Another Day in the Land of Rickrack

Although I enjoyed the time spent soothing my softer side, 

I'm again back to the world of bright  and bold.

Picking fun colors from my rickrack box, 

I went on a stash search and found fabrics that will liven up this project. 

After cutting the melon shapes,

it was fun choosing the rickrack to add to the curved edge.

So many choices and interesting color combinations.

Should I match or contrast?

I pressed the under the curved edge of the melon and with it half of the rickrack.

The "rickracked" edges were then stitched to the background strips.

Yes! 

After laying out a few blocks, 

my heart sings

 as my day is joyfully filled with color and pattern.

My Obsession Continues

My Softer Side

©2014 Sharon V. Rotz

Yes, my rickrack box is not empty 

and I am dreaming up more projects to incorporate my bountiful supply.

Feeling my softer side, 

(usually I pick the brightest fabrics)

I've selected a collection of delicate pinks and greens for this quilt.

The blocks are very traditional quarter square triangle blocks made up on a variety of pink prints. These blocks are set off by a sashing of a soft green stripe. 

On the two-part sashing, the rickrack shines as it outlines the melon shapes.

To make the rickrack trimmed shapes, 

I cut the half melon and stitched the rickrack on the outer edge of the right side of the fabric.

The seam allowance was pressed to the back along with the outer half of the rickrack. This left a finished edge that was easy to appliqué to the sashing by stitching in the ditch 

(the line formed by the folded fabric edge and the rickrack).

A melon shape was appliquéd to each sashing half-strip.

 The two sashing strips were then stitched together and added between the blocks. 

Now that my softer side was had a go, 

my bright side wants to give it a try. 

Will I hold back

 or will the next project be knock your socks off bright? 

Happy **Starry** 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

May you proudly wave your stars and stripes!

These festive stars are inset into the red and blue background.

Insetting a block is not difficult.

Trace the block unto the wrong side of the background.

Draw a second line 1/2" inside the first line and cut the background. 

Clip the corners of the background to the 1/4" seam allowance line.

 Match the sides of the block with the background. 

Stitch 1/4" seams.

And the Pendulum Swings Back

I started as a traditional quilter and then ventured into more contemporary art quilts. I've been very happy creating original works but since I found these unfinished blocks, I back at traditional again.

This week, I've been hand quilting on my three blocks. I have decided to finish each one individually.

I have quilting done on this one

and I'm presently working on this one.

Will they soon be done? I really don't think so because they have been crying out for some hand embroidery.

Just because they are already quilted won't stop me from adding more detail to the blocks. I seldom drive in a straight line but love to wander off the path. I have no worries, I will still get there in the end.

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Done With My Thirties

Done with My Thirties

51" x 51"

©2013 Sharon V. Rotz

The quilting has been stitched. The binding has been added. The quilt is complete and I am "done with my thirties" in more ways than one.

I realized that I had never showed you the back of this quilt.

Instead of a solid piece of backing, I used all of my partially completed projects. 

Apparently at one time, I was going to make miniature quilts. See how far that went!

Can you name all of these traditional blocks?

The blocks were joined together with borders and fill-in areas of 1-1/2" squares of my remaining fabrics. It reminded me of putting together a puzzle with the various sized blocks, but actually went quite smooth.

Did you remember the names? 

Dresden Plate, Hexagon Star, Old Maid's Puzzle, and Rob Peter to Pay Paul

I found blue borders that were cut exactly the size I needed. How did this happen when I didn't even know what I was going to do? Nor the size that it would end up?

And, I had just enough matching fabric for a rod pocket so I could hang this quilt on either side. Step back a bit, and the rod pocket blends in nicely.

It is now official, I am "Done With My Thirties".

Moving Straight From A to B?

Do you move straight from A to B? Do you continue from start to finish on one project at a time? There are moments when I do. There are times when the task needs to be done in a certain time frame and there can be no deviations.

More often, I wander. I wander from one project to another. It could be due to a creative stumbling block. It could be due to a lack of a certain material needed to complete the project. Or it could be the project simply got crowded out by another more pressing job.

This week, I wandered back to my improv nine patch.

It was time to add to this project by making more 9 patch blocks. This was such a fun project, why did I leave it? What pulled me away?

No worry, I am back again. Back at making fun little squares to alternate with my pumpkin Radiance fabric.

Another mate to the first.

Then a block with opposite placement

and a second.

Then put them all together into a Nine Patch Quad.  

Oh, I think it just named itself. We'll see if the name sticks.

Now back to the corner for you. I have some Christmas shopping to do.

Linked to: Off the Wall Fridays

Tuesday's Tile- It Started with a Good Plan

Improv 9 patch

Sharon V. Rotz

It all started with a good plan. I was enjoying the colors that I was working with in the previous tiles. I was enjoying piecing small cuts of fabric together in random patterns.

I thought why not try it in a 9 patch block. So far, so good. This was turning out just like I wanted. I will really like this tile

until

I laid it next to my previous Quilter's Tile and saw how much larger it was. Now what?

Should I trim it down to size?

Today, I just can't do that because too much will be cut off and I won't let that happen.

Well, if I refuse to go smaller, I can still go bigger. Today's Quilter's Tile will be expanded. I haven't run out of fabric yet. (That will be the day!!!)

Come back again and see what comes of this beginning.

Do You Have a Puzzling Personality?

Do you love the challenge of a puzzle? There are many types of puzzles, word puzzles, number puzzles and visual puzzles, but the puzzles that interest me the most are quilt puzzles.

Each time I look at a group of blocks, my mind starts swirling around as I get more and more ideas for ways to arrange them.

Digging in some boxes, I came up with these churn dash blocks all ready to use but not enough to make a quilt. How could I use them?

Going traditional, I thought of separating them with sashing between the blocks. As I searched for coordinating fabrics,

I found four more blocks, but still not enough to fill a bed-size quilt top.

Then there was one orphan block. The colors blended with my other blocks. Wouldn't he just love to worm his way into my churn dash quilt?

Searching further, these stitched, but never even pressed, half-square triangle blocks popped up. After a moment's thought of using them as they were, I realized that they could become additional churn dash blocks. 

There were 8 half-square triangles, just right for two blocks, and fabric that blended with them.

Now that I have the puzzle pieces, it's time to start arranging them into a quilt top.

Just like working on a jigsaw puzzle, small pieces go together to form larger sections.

And finally, the sections come together to form a whole. 

The puzzle is complete. A quilt top is born and I have just the piece large enough for a backing. Roll out the batting and I'm set to go.  (Can you find the orphan 9-patch? You can see, he did manage to wiggle his way in.)

The Inspection Detectives and the Perfection Police would be sure to point out all of the flaws. But, need it be perfect? Indeed, I'm not. But, it is stitched with love and made to offer warmth and comfort.

If your home is secure and your beds are covered, consider donating that extra quilt to warm someone else. I've found it works both ways, because your heart will be warmed as well.

Treasured Find?

Yesterday I was digging in my stash looking for a blue fabric, when I came across of bag of pieces all cut and waiting. The way my mind works, the original project was forgotten in the delight of my "new find". After studying them, I decided that they were cut for a double wedding ring. Did I ever make a double wedding ring? Or was I going to?

Then I remembered I did make one long ago for a wedding gift. Because I finished it without a moment to spare (the story of my life), it slipped from my memory.

Obviously, I was very ambitious to cut so many pieces that I didn't need. Now the question is, will I ever make another double wedding ring? Should I hold the pieces for that day? 

Should I re-cut them into squares to use another way? They measure approximately 1-1/2" x 2" now, what would they be if I chose to re-cut them?

Or should I just rid myself of all responsibility and bury them in the garbage?

What would you do?

Spreading Christmas Cheer

Christmas has come to the table when red and green fabrics streak across in a cheery table runner. 

For this project I used strips left over from another bigger quilt. Why would I think of tossing them when they can be easily stitched into multi-colored strips?

The pieced strips are cut into blocks and re-stitched into a quick table runner.

What have you done with excess Christmas fabric?  The options are endless.

Many Pieces Come Together

Pieces, pieces, everywhere!

I seem to find a wealth of pieces for quilting projects, or do they find me? Start digging in boxes and out they pop. Where exactly do they come from? Well, I do recognize some of the fabrics, so I know they are from my quilting past but others, when did they come into my hands?

In the spirit of our "make-do with what we have" pioneer forefathers (probably, foremothers is more accurate), I decided to see what I could do to put together a quilt top.

It's true, there is isn't much common ground between squares cut 4" and red and white 16 square blocks that measure 12-1/4".  Then it was a matter of adding spacers in to fit.

Do you like jig-saw puzzles? Then, this would be a perfect fit for you. 

I've found the key to the puzzle is to put together what goes together easily. Isn't this the way we start those jig-saw puzzles?  Then its a matter of adding more pieces until we get it all to fit.

Yes, here it is together, I have a sense of accomplishment and feel a close connection to past quilters. I've found this free-spirited "make-do" quilt really warms my heart.

Reduced to Strings

Now my scraps have been reduced but there are still some left and I still love the bright colors. So, one more project is in my future.

Only narrow pieces, oddly shaped, strings of fabric. Perfect for string piecing. Obviously, I have stars on my brain so a star shape it will be.

The first step is to cut out muslin diamonds as a foundation for the strings. Then on to the fun part of selecting each fabric and stitching it on to cover the foundation. A little trimming and I have one point of my star.

Seven more points and I have a star. As I'm laying them out, I play with the arrangement, of course. The trouble (or really the beauty) of random is that it is just that. No amount of arranging and rearranging will really make a difference. Enjoy it as it happens.

I can't wait to stitch my star together but I have yet to decide on a background fabric. Should I use white as I've done on the previous projects?  I did really like the look. Or, should I choose a different color? How about blue? What do you think? Which would you choose?