Project Quilting 15.6 - Irish Chain

 The last of the 2024 Project Quilting challenges is Irish Chain.

I took this quite literally, and made a miniature Irish Chain, with a little variation on the edges.

Blocks finish at 3 inches; entire quilt is 15 x 15.

Project Quilting 15.5 - Wearables

 

Go to Persimon Dreams to see the whole challenge!

I had leftover bits of crumb-pieced blocks I used in a different project and wanted to use them up as much as possible.

I started drafting a hat pattern, but realized that there was probably one already done for me online- and found it at Made by Sachi.

First I cut foundation pieces out of a thin cotton, then started adding on the pieced parts.

Six in total!

I used a quilting cotton to make the lining, and it's ridiculous, and I love it!

Project Quilting 15.4 - Hourglass

 Go over to Kim Lapacek's blog at Persimon Dreams for details :)  

The latest challenge is "hourglass" - and I chose to make an hourglass timer for games to make into a gamepiece bag.

Flat:

Some detail of additional hourglass quilting:

and sewn into a bag:

When I asked my youngest if they could tell what this looked like, they kind of  squinted and asked "An hourglass?" while my middle kid, thank goodness just said "It's an hourglass!"

Project Quilting 15.3 - Inside Out

 The third challenge for Project Quilting 2024 is "Inside Out."

And this time I remembered to take some process photos :)

The theme is the sometimes stark contrast between what we present to the outside world and what we keep inside.

I started with a brain, quilted in a brainy pattern and outlined.

Close-up of brain

Writing "hidden" emotions on the reverse side of fabric

hidden emotions arranged on the sad brain

I then quilted a second brain, separate from the first. Somehow I didn't get a photo of that brain by itself. I then wrote out the "out" words on brighter scraps of fabric. Two arrangements considered- on top of the cover brain, or surrounding. Had a consult with my design expert, my older daughter, and we agreed on the design.

Sewn around the brain won out. The top as it appears, and the cover brain can be flipped up to show the inside brain. The different orientation of the brains was a mistake, but I left it- I'm always worried someone will figure out what's going on inside.

Project Quilting 15.2 - Sky Color

 The second Project Quilting challenge theme is "sky color" - with the catch being that you shouldn't use more than 10% traditional sky blue. Details over at Persimon Dreams.

This was my inspiration photo.

And since I always just dive right in, no process photos. I'd like to get better about that, but it is what it is for now. This is the finished quilt, and I'm pleased that the product is close to my vision!

Project Quilting 15.1 - Bird House

It's the first Project Quilting challenge for 2024:Project Quilting 15.1: Bird Houses

Because Facebook is...quirky...about how it shows things, I missed the first day of the challenge - but still made it! 

I was so focused on getting something done I neglected to take progress photos- I cut a small circle out of a square of fabric, reverse appliqued black behind it to make the opening, cut a birdhouse shape freehand, then added the roof and surround for little improv birdhouses.

Dimensions are  7 x 20.

Project Quilting 14.6:

 The last challenge of this season's Project Quilting is "Conquer a Fear" - projects must involve conquering something that scares you.

Well. I really don't have a lot of what I would consider fear- anxiety, uncertainty, trauma, caution, sure. But I have trouble thinking of something that I personally fear for myself.

For my kids, though- oof. SO MUCH fear, SO MANY fears. And really, all I can do is trust that I've prepared them as well as I can to navigate the world, and advocate/work for a BETTER world so that I have less to fear, especially for the LGBTQ kids.

The quilt is my heart, which feels as if it's out of my chest and frayed around the edges when thinking of my kids' future.