Bittersweet

HST Love

The purpose was to have a hand in making quilts to share with others, and I did it with Faith Circle of do.Good Stitches for nearly 7 years, designing and finishing over a dozen quilts, and making blocks for at least 75 others, and it was a very good thing.

Starcrossings

Conversely

But even good things come to an end, and I've let my bee mates know I'm stepping away. A bittersweet twist is that due to a variety of reasons, Faith circle will be merging with Cheer circle to become the new Unite circle. So it's the end of an era, so to speak.

Postcards

Junctions

One of the great things about do. Good Stitches is that there are several roles one can play, and I played them all. Beginning as a stitcher, I became familiar with how the bee worked, gaining confidence along the way. Being a stitcher, you also get to make quite a variety of quilt blocks and designs, as every month it's something different.

Peachy

Eventually I stepped up to quilter, meaning I would take the lead twice a year in planning our group's quilt and eventually bringing it to a finish. All the quilts shown in this post are those that begun with my imaginings, brought to fruition with my bee mates' blocks, and finished with my quilting and binding.

X Marks the Improv

After a few years in that role, the opportunity arose to become host of the circle, and I've served in that role for the last few years.

Striped Log Cabins

Quartersaw

As I scroll through these quilt photos, I remember quite clearly how utterly proud I was of that first one, HST Love. I was still pretty new to modern quilting, and just the fact that we used all solid fabrics was still very new to me.

All the Greens

As I began to embrace improvisational piecing, I encouraged my bee mates to dabble with it too. Ha. They were brave souls and humored me, and goodness, I think they even sometimes enjoyed it.

Crossings

Jazzy

So now it's time to say goodbye to something that has been a very meaningful part of my creating for a long time. Bittersweet for sure.

Mingled

See this page if you'd like to find out more about do.Good Stitches.

Mingled

Here's another do.Good Stitches finish - the latest from Faith Circle. I asked my bee mates for a mix of half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, and half-square plus quarter-square triangles - a mix I really love.

You'll find great tutorials for all in Emily Dennis' How to Sew a Perfect Quarter-Square Triangle on Craftsy. They are a fun easy sew, and as you can see, look great in a solid and print combo.

I pieced just a few extra blocks into the backing, along with some stash solids. And then! Quilting.

I think this was the most fun I've had quilting in a while! I was at a loss at first, but finally cracked open Jacquie Gering's Walk book and settled on The Boomerang design. Let's just say it looks more complicated that it really was to execute. I tried Cotton + Steel 50 wt thread #753-1095, which provided a little contrast yet still blended really well.

The quilt finished at 48" x 56" and will soon be headed off to Valley Breast Center. And I'm happy to be caught up with my "outside" commitments, that's for sure.

Jazzy

Not sure why it took me so long to face this one. It's not huge, and honestly, I loved it from the very first block. It was quick and easy to sew my bee-mates' blocks into a top. So obviously.... no good reason.



It's a do.Good Stitches quilt, with multicolor wedge slabs made by Faith Circle. They are patient with my efforts to sneak some improv into our quilt-making, and they came through beautifully. [Here's the block tutorial.]



I really debated over a quilting plan, and after skimming through Jacquie Gering's Walk, 

settled on a combination of horizontal straight lines and fancy curved lines - gentle curves both between random lines and occasionally crossing lines of straight-line. I think it worked.



On a whim, I quilted with Aurifil 50wt 2520 (Violet) AND shock of shocks, I finished by stitching the scrappy binding by machine. I have only done that a handful of times in my years of quilting, but it just seemed the thing to do this time. [I basically used this method.]




So this quilt, which I'm dubbing "Jazzy" because of its showy color, finished at 48" x 60", and it'll be heading off shortly to Valley Breast Center here in the Seattle area. As always, it feels great to do a little good.



This project was on my 2018 Q2 Finish-A-Long list! Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.

Triangle Mix

My turn is coming up again to choose the design for the next Faith Circle quilt, and I've settled on a combo I've wanted to try for a while now.



So I'm asking my bee-mates to make basic half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles including some mix-and-match ones, and even some half-square plus quarter-square triangles.

I found Emily Dennis' How to Sew a Perfect Quarter-Square Triangle on Craftsy a really nice tutorial for all of these, with a formula for block-sizes, and just a good resource overall. I'm asking for 4 - 8.5" unfinished blocks, which is a loose equivalent of two - 12.5" blocks. I simplified by cutting 9.75" squares of fabric, so I could intermix them and make a variety of blocks. Below are my fabric choices - Kona Parrot, Breakers, and White, along with a couple of coordinating prints.



Making a note to myself that a 6x7 block layout will call for 42 blocks. I already made 6, and with each of my mates making 4, we'll make a 48" x 56" quilt. Perfect for do.Good Stitches.

Crossings

May was my month to choose a quilt plan for Faith Circle of do.Good Stitches and I selected Kona Crossing blocks by JaceyCraft. Jacey's pattern makes 15 1/2" blocks, and I asked for just one from each of my bee-mates. I made a block in each of three background colors - Kona Midnight, Aqua, and Ochre. Crosses were made with those same colors, shades of the same, with the add-ins of Pink Flamingo and even a few scraps of teal-green. Not quite sure what I was thinking with this palette, but on the other hand, I think it works.



Piecing a top was so quick with blocks of this size! For the backing, I went with a single fabric, referring to How to Pattern Match a Quilt Backing from Aqua Paisley Studio, and I'll definitely be trying that again.



I really debated on how to quilt this one, and finally settled on an orange peel because I thought it would be relatively quick and fun. Plus with those 5" blocks in each 15" block, there would be no need for marking! In actuality, I thought what was chosen for its convenience ended up being a really good design for this quilt. Quilting was done with Aurifil 50wt #2805 (Light Turquoise) and it also proved to be a good choice, being subtle on the dark crosses, but still noticeable and distinct.



Binding was done in a coordinating gold solid, and the quilt finished at 45" x 60". As always, it feels good to have a finish that will go on to encourage. It'll find a new home soon!

Linking up with Finish It Up Friday!

X Marks the Improv

From the moment I posted the assignment for Faith Circle, I was excited about this quilt. The 12.5" X 24.5" improv-based block was of my own design, and I was admittedly pleased to be able to provide my bee-mates with structure, yet a chance to stretch their improv wings a bit. A tutorial for the block is coming soon. [ETA: Click here.]



As for colors, I asked for any blue solid for the block backgrounds; any blue, turquoise, teal, or bright green for the crosses. An occasional gold or orange was ok in the cross strips, but wasn't necessary. Both ‘arms’ of each cross did not need to match fabric-wise so the blocks were scrap-friendly in that sense. AND if they feel so inclined, contrasting bits pieced into the crosses were welcome. I used some of my own block trimmings to create cross strips for the next block and found that a satisfying way to use my scraps while still lending a cohesiveness to the blocks.

Dare I say I love how the colors came together?! And those contrasting bits . . . oh yeah.

For the back, I used one full block and then made a few partials, surrounding them with swaths of solids. For quilting, I used the most enchanting Aurifil 50wt #2730 (Caribbean Blue), which brought the kind of continuity that you hope for but can't always anticipate. You can see in the photo above that the straight-line quilting echoed out from an 'X' near the center - that light blue one with an aqua background.

Once trimmed after quilting, I had a width of several inches of leftover backing, pretty  much the perimeter of the quilt. SO, as you can guess, the decision to do matched binding was made for me. Not quite, but still, I had a good start, and it wasn't that fiddly to cut and piece the rest. To me, it was the perfect finishing touch - seen best in the top photo.

 

Measuring 48" X 60", this quilt is the perfect lap size, and I trust it'll bring a smile to its recipient. For me, it was a pleasure to make, thanks to a little help from my friends. And I can't imagine I won't revisit this block again soon.

This quilt was on my 2016 Q1 Finish-A-Long list! 
Linking up with Finish It Up Friday.

Peachy

For FAITH Circle's  July quilt assignment I chose Rachel/Wooden Spoon Quilts' Raspberry Kiss block, upsized to 12 1/2" unfinished. The coral and yellow palette was an unusual one for me, but it was definitely cheery. I asked for backgrounds that were black and white or gray and white low-volume prints, white on white prints, or a very pale gray solid.

I kind of forgot my original plan once the blocks started coming in, and when I put them all on the design wall, I arranged them 'square'. A friend happened to stop by and saw them and mentioned how she thought they'd look good set on point, and lightbulb! I remembered that was what I had meant to do. So I rearranged them, made a couple more blocks to fill in gaps, and set to work cutting setting triangles. I referred to this resource for the calculations needed.

 

For backing I was pleased to find Thomas Knauer's Frippery in my stash to use as the main fabric, and paired it with some yellow Michael Miller Ta Dots to bring it to size.

 

Quilting was done with  Aurifil 50wt #2021 (Natural White) in a serpentine stitch cross-hatch, leaving the quilt very soft and cuddly. Binding was most more of those Michael Miller Ta Dots, accented with just a bit of Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures crosshatch print.



 

Seeing as this sweet finish will be heading soon to Restore Innocence, Faith Circle's chosen charity, I washed it right up, and had it in the car throughout our busy weekend, just in case we found a setting for a quick photo shoot. Finally, heading home after our last commitment, I noticed a neighborhood park with a charming trellis which suited our needs perfectly. The end.

 

This project was on my 2015 Finish-A-Long Q3 List. Linking up with Fabric Tuesday,  Sew Cute Tuesday, and Finish It Up Friday.

As Time Goes By

Not much in life is stationary. Things are changing all the time, and even as a creator, I have just come to recognize that as a constant. As one component of my participation in the online quilting community, I've been a part of several bees. One of the first was the charity bee do.Good Stitches.

September 2011 was my first month as a stitcher in FAITH Circle, and I remember feeling mighty pleased to be a part of things. Rachel/Stitched in Color, the leader/creator of do.Good was a member of our circle at the time, and happened to be bee mama that month. Together, we made a Swoon quilt - one of my very favorite blocks. I only had a small part in its making (that's my block in the lower right corner), but I was proud of it, just the same.

photo by Rachel Hauser on flickr

In February 2013 I stepped up to serve as a quilter, and had the bee make blocks for an HST quilt. I remember being smitten with HST Love and the whole process gave me a lot of confidence. Since then, I've been bee-mama and created 4 more quilts, and overall, have made blocks for 33 others. Boy it feels great to be able to do good. It's important to me to make "giving back" a regular part of what I do as a quilter.

Since the bee's beginnings (a year before I joined) FAITH Circle has made over 50 quilts and donated them to encourage others! Here's the most recent finish - Social Climber by Debbie/Shadows of the Blue Ridge. Isn't it a fun one? It'll soon be off to our circle's chosen charity, Restore Innocence, which supports young women rescued from human trafficking. With its bright and cheery palette, it's bound to bring some hope and comfort.

photo by Debbie/Blue.Ridge.Girl on flickr

All that to say . . . in July, not only has it been my month to choose our next project, but I've also transitioned into being leader/host of FAITH Circle. Talk about things coming full circle. It seems they have.

If you'd like to be a part of do.Good Stitches, you can apply using this form.




Celebrating Doing Good

I bet you've heard of do. Good Stitches {a charity bee}, right?  We're a virtual quilting bee begun by Rachel of Stitched in Color, and we have been making modern quilts for charity since 2010. It began with a few "circles" who worked together making a quilt each month for their chosen charity. Today, there are 24 circles, each consisting of 10 stitchers and quilters, and we're celebrating all our work and the good we've been able to do just doing what we love.

I joined Faith Circle in 2011 where I served as a stitcher for about 14 months before becoming a quilter. In that role, in addition to making quilt blocks, I also decide on the quilt plan for the month 2-3 times a year, gather the blocks made by my bee members, then I quilt and bind our quilt and send it on to our charity, Restore Innocence.

So far, I've completed 4 quilts for Faith Circle, and I'm currently receiving blocks for another. Remember these?

 

 

 

 

All this to say . . . as part of our celebration, each circle has voted on their 'best' quilt and submitted it to Rachel. Here's ours!

High Clare Castle Blocks by Faith circle, quilted by Anita Peluso (more pics)

There are 24 gorgeous quilts submitted - won't you go vote on your favorite? Voting closes midnight (eastern time), Monday December 15th, and no matter which quilt wins, doing good is definitely worth celebrating.



 

  Interested in joining us? Just click here . . .

HST Love

So when I left off with the FAITH Circle quilt process the other day, I was quilting. Now that's done, and she's all bound up ready to go! Here's the rest of the story . . .

For me, anyway, there is usually some inspiration when I start a project - another quilt, a picture or piece of artwork, something I've seen out in the real world. For this quilt, it was definitely other solid hst quilts that I had seen in blog-land.  I chose the three below to show my bee members the direction we were headed. {These quilts were made by fordhook1, CB Handmade, and Sew Katie Did - click a pic to see more info about each on flickr.}

The colors I had in mind were white, medium gray, and a variety of cool colors. I asked them each to make two 18 1/2" blocks, each made up of four 9 1/2" blocks and I posted photos of how these blocks could be placed in a variety of configurations. And it was fun to see how my bee-mates followed my lead!

When the blocks all came back to me, it was a bit of a puzzle deciding how to arrange them. I didn't over-think the process really, but I did choose to group the palest blocks with the purples on the backing to give the quilt more of a two-sided feel. Filling in around the backing blocks I used Leaves on Teal from Fruit Slice by Khristian Howell for Anthology fabrics. It really coordinated well overall with the mix of blocks. And in keeping it real, I really thought I had lined the front and back up perfectly, but as you can see, whether in quilting or whatever, there was a tiny shift. sigh

For quilting, I knew I wanted to straight-line,and started by following a zig-zag made by the lines of the blocks. You can see by the arrows in the photo below where I took my first pass. From there, I echo-quilted at 3/4" intervals. Where I had used light gray Aurifil 50wt for piecing, I switched to the same thread but in white for the quilting.

Then it was time to bind! After considering just about every color in the quilt, I opted for a scrappy look, which included KONA Turquoise, Chartreuse, and Emerald, along with Medium Gray and Coal. The finished quilt measures 54"x72".

So after a year and a half of sewing for FAITH Circle, I survived my first turn organizing and quilting our project, and I couldn't be more pleased.

Linking up with Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday, Finish it Up Friday, & Fabric Tuesday.