New projects

I love the constant variety of being a quilter.  Always something new.  Always some new inspiration.  Sometimes from unexpected places. 

Rob's birthday was Friday.  I think he had a nice day that day, but we really saved our personal celebration for Saturday when he and I went to Taylor, TX to check out the antique stores.  That was a bit of a bust, but he got a really good deal on a print of a painting by a painter he likes and I got a project.  And, we had a great lunch in Hutto, TX at the Texan Café, where they have a huge pie case and their motto is "Pie fixes everything".  Lunch was so big and so delicious that the pie had to come home for later.  We all commented that by the time we'd finished the pie, we were in a bit of sugar overload. 

Anyway, before we left, I pin basted this quilt. 

 

 Yeah, I know.  Lotta green, right?  I thought of the quilt as monochromatic.  I even took it to a class with Joen Wolfrom as an example of a monochromatic quilt and she helped me discover that it was really an analogous quilt, using three shades of green that sit next to one another on the color wheel.  But, you have to be using a really big color wheel for that to happen.  On my color wheel, it was just green.  Or at best, apple green. 

Over Saturday afternoon and Sunday, I got all the ditch work done and started on the filler.  I wanted some Pebbling.  I love pebbling, but it makes my left shoulder hurt, so I have to take a lot of breaks.  I have ideas for some of the looser fill, but will need to draw that and mark the quilt for those.  It all takes time. 

 This is the project I picked up on our antiquing trip.  I've always intended to make a Sunbonnet Sue/Overall Bill quilt.  I didn't know it would be finishing someone else's, tho.  But, why not?  It was pre-packaged inspiration for something I hadn't started yet.  I guess the Universe thought it was time.

But, it sure wasn't as easy as just picking up someone else's project and moving forward with it.  The original maker had cut pieces out of several really cute 70's fabrics.  That was the only draw.  The 70's fabrics are just what I remember my Mom making clothes for my sister out of.  Stiff and that polyester smell when you iron it.  And, that family memory grabbed me and got me to pay all of $6 for the fabrics for 12 blocks. 

Two blocks were pieced, but I suspect this was a child's project...and they didn't enjoy it.  The blanket stitching was a mess.  But, those two blocks were enough for me to draw a pattern.  She hadn't put the arms on the boy yet, so that took some figuring out and trial and error.  I basically traced what she had appliqued onto transparent template plastic, and traced that to paper.  For the boy, I folded the paper copy in half lengthwise to compromise on the lines and create symmetry between the two halves. Then, I cut the pieces out of template plastic so I can trace them onto the fabrics.  And, I trace from the paper copies to the fabric backgrounds.  I'm "re-combining" the fabrics.  She had matched the boys hats and shirts, so you couldn't tell them apart and the girls sleeves matched the dresses, and you couldn't really see them.  So, I'm poking around in stash, looking for fabrics to substitute in to give me a bit more contrast to those blocks. 

But, it's fun and distracting hand work.  And, when my hands aren't busy, I'm reading the news.  And, that's not making me nearly as happy as this sweet little Sue and Bill quilt. 

Everybody have a great Monday!!  Lane