Four Finishes, Progress on More, and a Trip to Ohio!

The rainbow scrap challenge color for July is purple.  I love making both these blocks.  Log Cabin Love above and Butterfly Bush below.  Both patterns from Quiltmaker's "Addicted to Scraps" column by Bonnie Hunter.

I sent three of my quilts to New River to be quilted by Melissa.  She does a great job and has a quick turnaround time.  Kathy made this top but I bound it.  Was hoping to surprise her for her birthday but she busted me binding it!  She is the Patriots fan in this house.

This is my modern medallion.  I designed this one myself a few years ago but got stumped and decided it was done and was a wall hanging.  Got lots of compliments on it on facebook which surprised me.  

This one was the mystery from New Year's--Merry Mayhem's Ups and Downs with my own border copied from Bonnie's Scrappy Mountain Majesties.  The quilting is beautiful.  This one will be gifted to my best friend Monica and her husband Bob. They already have one large and one mini quilt from me both in blues and browns but this one is a Christmas quilt.  

I also quilted a baptist fan on my free little mini quilt from Kathleen Tracy's page.  Love a small project and pretty happy with how it came out.  

                                        

We took a quick weekend trip to Ohio last weekend.  It about did me in since travelling and not being able to control how much I lay down makes me so much more fatigued.  Even just sitting takes it out of me.  We do not plan to do it again unless I improve significantly, but we had not seen our oldest son and his wife and six kids, and two grandkids.  We spent time with them bowling and them swimming and eating together.  We were so glad to meet the two newest members of the family and see the rest.  Here is the whole crew (Kathy is taking the picture).

 

This Week's Meager Sewing ;/

I have not had much time to sew during the week this week since I have been working alot. However, next week I have very few hours due to some weird scheduling things at work it is looking like this may be the first summer I don't get enough hours.  While I am stressing on how the bills are going to be paid, at least I have plenty of fabric, thread and patterns so I can at least sew in all that free time!  

In other good news, my cousin Kai Len, who lives in the Amsterdam, surprised me with some fabric and a card!  So sweet of her to think of me.  My dad's oldest brother had four daughters (we always called them the California cousins) and I didn't meet them until I was around thirty--in fact I still haven't met the youngest one.  These four gals are truly a blessing in my life, they have a fabulous mother and are really grounded, smart, beautiful gals and are always uplifting everyone around them.  It really made my day that Kai took the time and effort to choose this fabric and send it all the way to the States for me!

 I did manage to make the Lover's Knot block but my contrast wasn't so good since I used two fabrics for the light.  One was okay but the other was a little darker so it kind of blends.  I will use it though and am glad I got it made.

 I also took a friend of mine's suggestion and tried making larger hst's to mimic the ones already in the top...not sure I am loving it either.  So far nothing is sewn on past the tan/grey strip but this weekend SOMETHING has got to move on this quilt!  Perhaps I am overthinking it?

 Looking forward to my weekend so I can sew!

Modern Medallion Quiltalong--Help, I am Stuck!

I have been stalled on my modern medallion quiltalong quilt that the Modern Quilt Guild of Ireland has been doing...I finally just started playing around trying to figure out what to do next.  

I had the idea to put red on two sides and squares on the other two sides...then wanted to repeat the four patch that I had done earlier so I put those up there...then felt it needed more so I made that weird thing that is the top center (I was planning to add peach to all sides of it and randomly put it in the red strip--right now it is a block on a peach square on the strip).
Then I just wasn't sure I was nuts about it all, so I cut all the strips in half and sewed them together and tried putting red on two sides again...

I have not attached any of it.  I really think I like the first one better (now that I would have to completely remake all the parts but the corners, lol).
Any suggestions?  Which is better or do you have a better idea?  I am a pattern follower and this entire quilt is out of my comfort zone!  I keep thinking I should call it done and put these odds and ends in the backing and be done with it!
I am open to any suggestions--pretty please!
I do not have a great quantity of any solid color that is in this quilt other than the red and I am using layer cakes of the Fandango fabric.

My Blue--Purple--Heaven Makes a Reappearance!

 After sewing up my four aqua/teal blocks and doing a bit of strip cutting I finally got out "My Purple Heaven" which has been hanging out since the Tuscon workshop awhile back patiently waiting for me to get back to it.  This one is for Lexi (Coleman's fiance).  I only made a few more blocks, did some more cutting and made some parts.

This is where I stopped off for the evening to watch "The Wolf of Wall Street."  It would not work in our DVD player in the quilting studio, but works in the bedroom.  So time to put my feet up!  I am excited that the color for April's Rainbow Scrap Challenge is purple, so I will do my best to get this quilt done in addition to my other purples.  Pretty sure I have decided to stop making the Trash to Treasure blocks....I have made three and they aren't uniform enough for me..I don't like them!  So they will go in a backing or something and I will just keep on with the other RSC stuff I have going on for now.

I also added another border to the modern medallion quiltalong.  It is now 35.5 inches square.  No idea what to do next, have been thinking on it all day with still no real idea!  Feel free to leave me suggestions!

Modern Medallion QAL Linky # 3!

This quilt picture is from The War of 1812 Blog.  I originally saw a picture of this quilt (or one quite similar to it) in a magazine and have always wanted to make a medallion quilt.  Several years ago, while still in Wisconsin, I bought a reproduction Hewson Center and struggled with trying to replicate it from the start!  At the time the lemonye stars were absolutely undoable for me!  This quilt is in the collection of the American Folk Art Musuem and I think it is exquisite!  I still have the center and may try my hand at making a medallion with it one day now that I have tried the Modern Medallion and have had such good luck with it!  

I have not made any more progress on my modern medallion.  I started sewing a few smaller paper pieced stars for possible corners, but so far am not loving them.  I cannot decide between another solid border (if so what color) or a pieced border of the various fabrics.  Funny, up til now it all came easier than I thought and I love it.  Now I keep thinking maybe I should stop before I ruin it!  Advice?  Do tell me what you think I should do because I am apparently STUCK! 

Linking up with MQG Ireland so you can see what the other folks are up to with their modern medallions!

Modern Medallion Progress

 I decided to make flying geese for the next modern medallion border.  I am totally winging it and not doing any math and am somehow making it work!  My favorite way to make flying geese is with the Quilt in a Day rulers.  They come out perfect and not at all wonky.  I don't even mind the little bit of wasted fabric.

 I started out thinking I wanted all yellow geese, then decided to add the other center star aqua color too.

 I realized after this photo (below) that I had put the bottom row on backwards...but this picture is after I added in a few more colors, some dark brown and redish/pink and more yellow.  It isn't sewn yet and I spent several hours thinking about it while working on some purple "My Blue Heaven" blocks.

 Here I flipped around the bottom border.

Then I packed up my stuff for mystery quilt camp (which starts this Thursday already!).  I gave in and ordered myself a travel iron that is better than the tiny one I have--took Maria's advice and ordered one just like hers!  After that, while watching the fourth movie of the day (Free Bird, Elysium, Gaby Douglas and Diana movies) I sewed the geese border row together and it went together well!  It is now 31.5 inches square, so I am ahead of what I am supposed to be--not so good at following loose directions, but I love it so I am content to wait til the group gets to that size!

I am linking up with the Modern Quilt Guild Ireland: Medallion QAL!

Modern Medallion is Growing...

My next border was an easy decision and went on as if I knew what I was doing Math wise, what a fabulous way to start my Saturday!  

Next I knew I wanted to add some red to this quilt for some modern punch.  Decided to add in four patches and then decided I needed more in the next border.

However, I realized that if I wanted a same fabric stripe border I should add it now because I only have two of each of the striped fabric (in layer cake size) and I wasn't sure I would have enough later on...so I went for that and bigger red cornerstones.

Next I added a narrow red strip all the way around.  I almost put in aqua cornerstones, but decided to keep it simple.  

I am not at all sure what I am going to do for the next border.  I fussy cut some yellow flowers for possible cornerstones...

I was thinking I might do something with the two fabrics pictured above for the next border...I think it needs to be pieced something or other, just not sure what yet.  Then I decided I like the red in the cornerstones, so I added red to the outside of my fussy cut flower...so I think that is what the cornerstones will look like, but am thinking now I need more yellow this time around...gonna think on it awhile and see what comes to me.  

I am very happy with this quilt so far even though I am WAY out of my follow a pattern comfort zone.  I am so excited that I went for it and jumped in on this.  I think having some guidelines and looking at other medallion quilts is really helpful for me and makes choosing the next border less daunting!  So any advice on what I should do for the next border?  I can always save these cornerstones for another border, but all I know is seeing the picture I think there must be yellow!  

Modern Medallion Quilt Along--I Have a Center!

 I picked out my colors for the modern medallion quiltalong.  I am using my Fandango fabric (finally!) and some solids that match.

 The first section took a bit of time, but each section was easier once I got used to how to lay the fabric so it would fit right when flipped!

 Coming together.

 Tada!  Not a perfect center match, despite my pinning, but I am happy with it!

 Tearing off the papers wasn't as bad as I expected!  I added a two inch border to the outside.

 It is about 15 inches now, though I think it is supposed to be 15.5.  I put it on some green fabric to see about putting it on point, but not loving it, so I will keep thinking.

Linking up here!

Now I need to get ready to head out and see "Monument" because Randy really wants to see it and Kathy agreed to it!

My Purple Heaven is Growing....and a New Start!

I gifted Bonnie with a Valentine's Day mug rug.  She said she will use it at the cabin.  Fun!

Here is our table on My Blue Heaven day holding up our first blocks.

And from the other end of the table too.  Thanks to Bonnie for the great pics!

I worked on more purple blocks yesterday before working til midnight!  This morning I hand stitched another hexie on Ring Around the Hexies and got the rows together that I could.  Two more to sew down before the center row can be assembled.
I then spent several hours trying to decide on my modern medallion quiltalong center while watching the Olympics.  Very distracting, lol.  I finally decided on the "Compass of Many Colors" Block 9.  It was a free pattern online and now that I know how to paper piece it isn't too bad to put together.  My goal is to get that center done tomorrow since I am off work, then I will go back to my purple blocks.

I should check Angela's blog and see if any more pink blocks are out for Rainbow BOM so I keep up with those too!

I also had a great mail day when I returned from my trip!  Heather, who won my magazine giveaway, gifted me with a surprise Valentine's Mug Rug!  I love it, TOO CUTE.  Thank you Heather!

Planning the Modern Medallion Quilt!

Pinterest has my board (which I cannot seem to get to fit my page to show you) if you want to see some of my idea for the Modern Medallion Quiltalong.  Research shows that people enjoy having something to look forward to, to plan..I would have to agree.  I am loving all the possibilities!  I am not sure I can get what I want without an actual pattern, but I am sure going to try.  

 On Catbird Quilt Studio I read through the first few parts of the quiltalong.  I KNOW I should go with the easier--follow her Math--pattern and do a 15 inch center.  I loved this star in a star on her site.  And I have my handy dandy block tool which has both the Sawtooth Star (bigger one) and the Ribbon Star (smaller one) and measurements that would work to put the one in the other.  The problem?  The two stars together will be 12.5 inches and not 15 as she suggests.

Then I got a crazy idea to do a Swoon block for the center, but it is 24 inches!  So then I found one at 16 inches and one at 12.5 inches.  

My other center idea is some kind of Mariner's Compass block.  It would be paper pieced and I could add some white space to get it to 15 inches.  

I am pretty sure I am finally going to cut into my Fandango fabric for this quiltalong, which I won a long while back from the very generous Carrie of Miss Rosie's Quilt Company.

So far you can see I am enjoying the planning and dreaming more than anything.  I really have no idea which of these three idea will be my center, but it will be one of them unless I chicken out and just go with one of the 15 inch blocks here which will make my Math life much easier!