Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt - A Finished Quilt

A Picture Post.
Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt
58 inches x 72 inches
Scrappy sure does make me happy, and working from my fabric stash even more so. This quilt has been such a pleasure to make ~ from cutting the fabrics, trimming the blocks, to quilting and stitching the binding ~ it all came together effortlessly. And trust me, it doesn't always happen that way. Sometimes I am over it before the quilting has even begun, and in my mind I am already working on the next, and the next project.


I have quilted this quilt first by ditch stitching all of the seam lines (including the edge to edge diagonal lines created by the angle of the triangles) and then added several more horizontal lines at regular intervals. This quilt is quite big for my standards and I felt it could easily carry the extra quilting lines and still allow the fabrics to feature, as well as benefit from the subtle quilting texture.


For the quilt back I have used Pam Kitty Love Floral Bouquet yardage which is perfect for this quilt and a favorite backing fabric. (You can also see that I have matched the bobbin thread for the back of the quilt with the color of the backing fabric, although rather than use a green thread I prefer to use neutral color threads and have chosen a dark beige color which blends well with the green background of the backing fabric).


Binding, so pretty in pink! I have used Straws from the Simpatico collection by Michelle Engel Bencsko


And some gratuitous photos just because I love quilt rolls; the scrappy fabrics and colors all squished together make me deliriously happy. Scroll, scroll.


This quilt is for sale and it is listed in my Etsy Store.

All the listing details are here: Modern Patchwork Quilt
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Thank you for stopping by!
Rita

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Sunday, February 23, 2014

Sunday Stash #218 Flower Sugar - Fall 2013 by Lecien

Flower Sugar - Fall 2013 by Lecien
Every year Lecien release a brand new collection of vintage inspired floral prints which expands upon their previous collections. This year is no different and I have eagerly anticipated their arrival.

Flower Sugar Fall 2013 - Rosebuds
Beautiful florals, and in particular roses and rosebuds, are signature prints of Flower Sugar collections in stash friendly colors; colors that are easy to use and blend well with other collections. I love the addition of the darker blue color palette this year~

In addition to great floral prints the collection includes a number of  basic small scale designs that are difficult to resist (some of these have already been cut into and used for last week's quilt in progress):
Flower Sugar Fall 2013 - Checkerboard
(these are my favorite from this collection!)
Flower Sugar Fall 2013 - Daisy Dots

FLOWER SUGAR FALL 2013 is now available from:
The Fat Quarter Shop
The Quilted Castle
Fort Worth Fabric Studio
Flower Sugar Fall 2013 - Bouquet and Dots
Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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Friday, February 21, 2014

Half Rectangle Triangles ~ A Quilt in Progress

Photo Friday.

My Half Rectangle Triangle (HRT) quilt top is now finished and I have managed to take some photos that I am happy with. It seems to be so much easier to take good photos of solid fabric quilts with saturated color and stark contrast as opposed to low volume quilts with reflecting light/white ... and I am fussy about my photos ... and my quilts in general. 


I love how this quilt has turned out although I already had some idea of the overall final look having worked with similar fabric combinations for my Checkerboard Quilts (Checkerboard Quilt I and Checkerboard Quilt II). I have however been more particular with my general fabric selection for this quilt, choosing smaller scale prints to suit the narrower/pointy triangle units but with an anything goes motto when piecing each individual unit.


A total of 273 HRT Units.
Layout:
21 HRT Units wide x 13 rows.
Each HRT Unit measures 3.25" x 6" (including seam allowances).
 Quilt Top - 58 inches x 72 inches.
Fabrics from stash! 


You know what I will be doing this weekend: basting, quilting and hopefully even binding. 


Enjoy the weekend!

Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Half Rectangle Quilt - in progress Part 1

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt II - Work in Progress

A sneak peek.

Wednesday looked like this: row sewing. I generally like to arrange all my patchwork blocks/units on the floor and once I am happy with the layout I pick up all of the units by numbered row. I enjoy row sewing as it is at this point that I can see the quilt come together one row at a time. 
Half Rectangle Triangle Bloc-Loc Rulers
Quite some preparation has gone into getting to this row sewing stage, including cutting fabric (more than 200 different fabrics have been used to create this quilt top - some salvaged from the scrap bin, most from stash), sewing, pressing, and trimming the half rectangle units. I have again used my Bloc-Loc Half Rectangle Triangle Rulers for the job of trimming the over-sized units to size, with the diagonal channel hugging the seam allowance for quick/accurate ruler placement. Over-sizing and trimming units is often my preferred sewing method so these rulers really do suit my needs. All Bloc-Loc Rulers are now available from the Fat Quarter Shop!  This one set of rulers makes up to 14 different HRT sizes.


This year is all about using my favorite fabrics - even the precious hoarded ones - and I think you'll agree that I have kept my word. Use it or lose it.

I still have to sew the last four rows together and add them to the length of the quilt top. This will be done today and I hope to have more to show you soon.

Stitch on.
Rita

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Sunday, February 16, 2014

Sunday Stash #217 Wee Wander by Sarah Jane

Wee Wander by Sarah Jane for Michael Miller
The new year has started with the release of one great fabric collection after another and Wee Wander by Sarah Jane is another new collection that I could not resist. 

Wee Wander - Wander Woods
Wee Wander - Summer Ride
I think there is something really special about hand drawn and character style fabric collections. Designers like Sarah Jane, Aneela Hoey, Tasha Noel, and Heather Ross immediately spring to mind, each with their own unique and instantly recognizable design style, often depicting nostalgic scenes with children at play.
Wee Wander - Glow Friends

The Wee Wander collection consists of 11 designs in two distinct color stories ~ Sunrise (orange/pink) and Twilight (blue/green) with designs varying in composition and scale ~ from large scale border prints to smaller scale floral prints (these are a new favorite!):

Wee Wander - Meandering in Seafoam and Petal

WEE WANDER by Sarah Jane is now available from:

Wee Wander - Nature Walk
Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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Friday, February 14, 2014

The Ashburn Shawl



The Yarn: Plucky Bello by The Plucky Knitter
in Two Drifters, Barely Birch and Sticky Toffee


Let me start by saying that I don't get a lot of time to knit and this shawl has been on my knitting needles since mid December 2013. Oddly it seems that I get more knitting done over the Summer months than the cooler Winter months. Perhaps I am knitting in the hope for a quick change in seasons. A short Summer is a good Summer.


The Ashburn Shawl is an easy knit with a fair amount of simple garter stitch (great for beginner shawl knitters); and a pattern perfect for the intermittent knitter as it is easy to pick up after a short hiatus. I wear shawls throughout the cooler months wrapped more like a scarf rather than a traditional "draped around the shoulders" shawl. I have a quite a number of shawls. Some are worn more often than others. Some have been gifted. Some have been misplaced - oops!


This shawl is is keeper. I love these wearable colors and I also really like that the shawl is super long, measuring more than 80 inches along the top edge. It will wrap and wrap beautifully.


For more pictures and all the details including links to the Ashburn Shawl pattern check out my Ravelry page:

Thank you for stopping by!
Rita

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Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Finished Scrappy Pineapple Quilt


Phew! My Scrappy Pineapple Quilt is finished. This was a lot of work but I have loved every moment of the foundation paper piecing process ~ stitch press fold trim and again and again. I even enjoyed removing the foundations papers in all of its messy glory.


More grid quilting! I really do like the actual grid quilting process - a test of endurance and perseverance, not unlike that of foundation paper piecing. Even more so, I love the texture created by the closely spaced intersecting lines; a texture which is difficult to capture in a photo.


For the back of the quilt I have used a Pearl Bracelet print by Lizzie House, and for the binding I decided to stay with the solid fabric theme and have used Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in Pepper for a strong contrast frame.


QUICK FACTS
Scrappy Pineapple Quilt - a traditional quilt block
16 Foundation Paper Pieced blocks
Each block measures 7 inches x 7 inches finished
Solid fabrics are Robert Kaufman Kona Cottons
784 patchwork pieces


The foundation paper piecing pattern for this block is available here:



My last two quilt projects have both been made using all solid fabrics and as much as I love both these quilts I am ready for some simple fabric play with color and print.

Thank you for stopping by,
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Scrappy Pineapple Quilt - Work in Progress

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