Sidewalk Chalk on Asphalt

When I flipped the calendar to 2018, I had no idea I'd be working on a bed quilt by the end of the month, and actually be sleeping under it by the start of spring. glory be! Yes, a new quilt for our bed had been on the list for at least a couple of years, but it took Rachel/Stitched in Color hosting The Big Bed Quilt-Along to actually get me going on it.



I'd been collecting low-volume fabrics for months on end, having no idea what I'd actually do with them. I had in mind maybe an improv pineapple quilt, but when I saw Meghan/Then Came June's Sidewalk Chalk pattern start popping up in Instagram, I changed my mind. It was a pattern, yes, but with an improvisational feel, and it seemed oh so doable - you know, like it might actually get done in a reasonable amount of time. And truth was, I loved loved! every version I saw. So that was settled, and I started in.

Rachel had been posting a variety of helpful posts along the way, and near the end of sewing my rows together, her Planning Quilt Size post turned on a light bulb. so I got my measuring tape out pronto and realized I would need to add an extra row and column both to make my own quilt sized appropriately for my bed. It's a good reminder to take a look at those dimensions listed on any pattern you use - they're all relative. Luckily, with Sidewalk Chalk, it was really easy, and after a good review of the pattern, even keeping that improv feel was a cinch and adding on didn't hold me up too much.

By mid-February, I had a finished quilt top! Measuring 96" x 112", it was BIG! Ie. too big for me to want to quilt myself. My decision was quick, easy, and logical (to me) - purchase a few yards of the crisscross in black wideback by Carolyn Friedlander, which was one of the low-volume fabrics in my original pull, pack it all up, and send straightaway to Rachel/Stitched in Color herself for long-arm quilting. We conferred briefly about thread color (off-white) and quilting design and density, and before long, my quilt was on the frame.

I wanted to comment since I mentioned it in a previous post - Stitched in Color uses Quilter's Dream Select batting, which I was unfamiliar with. I've always been a Warm & Natural/White gal myself, so I didn't know what to expect. But I'm more than happy with the feel and drape of the finished quilt and honestly can't really tell a difference. (yay!) 

So for binding, all 416" of it, I used more of the Backgrounds Crossstitch in Gray by Lori Holt. And with that, I have a brand new bed quilt and am ecstatic to cross that one off my list.

#BigBedQAL
Linking up with Finish It Up Friday!

Making Motions with Sidewalk Chalk

It was January 25 that I posted about A Big Bed Quilt. I had fabric I'd procured over the last several months, a pattern (finally!) chosen, and Rachel/Stitched in Color's Big Bed Quilt-Along to egg me on. I hadn't anticipated this being a beginning of the year project, but all the pieces fell into place and I went for it.



I'm so pleased to say that the top is finished! I highly recommend the pattern, Sidewalk Chalk by Meghan/Then Came June. In fact, it was really fun to put together. There are several different blocks, but once you get past the half-rectangle triangles, the blocks are super simple and in geometric combinations I love. Then it's a bit of a puzzle to piece them into rows, but the kind of puzzle that totally makes sense. Wouldn't you know the largest size, Bed Size at 90" x 104", wasn't quite large enough, once I took the time to Measure Up my own bed. But no worries, I was able to add one extra row plus one column, which brought it up to 96" x 112", which was perfect, even considering a little shrinkage from quilting and washing.



For backing, I ordered several yards of the crisscross in black wideback by Carolyn Friedlander, which is one of the low-volume fabrics in my original pull, so now I'm all set.



Set for what? Set to send off to Rachel/Stitched in Color herself for long-arming. The quilt is not yet in transit, but will be soon, and I'm more than thrilled to be at this step in the process as I head off to QuiltCon. Besides finalizing decisions on thread and quilting design, I'm also anxious to see how I like the Quilter's Dream Select batting, which I have never personally tried but heard lots of good things about.



So yay! I stepped from behind the quilt in this last photo - you know, for scale! The colors are a tad off, since the quilt seems less 'creamy' in person, but I'm loving the low volume. And see those trees placed throughout the quilt top? They are from the Lagom border print, and perfect, I think, for a Pacific NW quilt. Enough already. I'm shipping it off soon and will be sharing a finished quilt with you before we know it.

Exchanging Whispers

When I had received all my swap blocks from my Bee Sewcial mates, it took me a bit to decide what to do with them - each 5-6", low-volume with a pop of color.

What I finally decided on was a loose smattering of blocks surrounded with randomly-placed low-volume scraps. I set out to make something that sounded fun to puzzle together, and something I personally would enjoy cuddling up with, as this one - a gift of sorts from the entire bee - was definitely one to keep for myself.

As I pieced, I inserted just a few striped strips for a bit of added interest. Otherwise, I pieced sections to fit as I went.

For quilting, I braved it and free-motion quilted, using a half-dozen basic patterns, choosing as I went what would go in my self-defined sections.

As with my recent Colorless quilt, I found this very low-volume quilt with its dense quilting difficult to photograph. Even when the light seemed right, everything seemed to blur together. Interesting phenomenon.

Finishing at 46" x 48", this one was fun to make and a notable memento of a really special group of women.

This project was on my Q3 Finish-A-Long list! Linking up with Finish It Up Friday, Scraptastic Tuesday, and 2016 FAL Q3 Finishes Link-Up.

Illustrating Low-Volume

When I shared the Crosscut block tutorial recently, one of my followers asked "what are low-volume squares?" - my beginning place for those blocks. I once wondered the same thing. Nowadays they find their way into plenty of my projects, but I thought I would answer the question by showing some of my favorites.

There is quite a variety when it comes to low-volume fabrics, and you might consider me a bit picky about the ones I choose to use. But here's some pulled from my stash:

1. Tone on tone - white, cream, or a mix.

2. Black on white, off-white, or cream - oh yeah.

3. Multi-colors on white, off-white, or cream - not my most-used. Usually I prefer low-volumes with little color, but these I love.

4. Dark blue on cream, pale gray, or white - also good choices.

5. A single color on white, off-white, or cream - also not my most-used, as I tend to stick to neutrals, but these are pretty irresistible.

6. Gray on cream, white, or pale gray - some of my very favorites.

7. Black text on white or cream.

So think white, off-white, or cream tone-on-tones or more likely for me, simple designs - prints, graphics, or texts - on a white, off-white, cream, or light gray background. They can add alot of dimension to a project where you might otherwise use a solid. So now you know!

More Kisses

There's always a quandary when it's my turn to be a bee mama and choose a quilt plan for the group. At least it is for me. And it was no different as I mulled over options for FAITH Circle for July. The palette was the easiest - inspired by a flower bed at the airport as we were coming home from a recent trip to visit our son and daughter-in-law. Coral and yellow - totally not my norm, but something about the mix seemed just right.

Though I expect my bee-mates to use mostly prints in these colors, I did check my Kona card to give them a closer idea of the colors I'm looking for: Corn Yellow, Canary, Buttercup, Coral, Nectarine, Mango. And for the record, I'm fine if they use these actual solids too.

After much hemming and hawing, I chose a current favorite around the interweb, Rachel/Wooden Spoon Quilts' Raspberry Kiss block. Below is the quilt that pushed me over the edge. It's by Brittney/bselbyquilting on Instagram, and I appreciate her consent in letting me post it to share with FAITH Circle.

photo courtesy of Brittney Selby

Rachel's tutorial makes a 4 1/4" block, so I asked her if she'd mind if I up-sized it for my bee's use, and she kindly gave permission.

So I'm asking my bee mates to make three blocks following Rachel's tutorial, except with these adjusted cutting directions:
4 - 2 1/2" squares + 2 - 6" squares (cut diagonally) for background
2 - 2 1/2" squares + 1 - 2 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangle for cross
Note that I stitched my blocks with a scant quarter inch and they finished at 9 1/8".

As you can see in my sample blocks, for the backgrounds, I've also chosen black and white or gray and white low-volume prints, white on white prints, or a very pale gray, such as Kona Ash (not shown). A mix of these is fine in each block.

It's always fun to see the blocks start coming in and here's another quilt to add to the 'to-do' list for next month!

Through the Looking Glass

It's not that often that a final quilting project turns out exactly as I saw in my mind's eye when I began. In fact, I often have no vision whatsoever, but approach my cutting board with fabric and rotary cutter and just see where it takes me. But with my SMQG Paint Chip Challenge quilt, what I see now completed is as close to what I imagined as I could hope for. I call it "Through the Looking Glass," a glance into the mind of a modern quilter, where traditional and modern blocks live happily together.

The whole paint chip challenge was introduced to the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild by Arajane/you know what I love?, and I think everyone immediately thought it would be a great challenge! We were all given paint chips with shades of gray and blue, and some {lucky} folks got an extra little chip of citrine. The added limitation was that our creation was to be exactly 18" square.

As you can see, I was assigned to #teamgray, and I admit I wasn't disappointed one bit, though fabrics to actually match my chip weren't as easy to find as I would have expected. Here's what I finally settled down to work with:

• light gray "Scratch" from Bethany Shackelford of Quilting Treasures
• Northcott Colorworks in Pearl (9000-90)
• three shades of the ombre graphite grey from Vanessa Christenson's Simply Color

What I started with was a faced inset oval. Then I just started making small blocks to fill up the space. (And yes, the center of that log cabin was removed and replaced!)

Eventually came the time to piece them all together, a little wonky at that.

As you can see, I made blocks that were very traditional, as well as some that were more improv - from a maple leaf that in my state of focus was made incorrectly and even a little "bacon" block as a nod to my Sizzling. I just made what struck my fancy at the time.

For quilting, I used Aurifil 50wt #2600 (light gray) and just echo-stitched the oval both inside and out. A simple "Pearl" frame was the finishing touch.

This challenge was really captivating. And as pleased as I am with the conclusion I came to, I'm equally excited to see all our guild quilts hung side by side at Seattle's Drygoods Design in June!

This is my 2nd finish from my 2015 Q2 Finish-A-Long list! Linking up with the FAL Q2 Finishes.

Mid-Century March

It's my month in the Mid-Century Modern Bee and I'm taking inspiration from Little Miss Shabby's Hugs and Kisses Quilt.

Source: littlemissshabby.com via Debbie on Pinterest

I'm asking my bee members to use this tutorial but go low-volume. Here's my sample block.

This is only the second time it's been my turn to ask for blocks in a bee, so I'm pretty excited!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday.