Still Blooming

1.

I spent a couple hours again today trying to choose fabric for my Blooming 9-Patch. Choosing fabric for a quilt is just about the best part of quilting, but it is also the most stressful.

2.

I have definitely decided against the first five layouts here. I just can not cut into the third fabric from the left for a Blooming 9-Patch. I absolutely love it and I do not want to cut it up into tiny little pieces.

3.

It is a Kaffe Fassett fabric and I will use it someday, just not on one of these. Have you ever bought fabric that you find difficult to cut into?

4.

After my post the other day about the Blooming 9-Patch I got an email from Michele. (Someone I never met who commented on my post.) Michele has made numerous Blooming 9-Patches and she had great insight on choosing fabrics.

5.

She also sent me a link to view some of the Blooming 9-Patches that she has made. They are fabulous. After this I knew without a doubt that I needed to reconsider my fabric choice.

6.

I really want to cut the strips and sew them together tonight so I need to make a decision. 

7.

I think I have decided on two different layouts so I guess I will eventually make two Blooming 9-Patches.

8.

As you can see after the other day I decided to throw some orange into the mix. I just can't seem to stay away from orange.

9.

The two layouts I decided on are numbers 7 and 10.

10.

I think I will start with number 10 because it has some fabrics in it that I have had trouble using or I do not really like any more.

 As it stands now (unless I change my mind again) I will be cutting into one of these stacks a little later.

Blooming 9-Patch

Last evening I had the pleasure of rummaging through my stash. I am going to be taking a class from a fellow guild member in April. The pattern is "Blooming 9-Patch." Last Wednesday after our guild meeting we had a preliminary class to discuss choosing our fabric. I decided that I am not going to buy any fabric, so everything has to come from my stash. I need 6 different fabrics that the colors will blend well with the one it will be adjacent to. Most of the pieces require at least a yard of fabric with the greatest needing 1 3/4 yards. Therefore this will limit my choice of fabrics from my stash. The first fabrics that I pulled all had orange in them. When I realized this I thought to myself that maybe I should try to do something without orange. I did not have my camera when I had the initial fabrics out. 

1.

When I excluded orange this is what I came up with.

2.

Most of these are basically the same with a few minor changes along the way.

3.

I did not make any final decisions last night because my daughter called me in the watch Glee with her.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

One of these has a very strong possibility of being my fabric layout. All evening I was favoring the fabrics toward the top. I am not sure if I have the right fabrics to complete this bottom layout. But, this morning when I woke up I was thinking maybe I should just use some of my fabrics with orange in them. I can not wait too long to make my decision because I need to have the strip sets sewn together before the class. When I decide I will let you know.

9.

I just decided to go back and number them. What layout do you think I should use? Or do you think I should throw some orange stuff in to the mix?

Design Bee

Bayside Quilters met on Wednesday. The program for this month was from the Design Bee. The Design Bee was created to go through the lessons in this book. 

They did one lesson in the book per month.

The participants said the book stretched them and it was a bonding experience for all of them. 

A few months into the book when I heard them talking about it I wished I had gotten in on it. 

After seeing the results I am extremely sorry I did not get in on it.

Here are a few pictures of some of their work.

If the opportunity comes along again to do a book like this with a group you better believe I will be in on it.

This week has been very busy for me even though I have not been quilting. 

I chaired the annual banquet for our local Young Life. Boy, I am ever glad that is over. 

I spent time this weekend getting tax stuff together and I hope to finish that up tomorrow. 

Then I should be back to quilting.

Stash Report, Week 11, 2011

I have been busy doing other things this past week. No sewing or quilting.

Used this Week: 0 yards

Used year to Date: 39 3/4 yards

Added this Week: 0 yards

Added Year to Date: 53 yards

Net Used for 2011: (13 1/4 yards)

Stash Report, Week 10, 2011

With all of the sewing I did at retreat I did not get to count much fabric because I was finishing up stuff.

Used this Week: 1 1/2 yards

Used year to Date: 39 3/4 yards

Added this Week: 0 yards

Added Year to Date: 53 yards

Net Used for 2011: (13 1/4 yards)

Joseph's Coat

While I was at retreat I also worked on 2 tops. I am so excited to have this Joseph's coat almost done. I just need to finish up around the edge so I have something there to pin it to when I put it on the longarm. I am beginning to think that this is like my favorite quilt I ever made. This quilt is listed on my UFO list. It is # 5b. I am thinking I will probably wait to quilt it the month that #5 is drawn.

Do I look like I am having a good time?

I finished up this quilt top for Son #2. It is a signature quilt and was a gift for Graduation. He loves stuff like this and was very excited and happy when he opened it. 

Ocean City, Maryland

I am home from Ocean City and getting back into the swing of things.

31 members of the Bayside Quilters spent 3 glorious days at the Dunes Manor Hotel. The most pressing thing that we had to do was sew.

We were served 3 wonderful meals a day and afternoon tea. Some of the ladies took time away from sewing to take a walk or even a nap. Of course I did neither. I am all about getting it done.

Retreat is such a great way to become better friends with fellow quilters.It was the absolute best 3 days and I am sorry it had to end so soon. 

I took pictures of the festivities and show-n-tell. To view all of the pictures click here or on the link to the left.

All of the pictures in this post were taken just outside of the room where we were sewing.