Baskets of Plenty needs sashing and border, at the very least. It probably also needs another basket and maybe a substitute basket for the horizontal one. This will finish as a smallish quilt if I don't somehow increase its size -- more blocks, wide sashing, wide borders, etc.
The Blue and The Gray blocks and corner stones are finished. The hold up was grey sashing fabric. Now that I have enough of that I just need to cut sashing, arrange a layout, and sew everything together.
Cheri Payne's Everyday Patchwork Sampler has 30 6" blocks with 1" borders attached. They need sashing between (Cheri used black scraps). If I'm satisfied with a quilt that's 48" x 58" plus a border these blocks are ready to be sewn together. But I'm thinking I should make at least 5 more to have a 5 x 7 layout for a larger quilt. (Why is it I can't be satisfied with anything smaller than a bed-sized quilt?!) Cheri's pattern for this quilt also includes applique on the border. Maybe or maybe not.
Maple Leaves is ready for sashing. I just have to choose fabric, measure, cut, pin, and stitch.
Linda Brannock's Flowers. This is another quilt in which the pattern creates a smaller-than-bed-sized quilt. I tried to enlarge the sashing by adding more triangle squares than in the original pattern. But I find it looks odd and doesn't work. I may just add a border or I may unstitch some of the squares to create the quilt the size Linda originally made. I know most quilters probably look at unstitching as an awful chore. I don't love it but I'm happy to do it if it will help the finished quilt.
Red Circles on Green Squares. I pull these out these quirky 5" squares every once in a while and consider possibilities. The inspiration for these blocks (which I began making in spring, 2013) was a garden market stand with roses in bloom. Do you you ever begin a quilt only to stumble along in its creation at some point along the way? That's what's happening with these blocks.
And Cheddarback has about 3 more months to go. This month's blocks have three of the hardest so far! Paper pieced. I've never paper pieced (and am not really interested in learning how to but I don't think I can escape doing it for several of the blocks this month). I can't decide whether I'll be happy when Cheddarback's over or sad not to have the challenge every month!
And last (I think), are the Quarter Cabins, just waiting for some decisions about the strips with vines/flowers to go between the cabins.
I guess I lied when I said I'd only slept under quilts these last few weeks. I've also been hand quilting Little Rubies. I have just over two rows of Baptist Fans to finish this quilt. This is one of those quilts I loved, didn't love, and now I'm thinking maybe I can love it again. So often I second guess my quilting decisions.
I think I have too many quilts in progress. There are eight -- EIGHT! -- not including tops waiting to be quilted. I don't think I should dare start another quilt until at least several of these are to the finished top stage, though several are on my mind....
I'm so glad 2019 is over. It was one of the hardest years of my life. I hope 2020 will be wonderful for all of us!
--Nancy.
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all nice projects but it's true i think, sometimes too many can overwhelm the muse...be interested to see how you handle each...lot of work not to finish...and enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHi, Grace. Thanks for your kind words about my quilts in progress. If I think about all of them I am definitely overwhelmed. If I can focus on one at a time (or maybe two) I can make progress. I often wonder how I get myself into this mess!
DeleteI hear you anout wanting to make every quilt bed-size. I suffer from a familiar affliction, though prefer to think of it as sanity. If they're not going to be big enough to wrap up in or small enough to serve as a placemat or runner, why? This house has precious little wall space to hang quilts so pretty much anything I make has to go on a bed.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm so pleased to know you and other quilters feel the same way I do about quilt sizes, Pat. I have wall space but I a quilt isn't something I would hang for display (though I enjoy seeing them in others' homes).
DeleteAll great projects--isn't funny how we all get stalled on projects? I really like those red circles on green...So simple yet eye catching hugs, Julierose
ReplyDeleteOh, that's so true, Julierose. I don't know what happens to momentum.... I love the red circles on green, too, but I can't seem to come to any resolution about how to put them together. I keep things one of these days it will just hit me and I'll know exactly what to do for them!
DeleteIt looks like you have PLENTY of projects to keep you busy in 2020. They are all SEW beautiful, too! You are sure to enjoy every stitch.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Joyful: plenty of quilts in progress. I hope I can finish a few of them, and maybe a few more, too!
DeleteI too like my quilts to fit beds. Whenever I've said to myself, everything doesn't have to fit the bed, and stopped short of that I end up wishing I had made it bigger.Bigger quilts means fewer finishes in the course of a year but, after all, it's not a competition and it is important to feel satisfied with our finished quilts and for some of us that means having quilts that are a useful size. Carry on doing what you need to do to get what you want.
ReplyDeleteIt seems there are several of us who like bed-sized quilts. I made a scrappy quilt that I love but I ran out of the scraps to make it bigger and now I wish I'd just waited till I had more of the right colored scraps to make it longer. Still, I love it. And yes, fewer finishes but it's better that we're satisfied.
DeleteOh my goodness. So many beautiful projects to drool over. Hugs
ReplyDeleteLOL. Oh, yes, but lots of work, fun, play, too!
DeleteReading that you have 8 quilts in process made me want to go check and see how many I have. If it will make you feel any better, I have 13. But two of them just need borders. I love that basket quilt by Cheri. That's one of the quilts I want to make. I know what you mean about making smallish quilts. I don't seem to know how to make things smaller that a double bed size and if I do, I lament the impracticality of the whole thing. Your quilts are all so lovely and you have a distinctive color palette which is warm and comforting. My color palette is all over the place. Really like your Little Rubies quilt, isn't it great that we can fall in love with a quilt again?
ReplyDeleteOh, my, I don't know what I would do with 13 quilts in progress. I'm feeling overwhelmed with these! I learned this fall that a local quilt show has a special section for flower quilts and I thought it might be fun to enter this in the show. I've never entered a quilt show (because I don't want to put sleeves on the backs of my quilts, but for this show they're not required).
DeleteMy quilts usually end up about twin size though I've made several that are larger. Sometimes I think maybe I should make some smaller ones -- baby quilt size -- and donate them. I haven't done that for a long time.
I'm eager to get Rubies finished and get on to another quilt. I bought several bags of king-size wool/poly batting that I want to try though I'm not sure which quilt I'll use it on. I'll be thinking of that as I finished Rubies.
Only eight quilts on the go :-D I can't even begin to count my unfinished projects. I've enjoyed watching your progress over the past few years. I do like the sampler quilt especially. All the care and time you've given to fabric choices for the Cheddarback have really paid off - it looks so balanced, lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Allison. I can't imagine having more than 8 in progress! But I know you can handle it and will probably finish all of them quickly.
DeleteI see lots of fun stitching for you in 2020! I kind of like UFOs - you're closer to a finish! I'm like you in that I feel the need to make bigger quilts. I think the Baptist Fans are the perfect quilting pattern for your Little Rubies quilt - you can't go wrong with such a timeless classic.
ReplyDeleteHere's to a more joyful year for you dear lady!
Thank you for your kind words, Karin. I like the idea that I'm closer to finishes with these 8 quilts. They'll be fun to work on.
DeleteI made a quick decision about the Baptist Fans on Rubies but as I'm working on it I've wondered how it would have looked with a different quilting pattern. But it's almost finished and that's good enough!
You have some amazing quilts in the works. But somehow the one that always draws me in is the autumn leaves with those beautiful background fabrics.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear 2019 was one of the hardest years of your life (but then, I would probably join you in that). Let's hope for better things ahead!
Thank you, Janet. The autumn leaves quilt was such a quilt, spur-of-the-moment decision and I'm pleased with how good it looks. I'm glad you like it and it draws your attention.
DeleteI can only guess how hard your year has been, Janet, with all the time and attention you give to your mother. I think care-giving is one of the hardest things we do, especially when it is on an ongoing basis. Yes, I hope this year will be better and easier for both of us!
You have lovely projects in progress. Hope that 2020 is much better for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Karrin!
DeleteNone of those quilts need much work. Just some decisions and a little stitching. Good for you! Wish I only had eight UFOs, but obviously not enough or I would do something about it. Prayers for an easier year for you.
ReplyDeleteThat's true, Jennie. I just need to make a few decisions and move forward! It looks like you're moving forward with some unfinished projects this year, too! Good for you.
DeleteThanks for your prayers.
Such a selection of exceptional quilts! What fun you'll be having as they finish.
ReplyDeleteI like to layer quilts for display, so in recent years I've been liking some quilts that are about 50" square, to fold at the foot of the bed on top of a bigger quilt. I got away from making large bedsized quilts mostly for the cost of the backing because if machine quilted there has to be another 5" on all sides = yet another strip of fabric, waste fabric but still $. Also I find it painful to handle / wrestle /iron a full sized quilt nowadays.So..compromises made.
I love the Maple Leaves with NO sashing as shown. Really captures the natural beauty. Hope you'll consider skipping the sashing!
love
lizzy lizzzz.d@gmail.com
Thank you, Lizzy. It will be fun to finish them and to have them finished! And then on to the quilting of them.
DeleteI think we all have to do what works for us as far as sizes of quilts. It is more expensive to buy fabric for backing for a larger quilt but I so often cobble the backs together with several medium-sized pieces of fabric. And I usually use the edges for other blocks.
If I don't put sashing on the maple leaves I will have to make 16 more blocks for a reasonably-sized quilt! I hadn't considered no border but I'll give it some thought.
Wow--so many fun projects Nancy! I especially love the baskets and flowers--so adorable. I hope you can figure out your sizing dilemmas--these are too cute to not get finished.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your words of encouragement, Karen. I hope I can figure out the sizing, too. I played around with the blocks a year ago and didn't come up with anything I thought worked so put them all away. I'll pull them out again soon and hopefully figure out something that works!
Delete