Special post for Pier

I have been communicating with someone through Etsy about a possible quilt order, but I couldn't see my images when I tried to upload them with my message, so I am posting the for him here in case he couldn't see them either. 



This drawing #1. It has the same number of blocks as your drawing.

 

 This is drawing #2. It has the same number of blocks, but since I added a red border and a white border; the blocks are a bit smaller.

This is drawing #3. It has more blocks, so the blocks are also smaller than in drawing #1.  Hope This helps. Let me know what you think.

 

     I have just remembered that this block is different from the block in your drawing.They have different numbers of units in them; so everything I said about the measurements of these quilts is off a little. But, if you let me know which general idea you prefer, I can adapt it to your block, and come close to the size of the original quilt. Just disregard the finished sizes of the quilts, that I gave you on the Etsy message.

      I could not resist adding this last possibility. I have always loved this quilt. It was made in 1870. Even though it was made in 1870; I think it looks so modern, and up to date. I just wanted you to see it before you decided. I could make one like this for the same price as the original quilt you saw.

I hope you like one of these.

Thanks,

Candace

The expected and the unexpected

    Things never happen like I think they are going to. I don't have my square in a square blocks trimmed yet. Things just always take longer than I think they are going to.  

    First the unexpected. Some one from Spain is contacted me on Etsy about maybe wanting a quilt from me!! I spent much of Monday trying to learn about international shipping. Good grief it's expensive! Not only will it cost $300 to ship it, but then they will have to pay another $300 or so for taxes and duties! The post office will ship it for $64, but their maximum they will insure is only $600 which is less than half the value of the quilt. This person doesn't appear to be interested in that option. If anyone has any other shipping suggestions that they think would work better, or you know something I don't know; please leave me a comment. Now this person is thinking about ordering a custom quilt instead of ordering one already made, so I have been doing some drawings.

     On to the expected. This is the weekend of the Inman Park Festival in Atlanta. I will have a booth full of quilts there. There will also be tons of other artists with beautiful work, a tour of homes, and a wild parade, and I don't know what else-probably music. The homes are fabulous Victorian houses. If you want more information; they have a website: inmanparkfestval.org  

     Come and see me if you are near by and want a fun activity.

Change in Plans

     I have been working on putting the last row of triangles on my square-in-a-square blocks for my bird cages quilt.

     

 The second row is easier because, look how you can center the triangle on the block; lining up the point of the triangle with the corner of the square.
 
I got all of the sewing and pressing done; and  I was going to trim them today at an artist's Plen Aire held by an art guild I belong to. 

     But, we had 20mph winds today, so I just couldn't see myself sitting outside, and trimming blocks. I'd be chasing them all over the place!

     I will have 2 more opportunities to sit and trim this week. The 1st is tomorrow night. I have quilt guild;  We sit at tables; and tomorrow we are not even having a program-just a business meeting. The next will be Porterdale Stitching Club on Wednesday night. 

     I am really looking forward to putting these up on the design wall and showing them to you (and me). I really challenged myself with these to use many types of fabrics together. Traditional prints, contemporary prints, plaids, batiks, solids. Hope I get to post those photos soon.

     Also, a reminder to anyone who lives in the Atlanta area, I will have a booth of quilts at the Inman Park Festival next weekend, April 28 & 29. Come and see me if you are in the area!

 

2011 In Review at Last

     Well, finally, I am home, and ready for another blog post. I actually came home days ago, but I brought company with me, and that hindered sewing, and kept computer time to a minimum.

     I was planning to show you the blocks that I have been working on for the Bird Cage quilt; but they are not quite ready yet. I hope to finish sewing them this week. My art guild is having a Plen Aire next Monday. They will all be painting. Being around all of them always makes me want to paint too; but there are too many quilts I want to piece, to spend time painting! So, they will be painting; and I will be trimming those blocks. Maybe I can post those pictures early next week.

     It has was raining here yesterday, but today was drier, only cloudy; so I took advantage of that to photograph some quilts I have been meaning to photograph for months. Now, I finally have pictures of all of the quilts I made in 2011 except for 1 which I still have a good deal of binding and sleeve to hand stitch down. Since it is pasted mid April, and it's still not finished; maybe I will just call it a 2012 quilt. So admittedly tardy, but here are the quilts I made in 2011:

Aubry

 

 

Named for the plant in The Little Shop of Horrors.

I used stack-n-whack to make a giant grandmother's flower garden.

Double Star II

This one is kin to the one I posted last week in the what's on your bed link party. I wanted to try to use those blocks in another way. I have a couple more "in the pipeline".

I called this one Victorian Library; and I even have a label on the back with that name, but I'm not satisfied with that name, and may change it yet. I really forced myself to include a wide variety of scraps in this quilt; even those I was not so crazy about. I made a tone of these blocks. The quilt I have finished but not yet bound is also made from this group of blocks, and I am planning at least 1 more if not 2.

Indian Summer

I have already showed you this one in a previous post. It was inspired by an Indian blanket I saw in a book. I enjoyed this one so much that I immediately designed several more. I even thought that I could expand this idea to write a book, but I have no idea how all of that works; and how does anyone get enough quilts in one done in one theme to write a book?

LaLique

I have fun doing one block wonders now and again, and people tend to buy them from me, so I keep making them.

Let's Polka

This was made using simple blocks, out of dots, stripes, and solids.

My Waterlilies

This quilt was inspired by a painting by Monet. I wanted to see what would happen if I interpreted the composition in batik half square triangles.

Native Fall

This quilt is kin to the Indian Summer quilt above, and it was named by a blog reader.

Speakeasy Shuffle

This was made to replace my Milky Way quilt (shown in a previous post) when it sold. I wanted to have a dark, quite one block wonder on hand, to show it could be done.

Galapagos for Alice

This king size quilt was a special order from my Galapagos quilt which is posted on my etsy site. It now lives in California.

Wow! Now I feel like I actually got something done last year!

What's on my Bed

I wanted to participate in Bonnie Hunter's "What's On Your Bed" link up, but at first I thought I couldn't because I am visiting family in Florida; and I am no where near my bed. But, then I realized, I have a picture of the quilt that's on my bed in my lap top. It is just not a picture of that quilt on my bed. So here it is:

My friend Eleanor, and I made a quilt just like this one for a friend several years ago. I liked it so much that I always wanted to make one for myself, so I finally did. For me, the fun of putting this quilt together was making each block it's own color composition. I made another quilt from the same block that is set differently; but I haven't photographed it yet. I have more blocks made so I can try a couple of more settings. I love the variety you can get in quilting by setting things different ways.

Here is What My Retreat Buddies Accomplished at Retreat!

Now I that I have done my showing off, let me share will you all of the beautiful things I saw come together while I was at retreat.

Monica sat closest to me. She made this lovely quilt.

Then She made this with the leftovers! And all in one weekend! How amazing is that!

 Not only that. She quilted this sweet baby quilt to.


 Ardis made this,

 this,

and this!

Boy! Some people around here actually finish stuff! What a concept!

Liz made thus lovely bag.

 

She also made this gorgeous jacket

Would you believe, a lap quilt too?!

Becky made this sweet, playful baby quilt.

 

Look at all that Robin made!

Brenda made this for her divided family.

Peggy made both of these lovely quilts.

Pam made this inviting landscape.

And last, but definitely not least, Jo Beth showed a tremendous amount of self control, and worked on this scrumptious quilt all weekend; till it was done.

 

I'd say we had a great time AND we got a lot accomplished, wouldn't you? I just love retreats!

Here's What I Got Done at Retreat

      I got all of my solid blocks sewn and pressed.

      I got this many pressed, when I realized I pressed them wrong. Augh!

 
     First, I was pressing them like the block on the left; very neat and satisfying, but not soon enough; I realized that wouldn't be so good when I sewed them to each other. I realized that if I pressed one center seam towards the center, and the second seam away from the center, like the block on the right; I could twist alternate blocks when I sew them to each other so that seam fits together and there is less bulk. Why does it take me so long to figure these things out??? I couldn't bear to correct them all at once, so I fixed a handful of them, and sewed the first 2 seams of the square in a square blocks for my Bird Cage quilt for an hour or so, then fixed another handful. Eventually, I fixed all of the solid blocks, and got the 1st 2 seams on my Bird Cages quilt done too.

     I keep all of the pieces for 1 block pinned together as I sew the different seams. This helps keep me organized.

     Got a few rows added to my Ellipses quilt.

     I am just 2 rows shy of being half way done!

     I know I said that I wasn't going to bring my kaleidoscope quilt with me, but then I thought I hardly ever get to finish a quilt at retreat; so I shouldn't pass up the chance!

      So this is my first quilt top finish of 2012. I wanted to get one done per month, so I'm not doing too well so far, but maybe I will catch up as time goes on.

     I have many pictures of quilts made by the other retreat participants, but I will save those for the next post.