Treasure Hunt on Design Wall

Treasure Hunt OBW has been on my design wall for a while now.  It has walked from one end of the wall to the other as I search for the layout.  It still needs work! I would rather make an ugly quilt than a boring one. I already know this one will be interesting.

 I started with Marcia Derse's Treasure Hunt panel:

I am toying around with the idea of cubes, but I haven't found the right colors yet.

Linking up:  http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/design-wall-monday-october-29-2018.html

Cross Stitch Finishes

This cancer diagnosis has made lit a fire under me as to getting my UFOs done before I die.  How ironic it will be if I live another 30 years!  I finished  Plum Street Sampler's A Friend Loveth a few weeks ago:

This one has been folded for a while, and I didn't bother to press the crease out before taking the picture.

I chose to use DMC colors since I don't like to buy specialty threads for such a small project.  The overdyed threads can really drive up the price of a piece, and most small projects only use a few strands of them.  I think it would look nicer with Gentle Art floss, but I wasn't willing to spend the money.  In addition to finishing up my UFOs, I would like to use up my stash, not add more threads for my heirs to deal with.

I also finished The Cross-Eyed Cricket's Sleepy Hollow:

This project has been a thorn in my side for at least 8 years.  I knew almost from the start, that the linen color was too light, but I started it anyway.  Big mistake!  If the linen isn't right from the start, best to start over with the right color.  I lost my enthusiasm for the project almost immediately, and my progress has been super slow.

I  had to spend time tracking down two skeins of a WDW floss that had been discontinued.  Then I made a counting error that threw off the placement of one of the buildings. It was a big mistake, and the house was almost completely stitched when I discovered my error.  I wouldn't have had enough of the discontinued floss color to restitch if I had frogged the mistake, so I improvised. It looks ok if you don't know where to look.

I do like the overall effect now, and it I mount it on black foam core, the linen will darken a bit.  My favorite part is the way the pumpkins seem to glow. 

Dawn's Early Light Progress

One of the projects I have been working on this week is Dawn's Early Light.  I have completed 25 blocks and need 9 more.  Unfortunately, I have used up most of the pre-made pieces I need, so the next nine will go slowly.  There isn't a good way to rush 3 1/2 inch scrappy friendship stars!  The pieces are tiny, and accuracy is important in tiny blocks.

Stash Report:
Used this week: 0
Used year to date: 154.75 yards
 Added this week:  0.75 yards (three FQs) 
Added year to date:167.5 yards
Net Added: 12.75 yards

African Fabric

My sister and brother-in-law took a trip to Africa this summer and brought me back almost 30 yards of fabric. My sister said they got it in Zimbabwe. This fabric is printed using some kind of wax technique.  It was super stiff when I got it.  I've spent the afternoon washing it, and now it is very silky with almost no wrinkles.  It doesn't feel like 100% cotton to me, but I will probably make at least one quilt with it anyway.

I've been trying to decide what pattern to use for this.  I want to have big pieces to show off the prints.  Other than that, I'm open to suggestions. Let me know if you are familiar with this kind of fabric.

My brother-in-law is a photographer, and he took some amazing pictures of animals while they were in Africa.  Here's a link to his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DwoodPhotography/  Scroll down to see the lion with the missing tooth and the silhouette of the leopard.  He also got good shots of rhinos and elephants, but you have to keep scrolling past the waterfalls and landscapes to see it all. 

WIPs

Last week I finished the top of Tree Farm and sent it to the longarmer.

I also started cutting up this Marcia Derse fabric called Treasure Hunt.  I admit that I think this fabric is ugly, and I don't know what most people would do with it but maybe use it as the center of a quilt with some kind of interesting borders.  To me it looks dirty, like someone dragged it behind a bike.  The colors don't really appeal to me either, but that didn't stop me from buying 7  yards of it!   It will be a great one block wonder challenge fabric.  I got it cut into triangles and have about 1/2 of them sewn together.

I have also been working on Dawn's Early Light.  This is a block by Bonnie Hunter that was in Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks in 2016.  I believe this quilt will be in her new string piecing book.  I started the blocks a couple of years ago.  The red friendship star units measure 3" in the quilt.  I have a stack of string blocks finished and a lot of friendship stars already made.  I have just started making the blue HSTs.  Wouldn't it be great if I could finish this top before the mystery comes out in November?  Not sure I'll make it, but it is a goal.

Linking up: http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/design-wall-monday-october-15-2018.html

Stash Report:
Used this week: 2.25 yards  (Tree Farm top)
Used year to date: 154.75 yards
 Added this week:  0 yards  
Added year to date:166.75 yards
Net Added: 12.0 yards

Tree Farm Progress

I have been working on Keera Job's Tree Farm on and off for the past couple of weeks.  I saw this pattern in a sample book when the fabric rep came to our store, but my boss didn't order it.  She can usually get things by special order, but her suppliers didn't have this pattern.  They had other 'Tree Farm' patterns, but I liked the way the trees were staggered in this layout.  I ended up ordering a kit, something I rarely do. I have four more long seams to sew plus the borders.

If I hadn't gotten a kit, I would have probably chosen different fabrics.  I don't like the way the white trees disappear into the background.  I could have changed them, but it felt like too much work at the time.  This is going to be a small lap quilt 45" x 57", and I have no plans for it right now.  I may not even get it finished for Christmas, and that will be ok too.

Linking up:  http://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/desgn-wall-monday-october-8-2018.html

https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com/2018/10/lets-bee-social-245.html

Stash Report:
Used this week: 8.0 yards ( given to Alison)
Used year to date: 152.5 yards
 Added this week:  0 yards  
Added year to date:166.75 yards
Net Added: 14.25 yards

Focus Quilted and Bound

I finished binding Purple Pineapple's Focus today.  This is a quick, easy pattern.  The hardest part is choosing 3 fabrics that will be both interesting and will give good contrast so that the HSTs show up well.  I think I should have used the light green on the ends and the crazy floral in the middle.  Other than that I'm happy with this quilt. It is 78" x 62".

I used a Tula Pink wide back.  This is a polished cotton that is super soft.  The binding is also very soft as it is a shot cotton. 

Denise Zapf did the longarming on this one, and I love the pattern she chose.  It looks like a baptist fan to me.

 This wide back print is one of my absolute favorites. I have already used it once in a different colorway on my niece's quilt.

Stash Report:
Used this week: 4.0 yards (Focus back)
Used year to date: 144.5 yards
 Added this week:  0 yards  
Added year to date:166.75 yards
Net Added: 22.25 yards