My first DC Modern Quilt Guild Meeting

I went to my first modern quilt guild meeting with the DC quilters over the weekend.  I had a *blast* meeting a bunch of great people and I got really inspired by them. 

And, lucky for me, they had a sewalong for a pattern I was dying to make.

The Atkinson Designs Pockets to Go.  I made the long caddy.

The pattern calls for just two fabrics, but I hate to play favorites.  Or maybe I just have too many favorites.

So I used some scraps and some stash... 

...and a little bit of new fabric from the Architextures line.  I am aware that five is a ridiculous amount of pictures for one little sewing caddy, but I had good light in the backyard and I just couldn't help myself.

Mustache

I have Tamiko as a partner in two bees and she asked for Magnum P.I. or Hawaii-themed blocks for both bees.  I've already sent her the aviator sunglasses block.  I also signed up for a mustache block.  I've wanted to make this block since June.  I really have been pondering this one for that long.  

My dad is a tall guy with naturally wavy red hair that has only gotten darker with age and he's had a mustache for nearly all of my life (for a short time he had a short beard, but then he went back to the 'stache).  I had this specific picture in my head of a big, textured mustache that I had the hardest time translating into a block.  I’ll tell you, Tom Selleck’s mustache is a tough one to depict by itself without it looking like a turd.  I knew I could never depict a face in fabric and starting with flesh-colored fabric gave me the willies.  So, I thought of my dad's super short jeans shorts from this era and chose a similar fabric as a background.  Then I used some thread to show where the nose and lower lip might be to ground the rest of the block.  I hope it looks right.  I asked my husband what he thought and he said, "It looks very Selleck-y."  Good man.  

I encourage you to check out the other blocks made for Tamiko in the Ringo Pie Bee by Kerry, Leila, Charise, and Amber.  And here is a selection from the Cocorico Bee by Leila, Kylie, Muriël, and Amy.  It is a very creative theme, even if I couldn't tolerate watching the show for very long.

Do you have a favorite show or movie that you'd like to see translated into quilt blocks?

Done!

Thank you to all that supported and encouraged me along the way with this labor of love.  There are 258 one inch hexies in this quilt top--hand stitched, hand quilted, hand bound and loved, loved, loved.  This quilt measures roughly 32" wide and 28" high.  And it is going on the wall in my sewing room right above my cutting and project table.  I already have some hexie sections in greens, blues and neutrals, but those will have to wait for quite awhile, I'm afraid.  I have a few other projects to work on in the months ahead. 


As a special bonus for your patience with posting the finished quilt photos, I thought I'd show you all this lion on my patio.  I have two of these guys out there.  They crack me up every single time I go outside.  If we bought this house, I might feel differently about them.  But, since we are renting, I think I adore them.  And I think they need names.  And maybe scarves, or hats...or Halloween costumes.  Suggestions welcome.

Hexie Quilt Process

If you never ever ever want to make a hexie quilt with uneven edges, please pardon this photo heavy post.  I took pictures of each step for those that might be curious.  I used the tutorial by Amy badskirt.  I am so grateful that Amy blogged about the steps she took and that one of my dear quilting friends (I can't remember which one. Please let me know if it was you.) pointed me to the tutorial.  I love the shape of this quilt exactly as is and I really, really didn't want to make it into a rectangle.

So, instead, I tortured myself with sewing more hexies.

Here is the top, sandwiched, quilted and the batting trimmed.

Then I made another 76 hexies for the border on the back.

I whipstiched them together to mirror the edge of my quilt...

...and then whipstitched the edge hexies to the quilt top hexies all around the border.

The next step is important: I heavily starched and ironed all of the border hexies.  And then I took out the threads and papers and flipped the border over to the back. 

I carefully poked out all of corners and ironed it again and then pinned the edge hexies to the back of the quilt.

And, lastly I stitched the other edge of the hexies down. 

Here is a sneak peek at the front of the quilt with the uneven edge.  The quilt is drying now (after I washed all of that starch out).  I'll put a finished photo up soon.

Hand stitching away...

I feel very close to finishing this hexie wall quilt.  English paper piecing, thread basted, hand quilted and now hand stitching a row of orange hexies as an edge treatment before I flip them to the back of the quilt.  I'm watching seasons one and two of Downton Abbey again to keep my stitching time pleasant. 

Are you stitching anything by hand these days?  I'd love to hear about it.

2013, Declared the Year of Completion

I have a big job ahead of me. My biggest goal for 2013 is to finish my unfinished objects from 2011 and 2012. 

1. Farmer's Wife, 2. Dream On quilt top, 3. Sparkling Pond quilt, 4. Tiny houses from the May Mom, 5. Lily's Quilts Dresden, 6. Sew Buzzy Bee top, 7. Tina block, 8. Hexie project, 9. old 3x6 bee blocks, 10. Four Corners Quilt, 11. Hexies pillow, 12. Sew Out Loud block, 13. Retreat quilt, 14. Huge log cabin, 15. all set to go, 16. Boy's Nonsense, 17. Cocorico holiday blocks, 18. Pastiche farmers market blocks, 19. Rose star block

Angela, of Cut to Pieces, started the Project UFO on flickr last year.  With that group's encouragement I finished eight quilts and made good progress on five others.   It is a really low pressure, laid back group that is willing to cheer anyone on to the finish.  Come join in :)