Tag Archives: piecing

Talking your ear off: part 1

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Seems with all that’s going on this year, I’m having trouble focusing on any of my own projects.
Luckily, there’s a round of BAM conversations to distract me. It’s been especially nice to spend a little time with a new fabric palette each month and figure out what I want to ‘say’ within that context.

For February, I’m intrigued by A’s print choices. Jewel-toned diamonds, graphic flowers and purple! Well, I like purple.2016BAMNewConvoFOnce I decide to use pink kitties as my signature fabric, I make my Half Square Triangles with the Magic 8’s Method, which incidentally you can find here.2016BAMNewConvoG1As I lay out my blocks they seem to work best along the right-hand side. Actually, one even creates an unexpected house motif. Along with my finish, here are a few of my favorite parts:

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So many Strings, so little time!

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Over the past couple months, my Quilty Improv Group has really delved into Ms Sherry Lynn Wood‘s second Score: Strings. Yes, we liked it so much that we decided an ‘encore’ was in order! Our quilt studies include strips of strings, negative space strings, gem-shaped string petals and yes, string triangles. 😉

With Score for Strings, I started with the solids from a baby quilt I made last year and curated fabrics in analogous color schemes: purple/orange, sky blue/yellow and green/brown/navy.2015SoManyStrings1

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My Improvisational Journey Expands

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Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been honing my ‘Modern Improv’ techniques on some exciting quilt projects. You may recall, several Cheryl Arkison workshops, which were crazy fast-paced fun. Then, the more relaxed session with Tina Michalik, who taught an easily scalable Improv block and quilt design. Now with my mindset primed, I recently began another ‘Improv Journey’ that will undoubtedly keep me busy well into the next year and beyond!

Improvisational Quilting isn’t new by any stretch of the imagination. Quilts have been sewn without patterns from clothing scraps and remnants for many years. However, Ms Sherri Lynn Wood recently published a book directing modern quilters to consider sewing quilts using ‘scores’ and parameters instead of patterns and rulers.2015ImprovJourneyHandbookWorking without a set pattern makes me particularly giddy after focusing on my traditional Shaded 4-Patch and Carpenters Wheel projects in previous years. My life has been a blur of HSTs (half square triangles) for SO long!

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Carpenter’s Wheel: Indigo Mandala

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With furious sewing and quilting over the past few months and weeks, I finished the 2014 Hoffman Challenge. True to form, I ran into some strange issues I didn’t experience previously.

Unlike the Magenta version, the Indigo fabric has colorful orange/pink filigree in the background, instead of subtle purple or blue. Thus, I spent much more time fussy-cutting:

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My BAMalot Block: A New Direction

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The County Fair is just around the corner and I’ve been working to finish this project to enter as part of a group exhibit.

Back in July, I began a Round Robin journey with the Mod Quilt Guild I’d recently joined. Thus, I’ve posted the other blocks I’ve worked on in Aug, Oct and December. It was much fun and now, my own block has returned and it’s taken on a New Direction!

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Rocking Good Time!

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Wow!

Have you ever taken a creative workshop and felt overwhelmed and out of your comfort zone not always understanding what the next step is…? You should! It’s liberating and amazing things happen.

Well, I mean, I took Joe the Quilter’s Rock the Block workshop and made some nifty things happen. With a late start, I had to jump in & catch up right away… did I mention that I still needed to choose fabric? Ah, indecisive am I?

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Carpenter’s Wheel: Orchid Birdies

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Finally, I’m inspired to start a new quilt for myself.

I’d been reflecting on my favorite Gramma-Great quilt: the pink and white Carpenter’s Wheel block. All those diamonds are so enticing! However, I’m not ready to attempt Y-seams just yet. As luck would have it, my colleague pointed me to the magic-8 method for making half-square triangles and from there I searched how to assemble the block using these triangles instead of diamonds.

Last year, I purchased fabric without any intended project. I’d stumbled upon a delicate birdie print that I used for the wheel plus two coordinating solids.

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Back in Tie-Land!

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For this Marin Autumn Retreat, I took another weekend trip to Tie-Land.

Working with the last blue shirt and two-dozen ties, I used the ‘string block’ method to make a four blocks for the pillow top and plan four solid blocks out of wool trousers for the backside.

My goal is to complete 8 pillows, so I’ll need to cut the last 23 ties very judiciously to make this work. 2013TieLandPillow

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BAM Around

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2013BAMAroundAugWith the long weekend, I’m contemplating my addition options for the round robin block. It’s déjà vu because my friend & I split a long strip-pieced fabric swatch for our starter blocks. I’m working on hers with a couple months of borders. Here’s my chosen color palette.

I’m looking forward2013BAMAroundAug2 to reintroducing purple. My other quandary is how to work with the trapezoid shape. I could square it up & turn it on point. I do like it much better with less green, but I’m not ready to cut it yet.

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