The Red Quilt -- Getting Started

In addition to getting started on Lilah's Quilt I'm also starting on another project -- one I'm calling The Red Quilt. It will go perfectly in the loft upstairs.

You've seen the design before -- it's simply squares made up of half triangles that have a consistent color pattern. I'm planning on doing reds and tans/creams. I was inspired by this quilt by Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew and what I see on the ironing board in this post by Amy at Diary Of A Quilter.

Yes, I'm looking for easy and scrappy. I want to use up some of the fabrics I've had hanging around for a while because -- well -- I have a hard time justifying going and maxing out my credit card buying MORE fabric when I still have piles of pretty stuff laying around. Need to remedy that huh?

So here are the reds I've chosen for this project. I'm hoping I can get busy cutting squares in the next couple days and get busy piecing some time next week.

The goal is to get several quilt tops ready before the snow flies so I can plan a trip to visit my friend Patty in New York and take advantage of her new longarm quilter! I'm so looking forward to the wine laughs that will go along with the quilting.

Lilah's Quilt -- Getting Started

Sweet Delilah -- she just makes my heart sing. I am totally over-the-moon in love with her.

It only seems right that she should have a quilt made in her honor. Right?

I've been putting off saying much about it until I had a design figured out and fabrics purchased. I've gone back and forth about whether to go with pastels or bright colors ... in the end I decided on bright colors that reflect summertime since she was born in June.

Here's the pattern I'm using as the basis for my quilt:

It's designed by Maria Wallin and called Summer Squares Quilt. I just love the squares and even though I love the fabrics she used in her design, I'm going with pinks, greens, and yellows. I'm hoping it turns out as pretty as Maria's! I do have a few changes in mind but not much ... Here's a link to the pattern -- which can be found at the Moda Bake Shop.

These are the fabrics I've chosen so far. The photo doesn't do the colors justice. They are actually brighter than they appear here.

I'm hoping to be able to cut out some of the quilt today and get started making the blocks over the next couple days. It will be sooo thrilling to hear the whirl of my sewing machine again!

I Have Not Abandoned This Blog :)

As is typical with a new blog -- I wrote a bunch of posts initially and then over the past couple weeks, not so much.

Fear not. I have not gone AWOL or deserted the blog already.

I've just been busy. As in, doing summer stuff like vacationing, getting ready for company, actually having the company, and then doing a little more vacationing.

And I'm not done yet :)

My sweet husband is off this week and we have a few days trips planned (tomorrow is our anniversary after all!) so about all I think I'll get done this week is a little more set up in my basement sewing area (I had no idea what a terrible job of packing I did! Disgraceful. LOL ... and what's worse is I have no memory of what I had so I don't know what I have yet to unpack. It's rather scary opening up a zillion boxes marked "MISCELLANEOUS" and finding stuff I'd long forgotten about.)

Basically though, I'm hoping that since hubby is off we can get some overhead lights hung up and maybe some pegboard on the walls so I can at least hang my rulers. I'm hoping to get a few "before" pictures of some fabric selections for a few new projects that I want to get started on and maybe even get a few more piles of material washed.

And then there's Lilah's quilt. I picked up fabric for it last week (my son Daniel actually went with me and helped me pick colors -- he was a really big help!) and since I just found out we'll be blessed with a visit by the little princess in mid-August, I'm going to get busy with on that on Monday with hopes of getting it pieced by Friday.

Once the top is about done I'll have to make a few decisions -- do I send a block of fabric to Patty to have her embroider Delilah's name on it or skip that? Do I attempt to machine quilt it myself (since I have no experience) or send it to Patty to have her quilt on her longarm (knowing Patty may not have even gotten her new machine set up yet, let alone have any desire whatsoever to quilt it for me!) OR should I hand-quilt it myself (definitely my last choice.)

I will have to do a little thinking on that one.

Anyway, that's what I'm up to. A whole lot of nothing! However, I did manage to bookmark several future projects while looking through books on the drive to and from New York! That counts for something, right?

Right?

My Daily Reads and Inspiration

When I decided I wanted to get back into quilting, I turned to the internet to see what had changed in the quilting world since I last was stitching.

A lot.

I am truly amazed at the changes in fabric design, quilt designs in general, and in the people that are knee deep in fabric scraps. Wow. Times have changed and I'm loving what I see.

First off, there are so many fabric choices -- so many with bright colors and funky patterns. Gosh, where did the calico prints go? And the designs ... simple designs are so refreshing to see. While I still love all the traditional blocks, I'm seeing so many updated versions or twists on old favorites that I'm in awe.

And the people. I remember viewing quilting as an old ladies craft. I hate to admit that. I was pretty young when I became interested in quilts but most of the designers, teachers, and leaders in the quilting world were older or at least middle-age. That's no longer the case. I can't believe the number of young women (in their 20s and 30s) who are totally in love with quilting. I attribute the beautiful colors and prints available in fabric now and the fun designs to their youth, vitality, and influence.

And it's just incredible the difference technology has made to the quilting world. Digital cameras make it possible to document the steps taken in making a block or showing a technique. Patterns can be purchased and delivered almost instantaneously. Fabric can be ordered online ... and be on its way to you in a matter of hours. Knowledge can be shared via online video (QNN.TV for instance!) and quilters can blog about what they're doing, host and participate in quilt-a-longs ... the list goes on and on. It's simply amazing and wonderful to see how far quilting has come in the last 10 years.

I decided to add a blogroll to my blog (mostly for myself so that I can do a quick check every day to see what my favorite quilters are up to.) I'm sure I'll be adding to the list as time goes on ... but for now, this is a great start!