August progress slow stitching

This month I surprised myself. We went on holidays and after reading how many crafters bring a slow stitching project along, I decided do deep-dive and start the Sunrise quilt. The advantage is definitely that such a small project hardly takes up any space in my bag. And I don't have to count stitches or rows. 

As I have no clue how to assemble the blocks, other than start stitching together, I decided to sew the triangles in batches for the first block. 

Thereafter started sewing these batches to the dodecagon - we had to look up how one would call a polygon with 12 sides. Simple: dodeca is twelve in Greek - so dodecagon it is.

The aim is to finish one block per month .... otherwise this quilt will take two years. Most likely this will take me at least two years in any case ... 

Linking up with Patty's OMG for August over at Elm Street quilts.

Slow stitching in August

In October 2019 I was in NY and of course had to go on a hunt for quilt shops. I visited one, held the Tula Pink Sunrise quilt kit in my hands and in the end did not buy it as thought I would never ever have the patience for hand quilting.

 

In April 2020 with the lock down of the pandemic and being at home, I decided to buy the quilt online. The kit took over three months to arrive; first it was in quarantine in the US ... no flights ..... Then finally after many weeks the package left the US ... only to arrive in Japan .... mmm wrong direction .... 

Somewhere in between lock downs the kit arrived and I just did not get around starting. 

In all fairness, I had never did English paper piecing before, that is why initially I did not buy the kit. 

This summer, with the heat wave and inside a lot, I ended up watching many videos on how to do EPP. August is here and I decided to start. I have cut a bunch of triangles and prepared them. I have some nice thread so ready to go.

 

The aim this month is to sew several sets of two triangles, even if only enough for one sun. After all, this is a first.

Linking up with Patty over at Elm Street Quilts for August's OMG.

June finishes

 Court yard quilt

Once I finished the top of Courtyard quilt designed by Every day stitches, I had to decide for the backing. I was not sure what to do and ended up buying some green fabrics. From left overs I made flower petals and stitched these in a circle and some more floating away.

 The two layers were sent to the Netherlands for long arm quilting (Stitched in Color). I really like the quality of the work done by Rachel. Usually I sent her the tops and she provides suggestions. Choosing is always a challenge – and part of the fun.

Then this week I added the binding and gifted the quilt.

 

A friend of mine said how I was always making quilts and I was most likely building a collection. Actually not that much yet as I end up making quilts that I give away. And each time I give some love with the quilt.

Sock knitting

I started the second sock and knitted an inch. Progress … but not enough as I have more wool waiting to be turned in to socks

Rise above quilt

In June I built the blocks of months 3, 4 and 5. I had cut the fabric over a weekend and then all I had to do was make some blocks each week. I started cutting month 6 so that will be my July objective.

June goals

 A new month and new aims.

Work less

Be happy

Be creative

 

1) Courtyard quilt

I finished the top of the courtyard quilt in May

and managed to send it all off to my favourite long-arm quilter (Stitched in Color) in the Netherlands. 

The package is now waiting for me to be picked up at the post office. My aim is to finish the binding, not forget the label and gift at the end of the month.

2) Socks

I started on sock 2 and am sure there will be some rainy days this month that i can get some knitting done. 

3) Rise above quilt

Last  year I bought the pattern Rise above from Charisma Horton. The fabrics - all solids - I got separately at the fabric market. The pattern is set up as a "block of the month" program - doing in my own rhythm though.

In May I made the blocks of month 1 and 2. In June I aim to make month 3, I started cutting already.

Linking up with Patty's June OMG over at Elm Street Quilts

April finishes

The first two weeks of April lots of happened in my creative corner ...and the second week ... lots of other non-crea happiness.

1) courtyard quilt

Early April the fabric for the inner blocks was cut and the blocks were made. The fabric is easy to work with, although I have yet to try starching my fabric before cutting ... well one day .... maybe  ..... The fabric for the outer blocks are cut, however not yet sewn together. Maybe tomorrow ... the weather forecast was rain ... and now is one big sunny day ... so sewing all outer blocks is so not happening .... 

2) secret colour swap

The mini quilt and extras are finalized and sent off. Not yet received so cannot take any risk in showing the colour pictures ... B&W for now only.

The mini quilt is based on the one main colour and lots of improv. I loved the process and will try this for sure again. The overal idea was to make a log cabin blog in any way.

3) socks

One sock is finished (apart from closing the toes) and the second sock started. These will be ready before Christmas.

Linking with OMG April at Elm Street Quilts

April goals

 There are days I am productive and other days just not at all. And then there are all these projects waiting to be finished, started ..... and so many more ideas swirling through my mind.

April will need to help me get rid of some.And what better way than goal setting to advance.

1) secret colour swap

This year participating again in the secret colour swap and this month need to finish the mini quilt and some extras. The mini top is done, needs quilting and binding. I also made a start with one extra ... pictures in B&W as the colours need to stay a surprise

 

2) Court yard quilt

As part of my restrictions of not buying anything new - I completely messed up - and bought the pattern, rulers and fabric of the court yard quilt. This quilt will be a gift. I started cutting and need to get at least the inner blocks done. 

 

3) Socks

I started knitting a new pair of socks this winter and one sock is almost done. Definitely need to finish this sock. 

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts for OMG April

March finishes

 The last few days we have had a bit of rain which is always good - good for our garden and good for my creativity. In spring we all like to be outside more, go for walks and take in the sun.

This month I finished a few projects.

1) Baby Angled quilt

Learning how to cut and sew triangles was one of my aims in 2019 and I started the Angled course. Got sidetracked pretty quickly - not only creatively, also professionally. End 2021 I made a candy hexagon quilt and had some blocks left over. I also had quite some triangles from cutting all these hexagons. This was the "push" I needed to finish my triangle baby quilt. Other reasons of course were that the baby was born in December and that I wanted to end all this pink sewing. Did I mention that I was sidetracked a few times? That I made another quilt top in between earlier this year ....

 

The quilt is done and I like the result, well not fully. The batting I used was this synthetic batting - the only thing I can find where I live - taxes have gone out of control when ordering from the UK or the US. I started sewing diagonal lines and for one or the other reason - my quilt size shrank. If I pulled it straight - and released again - other areas where I quilted horizontal lines this did not happen.

Anyways, the quilt is sweet enough to be gifted and am hoping that washing will reduce this weird shriveling.

 

Linking up with Patty at the March OMG over at Elm Street Quilts.

 

2) Tote bag

As part of the tqs fabric swap I received the cutest fabric with vans. I made a tote bag from the fabric, using the two colour schemes on the outside. I have enough fabric to make a second tote bag, or am thinking to try my hands at a backpack for summer.

 

OMG March Triangle baby quilt

 

 

Three years ago, I purchased the "Angled" Course from Stitched in colors. This was a monthly subscription and I joined the party late … and never finished the first course. I did learn a lot, and one of my goals this year is to work my way through the book. Starting with finishing the first lesson on Equilateral Triangles and the first quilt.

 

I already made quite some rows of triangles. I used my 24” ruler that has the lines for 60 degrees angles. I still have some triangles cut from the first series of cutting that need to be sewn together.  

Although I think that I am not going to use the larger triangles.

Plus I have a small box with triangles from the hexagon quilt I made last year. Plenty of triangles to finish the baby quilt for a baby girl born last December.

This is a great way of using up scraps.

Linking up with Patti's OMG for March over at Elm Street Quilts

Feathers SAL February finish

My feathers top is finished. And she is a beauty. The pattern is by Alison Glass and Nydia Kenhle. And the fabric is from Alison Glass bought as a kit and a selection from different Sun Prints, Ellipse and Cross Stitch.

 

Those colours - so vibrant - if shipping and taxes had not become so expensive I could just buy kilos of the Alison Glass fabric. Why was I so slow in discovering this fabric line?

The pattern calls for paper piecing - and I do like the precision of the final product. The high waste factor is a minus .... and so is removing all the paper. Maybe some more folding of the quilt and the different paper pieces might make it easier to remove. I managed to keep up with the schedule of the sew-a-long and finish in time

Or maybe I should have Sindbad roll a bit more all over the quilt to soften the paper ...

Linking up with Patti's OMG for February over at Elm Street Quilts

OMG February Feathers SAL

 Last year on IG a sew a long was announced and after going back and forth - I decided to participate. The pattern and fabric is from Alison Glass "Feathers". I bought AG fabrics on line in the UK and oh my it is so nice. The fabric, the colours .......

I have made a few blocks so far and my goal is to have the top finished by the end of the month.

Linking up with Patty's OMG for February over at Elm Street Quilts