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.

Project Quilting 14.5 - Sew Not a Square

 Our rule for challenge 5 in Project quilting was to avoid squares at all cost.

I used scrap binding and some gold accent fabric and made a cushion cover for a footstool.

It has velcro to attach to the footstool, so I left a gap in the back.

All in all, a worthwhile project.

Project Quilting Challenge 4

 Challenge 4 of Project Quilting is "A Novel Project."

The challenge is to be inspired by a book I've read.

One of the examples shown was an e-reader sleeve, which ALSO inspired me - I decided to make a pouch for the Kindle Paperwhite I got for Christmas.

For the novel: I chose to do Marcellus from Remarkably Bright Creatures.

For a pattern, coloring pages from the Monterey Bay Aquarium came in handy.

A bit of Wonder-Under and fusing, and it was time to quilt.

Through pure dumb luck, there was a part of the pattern in the octopus batik that looks like an eye!

Lightly quilted, then sewn into a pouch and lined with terry cloth.

My lovely older daughter suggested adding a key- and she was highly amused when I added an ACTUAL key.

At any rate- it's done, and the Kindle actually fits in it very well!

Project Quilting Challenge 3

 It was a last-minute project to keep my streak going for Project Quilting! The third challenge this year is 54-40 or Fight!

I had some little squares gifted from a friend I wanted to start to use, and some scraps from mini-group, and plenty of stash to find something to go with them.

Such fun colors!

 I decided on the polka dot for the accent, and the green for the background.

Starting to come together!

I had a piece that I'd found last week that had some practice quilting I could use for the back.

I wanted to add an extra layer of batting, because two felt too thin.

Sewn together, with more quilting, and done!

You can never have too many potholders :) 

Project Quilting Challenge 2

 I actually finished this last weekend, but neglected to post/link before now! See them all at  Persimon Dreams:Challenge 2

Started at our quilt retreat, I'm calling it Crazy for Pink - a journal cover.

Just starting with a big rectangle. 

Quilted in wavy lines:

Standard composition book to cover:

Folding over and binding the edges

Insert the journal, and done!

Project Quilting Challenge 1

 It's the fourteenth season of Project Quilting!

The theme of the first challenge this year is "one."

My entry is "One World."

This little manatee is here to remind you that we have ONE planet, and it's up to all of us to take care of it.

The conservation theme continues on the backing.

Hop on over to Persimon Dreams to join in the fun next time around!

Spending is a wild, wild guess. We went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival yesterday- first festival in three years!!! I made up for my lack of the previous years' spending. I'm guessing $200 (which may or may not include yarn purchased for my youngest kid).

I went to a quilt show in Berryville, VA a couple of weeks ago. All that came home with me was a fat quarter!

I did bring scraps home from one of my last minigroup meetings.

Spending since last post: $200

Total spending this year: $325.29

Fabric in since last post: 3.5 yards

Fabric in this year: 13.48 yards

Fabric out since last post:  0 yards 

Fabric out this year: 22.12 yards

Net: 8.64 yards OUT

Sunday Stash Report, April 10

No report last week; nothing in or out.

The only fabric out this week was 9-patches made for our guild's service projects, since I'm not in the mood to weigh the trash this week. 12 12.5 inch blocks = 1.3 yards.

I also picked up a kit for this year's Service Projects challenge, for a medallion quilt. That's already started, but it added 3.5 yards to the stash.

This week's thrift shop yielded a few finds. First, a crochet book.

Some bags of floss, a couple of strings of beads, and straight pins.

A milk glass creamer and sugar (no lid unfortunately). Totally goes in the craft budget since I use the milk glass pieces to hold sewing stuff.

Spending this week: $9.25

Total spending this year: $125.29

Fabric in this week: 3.5 yards

Fabric in this year: 13.48 yards

Fabric out this week:  1.3 yards 

Fabric out this year: 22.12 yards

Net: 8.64 yards OUT

Sunday Stash Report- on Monday 3/28

 There was a finish this week!

This was a UFO started in...2021? It's a Service Projects challenge; the theme was "Rainbow". Size is 54 x 67. By my calculations, it's 3.4 yards busted - I'm not counting the fleece on the back.

Also the bag of trimmings and trash went out this week - 5.4 oz = 1.18 yards

Spending this week was $4.24 for two books.

Spending this week: $4.24

Total spending this year: $116.04

Fabric in this week: 0 yards

Fabric in this year: 9.98 yards

Fabric out this week:  4.58 yards 

Fabric out this year: 20.82 yards

Net: 10.84 yards OUT