Wednesday, February 26, 2014

WIP Wednesday: the one with lots of finishes!


So, this week, all the stars aligned, the heavens sang, I got my ass into gear and finished a whole bunch of things!

(and yes, there's a little bit of WIP at the end - I promise!)

Finishes

Shattered Star

So, I said I finished pattern-testing the Shattered Star last week, but I only got around to photographing it in all it's giant, subtle glory on the weekend.

Finished Quilts 2014

It's pretty big - about 85" x 85" - and the star is a lot more subtle than I was hoping it would be. But it's a great pattern (in spite of the horror of all those HSTs) and when Jenn publishes it, I'm sure it'll be very popular!

Simone's Super-Tote!

After a great deal of procrastination (two months since I promised to make it), we proudly present THE SUPER-TOTE!

supertote

Once I actually got all the pieces of this together, it took about 4 hours to assemble. And quite a lot of that was reading and re-reading the pattern to make sure I wasn't going to, I don't know, sew the straps inside the lining or something stupid like that. (I didn't. But it was close.)

I changed up the pattern a little because the fabric I used as the bag base had such a lovely design, I couldn't bear to cover it up with an external pocket!

supertote by noodlehead

I also didn't do the elasticised inside pockets. Because I couldn't find my elastic. (My notion of storing sewing notions is to shove them in a drawer somewhere. Anywhere!)

supertote by noodlehead

It'll get sent out just as soon as I finish the half-dozen 'baby change cones' so Simone's little boy doesn't pee all over her while she's changing him! (On the list of things to do tonight.)

SMQG Pickle Dish

So, the Sydney Modern Quilt Guild has decided to do a 'pickle dish' quilt out of the Kaffe Fassett book 'Quilt Romance'. We purchased the book from out of Guild funds, and have been distributing the patterns to our members for making.

Such bright! So colours! #SydMQG #quilt #blocks

I've had the patterns for these since, oh, December last year. Actually getting them done? Not until this past Monday night. THIS PAST MONDAY.

And only because we have to get the quilt together in time for the submission to the NSW Quilt Guild for the 2014 Show in June!

Sydney MQG show quilt blocks

I'll make a couple more for the guild if they're needed, but in the meantime, I need to actually get a move on my own submission for the 2014 Show...

WIPs

I have plans for two quilts, which will be easy enough to finish before June (the show) but which I need to have in some form of completion for the submission (15th March).

Seeing as the 2014 Sydney Quilt Show now has a 'modern' category for judging, I'm going to submit two quilts in there. We can always do with more 'modern' quilts in the show!

quilt show planning

Quilt One: Symphony in Solids

This is a pretty simple idea: HSTs in solids, and the design/layout will be the 'modern' look. Traditional piecing, but with the dramatic look of the richly coloured fabrics and the blocks laid out to decieve the eye.

My current fabric choices are Kona Stone + Reese Scanell's shot cottons. I've had a bunch of Scanell Shot Cottons stored up since the last Quilt Show (or possibly longer) and this seems like an excellent time and place to use them.

I'm not looking forward to the HSTs, though. Expect lost of moaning and whining and questioning of my sanity!

Quilt TWo: Planned Improv

This one is going to be rather more complicated - a lot of improv piecing within framed and formal blocks, some paper-pieced blocks, curves, circles, and perhaps a little bit of code!

It'll be scrappy, but with solid panels for the background, and I'm hoping to 'float' the framed improv bits on the quilt top.

A lot of work, but I think it's time I tried something a little different to my usual process of "chain piece the blocks! Chain piece ALL THE BLOCKS!" And it'll be a learning experience. (That, or a test of my sanity.)

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So, after all that, what have you been doing this week? Have you linked up to the party at Freshly Pieced?

18 comments:

  1. visiting from WIP Wednesday. I love the Kaffe Fassett challenge. Wow

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    1. We (the Sydney MQG) hope it's going to be an amazing quilt when it's done!

      Thanks for coming by!

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  2. Congrats to you on all those finishes! Love the pickle dish!

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    1. Thank you!

      I took the pickle dish blocks over to the Sydney MQG president's house last night and added it to the others - it looks really stunning!

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  3. The Pickle Dish blocks look stunning! (just Imagine a whole quilt!!! ) Linda NZ

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    1. Thank you!

      There'll be pictures up on the Sydney Modern Quilt Guild site fairly soon - we need a decent pic of the blocks and layout for the 2014 Sydney Quilt Show entry.

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  4. Congrats on your finished. I especially love the tote you made.

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    1. Thank you!

      The tote is quite amazing and I think I'll have to try it again now that I'm more familiar with how it all goes together.

      She has another bag pattern that I've bought - the 261 tote, and I really want to try that.

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  5. Replies
    1. Hey Marjorie, thank you! Hopefully there'll be even better ones next week!

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  6. Love the tote - it's on my never-ending to-do list! The pickle dish is going to be fantastic!

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    1. I've been slightly scared of making this tote, but it really wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Still a little tricky, getting all the pieces in the right places, but not that bad!

      Thanks for coming by!

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  7. That tote bag caught my eye, such cool fabric and design. I want to give it a try! And that pickle dish is great! That pattern is on my bucket list and I love it each time I see it!

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    1. Thank you!

      The fabric is one of the Echino Kokka fabrics - kind of like a heavy linen weave? I have several of them - so lovely - and need to make bags out of them because they're just so nice!

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  8. I keep eying the Gypsy Kisses pattern in Material Obsession II, which is very similar to the Kaffe Pickle Dish pattern. I love it anytime I get to see some of these blocks!

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    1. Yes! The guild president has the Material Obsession II book, and showed me the Gypsy Kisses pattern last night.

      I believe the difference is that the MO2 GK is appliqued on, and the KF PD is pieced. I personally prefer the pieced version, but I can see how the MO2 GK would be easier for people who don't want to do the curves!

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  9. you have so many fun projects! Your Super tote fabric is gorgeous!! i would not have covered it with a pocket either. I bought that pattern when Anna came out with it and still haven't made one. Your pickle dish is amazing!!!!

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  10. Your pickle dish blocks are beautiful. Good luck with your guild project.

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I try to answer every comment made, but if I forget to respond to you, I sincerely apologise! Thanks so much for coming by and commenting!