AHIQ Prompt January 2021: String Tuliip QAL

A new year means a new promt. As always, many ideas run through my mind but something different kept coming to the top. Repeated comments about the angled strings and the tulips gave me the idea for a quilt along instead of a prompt. So this time, let's have an Electric Socket Shock QAL. I was asked if there's a pattern. Answer: Of course not. I was making it up every step of the way. But it's a simple variation of a string quilt and those are always useful for clearing out the scraps. And it will force me to write something down.

Electric Socket Shock quilt

I'll start writing guidelines for us and we'll head out. Remember, they are merely suggestions. Change anything you want or go in a completely different directions. That's why we love improv.

Interestingly the tulip quilts were constructed like kawandi. I started with the border and worked my way in. So we will do the same with this QAL. We will start with the string blocks and then move to the string tulips. You can make one or both parts and add your own variations. 

String Tulips quilt

My previous quilts are about 40" square - baby quilt sized but you should choose a size that works for you. The final size will determine how many blocks you need to make. And BTW, my blocks were 5.5" unfinished/ 5" finished. Feel free to change those up, too.

You'll need assorted strings and scraps, about 2/3 yard for the background {more if you make a larger quilt}, and some leftover binding for the tulip stems. Or you can pull from your stash. Or go shopping. I also used newsprint for a base. You can do that, or nothing. If you sew with a fabric base, you should increase your seam allowances due to the extra bulk.

This is posted here and on FretNotYourself. Are you in? Let me know in the comments. If it's a go, we will start sewing next month and continue monthly.

Enjoy the day, Ann

A Forgotten Blog

Of course my brain is Covid dead...and certainly aging....so I forgot about this blog

Until, I found myself posting on my personal site, how improv is my favorite way of quilting.

Took some scraps and random four patches....decided to snowball one block..Nope that did not work, so I snowballed two sides of the plain block. I had an idea ahead of time on the border and the fabric...Nope, that did not happen.  However, for a baby quilt for outreach.  I feel it is just fine.

It is not quilted yet.   Somehow  it was so satisfying to make.  As I look at it on the design wall, I feel it is comfy and cuddly looking.... xo Diane

 

Otsego Revisited - the Quilt

Introducing OTSEGO REVISITED.

This finish actually counts for TWO of our AHIQ challenges -

Flowers from last year

and the current Positive Thinking challenge.

There's a complete post on my blog

with links and lots more photos.

I hope you'll come take a look!

Quiltdivajulie

Inspi(RED) is a Finished Quilt!

 

Inspi(RED) is my quilt 

for the early 2019 RED challenge

and it is finally finished.

There's a complete post for this one on my blog

with more photos and links to the project's back story.

Come on over and visit!

Quiltdivajulie

Improv Quilt Featuring Triangles and Broken Dishes Block, in Primary Colors, Inspiration from Free Range Triangles, by Gwen Marston and Cathy Jones

Summer 2 made with recycled cotton plaids and scraps in primary colors.

Close-up of hand quilting and hand stitched binding on Summer 2.

Summer 1 finished this last summer, hand pieced, quilted. Binding hand stitched down.

 

AHIQ news! A finish!

I finished my small quilt, Summer 2, made from left overs from my Summer 1 small quilt.

I started Summer 1 with the AHIQ challenge to use recycled fabric. I found some cotton work shirts at the local thrift shop in blue and yellow plaid, just the thing I was looking for!

Also, when I pieced together Summer 1 I didn't have access to my sewing machine, so it was piece by hand or nothing. Summer 1 was entirely pieced and hand stitched together. I folded the back over and hand stitched that down for binding.

Summer 2 was pieced from left overs from #1. It was machine and hand pieced, hand quilted and the binding was folded over from the back and stitched down by hand.

I used triangles and Broken Dish blocks in Summer 2 being inspired by Gwen Marston and Cathy Jones' book, Free Range Triangles. Their book is full of inspiration!

Both quilts were fun to make and I love the feel of the cottons and the improv look.

Check my blog for more info.

Have a great day!

Living life in the moment

I forgot that I came by, read a couple of posts, got distracted, and didn't respond. Sometimes I do things in my head (only) and in my head that thing is done. Of course, the rest of the world can't know what's in my head. (It's best for the world that things stay that way.) 

So here I am, much later, and I've caught up with all of your beautiful projects. Here are a few of my own projects. The first two were completed tops that have been waiting their turn on the long-arm for quite some time.

These two are more recent makes. Tops made in 2020. Both are improv quilts for different reasons. This first one found its positivity in that it's a donation quilt. The money from its sale will go to my guild and some boy will be happy from its warmth.

This quilt. I didn't know what to do with this insane thing. One day I just tried something new and voila! I loved it. Getting everything to go together was a bit of a struggle but also a celebration when I figured it out. It's my favorite quilt... until the next one. 

Most of my days the last month or so have been spent crafting small items to put in a craft booth at a local artist market. I can't even explain what's happened with that endeavor, but I'm enjoying the short break from quilting "ALL THE TIME," according to my family. 

Thanks to everyone who responded. It's wonderful to know that all are well. 

Positively String Tulips

Positive thinking is what we've needed this year. And the need has become greater with every day. I reset some of the electric socket string blocks with a medallion of tulips. It's a triple scoop ice cream cone - strings, medallion, and tulips. So those circles must be the cherries on top.

String Tulips on Green baby quilt

Audrey's many beautiful tulip quilts inspired me to create one of my own. Now that the ice is broken, I have ideas for several more. They are enormously fun. 

Deliberately angled strings made a wild top, named by QuiltDivaJulie, but it seemed like one was enough. However, there were almost two more piles of these blocks. So, like kawandi, I started at the outside and worked my way in. One nice thing about applique is that it's easily scalable. Just enlarge or shrink the design to fit the needed space.  More details on my blog.

Keep focusing on positive thought and actions. And VOTE. Our lives depend on it.