It’s getting bigger with each round of squares and diamonds. And it’s taking longer to add each round. I’m still deciding whether to make it a one-block quilt or whether I’ll make 4 or 6 of these blocks. Once I get this first block to a larger size, I’ll make that decision.
Once again, it pressed easily.
Baxter was peering over the arm of the chair as I was stitching. Within a few seconds, he would be on my lap attacking the fabric pieces.
The next round of diamonds is added. As each round of diamonds or squares is added, it grows and is taking a bit longer to stitch. The squares for the next round are waiting to be added and then I’ll have to sit down and figure out which fabrics to use in the following diamond round as I’m trying to not have the same fabrics too close together.
It took no time to press after adding this round.
Baxter was a bit sleepy, I think, when this photo was taken. It appears that we have another kitty with odd drinking habits. It’s hard to describe. He lays down on his side beside the water bowl, with his back to the bowl, and then reaches his head over his shoulder and drinks. When he finishes, the back of his neck and one side of his head is soaking wet. We’re going to try to get video of him drinking like that as it’s much funnier to see than to read about it.
In one of the boxes, there are many, many squares just waiting to be stitched. I started making some little 9-patch blocks that finish at 3″. There’s something about making 9-patch blocks that I find really appealing.
I keep thinking about making a red and white 9-patch lap quilt. That won’t happen until the red and white Feathered Star/Sunflower quilt is done, but it’s definitely a quilt I want to make.
Baxter seems to think these blocks are meant for him, so perhaps I’ll make a few more and he’ll have his first little quilt. I’m thinking of making a grey, white, black and pink quilt for him, but haven’t quite decided on what pattern. In the meantime, perhaps a little 9-patch quilt will suffice until he’s fully grown and I get the other quilt made.
Mr. Q.O. was quite taken with the little quilt seen here, and dropped some hints, so I’ve started a lap quilt for him. This is the beginning of one of the blocks. It’s a fun and easy stitch, which is exactly what I want right now. At this stage, it’s approximately 10.75″. I plan on adding more rounds of squares and diamonds to this block. Then I’ll decide on the rest of the design.
I’m pressing with the iron after adding each round of squares and diamonds. I finger press as I go, so it takes only a few seconds with the iron and the pressing is done.
Baxter was 4 months old yesterday. It seems like yesterday that we brought him home. Now that he has discovered Cappy, he likes to keep it close. So close, in fact, that he sleeps on it.
Notice a common element in these pictures?
Joseph’s Coat melons.
And more melons.
A multi-tone quilt.
A two-colour quilt.
Chintz Circles quilt.
A teddy bear quilt.
The answer may be that there’s a lot of pink to be seen in all those photos.
And now? Now I have a pink purse that has decorative melons on it. There’s a bit of a story to this. Earlier this summer, in one of the leather goods stores downstairs, I saw another pink purse and was quite taken with it but didn’t buy it when I first saw it. When I finally decided to buy it, it was gone. Yesterday I saw this one in the same store and immediately bought it. Didn’t hurt that it was on sale. Now I know there was a reason I didn’t get the one I saw earlier in the summer. This one is absolutely perfect for me. It’s pink, it has melons that make me think of Joseph’s Coat and Chintz Circles and — well, it’s pink!
Baxter wasn’t particularly interested, although I have a feeling if I left it where he could get it I’d find some kitty tooth marks. This is one of his favourite poses when sleeping and one that always make us laugh.
This is my current favourite of the Stormy Seas blocks that I’m making using one of the Inklingo Storm at Sea collections. It has been months since I’ve worked on these, but now that I’ve started again I don’t want to stop as I’ve found a stitching sequence that is relatively quick for me.
They are hand pieced, so far, but I’m contemplating trying a block by machine or at least parts of a block. I think I might be tempted to put the units together by machine and then stitch them into the block by hand. I printed a few more a lot more shapes than I need for the quilt so I think I’ll give at least one block a try by machine and see how well I do with that. An idea for a second quilt using the extra shapes is already forming in my mind. I’m rather excited about this idea, so am hoping to get started on it as soon as I get the Stormy Seas blocks finished.
This block has one of my favourite fabrics in it, the green/blue batik.
One of the big benefits of using batiks is that they press so easily.
And yes, Stormy Seas is another quilt in a box. Every block is kitted in its own separate glassine envelope, ready to stitch. Even the various threads for piecing are in this box.
It’s either ragweed starting or I’m fighting a summer cold. Tuesday was one of the most unproductive days I’ve had in ages as doing much of anything seemed like a monumental task.
Baxter seems to think the camera is only for taking photos of him. The minute we’re setting up to take photos of anything, he is right there posing.
Stars, that is. They’re tiny star blocks, finishing at 2.25″ x 2.5″. The pieces are small, so the block is quick to stitch. I put these two blocks together in less than 45 minutes. Each seam is one needle load of stitches and it’s done. I think I may incorporate one red or gold star in the top at some point, just to have one splash of colour in the midst of the black and white.
They press like a dream. I finger press as I go, so it’s just a matter of one quick press and it’s done.
There are enough pieces in the envelopes in this box for quite a few of the black and white stars. On the weekend, I was talking to a friend about the number of boxes like this that I have with envelopes containing shapes ready to stitch. While there are a lot of them, each one contains the making of at least a small quilt and it’s great to have such choices, particularly when I’ve been working on a complex project and just want an easy stitch for an hour or so. I think of these as my quilt in a box projects. Over the next couple of posts I may be showing some of the other boxes.
A few years ago I really recognized the value of such quilt in a box projects when I had the flu. While I wasn’t too sick to stitch, cutting or printing my shapes would have been too much. Instead I was able to choose a project that was already kitted and just stitch.
Baxter has been spending more and more time on the windowsill. He is clearly enjoying Baxter TV. His tail is really starting to look like a classic Maine Coon plume of a tail and he has discovered that chasing it is fun.
The Little Stars quilt is quilted and bound and ready to go to its intended recipient. It is small, finishing at approximately 13″. It was so easy to baste, quilt and bind that it makes me think about doing a series of small quilts.
When I checked on the bindings I had already made, I found the green which seemed to work just perfectly for the little quilt. I tend to make more binding than I need and so now have a stash of bindings that can be used on little quilts.
Saturday the perfect opportunity presented itself and I got this shot of one of Baxter’s paws.
This is a new spot for Baxter to stretch out. I think it’s because he’s eyeing the book as a chewing possibility.
This little top will be quilted and, with any luck, the binding on this weekend. Working with these repro fabrics in the small star blocks was fun. I may add a small border before I baste and quilt it. As it is now, it finishes at 13.5″. I used the free Inklingo collection to print the shapes and the blocks went together in no time at all.
There’s enough of the striped fabric I showed yesterday for the binding on the Ferris Wheels quilt. Now I really can’t wait to finish the quilting and get to the binding. There’s still a lot of quilting to be done on Ferris Wheels, but I hope to get the majority, if not all, of it finished this weekend and get the binding on it.
I’ve changed my blog theme yet again. This time it was because I only realized yesterday that the widgets in the sidebar weren’t appearing on individual posts, but only on the home page with the theme I was using. I think this will be it for changes for a while.
Baxter seems to approve of the little quilt. As soon as we’re setting up to take a photo of anything to do with quilts or fabric, he’s right there to inspect.
Earlier in the day, we got this shot of him. His paws are getting bigger every day.
This is the striped fabric I want to use to bind Ferris Wheels, but I’m not sure I’ll have enough of it for a bias binding. It’s a half-yard piece, so it may be rather close. The quilt is 45″ x 60″ and I plan to use a 2.25″ double-fold bias binding. I’ll work out the math as soon as I get the quilting finished and am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be enough.
This is my second choice. Not as much fun as the striped fabric, but the colours do work with the fabrics used in the quilt.
Baxter had a very busy day on Wednesday. He has discovered “Baxter TV”, looking out on the roof garden from the window. Wednesday he was sitting on the windowsill watching, we think, the robins’ nest. His tail was twitching and he was chattering as he watched.
Later on we caught him in mid-yawn.
He has favourite toys which always end up under furniture. So a new daily event is one of us down on the floor fishing toys out from under furniture. He seems to quite like helping us retrieve his toys.
Quilt Obsession 