Quilt Design a Day

Have you seen people post pictures of their quilt designs for Quilt Design a Day? I’ve seen people post them and I’ve been very intrigued! There have been a few of Michelle’s Wilke’s QDAD designs, that I’d love to see as a pattern. So I finally joined the QDAD Facebook group and have started doing some on my own!

How it works is someone (not sure how that someone is chosen yet…) posts a picture (the second picture above) and you use that as design and color inspiration to use while you spend about 15 to 20 minutes to design a make a quilt design!

The one above is my very first one…. I do kinda like it. One person commented that it almost looks like a sewing machine!

My plan was to do this on my phone on my commute every day. I was having trouble finding an app. First I started with the Paper app. It’s really cool, but not for this. I tried a couple others, but they didn’t work. Then I tried the Illustrator app. I’m sure it’s great, but I couldn’t figure it out…. That’s what I used for the one above.

Then I moved to Photoshop on my computer for this next one. I totally see some bias tape at work on this one…

And now I’ve found it! The right app! I’m so excited! Another group member suggested the app, Assembly. And it’s perfect for this. I’m figuring out how to use it and looking forward to doing these every day.

My commute is only about 20 minutes each way, which is awesome! But it doesn’t leave me time to do much like cross stitch or sew hexies, or anything like that. I play solitaire. Which is supposedly good for exercising the brain…. But I’d rather be creative. And I think I found a way to do just that!

Seattle Modern Quilt Guild BOM 2016

Here we go again! I just finished last years BOM and now I’m starting the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild 2016 BOM!

Our first block is Strings. I loved making this one!

Our awesome quilting member Matt, AKA on IG as odditease, is designing this years quilt. Or should I say designed. this is his version. So this is where we’re going with it.

I totally want to make a whole whole string quilt! This is an improv quilt. I don’t know that mine is actually 100% improv though…. I haven’t measured any of my fabric. I haven’t used a straight edge to cut the fabric. I haven’t been measuring my batting and I’m doing it as quilt as you go again. So what do you think? Improv or almost improv?

I’m using random pieces of batting to make up my ‘blocks’ from my pile of batting scraps.

Next I randomly cut a bunch of strips and then sewed them together at a random angle. See, no measuring! I started sewing with the middle stripe and then worked my way out from there.

Then I squared up my block. I still didn’t measure anything, but I did square the block. I think this might be where the improv starts to deteriorate. But I like it!

On the last BOM quilt that I did, I also did it as QAYG, but I wasn’t consistent about ironing my seams open and sewing then in the right direction or leaving more than a 1/4″ seam. This time I’m using a 3/8″ seam and ironing opening. With the bulk of the batting, it helps to have a larger seam allowance to iron the seam.

I noticed after I made two blocks that both at the print in one corner, so I kept going with it for the other corners and I love how it turned out!

So with each block, my plan is to include a bit of the next block. So I haven’t sewn together this block.

And then I moved into the second block. The March block is Triangles. See how I added a bit of the triangles into the strings? I think I like it. What do you think?

Again, there’s no measuring or anything. But check out those grey lines and how they connect! Pure randomness that worked out perfectly!

I am a part of critique group and one of the members said it looked like her aunt’s dress from the 70’s…. She said it was a compliment, but I’m not sure.

Now I’ve got to get the April block done!!! Sqiggles, coming up!

Finish-A-Long 2016 Quarter 2

I hate to do this, but my finish a long list is pretty much identical to the first quarter finish a long. I can mark one off the list, but that’s it! The Seattle Modern Quilt Guild BOM quilt is the only one I finished!

Like usual, it’s going to look familiar….

First up, The Riley Blake Challenge quilt. I totally missed the deadline on this one, but I still want to finish it!

Oh, and there’s the EZ Quilting Challenge triangle quilt challenge…. Also a Quiltcon challenge like the Michael Miller one. Again, I’ve gotten the ruler, but no clue what to do with it. Totally missed the deadline, but I think I have an idea now! I might even connect the Riley Blake challenge with the EZ challange!

I’m working on the Technicolor Galaxy Quilt again!

I’d love to get these two done too!

So those are my old ones, but I have a few new ones that I would also like to complete!

This month is my month as quilter for my do.Good Stitches group, so I’ll want to get that one done ASAP!

I’d also like to get my two Libs Elliot quilts done. They are both pretty far along….

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And lastly, my memory quilt that I started! The top and back are both done… So I should be able to finish that one, right??

Ok, this list is insane long… But I want to get these DONE!!!!!!!!

Seattle Modern Quilt Guild Giving Committee

Typically when I make a block for a charity quilt, I don’t show it until the quilt is done. But I’m really excited about this one, so I’m sharing it early!

This block is for the next Seattle Modern Quilting Guild Giving Committee quilt! X Marks the Improv!

image via A Quilter’s Table

This block was designed by my friend and co-chair of the giving committee, Debbie, originally for her do.Good Stitches Group. But we love it so much we thought we needed to do it for our Giving Committee as well. You might recognize it from the blogging world! Her original quilt was done in blues with different color accents, but we’re switching things up and doing it in reds with yellow accents.

I am pretty excited about how I was able to line up the crosses! When I was first reading the tutorial I didn’t think I’d be able to line them up perfectly as I did. But it worked!

I don’t know why I love this back picture so much, but I do… No idea!

The block is 24.5 x 12.5 inches and might seem daunting, but it’s not time consuming! I made my block in about an hour. I might have to make some more of these or even my own quilt! I can’t wait to see how our guild pulls this one together. It’s going to be fantastic!

SMQG Block of the Month Quilt

I finally finished!!!

If you’ve been reading along for anytime within the last year, you know I’ve been participating in the Seattle Modern Quilt Guild BOM for 2015! I was moving right along until I hit the pile of about 130 little half square triangles…. Then it came to a screeching halt!

I quilted the top as I sent. Each border I’d piece and then quilt the top and the batting. My only downside with this was that I would forget to include a larger seam allowance. The larger seam allowance helps when ironing open the seams. Typically I don’t iron open, but with the QAYG it helps reduce bulk.

For the back I used a few left over blocks and more of the fabric from the front. Then I mostly quilted in the ditch around each border. But doing that left a nice big square in the center, so I quilted over a few of the circles that I quilted in the center block.

 

I’m super glad I took pictures each month as I went along. I love seeing it ‘grow’! The center is my inside out pineapple pattern. And it grew from there! You can find all the block directions here, if you’d like to make your own.

And I got to use my new labels! I got a 50 pack of labels that are dated 2016, so I have to make 49 more this year! Ha! I got them from Tagtopia and she was great to work with!

This, unfortunately, was the only quilt on my First Quarter Finish A Long that I actually finished! Not at all what I planned! Good news is that I at least finished something…

I”m so excited to have this one done! And it’s going to be well loved in my house!

April do Good Stitches Block

This month is my month to pick the quilt for our Nurture Circle of do.Good Stitches. The last one I did was the inside out pineapple block. It was fantastic! But it was time consuming… And since yesterday was April Fools Day, I pulled a little prank on my group and told them I had decided to do that quilt again! I thought it was too funny!

But we’re not doing that one! We’re doing a way easier one! This striped block. It has no name. I came up with it. And when we’re done with it, I’ll tell you more about my inspiration. You’ll have to let me know if you see a resemblance to my inspiration!

We’re going to be doing two blocks. A cool, blue one and a warm, red/orange/yellow one. Here’s a hint of my inspiration…Beach! I don’t have a particular length in mind, but I’d like them to be a minimum of 21″ long. I’d love some of them to be longer!

For the red, yellow and orange one, we’re looking at the sunset. Please use all solids if possible. If you can’t use solids, please use a print that reads as a solid. With white as the neutral. I always stick with Kona White.

For the warm block, you’ll need:

(4) 1″ strips of White

(3) 1″ strips of a dark red, red, orange or yellow

(1) 1.5″ strip of a dark red, red, orange or yellow

Please follow the design above for stacking the strips. The shaded area represents the dark red, red, orange or yellow strips.

And for the cool one, let’s go back to the nice blue beach on a sunny day! We’re looking for blues from the teal end to blue, based on the blues shown above. Please use all solids if possible. If you can’t use solids, please use a print that reads as a solid. With white as the neutral. I always stick with Kona White.

For the cool block, you’ll need:

(3) 1″ strips of White

(1) 2″ strip of a teal to blue as shown above

(1) 1.5″ strip of a teal to blue as shown above

(1) 1″ strip of a teal to blue as shown above

Please follow the design above for stacking the strips. The shaded area represents the teal to blue as shown above.

Please keep your seam allowance at 1/4″ and iron the seam allowances toward the colored fabrics. And you’ll end up with skinny long blocks like these!

Thanks!!!