Design wall

My main project right now is joining the 100 octagon blocks. I haven’t been doing much sewing recently – but I did manage to join them into 5 rows of 20 blocks – only 4 more seams to go! I already have the fabric for the inner border, the outer border and the backing. This is going to be my entry in Quitfest Jacksonville 2012. Maybe another one too (Alabama Beauty or Patchwork Of The Crosses)  if I can get my act together.

I’d almost forgotten how many projects I have in the works. Most of them have the fabric selected – awaiting printing and cutting.

The 25 completed Patchwork Of  The Crosses blocks aren’t up on the wall – I am trying not to handle them anymore than necessary because the background is white – aside from the fact that they wouldn’t fit!

Here is a close up of the Drunkard’s Path blocks. Ten blocks down 90 more to go! It’s going to be 10 blocks by 10 blocks – just like the octagons. This was an experiment – I wanted to use up lots of 5″ charm squares of hand dyes and Kaffes. I really like it – it’s also one of my husband David’s favorites – but he’s color blind (red/green.)  Humm… wonder what that means?

What is this fabric?

I bought this 16 piece bundle of fat quarters from Rainbow’s End of Dunedin, Florida at the show. I am not into matchy matchy quilts but my daughter Sam fell in love with it.  The colors are perfect for her house.

The quilt was shown made up in a simple pattern of small squares and rectangles – so I bought the pattern too. It’s called Zen by Amy Walsh. This will be a first for me – matching fabric and a pattern!

I am going to write Rainbow’s End today with a link to the photo on this post  – but meanwhile can any of you identify this collection. I completely forgot to ask the vendor at the time I bought it. I need yardage for two borders and backing and binding.

Third place

My batik hexagon quilt won third place in the Large Pieced Duet category at Quiltfest Jacksonville 2011. The quilting by Jackie of Canton Village Quiltworks made all the difference.

I am working on my entries for Quiltfest 2012. The Octagons and the Patchwork of the Crosses and maybe a miniature batik hexagon.

Maren’s quilt top is finished

I will be taking it to the US with me on the 21st of  September when my daughter and I go up for the quilt show in Jacksonville, Florida – I am entering my batik hexagon quilt. While we are there I will mail it to my quilter Jackie.

I had planned on using the same pink batik for the backing – but it is a brighter pink than I thought it would be (I ordered it online from Jackie’s store.) I love it for the borders but that is quite enough pink for one quilt!  I am not sure what I am going to do – but I will probably pick a backing fabric from Jackie’s store and she will keep it up there in Connecticut until the top arrives.

It turned out to be 50 inches square – I think that’s a nice size :-)

Eighteen Alabama Beauty blocks

Nine more blocks finished – now to sew them together in a group of nine.

I am very pleased with the way they are turning out. The red “butterflies” are prominent – which I had planned on – but you never know with these Kaffe fabrics – often what I have in mind doesn’t always work out. The yellow/orange print backgrounds are forming the secondary  circles quite nicely – I really wasn’t sure they would

Without sashing

I’ve finished unpicking the sashing and the blocks are ironed. Today I will start putting them together. The original quilt didn’t have sashing – that was my idea – I thought it would look more feminine with the white. The secondary x’s formed when the edges of the blocks meet really change the look. I am very happy with it now.

Yesterday I ordered a beautiful pink batik from my quilter Jackie’s online store for the border and the backing. I auditioned a bunch of fabric for the backing – thinking I wanted a pastel floral – but I decided to just use the same fabric for both since there is so much going on in the quilt.

With and without the sashing

I’m not happy with the sashing. Damnit! OK – where’s my seam ripper?

I’ll just order a nice pink batik for the border and a pastel floral for the backing.

It’s much funkier looking without the sashing. Funky is good. Maren – the recipient of the quilt is certainly funky! And – it looks like she likes pink.

Twenty five x and + blocks

My friend Carol thought that I was not going to like the 4 blocks by 6 blocks size. And she’s right! It’s too long – so I’m back to my favorite square format. The turquoise one I didn’t like is in the middle – bottom row – it’s not too bad – what do you think?

As always I’m open to suggestions – this is still in the moving around stage – I need to live with it awhile (and consider your suggestions) before I start joining them.

I should start cutting some 2 inch by 5 inch strips for the piano keys border and the white damask strips for the sashing. A perfect time to use my Alto’s Quilt Cut 2.

Border fabrics for x and + quilt

And I haven’t even pulled the non Kaffe stripes and batiks!

Last five x and + blocks

I’ve been thinking about eliminating one and making it a rectangle – 4 across and 6 down. I don’t like the third one down – the turquoise is too bright – it jumps out at me – it’s the first one I look at – it has got to go!

Now on to the sashing. I have several ideas for the borders – all involving lots of fabric – darn – I wish I hadn’t put away the 175 fabrics I used in the blocks – now I’ve got to track them all down for the scrappy border!