Am I Vintage?

Years ago, when eBay was relatively new, my sister bought this vintage table cloth with the idea it might be cool as the center of a quilt.  Thanks for a great idea.  It stewed in my head for a while, as quilts do sometimes, and I finally finished the binding this week.  It was pieced with, I think, a Moda line of fabric and the backing might be something different, but it goes well.  Does anyone else forget to keep track of the origins of the fabrics in their quilt?  It also has some Kona solid fabric in white... I toyed with some color but it made the tablecloth look small and the whole quilt off-balance.

I started with the center and some flying geese blocks... then worked my way out from there.

Bev Palm is an amazing quilter and did a beautiful job, as usual, on the long-arm quilting.  She works at Quilting in the Country which is a great stop if you are in Bozeman, Mt.

I pieced the binding with the scraps.  Since the table cloth is vintage... and then it sat for a while... is a quilt vintage due to the age of its parts, or when it was finished?  I did the piecing on it when I was in Montana getting chemo to kick cancer's but.  It is nice to see it is sunny and happy, maybe a reflection of how the treatment would go.  Charissa and Tim will love it.  I love sending the finished quilts off and imaging making someone's day.

Que Sera, Sera

The top of the quilt for Julie's daughter is done...  There is something I really love about making a quilt without a plan.  But then I guess that was my plan.  The colors are joyful and I like the random mix of blocks dancing in the pink camo-like sashing. 

Just Paper... Just Amazing

People can be so clever.  Check out this link to view Li Hongbo's incredible sculptures made of paper. I love how his inspiration came from toys... toys are so under-rated.  Enjoy and go then go play.  :)

Too Something

Detail (Isn't the brown on white fabric fabulous?)

This quilt began with an obsession with the brown on white print that is the background.  I love love love that fabric.  I can't remember who designed it, but I remember it is interior design weight and was pricier than the rest of the fabric in the store... (Fairbanks, AK is where I found it).

Later I was home with my stash and this fabulous print... and trying to figure it out.  I added the bubbly black print... then used the colors of the bubbles to build the rest.  I like the quilt... but I expect quilt love when I'm done.  I don't know how to describe that, but these are the quilts I want to cuddle in on the couch and the prints just make me happy.  Then for the first time ever I had enough of a miscommunication with my fabulous longarm quilter... that the wrong fabric ended up on back.  I'm actually fine with what was used... because the top is just... meh.

Dark, fall/winter, dreary, cluttered looking.  I did not nail this by any stretch of the imagination.  I even saw it as I was making it but still didn't manage to avert this quilt pileup and now it is a finished meh quilt.  Sigh.

The wrong backing... but it kind of works.

Fine... but not what I had hoped.

It is nice... just not my happy palette that I would prefer to be around.  Where are the happy days of Red Light Green Light quilts that Kate is wrapped in?  Better luck next time.

Ugly Quilts

Ugly quilts,  we all make 'em.  If your lucky you destroyed the evidence... for me they usually sit in my UFO pile.  I think I made this when I hadn't slept enough and was looking at Kaffe Fassette's daring adventures in pattern that seem too much but just works likes a perfect balsamic vinegar electrifying the palette - but really too much vinegar is horrid and that is what this is.  Too much.  The only reason I'm saving it is I think if I chop it into smaller blocks and offset them with a solid block which might just save it... I really do like all these fabrics on their own but right now it is horrid.

Mondo Bag

I got sidetracked from my quilting the other day and made a couple Quiltsmart Mondo Bags - one for my sister and one for myself.  They go together rather quickly and look cool.  Here is a link with a YouTube video showing them.  The only thing I did that really wasn't following the directions that saved a lot of time was I didn't cut the two sides apart that are on the panels (two per Mondo Bag) until after I had finished sewing the them - just remember not to sew the line between the panels and you are good to go.

I have almost finished the blocks for Carris' quilt but ran out of a fabric and the quilt shops didn't have it so I am waiting for the mail.  In the mean-time I started a quilt out of Quilts from the House of Tula Pink by Tula Pink of course.  I am actually following directions, shocker, and making the quilt that is on the cover of the book.  I have a good start, but just got to the white wedges part and will post about how that works - random is meeting random so I have my doubts.

Stitching Time

A lot has happened since I last posted... not surprising since it has been so long.  I suddenly find myself with time to spare so quilts will dance and I will be posting more often than I have.  Sadly the reason I have time is I am on leave from my job to spend some quality time kicking cancer's proverbial but.  On the bright side I have way more time to quilt and my parent's home has room for me to sew in and that is a good thing.

I started Carys' quilt today, well earnestly started since I had sewn a few stitches in Anchorage.  It is full of happy blues, greens, a dash of pink, a multicolored agate swatch and let me not forget a sprinkle of Peeps.  Just when I started really getting going the needle on the machine broke and a bit fell in the machine's works and it hasn't worked since.  :(  Tomorrow it will have a nice visit with the sewing machine repair shop and all will be well.  If only I were patient.  Oh well, here is a sneak peek.

Happy fabrics... so many possibilities.

This could be the start of something interesting.

BTW, thanks Gayle for the fabric funds.  A good day anyway, and mom's violets are a cheerful sight... they remind me of Grandma Grace and Aunt Olga, they had such a way with violets their thumbs were practically purple.

Tabled

My Uncle helped me make this table top and send it here from Anchorage.  My house has one we also made that has an orange design on it.  Brandi, Kevin, Paula's family is growing... Thane has a new baby sister... so I thought they could use a bigger table.  I blocked out the design with painter's tape and contact paper, then Kim dropped by and helped me paint the design.  Over the weekend I painted layers of polyurethane to protect it from daily wear and tear.  This table has the oil-based polyurethane and seems like a lot tougher finish than the water based polyurethane I used on my my table.   Kevin and Kim took the legs off the old table and voila... a new table is born.  The bottom picture is of Kim setting up a tent in our living room... you can see a little of our table in the foreground.  You can tell the same person designed both.  :)  The new table top is great and everyone is happy with it, so a job well done.

Weathered

Chloe's Quilt

This is a light quilt with no batting (for the summer in Louisiana)

The houses were sewn when I did the other house quilt... didn't take long to make two houses instead of one when I was cutting fabric for it.  These are for my mom and dad... still deciding on the border.

Last weekend I supposed to be in Anchorage at a conference, then have a personal day (free day) in town before heading back to Newtok.  Weather didn't permit.  So I was a little depressed... and sewed my frustration away.

I love living here... I just missed having a break in my routine.

Island League Quilts

Aurora... one of the embroiderers.

 Newtok hosted the Island League Tournament this year (hosting duty rotates between sites).  As something a little different the students embroidered blocks and we made mini quilts as the trophies for the games.  It was fun to hear the students get into the embroidering job and the winners looked happy with their spoils.  Districts are this week and we are hopeful that the Newtok Jaegers can earn a seat in the state games this year.

Sportsmanship, Boys (We won this.)

Sportsmanship, Girls (Chefornak won this.)

 The initial plan had a somewhat complicated sort of Mariner's Compass extending from the central block... the pieces of that headache are still showing on the sportsmanship awards.  It was close to the tournament and the design was simplified to have them done in time.

3rd Place Boys (Chefornak won this.)

2nd Place Boys (We won this.)

2nd Place Girls (Toksook won this.)

1st place Boys (Toksook won this.)

1st place Girls (Chefornak won this.)

Cold

Felt like camping this weekend... the heat was out at home.  Last night I could see my breath in the livingroom.  Somehow the pipes didn't freeze.  I snuggled down under a pile of quilts and thanked my lucky stars I had an electric mattress pad.  My roommate abandon the house and slept on our neighbor's couch.

Qaspeq for Gina

This is the qaspeq I made for Gina in Kipnuk.  She was named for a former student and friend of mine who always was ready to share a smile.  I never heard her speak a harsh word about anyone... and now she is gone much too soon.  Her sister welcomed new baby Gina into the world in January... and I hope she is blessed with the kind heart of her namesake and a full wonderful life.

Wii Play With Scraps

the side... pinned with interfacing fabric between two layers

I like to play Super Mario Brothers III... I can finally run and with the help of my roommate we have finished the game (every level all the star coins...) and are about to do that again.  So there is this cardboard box in the living-room with all this Wii junk (me trying to find another game as awesome as Super Mario III) and I had just finished Kim's quilt.  There wasn't much fabric left over so I made a pen case to see if I could remember the one time I ever sewed a zipper... then I made a bag for the Wii stuff.  I have a pile of pictures but it is kind of hard to see my process... there is an inner wall (a loop of a wall sewed into the seam) to separate things and a pocket on the outside for remotes.  It is a bit too small, but it works and looks a lot better than the cardboard box.

my laughable planning process

inner pocket with side

base with outside

box that has to go

my bag

I should have made it a little bigger :)

pen/pencil case for Kim

Buffalo Chips (not what you think)

Buffalo Jump

 First off let me say the song "Buffalo Soldier" by Bob Marley and the Wailers is near impossible to extricate from your head once lodged there by the mere mention of buffalo.  Having grown up in Yellowstone National Park I am fully aware these are bison, but I am not going to get all Monk about it and just let it go.  This is that quilt I found cut and well on its way in my fabric bins.  I don't remember starting it either... but I like how it turned out.  It is off on the larger picture... the closer one gets the colors better... I am still contemplating what border to put on this.  If I can find some of the Kenti cloth looking fabric I am leaning that way.  I think it is a Kaffe Fasset fabric so I'll be off the Glorious Color and investigate.  Bingo!  It is called "Shirt Stripes" and I think I'll use the blue colorway to contrast with the red I used in the quilt (I did use blues so it will work.  I am totally plugging for Glorious Color because I have used it for fabric orders for years and years and they are always super quick and the fabric pictured is as expected (though sometimes prettier). They don't pay me so take it for what it is.

I already blogged about this quilt but only had one crappy picture so I guess that is all I have to say until it is done.  :)

Buffalo Jump (17 squares by 17 squares each about 5 inches... you do the math)

... and finally for the chips.  I meant electronic chips since this is a quick note about about my awesome FIRST FTC robotics teams.  One won an award for perseverance and the other was part of a winning alliance that earns them a ticket to the state meet in Fairbanks next month.  Woot!  I couldn't be prouder of the teams' behavior and extraordinary work they put into their bot this season.  I am looking forward to seeing their robot change by March and zoom about at the state competition.  What a great experience it will be.

Twice a Day (but not by perscription)

Kim's Quilt Complete?

 As promised some pictures of Kim's quilt in its ready to be be quilted state.  It really fits Kim who isn't fruffy (even though there are pinks and purples) and a lover of plaids.  Yes, I know there are no plaids here, but the plaids I had just didn't inspire me at all.  What do you do with plaids?  They apparently gather dust in my fabric bins. 

Closer...

Closest.

Photos Found - Start with the Farmer's Wife Blocks

I found a way to download my photos - but not the cord yet.  I thought I would start by posting pictures of my latest Farmer's Wife Quilt-A-Long blocks.

Broken Dishes... my favorite :)

This was made thrice but I really like the block... the fabrics sing together.

The points aren't perfect but they are pretty nice anyway.  I made the next block too.... but it is 2 inches too big so I guess it will be a pot-holder or mug rug.  That is what I get for not getting the templates printed and just trying to figure them out on my own.