Getting Back in the Saddle

Wow, a long but unintentional bloggy break for me!  I didn't mean to be gone for so long.  I just didn't really have anything to say or show.  I have had a hard time getting back into the quilt studio after that big push to be ready for the Quilt Show.  I couldn't focus on anything and therefore, nothing happened.  But I'm getting back into it, slowly.

My Treasure Bag

I took a class at our local art gallery on weaving these little "Treasure Bags".  The class was a very reasonable price and the teacher has a really good deal on the kits.  $5 pays for the little loom and all the yarn you need for a bag.  I augmented mine with some fibers that some friends gave me a few years ago (Thanks, Jeanne and Roberta!)  This bag fits my Smart Phone and the handle is long enough to allow me to wear it in front or over one shoulder.  I still need to add some beads to those yarns dangling from the handle and then it will be done.  I've already started another bag, smaller this time.  I can't show it to you yet, as it's going to be a Christmas gift.  This was a nice break from quilting, and a lot of fun!

This is the first sewing I've done in weeks.  I made some Disappearing 4-Patch blocks for Vesuviusmama over at My Patchwork Life blog.  She's put out a call for the D9P edited: oops! I meant to say D4P blocks and is making quilts for the Sandy victims in NY and NJ.  Go visit her - she just made a delivery of some quilts and is still making more.  

Yesterday I started a Low Volume quilt.  I missed out on the big sew-along this summer and really wanted to try one.  It's so different from what I usually do, and it intrigued me.  So here are my first 2 blocks.  I thought about doing it improv style, but I want something simple that is easy to cut and not too hard to put together for this one.  I'm not too sure about the darker tan fabrics in there, and may not do too many of them.  I think I want this one to be light and sweet.  I've been collecting inspiration pictures on my Pinterest page (see my side bar for the link) for a while now.  So, based on my calculations, I only need another 78 more blocks!  I've finished cutting my bin of light scraps, now on to the fat quarters!

 Last month The Kid and I took a trip to Ikea, and I found this tray there.  Doesn't it look like an improv quilt?  Hee hee!  It just shows that inspiration is everywhere!

Well, I'd better post this quickly.  The wind is blowing fiercely out there and the lights have flickered a time or two already.  I hope we don't lose power!

Happy quilting!

Happy Easter!

Happy Passover and Happy Spring Holiday!  Whatever you celebrate, I hope you have a good one.

Here's a little "cheater" cloth quilt I made a few years ago.  I just took a cute Debbie Mumm print that I only had a small scrap of and added some borders to it.  Quick, easy and fun and I do love me some bunnies!

It's been a while since my last post and I have very little to show for it.  I've hardly been in the quilt studio in the last two weeks.  I did get some Block Lotto blocks started, but they're not ready to show yet.

Here are some "liberated" Disappearing 4-Patches that I made for a friend's birthday gift last month.  The theme was pastels, so I decided to use some of the fabrics that she and I dyed/painted together for her gift.  The green in the blocks above was originally some hand-marbled fabric that I made, but I wasn't happy with it.  Too much white and not enough of the marbled greens, so I over-dyed it with green last year.  I think it's much improved now.  The blue is an over-dyed white-on-white fabric.

These 2 blocks were my first try and they're my favorites!  And they were a dumb mistake design opportunity.  I started with the pink/orange and blue/green fabrics and made a 4-patch.  (To see how to do this wonky 4-patch technique, go see the tutorial on the  Love Laugh Quilt blog here.  Thanks, Beth!)  Just as I was doing the wonky cutting, it dawned on me that I needed 2 4-patches that are alike to make this block wonky.  So, there I was with one wonky block that was not going to fit back together.  The problem was, I didn't have enough of those 2 fabrics to cut more patches from.  So, I had to improvise.  I found the purple and yellow fabrics and thought all the fabrics played nicely together, so I made another 4-patch.  I took the first block (remember, it was already sliced and diced) and layered it on top of the still-complete 2nd 4-patch and veeerrrry caaarefully cut along the "lines".  Then I shuffled and sewed it back together.  Ta Da!  It worked!

I am so pleased with how these blocks came out.  Those wonderful pastel colors remind me of Easter eggs and jelly beans!.  Now, I think I have to make a whole quilt of these with my large stack of hand-dyed fabrics that have been waiting for just the right project!  Oh goodie, another project to start!  

Happy quilting!