An Issue of Contrast

I thought I might have problems using a dark background for my POD quilt, and I was right!  My first cauldron block was a failure because there was not enough contrast between my background and the brown/gold fabric I chose for the body of the pot.

 

By doing some careful ripping, I was able to reuse the top of the block. I found some blotchy brown fabric in my stash that worked for the body.  This one is much better, I think!

 

 

Just for comparison, here's the cauldron I made for my first POD quilt.

 

 

My second block is one I didn't like very much, so I didn't include it in Kathryn's POD quilt.  This time I redrafted the open book and added Aberforth's eye. Aberforth's eye took me a good 4 hours to piece and remove the paper.  I like the eye over the open book.   

 

 

 I saw this idea in someone else's quilt, but I've looked all over and can't find it again to include a link.

 

The DMC soluble canvas is still on this block.  I'm having fun trying to make Amanda's quilt a little bit different than Kathryn's.

 

 

 

Stash Report, Gearing Up For POD2

I've decided to make another Project of Doom quilt.  This one is for the sister of the girl I made the first one for.  She is the daughter of one of our oldest friends in Richmond.  Her father was my lab partner when I was a freshman at W&M.  Her mother and my DH worked together when they first got out of college.

 I've always felt like the second daughter got short-changed in the quilt department because when the first was born, I cross stitched 12 blocks and made her a baby quilt.  Their second daughter was born just 6 months after our second baby, so I had no time to cross stitch another quilt.  She got an engraved pewter baby cup instead.  It was pretty, but it wasn't a quilt.  I made the first daughter an HP quilt when she graduated from college.  The second one's graduation is coming up, and I wasn't sure I had a second HP quilt in me.  But I've seen some Project of Doom variations that I really like, so another POD quilt it is.

I'm getting excited about starting another one!  I bought the background, bookcase and wall fabric this week. I also found 2 packages of DMC soluble canvas to get me started on the lettering.  I'll need more, but that was all A C Moore had today.

Background:

 

The background is a Robert Kaufman print that is really more black than it looks in this pictures.  I liked the spooky swirls and stars in the print.

 

 Bookcase:

 

It's not quite wood

grain, but it was only $5 a yard for this Marcus fabric.

 

 Wall:

The wall is also a $5/yard Marcus fabric.  I like it better than the Stonehenge fabric I used for my first POD quilt.

Used This Week:  8  yards 
Used Year to Date: 67.125 yards
Added this week: 13.5 yards  
Added year to date: 65.375 yards
 Net Used: 1.75 yards

Selvage Top Complete!

I haven't pulled out all my UFOs to take stock, but I think this is one of my oldest:

 

I started this quilt as soon as I found out about selvage quilts.  I hadn't been saving my selvages for very long, though, so I didn't really have enough to make a quilt.  A few quilty friends started saving their selvages for me, and now I have a tub of them.  But in making this quilt, I've found I don't really enjoy string piecing selvages. 

 

 So this quilt sat and sat, four blocks complete, until I worked up the energy to sew two more.  It really didn't take that long to complete, and the string piecing wasn't as bad as I remembered.  I got to use up an ugly red print on the borders and sashing.  I'm not sure where it came from, but their are teeny, tiny white flowers with red centers and green leaves on a red background.  From a distance, it almost looks pink.  This must have been a scrap from someone else. (Because I don't think I'd actually buy something this ugly!)  Before I started quilting, I used to work in a fabric shop.  This print looks like vintage 1985 to me! The selvage, what there is left of it, says 'copyright Peter Pan fabric'.

 

On a design note, if I really cared about this quilt, I'd change the 2 dark cornerstones to something less 'in your face'.  But now I just want this done.  This is a utility quilt that may go to college with my son.

 

I felt an obligation to get this one done because I just bought a ton of fabric for another Harry Potter quilt.  When I finished the first one, I didn't think I could do another.  Embroidering the book titles

by hand almost did me in.  When I reflect back on this, though, I realize my main issue was trying to finish the whole thing in 3 months.  If I take my time, say one block a week, maybe it won't be such an ordeal.  At least that's the mind game I'm going to play.  If you missed my first Project of Doom, here's my finished quilt.

 

 

 

I'm linking up with Sarah:  http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/2014/08/can-i-get-whoop-whoop-close-call-and.html

 

and Amanda Jean http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/2014/08/epp-did-not-get-best-of-me.html

Marigold Invasion

Every year marigolds reseed in my flower beds, and, by August, they have pretty much taken over. In the middle of June, I had orderly rows of daylilies.

 

By the middle of August, I have a marigold jungle.

 

 

They cover up most of the daylilies and volunteer all over the bed.  When I walk out my back door, I can smell them.

 

 

Last spring I moved the cannas that were by the driveway. 

 

 

They were messy here and kept falling over.  They didn't get enough sun.  I moved them to around the porch. 

  

 

In a few years, they should be thick and screen the porch.  I hope the plants in front of them will help keep them upright too, but I may have to stake them.  We had a torrential rain last week that soaked the leaves and flowers and the plant on the left started leaning.

 

My containers have filled in.

 

 

 

  I'm hoping my back feels better soon, so I can get outside and weed. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PA Row by Row, The Sew'n Place

My cousin Jackie picked up a row for me at The Sew'n Place in Chambersburg, PA.  I like this one a lot! It is definitely a summer row. My challenge was to sew exact 1/4 inch seams so that the blocks would finish at 9 1/2 inches.  With 17 pieces per block, it would have been easy for this row come out just a little bit short. 

PA Row by Row, Saunders Fabric

Here's my latest row.  A friend of my sister picked up this pattern for me.  Thanks, Wendy!

 

And here are all my summer rows:

 

 

I'm not really sure how they're all going to go together or when.  I'll probably just keep making row and wait for setting inspiration to strike.  There is one more row that I really want, but I'm not sure I'm up for a 2 hour car ride to get it.  I hurt my back this weekend turning on a light switch (yes, you read that right) and reinjured it lifting a watermelon on Monday. UGH! 

 

 

 

Let's Do the Time Warp Again!

I enlarged a Rocky Horror pattern from Fandom in Stitches and made the famous lips.  I'll probably turn it into a pillow.