Hopeful Homemaker

I started a fun scrappy sewing project back in June, when I started sewing all my “bonus” half square triangles together into a log cabin style quilt.  I’m not kidding when I say – AGAIN – that this has been the most fun sewing project I’ve worked on in a while.  So here I am today with my improv hst quilt progress:

This quilt makes me happy!  Look at all those colors, and all those fun fabrics, just playing together in one space so cheerfully.  I love it.  No matter where on the quilt you look, it’s a little different from the other side, or corner, or wherever you looked last.

I have now used leftover, or bonus half square triangle units from 4 previous projects.  Not a single hst made for this quilt.  As I predicted, each round takes longer, and a lot more triangles.  It’s getting tricky to know what to add next, just because I need so many to go around the entire thing.  But that’s ok.  I’m sure I’ll figure out the next step soon.

On the last round, I used leftovers from my Prosper in solids quilt, and I had already sewn them together into sets of four.  I decided to use them anyway. The two most recent rows are actually sewn from those, which is why both rows are the same.  While I wasn’t sure I’d like it, now that it’s there, I can’t imagine this quilt without it.  Those yummy sherbets and brights and pastels really pop.

I believe right now this quilt top is just over 50 inches square.  I still haven’t measured or squared anything up.  My only measurement is keeping track of how many hst blocks I add to each side, so I can be sure it’s equal.  If I have to fudge it when quilting, so be it.  I mean, look how fun it is!  Why would I change plans now?

My biggest obstacle at this point is hunting for more hst units in large numbers.  It will take some counting to figure out.  I don’t know how much bigger it will get.  All I know is I’m not done yet.

This project reminds me how enjoyable it is to just create without expectation.  To see where things go and enjoy the process.  As it unfolds, I fall in love with the interplay of color and design.  Also, half square triangles are amazing.  Basic, but so awesome.  I’ll be back soon with more improv hst quilt progress.  In the meantime, what should I name it?

Happy sewing!

Jennifer

My first QuiltCon experience included a class with Carolyn Friedlander, where I first started my Hunt quilt project.  I took another class from her at QuiltCon 2022 in Phoenix.  This one is the Bow Quilt , and what a fun day it was!  Several of us took the class together, and it did not disappoint.  I now have 8 blocks complete and thought I’d share my bow quilt block progress.

It’s a fun pattern to make.  As for skill level, I’d say this is a good beginner applique pattern with gentle curves and a simple design.  It’s fun to swap the fabrics with each other, and to leave gaps here and there.

I finished one block in class, this floral one below.  It’s the same fabric for all four arches.  I like the way it emphasizes the skinny strip of background fabric visible between them.  It would be fun to make several blocks like this, but as you see, it’s the only one so far.

I wanted to challenge myself with color in a new way, so I chose a medium value background fabric.  It’s interesting how many colors also read as medium, so picking fabrics for this one has been fun.  And challenging, as I planned.  For instance, that pink on the outer edge of the top block below doesn’t offer much contrast to the brown background.  Still, I like it and am using it to add interest because at a distance there will be a hint of contrast that invites the eye to look more closely.

For the most part I’m using scraps from other projects.  Lots of them are Sally Kelly for Windham Fabrics, as well as Liberty Fabrics.  These are Liberty prints on cotton, and several of them are many years old.  I have jealously saved every tiny scrap from those early cotton prints and really love adding them to projects.

I’ve prepped several more blocks, so hopefully my next bow quilt block progress post will be for another 8 blocks.  I believe I need 24 in total, though I’m tempted to make extra.  Plus, I cut so many prints, I could probably make two quilts!  I guess we’ll see how much I enjoy stitching them.

Happy Sewing, Jennifer

Well, here I am today with another English paper piecing project.  Though I haven’t yet finished an EPP quilt, I am close on my Mandolin .  It just needs the edge pieces on two more sides and then I can share it.  I stitch a little bit each morning, and it’s coming together slowly but surely.  I guess that progress made me feel like I could jump into an EPP sew along, so at the first of the year I ordered the pieces for the Homage to Grandmother’s Flower Garden and got started shortly thereafter.  Although it’s September, I want to share a Homage progress report.

Who doesn’t love a Grandmother’s flower garden quilt?  I read once that it’s the quilt pattern that is most commonly left unfinished, and there’s no surprise there!  So many hours, and yet it’s one of those iconic epp patterns.  I know I would love to make one, but never have.  When I saw this clever design for a huge ring of flowers set in a flower garden background, I ordered it immediately.  This is my grandmother’s flower garden project.

The sew along was cleverly divided into 52 sections, one for each week.  Every section includes some background and at least one colored flower.  Aaaand, I stalled at week 5.  Yep.  I started, sewed what I’d prepped, and then got crazy busy preparing my daughter to go to Guam for an 18 month mission.  Just like all my other epp projects, they tend to sit for long periods if I don’t have more pieces prepped.  It’s the step I just don’t get to, apparently.

Last week I took an afternoon and selected, cut, organized, and glued pieces for weeks 6-12.  Once I get into it, I really enjoy it.  I’m hoping to pick up the project on the same weekly schedule even though I’m months behind.  I obviously won’t finish it in 2022, but I would like to finish it before my birthday next summer.

Every time I look at it I’m excited about it again.  It’s going to be beautiful.  I just need to be diligent!  And while I’m at it, here’s my homage progress report for the first 4 sections.  It’s fun to see even this small section come together.

I’m excited to recycle the pieces for a second round of these lovely flowers.  I hope there are many more English paper piecing projects in my future!  But first, more prep work!