Vivid

When I told our family friend I wanted to make him a quilt to take to college, and asked if he'd like that, he said, "Sure! Quilts are cool." Yay. So I queried him about favorite colors, and was kind of surprised at his response. Red and purple! I took inspiration from Jeni Baker's Vast quilt, and since I was working mostly with fat-quarters, I opted for 15 1/2" unfinished half-square triangle blocks.

I quilted the HSTs with a simple grid using Aurifil #2250[Red]. Though I had at first thought I would do some of the quilting in dark purple, instead I decided to focus on purple in the binding. Using giucy_giuce's Hyperbolic print from his Redux line was an inspired choice for binding. Cutting it on the lengthwise grain near the selvage allowed for a sporadic 'stripe' I found very interesting.

So the quilt finished at 60" x 75", a generous lap-size. The bright and bold colors in a simple design was a nice change of pace, and hopefully will be a nice reminder of 'home' as someone near and dear heads off on his big adventure.

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.

Spiraled :: A Tutorial

The original Spiraled is 3 years old and was a happy coincidence created playing with leftover half-square triangles (HSTs) on the design wall. Besides the scrappy spirals, I especially liked how just a few spirals escaped into the barely contrasting border - and even the binding. This was my first try at Angled Matched Binding.

Spiraled, 30"x32"

Since then, I've created 2 more versions. Spiraled Jungle was made a couple of years later when a bundle of Sara Lawson's Jungle Ave. appeared in my mailbox. This time I enhanced the background with a low-volume print, both the border and binding held a bit more contrast, and the spirals were rearranged.

Spiraled Jungle, 32"x34"

And finally, Spiraled Underground, made with just 3 fabrics and finished with a faced binding. It was during the making of this one that I wrote the Big Batch HST tutorial, which just works so good when you want lots of HSTs with the same fabric pairing.

Spiraled Underground, 32"x34"

All this looking back to say . . . I've finally written up a Spiraled tutorial. Based on version 3, it would be super easy to do it scrappy or more controlled. A pretty straight-forward combo of 2" (finished) half-square triangles and squares, it's well-suited to your own personalization. Click here for the tutorial, and have fun!

If you give Spiraled a try, please feel free to add it to my flickr group, Quilting with A Quilter's Table. I'd love to see your take on the design.

Big Batch HSTs

There are many ways to make half-square triangles (HSTs), and I've used most of them. How many you need for your particular project, and how scrappy your project is may determine what method you use. Two, four, and eight at a time seem to be popular quantities. {Click the numbers for tutorials for each.} Well, for my current project, I need over 100 of the same fabric pairing. So I wanted to make more at a time. 18 felt like a huge jump from eight, and it was really quite simple. Here's a tutorial that makes 18 - 2 1/2" HSTs (2" finished). I'll have a few notes at the end if you want to make a different size.

Cut 2 - 9" squares, one of each of your fabrics. Layer the 2 fabrics, right-sides together. Using a fabric marker, mark a grid on the back side of 1 of the fabrics, marking at 3" intervals both horizontally and vertically.

Now mark diagonal lines as shown.

Take your fabric to your machine and sew a scant 1/4" on either side of each diagonal line.
(I stitched with contrasting thread so you could see the stitching easily.

Being very careful not to move the fabrics as you cut, use your ruler and rotary cutter to cut along all vertical, horizontal, and diagonally marked lines. And here's what you'll have!

One thing to notice with this method is that you've sewn over the tips of most of the HSTs. But it is such a short little seam once you have cut the HSTs apart, that one quick flick of your seam ripper, and that little seam is gone.

Now press your HSTs as desired and trim to size. Note that the dimensions I use leave you very little excess to trim away.

You can see the bits I trimmed away in the next photo.

SO, if you aren't comfortable with cutting it that close, I'd suggest starting with 9 3/4" squares of fabric, dividing it into a 3 1/4" grid for 2 1/2" HSTs (2" finished).

IF you'd like to make a different size HST, the basic formula is:
size HST (2.5") X 3.6 = size of fabric squares (9")
Remember to round up if you like a little more leeway. And the size of your beginning fabric squares needs to be divisible by 3. Note that other sizes were not actually tested.

By cutting a 9" WOF of my 2 fabrics, and then cutting squares from there, I was able to get 4 sets - or 72 HSTs - in no time at all. And I don't see any reason you couldn't expand on this idea and make even more. Yay.

City Sampler Quilt Along :: Blocks 46, 47, & 48

Woo hoo! Next week will mark half-way through the City Sampler book! The triangle chapter seems to be going on and on, but I guess that's life. I did use a method to stretch some of my limited Tula fabrics this week. I happened to have just one 6" charm of the print I wanted to use for block #46. But though the book called for 4-3 1/2" squares, I was able to pair the charm with a 6" solid square, stitch 1/4" around the outside edges, and then cut diagonally to make 4 hsts I could trim to 3 1/2". Worked like a charm - no pun intended!

After that it was easy piecing.

I used the same method on the next block to speed up the piecing. Love all those dots.

And my favorite block of the bunch  . . .

Once again, a nice little breather from the larger projects going on in the studio.

Linking up with Sew Sweetness.

Blogger's Quilt Festival :: HST Love {Group/Bee Quilt}

In looking back over the quilts I'd made in the last several months, I chose HST Love to share for the Blogger's Quilt Festival because I love how it turned out, and I'm darned proud of it.

It was created with the help of my bee-mates of FAITH Circle of the charity bee do.Good Stitches. I asked them each to make two 18 1/2" blocks consisting of four 9 1/2" half-square triangle blocks. Our fabric of choice was cool solids with medium gray and white, and blocks were made up in a variety of configurations .

I confess I love big blocks, and yes, it made this quilt a cinch to piece together. Which was ok, as it was the quilting that really took some time. I selected a diagonal path down through the quilt, and then echoed that with straight-line quilting at 3/4" intervals. Aurifil 50wt was my thread choice throughout, light gray for piecing and white for quilting.

There were enough blocks to piece a colorful backing. (Note this photo was taken after the quilt was washed and crinkly - oh, the softness!)

A scrappy binding seemed to be in order, so I chose several cool and gray solids to piece together.

This happened to be my first quilt as a quilter for do.Good, after 18 months as a stitcher. Of course, that's one of the reasons this quilt was such a joy. And after admiring similar hst quilts across the internet, it was a special pleasure to finally create one myself. The quilt finished at 54"x72", and was delivered to FAITH Circle's current charity, Restore Innocence, which helps young women who have been rescued from human trafficking. A fitting finish to a satisfying process.

My previous entries in the Blogger's Quilt Festival:

The Stars of Summer, 10/26/12

Hopscotch, 5/19/12

Mango Revisited, 10/28/11

Supernova, 5/13/11

Linking up with the Blogger's Quilt Festival in the Group or Bee Quilts category.

Before and After

You've already seen and heard all about my current favorite quilt, HST Love. It's been ready to go for over a week, but dallied around home for a bit so I could share her for show and tell at the meeting of Seattle Modern Quilt Guild Monday night. So finally, it was time for her to travel to her final destination - Restore Innocence, a charity supported by the FAITH Circle of do.Good Stitches. But first . . .

She needed a good machine wash and tumble dry. And for this quilt, it did wonders.

I'm hoping you can get a sense from these photos of the transformation that happened in the laundry room. This quilt crinkled in a way you always hope it will, and the softness and cuddle-quality was tremendously increased. Seriously I need to make another of these! Meanwhile, off it goes. May it travel safely and be a blessing in its new home.

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.

W.i.P. Wednesday

This week's focus has basically been on two projects - the FAITH circle quilt and the pincushion project. With the quilt done, and the pincushions well under way, I'm beginning to think ahead to what's next!

Completed projects
February's FAITH circle quilt - It's done and I'm so pleased. I hope to share more about it yet this week!

Ongoing projects
Pin Cushions - One down, many to go.

Persian Pickles Table Topper - a project mom selected from stitch magazine. Fabric is chosen and the multi multi page pattern is pieced together.

Doodle Memory Game - a sweet little project from Happy Sew Lucky. The fabric is all pressed and ready to cut and stitch.

x and + blocks {#xplusalong}, Scrappy triangles, Woodland cross-stitch sampler - No progress whatsoever this week!

Upcoming projects
* April Lucky Star block
* SMQG star challenge quilt
* SMQG nametag
* April bee blocks
* flannel pillow for grandgirl
* Polaroid block projects

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.

Process

What seems like ages ago, I signed a statement that, whether you realize it or not, has affected my sharing on this blog, and in fact the course of my quilting and creating in general. I took the Process Pledge. And so have 866 others of you. Take this as a reminder - or a new consideration - that sharing your process is a gift to others. And for me, it is a gift to myself as well, enhancing my enjoyment of my craft. It adds a thoughtfulness to each step along the way, and a greater satisfaction in the end product. In writing "the story" of a project, it tends to elevate the experience, making it so much more than a task accomplished.

So consider this post a prologue about one of my current projects, a half-square triangle quilt made in collaboration with the FAITH circle of do.Good Stitches. It started with me posting sample blocks and giving my bee-mates size and color info.

As blocks began to arrive, I made a mosaic to get an idea of where we were heading.

And eventually, I pieced most of the blocks into our quilt top! (It was hard to take it off the design wall, I was enjoying it so much!)

The remaining blocks were pieced into a backing. It took some consideration and moving back and forth before I settled on what "went together" best for the front and then the back. I like to think of this more of a two-sided quilt than most I make. And I think all the lovely hsts make that true.

Finally! My most dreaded of steps - the basting. Usually I clamp the backing onto my dining table . . .

Then first spray baste the batting down, one section at a time, then arrange the top and baste it one section at a time. I tend to spray baste most often, as I find I have less shifting when it comes to the actual quilting. And it is just plain faster for me, which I appreciate.

And then it's time for quilting. I really thought all the angles in this quilt design called for some straight-line. For this quilt, I'm stitching at 3/4" intervals, with white Aurifil.

So here's where I am now - actually just a tad further. I figure I'm about 1/3 done, so it'll be a few more hours, but I really like how it's coming along. I'm stitching a few rows, then marking several more with my ruler and hera marker, then stitching those, etc. back and forth. 

So stay tuned . . . for the rest of the story.

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.

W.i.P. Wednesday

So I've been plugging along on the commitments this week and making progress . . .

Completed projects
March bee blocks - It's always fun to work on these. You can see them all here but for you Wednesday visitors, I just have to share a new fav again!

Octagonal Orb quilt block for Always Bee Learning bee; pattern by Elizabeth Hartman

Patchwork Wristlet - I've had this on my to do list for ages, and a friend's birthday this week was the perfect opp. I used the tutorial by Pink Penguin, making the patchwork out of a mix of Thimble Blossom prints, including the new "Happy-Go-Lucky." 

One nice feature is the divided interior pocket, and I like the bit of linen on the handle. All in all, another sweet little pouch to add to my repertoire.

Ongoing projects
x and + blocks {#xplusalong} and Scrappy triangles - still cutting more as I work on my other projects.

Woodland cross-stitch sampler - Continuing to make progress and about done with January! #betterlatethannever

Pin Cushions - A variety of scrappy little (4 1/2" unfinished) pincushion tops are now pieced. Hope to get started on backing and stuffing them yet this week.

February's FAITH circle quilt - With the top all pieced, it was time to get going on the back. I used more of my bee-mate's blocks as the centerpiece, and surrounded it with a coordinating Anthology print. Next up, basting.

Upcoming projects
* table topper for mom
* Doodle Memory Game
* SMQG star challenge quilt
* SMQG nametag
* flannel pillow for grandgirl
* Polaroid block projects

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.