AHIQ Challenge 'Positive Thinking' Quilt Project and 2 Favorite Books That Encourage My Creativity

This lighthearted book on design possibilities always makes me smile.

Beginnings of hand piecing, my 'Primary Plaids'.

Arranging units.

more thinking....

and more improv arranging......

Back view...

Pinned and ready for hand stitching...

Yellow Plaid for the back and my copy of Liberated Quiltmaking II by Gwen Marston.

Hello Quilt Friends! This is my "positive thinking" post for the new AHIQ challenge.

This little quilt is made from recycled shirts I bought at the local thrift shop. 

It is all done old school, I used scissors, no rotary and I hand pieced all of it.

My sewing machine and rotary cutter are in storage and we're living in a hotel!

How's that for an exciting life?

But really it is beautiful here right beside the American River. People come here to ride the river in paddle boats or canoes. 

This is an extended vacation of sorts.

My little quilt, Primary Plaid, was inspired by my color calendar color of the month, Primary, which is really three colors, red, yellow and blue.

I challenged myself to hand piecing because that was the only choice I had. That or nothing.

Our grandmothers hand sewed and there are current quilters who hand piece and turn out amazing quilts, that's what I told myself.

So this little quilt has been a positive thinking project, look what's possible with limited resources!

And I keep my two books Liberated Quilt Making II, and Freddie and Gwen Collaborate Again, close by for color inspiration.

I'm happy with it.

Check out my blog for more on this project if you like; crazyvictoriana.blogspot.com.

I'll be by to visit.

Crossed String Tulips

I made a bunch of these angled string blocks to empty my overflowing scrap bag. There is no center string color or even theme. I thought they would look great but this set didn't quite cut it. Time for recovery mode. 

Electric Socket Shock string blocks

Fortunately Kaja's latest prompt about Positive Thinking brought to mind all the string tulips I've admired for years. By removing the center sixteen blocks there was room to create crossed tulips. 

Eight of those removed blocks were used to create tulip petals so they weren't wasted. After making a couple of lighter ones, I realized the blocks with black or navy strings added the necessary depth to the tulips. 

This was just the distraction I needed. Thanks for encouraging us to "think lovely thoughts," Kaja. {Who remembers that line from Peter Pan?} More information on my blog. 

Going With The Inspiration!

Already getting started on the new challenge! It just clicked on like a light switch being turned on the other day and I didn't even hesitate. Just went with it. I don't have a fleshed out idea of where this is headed yet, but I know that eventually I will be adding a bit of applique. Of course. That's where the most positive vibes always are for me!

Start of the Positive Thinking prompt

The letters have been much easier this time around, just trying to get the right look and feel in regards to overall attitude. It's so interesting starting with cut up shirts instead of working them in during the process. Will definitely run out sooner than I like! You can read more about the thinking behind this particular start over at my blog....

All sewn

Thrusday night I fought thru being tired and got the recycle shirt top all sewn together. I still need to square it up. It will be approximately 40" x 52". I am behind in posting this because the internet has been totally uncooperative! It is now 6:30 a.m. on Saturday and it is working good for me.

I need to find something for the backing so I can get started quilting this and get it done. I do not want it to just sit unfinished! I think I will do a combination of hand and free motion quilting.

My thirty-second recycled clothing project

The prompt this month was for clothing recycling. Well, I have plenty of projects to fit that! It is time to the piece I started in the Gee's Bend workshop at QuiltCon in 2015. We were to bring some old clothes and work on starting a quilt top out of them. I brought two denim shirts that I did not wear, a beige shirt, and a red polo shirt. I remember Mary Ann Pettway asking me how big I was going to make my piece. I said I would keep sewing until I run out of fabric from the shirts. She smiled and approved. Here is the piece as it stands right now. When time ran out the ladies were happy to pose for pictures. I asked them to sign my piece. They looked at me and said really? You want us to write on your piece? I said yes! They said nobody ever asked them to do that before. I was glad two of the ladies dated it too.

So now I will play around with the fabric I have left and get this top finished. I have the perfect place to hang it in my living room once I get it done. I also have a pile of clothes that were my Dad's that I want to make a couple quilts out of for a couple of my brothers and I have a box of linens that I have collected over the years and think they will make an interesting quilt. I really like making quilts out of clothing. I have made 31 quilts out of clothing over thirty years. I have used all kinds of clothing including t-shirts, jeans, Dockers, a seersucker jacket, and polyester/rayon shirts. I have embellished with the labels and buttons that I carefully removed. Maybe now I will get these projects that have been in the back of my mind done!

At last - Hourglass finish

Yes, a finish but a small one!!

I began with ideas of a decent size quilt, using just a simple

pattern

but I had issues working with a subdued palette.

You can read a little more about it on my blog, just check the

labels for Hannah's Garden.

What began as these blocks below on the wall gradually shrank because

I find it difficult to work with a subdued palette.

So, instead of a quilt I now have an 18"  square cushion!

I pulled the brightest blocks, quilted very simply but added

two small lace flowers to the centre block.

The lace came from a box of treasures given to me by my mother-in-law who in turn was

gifted the box from her grandmother.

You get a better view of the lace flowers below.

Kaja has just announced another challenge so I very pleased

that just squeezed in with a finish on the

previous challenge!

Working on the hourglass prompt.

More information on

I Like to Create

Robin