Falling Hard

Though it's felt like winter for several weeks, today is actually the last day of fall and seems an appropriate time to report in on the Falling for Modern Maples flickr group. Not that the group is going anywhere - in fact there are several terrific Modern Maples projects still in the works and I hope more to come. But for now, check out all we've accomplished in a few short months.

1. Modern Maples runner, 2. Modern Maples Finished!, 3. Modern Maples Throw Quilt, 

4. Taller help has arrived! #modernmaples #fallingformodernmaples

1. Anticipating Autumn: A Modern Maples Quilt, 2. not so modern maples full on, 3. November mini, 4. P1080109

 1. Mini Maple Mug Rug, 2. Tumbling Leaves Table Runner, 3. Modern Maples Mini, 4. Handmade Autumn

1. a scrappy maples pillow, 2. Modern Maples, 3. MODERN MAPLES - finished, 4. Pumpkin Spice Latte -front

1. Handmade Autumn Swap goodies sent, 2. Handmade Autumn Swap for Sew Peachey, 3. Modern Maple Mini, 

4. Reverse Modern Maples Mini

1. Massive Maples, 2. Pulling fabrics, cutting, piecing, pondering about layout, more piecing, quilting and binding.... Now time for sunggling!!! #modernmaples #modernmaplesquilt #quilt, 3. #modernmaples done! In time for the last days of autumn. #goodthings #modernquilting, 4. My #modernmaples quilt bound, washed and photographed! #quilt #modernquilting

1. Falling Softly Pillow, 2. Modern Maples, 3. Thanksgiving Table Runner, 4. Falling leaves quilt, 5. Untitled

There's a great pattern for the basic block at Lark Crafts {here}, and if you like to play around with different sizes, check in with Darcy/Modern Cozy, who not only made some Mini Modern Maples, but also some Massive Maples! 

I'm as smitten with this traditional-made-modern block as ever, and if you end up Falling for Modern Maples too, feel free to join in with the rest of us!

Anticipating Autumn

According to the Bing Dictionary, the definition of "anticipate" is to: act beforehand to address something imminent: to imagine or consider something before it happens and make any necessary preparations or changes. And that is exactly what I did when I asked the members of That Stash Bee to make Modern Maples blocks for me back in June. I really loved the many Modern Maples quilts I had seen around blogland, and wanted one for our own home. This fall. 

I started out making this block as a sample and asked for basic leaf colors on light (non-white) solids or low-volume prints.  

Even a lighter leaf on a darker background was acceptable, and since I only received 1 of those, I made 1 more and brought my total number of blocks to 20.

So earlier this week, I took all my leaf blocks, laid them out, and cut a variety of solid and print squares, enough so I could do the 5x6 block layout I had planned. This would make a nice lap quilt, measuring 60x72".

For a backing, I used a Curious Nature print by Parson Gray. It had some leafy images and also the sense of sidewalk, which in my childhood was the place where all the most interesting leaves were found. (In fact, one of my favorite childhood activities was making leaf rubbings.)

For quilting I used Aurifil 50wt #2000, which is named "Beige" but in reality is much more interesting than its name implies and nicely brought all the colored leaves to blow nicely together. I stitched straight-lines, first making a grid along both sides of the seam-lines between blocks. Then I went zigging and zagging a bit so I went through the stem of each leaf. I added more parallel lines diagonally to decrease the amount of unquilted space, though this is one of the less densely quilted quilts I've done, with the diagonals about 4" apart.

The binding is one of my new favorite prints - Carrie Bloomston's  Collage Scratch in Putty. It was just the perfect shade to blend with the mix of backgrounds, and with its subtle lines is not really a stripe but gives a bit of that effect but in a subdued way, letting the leaf blocks really be the focus. (Click the Collage link and you can see it better.)

So don't get me wrong. I am totally enjoying these last few weeks of summer, and am not over-anticipating the arrival of autumn, but on the other hand, quilt-wise, I'm ready.

This finish is from my 2013 Q3 Finish-A-Long list. Linking up with Fabric Tuesday and Finish It Up Friday.

Falling for Modern Maples

Just about one month ago, I started a flickr group, Falling for Modern Maples. Basically, I was hoping for some company as I made my own Modern Maples quilt. And I got some! Check out the group and see the colorful variety of maple leaf blocks! If you are making, want to make, or even made a Modern Maples quilt, please do join in. And if you need some inspiration, check out the Modern Maples gallery. 

I'm still hoping to have mine finished by the beginning of fall here in the Pacific Northwest. And considering I just finished piecing the top, I'm still hopeful!

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.