Optic Strings is Finished

 

Optic Strings is finished!

This quilt was started in 2019

as part of the UandU QAL.

You can read the full reveal post

over on my blog - click HERE.

Quiltdivajulie

Baskets Full of Scraps

I don't even remember when was the last time I posted here. But lately I am working on a quilt that is so appropriate for this blog, I had to post a few process pictures and talk about the process and its progress.

First version of this quilt I made was in 2009 or something like that. My husband's niece had a baby and so I decided to give that one to her. Ever since then, I had thought of making another one but never got around starting one until about two or three weeks ago when I was working on a sample block for a workshop I was going to teach at a guild in Seattle.  

I wrote the pattern a while back and that prompted me to make another version for myself. 

I chose the colors I hadn't worked with in a while. It has been ages since I have bought new fabrics. I am sticking to my use what you have rule. It kind of feels good to use the stash.  

So here is how it went. I just got a stack of brown and orange fabrics out. Selected a few based on their textures and value.

I already was unhappy where I was headed with these colors but  that day I made a few crazy blocks. 

That night I went to bed thinking I will start over the next day. I absolutely disliked the colors. The design wall looked too much like Halloween. The next day, I woke up, went back to the sewing room and decided to make at least one basket to go on the background. This was pretty challenging because I was already frustrated with the background, how was I going to over come that?  

 I thought lighter value of basket fabrics will be perfect. Considering the seasonal aspect was already decided as soon as I chose the background, I didn't have much choice but to stick with fall colors. 

Okay, this could work, I thought. 

The original quilt had all plaids and stripes for the background. They sort of blend into each other and made a crazy but soft background. This one right here, started looking like a mosaic. I was struggling with really crazy, busy background. Still, I continued on. Once I started appliqueing the handle on the basket, I suddenly calmed down. I could hear my voice saying, this might just work. 

Then there were two!

All I had to do was to continue. More I stared at the design wall, clearer my thought process became, the next few steps became easier. 

 

I actually got excited about setting the baskets, adding the spark and on and on it went. I have spent most of my day today in the sewing room.

This is where I am right now. I know what I will be doing this weekend. I hope to work as best as I can to complete this quilt top. It is very likely, I will finish it with machine quilting. Entire quilt is too busy for me to finish it by hand. I will be sure to come back and post the final results.

Have a great weekend you all!

Sujata

Leftovers and Scraps for 2 New Improv Quilts

Improv 'Half Square Triangles and Broken Dishes'

'Orange X Squares Medallion Quilt', my design.

Thanks Sujata for hosting this blog, Basket of Scraps.

These two quilts are my improv designs. The top small quilt,  Half Square Triangles and Broken Dishes, measures 15" x 16". I pieced it using scraps and recycled cotton shirts I found at a local thrift shop.

In the top photo it is still in the process of being hand quilted. I have since finished it (last summer) and now it is on my wall, perfect brightness for summer.

The second quilt, Orange X Squares Medallion Quilt measures at 44" square.

I used left over blocks, scraps and yardage from previous projects. I pieced the Orange X Blocks (left over from another project) into a medallion and pieced HSTs and nine patch stars (down the left side), as borders, deciding to make the medallion off center.

Did I mention that orange is one of my favorite colors? 

This quilt was started early this year and I'm almost done hand quilting it.

Sujata congratulations on your article in American Patchwork & Quilting, Sew & Tell.

'Post Cards from Thailand' is a beautiful quilt.

Janie, Crazyvictoriana.blogspot.com