Mockup

I played around in EQ5 (yes, EQ5), and came up with a mock up including the outer area of the quilt.  Feast your eyes!  The picture is horrible and cut off in the corners, but it will serve as a great guide for number of flowers needed and color scheme.  I plan on some feather quilting in the open corners.

Who needs EQ when you have...

....graph paper and crayons!  Well, if I had a few hundred to throw around I might just pick up a copy.  Until then I will do this the old fashioned way!

This is an approximate layout of the new quilt.  I don't have room to take sewing equipment with me on vacation, so I am starting the next english paper piecing project.  I am not a huge fan of the black and I will replace that color with gold tones.

I ran out of room and could not mess around with the corners, but this will be the main part of the quilt (above).   Below is a picture of the civil war fabrics I have been stashing for more than a year.

Below are the greens and neutrals.  It seems I may need more greens, but I like the range of colors.



Below is one of my favorite fabrics.  I bought it on sale at my LQS and they don't have any more.  This is a fabric I could buy in bulk!

Do you have a favorite fabric you wish you had more of?

Quilt-in-a-Box

Orca Bay that is!  I gave a big sigh once I finished the last string block, thanks in part to the help of many of my blog friends!  Here they are, all 72!

I suppose this pile of fabric and thread will someday soon make a quilt.

Just as a teaser, this is a sneak peak of what is to come.  I have a feeling this is going to be a new favorite!



For now, Orca Bay will be in a box.  I am starting to kit up a vacation project because I really only can do handwork.  I hope to have this pieced by mid July and ready for quilting!

Opinions on hexagon templates please.

I am planning my next hexagon quilt.  My plan is to start the new one while on vacation next month.  Here is the pattern I will use.  I think I may switch some colors, but this is the overall layout.

I believe I saved this picture from Victoria's Bumblebeans blog.  I can't find the link anymore unfortunately.  I wish I could share and give credit where credit is due.  I believe this is an antique quilt that was on display in a museum.  I have no idea what size this quilt finishes at, but I will be using 1"hexagons.

My question to you is:  What is the best way to go when considering paper pieces?  Here are my options:

1) Buy bulk paper pieces.  I can get around 600 or so for about $15, give or take.  I can use many of them more than once before they need to be tossed.

2) Buy mylar.  I can get about 88 for 13-15$.  These can be used many times, and I hear that using them can help reduce the possibility of visible stitches on the front.  I might have to buy more than one set though, because I make my hexagon quilts in sections.

3)cut out my own.  I have a small sheet of mylar and can make one or two templates.  I can trace these templates out on card stock (I have some) and cut them out individually.  This is what I did with the last one.  Downsides?  It adds to the time making the quilt.  I occasionally cut one a tad tinier and have to ease it a little to make it fit right with the other pieces.  It didn't cause any major issues in the last quilt, but it is annoying if I find and use a bad one.  Upside is that it is way cheaper!!!

Thoughts!

P.S.  I wanted to send out my appreciation to many of you who have offered to assist me in adding variety to my grays in my Orca Bay project.  I am really humbled by your kindness and will pay it forward!!

Back to the drawing board.

So, earlier I mentioned that I had ordered a Creative Memory hexagon punch from eBay.  Well, due to overzealous bidding on my part, I have TWO (of the same size).  I have been so excited thinking that I could cut time and increase accuracy through making my own hexagon shapes.  I received one of them in the mail today, and was sad that I didn't realize that the size of the cutter did not equate to the measurement of each hexagon side.  I purchased the .75 and 1 inch hexagon maker.  I thought each side of the hexagon was .75 and 1 inch respectively.  Nope.  The size is the width of the hexagon.  My bad!  This is useless to me, and I will have two of them!  Back to eBay they go!

I will be using 1" hexagons in my next project.  Does anyone out there know if the large Creative Memories hexagon punch makes hexagons with 1" sides?

One last step....

It seems like the flying geese were the hardest part of Orca Bay.  It seemed to take forever, and great care was needed to prevent making wonky blocks.  They are now finished and I like how they look!  It truly took nearly every last piece of black fabric I had, minus a bit of yardage for the binding.



I have ONE more step before assembly.  It helps that I will not be doing the border on the original Orca Bay.  I am not sure what I am going to do exactly.  I will wait and see what the center looks like to get an idea.  The last step for me will be making the 3.5" string blocks.  There are 72, and I now have about 31 complete!

There is one potential problem.  I may run out of grays.  I didn't have many to begin with and lacked a ton of variety, but I wanted to use the color anyway.  I need to decide if I am going to chance not having enough or I may need to visit some shops.  Gray isn't a popular color around here!  Gray fabrics are trendy right now, but my LQS's don't carry a lot of super trendy fabrics.  There aren't many modern quilters around here!  I seem to like to be last minute in my choices, so one way or another I will get the job done.  I want to get this baby together!!!

One last thing.  The next hexie quilt is in the planning stages!  I ordered a Creative Memories hexie punch from eBay and will be sharing some pictures and ideas with you once that happens!  Do any of you have a Creative Memories hexie punch out there?

Happy Quilting!  You guys are awesome!



Hippo time!

This is hippo.

He is my oldest son's lovey.  My son is always snuggling with him, so had him pick out a fun fabric to make a little hippo sleeping bag.  Easy-peasy!

That is one happy hippo!

As for the stash report, I used a measly fat quarter!

Stash Report

Used this Week: .25
Used year to Date: 15.5 yards
Added this Week: 0
Added Year to Date: 14.5 yards
Net Used for 2012: 1.25 yards

UFOs (Charlotte's Baskets, Orca Bay, Wooden Bear July Mini)

 

Check out Judy's site, Patchwork Times, for more stash reporting!

I spy a new project

I am not totally geared up for a new project yet, but I have started to go through my novelty fabric (finally dwindling down) and fussy cut some 2.5" squares.  There is a set of twins on the way and they will need to snuggle in some adorable little quilts.

This is the pattern I think I want to use.  It is Moda Bakeshop's Four Squared quilt.  I am going to do a 5 x 5 layout for a 40" Square quilt.  I have some 2.5 strips in my scrap bin and will pair it up with some random I-spy pieces.

If you see the upper portion of the picture below, you might see that I am working on a new step in Orca Bay.  I am about halfway through with piecing the flying geese blocks.  After this step, I will need to complete the gray string blocks and will be ready to assemble!

The rest of the novelty fabric?  I am going to pass it on.  I have made quite a few projects with the fabric I have.  I am not ruling out any I spy quilts in the future, but it is time to collect some new fabrics and start with a clean slate.

What are you up to this weekend?