Adding Borders

I haven't posted anything about my pickle dish project lately but I have not forgotten about it. After I quilted the entire middle section of the quilt, I am now going to add borders around the outside of the quilt. I found some interesting decorator samples that I am repurposing into an unexpected border frame.

Because the center of the quilt design is quite simple, I thought a creative border was a perfect way to finish the quilt. I could piece all these together into a nice straight fabric border but wouldn't it be more fun to vary the positions of the pieces up and down to create an uneven edge? What do you think?

Help, Name my Pickle Dish

I have completed the layout for the quilt top using my UFO pickle dish blocks, but it desperately needs a name of its own. Naming your quilts may sound frivolous but it is so much easier to call them by a name than a lengthy description.

So to prevent me from saying "you know, my quilt with the pickle dish blocks that kind of look like flowers and more half pickle dish blocks on the bottom and the curvy orangish lines with the dots on top and the print leafy looking shapes", please, help me name my quilt!

Now, I will be busy dreaming up borders and quilting designs.

What's Important? What You See or Don't See.

Today, it's what you don't see that's important. Although, I have to admit my mind is racing with ideas about that which I do see. The remainder of my fat quarter (minus the center circle) jumps out as a fabulous border for a future project.

But back to what I have removed - that center circle. As I worked on my pickle dish project, it was shouting for some glue, some fabric to draw it all together. Searching through "the stash", I found what could serve as that glue. The center of this fat quarter combined the green and the coral.

I cut the circle into wedges, backed them with lining, stitched and flipped them to use on the quilt. Check back tomorrow to see how I will place these. Can you guess?

The Lowdown on the "Lay-down"

After a short deviation, a minor side trip on some curving improvisational roads, I am back on track again and working on the pickle dish quilt.

I find it much easier, at least in the initial stage of a project, to lay it down on the floor rather than trying to make pieces stick on a design wall. They never fall off and I can quickly change and evaluate my options. So, here are my choices laid out on my design floor.

The traditional pickle dish block has been broken down and the parts have made new and fascinating shapes. The shapes are fun and interesting but the dull monotony of the green needed shaking up. Enter the bright red/orange hand-dyed fabric with its curvy lines snaking through the picture. All we need now is a little music.

A good beginning.

What are You Doing while You're Asleep?

You hop into bed. You cover up your head and you are off to a few hours of deep restful sleep.

Then things start happening. Little brain cells start firing, ideas start popping and soon there is a party going on in your head. Your subconscious starts designing quilt blocks and they are flying around and flowing into fantasy quilts. Quilts so good that they would get world-wide acclaim. The only problem is that they disappear before the sun comes up and we spend the day in vain trying to remember them.

Of course, there is the notion that we could capture these fantastic quilts if we awaken in the night and immediately sketch our idea. One night, I saw a plan for my pickle dish block and went into action. The next morning I realized that, boy, I sure can't draw in the middle of the night when I only half awake, without my glasses on and in the dim illumination of a nightlight. Of course, my night-time sketch was nothing like the quilt that zoomed through my head.

In the light of day, ideas did start to roll around and I came up with this plan for my pickle dish blocks. What do you think? Are there possibilities?

Super Highway or Scenic Country Lane

Pickle Dish

1999

38" x 52"

Sharon V. Rotz

Which is path are you taking as you are working on your current quilting project? Are you zooming down that super highway, with the fastest time ever from start to completion of your quilt. I know I have made numerous quilts with my blinders on, focused entirely on finishing the project.

My current project is using some pickle dish blocks in an art quilt. As you see from the previous posts, this project is going slower with plenty of scenic side trips. Along the way, I've found some interesting machine stitches, I will incorporate in my project. Tomorrow may bring more side trips as I explore further.

Here is a photo of my previous pickle dish, it will be fun to see how different my new composition will be. Stay tuned.

Question of the day: Are you that totally focused, get things done person or are you happily meandering through your quilting day?

New Idea for an old UFO

My good friend, Chris Lynn Kirsch, just started a wonderful new blog. She has been speaking of UFOs, all those unfinished projects we have been storing. It just fits into my thoughts because I am presenting challenging myself to use these bits of blocks in a new way. The traditional block is called pickle dish and I taught this several years ago.

Armed with many paper pieces all ready to stitch, fabric gathered and stored is a nice little plastic box (for how many years?), I now feel the time has come to move on with the project. I haven't paper pieced for a while but fell right into it again and remember how I love those precise points.

Where do you think I should go with this project? Add your comments and come back to see how things progress. Meanwhile, check out how Chris is working to complete her UFO pile.