Another Sashless Quilt

March 20, 2013 Elizabeth E.5 Comments

Starting another sashless quilt, based on what I did in the Sunshine and Shadow Quilt Tutorial. But this one’s for my newest grandson Chris, adopted into our family this past December. Chris is eleven, so a “baby” quilt just won’t do, but every grandchild has a quilt from me, and soon he will too.

In pieces, on the pin wall. Having a pin wall is a real luxury, I think. Short of a stiff breeze, all the pieces stick there until I’m ready to sew it together (tomorrow).

The rows are marked. My Spring Break is half over and I still have a few things to get done, as Robert Frost noted: “And miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

Another late WIP post, but if you get a chance, head back over to Lee’s Freshly Pieced blog and see what unfinished projects others are working on, plus the beautiful blocks that Lee’s crafting.

Quilts

More Projects?? Must Be Spring

March 13, 2013 Elizabeth E.5 Comments

What is it about spring that makes us open up our windows, welcome the sun and add more projects to our already stacked lists? I played hooky from my stacks of grading by heading down to Sewing Party in Orange County and breathing in the delicious fragrance of a new quilt shop. Well, new-to-me. (Bet you thought I was going to say wildflowers, or something.)

It’s in a business park, so look for the sign.

One of my Instagram pals had mentioned the Sewing Party quilt shop in her comments, then followed up with an email; I was interested in a class they were offering: The Bostonian Bag, which is really a small satchel with some flair. Sewing Party is a modern-oriented store, with lots of favorites, plus some Kaffe, Kokka, Moda, and others.

I indulged in a couple of pieces, plus a few bits from the Comma line of fabric–all good basics.

Cecile (the owner) really knows the way to a sewer’s heart: this is the kit for the Bostonian Bag all in its little bag. Very slick.

She made an exception for me and let me choose the fabric I wanted for my satchel. This Prints Charming canvas print (see selvage below) caught my eye, and she coordinated the stripe for me for other bits and pieces of this bag. She has the vision.

Love the spelling. (Kind of reminds me of the stack of Fiction Tests I just graded.)

What else am I working on? Well, I finished sewing all the moving pieces of my English Paper Pieced quilt together, and have one more border to add before I’ll show it off here.

I do believe this is the latest I’ve ever posted on WIP Wednesday over a Lee’s Freshly Pieced blog. Here’s a shot of our spring Daylight-Saving-Time moon to prove how late it is.

Quilts · WIP

Lollypop Tree Top Finished

March 6, 2013 Elizabeth E.19 Comments

Rhonda and I started talking about this about three years ago, thinking we’d do it together. We’d both admired it, yet were daunted by all the work. Yep, it was a lot of work, but I’m happy to say that I’ve finished the top and ready to start ~~obsessing~~ thinking about the backing and how to quilt this thing.

So I guess you could say my work in progress is ongoing, but I prefer to think of the next phase as different quilt; while in actuality it is the same, I think I’d prefer to swivel around in my chair while I’m grading, gaze at this draped in all its glory on my pinwall, and just enjoy a completed top for a while.

I’m linking up to Lee’s Freshly Pieced Work in Progress Wednesday, guest-hosted by Claire. She has a wild shot of a quilt by an airport control tower that’s worth seeing. Great commentary, too.

But — hallelujah! — tomorrow I’ll have a picture of my first March finish. See you then.

FAL · WIP

WIP and FAL are real motivation!

February 27, 2013February 27, 2013 Elizabeth E.5 Comments

I’ve been doing Lee’s Work In Progress Wednesdays for a long time now, and I love participating and reading her blog. Head back there to see more of what others are working on.

And Leanne’s Finish-A-Long has certainly focused what I’m working on. I’ll get back to posting up Road to California pictures next post, but here’s what I’m working on today.

I’ve finally figured out the outer pieces of my EPP quilt. And the border after this, too. Now just to sit and watch something interesting on television, so I can finish it up. What to watch now that Downton Abbey’s all finished, and the Oscar broadcast is over? I do have some interesting Netflix coming. By the way, if you like quirky movies, I can recommend Moonrise Kingdom.

And I finished appliqueing all the pieces on my Lollypop Tree Border Blocks. Now I have to cut away the backs of those that have freezer paper in them, pull out the paper, then press them. When that happens, it means that all the components of the Lollypop Tree quilt will be ready to be put together. I first saw Kim McLean’s pattern on the blog for Material Obsession–a blog you should defininitely have in your Reader.