Sewing, crocheting, designing and planning (and a link party)

Sewing and crocheting at full speed!

The Ongoing Project List:

1. Play with Me QAL - few more hours to turn the PP block. (see below)
   The next pattern is ready and will be shared on Monday!! 
2. WGACA projects
1. Jane T - paused until completion of other two
2. The SK project - one block done (see below)
3. Charity Quilts for DC General Homeless Shelter project - no progress
3. Mirror Mirror Afghan - 2 blocks done (see below)
4. Block Swap Adventure -  waiting for March partner assignment
5. American Quilt (previous known as Americana QAL) - no progress
6. Project Quilting (#5) - done! (see below)
7. Gyleen's BCP Mystery QAL - paused, not liking where this is going :(
8. Splendid Sampler - block 4 and 5 done (see below)
9. SECRET quilt for exhibit - FDJ planning started (see below)

The EverythingElse List:

1. the 31000 Xs project - no progress
2. Spirit cross stitch project - no progress
3. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
4. As You Wish -  no progress
5. Crazy optical illusion - no progress
6. Memory quilt 2 - no progress

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Pat and Jane announced the Splendid Sampler and can I not join such a fun project? Of course not!! :)

But I had to find my twists to make my journey different than anyone else's.

Block 4

Block 5 (with the two crochet ones too)

To see all my blocks, check out My Sampler Journey page

Block 6 is out but I think I will slow down with this project because 2 blocks a week is a lot, considering that I have to make my own "fabric" with selvages first and that I want to crochet some of them as well. I may see if Block 7 (released tomorrow) is easier and start with that for next week.

I am really enjoying this project but it is taking over my (sewing) life! :) :)

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(Project 5: 2016 Finish-Along, from the list in this post)

Speaking of projects taking over my (sewing) life...

Another challenge of Project Quilting (Through the Eyes of a Child) was released last week and this is the piece I put together.

"MOOOM! Look, I colored Mickey"

8'' x 6.5''

I loved Mickey Mouse (Topolino) when I was a child... I cannot remember a time when I didn't have a Topolino comic book to read every day... from kinder-garden school to college :)

So my piece is a reproduction of a classic "drawing" from when I was little. And I put it on the fridge because where else would my mom display my art, right??

I am really pleased about how it turned out! I learned a lot about thread coloring since this is my first time (hence the wrinkly look).

About PQ challenges... I will have some reflections on this next week, since that is going to be the last challenge for the year... I have mixed feelings about the experience... but more on this next week :)

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Second project from my WGACA list  (to read more about this concept, read this previous post) was completed. I recently completed a page for this, and I realized that the initially empty page slows down my progress. I better get some progress on all three of the projects so the ball will get going!

Stephen King - Salem's Lot

Book cover

(Pattern available soon)

I am happy that I broke free from my own rules of making the book cover with paper piecing! I don't particularly like the process of raw edge applique, but I really like the result and the fact that requires much less time designing them!!

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Early last month I shared the second block for my Play with Me QAL

Look at all the different color combinations that people used in their game boards! So exciting!!!

If you didn't join, it's not too late!

Visit the QAL page for more details.

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I had an idea for a project for a long time... and now I think it could fit this exhibit so I will actually get the project out of my head and down to fabric.

The piece will be entered in special exhibit, Modern Quilts: Redesigning Tradition.

I cannot tell you more for now... except that the plan is on paper (and on my computer) so now I just need to get going!! :)

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And last, but not least, I want to remind you that I am working on charity quilts,
and I would love your help!! 

Quilts are for a quilt drive to help the kids in the DC General Homeless Shelter. 

And you can help me by donating orphan blocks, partial blocks, or fabric (scraps, strips, leftover, uglies, whatever). 

If you are willing to mail them to me, I could use them to make more quilts for these kids!!! 

If you are up for a loving donation, please send me an email at tweloq[_at_]gmail[dot_com] or leave a comment here with your email address so I could give you my mailing address. I promise that your donation will be used to make some kids happy and feel more loved!! 

I haven't made any concrete progress here, but I pulled some fabric out and I am ready to assemble some strips into quilt backings! At least I have a plan now!! :)

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How about you? What are YOU up to?

Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Little sewing, but improving my sewing space (and a link party)

Not much sewing, but it's good to have an improved sewing space!

The Ongoing Project List:

1. Play with Me QAL - everyone is having fun with PP (see below)
2. WGACA projects
1. Jane T - 2 blocks done (see below)
2. The SK project - no progress
3. Charity Quilts for DC General Homeless Shelter project - no progress
3. Mirror Mirror Afghan - 2 blocks done (see below)
4. Block Swap Adventure -  paused until March
5. American Quilt (previous known as Americana QAL) - no progress
6. Project Quilting (#5) - waiting for the next challenge (see below)
7. Gyleen's BCP Mystery QAL - paused, not liking where this is going :(
8. Splendid Sampler - block 3 done (see below)

The EverythingElse List:

1. the 31000 Xs project - no progress
2. Spirit cross stitch project - no progress
3. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
4. As You Wish -  no progress
5. Crazy optical illusion - no progress
6. Memory quilt 2 - no progress

----

Pat and Jane announced the Splendid Sampler and can I not join such a fun project? Of course not!! :)

But I had to find my twists to make my journey different than anyone else's.

Block 3

To see all my blocks, check out My Sampler Journey page

The crochet version is a little simplified (3 hearts instead of 6) but I really like how it turned out! It is so good not to have to think about what to design for the afghan and just adapt the very inspired blocks from so many talented designers!!

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The first project in the WGACA list  (to read more about this concept, read this previous post). is my own Jane T: I completed two more blocks!

And this is the progress on the final layout

23 blocks done!!

My initial idea was to make the blocks in random order, but I think I find more motivating if I make them in order from the center out. So I will first complete the my WoaF blocks, then assemble the center medallion, then move on to the outer blocks. I think that being able to see the full center medallion may give me a great boost of motivation as well as a nice decorative piece for my sewing space...

Speaking of which...

I do all my sewing in the dining room area, on our kitchen table :)

When we moved here I didn't have much shelves or bookcases, but I thought that I could keep my things organized in boxes... however after a while my corner ended up like this

(my sewing corner, when it was nice and tidy O_O)

The piles of boxes kept it relatively organized, but taking a box from below meant to move everything else... then everything will fall on the floor, get super messy, and then if it was messy I would just throw things on top because when it's messy it attracts more mess :(

So we went to Ikea, and this is my sewing space now

LOOOOOVE my new sewing space!

First the entire bookcase is nice and sturdy so I can use the top to temporary put the project I am working right now (meaning today). Then I love the size of those square spaces! They are big enough to store a couple of plastic containers or a fabric box, but small and contained enough to encourage me to divide the space in a meaningful way!

Then the top row of shelves contains: my scraps fabric box, drawers with FQ+bigger cuts, the current projects (hiding behind an artistic mini) and tools+spools. The bottom row has a clear box with precuts, a space with my Play with Me quilt (used also as a kitten resting place), fabric donated to me and to use for charity and fabric "trash" and other less used tools and pieces. A metal cart holds boxes with tools, rules, best press, fusible web, and those kind of things.

The space is now soooooo much more functional! In addition to that I only have 2 clear drawers of fabric smaller than FQ but bigger than precuts, and that's it! 

Now I know where everything is, everything is easily accessible and it's easy to keep it nice and clean! I am very proud of my accomplishment, even if it is not a quilt!! :)

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Early this month I shared the second block for my Play with Me QAL

Look at all the different color combinations that people used in their game boards! So exciting!!!

If you didn't join, it's not too late!

Visit the QAL page for more details.

--

And last, but not least, I want to remind you that I am working on charity quilts,
and I would love your help!! 

Quilts are for a quilt drive to help the kids in the DC General Homeless Shelter. 

And you can help me by donating orphan blocks, partial blocks, or fabric (scraps, strips, leftover, uglies, whatever). 

If you are willing to mail them to me, I could use them to make more quilts for these kids!!! 

If you are up for a loving donation, please send me an email at tweloq[_at_]gmail[dot_com] or leave a comment here with your email address so I could give you my mailing address. I promise that your donation will be used to make some kids happy and feel more loved!! 

Still no progress here... so sad... but as mentioned above, now this is in my WGACA list so I will for sure make progress in the next month on this!!! :)

--

How about you? What are YOU up to?

Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Got back on the cow (and a link party)

Well usually people say "get back on the horse", but I have been making more cows blocks than horses ;)

The Ongoing Project List:

1. SYS2015 future projects - waiting for next tutorial
2. Block Swap Adventure - June block, done (see below)
3. Mirror Mirror Afghan - second big block done (see below)
4. Water Lilies (Spangled Stars Quilt-along) - top doooooooone! (see below)
5. D wall hanging -  4 blocks done (see below)
6. the SK project - no progress

The EverythingElse List:

1. Embroidery calendar - no progress
2. Animal blocks for charity quilts - paused for a while
3. Project of Doom 2015 @ Fandom in Stitches - paused for a while
4. College Days Blog Hop blocks for tote/grocery bag -  no progress
5. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
6. As You Wish -  no progress
7. Happy Halloween wall hanging -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion -  no progress
9. Memory quilt 2 - no progress
10. B quilt - no progress

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Susan (quiltfabrication.blogspot.com) is hosting a fun Quilt Along (Spangled Stars)!!
I joined at the beginning of the moth and in about 10 days I assembled the entire quilt top! Kudos to me considering that I usually don't like these "assembly line, quick quilts designs"!! :)

But I absolutely love this design... the striking thing for me is that one block (the bar block) is the one that has more units in the entire quilt, but it is so simple that it "blends in" and it doesn't take over the design. But since it's so simple and fast, it makes the entire quilt very easy to make!!

So this is my quilt top

Original design by Susan,

Water Lilies (68''x74'')

Yes, I didn't iron it yet... it's too big, I will iron it when the batting comes and I am ready to quilt it!

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As I said, I went back on the cows :) and made another "cow face" block (resized to be 5'') and a couple of other animal blocks from the book "A Quilter's Ark". These are soooooo simple, that it takes me more time to pull the fabric from my stash than to assemble the blocks!

The tree is by Jennifer (Sewhooked), pattern called "Topsy-Turvy Trees".

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The other project I worked on is my Mirror Mirror Afghan (using the tapestry crochet technique)

16''x22'' front and back

This is going to be the other half of my main central panel for the afghan! I really like the way it turned out! I already designed the next block, go me!!
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Finally I made the block for Dagmar (for the Block Swap Adventure): she asked for a star block and she said scrappy is welcome. So making my "Water Lilies" quilt I ended up with extra HST and the other unit with triangles in... and when I googled for a star block pattern I found the one below that uses exactly the units I had! so this is the block I will send her (hope she likes it)

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How about you? What are YOU up to?
Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Almost there (and a link party)

Wow, I was playing catch-up and I almost won... :)

The Ongoing Project List:

1. SYS2015 future projects - waiting for next tutorial
2. Block Swap Adventure - June block, planned
3. Mirror Mirror Afghan - 1 big block done (see below)
4. Water Lilies (Spangled Stars Quilt-along) - almost done! (see below)
5. D wall hanging -  no progress
6. the SK project - no progress

The EverythingElse List:

1. Embroidery calendar - no progress
2. Animal blocks for charity quilts - paused for a while
3. Project of Doom 2015 @ Fandom in Stitches - paused for a while
4. College Days Blog Hop blocks for tote/grocery bag -  no progress
5. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
6. As You Wish -  no progress
7. Happy Halloween wall hanging -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion -  no progress
9. Memory quilt 2 - no progress
10. B quilt - no progress

--
Susan (quiltfabrication.blogspot.com) is hosting a fun Quilt Along (Spangled Stars)!!
I joined last week and this week I almost caught up to the current step (which is technically the last step before assembly). So I pretty much assembled the entire quilt top in one week! Kudos to me!! :)

Actually I am still working on finishing several blocks, but I post on Saturdays so I wanted to get this post done before finishing all the blocks! :)

So this is my current plan

Original design by Susan,

(left) week 1 progess,
(middle) current state after one week!!
(right) my current draft: modified layout for colors/size

So what I did this week was:

Uneven nine patch blocks

Bar blocks (inspected and approved by my sewing helper ;) )

Several Stripes and Cross and Star blocks (which for me are flowers not stars ;) )

It takes me a little more time to stitch my blocks together because I am making it very scrappy and with a gradient colored background, so I cannot use the fast and useful tips that Susan gives in her tutorials (most of the times).

I found out that cutting several pieces of any specific measure (either 2, 2.5 or the weird measures with quarters and 7/8s) is a nightmare for me :) just because I keep forgetting what the measure is, where to find it on my ruler, sometimes I turn the ruler the wrong way (using that extra half-inch side, or not)... anyway... I found a super easy trick to solve that problem. It not my idea, I saw it online somewhere but I don't know where... anyway this is the trick

Several layers (typically 3-4) of painters tape on the back of the ruler at the desired measure! The layers of tape create a nice "bump" on the back of the ruler so that you can just slide the ruler on the edge of the fabric and it will stop exactly at that point, and then it's easy to cut and go on with another cut! You don't have to remember what the measure is... whatever it is, it is where the tape is! and you can reposition it very easily and several times!!

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The only other project I worked on is my Mirror Mirror Afghan (using the tapestry crochet technique)

16''x22'' front and back

This is going to be my main central panel for the afghan! I really like the way it turned out... looking forward to start the other block (with inverted colors!)

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How about you? What are YOU up to?
Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Playing catch up (and a link party)

I am baaaaaaaaaack!

Visitors in the house are fun... but they leave no time for sewing :) so I am a little behind with several projects, but I am catching up!

The Ongoing Project List:

1. SYS2015 future projects - done the next object (cannot share)!
2. SYS2015, current project - bag done (see below) this is my project for A Lovely Year of Finishes - May
3. Block Swap Adventure - April and May blocks done (see below)
4. Mirror Mirror Afghan - 2 blocks done, started the 'main panel' but will share that next week
5. Water Lilies (Spangled Stars Quilt-along) - done with this week task (see below)
6. D wall hanging -  no progress
7. B quilt - no progress
8. the SK project - no progress

The EverythingElse List:

1. Embroidery calendar - no progress
2. Animal blocks for charity quilts - paused for a while
3. Project of Doom 2015 @ Fandom in Stitches - paused for a while
4. College Days Blog Hop blocks for tote/grocery bag -  no progress
5. Alice in Wonderland quilt - no progress
6. As You Wish -  no progress
7. Happy Halloween wall hanging -  no progress
8. Crazy optical illusion -  no progress
9. Memory quilt 2 - no progress.

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Susan (quiltfabrication.blogspot.com) is hosting a fun Quilt Along (Spangled Stars)!! I wanted to join but the QAL started exactly during my time off-sewing so I need to catch up with them! But I completed this week task!

As I don't have a design wall here in my living room, I tried to use my sewing helper as a design wall ;). It worked out fine, except that a couple of times I had to chase my blocks around the house :D :D

After that incident I decided that maybe a virtual design wall is a better choice ;)
So below you can see the overall design and my progress!

So this is my current plan

Original design by Susan,

my current draft: modified layout for colors/size

I named this quilt "Water Lilies" because it reminds me of Monet's paintings of Water Lilies (the one below in particular). I hope the final effect of gradient and scrappyiness will work... we'll see!!

Water Lilies Red, Claude Monet, 1914

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And I just received the two prizes I won in Sew Mama Sew giveaway days!

From Leo

From Stacey

The green fabric has already put to good use in the Water Lilies quilt ;) the clothing book is something I will read and see if I am brave enough to try some of those pieces (they look all very cool)

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Progress on my Mirror Mirror Afghan (using the tapestry crochet technique)

I really like this project, it is the perfect activity to do at night watching tv! And since it's going to be a sampler afghan, I can really play around with colors and designs!!

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Blocks for the Block Swap Adventure are flying in and out :)
Top: the ones I received from Debra (left) and Kerry (right)

Bottom: the ones I sent to Debra (left) and Kerry (right)

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And last, but not least... I finished my Pixel Bag!! YEEEEEAH!!! My goal was to finish it by the end of May and I made it!! I am soooooooooo in love with my new beach bag!!
Of course, I couldn't simply follow the instructions that Susan gave us for the SYS2015 May project. I made a single strap (instead of two) and I made it adjustable because when we are carrying thing to the beach sometimes two hands are not enough, so cross body may be easy to have!
And the thing I hate in bags is when you cannot close them! so I added a recessed zipper: first time ever, I am pretty happy with the result... I followed a tutorial, made few mistakes but I think it turned out just fine!!

The bag is really big!! (20''x20''x6'')

Top: the two sides of the bag

Bottom (left): inside you can fit two bottles, a little lunch insulated box, towels and there is a lot more space to get a quilt inside too!! 

Bottom (right): the recessed zipper and the adjustable strap. The lining is home decor fabric.

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How about you? What are YOU up to?
Link it here and share it with me!!

An InLinkz Link-up

MIA - Will be back soon :)

I don't know if anyone noticed, but I have been Missing In Action for a while :)

Mother-in-law staying in our home means no time for sewing ;) however I had time to do some crochet and I had great progress in my sampler tapestry crochet blanket that I will call "Mirror Mirror" :)

But before showing you my assessment of tapestry crochet and my blocks, let me remind you that the the voting for the Blogger's Quilt Festival is open!!

These are my quilts (Scrappy and Small)... please go there and give them some love <3 <3<3

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And now a little summary of my new crochet project.

I am obsessed with the technique of tapestry crochet and I want to make myself a "sampler" afghan. But first I have to figure out what I like and how it looks like :) so I designed a little pattern and decided to stitch it with different methods. Then I will evaluate the results and pick the one I like the most for the afghan.

So this is the design. It is pretty simple but it has several key components (curves, sharp points, narrow strips, full shapes).

My tapestry block design... and my helper helping out ;)

First try: all SC, turning the work after each row

(Dimension: 5'' x 5.5'')

Assessment:

• I like the texture: it's tight and full and a little too heavy
• it's simple and works out pretty quick
• since SC is not the same front/back, there are some issues on the edges where color changes
• for the same reasons, sharp points (1 SC) are not so precise. The same issue can be seen for the narrow strips (both vertically and horizontally)

Second try: all Half Double Crochet, turning the work after each row

(Dimension: 6''x 8'' estimated)

Assessment:

• I like the fact that is less heavy but still with a full look
• it's simple and works out pretty quick
• same issues as before on color changing spots and narrow strips
• even if I like the fact that is more loose than the other version, HDC are too tall and the design is completely stretched

Third-forth try:
  * (lower half) HDC right->left and SC left->right (no turning)
  * (top half) SC right->left and SC left->right (no turning)

(Dimension: (lower) 6''x 8'' estimated, (upper) 5.5'' x 5.5'' estimated)

Assessment:

• I like the fact that the texture is good and now I don't have issues where color changes and with narrow strips
• I am very slow working with my left hand. And even if the final look is nice and I may get faster with practice, if I pick this approach I may get frustrated after few blocks and never finish the afghan

Conclusion:

I like the speed of the simple SC turning at each row. I am ok with "imperfect" lines when the color changes as long as I can finish my afghan in a reasonable amount of time.

However I want blocks to be a little bigger than 5''... so the solution is simple: I will use a bigger hook, the biggest I have around (K) :)

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Having resolved the "how" now I wanted to design the "what". My idea is to make sampler blocks with my own designs. Each block will be done in two versions, switching the background/main colors (hence the name "Mirror Mirror" :) ).

These are my first blocks.

I really like how they look! If anyone is interested in the pattern, just comment below with your email address and I can send the graph to you.

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I will be back next week with the usual link party and hopefully some sewing to share ;)