X and Plus Class Recap

You've seen this project when it was a finished flimsy, but not since it's been quilted. It's my serene green X and Plus quilt. 

When I was making it I had a request to teach a class for it, so I recently taught an X and Plus class to several members of PCQ. Understand, the block has been around for many years and there are dozens of tutorials out there. My students could just as easily have found a tutorial and proceeded on their own. But what I can give them - and what they expect from me - is a little more perspective on color and value than just a tutorial. 

My plan was to start the class by looking at examples of X and Plus quilts on Pinterest and talking about color and value placement. I also had a handout illustrating different effects that changing the value placement could achieve. Then the students would make a block. 

Pivot, last minute change of lesson plan: The projector was supposed to be delivered in time but the person who had it forgot and her phone was turned off. So we started the class by making the 12" block. Then followed, after the projector arrived, with looking at examples. 

Many - most! - of the X and Plus quilts out there are a riot of color. Some are group or bee projects where multiple makers each made a block and then they were all put together. A few X and Plus quilts are more curated. My serene green version was inspired by one by Zen Chic. Here's the Pinterest board we looked at in class.   You'll recognize Zen Chic's halfway down as you scroll. Scroll all the way down and you'll see an interesting version set on point with a black background. 

I asked my students to think about their taste in color and design: do they like scrappy, all colors crowded together? Do they like more breathing room? Do they like something in between? 

I made a handout for them illustrating the different effects of value placement, in the same layout as my serene green version. Here are the images I used, created in EQ8. All of the X prints are Kaffe and are the same in all of these images. 

1. Bright X

    Dark Plus

    Medium extensions at the ends of the Plus

    Light (low volume) background

    Result is Balanced diagonal and straight grid.

2. Bright X same as original. 

    Dark Plus same as original. 

    Dark extensions. This is the only change from the first image. 

    Light (low volume) background same as original. 

    Result is strong vertical/horizontal grid. 

3. Bright X same as original. 

    Light Plus.

    Low Volume extensions. 

    White-on-white background.

    Result is stronger diagonal grid. 

4. Bright X same as original. 

    Dark Plus, same as original. 

    Medium extensions same as original.

    Black background.

    Result is Bold: Balanced grid and colors that pop.

The class was well received. Some of the students were particularly taken with that on-point black version at the bottom of the Pinterest board. Several of the students are going to Ritter (retreat) in July with me, and are planning to make X and Plus projects there. Me too! I'm cutting another version to take with me to sew while I'm there. Like my serene green version, it will have some breathing room but it'll be scrappier. 

Have you made an X and Plus Quilt? Your own or with a group as a bee project? Do you prefer a riot of color or a curated palette? Crowded together or breathing room? 

Linking up with Alycia Quilts 6/12 and Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 6/15

 

Social Sewing Project Progress

I haven't been able to make it to social sewing much lately, but I did go on Wednesday. I have a project that I only work on at social sewing, so it's moving along very slowly. That's okay, it's a donation quilt with no deadline. 

It's a very simple design of Mary's Triangle blocks alternated with plain blocks and set on point. It took months to make all the blocks. While away from social sewing I laid out all the blocks on my design wall and clipped them in rows to sew together. 

On Wednesday I got 7 of the rows sewn. I think this is half of the quilt, or close to it. It will be a baby or wheelchair size when finished, about 44 inches square. 

All of the fabrics are scraps from my stash. Did it diminish the overcrowded scrap drawers any??? Low volumes yes, colors no. 

And now that I see the photo, I see there's one block turned sideways. I'll have to fix that. 

Linking up with Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts 6/5. Definitely not finished, but progress! 
And Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 6/8. 

May Stash Report and Goals Update

Some behind-the-scenes activity this month but not much to blog about....

The most photo-worthy accomplishments were finishing the Amber & Aubergine flimsy and quilting the pastel 16 patch baby quilt. The A&A quilt will go on the long arm this week so I've already prepped the backing. The baby quilt had fabric from PCQ's stash on the back, so I can't count it out in my stash report. 

Another accomplishment: I was able to get all the cutting done for the Christmas Tree hanging I need to make for my son. I made him a door size one several years ago and now he wants a shorter one he can hang in his office cubicle. It's cut and kitted up to sew at retreat. 

At a recent Long Arm Users Group meeting we discussed using water soluble basting thread, and the long arm committee leaders were willing to let me try it. I successfully basted a UFO from several years ago so I can SID on my domestic machine. Here's an old photo of the top in progress. I'm quilting along all the lattice seams with invisible thread and it's slow going. 

May Stash Report:

IN this month: 9-5/8 yards (5-3/4 yards wide backs from Backside fabrics. 2-1/4 yards from estate sale. 1-5/8 yards remnants from Backside Fabrics.)
OUT this month: 11-1/2 yards (Amber & Aubergine top, estimated 6 yards. A & A backing and binding, 4-1/4 yards. X and Plus teaching samples and step-outs, 1-1/4 yards.)

IN YTD: 62-1/8 yards

OUT YTD: 54-7/8

YTD Net Change: 7-1/4 yards added. 

Some of the acquisitions were for my second Diabolical Jane. I'm still playing with the palette and the layout. 

Goals Update: 

May Recap: 

1. Prep for teaching X and Plus class; teach on May 30. Done. 

I had to scramble and change the lesson plan at the beginning of class. I had planned to start by using the club's projector to show examples from Pinterest of the many, many X and Plus colorations. The person who was supposed to bring the projector forgot and had their phone turned off. Two hours later they delivered it so we ended the class by looking at examples and color. 

2. Square up the confidential quilt and prep binding. Progress; discussed issues with my collaborator and determined next steps. Prepped binding and sleeve. 

3. Start planning and cutting for Eric's Christmas tree project to work on at retreat in July. Done - pieces are cut, labeled and kitted up. 

4. Quilt and bind the white and pastel 16 patch baby quilt. Done. I even expanded my FMQ repertoire beyond meandering and included teddy bears, hearts, flowers and spirals. 

5. Prep backing for purple Diabolical Jane top. Yes - Changed plan from the dark magenta I originally had in mind and ordered a pink & purple print wide back which is MUCH better. (The dark magenta backing will be used for A&A since that print is in the quilt top.) 

6. Finish assembling the Amber and Aubergine top. Done. Backing is prepped and batting is ready for quilting on June 4th. 

Other: Basted and started quilting the Kaffe Gradient quilt. 

June Goals: 

1. Finish prepping the collaborative project to hand off for my partner to do the hand stitching.

2. Quilt Amber & Aubergine. 

3. Finish designing DJ2 to take to retreat in July.

4. Plan and prep an extra project for retreat. 

5. Make progress on the walking foot quilting on the Kaffe Gradient project. 

6. Make progress on Mary's Triangles social sewing project.

7. Piece a simple charity quilt top using purple print.

I should probably also make it a goal to blog more in June, if I have anything interesting to show. We'll see. 

We've had a pleasant spring, a cooler than average May, but it's starting to get hot here in the desert. Summer is our indoor season - time to stay inside and quilt! 

Amber and Aubergine Flimsy, Teddy Bear Quilting, and New Storage

It's been a couple weeks since I last posted. No worries, everything's fine here. I've just been working on non-picture-worthy stuff and confidential stuff. 

But I did take time very early this morning before the sun got too bright and harsh for photos, to take some pics of this month's finishes. 

At my most recent long arm quilting session, I quilted the 16 Patch baby quilt. This was made from leftovers from the opal project plus a few more strips, with white sashing added. The flimsy was completed at April retreat.

Since then PCQ's quilt club has been having some Long Arm Users Group training. We spent a day learning and practicing free motion. I feel liberated, no longer limited to my standard meander.  After much practice with a dry erase marker and a plastic page protector, I was able to quilt a few teddy bears, hearts, and flowers in this quilt. The teddy bears may be a bit wonky, but I gave it a try! 

Amber and Aubergine is now a finished flimsy. For such a simple pattern - just nine patches and Plus blocks with sashing - it turned out well. The palette is rather sophisticated and I like it. I have backing for it, one of the purple prints used in it, and I'll quilt it soon. It will be a donation quilt. 

In other quilty news, I've been cleaning up and updating my sewing room. Someone offered two small drawer cabinets on our PCQ e-group, and the size was right for me so I snapped them up. They replaced my vintage 1990s plastic drawer stacks that lived under the open leaf of my cutting table. Now I have more and nicer storage. I posted the old plastic drawers on the e-group for free, and now they're going to a new home. 

I still have some non-picture-worthy stuff to do so other than my monthly recap I don't know how soon I'll post again, but I'm still here and all is well. 

Linking up with Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 5/25 and Alycia Quilts 5/29

I Couldn't Resist

I made myself work on Must-Do projects before allowing myself to start another Diabolical Jane, but the DJ design process is calling me. So after I checked off a Must-Do item and made progress on three others, I pulled fabrics and started playing again. 

Here's my first layout attempt. Meh, kind of dull. 

After a few tries, I swapped out the camel and amber accent colors for coral and pushed the greens more teal. Not happy with this yet, still too dull and not enough value contrast. 

Some fabric purchases, much tweaking, many layout revisions, and I think I've made progress. Building out the sides and cropping the photo is helping. 

I've gotten smarter about visualizing the layout. With the photo cropped, I can pop it into a document, copy and rotate it, and see a mockup of the top. My table isn't wide enough to go all the way to the edges on the sides, but this gives the general idea. Here's the current layout:

As always, I look at the photos in greyscale to see if I'm happy with the contrast. 

Maybe. Comments and suggestions? 

And now I have to get back to those Must-Do items....

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 5/11, Alycia Quilts 5/15

April Stash Report and Goals Update

April was a fun and productive month! I got a lot done at retreat, had a wonderful time with friends, and replenished my stash of white-on-whites, low volumes, and blenders. The big accomplishment this month was getting my Diabolical Jane top pieced. There was a minor hiccup due to all the bias, and I've learned a few things I'll do differently with my next one, but it was so satisfying that there will definitely be a next one. 

Also at retreat I was able to assemble a pastel and white16 patch baby quilt. Many of the colors were leftover strips from my Opal-Inspired baby quilt. The blocks were already made; I just had to add sashing and cornerstones. 

With tops finished and fabric purchased there were certainly some changes to my stash report this month. 

April Stash Report: 

IN this month: 17 yards (4 yards from Edna for DJ back. 9-1/2 yards from Ritter, includes FQs won. 1/2 yard from Hobby Lobby. 3 yards from Prickly Pearadise.)
OUT this month: 8-5/8 yards (Diabolical Jane top, est. 5-1/4 yards; does not include unused cut pieces. Pastel/white baby quilt top, 3-3/8 yards.)

IN YTD: 52-1/2 yards
OUT YTD: 43-3/8 yards

YTD Net Change: 9-1/8 yards IN

That's okay, there's still a lot of time left in the year to use up more than I add. My yearly goal is always to reduce stash or break even. 

Goals Update: 

April Recap: 

1. Participate in long arm learning and playtime event on Apr 4th. Yes, FUN! Got over my fear of deviating from my go-to meander. 

2. Attend retreat Apr 9-13 and have a good time. YES!!!

3. Assemble Diabolical Jane at retreat. Yes, completely finished the top.

4. Prep the confidential project for quilting: pick paper bits out of the back, wash and iron the backing fabric, get batting.  Done. 

5. Quilt the confidential project on April 17. Done. 

6. If time permits, assemble the other pastel and white baby quilt. Yes, completed the top at retreat. Also found backing fabric in the club's stash and prepped the backing. 

7. If time permits, assemble the purple Nine Patch and Plus project, now called Amber and Aubergine. Progress, worked on it at retreat and at home, top almost complete.  

8. Work on the Mary's Triangles project at social sewing. Yes; only one day of social sewing this month.

Other: started pulling fabrics for another Diabolical Jane.

May Goals: 

1. Prep for teaching X and Plus class; teach on May 30. 

2. Square up the confidential quilt and prep binding. 

3. Start planning and cutting for Eric's Christmas tree project to work on at retreat in July. 

4. Quilt and bind white and pastel 16 patch baby quilt. 

5. Prep backing for purple Diabolical Jane top. 

6. Finish assembling the Amber and Aubergine top.

While it looks like just a few simple goals for May, there's actually quite a bit of time and work involved in some of them so I'm limiting the list to just these. 

Amber and Aubergine

The extra project I took to retreat featured leftover purple strips from my DJ project, additional purples, and soft gold/orange/camel tones. I chose warm ivory and cream shades for the background. Here's the photo from retreat: 

The blocks were already made. When retreat ended I had added the vertical sashing to the rows. Since then I've put the rows up on my wall, and placed the cornerstones and horizontal sashing. Careful arrangement assured that the same fabric is never next to itself.

With the cornerstones in place, you can see the chain effect. I've started sewing the sashing rows to the block rows. The bottom row is not shown because it's at the sewing machine. I hope to get this top finished this week. 

So why Amber and Aubergine? Because purple and gold sound like sports team colors, and amber and aubergine (eggplant) are more poetic. I spent several years of my career naming colors, so why not? 

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 4/27

Eye Candy: Design Walls and More from Retreat

I had a wonderful time at retreat last week with seven friends old and new. We all accomplished so much! Here in no particular order, some photos:

Debbie's Snowball quilt

The blocks were already made and she was determined to finish the top!

Paula's Fabric Weaving, successfully completed 

under Eleanor's tutelage

Judy's Burp Cloths for Great-grandbabies

After cranking out numerous king-sized wedding quilts for her grandchildren,

she was glad for smaller projects. 

Edna's Disappearing Nine Patch with a Slant veteran's quilt.

She's been working on blocks at social sewing

and she has enjoyed this pattern.

Eleanor's complicated and challenging project 

She nailed it!

Linda's charity quilt featuring fabrics donated by Julie 

(Thanks, Julie!)

Paula's finish, binding and all

Jeri's veteran's quilt from a panel

Eleanor's top featuring her treasured floral print fabric

Jeri's 3 yard charity quilt, embellished with daisies

because she thought it was boring and needed something

Edna's quilt for a soon-to-be Air Force Academy graduate.

Blocks from patterns, but layout is her own design.

Paula's small improv project, from a class on a recent quilt cruise

Debbie's first improv project, with coaching from Paula and Linda

My second baby quilt in opal-inspired colors, because I had leftover strips from the first.

Blocks were already made, just needed sashing and rows assembled. 

My extra project in case I ran out of projects, glad I brought it. 

Blocks were already made; here the vertical sashing has been added. 

My finished Diabolical Jane top

A great time was had by all and we're already looking forward to the next trip in July!

Link up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts 4/20, Alycia Quilts 4/24

Opal-Inspired Baby Quilt Finish

Before I left to go on retreat, I was able to quilt and bind the Opal-Inspired baby quilt. I's a finish, and it's intended to be donated. But I will hold onto it and submit it for PCQ's display window in the creative arts building in October, when the opal birthstone will be the featured color theme. It will be donated afterward. 

Because of the small size, I was able to pin baste on my tabletop and quilt on my domestic machine using a serpentine stitch along the seam lines. 

The backing, from the club's stash, is peach flannel. Couldn't be more perfect!!! And to top it off, I had a matching peach geometric print, used elsewhere in the quilt, for the binding. 

One sweet and cuddly little finish.

Link up:  Alycia Quilts

A Patriotic Pattern: Scrappy Nine Patch Stars

I've been seeing quite a lot of interest in patriotic quilts in the quilting world lately due to the upcoming 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. I thought I would share again my Scrappy Nine Patch Stars pattern, which has been very popular. There's time to make one before the Fourth of July! 

Because I've used the flimsy as a teaching sample, I've never quilted it, but I suppose I finally should. Here's the flimsy: 

The size is 60 by 84 inches. It's beginner-friendly, made up of 6" half-square triangles and nine patches. Great use of scraps, too. 

The tutorial is available for free. Just leave a comment, but you must include your email address in the text of the comment (otherwise if you're a no-reply commenter, I have no way of sending it to you). 

Linking up with Alycia Quilts 

March Stash Report and Goals Update

March was a productive month; it seems like I accomplished a lot more than I thought I would. The top priority was getting ready for retreat next week, and I was able to jet Diabolical Jane and a second project prepped. Then in order to use up scraps I added a third project. 

Diabolical Jane Layout

With time on the long arm I was able to quilt and finish Positively Scrappy (tutorial here). I quilted the Opal Inspired baby quilt on my domestic machine, so that project is finished, too. It's rare that I have two finishes in one month! 

Positively Scrappy

Opal-Inspired baby quilt

These finishes helped my stash report, but I had some acquisitions, too. Living in a retirement community, unfortunately quilters pass away and their families usually contact the quilting club for a quilting estate sale. There was another one this month, and I brought home some yardage and a duplicate of my favorite 12" ruler to keep in my travel kit. 

March Stash Report

IN this month: 14.5 yards (1/2 yard from Hobby Lobby and 2 yards from Bernina Connection for Diabolical Jane. 4 yards low volumes from online order. 6 yards from estate sale. 2 yards low volumes from 35th Ave.)
OUT this month: 10.5 (Positively Scrappy top and binding, 8 yards. Opal inspired baby quilt, top and binding, est. 2-1/2 yards.)

IN YTD: 35.5 yards
OUT YTD: 34.75 yards
YTD Net Change: O.75 yard IN

Another March accomplishment which does not count in the stash report was getting the confidential project to the finished flimsy stage. I still need to clean up the back to get it ready for quilting, and wash and press the backing fabric. I'm booked on the long arm April 17th, so I'll quilt it then. The fabrics were sourced from a friend's collection of thrifted shirts plus other fabrics from several friends, so this project is exempt from the stash report. But I have to say, I'm thrilled with how the flimsy came out and I'm excited to get to quilt it soon. 

Goals Update:

March Recap:

1. Participate in PCQ's quilt show on March 7. Yes, displayed two quilts and helped with take-down. 

2. Prep projects for April retreat. Includes fabric shopping, layout and cutting. Yes, Diabolical Jane is laid out and two other small projects are ready to go. 

3. Quilt the X and Plus top. Done, also bound and finished. Separate post to come.

4. Take the Bernina 770 in for repairs. Yes, they said it only needed a Clean-Oil-Adjust treatment. It's working better, but it still occasionally shreds very fine thread like So Fine or Aurifil 50 wt. It's doing fine with Connecting Threads Essential 50 wt. (I've tried many different needles.)

5. Work on next steps of the confidential collaborative project. Yes, got the top squared up and ready to quilt. 

6. Work on the Mary's Triangles project at social sewing. Yes, the pile of finished blocks is growing.

7. Continue searching for sashing fabric for Crossroads Wheel blocks. Yes, still no luck but I haven't exhausted all local resources. 

8. Assemble the Opal-Inspired blocks - OR - the 16 patch blocks made from the leftovers into a top. Yes, finished the Opal-Inspired blocks to a baby quilt flimsy. Quilted it on my domestic machine; bound, labeled and finished it. 

Other: Planned a project to use up leftover purple pieces from DJ; cut 2-1/2" squares and started piecing blocks.

Purple and gold Nine Patch and Plus project

April Goals: 

1. Participate in long arm learning and playtime event on Apr 4th. 

2. Attend retreat Apr 9-13 and have a good time.

3. Assemble Diabolical Jane at retreat

4. Finish prepping the confidential project for quilting: pick any remaining paper bits out of the back, wash and iron the backing fabric, get batting.

5. Quilt the confidential project on April 17. 

6. If time permits, assemble the purple Nine Patch and Plus project, possibly at retreat.

7. If time permits, assemble the other pastel and white baby quilt, possibly at retreat.  

8. Work on the Mary's Triangles project at social sewing.

All of that should keep me busy for the month, but I also need to do some cleaning up in the sewing room. That will have to wait until later in the month. 

A New Project, or How to Use Up Purple Scraps

I had some partial 2-1/2" strips of purple prints left over from designing Diabolical Jane. Rather than put them in the scrap drawers, I decided to use them in a new project. I so rarely work with purple that I knew if I put them away, I'd never use them. Looking through my scrap drawers and stash, I decided on amber golds and soft oranges to complement the purples, and ivory low volume prints for the background.

I decided on a Plus and Chain layout, 6" plus blocks and nine patch blocks framed by sashing for a chain effect. Easy sewing for a quick charity quilt. Since my design wall is still occupied , the tabletop will have to suffice for a quick layout check:

It's hard to see with bad lighting, so few blocks, and too much contrast between the tabletop and the blocks. The sashing will be the same cream and ivory prints used in the blocks. Squint, and the chain effect becomes clearer. 

If I get the blocks assembled before I go on retreat in April, I can pack this up and take it as my extra project in case I finish everything else. My priority will be assembling Diabolical Jane, but I have four days, a lot of sewing time, and I would hate to run out of projects to work on. 

Link Up: Small Quilts and Doll Quilts