WiP Wednesday - All the Pinwheels!

It's WiP Wednesday, and there's a lot going on this week in my studio. First, I finished my March block for the Twilters bee. Janet requested Cheerio blocks based on this tutorial from Missouri Star Quilt Company. I love it! Even though applique is not my strength, I managed to get this circle cut out and fused before using a decorative stitch to sew it down. (Hint: I used my smallest rotary cutter around the edge of a glass pie plate.)

Then I declared Sunday a Sew Day and finished all of the pinwheel blocks for The Pit Boss's Turning Fifty Quilt. I love the colors!

Unfortunately, I pushed myself a little too far and managed to cut not one but TWO of the blocks wrong. It was time to put down the rotary cutter and find something to work on with less challenging math.

The spider web quilt top has been haunting me, so I started piecing the back. I had this gorgeous stripe that had the perfect green and was the exact right length but not quite wide enough. Those piano key borders that I made and then rejected were just what I needed.

I broke out the big roll of batting for the first time!

...and basted the quilt. Now I'm slowly but surely stitching in the ditch and contemplating the rest of the quilt design. I'm sure I could find a few ideas in this book. (more on this coming soon!)

I love checking stuff off my list!

What are you working on?

WiP Wednesday - Disappearing Pinwheels or #T50

It's WiP Wednesday, and this week I'm trying to collect myself after QuiltCon. My studio space was a disaster and I couldn't find several critical tools. A quick tidy was essential.

Once I got everything back in place, I could sew again in peace. It's very difficult right now to focus on my WiPs and not spin off into a hundred new projects floating through my brain, inspired by all the beautiful things I saw in Savannah. Thank goodness for my handy white board and design wall, reminding me every day of projects I fell in love with first.

My main focus is the quilt for The Pit Boss's fiftieth birthday. It's this Disappearing Pinwheel Block that I saw on Missouri Star Quilt Company's YouTube channel. Did I mention that I got to meet Jenny Doan at QuiltCon? She is absolutely as friendly and delightful in person as she is on TV!

Anyway, I found a fat quarter bundle of Alphabet by Windham Fabrics and a layer cake of Composition by Basic Grey for Moda at the Super Bolt sale at Tiny Stitches.

This project hasn't been without its ups and downs. On Saturday I had clearly not had enough caffeine to be trusted with a rotary cutter.

But all in all, they're coming along. I'm trying to decide how many blocks I need. Part of me wants to do 24 blocks plus two different borders after TPB admired the boys' Turning Twenty quilts and asked pitifully, "Is there such thing as a Turning Fifty quilt?" (cue the violins) 

I don't love borders, but that would equal fifty different fabrics and a nice sized quilt. The alternative is making more blocks and skipping the borders. I guess it will depend on my mood and how many more I mess up.

What are you working on?

WiP Wednesday - Packing for QuiltCon!

It's WiP Wednesday and I'm packing for QuiltCon!

It's a balancing act. I mean, where's the line between comfortable and willing to have my picture taken? Seeing as much of the show as possible and still spending time with people I literally never get to see? Sticking to a healthy diet and enjoying the long weekend?

See what I mean?

As for actual quilting this week, I made a block for a swap I'm in...and get to hand deliver it in Savannah!

I also started cutting out The Pit Boss's quilt and made the first block. This isn't the block, but I'm so beside myself about how great my points came out I had to share this picture again.

The white board is helping to keep me honest. Last weekend we were visiting Deuce in Tuscaloosa (and meeting his girlfriend's parents! How am I old enough to have a kid old enough to have a girlfriend???). Grace added to the list.

I'm so excited to meet some of you in person and catch up with some quilty friends. Hope to see you there...or follow all the action on Instagram and Twitter!

WIP Wednesday - Dreams Dreams Dreams

Moving into my new studio led to the discovery of many UFOs, WIPs and PIGS. My goal for 2017 is to finish some stuff.

Having a design wall is amazingly helpful for seeing what I'm working on and what the next step is. Even if I only have a few minutes to sew, it's easy to pick a pair of blocks off the wall and stitch them together.

I was also lucky enough to score a free whiteboard that someone was giving away on my neighborhood message board. I've always wanted one, and now can make lists to my heart's content. I'm trying to figure out the best way to organize it, but I love crossing stuff out! (I have no earthly idea what YTF stands for. Any guesses?)

I've taken Jaye's fabulous advice to have some mindless sewing at the ready for those days when I'm just too far gone for math. Or pins. Or anything requiring accuracy. For a while it was some nine patches out of three charm packs of Sweet Hearts by Benartex. Now I've cut them up and reassembled them for a Disappearing Nine Patch.

Side note: I really need to get this quilt done so it will stop haunting me. I had a dream last week that I was frantically trying to finish it so that my son could take it to a friend's baby. Fun fact: this couple is not expecting and has never even mentioned having children in my presence. What is wrong with me? 

While I do that, I've pulled out my scrap bins and am working on the strata for Stripper's Knot, one of The Stitch TV Show's patterns.




I hope to clear my mind and my sewing room this year! What are you working on?