Tag Archives: clamshell quilts

July Clamshell Report

Posted on by

13

One more clamshell diamond was finished this month.  I had hoped to finish Pink Clamshells, one of the smaller clamshell projects I’ve got on the go, this month but that just didn’t happen.  Maybe next month.  The pieces for the third clamshell diamond have been picked out and are ready to stitch.

I also started making a little quilt I’m calling Clams on the Half Shell with half and quarter clamshells using the Inklingo 3-inch clamshell edges collection.  This little quilt will have half clamshells in the centre, a plain first border, a second border made up with quarter clamshells and finally, another plain border.  The half clamshells are as much fun to put together as the full clamshells and the quarter clamshells are very quick to stitch.  In the picture below there’s only one block of quarter clamshells put together so far, but a few of the half clamshells.  To see some other examples of quilts that could be made with half clamshells, go to Linda’s blog post here.

Hopefully in August I’ll get both the Clams on the Half Shell and Pink Clams small quilt tops finished as well as making the third diamond.

Lester had some windowsill time on Friday.

While it was Smudge’s turn to curl up with the teddy bear.

Clams on the Half Shell

Posted on by

13

After finishing Chintz Circles yesterday, rather than working on a project already in progress, what did I do?  Started a little doll’s quilt with the new Inklingo clamshell edges collection which has all the shapes to finish the edges on a clamshell quilt made with the 3″ clamshells.  This block finishes at 6″.  It’s made with the side halves, but I have ideas as well for some blocks made with the top and bottom halves as well as the quarter clamshells.

The back:

These are the fabrics I’ve picked out for this little doll’s quilt, which won’t take long to put together.

After we took the photos of Chintz Circles yesterday, we went out for dinner to celebrate.  On the way back home we came through the bookstore in the retail section of the complex and heard the most incredible piano playing.  The bookstore is a multi-level store, which we had entered through the lower level.  There’s a baby grand piano on the main floor of the store which is frequently played by a number of people.  But yesterday?  Yesterday was phenomenal.  I was sure it had to be a professional pianist playing.  I couldn’t have been more wrong.  It was an 11 year-old boy who was playing so beautifully I actually had tears in my eyes listening.  We ended up staying in the store for quite a while just listening.  After striking up a conversation with his father, we learned he has been playing for only three years and has had no classical training at all.  Apparently he and some others have been playing there nightly for a while and sometimes are there until closing at 10:00 p.m.   I know where we’ll be going most evenings.

It was fun watching people’s reactions.  Any number of people stopped and just stood quietly drinking in the beautiful music.  A little girl was standing absolutely still,  mesmerized by the music.  After each composition he played, there was applause.  It was one of those magical moments when you come upon something totally unexpected.

Lester had some windowsill time on Tuesday.

Smudge at the toy basket.  He rather exhausted himself playing with the toy we call Cappy — the orange and black striped one, and seemingly had to have a nap right there.

Pink Clamshells

Posted on by

12

There was a bit of a distraction from Chintz Circles Thursday night.  A new Inklingo collection of larger, 3.5″ clamshells was released and I couldn’t resist.  I had my fabrics picked out and printed in a matter of minutes.

The first few pieces practically stitched themselves together in a matter of minutes.  I’m finding clamshells absolutely irresistible now that they’re so simple to print and stitch.  I can imagine making a whole series of little clamshell quilts as there are so many options — some fussy cutting/printing to get some special effects, some really planned colour placement clamshells, a charm clamshell quilt.  The ideas are just flying around in my head right now.  This one?  In this little quilt, a pink clamshell is going to appear rather randomly throughout.  And it will only be little.

The distraction has to be over now though.  Tonight I will finish piecing the blocks for my aunt’s quilt and probably get them joined into the final row.  I’m still on track to get the top finished this weekend.  I’d really like to be in a position to start quilting it by Sunday.

Lester was busy Thursday afternoon watching the birds on the roof garden.  Thursday we saw a glorious yellow butterfly, but couldn’t get a picture of it, and a couple of dragonflies.  He just didn’t know where to look next, so decided to have a snooze.

Smudge was lounging as he waited for his nightly treat of yogourt.

Hopefully the weather cooperates and I can get a picture of the completed Chintz Circles top on the weekend to show Monday.  Have a great weekend!

Clamshells

Posted on by

19

For a very long time I have been fascinated by clamshell quilts.  Then I got a copy of Kaffe Fassett’s Museum Quilts book and was sure a clamshell quilt was in my future — somehow.  There is no way my hands will stand up to tracing templates, but I could dream about it.  Then I learned about the Clamshell Club and wanted to join in but knew I wouldn’t be able to do it, so decided I’d just enjoy watching others, like Karen,  make them.

Then, last night, a fabulous Inklingo clamshell collection was released.  Problem solved!!  I’ve joined the Clamshell Club and will be working on a quilt of clamshells now.  Perfect shapes every time and wonderful matching points which make stitching these little gems a delight!  Just a plain running stitch, no basting or stitching over papers for me!  Although there is a page of the shape without seam allowances in the collection that one could print out and use for English Paper Piecing, if wanted.  I had printed out about 400 clamshells on a variety of fabrics within minutes of downloading the collection.

A close-up of one of the printed sheets of fabric which shows, if you click on it to enlarge the photo, the stitching lines and matching points.

They are incredibly quick and easy to stitch thanks to the matching points.  If I had picked out the fabrics for this diamond of clamshells ahead of time, I think I could have finished that first diamond easily.  But I was auditioning fabrics as I went, which slowed me down a bit.  So much for completely devoting my stitching time to the Spring Circles.  As the Clamshell Club officially starts on June 1,  I just couldn’t resist getting a start on the clamshells but they are going to be in the wings waiting until I finish the quilt for my aunt.  I may work on them one evening a week until then, but no more than that.

The back of the clamshells I’ve put together so far.  Not the best pressing job I’ve ever done, but I was being extra careful not to distort the shapes as they’re nothing but bias.

Monday was quite hot and humid and I had a migraine that just would not quit.  It finally started to rain late in the evening and the headache started to lift so I was left with just the bruised head feeling that one gets from those.

Lester was enjoying the windowsill and watching the robins and grackles.

And this is what I wake up to almost every day.  Smudge loves to curl up on my pillow and often will rest either his head or a paw on my head.  Mr. Q.O. got this shot before I even woke up.