Wednesday

That's a nice non-descriptive title, huh?!

If I wrote, "More Hexagons", then half of you would take for the hills.  But reality is, I have been doing relatively mundane things, and the hexagons are at the top of the interest list.  I am putting a binding on the silk wholecloth.  Yippy-do-da!...see, I told you...not so thrilling.  I also did a client quilt last weekend, but because it has rained here for 6 days (kind of getting like Scotland), I have crummy, dim-light photos that I may just not post.  I was more interested in getting it sent back to the owner than holding onto it until I could get a clear picture!

Today is my youngest's 9th birthday.  It's the last year of single digits in our house.  The past 2 days have been about cake making and other things for tonight's family party.  Because her day always falls before school starts, we hold off on the kid-party until mid September, when she knows who is in her class.  Yea for me - school resumes next week!

 I endeavor to make pretty cakes, but it is very clear I am a better quilter than cake decorator!

 Almost 9, and sporting all her Paris couture, in Paris no less!

 I have (I think!) finished the 21st and final hexagon block.  The layout I have been gravitating towards requires 21, but as you know, I have been through several possible layouts, including the one sketched above.  Clearly it is in all the wrong colors, but it was drawn in a heated moment when I just wanted to get these blocks machined together, and quickly.  The triangles would possibly be the only background fabric.  Some days I like its simplicity, others it just seems boring.  Who knows.

Here's a layout using 23 blocks.  The lighter ones at top and bottom center may be omitted to yield the next placement.  It would give me enough open space for quilting.  I think I like how the colors are arranged.  The blocks just need the final star points to be stitched on.  I am (again, I think) using Michael Miller Cotton Couture solids for these points.  It comes in nice bold, almost sherbet-like colors.  I have some small pieces in several colors ordered.  Next week I will make a decision about what color will go where.  I am hoping seriously that these points will bring further cohesion to the placement, as one bolder color will be for the center 9 blocks, and a softer, cooler color(s) will be used for the other 12.  My thinking is that the background will still be the silk Radiance.  Pricey, but I think the effect is worth it.  I will first get the stars done, then rethink the background.  Lotsa applique!

Here's the final hexagon... Whoo-hooo!

 One last look at how I make my hexie blocks, as it is a bit different from the traditional EPP method.  I use Marti Michell's cutting template for a 1" hexie.  This means it is 1" per side.  I use this to mark where to cut.  The smaller Templar template is exactly 1" per side, and this is used to mark the back of each fussy-cut hexagon.  This line is where I sew, bu hand.  I stitch each seam separately, back tracking with 2-3 stitches on each end before knotting.  Yes, this is 90 seams! These blocks are more secure than anything you'd machine stitch!  The front is pretty and the backside is too.  My reasons for making them this way are this -- the seams can easily be pressed to the side.  I don't want open seams because it's a pain for quilting should I choose to ditch stitch.  There is no ditch!  Also, I don't like the added step of gluing or basting onto the papers.  My block is easy to hold as I am stitching because it is not filled with paper.  It is my version of Inklingo, which many quilters use, but easier because there is no printer involved.

  I have a lovely heart applique quilt started on my machine.  Next week I should have something beautiful to show!

Client Valentine's Day Lone Star

A week ago, with barely 2 weeks left of my kids' summer vacation, I decided it was time to load a couple of quilts and start trying to get caught up.  I avoid the custom quilts during the summer because they take much longer, and my windows of quilting time are short...1-2 hours.  I can have a custom quilt on the machine for over a week before it is done.  More than that, because we all know I have show quilts on the machine for several weeks at a time, I tend to just forget what I am doing if I only do a little bit each day.

This quilt was made by one of my very prolific Iowa clients, Erin, and it is only 54" square.  It is a relatively simple pattern to quilt too (and not forget what I am doing!). For those interested, it has a layer of Hobbs 80/20 batting and is stitched with mostly Glide thread.

 There is ample white background to showoff pretty designs.  She wanted a background reminiscent of my Zen Garden quilt (which has more going on in it's setting squares).  I have hopefully kept the essence of this quilt with the curved cross-hatching and feathers.  I chose a filler around these using hearts to bring some of the fabric into the quilting.  It is all about cohesion.

 The star is the show, so the quilting does not need to overpower it (that is what the neutral white aeas are for!).  I did a single row of continuous curves in the white thread through this area.

(Before...)

But after stitching this, I decided it was just not done.  It appeared underquilted compared to the background.  Using a pale pink and deep burgundy thread, I went back and doubled the curves, creating double continuous curving.  It is more textural and just prettier.  Now, I could have certainly quilted the star more heavily, but it just didn't seem to be the place for heavy quilting.  Sometimes the simpler route is really prettier.  FYI - these curves are all stitched with a 6" circle template.

(after...)

The center of the star lays beautifully.

 Lone Stars are a lovely and classic pattern.  She plans to use this either on a wall or as a decorative element on a bed.  I'd love to have the time to make some seasonal/holiday display quilts!!

Facebook

I have been on Facebook for several years.  I have just recently, however, set up a business FB page. Check this out, like it, whatever...I tend to be better at posting to FB than to this blog on a regular basis.

Here's the link... FB

Little sewing, Little Vegging

The stash of the hexagon blocks is coming, slowly.  I thought I'd make up the last 3-4 blocks while I was traveling, but never found uninterrupted time.  I got one done, and two started though.  Now, if I could hone in on that layout for the blocks, I'd be getting somewhere...

 This block is wildly fun.  The outer row is in progress.

 Love this one...all done too.

And this is now done too.  Individually, some are a little bold, but all together their boldness seems to meld nicely.

My attentions are soon to be diverted though.  I have 6 weeks until I really want this quilt all done so it can be entered at Road to Ca. The show isn't until January, but photos of a quilt which "appears" finished (yes, including the binding) are due by Oct 1.  It was off the frame for weeks months so I could pick out 6-7 pleated areas.  Yesterday I restitched them.  I made a critical error with my very solid pink backing...I prewashed it, but failed to heavily starch it afterwards. The Live-n-learn list grows... Today I am calling it done-enough, and will get it onto the blocking surface.  No doubt that the binding will take a long time.  Here's an earlier post if you want to see more quilting photos.

 I am reveling in a nice win at the AQS Grand Rapids show, which is on right now.  My From the Bride's Trousseau quilt won a best machine quilting award!  It won a 1st 3 weeks ago at AQS's Syracuse show, while I was away in France.  I am very surprised how well this little whole cloth quilt has done.  The competition in Grand Rapids must be fierce.  My Bouquet Royale did not even place. Try again next month :-)

I will leave you with some pics from the gorgeous open markets of France.  The veggies and other are endless, and so very lovely to look at.

 dried fruits

 these are actually a tomato

 needs no explaining! Yumm!

 All kinds of seafood

One of my faves...olives

There are markets of fruits, meats, nuts, dry beabs and every kind of cheese you can imagine.  Not being a cheese-eater, though, I naturally have no pics of this! I probably should have taken a picture of the wine sections at the markets too...it goes without saying that there were many!  And prices for many 1/2 bottles were in the 2-3 euro range...cheap! A glass of wine is cheaper than a can of coke, by close to a dollar!

Happy Thursday~

Summer Absense

Paris.  Yes, I have just been to Paris!  Fortunately for me, I have been twice before, but there is no city like Paris anywhere.  It just has an energy about it.  A Vibe...a happy feeling.  The age of this country is evident everywhere.  Just to go back again was worth every frustration encountered (and there were many).   Still, a week in Paris.  And despite going before, I managed to visit many places I had not seen.

This was not one of them though!

It doesn't matter because the Eiffel tower is iconic.  It is huge, and wonderful, and everyone loved it. We did a tour organized by the Paris tourism board and it was fantastic -- highly recommend.  The behind the scenes things they show you make it worthwhile.  And then we climbed down each and every step, in the pouring rain (the first rainfall in 6 weeks for Paris)!

On this trip, I finally made it into the Louvre and the Rodin museum.  I can't claim to love art museums.  I barely like them.  I enjoy impressionist art in small doses, but most is just plain boring.  I do love the bronze statues by Rodin, and seeing the castings as well as the finished statues was incredible.  I had been to d'Orsay museum 20 years ago, so I didn't bother trying to drag the boys there, even if the building the art is in is gorgeous.  I did manage to get them into Orangerie, where Monet's water lilies are.  Those are amazing.  I have been to Giverny before, but never seen the full collection, in the round.  The Vincennes castle was a hit with the kids, and a nice break from crowds to be out of the city just a little bit.  Crowd lines were a bit crazy this time.  Luckily, there is much to be seen just wandering.  I have more photos of quilting ideas...

The Garnier Opera house is so magnificient, and our tour was just as good.  

My inside photos are a heap of crap, but hopefully some patterns drafted from the mosaic floors (the first of this kind brought to a French building allegedly) will become the basis for a new applique quilt next year.

 After a week of Paris, we flew to Edinburgh.  I loved the one short half-day we spent in Edinburgh -- it is old and has much the same vibe as Paris.  Sadly we drove from there to the highlands.  The roads are dangerous and scary by US standards...narrow, mostly single lane, no shoulders whatsoever, and windy beyond windy up through the mountains.  Oh, and add to that sitting on the wrong side of the car while driving on the wrong side of the road!  What appears to take one hour on a map, actually takes over 2.  Nothing was really as close as it seemed it would be.  We were on the south shore of Loch Ness for 3 days and then in the higher, more easterly highlands for 3 more.  The castle ruins were interesting.  The weather just plain sucks in Scotland -- very cool by our expectations for August, and constantly raining.  If it is sunny at 8am, by 9:30 it will be raining.  We thought we'd do more hikes, but constantly hiking through mud was aggravating.    While some of the scenery is beautiful, there was just too much driving to get there.  I like the walk or subway approach to sight-seeing better.

My kids loved seeing these unusual cows - Highland coos. And the castles (we saw 4) and cathedral (below) ruins were interesting.  My husband would love to go to Ireland, but there's not enough money out there to get me to go somewhere this cool and wet anytime soon...especially when the sights don't often have rooves!

 Here's another fun pattern...may have come from a bathroom wall!

And here's a quick view of the former monastery we stayed at in Loch Ness - way cool.  Convincing the kids that the apartment was not the "destination" was challenging at times.

If you are wondering if I tried Haggis - yes twice.  It's not as bad as the contents make it sound.  In a good meal, it's pretty good.  Blood pudding - I had one disgusting bite.  I tasted scotch too.  That I can say is still the ickiest taste I have known.  Embalming their bodies with this elixir is probably how they endure the climate though!  The food was touch and go, some pretty good, some typically bland and under seasoned.  In 2 weeks, I have seen enough french fries for a lifetime.  The Scots love them as much as the French!  Desserts in France were yummy.  And I did eat my weight in croissants.  Who could blame me?!

Now to get going with the wash and figure out how to be productive for 3 weeks until school starts~