backings.

Retail $45.00 a yard.  I paid $5.95 a yard!  Score!

We also did a bit of walking around Boston too.

This is Faneuil Hall with all the twinkling lights.

So while I did buy fabric, it wasn't "local" to me per se.

I'm hoping to do a little of that this upcoming weekend! Hehe.

What are you doing this weekend?

What's Next?

So now that I have finished an old top and it is happily in it's new home . . . .

What's next?

I, of course, I had to try a couple things before I could decide.

I did finish a Triangles Galore Bee Quilt in the fall and gave it to the kid.

Do I want one for me???

Then I have been seeing this Scrappy Trip Around the World Quilt-A-Long

ALL over the web, flicker, blogs, everywhere!

So I tried them both out . . .

I do love a good paper piecing project.

I will always love this block, but . . . 

Maybe not this time around.

So then, I had my hand at the Scrappy Trip Around the World block.

I can see how it is addicting.  Easy piecing, clever un-piecing and voila!

A block in minutes.

I believe this block has won for the next project!

Here is the tutorial and the flickr group.

So off I set on cutting up fabric and laying out colors.

I need to mix in more large prints, I think it gives it an extra wow factor.

I might just have to be a bit of a control freak and make sure a dark

value color is in the center row.  Does this take the scrappiness out?

We'll see as I progress, I can always mix it up as I go along if I don't like it.

I have decided to take a cut of most of my fabrics for this one.

Here is my yellow/orange pile waiting to be cut.

This is going to take a while . . .

But totally worth it!

Here is a Quick Trip Around the World quilt

that I made for my Mom in 2007.

I used the Eleanor Burns book for this one and it uses the same technique

as described in the tutorial above.  

This quilt for my Mom was done in a Kaffe Fasset fabrics.

I also got a tardy Bee Block done this week.

It for Chrissie D in our Metro Mod Modern Bee.

Going in the mail tomorrow!!

This would make a cute scrappy quilt too . . .

Hummmmm.

I know my next finish has to be an old top!

This is actually prodding me on to finish them!

Carrot and stick!!  Hahaha.

A Finish!

I finished my Triangles Galore Bee Quilt!

There was much more quilting on this one than I usually do . . .

I was practicing my FM skills,

and I have to say I am pleased with the results.

You can see more about this quilt here.

It all came together in the end.

The borders, the quilting, the binding . . .

I tried pebble quilting for the first time, in the small inner border.

It certainly uses a lot of thread, but I love the effect,

and it is very forgiving!

My border was kinda of floppy, so the heavy quilting

made it lie flat again. 

I love this quilt!  So much color!

It is headed to one of my favorite people.

But it's a surprise, so I can't tell you who!

Our Metro Mod meeting was this past Saturday,

and I sat on the floor finishing up the binding

just in time! 

(photo from Victoria)

You can see all the show and tell from the meeting here.

Our last meeting in Victoria's loft. 

We will have new digs in December.

I will miss her cozy loft, but we have gotten too big in membership!

What did you do this weekend?

Blue and White Quilt

Back in March, my friend Kate gave me a yummy

fat quarter pack of Kaffe Fassett fabrics.

I have been fondling it for months, 

and have just jumped in and cut them up!

I decided to make sixteen patch blocks

to show off these great fabrics.

I cut the fat quarters into 3.5 inch strips and sewed four together,

alternating them.

Then I cut that piece into 3.5 inch strips.

By flipping the alternating rows,

you get a quick and easy block.

I made sure that I pressed the seams in one direction,

so when you flip and join,

they match up perfectly.

I have about twenty more to make and then I'll have a cute top!

This quilt is going to be a wedding present.

If you can believe it,

I was a girl scout leader a million years ago,

and one of my girl scouts got married last week.

Man that makes me feel so old!

How could this be when I'm only about 28 myself?

Hehehe.  Just kidding.

Back Again!

I was away from home again last week, so that

meant being away from my sewing machine :(

Luckily I thought to bring along my hexies.

They have grown a lot in a week! 

I actually ran out of hexies patches to sew together,

so now I am back digging through my scraps

to make more.

Can I just say I love my scrap bin?

It gets bigger and bigger,

and it is like a treasure hunt when I dive in there.

Before I left the penthouse last week,

I did try one of Victoria's stars.

I loved making this one.

It does take a little bit of time tracing the pattern onto tracing paper,

but it is totally worth it.  I have already gotten the next ready to go,

now to pick the fabric!

I also got this lovely little package of fabric this week

from a good friend of mine.

She just knew I would be gaga for this lovely set of Kaffe!

I see a blue and white quilt in my future!

Or maybe blue and yellow?

Or maybe blue and magenta?

Or maybe blue and everything!

Can't wait to cut into these babies and see the fabric start flying.

So thoughtful of my friend to inspire me!

It's good to be home and near my sewing machine again,

sleeping in my own bed . . . .

Hope you are enjoying this beautiful spring day!

I think my hexies are calling me . . . 

Let the quilting begin!

We finally got some snow this weekend.

I was happy to see it until I totally wiped out

and did a face plant right on the side of the road.

For the whole world to see!

Haha.  Luckily for me,  I was pretty fast getting up.

Damm curb was hiding.

So after a bruised knee and ego, I retreated to the coziness

of my apartment for the rest of the weekend!

Much safer for my klutzier side.

On to the sewing!

I started quilting my Kaffe sqaures quilt.

 I am quilting on either side of the seams,

about 3/8" allowance.  

Pretty basic, but the front is so busy, it needed something simple.

You can see it alttle better on the back.  

My lines aren't wicked straight, but they are "organic!"

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This backing is mostly from a very vintage sheet.

I spied it at my friend Barbarita's house.

Me:  "Where did that come from?"

Her:  "It used to be on my bed growing up.

Now I use it to put over the couch so the cats don't wreck it."

Me: "Really?  Can I have it?"

Her:  "You can have whatever you want my friend."

Talk about a a great friend!!

Did you have a relatively quiet weekend?

Hope you did something fun!