Life's a Quilt: July 2011

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Running Out of Fabric

Well, I'm not really running out of fabric, but I am running out of fabric for this project. I have 25 6x6 squares now, but hope to enlarge it to 7x7 (making a total of 84"x84"). I'm thinking of starting another project with 2"x2" squares in the meantime...

Monday, July 25, 2011

6 x 6 x 6

After a few days away, I've managed to make six more 6x6 blocks. I haven't decided how large to make the quilt yet, but so far they're pretty quick and addictive (much like the crochet squares I'm also working on)!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

2" Squares

I posted a photo of this top back in April and finally added a few more rows of 2" squares around it today. I think it's finished now at 54"x70". I just need to piece together some batting scraps in order to move onto the next step!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

6x6

I've decided to join the 36-patch quilt-a-long!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Before and After

Last week I went to a few flea markets with two friends. I came home with a few treasures and rescued a quilt top. It was a pretty homely looking quilt top (although it photographed quite well here!). Mixed types of fabrics, uneven seams, a few bumps so that it didn't quite lie flat, neon green thread, but the colors were fun, and it looked so sad there that I couldn't leave it behind.

I had just realized a few days before that I was lacking a good picnic blanket. Voila! I added the two rows of 9.5" finished string blocks (foundation pieced on muslin, as the original was foundation pieced on a variety of similarly colored fabrics) and used a large piece of fabric I'd bought at the Finlayson outlet in Tampere a few years ago for the back. The finished picnic quilt is approximately 52"x77". The binding is a repurposed pillowcase. I didn't use any batting here; I assumed the extra layer(s) of fabric from the foundation piecing was enough weight. I also tied this quilt with pearl cotton as there was no way to make the original blocks lie flat without taking the whole thing apart. This is only the second quilt I've tied - it's more work than I thought!

I did another quick makeover project this week, as well. My ironing board cover was disgusting. (I'm almost too embarrassed to post a photo here.) I didn't care too much how it looked from the underside, so this took no more than 20 minutes to whip up! This new cover made ironing the string blocks much more fun!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Sunshine

Yes, Clare, there is actual sewing going on here!

This is not one of the many projects I had planned on working on this summer, but was a spontaneous decision. I'll explain the whole story when I post the finished photo very soon! These squares are 10" unfinished and are made mostly with scraps and some thrifted fabrics.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

What I've Been Up To Since I Last Posted (Part 4)

I've been... (4) knitting and crocheting:

I'm working on a collaborative project with two friends and have learned how to crochet granny squares. They are seriously addictive.

I'm also very close to meeting the goal for our 11 scarves/shawls in 2o11 challenge! More information here and here.

Now, as soon as I clean up my sewing space, it will be back to regularly scheduled (quilting) programming here. I'll try not to stay away so long again!