Borders and More

Finally!  The "TAKE 6" quilt top is complete, with borders!

I'm not quite sure when it will be quilted.  Right now, it's going up on display, along with it's pattern. 

The latest strippy quilt is really taking shape.  Remember when I said that I'd be adding circles?  I cut some circles out of freezer paper and moved them around until I liked the arrangement.

Then I pinned them in place.  I remove one at a time when I'm ready to applique.

I'm back to liking the vertical orientation.  On it's side, the brown lines look too much like H's. 

Old and New

While I continue to think about the next step in my strippy quilt, I have not been idle!  Earlier this year I taught a class at the local guild for a pattern that I call "Phone Book Quilt".  It's an adaptation of a traditional pattern, and uses phone book pages for the foundation.  I already had a finished quilt made like this, but in the process of demonstrating, I started another.  Not as big this time, just 24 blocks.  I ran across the blocks in the closet the other day and decided it was time to put them together!

The first version did not have a border.  Scrap quilts back in the olden days often did not have borders.  Those quilters were using scraps and might not have yardage that they could spare for borders.  I have plenty of the black batik.  It will be the binding for sure and I MIGHT add just a narrow border, too.

Continuing with the theme finishing up class samples, I decided that it was high time that I sewed together the blocks I made during the last "Beginning Quilting" class.  There is a very good commercial pattern called "TAKE 5", by The Teacher's Pet.  I have made two.  The only draw-back is that it calls for 5/8 yards of the five fabrics, not very stash-friendly.  I came up with my own version, using six fabrics, that works with fat quarters and half yards.  Class is over, everybody got their quilt top together and most are quilted, except for me!  This morning I lay the blocks out on the floor to come up with a pleasing arrangement and then began to sew the rows together.  By the way, I call this "TAKE 6".

This week's class was an easy table runner.  I had a finished sample and this time I got busy and finished the demo too!  After all, it was a small project. One will be a Christmas present.

Now is time for true confessions.  There is an idea that I have been dying to try.  So I made some selections..........

Which Way?

The latest strippy quilt top is together.  I have plans to embellish it with CIRCLES!  In the meantime, I need to decide on the orientation.  It was pieced vertically.

But it might end up horizontal.  I've got to look at it for a day or two.

Hmmmmm........

Just a Peek

I had a little more time to play with the strips.  To remind everybody, this is what I was given:

Here are some of the strip sets, once they hit the design wall.

I think that these are Moda scraps, kind of dull and drab.  They needed some help to brighten and accent, so I auditioned a few fabrics in the shop.

In the end, I chose the brown, rose, and lightest light.  I've done a little more work on the strips.  It doesn't look like much yet, but I have an idea of where it is going.

I've confessed before that I never can work on just one thing at a time.  Last night I finished the baby blanket I was crocheting for a friend who is expecting grandchild #3 any minute.

AND

I cut more pieces for the shop hop quilt that won't be revealed until February.

Whew.

Artrageous Fun

I hosted a meeting of Artrageous Quilters on Saturday.  What began as a planned screen printing activity, turned into a free-for-all of color and dye!

Inside the store, Judy Glover demonstrated printing using thermofax screens. Here are some of the results, laying outside to dry.

While screen printing was going on inside, something else was happening outside!

I was in and out, so can't give too accurate a description.  I believe that the fabric was dampened, then sand applied, and finally, dye was dripped and drizzled over the top.  The whole thing has to be completely dry before sand is removed and it is rinsed, so I don't have any finished pieces to show.  

Because I was in and out so much, I didn't get to participate in the printing or dyeing.  But, we had another activity!  I soaked two fat quarters of muslin in half and half solution of vinegar and water, then packed them in a baggie with rusty bolts, chain and torn of pieces of steel wool.  After three days, this is what I have.

So, that is probably the beginning of another project.

But in the meantime..........

A friend used a jelly roll for a class project.  The project called for 1 1/2" strips, not 2 1/2", so she had to trim them!  Then she gave me the skinny scraps!  I've just gotten started, but here it is so far:

Once again, stay tuned!

  

Finished and Faced

Here's what it looked like when I started.

Here it is as I reached the last stages of design and construction.

Last week I quilted it and tonight I finished the facing.  It is called "Windows and Door".