Traveling Quilt Update

I have been hard at work on the pieced parts of the current traveling quilt that I have.  

I have the Sea themed one.  

I thought I would show you the pieces I have done so far.  

The pieces for the top part are almost complete.  

I have to take a break to sew a binding on a baby quilt then I will resume.  

First up is Nessie.  It is an Elizabeth Hartman pattern.  I may have shown this previously.

Then I finished a mermaid.  She is a pattern by Quiet Play.

I made some low volume Friendship Stars and realized I needed a few more of these.

I have the additional stars sewn into their rows, just need to put the rows together to form the stars.

I paper pieced a gigantic word too.

THALASSOPHILE

It means lover of the sea.

It was too large to get a good pic of so I took a video!

Once I finish the binding of the baby quilt I will be back at this again.

I hope to have time this weekend to do the math to put all these pieces together for the top.

Then on to making something for the bottom of the quilt!

What are your goals for the weekend?

~XOP~

First Block On The Next Traveling Quilt

I have Jenny's sea themed quilt to work on for our traveling quilts.  

It is the one I am the most intimidated to work on so have been putting off doing anything.  

I wanted to make something to get myself started but I wanted to be able to finish it too. 

 I found a pattern by Elizabeth Hartman called "Nessie" 

(the Loch Ness Monster) that fit the bill perfectly!  

You can find the free pattern here.

I am still pondering how I want to do the water under her but for now the top part is finished. 

I LOVE her!

Close up .  You can see the bird fabric I used for the sky.  

Cool side angle.

I will be adding this to the top of the quilt but can put something in the water under her or just do some improv water like I did with the fish quilt I did last year.  

I have a few more ideas for this quilt, but we are going to go visit our daughter in NC and then on to Florida soon, so no sewing for me until we get back.

I will leave you with a couple of Finn and Cole photos to tide you over.  

Just look at that LONG arm!

Such a good boy!

If you want to follow our trip progress, find me over on Instagram.  I am @mamaspark59 over there.

~XOP~

Traveling Quilts

I am a part of a group of women that are working on a set of traveling quilts.  

There are 5 of us in the group.  

I have 2 more of the quilts to work on. 

I received Mel's quilt in December and am finally getting it out today!  PHEW!  

Sorry for that delay, Mel.  

Her theme is rainbow.  

She made the center and then sent it off for us to add to it.  

I had some ideas so finally had time to play with it.

I selected these fabrics to use in a Migrating Geese formation for the side of the quilt. 

I used the technique sheet from Deb Tucker.  

If you need to make some MG too you can find the sheet available for purchase here.

It was not a difficult technique but you did need to pay attention and mark where she tells you.

This is what the quilt looked like when I received it.

I realized that I didn't take any photos of the triangles I put at the top. 

I did 2" strips into sets then cut out the triangle. 

I cut a matching triangle out of the white and sewed them together. 

 I was just going to do triangles but decided it didn't add enough height

so turned them into diamonds. 

 I reversed the colors to form half of the diamond then

 put them together with their counter part color.  

I am pretty happy with my additions.

You can also see the migrating geese on the right.  Great technique and I will use this one again.

I did my bee blocks for January and came to the conclusion that I needed to leave the bee. 

 I loved this month's blocks though and can't wait to see what the quilt looks like.

I have more to share but am out of time.  Stop back for more tomorrow!

~XOP~

The Traveling Quilt Begins

I decided that I wanted to do something fun with a few close friends.  

I came up with doing a traveling quilt. 

 I think I have already talked about it in another blog post.  

Briefly, each person makes a center and then you mail the center off and take turns 

adding to each other's quilts.  

I got a chance to begin my center last weekend.  

I showed you the geometric cat pattern I wanted to use but I wanted to make mine orange, 

like my beloved Jack.

You can see the background fabric I chose for my kitty. 

 It is a line done by Jodie Ric Rack for Ella Blue fabrics several years ago now. 

 I do NOT know the exact name but if you are dying to get your hands on some check ETSY.  

Last time I checked there was still some available there.

This is the neck portion of the block.

Here you can see how the head will be put together.

This shows his head and the paper next to it will be his paw (as you can see in the diagram).

I am hoping to get him all finished this weekend!

I still miss my Jack every day.  This will keep him always with me.

~XOP~

One Monthly Goal

I started a traveling quilt with some friends.  

Each of us makes a center with a theme and then we mail to each other to add to the center.  

I've heard them called round robin quilts too.  

My theme is going to be cats.  

I know...BIG surprise right?  

I wanted to start on my center this weekend, 

but with all of the extra church activities I just didn't feel like it.  

I need to get myself in gear this month though as I need to mail the center out on the 27th! 

 I have finally decided to make the geometric cat from the Make Modern magazine. 

I will be making my kitty in oranges to signify my cat Jack.  

I want to put the beginning of the Soft Kitty song around the center.  

I found some applique letters and am thinking about trying to make some geometric fabrics 

and cut the letters out of that.  

Alternately, I might use some of the Simply Color geometric fabric to make the letters, 

(If I can still find that fabric).  

I am excited to begin this journey with all of my friends.  I look forward to seeing everyone's centers.

We all have very different themes!

So my goal this month is to finish my center and mail it.

Linking up with One Monthly Goal.

~XOP~