Bright New York Beauty 2

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The partially completed block I showed yesterday is now finished. And it’s bright. Almost need your sunglasses bright. I think I may do a series, as Wanda at Exuberant Color does, of small quilts with these blocks. That way I can play with the colour combinations as much as I want, play with the layouts as many ways as I can think up, and just generally have fun. I’m going to print some more shapes from the 12″ Sunflower collection and do quarter blocks that will play with the NYB 1 and 2 collections. Some will be for the Tiffany Lamp quilt, some for the more muted Monet type effect and some will be … well, I don’t know quite yet.

Even with the thicker metallic fabric it still presses like a dream. And, of course, grading the seams as I finish the block helps.

We had a lot of rain and a couple of little thunderstorms yesterday. I hope that’s it for the rain for a while as the window cleaners are about to do our windows.

This shot of Baxter was taken last week but the look on his face makes me laugh so I couldn’t resist using it.

Hand Piecing a New York Beauty 2 Block

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What’s in the box?

Loads and loads of printed sheets for the New York Beauty blocks, both those from Collection 1 and Collection 2. Impossible for me to resist these. As though she knew, a very special friend sent me another one of these marvellous box books but this one is huge! Some of the sheets in that box are 8.5 x 12.5 inches and they aren’t folded over or cramped in there at all. The book box is that enormous and it’s deep so I can print as many sheets of fabric as I want for these blocks. It’s pretty clear now that the Tiffany Lamp quilt is going to be larger than I originally thought. I’m adding some batiks and a few other metallic prints that play nicely.

So on to hand piecing a New York Beauty block from Collection 2. I stitch the two bands of triangles and the small arc to the corner piece. When stitching the two bands of triangles, I take advantage of the continuous stitching possibilities so they’re done in next to no time.

At this stage, I press it. As the triangle intersections don’t meet when the two bands are joined together I’m quite happy to press both bands in the same direction.

Now all that’s left is to join the four units and the block is done. And it’s really that easy. With the perfect matching points and stitching lines, piecing a New York Beauty is fast, simple and oh, so gratifying as each block is done! Getting perfect sharp points takes nothing more than stitching on the stitching lines. The finished block will be shown tomorrow.

For a great tutorial on how to machine piece one of these beauties, check out this post on the All About Inklingo blog.

Baxter was ignoring the camera so Mr. Q.O. was making some very weird noises to get his attention. I think the look on his face says it, “What the heck?!” He had just been drinking in his wonderfully funny style, so the fur on the right side of his face is still quite damp.

A Few More Drunkard’s Path Blocks

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Another 10 blocks were stitched. I only have to make another 491 of these to complete the blocks I’ll need for the quilt. Perhaps I shouldn’t be keeping track as that number does seem somewhat daunting. I love the fact I can finish making them using the 2″ Inklingo Drunkard’s Path collection and have, I think, printed the vast majority of what I’ll need. This will be a very long-term project.

I may start putting them together in groups of four soon. It would be easier than leaving that step all to the end.

And just because I get such a kick out of how cute they are once pressed, the back of one of the little blocks.

Am I the only one who is finding it more and more difficult to leave comments on Blogger blogs? While I do try, a lot of times the security words are absolutely indecipherable and I just give up. Surely there’s a better way to add some security to catch spammers.

Baxter was posing beside the mouse doorstop.

Two Different New York Beauty Blocks and a Giveaway

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As if I wasn’t having enough fun with the first New York Beauty collection, on Sunday a second New York Beauty collection was released. Of course I had to make a block. Truth be told, I’ve printed enough for 12 blocks of the new collection and another 12 of the first collection. The Tiffany Lamp quilt is going to be even more fun, if that’s possible, to make!

This is the new block I made with the first collection.

This one was made with the new second collection. I can’t get over how amazingly easy it was to put together. It took about an hour and a half to piece, although it took me much longer to decide which fabrics I wanted to use in which spot. I was going for a much more muted, almost watercolour, effect with this one and I think I accomplished that. For those who paper piece, the collection contains a page that can be printed for that purpose. They are both 6″ blocks.

It’s easy to press. I pieced the two triangle strips first and pressed them, joined the small arc to the quarter circle and pressed that and then joined all the pieces together.

I can’t possibly choose a favourite between the two types. Do you have a favourite?

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Now for the giveaway.

Have you ever been tempted to make a Double Wedding Ring but have shied away from it because of its supposed difficulty? You can win the Inklingo Double Wedding Ring collection which makes stitching a DWR unbelievably simple. It really is Double Wedding Ring with training wheels on. I’ve made a small table runner with the collection and couldn’t believe how easy it was to piece. There are loads of possibilities for designing, as you can see on the All About Inklingo blog. To be entered in the draw, leave a comment at the All About Inklingo blog by Saturday, May 12. The design shown above, Blossoms in Niagara on the Lake, is one of my favourites of the many gorgeous design possibilities shown on this post at the blog. Scroll through the posts and see all the amazing things one can do with the Inklingo DWR collection.

But don’t just stop there. Have a good look through the All About Inklingo blog. It is full of creative inspiration, design layouts, EQ7 downloads using Inklingo shapes, and the list goes on.

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Baxter was posing on the couch on Saturday. I love the crossed paws. He has a little “milk moustache”, as we’ve been calling it. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, I think you’ll see it.

Two New Beauties

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New York Beauty blocks, that is. This is the one that was partially finished yesterday.

Because I couldn’t resist, another one was stitched. There are seven in total that are done now and it’s time to print some more. I’m going to keep printing the combo sheet with all the shapes so that I can mix and match to my heart’s content. I’ve not settled on a setting yet but that will come when I finish making the blocks, however many blocks that may turn out to be. I know I’ve said it before, but they are amazingly quick to stitch, particularly when taking advantage of the continuous stitching possibilities. This block truly has it all for me — curved piecing, sharp points, continuous stitching.

I’ve used the little Rowenta travel iron all week now and I’m really impressed with it. It gets very hot very quickly and presses blocks like the New York Beauty ones fabulously well. The pointed tip on the iron really helps when dealing with sharp points like those in these blocks.

Today I’m treating myself to a pedicure. It’s almost time for sandals so a pedicure seems in order. My plans for the weekend include printing more of the New York Beauty shapes and getting more of the 2″ Drunkard’s Path blocks ready to stitch. What are your plans?

Baxter was stretched out on the floor again. Mr. Q.O. thinks he looks rather elegant in this pose. I think he’s just waiting for one of us to toss a favourite toy for him to chase.

Making a New York Beauty Block

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While I’m definitely not going to drop the red and white quilt for a long period of time I made the decision, after reading some of yesterday’s comments and thinking about it, that my self-imposed pressure to finish it was becoming counter-productive. I do want to see it finished soon, but I think a week or two of not thinking about it and feeling guilty for working on something else is going to go a long way to making it an exciting project to work on again rather than one on which I feel pressured to work.

So with that freeing thought, I decided to work on a Tiffany Lamp block so I could add to this group shown earlier.

When I’m making a New York Beauty block I start by adding the arcs to the two corner pieces first. That’s quick and easy.

Then I make use of the continuous stitching possibilities and add all the small triangles to the diamonds. That takes two threads and is done in next to no time.

The next step will to be once again take advantage of the continuous stitching possibilities by adding the large triangles to the diamond/small triangle unit. Once all the large triangles are added, the centre part will be finished and all that will be left is joining that to the top and bottom arc units.

The photos were taken before the stitched pieces had been pressed as I don’t press this until I’ve got all the triangles added to the diamonds and then one final press after the arc units are joined to the diamond/triangles centre. It really is a fast block to stitch. And presses beautifully. And the finished block will be shown tomorrow.

Isn’t it funny how giving ourselves permission to move away from a project for a while is such a relief? It’s one thing when it’s a quilt that’s needed in time for a gift, but to impose that kind of pressure on myself to finish the red and white quilt with an arbitrary deadline was really silly as it took away from the fun I was having making it. I’m hoping this short break from working on it will put the fun back into it.

Baxter has no deadlines. He gets to do what he wants to do when and pretty much wherever he wants to. Including bath time.

Colour, Colour and More Colour

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More fabrics have been added to the mix for the Tiffany Lamp quilt. Rather than being a small wall hanging, I have a feeling this one is going to end up as a lap quilt. I can’t resist these wonderful colours and can’t wait to play with them. I’m going to try to resist printing more of the New York Beauty shapes on them until the weekend. Try being the operative word.

The lure of those fabrics is irresistible right now. I think it’s because I’m trying to stick with finishing the red and white Feathered Star/Sunflower quilt and have hit that spot where it just seems like I’m never going to quite get there. I’m over halfway finished with the pieced border elements so am determined to stick with it.

I love the elegance of two-colour quilts, but think for my next one I’ll choose a pattern that has not quite so many pieces to it. I am still hoping to make at least two more – a green and white one and a yellow and white one. And who knows, perhaps another red and white one. But not this year!  And not one that has a gazillion pieces to it.

Have you made a two-colour quilt? Did you find that you were really finding it difficult at times to contemplate working on it? I think what this red and white quilt has taught me is that I am more drawn to making scrappy and more colourful quilts.

I’m also starting to put ideas together for this year’s baseball playoffs/World Series quilt. While it’s very early in the season, I want to have lots of ideas in the ideas book when it comes time. Of course, if the Jays make it into the playoffs I won’t be stitching. I’ll be on the edge of the couch, watching every pitch.

The mourning doves are back. We haven’t seen them out on the roof garden for a few years. Yesterday I looked out the window and there was one perched on the tree. I love the sound of them. Baxter was rather intrigued, as they are somewhat larger than the birds he usually sees out there.

Baxter had a busy day yesterday, with lots to watch out on the roof garden including the gardeners. I think they’re starting to prepare the flower beds, but I bet they don’t plant anything before the Victoria Day weekend. After his busy day, Baxter was crashed last night on “his” quilt.

A Gift, Some Printing, Some Blocks and a Cake

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The gift, one of the Rowenta travel irons. I am thrilled to pieces (pun intended) as it is so light and makes pressing blocks so easy on my hands. It gets super hot very quickly and has a little travel case.

The printing of everything for the Drunkard’s Path quilt using 2″ blocks is complete … I think. I may be short a few of the ’30s pieces, but can print more once I have a better idea where I’m at with that. The cutting has begun. That will take me some time as I’m not comfortable using a rotary cutter for this. But if I cut a sheet of the ’30s prints and one of the muslin each evening, I’ll have this done fairly quickly.

The little book box is slowly getting filled up with the pieces. I counted the previously finished blocks and I had, before I realized I could use Inklingo to finish this quilt, made 307 blocks. So only 525 to go.

Well, oops — make that 501 blocks to go. I couldn’t resist making a few on the weekend, some of which are shown here. Twenty-four counts as a few, right? When they’re this small and take only a few stitches to complete?

And just because they’re so cute and press so beautifully, a picture of the back of one of them.

The reason for the gift? It was my birthday yesterday. Mr. Q.O. knew I wanted that Rowenta travel iron. So he picked it up at the Creativ Festival on Friday. His favourite line is that only someone who’s married to a quilter can get away with buying an iron as a gift.

This was the birthday cake. They have these little cakes that come in small mason jars in the grocery store store downstairs. Perfect size for two people.

Baxter loves to lie on Mr. Q.O.’s cryptic crosswords. Mr. Q.O. captioned this one, “Hmm …” I think he was just showing off his lynx tips.

A Little Stash Enhancement

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Friday we made it to the Creativ Festival. While it was smaller than in past years, there was lots and lots to see. I had a pretty good idea what I wanted to find. Some ’30s prints for the 2″ Drunkard’s Path project. Found.

Some white on whites. Found. A black that would read almost as a solid but still light enough on the back so I can print shapes with Inklingo. Found.

I decided to take a super macro shot of the black to show the pattern in it.

Some more fabrics for the Tiffany Lamp quilt. Found. While I’m not sure all these will make it into the quilt, they are welcome additions to my batik stash.

Except for this one. This is one of the Northcott Stonehenge fabrics and most definitely is going to be used in the Tiffany Lamp quilt. I love the play of colours in this.

It was a great weekend. We went to the Festival, I got the lion’s share of the printing done for the Drunkard’s Path quilt and Baxter was posing for photos every time we glanced his way.

Baxter has claimed that spot on the quilt as his own. We put a teddy bear up beside the quilt, looked over a while later and Baxter was sound asleep with his head on the teddy bear.

Weekend Plans

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There are about 75 of the little 2″ Drunkard’s Path blocks shown here.

And enough to make just a few more blocks in this fabulous box.

Deceptive, isn’t it? Looks like a book. A non-blogging friend, who knows of my love for pretty boxes, sent this to me. By the time the weekend is over, I hope to have printed and at least halfway fill this wonderful book box with the shapes for the remaining 500+ blocks I need to make for the quilt.

I’m also hopeful that we’ll make it to the Creativ Festival this weekend.

So those are my plans for the weekend – filled with quilt-related things, I hope. What have you got planned for this weekend?

And Baxter’s plans for the weekend? Cat naps and reminding us whatever way he can to go to the pet store to get his favourite food!