Design Wall Monday, Blue OBW

I bought 7 of these panels this past summer, intending to make a OBW quilt.  It is very gray out here, so my pictures are a little dark.

Here is the first draft:

There are a few things I want  to change, but I think the planning is mostly done.  This design went together a lot easier than the other OBWs I've made.  I'm not  sure if it is the fabric, or if it is just practice.  

Linking up:  https://smallquiltsanddollquilts.blogspot.com/2020/01/design-wall-monday-january-13-2020.html

Belated Thanksgiving Table Runners

Unlike a lot of quilters, I don't make very many table runners or place mats.  We just don't use them. Our kitchen table has a wood-look Formica top, and doesn't need the protection of mats.  I use the kitchen table during  the day for my computer, reading the paper and doing crossword puzzles.  I don't want something else on the table that needs to be washed.  When my table isn't cluttered, I want it bare and totally clean.  Our dining room table is almost always covered with table pads and topped with my cutting mats, no need for a runner there!

But when I went on a shop hop with some quilting buddies this summer, I found the most beautiful fall floral fabric.  I bought  2 or 2 1/2 yards of this fabric and made 3 quick table toppers.  I watched several online tutorials and came up with these runners. My goal was to get them done for Thanksgiving, but my hospital stay prevented me from getting them to the longarmer in time.  I hope I remember to pull them out next Thanksgiving!

These are made with 60 degree triangles.  I am a OBW maker, so it made me a little nuts not to stack the fabric to get the kaleidoscope effect, but that would have left me with a lot of waste.  I also asked my longarmer for a quick meander for the quilting.  Two of the runners I bound by machine.  They aren't perfect by any means.  I had a hard time with the angles because they weren't 90 degrees.The third runner I bound by hand, hoping I would do a better job, but it really didn't make a difference.  I need more practice!

  

Used this week: 4.0 yards (table runners)

Used YTD: 5.125 yards

Added this week: 3 yards (borders and binding for fall quilt)

Added YTD: 6 yards

Net:  +0.875  yards

OMG, Twilter Round Robin Borders

I took my quilt top to the quilt shop, auditioned many fabrics and got many opinions.  Here's what I came up with:

I think the quilt needed the inner light border.  Just adding  dark outer  border made it much too dark.  This quilt top is 72"x72".  I have begun to have piles of unquilted tops again.  I haven't worked since August, and I prefer to use money I earn myself on longarming.  This afternoon I am going in to work for the first time in 5 months.  It will be a short shift, but  I hope I remember what I'm supposed to do!

I can't wait to show my round robin group the completed top!

Used this week: 1.125 yards

Used YTD: 1.125 yards

Added this week: 3 yards (borders and binding Twilters RR)

Added YTD: 3 yards 

Net:  +1.875 yards

Linking up:https://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2020/01/one-monthly-goal-january-finish-link-up.html

Frolic, Clue 7

 The next set of instructions for the mystery were very verbose, and I probably missed something.  I have a bunch of HSTs left over, so I'm sure I've got more sewing to do.   Here is my clue 7:

I'll get my counting errors figured out when we start putting the quilt together.  I have lots of pieces, so I hope that is soon!

Frolic, Clue 6

I got my flying geese made, but they are not as accurate as usual. When I cut the big triangles a few weeks ago like Bonnie said to do, I was hoping they would not be turned into flying geese.  I like to use Eleanor Burns method for flying geese, and I wouldn't have cut them had I known better. But the big triangles were already cut, so I used Bonnie's method.  I got them all done this way, but some of them are more off kilter than I like.

I fear there will be more of these off kilter flying geese in my future since I have a pile of gray quarter square triangles already cut too.

I decided in the beginning that I was not going to take the time to use matching units in the blocks.  My quilt is going to have scrappy, not matchy blocks.

Frolic, Clue 5

I just finished trimming my HSTs.

On to the flying geese and Clue 6!

One Monthly Goal, January

My goal for this month is to finish a quilt top that has been hanging around here in this state for at least four years.  This is my twilter round robin quilt, started in 2014:

I made just the center block of this quilt and sent it off to my round robin group. 

 Each of five quilters this went to added another round to the quilt.    My instructions were to use neutrals only, no fabric on the color wheel.  A couple of the participants used a blue/gray that I would not have chosen for this quilt, but it turned out ok colorwise.  I like neutral quilts, but I find them tedious to work on.  

I appreciate all the work these ladies put into my quilt, but I have been at a loss to decide what to do for a final border.  There are a lot of seams on the outsides, and right now this quilt isn't really big enough to be useful.  It has been on my design wall for several weeks, waiting for inspiration to strike.  I may just add a dark brown border and call it done!

Linking up:https://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2020/01/one-monthly-goal-january-link-up.html