Friday, August 29, 2014

SOMETHING FUN TO DO ....PART II

Finished, actually finished this project early in August, but couldn't find time to set down at my computer and post the results.  I still have a "desk top computer", which means I have to be at my desk to do "computer" stuff.  LOL

I think this quilt is probably one of the most fun quilts I have ever done.  I definitely have to make another one in this way!  I let go of my "O.C.D." long enough to really enjoy the process of the surprise.  Sure, there were a couple of times that I would have liked to have "cheated" at the choice of the fabric that I pulled out of the bag.  But, true to my project, I sewed the pieces together as they came next.

All the blocks were done in the manner of pulling a piece of fabric out of the bag, no looking; and adding them to the block I was working on.  Okay, I got a little nervous, and wanted to pick again, especially when a couple of the same colors of fabric got to "live" next to each other.  Like a couple of the "reds" ...... they just bring my eyes to them.

As I noted, all the log cabin blocks were pieced by "surprise", but I actually chose my border colors:-)  Had to have a little "O.C.D." in this quilt.  LOL

I am using this quilt as my UFO challenge project for the month of August for the on line quilt group I belong to....  The Small Quilt Talk Group ..... Technically it wasn't an old UFO, but in my mind it was, as I new I wanted to make an American Doll Quilt for my granddaughter, Izabela, who is going to turn 9 in September. I had been thinking about this project for a good long time since their vacation ended with us early in July. (They were living in Texas at the time.)  So, what better way for me to "kill" to birds with one "stone"?  Make it my August Challenge and Izabela's birthday present.  Well, one of her birthday presents!!  She also has shown Gramma the robe and slippers that she wants for her American Girl Doll that would match hers. Of course, she is going to get them too:-)

So, here is my UFO & Izabela's Quilt, titled ................ HUGS & KISSES FOR IZABELA



Hand quilted with X's & O's thru out the quilt ...... hence ..... Hugs & Kisses for Izabela!



So, get your scraps out, have them cut to whatever you need for your block, and put them in a bag, and just have some fun.  You might be surprised at the out come.

Thanks for stopping by .......... you never know what my "brain" will cook up, so stop back.  Have time, leave me a comment ...

Sharon













Tuesday, August 5, 2014

SOMETHING QUICK & FUN TO DO!!

I am kind of a control "freak" when it comes to laying out my completed quilt squares when I am doing a quilt top.  I remember doing  the "Turning Twenty" pattern; which is cutting different sizes from a fat quarter and just mixing (not matching) the different cut pieces from your fat quarters. Well, O.C.D. me had to make sure each cut piece matched in the square.  SIGH!!!!

But, I found that I really could let "go" of the urge to match, and that it really is okay. LOL  I decided for my granddaughter's birthday in September, she will be nine, I would make her another doll quilt for her American Girl Doll.  She has two dolls, and I only made her one so far.   Bad Gramma!!!  So, my favorite all time quilt block is the log cabin.  So, I decided I would make her a doll quilt with this block and do it in 30's fabrics, which I have a lot of, and they are not a fabric of my choice anymore.

So low and behold .......... a thought occurred to me ......... I would cut strips 1 inch wide, making the strips come out to 1/2 inch when sewn ....... making a 3 inch block in the end. I will make 7 rows, 6 blocks to a row.  That is my plan at the moment.  I have been known to change things as I go along. LOL

So, I pulled out all my 30's fabrics (I had recently just colored coded them in bags, brilliant idea!) and fabrics that maybe could pass for 30's fabrics.  Separated all my one inch strips into groups by color.  Then, I placed one of each colored strip into a bag, and began to sew.  I started with the center square at 1 1/2", all in the same fabric.  From there, I pulled out a strip from the bag, not looking, and I used what I pulled out.


This is fun, fun project.  Goes together pretty quickly, well, at least I think for me:-)  I pull them out in sets of 3 at a time.  Lay out my 3 starting squares, and pull 3 strips out, 1, 2, 3.  I don't match them to any of the 3 I have out, I match them in the order I have them in line.  Hope that last statement wasn't to confusing.  LOL

Started color grouping cut strips!



Now, adding all strips to bag!



These are strips that I have already used in the current blocks I am working on.
These strips, along with the other strips in the bag, will all be added back into
the bag when I have run out of strips in the bag.  Hope I didn't loose anyone on that
last statement.  LOL  This way, you should end up with no two blocks being the
same.  (Notice, I said should).


WALL'A!!  Block Completed.  Only 41 more to make for the doll quilt:-)


If you have never done anything like this, I hope you give it a try.  I'll be posting the completed doll quilt in a couple of weeks.  I have a couple things to complete by end of September for an upcoming quilt show and some "odds & ends" that I never seem to get done.  I know, I am probably the only quilter that has "odds & ends" that never get done. LOL  It's an odd thing, I seem to be growing my fabric stash more than using it up?

Thanks for stopping bye...............

Sharon