Daffodil and Crocus Machine Quilting Doodles

While it's fresh in my mind I thought I'd share a few pictures from tonight's machine quilting Fiber Cast.  I realize it didn't show up too well on video camera.  White on white is tricky.

My mystery quilt is purple and yellow, and because it's Spring I'm calling it my Crocus and Daffodil Quilt.

First I doodled some quilt pattern ideas.

Then I went to town with my Superior King Tut #40 "alabaster" thread.  Can you see the daffodil?

How about the crocus?

Subtle for sure!

Have a good weekend everyone.  Happy Spring!  (Or Happy Fall depending on where in the world you live!)

Lynn

P.S.

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P.S.S. Raggedy dolls are officially done!

A Quilting and Dolly Smorgasbord

According to Wikipedia ... 

"Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple hot and cold dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. The term Smörgåsbord became internationally known at the 1939 New York World's Fair when it was offered at the Swedish Pavilion's "Three Crowns Restaurant." It's typically a celebratory meal and guests can help themselves from a range of dishes laid out for their choice." 

Well, I have a Smorgasbord of Fiber arts projects!  

It's time to clear the "table."

Raggedy Ann needs hair.  Andy needs his hat.  My "Daffodil and Crocus" Spring mystery quilt (in the background) needs more machine quilting.

  

Then there's Hitty's braided rug. The braids are all made.  I just need to sew them together.  How long - really - can a 6" diameter rug take to complete???
  

And then I have my "grey-background" quilt which was designed at the Marathon Quilters' Retreat. 

I sure am glad we have Simply Colorful Fiber Cast tomorrow night ... I'll be working on one or more of these projects...Celebrating the range of fiber choices laid out before me and with you as my guest!

What project will you work on?

See you at 8PM EST tomorrow night.

Click here to access FiberCast

Lynn

P.S. For those following my car saga ... these 2 pictures pretty much tell the story.  

(Jeep on left being carted off to the "car doctor."  Styling minivan rental on the right.)

 

  

Spring, Scraps, and Raggedy

Hello from the Simply Colorful Fiber Art Studio!

It felt like Spring today, sunny, though not much over 60 degrees.  I went outside and soaked in as much Vitamin D as I could

Warmer weather and flower blooms are coming to New England, I can just feel it. 

But when?

Will these babies ever bloom?

And will this snow ever disappear?

How 'bout my Clematis?  

Will a purple flush of color replace these beige puffballs?  And most importantly, is it CLEMatis or ClemAAAtis? That is the question.

While we ponder these and other Spring delights, let's talk scraps.

I had lots.

I've spent time here and there all week pressing and cutting and sorting.

Now I have them organized!

I still have more to go, and there's a whole other container of strings not in this picture, but it's a start.

  

From now on whenever I have scraps left over from a project I vow to cut them into usable pieces right then and there!  Stockpiling random scraps stops today.  (insert skeptical happy face here)

P.S. See the brown box in the picture?  That is a special family heirloom from Vermont.  I'm saving it for a special occasion to show.  (Yes, that's what we call a "tease.")

Meanwhile, it's finally time to make a new Raggedy Ann doll.
(I first blogged about Raggedy a few weeks ago here.)

Her body will be cut out by tomorrow.  Here's the pattern.   

I'm sticking with the smallest, 15" tall doll.  The Raggedy Ann in this picture is the one my mother made for me when I was a girl.  She'll be my model.

Here are the fabrics I'm planning to use.   

I'm thinking she'll be a "modern day" Raggedy with narrow red-on-white striped legs ... maybe... if I can convince myself to break from tradition. 

You'll just have to tune into tomorrow night's FiberCast to watch the progress and see whether we go thin or thick red striped legs.  

Oh, can you stand the suspense?

Grab a project and I'll see you tomorrow night,

Lynn

At 8PM EST, Friday April 4th, 2014, click this URL to watch live: 

https://plus.google.com/b/117305597376045829646/events/ckg2tu2hefs4hmkqo20at0dpif0  

 (You'll need a Google+ account which is free.)

Or visit the Simply Colorful YouTube Channel to watch the archive and past episodes.

It's True: We're Doing a Spring 2014 Mystery Quilt

Several Fiber Cast viewers have asked about a Mystery Quilt.

I think it's a great idea!  We start THIS Friday!

Click here for PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS.

For anyone who wishes to participate, I'll post clues on Friday mornings and then we can sew together on Friday nights and share our progress throughout the week.

The Mystery quilt is a scrappy quilt with lots of pieces.

It will measure 72” x 90” when complete. (Twin)

The first clue will be published Friday morning, February 21^st, on www.simplycolorful.com/mysteryquiltclues, Blogger, Twitter, Facebook, and Google at 7AM EST. A new clue will be published every Friday thereafter until we’re done. (In six weeks or so.)

PREPARATION PHASE

Here’s what to do between now and this Friday morning:

• Select a print with at least 3 colors in it.  The motif should be medium-to-large. You should love it and have 5 yards of it because it will become your quilt backing.
• Cull through your scraps
• Create a pile of Neutral scraps (approximately 1.5 yds) (Greys or Blacks can be substituted here.)
• Select 3 colors in your backing and create 3 piles of scraps in those colors (approximately 1.5 yards each) and label them A, B, C.
• Load your sewing machine w/ grey or beige thread and a new needle
• Sharpen your rotary blade, prepare your matt and ruler
• And get ready to play.

To give you one idea, here's my backing fabric:

And 3 buckets of scraps, plus neutrals.  

(Yes, I purchased some 1/8^ths and 1/4^ths of yards to augment my stash.) 

Looking forward to Friday already!

Lynn

P.S. Remember Fiber Cast Archives are always available for viewing on the YouTube Simply Colorful channel, so it's okay if you miss a week or a clue because you can catch up anytime.  

No pressure.  This is just meant to be fun!

House Quilt Construction Continues

Hello!

Winter House Quilt construction continues here at the Simply Colorful fiber studio.

I've been played with house placement on the top and edges. 

This quilt's going to be unusual -- a one of a kind for sure!  Don't do this at home - I'm not sure all this overlay, after-the-fact placement and piecing is worth all the extra effort of Y seams and unsewing.

I need about 30 houses for the perimeter. 15 are done. 15 more to go.  I'd like to have them done in time for Fiber Cast this Friday so we can go back to the strip piecing.  

And true to form, I made a miscalculation on one of the roof lines, leaving raw edges exposed.  It was easily fixed with an appliqued bird. 

Do you think the cats on the roof will catch the bird? 

Speaking of adding whimsy into the houses ...

We now have football players in the garage.  (No Pats jokes, please...Congratulations Broncos!)

Cute cowboys playing in a Christmas house.

Betty doing laundry. (Who's she?)

And my favorite, the school bus in the garage.

How are your projects coming this week?  

Want to join me on Friday night for a bit of sewing?  

Next Simply Colorful Fiber Cast is 8PM EST on January 24, 2014.

I'll post the URL on the Simply Colorful Facebook, Twitter, and Google feeds a few minutes before "show time."  As always, the recorded replay will be available afterward if you miss the LIVE event.

Come see our slightly new studio look (thanks to viewer feedback) and sew with me!

Lynn

Simply Colorful Fiber Cams Archives:

January 1

January 3

January 10

January 17

What happened to 1/2 inch?

Of snow that is!

The weather forecast called for just a dusting.  I think we already have two inches, and it's still coming down.  

Big, fluffy flakes, sticking to the trees.  

Perfect weather for quilting!

I have my "faux" fire burning beside me here in the studio today.  

So cozy!  And clean too!  (let's not think about the electric bill though.)

Thank you to all who joined last night's Simply Colorful Fiber Cast. We had fun making Winter House Blocks.  Several of you were knitting along with me, while others finished bindings, or worked on Round Robin Quilts.  My sister Karen was getting a jump on Valentine's day with a Carol Doak pattern, seen below.

Isn't it pretty?

Over the past few days, a few of you have expressed interest in learning more about making scrappy quilts. Bonnie Hunter of www.quiltville.com has the biggest collection of scrappy quilt books and patterns that I know of.  She is tireless.  She travels the country teaching her scrap saver methods, design, and construction techniques.  Remember the Celtic Solstice Quilt from a few weeks ago? That's a Bonnie Hunter pattern.

I also found this 7+ min video from Diane Harris, editor of Quiltmaker magazine. She gives some high-level tips (and visual examples) for selecting from your scrap pile. When making this Midnight Flight block, for example, think about color families, values, and size of pattern motif.  I think like when planting a country garden, the more variety and types of fabric, the better!

Fun, fun, fun.  Jump right in, the water is fine in scrappy quilt making world!

That's it from here.  I'm about to dive back into my Winter House Block scrap pile.

Sew on,

Lynn