WIP Wednesday: LV Edition!

It's kind of a low volume with pops of color kind of WIP Wednesday.  I got my Orange Peel QAL top sewn together last night, but it still needs top and bottom rows of LV squares, plus any borders I decide to add.  I love it though.  I just want to quilt it because it looks like it will be so much fun.

And I started on this Honey Cowl, even though it's pushing 90 degrees these days.  I got this yummy Tosh Merino DK in Cosmic Wonderlust from Purl Soho on our last vacation to NYC, and I've been trying to figure out what to do with it.  A cowl will be perfect since it's so soft.

Friday Finish (on a Saturday): Chicopee Crosses!

I really love this quilt.  I think it's because it's a combination of all the things that I normally love, mixed with a lot of firsts.

It's one of the first times that I bought a whole line of fabric to use together and actually used it.  (Sorry fat quarter bundle of Comma that I love but has been on my shelf for a year.)  The recipients have a lack of color in their lives, and I wanted to give them some rich color, but not blow their minds.  So Chicopee was perfect.  There's that amazing citron, but also navy and dark green.  It's low volume in some prints, but loud in others.

And to balance all the color, I used Essex yarn dyed black linen, which is the first time using linen in a quilt.  I absolutely love the texture, and that the neutral isn't just a boring solid (though I still love a solid).  I'm a little nervous because I started using 1/4" seams before I realized that the weave was really loose.  I'm planning on just quilting it to death so there's no chance of critical fraying.  And I didn't realize there was so much stretchiness in the fabric until I started pressing.  Again, I'm going to quilt it to death, which solves all problems.

Last first, it's the first time my quilt math really worked out the first time.  I was trying to figure out what pattern to use with these fabrics, and a quick Google search of Chicopee quilts brought up this Crossing pattern by KelbySews.  It was perfect, but I wanted the color to be on the crosses, so it didn't make sense to center them in the middle of the block and have all the seams be linen to linen.  So I changed the block to be a cross in the corner with two large borders of linen on top and a side.  Little change, but I managed to calculate out everything, including seam allowances, and it worked the first time.  Nothing ever works the first time for me!

So now I just have to quilt and bind it, but I'm not sure whether I want to use the backing options I already have, or search for something else.  I'm letting it simmer for a while until the choice becomes clear.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday!

WIP Wednesday: Orange Peels!

So I'm taking part in the Orange Peel Quilt along over at Quilty Habit.  It's one of those shapes that I've always loved how they look and have always wanted to try them, because there are so many great tutorials that promise to make it really easy.  

Last night I just got the urge to do it.  It was weird, and I was just going to work for an hour or so to get the peels started, but hours later, I was still going.

This tutorial from Crazy Old Ladies is so simple.  You just trace the peel onto interfacing, sew it to the right side of your fabric, then trim and turn right side out.  Magically, you have all your raw edges inside and a nice peel that will hold it's shape when you sew it down.

Pay no attention to the gross carpet.  Weeks of rain + two kids and a dog = nastiness.

I combined that super simple method with glue basting, and by the end of the night, I had enough blocks for a decent wall hanging if I went with the random layout, but I laid them out in a rainbow vine, and they were just awesome.  It'll probably still be a wall hanging, but I might end up making it a lap quilt that I hang on my quilt rack in the living room.

Linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday!

Summer Things and Clamshells

 

 Summer things are happening.  The strawberries already came and went.  The little girl ate every last one of them, so sadly no strawberry ice cream got made, but she enjoyed them.  Now the berries are starting to come, and neither child likes them raw, so we'll have jams and syrups and maybe ice cream from them.

 

There's also been lots of outdoor and beach time.  They're both old enough to just roam around safely and entertain themselves, which leaves plenty of knitting time.  I've got most of the Little Sperry knitted, just one sleeve to go.

I have plans to start an orange peel project once the sweater is finished.  Jessica at Quilty Habit is having an Orange Peel QAL, and since it's already on the list of things I want to try it must be the perfect time.  I was thinking of using the stitch and flip method from Crazy Old Ladies.  It seems the easiest and I have a pile of non-fusible interfacing that I must have bought thinking it was fusible.  I just have to sew up a bunch of peels and toss them into a bag for on-the-go stitching.

 

In actual sewing news, I managed to get this little beauty stitched up this weekend.  We had a great workshop at the latest Seacoast Modern Quilt Guild meeting, where Amy (from During Quiet Time) showed us how to machine piece clamshells.  And we got to cut them all out on her Sizzix, which meant we had enough to actually finish a project.  

 

I have almost all the clams sewn, I just had to run out and buy some green thread to do the last couple.  (How did I not have green thread?!)  I haven't decided whether this will become a pillow, or a panel for a bag.  I'll probably let it sit for a few days once it's all quilted and see if the elves come and finish it for me.