See Jane Run Quilt

See them run! Run, guys, run!

Back in June (when we were wearing shorts- just think, tonight has a forecasted low of 17 degrees!), I began a quilt using Dick and Jane-themed fabrics. You can see from those original layout pictures that I still ended up with something different. My bad math meant that I was going to be short two blocks to make it the twin-sized quilt I had originally intended. Bummer. I played around with potential sashing and maybe just large borders. I ultimately ended up with a framed center block.

Arranging the pink and blue blocks still provided me a challenge.

The framed center added some visual interest while allowing me to keep my intended size of the top.


The final pieced top. Not too shabby, if I say so myself!

I quilted it with replicated loops all over. I am happy how this one turned out! I used one of the blocks that had been pushed out by the framed center block and made a matching pillow. All that bad math paid off!



Quilt and pillow, ready to go!

Bad Math = Opportunity

I used to do well in math. I suppose without constant exposure to geometry, one can lose those skills (like a language learned in high school). So I drew out how I wanted to use a stack of fabric. I counted, I added, I multiplied, I did it all again. This will be great! So I began cutting it all out. I love this Dick and Jane fabric!

I made two sets of open nine-patch blocks, one with blue and light pink and one with green and a red-pink. Hot diggity, the blocks came together nicely! Then it was time to lay out the blocks. At this point, it was probably 11:30pm and I was feeling giddy. I love it when projects are closer to completion than beginning.

Wait a minute. I had done bad math! Or miscounted! Or ahhhgkkghh! I made too many blue and pink blocks and not enough of the green ones. So the alternating pattern I had in mind wouldn't work out! Gah! Should I make the top and bottom just blue blocks? Should I make a throw-size quilt and a baby quilt, instead? (I had intended this to be a twin-sized quilt). It was time to leave the miscounted blocks laying there and go to bed.

The next morning I got up early and took a moment to appreciate the day and drink some coffee. My dad's coffee is near thick enough to have to cut with a pair of scissors. It surely will kickstart anybody's day. With a breath of fresh air in my lungs and caffeine surging through my veins, I decided to do some rearranging. 

Half of me loves the new layout (with a different design within the blocks). Half of me knows this is just a cover up for bad math. Ultimately, I ran out of time to piece these together, so I put them in a box for the next time I venture up to my mom's. Maybe by then, I'll have completely come to grips with the new block pattern and will complete it. (Or maybe I will just go ahead and make two separate quilts).

Qualitative brains, unite!

Fun with Owls (and Quilting)

I had a chance to visit my Mom's yesterday and finish up some projects we started together a while ago. We completed three baby quilts for the Clarksville Downtown Market (of which she is at currently!).

She pieced these puppies while I quilted them. My favorite turned out to be the owl quilt. A combination of the cute fabrics and panels provided for fun inspiration.

"hooo hooo"

all the quilting! 

stars and swirls

ribbons sewn in the seams provide tactile stimulation

I had a blast working the longarm these past few days. I also finished up a scrap quilt (for another post!). Now I turn to my next project. Hmmm...

here we go

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" -Mary Oliver

I plan to keep living. And while I enjoy writing, I also enjoy creating. Writing is a form of creation, but I like to change up my mediums. I like textiles and canvas and ink and yarn and well, anything tactile. So I will use this space to write about what I create (and blend the two). At the end of last year, I completed a quilt from a stack of fabric that I had intended to use as complimentary fabric for a cut of cloth with an ocean motif. As the fabrics came together, the ocean fell to the wayside and I began cutting strips with the intention of making random blocks:

They came together nicely, in fact (although, I kept having to cut down pieces to fit... spatial planning is not my strength).

I chose a continuing abstract, replicating square and rectangle quilt pattern (quilted on my mom's long arm machine).

This modern quilt sold this past week at my mom's quilt booth at the Clarksville Downtown Market. I was sad to see it go, but I am glad it has a new home and a cozy bed to keep warm!