Work in Progress Wednesday

With two days off in a row, I had lots of time to sew, sew, sew.  This past weekend I worked on my Kaleidoscope QAL blocks.  I now have 2 whole rows done.  This is not my best photography but you can see how far I've gotten.  Can you tell which side of the room is all window?  And, my design wall is not large enough!

After washing my red fabric with one of those marvelous little Color Catchers, I finished cutting all the pieces for my Love in a Mist blocks for the Red & White Swap.  It took me over 2 hours last night to get one block pieced.  Oh my goodness, the seams are driving me insane.  I played around with the needle position on my machine in an effort to make a more accurate 1/4 inch seam, and I ended up moving it back to the middle where it started.  I read a really great tip about using the diagonal line on a ruler to square up HST's, and that has helped tremendously.  When I got the top third of the block done it measures 13.5 inches though!  I was apparently sewing more of a 1/8 inch seam so I ripped & re-sewed.  What a mess.  Here's block number one of nine.

It is far from perfect.  Hopefully they will get easier, and quicker.  At this point, I think I'll probably end up making 10 or 12 and choose the nicest ones to send along to the swap leader.  I love the block design though and I'm tickled with my fabrics.  I'm also kind of glad I'm challenging myself on this instead of doing a block with fewer or easier seams.  A girl should always be learning, shouldn't she?

I also finished 4 other zipper pouches for the Etsy shop.  I need to get them listed later today.

So much fun!  I also taught myself to crochet this weekend.  I did a small washcloth in double crochet, but I forgot to take a photo.  I wasn't following any pattern, and learned how to make scalloped edges.  Well it wasn't so much that I learned how but I stumbled across how to make scalloped edges because I wasn't counting right. ;) 

What are you working on?

Sewin' During the Sew In

Did you have a good Friday night?  Mine was very productive, although it feels like I don't have much to show for it.  After dinner, I headed to the sewing room intending to finish a couple red & white Love In the Mist blocks for the HGTV board swap and I cut all the white parts for my nine blocks.  Then I pressed the red fabric I planned to use, but I decided it was not a nice enough quality for these blocks.  When I first got into sewing, I visited the sale section of G Street Fabrics several times and snatched up a few lengths of cotton at a great price.  Now that I've spent more time at the craft, I have learned about the different kinds and qualities of fabrics and some of my stash is just not up to snuff.  I have other red fabrics to use, but none are washed and that's required for this swap (if not for any red fabric project!), so I moved on to the next project. 

Here's my Kaleidoscope Quiltalong work in progress, which lives in this pretty box.  This past week I bought a very cheerful yellow Moda marble to try with my collection of Pop Garden, Bijoux and Nicey Jane.  Its a brighter yellow than I thought I wanted, but it seems to coordinate nicely with the shades in most of the prints.  I cut a few strips worth and was able to finally decide on my scheme, and then get four blocks pieced.  It definitely goes faster with chain piecing, but I was desperate for some instant gratification so I roughly planned these four blocks and went to town sewing.

Its starting to look like a Kaleidoscope!  I did some math and determined that I have enough fabric for a quilt that is 5 blocks by 6 blocks, and maybe even enough for one that is 7 by 9.  The Moda marble doesn't have any stock number on it, and I bought the end of the bolt at my LQS so I'm not sure if I can get more to match.  If I end up loving it, I think I'll try to make it as large as possible to fit on my bed.  I haven't done anything larger than a lap quilt, so that is a little scary but I can manage it.

Do you use a spray when you're pressing?  I bought this along with my cheerful yellow fabric, and I'm loving it.  It seems to put a nicer finish on the fabric than just steaming or spraying water, and gets the creases out better.  The citrus version smells yummy too!  Not too strong a smell though, and the scent dissipates quickly.  Love it!

Did you join the Friday Night Sew In?  What are you working on this weekend? 

Playing with my Kaleidoscope

Thunderstorms woke me up early this morning, so I found some extra time and got started cutting out my pieces for the Kaleidoscope QAL.  I've mentioned before that I'm not sure I've compiled the best collection of values in the fabrics I've chosen, but I think I'm slowly getting a handle on what I want to do.  Checking out the Flickr group, you can see there are several ways to go with this pattern.  I'm leaning towards the very planned style that uses 2 alternate color value blocks and creates a Cathedral Windows type effect, depending on where your eyes land on the quilt.  But then there's scrappy.  Or planned.  Or scrappy.  Or planned.  Well, you get the idea.  I'm definitely doing the larger size, which is 60 x 72 but I have more fabric than I need so I might even be willing to go bigger.  And that sounds both scary and exciting to me!

Anyway, I got a few fabrics ironed & cut this morning and I started playing on the design wall.  Here's a coordinated block in a color combo I like to think of as Raspberry Lemonade.  I love the Pop Garden Pineapple Brocade in these pieces because you get a completely different part of the overall design with every cut.

And here's a more scrappy look

And just for good measure, here they are side by side.

I still have no clue what I want to use for the 'solids' fabric in this quilt if I go with the scrappy look.  I might take a stack of pieces into the LQS and audition some yellows or pinks.

Jumping into June

Can you believe its June already?  I have a couple projects languishing because I've been busy with the shop and with guests for Memorial Day weekend, but now I'm back to getting into the fabric, instead of just daydreaming about it.

I've decided to participate in two group quilty events this summer.  One is hosted by the lovely Elizabeth of Don't Call Me Betsy. She's doing a Kaleiscope QuiltALong and I think it will be lots of fun.  I love this block, and I'm hoping that having more of a deadline will keep me steadily at work. Self imposed deadlines don't always work for me when it comes to crafty projects.

My current plan is to use a selection of stash fabrics from Pop Garden.  They're so cheery and I'm anxious to use them in something bright and fun.  I added the top one from Meadowsweet.  I think it'll work.  I'd like to look for something in blues to add, so I'll have 4 basic colors: yellow, hot pink, green, blue.  No clue what the background will be for the blocks.  I'm thinking a pale yellow.  What do you think? 

In addition to the Kaleidoscope QAL, I also signed up for a red & white block swap over on the HGTV Quilting Discussion Board.  This is a great group of ladies who like to talk quilts and do swaps.  I was a member of the discussion board several years ago, but when I switched crafts I abandoned them for a time.  I've joined up again and its fun to chat and see what everyone else is accomplishing.  They are full of encouragement, advice and fun!  The swap is for 12 blocks due September 1 and I'm really looking forward to it.  I've chosen a fairly detailed block that will be a challenge for me, and also great practice.  You can never have too many red & white quilts, right?

Are you in any swaps or quilt-a-longs for the next few months?