Beanie invasion!

This week the Citrus Wedges have been put on hold. There is emerald green thread in my sewing machine instead. I am sewing 50 beanies as a fundraiser for our local Habitat for Humanity who supplies the local university with these Beanies for incoming freshman in the fall. This is a long tradition in the university and when the company who formerly made these beanies was no longer able to provide them, volunteers from Habitat stepped in and have been making them ever since. This is my 3rd year to help but this time instead of sewing "parties" individuals take packets home to work on independently. It's going to take a while to sew all the bindings on. That is what I have left after a week of working on them (in the evenings). So far I have finished only 4 but all the others are together, just need the binding - the tedious part. My first ones are OK, but I am looking forward to improving my technique by the time I finish about 10 more :)

Citrus Wedges Continue: Background

Now it is time to sew on some background pieces...

More Citrus Wedges!

Sew Fun!

I have been working a little at a time on these Citrus Wedges. They are coming along fine! I liked the last photo I posted so much that I was in no hurry to update the blog - LOL.
But, just so you know I have been working...here is the progress. Enjoy!

Pleasure to the eyes: Citrus Slices

The arcs are sewn but the other is just a mock up for your viewing pleasure. It is a pleasure on the eyes too isn't it!

Color palatte expands for Citrus Wedges

More pieces cut for the wedges of the citrus slices. The pieces are coming together nicely! Next posting will include a photo of a few sewn wedges.

You've Got to See this!

I am having so much fun with these blocks. Have been pulling this together for about a month now. First got the book, then gathering the fabrics from the stash and beyond. Then spent several days cutting out pieces. Just a little at a time and now it is coming together. Sewed my first arc 3 days ago - paper piecing and it went just fine. Not like the disaster that I had when trying my first paper piecing of a six inch Christmas exchange block about 2 years ago. After that I thought I hated paper piecing. Not so with these blocks. It is really fun and easy. No problem getting the paper of either. I like it! And the blocks (arcs) are looking SOOOO good!

Thanks to quilter extraordinaire "down under" Mrs. Quiltsalott for the inspiration and encouragement on starting this project! Take a look at her masterpiece "Licorice Alsorts" to see what I mean. My quilt from Kaffe Fassett' Quilt Romance Book is citrus flavored! (orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon and lime). How about this catchy name? "Candied Citrus Slices" (AKA "Pickle Dish" according to the name in the book but it looks like a cross between a double wedding ring and pickle dish to me. It is missing the spiky points of the traditional pickle dish.)

These colors are so fun to work with and the quilt is so busy and patterned with design and color that gives it that "Australian" look. It reminds me of older quilts that were made with what was available, older mis-matched type prints with prints that I love! Kind of "blended" too. Very fun angle for me using new and old and unlikely groupings of pattern and color. The paper pieced pattern and bright colors are way outside my traditional quilting style, but I am having fun venturing out! The color was inspired by orange left overs from the Indian Paintbrush. I am inspired by those bright oranges! (Oops, that quilt is still without it's binding :(

The challenge so far for this quilt has been coming up with a background fabric that is patterned, but not overpowering, light orange with infusion of a few other colors to tie it with the overall look. I think Mary at Quilter's Corner has helped me solve this. She gasped when she saw the project (and my fabric palette) and was doubtful that we would find what I needed in her shop. But, right off - there was an "America Jane" that seemed to be what I was looking for. I bought a little to bring home and test out. I think it is perfect! Here is a little sneak preview. Not what you would expect is it? But I think it is perfect!

Progress on Memory Quilt

Made a little progress on Grandma quilt (Memory quilt). Here is one block made up. I am hanging in there and having a good writing day - for a change!

Salvaging Jordan's Star

I have been working a little on several items. Went to SEAM night (Sewing, Eating and a Movie) at Quilters Corner and had a good time. I pulled out Jordan's star quilt to see if I can figure out what I had in mind when I started and finish it up.
I worked on it and think I am on track to get it done. It is flannel, so a goal is to get it finished for him by winter. He still uses his raggy "blanky" from many years ago that I made and I KNOW it is too small (short) to cover him any longer. This one is bigger.

I have also been working on various other projects as inspired. I am being very productive a little at a time and am enjoying it immensely! Wish I could say the same for the awful writing.

Bye Bye Feedsacks

The last wreath is finished and Coral's quilt is on it's way home to Massachusetts. I have really enjoyed quilting the feathered wreaths and can't wait to see how she finishes it. This is the view of the last stitch in the 9" feathered wreath. Thanks for the quilting fun!

The last wreath...

Coral's Feedsack - so close to finished.......well at least my part, the hand-quilted feathered wreaths. This has been such a joy to work on. Hope she is pleased with it when it arrives back in Massachusetts in a few more days. Maybe tonight I will finish - this cooler rainy weather is just right for quilting :)

Memory Quilt mock-up

Guess what... I cut out an entire quilt top in the past couple of days, just cut a few pieces at a time from the "stash". Did not calculate everything so may still have to cut a few pieces here and there. Also, in a move that is very unusual for me, I bought the pattern. Usually I just get inspiration then do my own thing. But I am more or less (more) using this pattern to try this organized approach to a quilting project. It takes little brain power - aside from fabric choices so my brain can stay focused on the necessary writing. We'll see what I can accomplish!. The pattern appealed to the my love for the Blended Quilt look.
Here it is!
The white space in between blocks is the design wall showing through. There will be a few simple 9-patch blocks and some 5x5 patch blocks filling in the holes when finished. I ordered the pattern from The Sometime Crafter's Shop after seeing one she made on her blog. It was a PDF pattern that I received by e-mail within an hour from when I ordered it, talk about instant gratification! (She says it can take up to 24 hrs to receive but she was super speedy!) It is a simple pattern for the price but no postage and it is a very nice detailed cookbook type pattern with charts and tables that are well done, easy to use with a couple options built in. The story of this quilt pattern is also delightful as the first one (see several color versions on the her website) was made from cloth of a woman's dresses as a memory of her for family members.