Wednesday, February 19, 2020

February QBTS Meeting -- Trunk Show by Sheila Plock!

Our program for the February meeting was a trunk show by relatively new member, Sheila Plock.  She originally hails from Penna and says her fabric choices for the earlier quilts really reflect the area.  I can really identify with that as my quilting has really changed (color preferences) since moving down to NC.  I use a heck of a lot more white and bright colors.  I really think you are affected by your surroundings.  Sheila makes primarily scrap quilts (of course my favorite as well).  Her quilts were just beautiful in person and my photos don't really do them complete justice and I did miss a few at the beginning but tried to get most of them.

















I added a second picture of this one so you could see the detail and obvious fussy cutting i some of the stars.

I will post a second post with some of the neonatal quilts and our show and tell in the next blog!  It was too much to include in one!

Saturday, February 15, 2020

What I Have Been Doing While Not Posting!!


I did happen to come upon this sunset while driving home from a long day of fabric dyeing (more later).


Another view and one I loved because of the juxtaposition of the blue sky and the colors of the sunset down at Ft. Fisher!


I got tired of doing the quilt that has the four patches and then long strips of either the black on white or the white on black.  I did several of those and decided I would try this as an approach and I liked it so will  probably do more like this when I am in a baby quilt mood again.  It is faster than the other version!  

This is an alternate view of this block which I may also do!
This is the main reason for not posting!!  I finished machine quilting and binding 13 neonatal quilts to be delivered to the baby group at guild this month!  In some the quilting was better than others but they are done!!  Each one measures 40 x 40 inches and most have been posted in previous blog posts!!


One of the things I am going to do next is to do another one-block wonder with this Great Blue Heron panel.  My sister gifted me with enough for a quilt a few months ago.  i got my feet wet with the Canada Goose one I did a couple of months ago so am ready to start on this one!  

I am teaching a class on "stack and whack' next week so have been trying to get examples of the different types together.  i am only doing a posie quilt (4 patch stack and whack) for the class as it is the set up that is the teachable piece.  Once you get the basics of setting it up, the rest is basically the same only using different rulers and number of repeats.


So I thought I would use this fairly uninspiring piece of fabric to illustrate hexies.  I have cut up half of it and made half hexies out of most of those pieces so i can illustrate a one block wonder.  i also sewed some together to show full hexies and the kinds of settings you can use.


All the hexies are assembled here but in two pieces each.  I don't think this is a very inspiring set up and have found I really  am not crazy about one block wonders unless  using a panel or just the right fabric -- one with lots of large areas of wildly different colors and shades.  i think these blocks would look better with each hexie standing alone.


Here are three blocks completely sewn together.  i think you can see the patterning and the radial symmetry that I love more clearly.  Of course, mistakes will be much clearer too!!!


And here is how I spent my last Sunday!!  I wanted to have some light colored fabrics and especially yellow and light blue so I did simple gradations.  The lightest blue pile is a gradation of ProChem's Basic Blue with 8% being the darkest, the yellow is a combination of 6% Sun Yellow and 2% Golden Yellow as I wanted to tone down the Sun Yellow.  Unfortunately, evidently some of the Golden Yellow didn't totally dissolve, so there are some orangey spots on several of these but very usable nonetheless!  The darker blue is a gradation of Deep Navy.  I was very happy with my results.  I still have a ton of pfd fabric and may do one of my massive overdyes one of these days.  i am thinking using primaries and then overdyeing with a series of neutrals. When I do these, I get 35 yards in a day!  I do have 25 yards here though!

I also want to participate in a Guild Challenge to create a floral piece 18 x 24 inches and have been searching through my photos for the right image.  Hmmmm.....


And a Canada Goose for your viewing pleasure.

Friday, February 14, 2020

QBTS January Meeting - Show and Tell!

Well, haven't seen much in the way of birds as either the timing or the weather has been off at low tide!  Canada Geese have taken over the local lake where I used to see all my ducks.  I did see this lovely Great Egret down at Ft. Fisher one afternoon so included him for your viewing pleasure!

A Habitat for Humanity quilt.  i have been putting a lot of kits together for myself and have enough for probably two or three more quilts that I will do or this worthwhile and fun project.

A really nice sampler quilt.  Of course as usual, i don't have names -- sorry!!

Another pretty sampler!

Nice  beachey quilt!!
Beautiful quilting!  

Loved this one!!  So reminiscent of yellowstone!!

Our program for this meeting was a presentation of all the products that are sold by the Martelli Co.  i have bought one of their rotary cutters in the past because so many people raved about them.  I found it okay but since i do most of my rotary cutting sitting down, i didn't find it as comfortable as people have commented and i suspect my sitting position was the reason for it.  it was an interesting presentation and i hadn't realized the extent of their products.

Thursday, February 13, 2020