Yearly Archives: 2021

•

Loide requested improv Christmas blocks for November in our Bee. She told us that anything goes for Christmas and our blocks could be traditional Christmas colors or something else.

After pondering about what I would make I started with a candle block, approximately 13" x 16".

Some others in the group had made some Christmas trees, so I pivoted and made a wreath, approximately 12" x 12". As I was working I decided that it would be a chunky square wreath, though I included extra background fabric for Loide so she could add some corner triangles to soften it up if she'd like.

Lastly, I chose a candy cane... it's some precisely pieced improv, but it was still built improvisationally. I sewed together red and white strips, then cut at an angle and pieced multiple pieces to make the length of the candy cane, approximately 10" x 13".

You can follow along with our bee, Quilts Unscripted, on Instagram.

•

We are into the last quarter of WIPs Be Gone with less than 25 days left in the year. (Where did 2021 go!?) I missed my 50 Day update here on the blog, so here are the Day 50 and Day 75 updates for WIPs Be Gone, a WIP finishing challenge running for the last 100 days of 2021, hosted by Leanne of Devoted Quilter.

To be honest, I've lost steam a bit over the last couple weeks, but I am planning to finish some more quilts in the next few weeks.

Day 50 Update

Nine little finishes, plus some other progress in quarter 2.

I bopped around making some progress on a few different things. Then as day 50 approached I focused on my tiniest WIPs to finish this pile of nine mini mini quilts. They finish at 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" each (Artist Trading Card sized).

This project was only a WIP because I had a fabric pull and an intention. In late October I started piecing my purple Prism Play quilt. This will be a submission to an upcoming SAQA (Studio Art Quilt Associates) Northern California/Northern Nevada regional exhibition. Oh, if you'd like to join SAQA, you can do so now with code: FRIEND to save $20 on membership.

I made a scrappy binding and started binding my Waterfall quilt. (Have you seen my machine binding tutorial?)

The other thing I did in Q2 of WIPs Be Gone was to take a full inventory of my UFOs/WIPs. It had been about 2 years since I'd updated my list. I like having the reference to see it all in one place. Pictured above is my Patchwork City project. I finished piecing the 75 blocks in a 100 Day project that started last year around this time.

 

Day 75 Update

Four finishes in quarter 3.

Just after day 50 I kept working on my tiniest quilts. These two teal mini minis finish at 5 1/4” x 2 3/4” and 4 1/2” x 4”.

I finally circled back to my half bound Waterfall quilt and finished it up.

Made a little component of my Purple Prism Play project. This 6" square is the first part of what will be a 15" x 45" quilt.

Inspiration is everywhere. I finished up this mini quilt inspired by a friend's photo.

This project was started in 2016. This year I finished making all the components (that then were cut into quarters). During WIPs Be Gone I have put together 35 blocks. Now they've been packed away to switch gears and work on something different. I have lots to choose from.

In case you missed it, here's the link to my Day 25 update.

• 8 Comments

•

I'm super excited about my lated finished lap quilt. I love the palette and look forward to cuddling up on the couch with it.

Three years ago I started Amy Ellis's Waterfall Quilt. I really loved the wash of color over the quilt. She had made two monochromatic versions in blue and green. At the time I started, solids were quite minimal in my stash.

The majority of my stash is blenders, fabrics that read as a single color, so I focused on those prints. I started with my favorite palette: navy, turquoise, and lime green, and added from there. It was a challenge to pull all the lighter values for this project, but everything came together from my 2018 stash once I chose to add in the mustard yellows.

Part of the charm of this pattern is that there is a gradient of color or value with pops of other fabrics occurring throughout. My finished quilt is approximately 45" x 54", which I'd consider a one person lap quilt. :-)

I color blocked the back of the quilt with fabrics from my stash. I absolutely love the jellyfish print and was glad to use that fabric on a project that is staying in my house.

Hard to see here, but you can see my simply organic curvy quilting in the photo below, and the first photo at the top of this post. I really enjoy how this block-based quilt doesn't look like it's made up of blocks.

I finished with a scrappy machine binding, mostly from fabrics used on the quilt top.

Happy to finish this one up from my WIP list.