Kwik Krazy

The blocks are finished and sewn together.  All it needs is borders!

As I mentioned before, this pattern is called Kwik Krazy Quilt and comes from Two Kwik Quilters.  I love the organized way they have set up the construction ... 12 blocks of fabric with a freezer paper pattern fused to the top square.  All of the pieces are cut at one time and then shuffled for variety.  Although 12 fabrics are used, only 9 appear in any one block.  This is the size of a baby quilt.  To make larger quilt tops, the process is repeated with more sets of 12 fabric squares.  Two Kwik Quilters have other patterns featuring this method, too - hearts, stars, log cabin.

One Block

Sewing time will be in short supply today.  Our last holiday visitor will be arriving soon and I'm also in the midst of preparing for the store's NEW YEAR'S DAY OPEN HOUSE.  

Progress on Two Fronts

It's the last day at the shop before Christmas vacation begins.  Last night I finished the binding on the challenge quilt and took a look at some possible embellishments.

I'm thinking about adding some lines of stitching by hand to add extra detail.  My friends know that there just have to be a few buttons, too!  I am not so sure that the needle felted flower will find it's way into the final product.

Today I had a chance to work with the fabrics I selected last week.

I'm making Kwik Krazy Quilt, not my own design, but I sure enjoyed the fabric selection process.  It's a pattern that I've made before from Two Kwik Quilters.  This will be a new shop sample and a new shop class.  Think of it, an organized way to make a crazy quilt!  I can't wait to get back and finish putting the blocks together.

Wishing everyone a very, merry Christmas!  I found a cute Christmas pup that you just might enjoy ...

 Ho Ho Ho!

The March Challenge

I have made MAJOR progress on the challenge due in March.  It began with a bag containing an odd assortment of fabric and embellishments.  I was quite put off for a while, because the first thing I pulled out was an ancient JoAnn's panel intended to make a tie-dyed looking circle skirt.  Ick.  Then I had a talk with myself and realized that that's what a challenge is all about.  If I had been given "pretty" things, I would have tried to make a pretty quilt.  What I had instead was a very disparate grouping of odds and ends, including one needle felted flower and several black or red sewn and turned shapes.  It made me think of recycling, so that's the direction that I took.

Way back in May, I played around and began the quilt top.  Here's what I had on the design wall.

I was feeling pretty good about the progress I had made and I put the project away for a while.  Now, suddenly the first weekend in March is getting closer and it's time to get serious.  I finished the top last night and basted it.  This morning I machine quilted it.  

Close-up of quilting.

I made good use of the remains of the panel, using it for backing.

Those are my basting stitches that you see.  They will come out and I will add some embellishments by hand.  Here's the binding cut and a few of the goodies I may use.

Today is December 18, a special day!

I'm wishing Keith Richards a very happy 69th birthday!!

  

Crafts Galore

These are not quilts.  Ha ha ha.  I've fallen off the wagon again!  There is always another cute craft idea right around the corner.  The key ring on the left is the one I bought.  The one on the right is the one that I made.  More to come!  

Back to work on another challenge tonight, this one due in March.  Most of the top is pieced.  I just haven't had time to work on it for a while.

EXCUSE TO START ANOTHER PROJECT

On Monday, the store received a delivery that included these four prints from P&B Textiles.  I commented at the time that I wanted to think up a project that included them.

Today the brainstorm arrived.  I will be killing two birds with one stone:  making a new store sample and having an excuse to play with the new fabric.  This project requires twelve different prints, so I had even more fun mixing and matching.  I'll reveal the pattern soon.

Yes, I am still working on the hand quilting on the strippy feed sack quilt! 

Woven Stars

As promised, here is how to make the woven stars shown yesterday.  I made these YEARS ago with basket reed and we called them "Carolina Snowflakes".  I don't know what the original source was then or now.

First, use your favorite fusible product to fuse fabric front and back to card stock.  Make the pieces approximately 6 1/2" square, so you have room to trim to a perfect 6" square after fusing.  Next, cut the 6" square into twelve strips 1/2" wide.  I have one rotary cutter that is marked and only used for paper and crafts - don't use your best cutter!

Next, begin a front and back by weaving 3 x 3 strips.  Leave about 1/8" space between each strip and glue (ordinary white glue) all the intersections.  Wait for this step to dry.

This next step is where I got confused.  I had to look up woven stars on "Google" images to see which way to make the twist.  You'll need to clip these twisted corners to keep them in place until they are dry.  I used my new Wonder Clips.  Once again, wait until the glue is dry.

Now you have two identical pieces.  Place them back to back with the center bowed out.  Slip a straight end through a glued point and glue it in place.  Clip to hold.  Repeat all the way around, four on one side and four on the other side.  Almost done.

 When everything is dry, go back and trim the points.  Add a hanging string.

Too Many Ideas

I was trying to be good, I really was!  Instead of basting the spiral, I decided that I should work on finishing the feedsack quilt.  And I have been working on it.

There are intersections between blocks where 12 pieces are coming together and they don't look as neat as I'd like.  I plan on sewing a vintage button on each of these spots when I finish.

Yesterday I took the time to make 4 "comfort bags" for the TRPQG (Tar River Piecemakers Quilters Guild).  They prepare these bags, complete with 12" quilted comfort square, colored pencils, coloring book and a small stuffed animal for law enforcement officers to carry in their cars to give to children in crisis situations.  Apparently, we have plenty of STUFF to fill bags, but not enough bags.  I'll make more.

Last week, Sally, Ruth and I made these stars, not without a few bumps in the road.  I'll take more pictures and explain the process tomorrow.

Remember "trying to be good"?  Some new fabric arrived in the store on Monday and I'd love to cook up an idea for some of it!

Guess I'm a hopeless case.  I had a brainstorm in the car the other day while listening to a little Lou Reed and that may be what I HAVE TO work on today.

Spiral No. 3 Ready to Quilt

Here it is, the new spiral with sides and corners attached.  I admit that I cheated and cropped the picture so that the uneven outside edges don't show!  I'm going to layer it and quilt with big stitch, probably adding some buttons and beads in the process.  I won't clean up the edges until I'm ready for to finish it - maybe a traditional binding or maybe I'll add a facing.  Time will tell.  I'm totally out of all the fabrics that I used, except for small scraps.  I was getting a little nervous as I approached the point where I needed to add the larger corner triangles!