Friday Finish: Pixelated Pinwheels

I've had this quilt by JeliQuilts pinned since she made it.  I loved the colors.  I loved that it was based on something from Ikea.  I have a thing for triangles.  Basically, I've just been waiting for the chance to make one of my own.  So when it was my turn to pick a block for my do. Good stitches group, I thought this would be perfect.

I asked each member to make a block of nine HSTs in warm and cool colors.  I requested solids, but any saturated, tone on tone print that read as a solid would do.  While they were doing that, I made a pile of single HSTs that I used to blend the two groups together.

Once I had the top pieced, I sent a picture to the group's Flickr page.  We're putting on a special exhibit at QuiltCon, and I just knew this quilt would have a good chance of being selected.  Luckily, it was! So I had to get it quilted and finished so I could send it in time for the show.

I struggled with what do do for the quilting.  The triangles are so angular, so I wanted to do something curvy to offset that, but I wanted something that I would be able to accomplish quickly and successfully.  Somehow, this pattern of tall archy squiggles popped into my head.  (if anyone can think of a better name, you'll win a gold star.)

I love that the straight lines don't take away from all those triagles, but because the squiggles are of random length, it's fun to look at.  I can't wait to see it hanging in Austin.

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it up Friday!

WIP Wednesday

Last week I realized that it was getting really close to Thanksgiving.  Not a big deal, but we do Christmas at Thanksgiving!  Panic!  

So I started busting out Christmas presents like whoa!  I knitted up the blue (or indigo, or purple, depending on your light) mittens over the weekend using a pattern from Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac.  It was pretty nice sitting around the house, watching football, drinking beer, and knitting.  I don't know why I don't do it more often. 

The first pair came out so nicely and quickly that I decided to make a second pair out of the seafoam green.  It's so satisfying to start crossing projects off the list.

And this beauty just needs a border or two, and then I can quilt and bind it.  I thought that it would be more difficult to piece all those triangles and have the points match, but it was no harder than squares.  Might be my go to patchwork shape from now on.

And I have a couple Quilts For Boston to quilt up.  I'm hoping to get this one done by the weekend and my second one done by the end of the month.  That's the goal, but who knows if I'll suddenly realize that I have four more projects to finish for Christmas.  

My favorite little piece on the Boston quilt.  I'm going to like quilting this one.

Linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday!