BIQR Floor Quilt #2

Finished the quilting on this one by doing some free motion in the blank places [after outlining the stacks of coins].  Then I made binding that started with 1.5" width strips, which meant that rather a tight fold was needed to cover the first stitching [I do that first one from the back.].  Caught the label in one corner of the back of the binding.  Finished size is 18" x 16".

Now what on earth is that size good for?

Well, anyway I finished the last assignment that Gwen gave us.

Sara

Gratitudes:

An excellent cantaloupe for breakfast
Kept the knitting on the right needles today
Marti recovering from surgery

Circular Socks

After reading about two-socks-at-a-time from both Mary Johnson and Judy Liquidara, I decided to try this method during the time Charlie took his turns driving to and from St. Louis.  Above you can see the book from the library and how much progress I made.  I took their advice and followed the instruction VERY carefully at the start, and then I got cocky.  Seems I really canNOT do three things at once.  I can knit and I can listen to the radio, but knitting and being in a serious conversation with give and take was too much for me.  Twice I found that I had three segments of the four on ONE needle, which is really not OK.  Then when I tried to "fix" my problem, I made it worse.

I've learned my lesson:  ALWAYS check that I am using the two ends of the SAME needle.

Tonight I am trying to knit and watch the World Series.  We'll see how well I do with that distraction.

Today I added three mini-blocks onto the Chinese Coins floor quilt from BIQR.  This is as big as it is going, since I have used up all my scraps from the floor!  Now to get it sandwiched and quilted.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Helpful sectional rehearsal last night
Jo's poem about October
Homemade pesto-pasta for dinner

BIQR Floor Quilt #1

At the Beaver Island Quilt Retreats Gwen Marston tells us to just drop our scraps on the floor.  Later we can all go around and pick up other quilters' scraps to make a small "floor quilt".

Donna, the quilter closest to me in the sewing room, was making baby quilts with bright fabrics.  She was learning to cut the blocks off center.  She cut off a lot.  And then she threw the large scraps right at my feet!  Most of these scraps were from her.

I also made a scrappy liberated star and several asterisks, using some of my own muslin for the background. With these "parts" I have made a placemat, 12" X 20".
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As we were driving home from Elk Rapids,   I was trying to explain to Charlie why I can get so much work done on a quilting retreat -- much more than I do at home.

As we discussed this is realized that I could use each Tuesday as a Quilt-Retreat-At-Home-Day.  Tuesdays I try not to leave home by combining my errands on other days of the week.  And Tuesdays Charlie is gone for much of the day.  And Tuesdays Charlie cooks dinner.  Hmmm.  Why hadn't I put all that together before?

So last Tuesday I started a new Tuesday routine.  And I finished the Amish Lib. quilt.

Today I gave myself the task of finishing the borders for "A Difference of Opinion".

I bought the fabrics for the border up in Elk Rapids, but never got any further.  Today I finished the borders.  Now I have also completed the pieced backing, and this project is ready for the LA quilter.  I am going to have her use a different color of thread and/or special stitching to accent the widening separation of the column on the right from the other two columns.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Gardening help came and cut down the garden for the winter.
They forced me to make use of the last basil - 4 more pkgs of pesto.
Good pork chops cooked on the grill by Charlie.

BIQR return

Some how failed to pack my camera when I left for the week 5 Beaver Island Quilt Retreat.  AND as I was packing up to leave I fell down an odd step while carrying my sewing machine. Ooops!

I now have a scraped right elbow and knee, and a painful left wrist and thumb muscle pad in my palm.  Can't really do much with my left hand that requires pressure.

When I get a little better, I will get out the projects I worked on, and will show you  photos.  For now I will just say it was a lovely four days of sunshine and warm weather, lots  of congenial co-workers, and much accomplished.

Sara

Gratitudes:

Running out of a certain fabric is an "opportunity"
Gwen's motto for this year: "Don't commit too early", meaning just make the current decision, not all the long line of decisions
Great fall colors up north, and on the way home

Skinny triangles

I think I want another border on the "white-framed squares" quilt top I made at The Beaver Island Quilt Retreat.

I have begun making some of the skinny triangles that Gwen Marston uses in some of her borders/inner parts of quilts. She gave us a little method demonstration on the Retreat, basically using various widths of rectangles sewn from one corner across to the opposite side. Not too hard.

However, I don't intend to make a whole border of these! I'm thinking of just inserting some segments like this into a red border. Or should that be into a WHITE border?

Sara

Gratitudes:

sunny and warm

masses of Black-eyed Susans

Found a loaf of brioche in the freezer!

Beaver Island Quilt Retreat, Part 2

Our working room was overlooking Elk Lake in Elk Rapids, Michigan. We all could look up from our work and see the changing colors of the different green foliages and the lake reflecting the sky and clouds.

I started a second quilt top on Friday, using the greens that were in my box. In the back of my mind I was working with the view out the window.


I made Rail Fence blocks with one rail having triangles (mountains? evergreens?) and laid them out on the piano, which happened to be next to my work station.




When I laid them out as a square, they looked almost TOO landscapey, so I set them back as Rail Fence with the greener blocks at the bottom and the bluer blocks at the top.

Looking at more of Gwen's quilts I saw that she sometimes set the center of the quilt OFF-center and also sometimes made un-equal borders--so I played around with those ideas.

The final quilt top includes a large pine tree on the left and a representation of "My Wilderness Cabin" [log cabin block] on the lower right.
And here are a few more photos of Gwen's quilts for your inspiration:


Strips, squares and triangles.


:

She advised: "Use a simple block. Then make it over and over."























And finally, here is the cover of her new book, self-published:
Sara

Gratitudes:

TWO tops made while on the retreat
Special time with Reunion group at Lake Michigan
Home again, home again, jiggity-jog!

Beaver Island Quilt Retreat

Yes, Gwen Marston is giving her retreats for the 25th year, and I finally was able to participate. The theme was SOLIDS - using solids to create design.

First she showed us about 30 of her quilts.

[If you click on any photo you will get an enlargement and can see the quilting, and even some edges of other quilts piled on the counter!]

We oohed and aahed, and took lots of photos!

The tan one with light interior squares was tied leaving long ends dangling for "more texture."

She had used multiple repetitions of fairly simple shapes.

So then we went to work with our own solid fabrics (though some people had brought other projects which they labored over).

I had brought my bolt of WHITE that needs using, and was bound and determined that I was going to use it for background.

I stuck the blocks I had done when I went to bed on Wednesday onto one of the tablecloths hung around the area.

Thursday I worked on the sashings all day.

I hung itover the piano in my corner of the room, and after some study, I decided no more was needed. Anyway I was done for the day, and wasn't going to do any more on it until I got it home.

Here is the final result. Definitely using some of Gwen's ideas, but defintiely not made by her!

More on days three and four in a couple of days.

Sara