Transplant to Quilt Crazy Blog

Very First Hexie Blocks Cut

I have heard that hexies can be addicting and didn't realize just how much until I cut my first one!  I found fussy cutting to be as enjoyable as taking photographs. Once I've cut all the hexagon blocks I will machine piecing them together row-by-row.

 

Amy Butler Love Flannel Quilt

I woke up really early yesterday and spent some time making this quilt top. It was not my intention for the morning but I needed to make some space on the shelfs for more fabric coming ;-).  The quilt measures about 40"x 60". I stopped sewing because I think it looks perfect just the way it is and I was not sure where to go from here. I have about 1 yard of the tumbling roses and 2 yards of the paisley in lime.

Any thoughts on how to proceed? I could stop right here and use the remaining flannel for the back but I would like the quilt to end up just a little bigger.

Zig Zag Quilt Top Complete

Ta-da! I love the no triangle block technique My version measures 70x54 due to the 4" strips. What do you think, border or no border? Red binding?

  
 
  

Flying Triangle Block for Karen

Something new for a block exchange with a friend ... I love the little honu turtles. I am not a fan of purple but Karen is. I was a little short on the size so I gave it a tiny border ~ hope she likes it!

Bee Outside the Box

 Katherine is SO creative she came up with both the name and the logo for Orange County Modern Quilt Guilds (OCMQG) first virtual quilting bee. We start in June and I can't wait to get started.  I will be posting the month assignments soon at our new Flickr group site: Bee Outside the Box

Liberated Wedding Ring Block

This months block for Bee Happy is a foundation pieced Liberated Wedding Ring block. I found the block challenging at first mainly because I had not done foundation piecing much before ~ now I am ready for my X Block foundation pieced quilt :-)

Zig Zag Quilt ~ No Triangles

Today I finally figured out what do to with my cherry fabric.  Just added a little aqua and some zig-zags.  I found a tutorial from Crazy Mom Quilts. I used 4" instead of 3" strips and cut the strips into 7.5" square. I am not sure how large I will make the quilt yet though I am certain it will depend on how many strips I have left :-) ...  I am enjoying the simple fresh color combination.

"Y" Seams!! YEA I did it ~ 8 Pointed Star Test

I took this blurry picture right before the camera batteries died.

Bee Happy Virtual Bee ~ Completed Wonky Log Cabin Blocks 4

Bee Happy Bee Flickr Group

 

Blooming 9 Patch From My Past ~ Weekend Sewing

  I cut this blooming 9 patch before I knew how to stop a ruler from slipping when rotary cutting and that squaring up meant making all your squares the same size.  I pulled the box of partially sewn rows and uneven blocks and stared at it until I got the courage to see what I could do with it. The rows are completed, some sewn together and I might just get this one completed pucker free.  I think this was the second quilt I started and now will finish in 2010... yea! 

Kaffe Fassett Sping Log Cabin Quilt is Complete!

View of the front from above:

 

Backing fabic which I think I like more then the front!

 

BeeHappyBee Block #2

I received this months assignment in the mail yesterday. I am to make 2 wonky log cabin blocks 12-14 inches. It's ok to add some of my own colors but the designer wants to stay with her color scheme.  I've never made this block before and I'm pretty excited about learning another block - yea! I'll make a practice block this weekend. I had minor surgery on my arm today and am supposed to take it easy (typing does not count) so we'll see how far I get.   

 

These are the fabrics I am to use:

I picked these for possible additions:

 

 

Leaders & Enders ~ What To Do With These Scraps

With the leftover denim & flannel from rag quilts I've been making these four patches.  Any ideas on what I should do with them? This is also my "leader & ender" project. I keep the box by my machine and sew one patch at the end of whatever else I am making ~ in addition to making progress on this side-project I don't have to deal with those long threads.  Constant chain piecing!

Jamaica Quilt Is Finished ~ Yea!

I made this for my son ~ that was before he told me he is moving to Maine (brrr...) good thing I backed it with flannel.  The pattern is called "Jamaica", from the book "Tradition With A Twist" . The fabrics are M&S Textiles Aboriginal fabrics.

Bee Happy Spiderweb Block Complete! :-)

Virtual Block Exchange - Bee Happy Spider Web Quilt Block

This months assignment is to sew a spider web block using some of Abi's fabrics and some of our own. Look at the fabric in my packet!!!  :-)  My favorite is the squids:

Deciding what to add:

Better test with my own fabric first:

 
 

I made some mistakes on the test but I got it now :-) ... I'll get in another test block this weekend then will sew Abi's block.

If you want to see some really cute blocks from the other members check our flicker group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/beehappybee/
 
 

Siggy Block Exchanges

The 5 inch square is for an international exchange - I have to send my first one in, then I get the list of traders. This one is from a lady in the Netherlands... nice huh? The 3.5" are for a modern scrap siggy swap. I have never sewn triangles like this and was a tadd off the first time.....  but I got it!  I have to be careful drawing the line on the 2.5" square or get a sharper pencil :-) 

 

Bee Happy Virtual Quilting ~ My First Bee

We just got going - my month is February.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/beehappybee/

Kaffe Spring Log Cabin ~ Top Is Complete!

Well it's finished .. I zigged where I should have zagged on four of the blocks and didn't realize it until I had three rows sewn together. Had to get the seam ripper out to start over and thus the delay. 

What do you think of the fabric below for the backing?

 

Quilting Activity Today

I am ready to finish the Kaffe Spring Log Cabin quilt today however I am not sure I'll be able to escape into sewing today.  I also found an awesome quilting board and am doing some fabric trading. I have to get some inventory ready to ship to traders so perhaps that would be a good activity.  Of course I have lots of flannel and denim to cut so maybe I'll go start that.   We had to put Hairy, our family dog, down last night and I am sure you can imagine how sad that was ...  you can read more in the Hairy category if you like. 

Siggy Scrap Block Exchange ~ How Fun!

I just joined this: http://www.psiquilt.com/2010/01/siggy-block-tutorial.html swap .. a modern signature (siggy) swap...  I have until May 16th to make as many signature blocks as I want back.  I see 68 members already signed up but I am sure by May there wil be a lot more. I want to collect lots and lots of siggys... what a fun quilt!  The finished block size is 3.5"'.   Great way to use up scraps. I'll post photos once I get going ... basically you need a 3.5" white square and two 2.5" print squares sew and autograph, collect and send them in then anxiously wait for the returns :-)  ...... more to come...

some progress on quilts - no photos yet

 
I finished the Spring Log Cabin block and started the rows and realized some of the chevron stripes were facing the wrong way :-( so I had to get out the seam ripper and take them apart ... there are three incorrect blocks. I didn't feel like fixing them this weekend so instead I made a pair of pajamas and a purse/bag from scrap demin and the left over pajama fabric ... photos to come later ....  I cut some more demin and flannel tumblers and made one tumbler row...  I was looking forward to finishing the log cabin .... next weekend!  The flower you see in front of this quilt came from a bulb and I am not sure what it is.  I dumpped a bunch of potting soil from smaller planters into a whiskey barrel and this came out ... I seem to recall it's an african bulb of some sort. Any ideas?

Scrap Flannel Tumbler Quilt

I had more left over flannel scraps then I thought!  1764 blocks to make a quilt 42x42 blocks or 2016 for a 42x48 which would be ideal....we shall see ... still not so sure I am liking the rainbow look....

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The scrap flannel tumbler is beginning to take on a rainbow effect. I am not sure if I like it yet but I will keep sewing rows of 42 until I have enough and see what happens.   Making this quilt is motivating me to make more dontation rag quilts so I can get more scraps :-) ....... 

Scrap Circle Demin Quilt - Use Up Old Jeans

Below is a photo of the demin quilt with red/white squares instead of the batiks - looks much better.  Soon I will add to it and zig zag the flaps down.   I still have left over little pieces of demin - if I can't make these circles, I am making 2.5" squares. I am making the scrap tumbler flannel quilt and also cutting the leftovers into 2.5" squares.  I am thinking of a scrap flannel/denim Irish Chain  ..... at least until I think of something else to do with them. 

Circle Denim Quilt ~ Test Complete ~ Use Up Old Jeans

I grew tired of using old jeans for rag quilts plus I have way to much flannel to use up so I thought I'd try something new.  I found the idea here: http://www.straw.com/equilters/library/jeans/jeans_gallbaros.html and modified it a bit.  I pieced the squares at the same time I sewed the circles together. I used a temporary adhesive on the squares to keep them in place and it worked!   The circles are 5 1/2 " and squares 4". After I took the photo below I zig-zag'ed all the flaps down. I am debating to continue with the batik squares or instead use some red/white squares I've been saving up.  Red seems to go better with denim don't you think?  I have about 50 circle thus far and 100 squares.

Kaffe Fassett's Spring Log Cabin ~ Quilt Romance Book

I picked up the book Quilt Romance & was so drawn to the fussy cut big blooms in the center of the logs I just HAD to make this quilt ~ I am using most of the fabrics shown in the book but changed the Big Bloom fabric to red from pink.  All strips are cut and most of the center squares. 

Jamaica ~ Traditons With A Twist Quilt

Look! The quilt top is complete. I deviated from the pattern with the border a bit. I do like the aboriginal prints with this pattern.  Next weekend I'll piece the backing and send it off to the quilter as this one is too big for me to quilt.

Without borders:

With Borders:

Quilts In Progress

Like most quilters I know, I work on multiple projects at once.  I tend to hang quilts and projects in process over the upstairs balcony. 

The bargello looking pieces are top and bottom stripped piece panels. I intend on finishing the remaining two panels this weekend and maybe even the border. The pattern, Jamaica, is from the book Tradition with a Twist  Do you find it odd that I chose aboriginal fabric for a pattern called Jamaica?  I am making it for my son who likes Flamenco style ~ Does anyone have fabric suggestions for this?

The flannel tumbler block strips are rows in a scrap quilt in progress. I am using the left over flannel from rag quilts to make this quilt. I have 42 blocks in each row and will make 42 or more rows ~ thus far I only have about 350 blocks and need at least 1764. 

Bargello on Black Sands Beach

This little quilt is frequently used at the beach.

He's just sleeping

 

Not sleeping ~ too lazy to get up to take photos of anything more interesting

 

Olive Rose ~ Valori Wells Pattern

This one I actually quilted myself when learning to use the Juki!

Twisted Turning 20

Fast -Easy - Great For Large Prints

Mystery Garden Quilt

This was the 3rd quilt I completed - I had a lot of scrap colors and some Jane Sassman fabric so I attemped my first log cabin.  About 1/2 way into it I set a goal to create 100 blocks.l The quilt ended up 114x115 inches. I used leftovers for the border.