Into 2020 with Too Many Unfinished Quilts

You haven't seen a quilt on this blog for weeks.  Christmas, family, illness....  You know how it goes.  It's almost true that I haven't touched a quilt in that time but I have slept and napped under a few.  Now that Christmas is over and we're into the New Year my mind is drawn back to all the unfinished quilts I have from last and previous years.  There are eight! Here they are in no particular order.

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  I may just add a border or I may unstitch some of the squares to create the quilt the size Linda originally made.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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Between

Having just finished a quilt top and an applique block, I find myself between projects.  I took a break last week to sew a simple summer dress (and need to sew a few more but have to find fabric).  And of course there is Basket of Plenty Block 6 to work on but, aside from those, I'm between ends and beginnings.  Now I'm looking at my quilts and blocks that were interrupted in process or that were laid aside for one reason or another and that I want to finish.  In no particular order....

Stars

These 9" stars are left over from another quilt.  My options are to make more blocks (I already have two cut, ready to be sewn), add sashing and/or make alternate blocks, or turn this into a center medallion and make smaller blocks to go around a border.  I don't feel like this needs to be a large quilt but it's too small as it is.

Basket of Flowers Gwenny Medallion

This was a challenge quilt-along last year.  I had to put it away because visitors were coming.  The outer border needs to come off and be replaced with some other "something fishy," the challenge for that border.  At the time fish tails was what I came  up with but I think this quilt needs a wider last border and one that possibly incorporates blue to help unify all the borders.  Hmmm. 

Red and Green

These were impulse blocks.  The inspiration for these 5" (4½" finished) blocks was a farm stand filled with pots of red roses in bloom.  In 2013!  Since then these have been taken out and put away several times.  I couldn't seem to give up the idea of only red and green blocks and only a layout of circles alternating with sashed four-square blocks.  Either I must reconsider possibilities or give up on these blocks.  I saw a road sign the other day and new possibilities came to mind.

I have a few other scattered blocks, one or two of a kind, which are not enough for me to call them works in progress.  But these, above, are definitely works in progress and need finishes.

Do you notice a dominant color among these quilts?  Gosh, I need to expand my color range.

Being between, I've been trying my hardest not to begin another quilt, but I succumbed.  I don't have a single patriotic quilt in my home and remembered seeing several small quilts with flags on them.  The flags are stitched and are now awaiting the next steps.  I tell myself I might be able to finish a little quilt by July 4th.  Maybe....

What are you up to these days?

I'm linking this post to
> Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun that Housework
> WOW at Esther's Blog
> Let's Bee Social #183 at Sew Fresh Quilts
> Midweek Makers #78 at Quilt Fabrication

Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.
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What Was I Thinking?

Do you ever start a quilt, set it aside for a while, and when you come back to it wonder what you were thinking when you started?  I can't set blocks aside for too long or I lose the thread of my idea/ inspiration for them.  That's what happened to this quilt.

I pulled out these 5" blocks, made enough more to lay them out in an 8 x 11 configuration, and then scratched my head.  How did I come up with the idea of red circles on green and green Xs on red?  And so scrappy?  I usually keep track in a notebook but I could find nothing about this quilt.

Then I tried to photograph the blocks.  I've been trying for days without much success.  (Note to self:  Never lay out blocks where there is not enough light for a good photograph.)

too light

You can see what I mean about the photographs being too light and too dark but these two show all of the blocks.

too dark

I don't know where this quilt is going -- maybe into the trash if I don't figure it out -- but I finally remembered what the inspiration was.  Last spring my husband and I were driving past a hardware store with flowers on display on long, high steps.  There was a section alive with the reds of dozens of varieties of roses.  Bright, cheerful roses against their lush green foliage.  A quilt popped into my mind and the photos above show the results.  Hmmm.

I'm at a loss for the next step in this quilt.  More blocks?  The blocks as they are with a border or two?   If borders, what colors?  These blocks have been laying out for a week or two.  If I don't make a decision in the next day or two I'll pick them up and put them away for another time (or, as I said, in the trash).

I'm thinking of starting a weekly link party (maybe Inspiration Sunday) to invite others to share their inspiration.  Would you participate?  I have such a small blog with a tiny following, maybe no one would want to link....  Or maybe quilters don't keep track of their inspiration?

Do you notice the sources of your inspiration for quilts, either before you start, during the process of making a top, or after you've finished a quilt?

I'm linking this post to
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework
Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt
Scraptastic Tuesday at She Can Quilt
Let's Bee Social #85 at Sew Fresh Quilts
WOW at Esther's Blog

Thank you, ladies.


--Nancy.
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At Loose Ends

How could I possibly be at loose ends with two quilts in the works?  It's because I don't have a steady, quick-to-stitch, in-progress quilt to cut and stitch.  When I'm in the middle of cutting and sewing a quilt, I have plenty of ideas for the next quilt.  I jot them down, make drawings, etc.  Now that it's time to choose and begin, I'm hemming and hawing.  Colors, block size, etc.  But then maybe I really shouldn't be starting a new quilt anyway because I have 4 or 5 tops waiting to be quilted and at least one waiting for a decision about whether it's a finished top or not. 

This red/green is in progress.  I'm not completely committed to it yet. 

I began adding gold/yellow squares in the center of the 4-patch blocks.  Maybe they all need gold in the center?  Maybe the light blocks are too light but maybe the light crosses are okay?  Maybe all the circles should be the same size?  Maybe the 4-patch blocks should have green squares and red bars?  There are so many variables to consider.  It helps to look at a photo of the blocks.  Creates objectivity, I think.  I probably just need to keep making blocks and then play.

Center Light is exactly half quilted:  I counted the blocks today. 

I had hoped I was further along because I claimed this as my goal for a September finish for the 2013 Finish-A-Long.  I should probably find a few good movies to watch and settle in for at least a few hours every day.

Can you recommend some good (non-R-rated) movies?

I'm linking this to W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced and
WOW (WIPs on Wednesdays) at Esther's Blog.  Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.
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Slow Progress: Center Light, Red & Green

I've been hand quilting Center Light this week.  I deliberated for a while what to do about the corners of the blocks.  I'll show a close-up later.

My  intention is to finish this quilt by the end of September, my goal for the 3rd quarter 2013 Finish-A-Long with Leanne at She Can Quilt.  I think I'll have to work furiously to finish it, but it's just the impetus I need.  Only the center is quilted now.  Earlier today I thought I should keep a tally of how many squares are finished and how many are yet to be quilted.  I might feel like I was making more progress.

I've also been making blocks for Red & Green.  I'm still playing....  I may decide there's too much variety or too great a color variation -- or not.  We'll see.

I seem to be stuck in the 5" square mode.  These are not very large blocks and it will take me forever to finish this quilt.  One of my intentions was that I would be able to stitch the circles in the car or away from home when I couldn't be sewing on the machine.  But the circles keep drawing me to them and I have to push myself to sit at the sewing machine to stitch the 4-patches.  The circles and 4-patches are just about even in number right now.

I'm linking this post to
Q3 Finish-A-Long, hosted by at She Can Quilt
WOW (WIPs on Wednesdays), hosted by Esther at Esther's Blog
W.i.P. Wednesday guest hosted by Stacey of The Tilted Quilt at Lee's blog, Freshly Pieced

Thanks so much, ladies!

--Nancy.
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Playing with Red & Green

I'm still playing with these red and green circles and squares.  (The colors are a little brighter in this photo than in real life.) 

I pinned on some gold/mustard squares and circles.  I thought I would like circles but I think the squares look better, just maybe not on every 4-patch.

And I think maybe those really light green strips on two of the 4-patches may be too light.

I don't know where this quilt is going.  I'm just playing....

If you're playing too, I hope you're having fun.

I'm linking this post to Design Wall - July 1, 2013 at Patchwork Times.  Thanks, Judy.


--Nancy.
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Considering Proportion

Before I make too many 4-patch blocks I thought I should consider proportions of the center divides (is there some other name for them?) in the 4-patches. The circle blocks and the 4-patch+divides are cut at 5" and will finish at 4 1/2" after sewn into a quilt.  I will sew red squares with green divides for the rest of the blocks.  (The blocks with red and brown and green squares with red divide were experiments.) 

Left to right finished sizes of divides:  1/2", 3/4", and 1".

These are the 3 variations with the alternating circle blocks.

Hmmm.  Maybe the 1" is too wide: it's more than half the width of one of the red patches.

I was trying to make this easy on myself but maybe I can't, unless I change the finished block size.

Possible combinations of sizes after block is sewn together & before sewn with circle blocks:
2 1/2" + 1" + 2 1/2" = 5"  (Too narrow or okay?)
2 1/2" + 1 1/4" + 2 1/2" = 5 1/4"  (Proportion is okay?)
2 1/4" + 1 1/2" + 2 1/4" = 5"  (Divide is too big?)

And I thought this would be easy!  I think I've made it hard by randomly choosing a 5" square and the difficulty's come up because the 4-patch blocks were an afterthought.

What do you do when you come upon a situation like this when creating a  quilt?

--Nancy.
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Stopping too Soon

I start.  I make a little progress.  I evaluate, reconsider, decide there's a problem.  It doesn't look like I thought it would.  So I stop -- too soon.  Then it draws me back and I reconsider some more.  Add another block pattern, add a color, change a color, play.  Then photograph.  Surprise!  Maybe it's better than I thought.  Maybe it will work.  Maybe.

I like red and I like green.  And I especially like red and green together.  I know most people think of red and green as Christmas colors but I enjoy them all year.  And I know nature enjoys them in the summer. 

The inspiration for this quilt came while riding past a garden display of hundreds of red roses blooming against luscious green foliage.  Gorgeous! 

The reason for this quilt, at least to begin with, was the need for a small handwork project during a 3 1/2 hour drive to and from a visit to my daughters' homes.  The quilt I'm quilting is too cumbersome for the car.  I needed something small.  These seemed perfect.  (And they were.)

My first idea was only appliqued circles but I quickly realized that with 5" blocks it would take me a decade to stitch enough to become a quilt.  So I added the machine-stitched block variations.  My colors were originally only red circles and darkish green backgrounds that read as solids from a distance.  Then I thought maybe brown blocks with red circles would be safer.  They would have been safer but a little dark so I went back to the green background with red circles, added blocks with red center squares with green surrounding them (which may stay or go), and will use the blocks with red squares with green cross bars in the centers.  I think.  Unless I change my mind.  The blocks will alternate in some way.

I thought maybe I needed to expand the color variations.  When I saw these blocks I realized I was right.  Now I have a wider range of both reds and greens in mind.  I'll use scraps first, then dig into the quarter and half yard pieces.

Beginning a quilt that isn't someone else's pattern is interesting, exciting, and a little daunting, especially for a quilter without much experience.  Will the pattern work?  Will the colors work?  If not, it's only fabric and everything about it can change -- and it might.  Unless I stop too soon.

I hope you're having a great weekend. 

 --Nancy.

I've linked this post to W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.
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