Progress - i think I am in love!

With one piece quilted,  I got going on piecing the blocks to make the rest of the quilt.  Thus, I have progress to show you.  I still have a way to go but I am loving this quilt.  (It is rainy and dark today so the picture is a bit dull.)

As you can see,  two of the giant four patches have not yet been sashed (and you can see my ugly linoleum floor. )
I decided on a layout in Electric Quilt.  I exported a photo of the layout so i can get to it quickly when I am trying to decide which way to put the blocks. (ignore the colors)

  Truthfully, I will probably have more of the Arrowhead blocks in it since I already have more of them made.  Since the blocks are so similar, I don't think it will be obvious with my wide variety of bright colors.
 I have also been weaving away.  I finished a piece of fabric for a newsboy type cap.  I have commissioned a friend to make it for me. She has already worked out the pattern and even made one for a "large head" for someone else.  I got to try that one on and if it wasn't already sold would have taken it.  It will probably be a few weeks before I get the cap, but I will be showing it off when it is finished.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Make Haste Slowly

The quilt I am making is slowly progressing.  I am making haste slowly.  Really I am working on it when I am not chasing some other squirrel of creativity or doing the necessities of life. (Yes, rest is a necessity!)
So the first section is pieced and quilted.

I am using the solid block areas for two reasons.
1. Less blocks to piece - thus insuring that I don't get bored and quit.
2.  More open/negative space for free motion quilting.

Here are my two favorite areas I have quilted on this:

The quilting on the blue is my favorite.  It is my version of a pattern I learned somewhere (who knows!)  This time I didn't look it up to refresh my memory.  As Frank Sinatra sang - I did it my way.  The brown paisley design also has some "me" quirks.

I have started piecing the next section. I have one of the two four patches pieced and sashed.

I have discovered that choosing the solids takes more time than sewing it.  I have this laid next to the quilted section. As you can see, this section will mirror image the previous section. I am debating if the next row will mirror image the first row. I think that will make the layout more interesting than a checkerboard design.

I want to thank ALL three of my free motion quilting inspirations also.  Thanks to Christina Cameli, Leah Day and Cindy Needham.  The books and/or classes from these three quilting gurus have really helped me to lose the fear of free motion quilting. The fact that none of them worry about mistakes in the quilting helps too.
Another quilter - Pat Merkle AKA Color Me Quilty - has also inspired me.


My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Quilt Progress and some Silk Spinning

The Arrowhead and Old Italian blocks are coming along nicely.  I have a big stack of them - although it isn't big enough yet.

I think I am short a few of the Arrowheads and several of the Old Italian blocks for my original plan. So I switched gears on it and redesigned the quilt. I am using these as parts of giant four patch blocks that will be 17" square.  Since I am doing this as a quilt as you go quilt, I decided to make one of the giant blocks and prepare it for quilting. So it has sashing on two sides so far.  I am still debating on the exact way I will do this.

It will definitely be these four patch blocks with white sashing.  I just haven't decided if I will do it in sections this size OR do an entire row at a time.  An entire row would require less "fussy work" later - but it would also mean I would be wrangling a 20" by 80" quilt piece as I was quilting.  I do believe I will think on it some more.

I also tried my hand at spinning some silk.  I really enjoyed it and the skein is hanging to dry.  Here is a photo of part of it on the wheel.

Don't worry if I am missing for days at a time.  I have been spending more time with Mom lately and less time doing fiber work.


My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Starting to look like ......

It is starting to look like a serious quilt here.  There are now 21 of the Arrowhead blocks sewn and 4 of the Old Italian blocks for a grand total of 25. . The nice thing about making the Italian blocks is that when you cut them out you get pieces for two blocks - a positive and a negative version. So I need to concentrate on making those at this point.

The Twenty Five made so far. 

 Those multi color batiks can make the blocks look distorted a bit.  I find that interesting - but I am not changing them.
I have other things going on now also so it may be a couple of days before I get back to these. Meanwhile, have a wonderful weekend.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Big Dream Project

Over at Field Trips in Fiber, Vicki is running a  Big Dreams Project link up.  My big dream project was to weave enough fabric to make a coat. I wanted it to be somewhat light since I wouldn't wear a heavy coat often in Alabama.  I had a design in mind but a visit with another weaver changed that when I tried on a design she had made.  It is unconventional -especially for a man - but I loved it.

So I took the yardage I had made and sewed away.
Here it is on a hanger:

I  hate to say that it looks better on the hanger than on me. But, well that is the truth.   Here it is on me.

The fabric is mostly cotton but due to the draping fabric it is warm enough for what I had planned.
What are your big dream projects?

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

More Blocks -Adding an Alternate

I have been cranking out a few Arrowhead blocks.  I decided to look in Anita's book "Rotary Cutting Revolution" to see what else I could find to work with it.

I really liked the block on the cover which is called the "Old Italian" block.  Oops, there is a problem!  Using the sizes in the book, the block finishes to six inches.  The Arrowhead block finishes at 8.5 inches. Hmm...what to do?

I could resize the Arrowheads - but NO!  I have made too many already - and I like a larger block.
I had some layer cake squares leftover -so I tried using two of them and guessing at where to cut.  I got two nice 8.5" blocks - but they are slightly off somehow.  Hmmm.......
I knew Anita had how to make alternate sizes of the Arrowhead on her blog.  So I went searching.  Sigh!

No luck!

What to do?  I saw that Anita has a page on Facebook.  Oh look- it says she answers 100% of her messages.  [Gene messages Anita]  Anita got back with me and said to use 10.5" squares and gave me a measurement for the center square of the block.  (She was rushing off to an appointment...I know that feeling.) Fabric, starch, iron! Cut big squares.  Cut...hmmm... Guessing game again.  Finish cutting.  Lay out blocks - SEW!

The picture is crooked but the blocks are not. It worked!  Okay so maybe not exactly right but totally usable.
Here are more of the Arrowhead blocks with one "Old Italian" block in the middle.

I think it works pretty good in there. Since I will be adding sashings and possibly some wholecloth squares as blocks, I think it will be great.  Stay tuned. I know I am curious to see how it turns out.  I hope you are too.

NOTICE:  The Webby Awards are being voted on.  My friends at Craftsy are in the running.  I get nothing for this, but I would love to see them win.  Please go to "Webby Awards" and vote for Craftsy. 


My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Heading that way

I have slowed down in quilting, but I certainly haven't stopped.  I am addicted to the Anita's Arrowhead blocks.   These will definitely become a quilt.  I have decided to stick with batiks and possibly add in some solids.  So far I have only used batiks.

Right now I have a lovely "nine patch" of them although they are not joined.  Every time I make one, I am amazed at how well it works out. I am thinking that I will do four patch groupings of them with a sashing around each four. patch. Adding the sashing will allow me to do the quilt as you go  method that I love to use.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Two More

Batiks are so hard for me to resist.  I saw a couple (really it is three of them) in my stash and decided to make two more of the "Anita's Arrowhead" blocks.   They are pretty easy and they are a lot of fun.  Mine don't come out absolutely perfect, but that is fine by me.  I don't plan to enter quilts in quilt shows, so any quilt police can politely move on.
Here are my two blocks.

I used the same purple batik in both blocks but the green/cream batiks are different although very similar.  I love the way the designs and colors played out and added surprises in the construction of  the two blocks.  The blue parts of the batiks really got shown off nicely. The right hand block shows some pink in the batik that I didn't notice until the block was completed.

I hope that you are having some fun playing with fabric or fiber today also.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

.

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Arrowhead Quilt Block - The Easy Way

One of the blogs I read posted about this cool pattern that is free from QuilterMaker.com  The blogger that posted it was Linda from "life, quilts and a cat too" Thank You, Linda!

I was planning to do something else with different fabric when these two batiks caught my eye.   This pattern was in my "saved to try" list and used - that's right! two contrasting  fabrics.

Silly impatient guy that I am, I didn't take any process photos.  But here is the completed block.

You start with two eight inch squares and end up with a nine inch block.  There was very little trimmed so I am assuming that a lot ends up in the seam allowances.  What I love is that with very little fussing this came out almost perfect.

I will warn you that the corner pieces are mirror images and if you pick up the wrong one and sew it, you will get to use your seam ripper.  Yes, I made that mistake, so I am trying to let YOU learn from my mistake.

Now I know you are thinking "where can I get the pattern?"  Okay,  here is the link to the pattern for Anita's Arrowhead. The Anita is Anita Grossman Solomon.

Also if you want to make different sizes, here is a link to a file  that Anita posted with alternate sizes.

And here are some layouts I did in Electric Quilt

My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.

Somewhat "Quiet Time"

I have been missing in action for a bit.   I am sorry.  Sometimes I just need to have a quiet time.  I was housesitting so I wasn't able to work on quilts. Why?  The couple I sit for has pets so I didn't want the sharp objects (pins, rotary cutters) around to place the fur babies at risk.

I did some spinning and weaving.  
I used one of my yarn singles to make this coil yarn.

This yarn will add some fun textures when it is woven into fabric.

I also wove a big lovely piece of fabric that is a combination of silk, wool and cotton fibers. There are three pictures and you still won't see all of it. I told you it is a big piece.

Then my friend Vicki posted some hand dyed gradient fabrics in her Etsy shop that had been out of stock.
I bought this one:

Red Sunset 1/2 yard

and this one:

Appalachian Sunset 1/2 yard

My goal is to actually USE these gradient fabrics rather than "saving" them because they are too pretty to cut. Ha ha, wish me luck.



My blog is http://blog.geneblack.com
Comments are welcomed. I will reply when possible unless otherwise stated. Of course if you are a "No Reply Blogger" - I can not reply.