A Beautiful Spring Day!

Spring in the Quilting Studio!

Behind the daffodils, you can get a sneak peak at some work on Chester County Criswell Quilt block #15 Alice McClellan. It was a block that I initially skipped so I could make two Adeline Gibson (block #16) - one for me and one to exchange with Chris. I think her block is on the way to me and I can't wait to see it! Also, I can now resume Alic Criswell's big #13 block since it had it's showing in the applique presentation at quilt guild this past week. 
Enjoy the day - in whatever season your hemisphere is in. 
Happy Quilting!
~ Wanda

Progress CCC #(13) 15, 17 & 18

Each of these blocks are going well! Each has their own little challenge and personality. I have been working on them a little at a time but I have been slow to post photos. I will still have to go back and finish #13 but am not supposed to work on it anymore until after my local quilt guild this Thursday night. The program is on applique and my this block will be used by the speaker an as example of the needle turn cut away approach. I am sure I will hear more comments about how it looks like an Hawaiian design. There is a resemblance.  I have made a tiny bit of progress on block 17 during a morning sewing with the Tue. group. Block #17 travels well since it is all one piece.

CCC Block # 17:  in progress (why sideways???)

CCC Block # 18 flower choice #1

 Next I have cut out and began sewing block #18. First I used the same print for flowers as in the previous block. Then I decided I really liked the pinky-coral color fabric I used for the tiny flowers in the circle wreath (CCC#12) and decided instead to it. What do you think? I like it better.

CCC Block #18 Flower Choice final!

CCC #15 in Pink!

Click image to enlarge

I have several of the Chester County Criswell blocks going at once as I work to catch up. All are coming along well! Last night I worked on Alice McClellan block #15. It is made from the same pink fabric as my CCC block #1. I chose to use pink for some blocks in addition to red, because in the original quilt some of the faded reds looked pink to me and I like that look. You can see in the photos that I traced some plumes using a fine line, soft lead mechanical pencil (PaperMate Sharpwriter #2) and other lines with my other favorite marking tool, Fons & Porter ceramic pencil (white). After I appliqued one of the plumes and found it went almost all the way into the seam allowance. Humm... I wonder if I forgot to set printing scale and the design is actually larger than original. I'm not going back to check now! I'm only going forward! Previously, I made one block slightly larger but that was on purpose. It this one is larger that was not my plan.

Woo Hoo! Data Collection!

OK - I am sure you can care less, but I am soooo excited that I am to data collection phase of my research. It is downhill from here! I've got this! Thanks to an awesome, patient and encouraging mentor!
Now back to my blog life as a quilter!

I am making good progress catching up on CCC blocks. Here is block #17. (The words on the paper pattern say block #16 - wrong!). Somewhere along the line completely skipped over #15 and got things out of order. I am going back to work on it soon. As for Criswell Gibson block, I can see that it is going to be a little bit fussy with those curves and grooves. No worries, a little at a time and I will finish it!

Indian Paintbrush (Finish #1)

Where is 2014 finish #1 you ask? Did you notice it was missing....Here it is!
I have tried for a days to get the picture posted upright through various approaches. Not only that, but the color and quality of picture is also poor. But that is not going to stop me from happily posting my first finish of 2014 (back in January. This quilt was a delight to work on. It began on a trip home from Muskogee Azalea festival in April 2009. I pulled off the highway to take a picture of the Indian paintbrush that grows wild in Oklahoma along side of I-40 in the springtime. Genus Castilleja is a perennial herbaceous plant native to this area. 

Indian Paintbrush - Original design, Wanda Robinson@2014

On that day there was a particularly vast array of flowers blooming that really inspired me! I had been dabbling with Ruth McDowell's design techniques and style for piecing flowers and scenes. And planned an adventure with mom to attend Ruth's Designing From Nature quilting retreat/workshop in Western Massachusetts that fall. This was the design inspiration I was looking for.

I had such a wonderful experience met my inspiring quilter friend Coral (A Fine Line Studio) there! All design work for the Paintbrush was done at the workshop. I completed piecing several months after returning home. I really enjoyed the design work, auditioning fabric, and sewing. Just seeing the bright unfinished piece hanging in my office/quilt work area was such pleasure! When I went back to MA in March 2010 to visit my new friend and attend her guild's quilt show, I took the quilt top with me and finished the few remaining pieces. By that time, Coral had her quilt finished and hanging in that show. It was magnificent! 

At the Thimble Pleasures Quilt show, I decided to ask one of the very talented women exhibiting at the show to quilt Paintbrush for me. After discussing the quilting design for the piece I left my quilt there to be machine quilted by her (whose name escapes me at the moment). A few months later, Paintbrush arrive home. And there it sat on my design wall, and sat, and got buries, and missed entry in one show after another. I began adding binding at one point but was never satisfied with how to complete the corners. Then it sat longer...years until January 2014. I just sat down and in the course about about 3 evenings finished hand sewing the corners. Done!

Now my favorite Indian Paintbrush happily occupies a place of honor on the family room wall. I see it everything I come in the door. It also will need a label. Hummm.... The quilt will finally debut in our local quilt show this fall! I still love it as much as ever and long to work on another design using the same techniques. But for now (for today at least), my goal is still finishing things.

Webpage Button?

How does one make a Webpage Button? I wanted to create a Chester County Criswell button.
I do not have a flicker account to link a photo, so I am giving this a try - link to my online photo - then back to the actual Chester County Criswell blog. I'll let you know if it works. In the meantime I may take more research to learn. Looks like it worked!! Not bad for first try. Let me know what you think.

CCC Block #16 Twin (Finish #3)

I am behind with these blocks and have made Chester County Criswell Quilt block #16 Adaline Gibson twice. It was a fun block to make both times! The first block went to away to her new home up north with Chris (Quilting at the Farm). The younger twin sister block is now installed on the design will with the rest of the family blocks here in Oklahoma. I have no photo of finished sister blocks together becasue I sent the first one to Chris before the second was complete. I am looking forward to the adopted twin arriving in Oklahoma soon :) You know, those international adoptions can take some time. I know she will be so beautiful when she arrives! I'll post photos.

I will work to get caught up on # 15, 17-19 next! The big CCC block #13 is partially finished but is on hold by request of the the program speaker at the April Spinning Spools Quilt Guild meeting. It will be shown as an example of this style of cut-as-you go applique.
Happy Quilting!