Camelot block #7

I'm not sure if I'm slow, lazy, or just busy with other stuff - likely a combination.  Yes, I was hoping to get this block completed and posted by July 14 but we all know the truth of the matter....life happens.

                                                     Now presenting....Camelot block #7

As usual, it's not my favorite.  Outer row triangles could have more contrast...but it's finished, and that matters more.  I have #8 cut out and ready to stitch.  Since I don't want this quilt to take ten more years to complete I will just need to be more diligent.

Now, if I could just figure out how to rotate that photo.  See my cute little travel iron at the top?  I had bought a small iron at a fabric store but just didn't like it.  It was awkward to use, not cooperative when it came to staying in a resting position.  Found this new one, it even has the option of steam which I will likely never use.  It worked great for pressing this block flat...hooray!!!

Happy Quilting!!

From the bin of scraps...

Good fine summer morning to you all!  I have been playing in the scrap bins of late.  We all have one, full of bits and pieces too big to throw away and too small to shuffle back into their color/category home.

This particular good sized bin of mixed colors seemed like a good place to start a new project.

I recently acquired the book, Quilt Lovely by Jen Kingwell.  I am a fan of nearly every quilt in the book. Needing something simple for my brain I chose "Bonnie Lass" for my first endeavor, cutting 400 rectangles from this bin exclusively.  Seriously, it didn't even make a dent.  I cut another 400 rectangles and setting triangles from a box of neutrals.

In no time at all blocks were forming and joining and TA DA!!!

Here are the results.  I love it!!!

Making myself a little gap of time tomorrow to get it quilted so I can do the binding during our camping weekend.  Weekend forecast is 100+ in the valley, hoping it's cooler in the mountains.

My next goal: Finishing block #7 of the Camelot quilt before July 14

Happy Quilting,
Laurel

Hot off the press, iron pressing that is!

Yay!! Just completed round #6 of my Camelot quilt.  This one was pretty simple so it went relatively quickly.

I changed the center by fussy cutting a flower rather than piecing a circle of four quarters.  

In looking at all I have so far I really need to veer a little more toward the green and orange side and limit my purples until I have more balance.  I love my little kitties in the outer ring.  

Here are all of the rounds I've completed..

This is a great way to get a feel for color and value choices that need to be made in future rounds.

Fun times!!  Happy Stitching!!

Sewing for the grands!!

My spare time these past couple of weeks has been spent working up these three dresses for two of my granddaughters.
The pattern for the Feliz dress can be found in the 2010 book Sewing Clothes Kids Love, still available on Amazon or through studio TANTRUM.

My daughter saw the dress on Etsy back in 2010 and asked that I would make a couple of dresses for each of her girls, then size 18m-2T and size 4.  That went well and they both loved their twirly fun dresses.  Four dresses down.

Then to be fair I had to make another for our youngest granddaughter.  That makes five.

Next thing I know oldest girly (age 11 at the time) secretly wishes she could twirl like the littles and I've completed six.

The much loved dresses were quickly outgrown, handed down and new dresses in the next larger size were made to replace the gap left.  I would have never imagined how much they would cherish these fun festive summer dresses.  This spring there was a meltdown as the discovery was made that there wasn't a fitting Feliz in the entire collection of eight dresses.

One, two, three shift.  The handing down and replacing continues and these are now dress #9, #10 and #11.

Today the girls were here to get their new dresses (sizes 8 and 10) and the twirling and giggling began again.

It was a beautiful summer day, perfect for rocking on the porch, playing with the dog and only thinking about playing in the sprinklers.

This is the precious girl who was heartbroken to be without her favorite dresses.  She's a girly girl, preferring dresses over anything else.

Oh! To be young and have a twirly dress.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!!

Woodrow Wilson Quilt

This is a quilt that I just finished up last week.  The pattern came from the Woodrow Wilson museum in Pennsylvania.  It is a replica of a quilt that was in Wilson's birthplace home.  Quilts made from the pattern are then registered with the museum.  My friend, Gayle, made this beauty. Her piecing is impeccable.  Here are a few of the details I added to her magnificent work.

The Washington Monument

Supreme Court 

National Cathedral 

Woodrow Wilson 

White House 

US Capitol 

We The People 

Lovely view 

Always a bunny on Gayle's quilts 

Another view 

Gayle and I were both very pleased with how this quilt turned out.

Happy quilting, Laurel.

T

Round #5

Just finished the fifth round of my Camelot quilt.  It's slow going, finding time to hand piece isn't easy.  I can hardly believe I only have eleven to go.  Some of them look pretty simple, others, not so much.

As usual, I'm having those "what would I have done differently" conversations with myself.  I'm happy enough with it to be moving on to round six.  The light fabric in the center was a gift from my friend, Nancy.  I call it Toto fabric, not because that's the fabric line but because one of the little motifs in the print looks like it says toto.  I know, just my own little quirky brain at work.

Round #4

This is Round #4 of the Camelot quilt.  As usual, I questioned my fabric choices the whole way through.  Hear the debate in my head:  The gray speckle doesn't have enough contrast...arrghh, I can't believe I tried to fussy cut that bargello print, what was the point? what was I thinking?...and it goes on and on

But guess what??

I really like this round (can't call it a "block" just yet).

Does anyone else have these internal struggles with their fabric selections?  I can't believe I'm alone.

So, here is Round #5, templates made, pieces cut out and first section machine stitched together.  I will be back to hand piecing the rest of it.  I was thinking it would be faster, easier....WRONG!!

At least for me, hand piecing is so much more pleasurable and accurate.  So, at this point I still am happy with my color, contrast, balance of fabric choices here.  I will second guess it before I finish and then love it again when I'm finished....because that's just how it goes.

Happy quilting...Laurel