Quilt Tops

I've now got two quilt tops almost completed. (and I've already picked out the backing fabric for the Churn Dash, bright black and white top). When finished, I think both quilts will have an additional fairly narrow border. Neither of these two have real names yet. I kind of like the idea of calling the quilt with all that colour -- Black and White, but...

Black and White or Bright Churn Dash Quilt


Although I have the black and white backing fabric for this quilt, it will take a bit of work. The quilt is a bit wider than the fabric and so I am going to insert a bright section, including some of the colours used on the front of the quilt.

Because of a mental slippage, I accidentally made two, too many blocks, so I have started a second quilt using the Churn Dash block in brights and black and white. (And shockingly enough I have the backing fabric for this quilt as well. I saw it and it struck me as absolutely perfect.)

Field of Blue Stars


I think I am off to start the process of adding the borders.

Works in Progress

A few of the projects I am most actively working on.

Fighting Fishes


The beginning of two blocks, photographed on my ironing board. This block, "Fighting Fish," was my guild's block of the month, back in March, for Pisces, but I didn't get around to making one then, barely thought about it even, but somehow it sunk into my subconsciousness and I've been thinking about for the last couple months. That little 3x3 block was one of the hardest I have ever made. The complete 12 inch block calls for four of the pairs of fish and for the rest of it to be made of the background colour. I haven't finished them off, because I don't think there will be enough contrast -- somehow I am going to add contrast in the middle.


Mini Quilt


This little piece is mainly made from left over pieces from another unfinished object. I am not quite sure how I will finish off the top and bottom borders. I kind of think I need to extend an orange triangle into one of the borders -- probably the top as that will leave the blue star on the cream fabric slightly more visible than if I were to extend the orange triangle in the lower right.


Service Committee Round Robin



My goal here was to increase the size and to increase the scale. If I maintained the scale of the six inch nine patch blocks I felt the whole would become chaotic. I wanted to add an element that would allow the small blocks to read as one area of playful blue and yellow. So I am adding a large blue and yellow box around the smaller box. It might be working although a slip with the rotary blade which has made one side is a bit short has me in a bit of a snit.

Coasters

Honestly I haven't been doing much creating in the last month or so and hardly any quilting. I am beginning to feel a bit depressed and stressed about my lack of progress. It is a bit of a chicken and egg problem, I am not really sure which came first, the stress or the depression. What I do know, is that I have got to get back to work.

In my defense, I have been doing a fair bit of tutoring and somehow when I get home I am just not up to much. Further in my defense, I have several quilts worked to the point that they need borders, a stage which seems to require immense quantities of thought and mental dexterity. I've laid the quilts out on all kinds of fabric, but I am not yet, quite ready to cut. I promise I will get on with it.

In the mean time, I clearly have not met my minimum goal of one blog post a week, but I am getting close to being up to date on my one hat a week, or 52 hats in the year, knitting project. Knitting hats, children's or otherwise is the prefect project when you don't have the mental energy to do much thinking. I will take a few photos later in the week so I can post some evidence of my progress.



What I have completed are these four coasters. I made them from partial bits of blocks, which turned out to be unnecessary for use in a wall quilt I finished months ago. A friend bought the quilt, and I think I will go ahead and ship these coasters off to her -- doesn't every body need coasters to match their wall quilts?

I do not know why I have been absent. Mostly I think it is becauseI have been a little less than pleased with my photos. In addition I had a beast of a cold, which lasted practically for ever, but that is behind me and I am continuing to work on the photography, and the quilting. I even have been doing some knitting.

This is my first log cabin quilt finally nearing completion. Each block is about 6 inches -- actually a little less I think, so it is a little less than 36 inches semi-square.