Wednesday, February 29, 2012

WIP Wednesday!

I vote we change this to WWIW: Wait, what? It's Wednesday? That hump day creeps up on the unsuspecting (or maybe it's just me) so swiftly!



So, not much progress this week, due to the state of the sewing room:
workspace

It's presently one part kitchen, one part storage space, one part sewing room, and a complete mess!

In contrast, the kitchen is almost empty!
gone!

All the cupboards and benches gone - pulled out to make way for the new.

The new kittehs are settling in quite happy as larry!


Well, not entirely happy as larry. Smokey (the grey tabby)insists that we're starving her - the little grublet is always eating. Her food. Mal's food. Any food that happens to be left lying around. Things that aren't necessarily food but which might be. (Oy vey!)

So it's been a fairly busy week all around....just not that busy in quilting!

I did, however, finish my February Bee Block for the Books and Blocks Bee group!
February Bee Block

Now I have to remember to post it out!

(I am notoriously bad at three things in sewing: exact seams, sewing blocks in the order in which I laid them out, and posting my bee blocks on time.)


Paper Piecing Stars (a.k.a. "The attempt to be modern and mini")

The lack of space means I'm in a block-ish mood. One can do individual blocks, but whole-quilt layouts are somewhat beyond my capabilities with the present space constraints.

And of course, Jenn@PennyPoppleton.com is always ready at hand to assist in my corruption! This time, she did it by buying Carol Doak's 50 Fabulous Paper Pieced Stars. Okay, so she didn't buy it specifically to corrupt me, but corruption took place nevertheless!

50 fabulous paper pieced stars


It's a good book - I was initially skeptical about the value of paper piecing these stars together, but I believe I may be a convert now!

After photocopying some templates for Jenn (who's busy with an adorable-yet-fractious baby and the renovation of a 1950s house) I copied some for myself - specifically the Alabama, Alaska, New York, Ohio, and Oregon blocks. (Each of the 50 paper-pieced star patterns are named after a state of the US.)

I was trying for a rainbow look: not entirely sure I succeeded with either of them.

The Alabama Star block:
Alabama star block

The New York Star block:
New York star block

Both of them together:
Paper pieced stars

Yes, the NY star is smaller than the AL one. That's deliberate. I was going to make this (and others) into a Modern Mini quilt for the challenge. I don't know that I have the time and energy for it right now, what with everything else going on.

Also, after piecing the New York Star Block, I will always, always, always double-check the order of pieces to be pieced. I caused at least an hour of extra work for myself by just sailing in happy as, and then realising I'd started at piece #4, instead of piece #1.

Something else I'm not good at: following instructions!


Simone's Floating WildFlowers (a.k.a. "Modern Traditions")

The wedding quilt for my friend Simone and her new hubs has begun!

Right now this is mostly in the 'cutting and piecing' stages. I'm trying to make sure that I have enough of everything - you can see my calculations in the planning notebook. Whether it actually works out...that's another matter!

Simone's Floating Flowers

The fabric is 'Wildflower Serenade II' - by Moda, I believe. It's very old-fashioned, but the house Simone and her guy are living in is another 1950s creation and I think it'll suit the decor pretty well. Plus her guy is kinda sweet old-fashioned. And I hope that it'll look pretty good with the more modern style layout.

I hope to get the blocks sewn together in the next week. Then we shall see floating flowers!


Unmoved
- Scrap Attack: Dirty Dancing (a.k.a. "Askew")
- Disappearing Harvest: needs binding, will do it on Saturday at SCQuilters group.

Lately I feel like this is becoming less a status update and a bit more of a huge report. Which probably isn't in the spirit of WIP Wednesday. Should I cut it down to just the bare facts? ("Just give me the facts, ma'am.") Or keep going the way it's been going before?

6 comments:

  1. Love your Alabama star, so very pretty!

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  2. That Paper-Pieced Stars book is one of my favorite books that I own! There are some fabulous blocks in there. Your rainbow ones look amazing together! Thanks for linking up to WIP Wednesday. : )

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  3. I really love the pieced blocks you did! I haven't tried paper piecing because it looks hard. LOL

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  4. Haven't paper pieced in 11 years. Might have to go on my to do list I think. I will go and have a look at the book you are using.
    Had to have a chuckle over your craft room and kitchen comparison. Best wishes...x

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