Row Robin - Attached and Close Up

I'm so happy with the row for Susan now that it's attached to the top.  The grey negative space played out just like I'd hoped to give the fabric some room to shine. I think it also compliment Dana's mid-section circles on grey.

My Row added on the bottom

The journey continues and the swap gets closer to completion with only Jacqueline's to go before this top heads back to Susan where it began.

Left Segment

 Here are close ups of the three segments.

Center Segment

Forgive the warped effect that sticking them to the design wall creates - it's just an illusion.

Right Segment

Hard to believe I've already made six rows for six amazing quilts as part of the Around the Bend and Across the Pond bee Check out the flickr photo pool.

linky party at SewHappyGeek Manic Monday

BAMQG Sew In

Dr Seuss Sparkle Punch Squares

Row Robin for Susan

Yesterday, Tina, Rebecca and I had the extreme pleasure of joining the ladies of BAMQG for a Sew In.  Their hospitality was wonderful and projects so inspiring.

I packed lightly, with 5 projects on my list:
Susan's Row Robin,done
Teal we Meet Again top,done
3x6/4x5 Bee Blocks top,done
Dr Seuss blocks, partial (75 or 120 done)
Tassels blocks, nope

Tina tackles Granny -relentlessly

12hrs of quilting was a dream and it was terrific to meet and chat with those who attended. Putting more faces to the buddy icons of my flickr friends: "real humans" LOL.
I wish I'd taken more pictures! Here are just a few...

Thank you again BAMQG for such a memorable and productive Sew In Day.

Rebecca's final stitch - hand sewn binding

Zakka:Twin Cushions

Finally got to cut into my European Linen and chose the color Oatmeal to offset the bright yellow floral.  They aren't perfect but they are done and I think kind of cute.  It was so refreshing to have a little project go so quickly and to work out of my new Zakka Style book.

They're not identical twins because I just had to go my usually scrappy on one.  The closure was sewn whip stitched and then with a blind stitch to see what I liked better.

I must say working with linen for the first time was kind of fun.

the back sides

Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Friday. Speaking of link ups...
Last call for Q2 Finish Along at Quilter in The Gap , it's closing in a couple days. I've got my to do list, do you?

Stacks of Squares - WIP

Where has the week gone?!  I'm excited to be attending BAMQG's Sew In on Saturday and meeting many quilters in person that I've only knows virtually.  The perfect project for a quilting marathon day is my Dr. Suess sparkle punch.

The baby is due cinco de mayo - which sounded so far away in my head, but isn't.  It'll feel good to complete the first item on my FAL Q2 list.  I've been collecting fabric in primary colors to coordinate and have way too much.  The background will be in Kona medium grey because babies and white just don't mix in my opinion.

NYB QAL is buzzing ahead without me - ugh, I did manage to get one part of one quarter done which is pretty pathetic.  I do love the fabrics that I chose but it's a far cry from real progress.

WIP at Freshly Pieced link up.
Happy Quilting.

Finish It Up Friday

I love Fridays. Especially when I can link to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up because I actually got something accomplished!  Even when I don't get to participate I always browse everyone who has posted because it's so inspiring.

X Binding 

My stash proved invaluable yet again with what I think is the most perfect binding fabric for the Asterisk quilt, if I do say so myself!  I knew I had a blue/green in the buckets to choose from but to find a print that creates an X when folded over was a bonus. Usually it takes a few sessions to hand stitch the binding on but I was so excited that I sat and sewed continuously until it was done. My hands have yet to recover - not the smarted move on my part but there was no stopping.

Trying to do too much in one little block design

This picture detail is of my experimental Extended Bar Asterisk block. I like to modify and play around to try and bring to life what is envisioned in my head. This was a near miss but it still blends well with the overall scrappy, modern quilt. 

My husband thinks that the horizontal and vertical bars should extend out further than the diagonal ones to more accurately represent an asterisk and I agree.  The problem I ran into was trying to mix a double bar design and stay within the 12.5 size - because the inserts were especially large, it grew too big quickly.  This concept deserves a revisit for another project.

If you are not already a fan and follower of Amanda's blog be sure to check it out.  Funny story: I was looking in my old, old bookmarks for something totally unrelated to quilting and ran across a link to one of her tutorials from way back - before my flickr days.

Quilt National 11

Since I list photography as one of my interests, I thought I'd share a few pictures that I've taken for a glimpse of what catches my eye.

Often I see fabric designs or quilt patterns in nature and hope to translate inspiration into projects more often -not necessarily in a literal way like my Hanalei Pier mini but with more of an impressionistic influence.  

 

 

Art Quilts are on my mind lately, especially after a recent field trip with several ladies from SBAMQG last Friday to see....

Quilt National 11

.....the 17th biennial juried exhibition at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles featuring 46 amazing works.  There is a two part video on their website which is pretty awesome because it is narrated with information about the artists and  their quilts.  Although I would say that the textures, details and feelings they provoke could not be captured in the same way as seeing them in person, it's worth checking out if you aren't able to attend before the show leaves on the 29th.