Am I Losing My Mind???

Hello Everyone,

I thought I should try to sew some of the "Y" seams before I got too carried away on this quilt.  It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but there is absolutely no way to rush through them.  This block is sewn together......all 136 pieces of fabric in ONE 20" block! 

This is the next grouping waiting to be sewn together.

The outside is actually a very dark purple on this block.  This is my favorite one so far.  Just look at all the opportunity I have to add lots and lots of color.  I think the gestation time for this quilt is going to be around two years......or more.  It's going to be a long, sloooowwww birth of an amazing quilt.

 

This is the biggest, and most ambitious project I've tackled so far when it comes to quilting.  Selecting the fabrics have become a game, and it is the easy and fun part for me.  I've decided to start keeping track of how many fabrics I've used with swatch sheets.  Now I just need to convince my granddaughters that it is fun to cut little swatches and fill in the blanks.  There are 14 different fabrics in each block. By the time I finish, I will try to incorporate over 200 different fabrics.  This is going to be fun! ......I think!

This project is definitely for an advanced quilter, or an intermediate quilter with 'stones'.....if you catch my drift.  Sorry if I've offended anyone, but it's true!

 

As always,

Lynn

P.S.  I forgot to calculate the fabrics in the setting squares......add another 50 different fabrics.....give or take a few.  My granddaughters are going to be busy cutting squares for those swatch sheets!

A Little Bit of Progress

Hello Everyone,

This quilt has become addictive.  I've been on a mission, arranging and rearranging the strips into pleasing combinations of color while making this intricate block.  I haven't sewn the stars together yet. 

I'm going to make all of the stars, and all of the log cabins, then move them all around to see what combinations look the best.

Teal is a hard color to find.....and I need more teal.

Whenever I do any strip piecing, I get the old pasta dryer out of the closet.

It can hold hundreds of strips, takes up very little room, and I can see exactly what I have to choose from.

When I'm done, there will be sixteen, 20" blocks.  I have to stop working on this one, but I've had so much fun!  Can you tell my quilt is leaning toward an Autumn colorway. 

The blocks will be connected by four log cabin blocks.  This is another opportunity to incorporate more color.....too much fun!



I did some more machine quilting yesterday on Buttonwood.  I'll try to tear myself away from the stars and concentrate on machine quilting today.  There are just too many things that I want to make and do and not enough hours in the day. 

As always,

Lynn

Become a Diamond

Hello Everyone,

Having been on the go for the last week, it is hard to get back to normal and dig in again with my quilting.  We had some wonderful adventures with our company, and look forward to seeing them again.

The only project that "spoke" to me yesterday was Eldon, by Edyta Sitar.  I started cutting up 1-1/4" and 1" strips of fabric that turned into this block.

The story behind the Eldon quilt is HERE.  It is a heartwarming story.  If Eldon can overcome huge odds, I can sew a "Y" seam!  I have not tackled a "Y" seam in my whole quilting career.  By the time this quilt is finished, I hope to become an expert.

If you start this quilt, I highly recommend that you purchase the two templates which help with the construction.  You begin by making an 8-point star.

Then you make eight 4-1/2" log cabins.

I haven't sewn any of the cabins to the star yet.  I'm still practicing my "Y".....Why, because I need to.

This quilt is a real scrapper, just like Eldon.  I can throw in everything but the kitchen sink into this quilt.  I love to combine the different colors to see what works and what doesn't work.  I also think this quilt would look fabulous using batiks. 

When I get tired of working on other quilts, I'll return to Eldon and make more stars.  I love this quote in the article about Eldon. 

“When you are confronted with trials and pressures, you can either break or be like a diamond."

 I've received many emails over the past week and I promise I'll answer them this week.  Some of you are facing many hardships and tough times.  My wish for you is to become a diamond......you may be a diamond in the rough.....but become a diamond and let your life sparkle.

As always,

Lynn