Modern Shadow: An Off-list Finish

It's too hot around here and as a result, I've been too cranky to sew, so I think I'll blog instead!

This is one of those projects that just popped into my head, demanding to be made. As I fell asleep one night a couple of months ago, I saw my pattern Easy Going Modern made up in an ombre arrangement.

So I went to my stash and dug around in my greys and pulled 5 shades of Kona Solids: Silver, Medium Gray, Coal and Charcoal plus Ash.

I got a bit stuck on the quilting, but I'm glad I didn't rush into anything because this curvy motif - done with two different shades of grey Aurifil 50 weight thread - really complements the right angles.

The backing is a fabulous IKEA duvet that I thrifted.

This finish was a just-for-fun one - "off-list" meaning it's not part of my Finish Along list. But I think I may be keeping this quiltie for myself because it's a nice lap size - about 56"x78".

Linking up to Finish it Friday over at Crazy Mom Quilts!

Petal Pinwheel Triangles: A Challenge Quilt

This was a fun little challenge. Michael Miller sponsored this most recent activity through the Modern Quilt Guild and we received 6 fat eighths of fabric from the Petal Pinwheels line to create with. My quilt is 36" square.

I used my Tri Recs ruler again to make two sizes of triangles. The larger ones came together nicely but those teeny ones? Let's just say there were three rows planned.

I do love how the finished design shook out, though. I was really inspired by Mary Molly Flanders' triangle quilt here and this is my more minimalist version of it. Requisite upview here.

Quilted with Aurifil 50 wt thread in a fabulous medium grey. I did some straight line quilting, and echoed the triangles in a few rows. I really quite like it.

And a shot of the hilariously hideous fabric I used on the back. Seriously. What was I thinking? Actually, I'll tell you what I was thinking - it's a sweet gender neutral print for backing a baby quilt. Nailed it, amirite?!

Bonus: this is a Q3 FAL finish! Yay!

Morris 16-Patch for Quilts of Valour

When I first started quilting, I fell hard for Rose & Hubble's reproduction William Morris prints (The William Morris Collection) and collected quite a few of them. I used some here and there, but many sat in their original FQ bundles in my stash because I wanted to keep them together in a project. I never did find the perfect project for me, but when I heard Lezley Zwaal, founder of Quilts of Valour (with the extra "u" - CANADA!) on Brandy Lynn Maslowski's Canadian Quilt Talk podcast, I knew I'd found just the right project for these beautiful fabrics.

The St. Louis 16-patch comes together very quickly when you strip piece (I followed this tutorial but cut my strips slightly narrower to accommodate the size of my FQs). And even faster when you cut the correct number of strips for your quilt! I somehow concluded that 1 FQ of print + 1 FQ solid = 1 block. So I have enough strips to make another quilt at some point. Nice math, there, Felicity. Whoops.

I quilted it very simply - diagonal lines (eyeballed, not marked, because: lazy) in one direction.



Bound simply as well, just using leftovers from the various print fabrics, this quilt is a solid lap size - 55" by 68". I'll be sending it off soon to QOV. And that's another finish for my Q2 FAL list - I linked a photo but didn't blog it so here we go!

Finish Along 2014: Q3 Wish List

I've been rather pressed for time lately so I didn't do my traditional FAL Round Up post (though I did link up my finishes - 3 out of 5 done plus a bonus finish not on the original list yay me!). I still do want to put my Q3 list out there, though - there are prizes at stake, folks! (Check out the FAL if you haven't already. Prizes and tutorials abound!)

For Q3, I hope to finish:

1. A Road Trip Case for G to store her Rainbow Loom supplies - hoping it will keep the detritus to a minimum. These fabrics are *very* 6½-year-old girl, aren't they? :) Status: pieces cut out and interfaced.

2. Circle of Geese bee quilt. I received these blocks in my very first online quilting bee. They've sat in a box ever since but this quarter, they're going to become a quilt for my youngest niece (age nearly 5). I just saw her this past week and when I asked her what colours were her favourites, she answered: "Pink. And purple. Also blue and green. Yellow!!"  I think I might try Quilt As You Go using some scrappy strips in a variety of colours I have in my collection. Status: 11 blocks on hand.

3. Michael Miller Petal Pinwheels challenge quilt - this one's due on July 25th. I need to hustle! Status: design complete.

4. Liberty + Kona Solids St. Louis 16 Patch. I love how quickly this pattern comes together, as well as its traditional simplicity. Will be putting some lovely Liberty Lawn FQs to good use in this quilt for me. Status: fabrics acquired, pattern chosen.

5. My Wonderland Sampler kind of stalled out, so I hope to revive it this quarter. Status: a few bits and bobs put together.

6. Adding this is making this a Stretch Goal kind of list, but here goes: getting my Wonderland quilt all quilted up and sent off wherever it's going (possibly Siblings Together). Status: basted and ready to quilt.

I'm going to leave it at that, because this quarter I've signed up to do a mini quilt swap with the VMQG, I've got a family holiday coming up in August when no sewing will happen, plus there's school preps to think of (!!).

Sew Canadian: a Summer Studio Tour

Have you heard? Mad About Patchwork, a modern Canadian quilt shop, is hosting a very fun tour of Canadian quilters' studios this summer. It's called Sew Canadian, and they've invited me to participate!

Beginning on July 6th, you'll be treated to two studio tours a week and an opportunity to link up photos of your own creative space for an opportunity to win a lovely prize. Here's whose studios you'll be getting a glimpse of:

July 6th – Patti @Retired to Quilt and Krista @Poppyprint

July 13th – Dominique @The Running Thimble and Cinzia @Deux Petites Souris

July 20th – Anita @Daydreams of Quilts and Lorna @Sew Fresh Quilts

July 27th – Shena @Apple Pie Patchwork and Katherine @Sew Me Something Good

August 3rd – Felicity @Felicity Quilts and Josee @The Charming Needle

August 10th – Janet @What Comes Next and M-R @Quilt Matters

August 17th – Erica @Happy Fabric and Jacqui @Treadle Quilts

August 24th – Leanne @She Can Quilt and Jaclyn @Jaclyn Quilts

August 31st – Pam @Mad About Patchwork and Laura @Waffle Kisses

Fun, amirite? Subscribe to Mad About Patchwork's blog and check out the wonderful studios they'll be sharing throughout Sew Canadian.