Another one done

The colors of this quilt are like the faded colors of summer flowers and memories. Just a simple double 9 patch and my favorite free motion concentric tear drops and meandering feathers quilting. I finished it on one of those chilly mornings because I knew the afternoon would be too nice to be inside and those sunny warm afternoons will soon be faded memories. —Ann—

progress

 

I had all these squares on the wall before the little trip with DD then when I glanced at it when I got home I really did not like the darkest blue (large 9 patch in the top row) so I switched it out for a lighter set of four squares and I like it much better.  Last week the temps were cool enough to open the windows what a glorious feeling to have fresh air moving through the house and to be able to sit outside or walk without dripping in sweat. Needless to say not much happened in the sewing room then but normal hot temps have returned with productive time in the sewing room. --Ann--

Double nine patch

I was looking though my little bags of leftovers from previous quilts because sometimes my stash is overwhelming and intimidating. Does that give you an hint as to the size of my stash? I pulled out some bags of pastels thinking  they might work with the appliqué flower blocks I have worked on every summer since......one block left to finish.   The largest of the bags had 9 patch parts a lot of them but not the right colors for the appliqué project but there are plenty of fabrics in the stash that will work with these 9 patch parts. Sometimes I have to coax fabrics out of the stash.  I started sewing 9 patches and placing parts on the design wall. It was a bit of a mess.  Go back and look at the inspiration quilt by Laundry Basket Quilts back in 2014 or 15 fortunately I took a screen shot the last time I searched for that quilt. I really studied the photo and the photo of the similar quilt I made. I studied the placement of lights and darks.  The darks are not in the corners of the small 9 patches but in the sides. And the large squares (5”) background fabrics form rings around the large dark 9 patches. Mine are more medium value but it works. It has taken days to get this figured out but now I know what it needs and where I’m going. —Ann—

An epic finish

 It feels like an epic finish.  I started this quilt in 2004 maybe at least that is when the Kim Diehl book was published.  I made this with a group of friends, we each made our own but most followed Kim's directions for half square triangles in the spools.  I did them with the y seam. (click for step by step how to)  I started hand quilting this because that was the overwhelming consensus to hand quilt.  So I did until a couple moves ago when it ended up in a box and then on the top shelf of my art materials closet.  I pulled it out this winter and studied it for a while.  Finish hand quilting this or just finish it?!?!   Only 3 spools left to quilt but all those geese.... .....and then somthing traditional in the plain borders. Will it ever get finished if I hand quilt it? In all honesty, probably not, then it will end up on a rummage sale when I am gone.  I really love these colors and the pattern.  Its my quilt..... finish it by machine and finish it.  So I did and I feel so go to finish a quilt that I started 17 years ago.  --Ann--

machine quilting

An afternoon of power sewing, I haven't done that for months.  A girlfriend's daughter is having a baby soon and this might be the perfect quilt for a baby girl if she has a baby girl.  I thought I would get it done and enjoy looking at it for a couple weeks.  I pieced this back in 2017 and it has just been waiting..........for the perfect baby girl.  There is a boy quilt completly done already.  --Ann--

The Colors of Early Summer

Another quilt out of the cupboard and on the wall for summer.  I love pastels did you know that about me?  I love working with pastels, brights are fun, plaids are cozy, earthy colors are comforting,  RWB are patriotic, but pastels just make me sigh......long sigh.....they do that to me in the store when I'm choosing them and when the lady is cutting them and when I take them out of the bag, why............ because they are the colors of so many of my favorite flowers and my favorite flowers are usually what is blooming at the time.  The pattern was in a book Mullbery Lane by Teri Christopherson published in 2000,  so this is another quilt that is close to 20 years old.  Its just half square triangles I had enough fabric for a wide border so I added the appliqué.   --Ann--

Out of the Cupboard

 I've been working on my to do list while hubby is off fishing.  I seem to be doing the smallest but most noticeable projects first like change the quilts on the walls and hang a couple more.  I also ordered blog to print books of 2018 blogging.  After proofreading the previous year and wandering through memory lane I have never posted about this quilt.  Round Robin row quilt made with my quilt friends from Pierre in 1999.  Golly that's 20 years ago!!!  We each chose a theme and color scheme then passed our bags around the group for the next 6 months.  We didn't see our own again until the last rotation was complete.  Then we had 6 months to complete the top and preferably to complete the quilt.  My theme was Grandmothers Garden because my grandmothers and great grandmothers and mom were all gardeners and quilters.  Grandma Elsie always planted pansies by the back door. Grandma Selma took me out in the pasture to fly kites as did my great grandmother with my mother who took my kids out to the pasture to fly kites she also made some fabulous quilts in the 1930's.  Do kids fly kites any more?  When I have grandkids I am taking them out to fly kites!  The flowers in the pots are because my great grandmother made a quilt with similar flowers that was on my bed growing up.  My mother loved butterflies and completed a quilt that her mother started with butterflies and my mother found it when she was cleaning out her house.  That was such a wonderful thing to help her through the greiving process.  They all had tulips in the spring.  I sewed the morning glory tri rec stars and the ladies in the bottom row the dresses remind me of my grandmothers.  Its not old enough to be an heirloom but if I pass the stories to my kids it will be.        --Ann--
linking to Moving it Forward

favorite fabrics

I started machine quilting on another quilt but stop and study this one as I re arrange the quilt because it is still pinned to the wall.  My eye is always drawn to the rabbit fabrics, I might name this quilt Rabbits Run Like the Wind.  Our previous house was on the edge of town with a pasture out our backyard, on a couple occasions when there was snow I could see three jackrabbits near the fence line and they would race from one end of the pasture to the other and back again. It was the funniest thing.  Who do you want to be your buddy when the fox or coyotes are watching? The one you can outrun.  I can't decide which fabric is my favorite......they all are that's why they are in my stash.
 --Ann--

ta da da done #3

 It seems it is either miserably hot outside or overcast and rainy. Everywhere is green again.  Sew to the sewing room instead of running around.  I can get a lot done when I stay home in my sewing room. After considering lots of possibilities I did a free motion feather in the border.  It just wasn't wide enough for a baptist fan like I did on a similar quilt a couple years ago click.   Those fabrics are so cheerful on another gloomy day.  --Ann--

machine quilting

Machine quilting with tools is slow going compared to free motion quilting but sometimes the tools really enhance the piecing.  Only a couple more rows of pinwheels then the border. --Ann--