Trina's adventures in quilting: 2016

Saturday, December 31, 2016

Not sure why! Paper Pieced clothes

May 1 -

May 2
I found this BOM kit at the Grass Valley country store (things sold by the guild) for $20. Not sure why I bought it but figured I'd start with the May block. More paper piecing for that portion of my journey.

This is May block. Pattern had a couple of errors in colors and super tiny pieces. Also had problems with some of the slight angles and pieces not covering when flipped over. UGH. I need to keep telling myself enjoy the journey/learning, don't get frustrated.

June 30, 2016

July 24, 2016

Aug 14, 2016

Sept 23, 2016

Oct 2016

Nov 2016

Dec 11, 2017

Dec 18,2016

Dec 21, 2016

Dec 22, 2016

I'm going to try and sell these 12 blocks at quilt show boutique next June. Sold at the boutique for $25.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Fidget Lap Mats - Alzheimer's Activity Mats

Dec 16, 2016

Mom, Joanne, Bambi and I spend 1/2 a day making these 4 Alzheimer's Activity Mats. Fun to do something different and to make up what was to be one any of the mats.

Big pocket was made out of soft cuddle fabric, there was buttons, zippers, nylon and other tactile things. One had a buckle. Couple had a suede fringe. The purpose is to keep fidgety fingers busy with things to do.

Monday, December 12, 2016

I'm seeing spots

July 2016 -- Dec 2016

I purchased ($32) the instructions and polka dot fabric from High Mountain Fabric in Redmond OR this month. I had seen this quilt made up several years ago at this store and have always remembered it so when I saw the "kit" I had to give it a try even though it was way over priced! The blocks are basic but I like the look. I used a fabric bundle I purchased several years ago.

It is very bright! I like it. Shawn calls it LED Trip (a word play on LSD).
Size: 66 x 66

Medallion Round 3 for 2016/2017

I signed up for two round 3s. I signed up for this one because of the fabric added to the packaged but had not been incorporated yet. The round 2 did not use any of it either. As the print was large and all over I kept the round fairly simple to showcase the fabric.

Finished Quilt top

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Medallion Round 2 for 2016/2017 -- #2

This center did not have anyone signed up for it on so I will a round 2.

I really wanted to try this technique of drafting my own free formed flying geese. I had gotten the book Flying Colors by Gail Garber awhile ago and think I'll try it on a butterfly quilt I'm still thinking on. But I wanted to try the technique first to be sure I could do it and like it. There are more complex free form designs but I thought I'd keep to flying geese for my first attempt so not to get so hard I get discouraged. I used hand dyed fabrics that Karen and I did many years ago and I had used these in at least two other projects but had at least 1/4 yard of each color and figured adding it to the medallion might entice someone to take the next round. I am pleased the with results.

Finished Quilt Top

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Karen Combs class Ice Crystals

Nov 19, 2016

Took class from Ice Crystals from Karen Combs. Really great class. I like Karen's three dimensional quilts. This Ice Crystal is a good learning for her 3-D quilts but I'm not impress with this one as much.

I used batik scraps of gradation. Will probably try sell at boutique this summer as an unfinished quilt/quilt top only.

35x36
Sold $40

Mostly Modern group -- Fabric Challenge

Sept 18, 2016

This is the fabric for the challenge:

The "rules" for this challenge are:

Create a block using the designated fat quarter that:

uses one design element from modern quilting

• Use of negative space to organize the subject and capture attention

• Minimal and simple in design

• Bright and graphic color palettes

• Improvisational piecing

• Alternate grid work or structure

• Asymmetry

• Modern traditionalism (a reinterpretation of traditional blocks)

• Exaggerated scale of block size or components of quilting

• Pixelization (distorting an image to digital composition)

is any shape other than a square

is no larger than an area of 400"

includes as many colors and fabrics as you wish to use

is not quilted (just show the block in it’s unfinished glory)

Although everyone will get to keep their block, some of the blocks might just beg to be combined into a larger piece. If that happens, the creators of those blocks may choose to work together.

I used Excel and create a draft of my block:

About two weeks after I had made the design I started in the middle on the construction. I wanted the bars to "float" more so decided to add gray to each bar. I did not consider how this would impact the size requirement until I was done. It was more difficult then I expected since I wanted the weave of over and under and therefore could not construct in a standard method. Overall I'm pleased but it is too big.

To meet the size requirement I remade the design without the added gray to "float" the bars. It was a lot more difficult to make as the bars finish at 1 inch. Plus it is more wobbly. Oh well. I quilted this one 1/2" square and giving as the X-mas mug rug exchange.

Here are all those done by the group.

March 2017
I quilted this while at the Walker Creek retreat.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Medallion Round 2 for 2016/2017

Oct 2016

My original idea for this was to somehow express single light ray coming in and a spectrum coming out but I could not figure how to execute that. I had just under a half of yard of these fabrics from a BQ5 quilt top mom had recently finished. The fabric reminded me of how light reflects about a gem. I got the corner stones from Sunny Steinkuhler's Blocks Borders, Quilts book. I then drafted the sides so they fit the block. I really like the effect and it is all due to the fabric!

Finished Quilt top

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Texas Star by Sew Batik

August 26, 2016

I purchased this kit from Sew Batik at PIQF last October ($150). The pattern is Texas Star by Whirligig Designs and it is a great use of the batik gradation fabrics.

I worked on this a Hen House retreat and completed the top on Oct 3, 2016. I made one change in that I used the same background fabric for both types of blocks so by the time I got to the last border I could only make it 1 inch finished instead of 1.5 inches finished.

Size: 63x80

Personal Challenge: Quilt a quilt every week for a year

Sept 2015 - 2016

We (mom and I) have over 200 quilt tops. With the new quilt system mom is attempting to quilt some but in generally this falls to me. I agonize over how to quilt each quilt and end up picking quilting motifs and ideas that either bore me and delay my finishing the quilt or so detailed that they take me forever. I have analysis paralysis when it comes to quilting and it is obvious by the number of quilt tops to be quilted.

Therefore I am setting a challenge for myself to quilt a quilt a week. Size doesn't matter and neither does the quilting motif. I'm hoping the results of this challenge will be that I ease up on myself about how to quilt a quilt. That I don't over complicate my selection(s) of quilt motifs.

I will have a separate blog on the details of each quilt this blog will be just to track the challenge itself.

Oct 4, 2016

Okay, I didn't get 52 quilts quilted in the year but 39 isn't too bad. I'm pretty sure that is the most I've gotten done in one year. I'll try again this coming year.

#39 Oct 1, 2016

#38 Sept 24, 2016
2017 Given to Community Quilts (charity)

#37 Sept 2, 2016 Sold to Sue W.

#36 August 2, 2016
June 2017 Sold $35

#35 July 16, 2016 -- Given to Shawn

#34 June 28. 2016 -- 2016 given to charity

#33 June 26, 2016
June 2017 Sold $45

#32 June 19. 2016 - Given as gift to Sue W

#31 May 21, 2016

#30 April 15, 2016 --

#29 April 8, 2016
Sold June 2017; $30

#28 March 27, 2016

#27 March 17,2016 -- Sold at Santa Rosa 2016

#26 March 10, 2016 -- Sold

#25 Feb 19, 2016

#24 Feb 8, 2016

#23 Feb 8, 2016

#22 Feb 4, 2016 -- Sold

#21 Jan 26, 2016

I find myself getting too involved in the what to quilt again and it is slowing me in personal challenge. Need to just get a couple of quilts done fast.

#20 Jan 18, 2016 -- Sold at Sisters 2016