Design Wall Monday - Primavera

Urban Beads is done and off my design wall.  Piecing a back for it now so I can have it quilted. 

I decided to put my Primavera blocks back up.    I rarely work on this quilt.  Its a really old project (it was a Design Wall Monday post in 2010!).  I want it done and out of my head.  So I decided to not do any more of the applique blocks.  Instead I'm piecing blocks to fill in spaces.  Already made some sawtooth stars. 

 I have to rearrange what I have made so far and then do some math to figure out how much I need to piece.  I also have to do all the embroidered bits to the blocks I have.  Just thinking about it makes me want to pull them all down again!   Focus, Cindy!

Linking to Patchwork Times Design Wall Monday.

Design Wall Monday - Urban Beads

I finally put the rows together on my smaller Indian Blanket quilt (which I'll post tomorrow) so I have been sewing my Urban Beads blocks into rows. I have 9 rows done and 3 more to go. I'm hoping to finish those rows today. We'll see how the day goes! :)

I'm loving the saturated colors of these In The Beginning modern solids.  Yum!

Ok. Back to sewing. 

Check out what others have up on their design walls here. 

Design Wall Monday - Small Indian Blanket

I played with the Indian Blanket pattern from the Angled class I took.   I'm going to be teaching this as a class in March so wanted to create an optional small version.  

I used mostly Aneela Hoey fabrics.   I sewed the two top rows together after I took this picture.  Its 42.5 inches wide.  Not sure yet what the length will be.   

I'm really loving this!

Linking up at Patchwork Times here.

Design Wall Monday - Prism blocks

After I finished the Indian Blanket quilt top I put my Prism blocks up. This kind of scrappy project needs the design wall so I can balance out color.   The paper pieced blocks don't stick at all to the design wall until I've pulled off the paper....ugh, I really dislike that part.    They are coming together nicely.  I'm not really in a hurry with this so I expect it'll be up for a month or so.  :)

Just for fun:

My helper when I was putting binding on a quilt (a very old ufo!)

Linking with Design Wall Monday over at Patchwork Times. 

Design Wall Monday - Fabric layout

I love playing with fabric and making decisions about which ones to use - and where - for a new project. After many changes...and more changes....and more....I think this is my fabric arrangement that I've settled on for the Indian Blanket quilt in Angled class (that starts today!).  The fabrics on the right will be the background for that row.  I'm not happy with the backgrounds on the bottom two but will see as I start sewing.

Linking up with Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday - Hexies

I finally have something new on my design wall!  

I love hexies and when I saw this tutorial on Crafty Fox blog I knew I wanted to make the quilt.  No y-seams since you add the pieces on the corners to make a square block.  And I love the zig zag that is created.   I bought a pre-cut pack of hexies to eliminate cutting hexies.   It is requiring a bit more pinning than I thought I'd have to do and that's slowing me down.  But I do love how its turning out.  

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday on Judy's blog.  Head over to check out what others are working on!

Design Wall Monday - Retro Rubies

I haven't done a Design Wall Monday post in ages!  Mostly because I have the same quilt on my main design wall that was there ages ago.  Yikes!   Too many distractions with other projects.  

I do have an alternate design wall and that's where I'm gonna show one of my distraction projects. 

 Back in May I got excited about the Retro Rubies quilt a-long which I wrote about here.

I cut everything out but never did finish the top while the quilt a-long was happening.  I decided it was time to get that project done so I worked all weekend!

All the blocks are done and most of the sashing is on too. I just have a bit more sashing - 5 to be exact - and then I'll be done.  Woo hoo!  I'm calling mine Retro Sapphires.  :)

For some reason I sewed way too many curved blocks and had extras.  I used them to make another flower (with no sashing) and a label for the back.

Linking to Design Wall Monday with Judy here.

Design Wall Monday - Hugs and Kisses

I have a super cute quilt on my design wall right now. It's a pattern by Jaybird Quilts called "Hugs and Kisses".     I have bought Hawaiian fabrics the last two times I traveled to Hawaii and my best friend also picked some up for me on one of her trips there.  I used them for this quilt.   Blocks are all done but not put together yet. 

                                                                          Here it is:

And here is a close-up of 4 blocks so you can see the fabrics better:

I love Judy's new motto that she said on her blog this morning - “Why Finish Something When I Can Start Something New?”    That is so true for me....but I'm determined to finish this one as it holds fun vacation memories for me!

You can peek at other projects on design walls this morning at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday - Curlicue Crush

I am currently cutting out fabric for the Curlicue Crush quilt by Bec of Chasing Cottons.  I've wanted to make this for quite some time.  But first I wanted just the right fabric. Of course!  These are all by Patricia Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics.  Love her work.
The pattern calls for you to make your own templates for the curved block.  Oooo...that was a stumbling block for me.  I really didn't want to cut that many curves with a plastic template.  TabSlot to the rescue.  Have you heard of this Etsy shop?   I was so excited to find it.  Jill will custom make templates for you.  All I had to do was ask and voila! I had acrylic templates.    I would be done cutting by now but I've been sick and doing nothing but napping these past several day.

I wanted to try sewing this curve so played with some scraps.  Since this is a corner to corner curve I knew I wouldn't have much room to mess up or I'd have no seam allowance.   No problems though.  The little blocks sewed up nicely.

This is as "off" as I got:

That would be a sixteenth of an inch and is close enough for me!  I feel pretty confident to start the sewing.  Sew sew excited!!!

Linking up with other Design Wall Monday folks over at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday - Lucky Stars

I can't believe I actually have a new project on my design wall so soon after the last one!

I've had the blocks done for quite some time and the sashing rectangles cut out too.  All I needed was to put them up and try to balance color.   It shouldn't take too long to sew it all together. 

The pattern is called "Lucky Stars", by Atkinsons Designs.   Another super easy quilt.

See other designs walls here.  

Design Wall Monday - Sweet Garden

Here it is....my "Sweet Garden" top.   There are just two more seams to join sections, that gray sashing strip all the way around the outside, and I'll be done.   Can't believe I actually got it done this fast.   Totally not my normal speed.   I'm gonna use leftover layer cake squares to piece the back.....should be cute.

See other design walls here.

Design Wall Monday - Sweet Garden

I randomly post Design Wall Monday entries.  Mostly because I don’t change what’s up there very often…….you’d think cuz I was so darn slow but really it’s cuz I’m so easily distracted by other projects!  
Anyhoo.  I’m currently working on a quilt pattern called “Sweet Garden” by Carolina Patchworks.  I’m using fabric by Aneela Hoey…its her line called “Sherbet Pips”.  So cute.
This quilt is done in big sections.  I’ve sewn one section together and am working on the second one.  There are nine of them.   

See what others have up on their design walls here.

Design Wall Monday - Primavera

This is what was on my design wall this morning.  It's a beautiful applique quilt called "Primavera"....which you can find at Vintage Spools.   I am making changes in some blocks to make the quilt more personal to me.  For example, I had to add my cat Finnian.  :)       I decided to put up all I've made so far and then decide on background fabrics for the rest.   I labeled them and took a picture.....hopefully I won't forget when I prepare new ones to applique.

But, this is what is on my design wall as of this evening:

This is a picture of all the strips I sewed together with my focus fabric below.   I made one strip set which gave me the pieces in the picture above.  

This quilt will be on my design wall for quite a while.....and change a few times.   It takes weeks to play with all the pieces.....what happens if you move this here.....or add this there?   That kind of thing!!!   I'm excited about it, though.   Love this project.  
See other design walls at Judy's site.  Enjoy.

Design Wall Monday - Dad's Quilt

I finished all the blocks for my current quilt project and they're up on the design wall!    This was a fun project to work on.   I don't know the name of the pattern but its from the book "Cozy Modern Quilts" by Kim Schaeffer.   I used two jelly-rolls of Hoffman batiks.....such rich colors.   

Be sure to visit more design walls at Judy's Design Wall Monday blog.   :)

Design Wall Monday - Lemon Chiffon

I don't participate in Design Wall Monday very often cuz my design wall doesn't change frequently enough!   But I did put up some blocks from a very old project....determined to FINISH it this time.   I took a class from Sandy Bonsib years ago through our local quilt guild.  She was just starting her quilt series on color value (titles are dessert names).  She was teaching "Lemon Chiffon"...a value study on lights.  She was a good teacher but I didn't dig an entire quilt of lights, so I never finished the blocks.   I figure its time to just be done.  I can use the top as practice for the long arm machine and then it can be a baby quilt for some one.

Speaking of the long arm machine.  Tink and I were able to work together last week and she was my teacher for the day on the shops HQ Avante.   I am trying to learn the computerized part of it.   I loaded my Warm Wishes quilt and away we went.  Tink was a super duper teacher and I came away feeling much more confident.  Not ready to fly solo yet....but I feel closer to that time than ever before.  

Design Wall Monday - Birdie Big Blocks again

Same quilt project as last time but now the birds are fused in place. Next comes sewing it all down with a blanket stitch on the machine. I haven't done it before so I'm expecting it take a some time as I learn.

Won't be happening any time soon....its Christmas time and that means other projects. :)

You can see other projects in progress via Judy's site at Patchwork Times.

Design Wall Monday - Birdie Big Blocks

I have done a Design Wall Monday post before.....back in July....and my wall has finally changed! That other quilt is off, quilted and ready for it's binding. Pretty fast for me. Since this meme is still going on over at Patchwork Times, I decided to post what's on my wall again. I found this collection of fabrics at Leavenworth last June while on a quilt retreat. I've been waiting for the "perfect" pattern to use them in. I wanted something that used big pieces of the fabric so I could see a lot of it. I found one called Birdie Big Blocks that you can see at Cabbage Rose Quilts. These circles will have cute birds in them...and that's it. Simple. Easy. Fast. I'll be able to enjoy the bright colors this winter when it's gray and dull outside.

Design Wall Monday - Faiths Quilt

Judy Laquidara over at Patchwork Times does a meme called "What's on your design wall" every Monday. I think its been going on for 6 weeks or so. It's not a good meme for me since my design wall doesn't change weekly....or monthly.....and some times not for a very long time! But I just put up these blocks...aren't they happy fabrics and oh so summery? I thought it would be a bit of
shamingaccountability for me to share it with you and then see how long I procrastinate at finishing. LOL!