New Orleans House Project

Thursday, March 29, 2012

A Memory Quilt Finish

I put the last stitches in the binding of this quilt today, so I wanted to share one last set of pictures.  The quilt was in a blog post back in January, so I won't go into all the back story again today.  If you recognize the design as Bonnie Hunter's "Star Struck", you'd be correct!

Cindy Braiwick, a local long-arm quilter, did the quilting for me.  I told her my dad was a fisherman, and she had a lot of fun incorporating fishing and other water-oriented designs into the quilting.

There's more than one alligator in the quilt, but this one was the easiest to photograph - except where I cut off the end of his snout!
Great blue heron
A snippet of the quilt back

I have another memory quilt top close to being finished; hope to share it with you soon!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Rainbow Scrap Challenge: Still in the Pink!

After making 2 sets of Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks this month, I didn't see much of a dent in my pink scraps.  I don't know about you, but I always have a mental list of blocks I want to at least try, so I consulted the list and came up with another scrap-friendly block.

The Granny Square block seems to be all over quilting blogland right now.  I think it's perfect for a color-coordinated quilt or a scrap quilt.  Although it's meant to mimic a crochet granny square, it is based on a traditional quilt block often called Chimney Sweep or Album.  In fact, I essentially used the granny square technique when I made my Album Quilt many years ago!

I used some of the more modern pink scraps in my collection - most of these scraps are from doll quilts I've made for my nieces.  And now the pink scrap bin is noticeably diminished.  I guess I will have to go back and revisit the red and green scrap bins for Granny Square blocks, so I have a complete Rainbow Challenge set!

Don't forget to check out the weekly link-up from Rainbow Scrap challengers!


Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Little Hearts - Complete!

I'm so tickled to have completed this UFO - it's been unfinished since 1997 or so!
I unearthed this project back in February and decided it needed finishing in honor of Valentine's Day.  I didn't quite make that deadline, but I persevered and put the last stitches in a few weeks ago.  I'm very pleased with the quilting design - simple but effective!
I outline quilted the hearts with red embroidery floss.
Hmmm...my supply of table setting props has dwindled over the years.  What I do have plenty of is dolls!  So, we have a Lady & the Tramp vignette - Bella Notte!





Saturday, March 17, 2012

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - March Deux

Saturday is Soscrappy's Rainbow Challenge pink-up day.  Yes, I said "pink-up", as there will be links to lots of pink scrappy inspiration!
I put together these pink Greek Square blocks earlier this week.  I had lots of pink scraps in the 3.5" scrap bin, but none as old as some of the scraps I used for last week's 16-patch blocks!  I was tired of taking pictures of blocks on my design wall, so I snapped these in afternoon sunlight on the kitchen table - a nice change of pace!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Memory Quilt: version 3

I've been working on the third memory quilt made from my dad's shirts.  Versions 1 & 2 can be seen here.
I'm just kind of making this up as I go along.  My initial inspiration was to use half-square triangles to form square-in-a-square type blocks.  I also wanted to experiment with using a zig-zag border.  Since I already had lots of HSTs, I just played with those until I had a zig-zag I liked.  Of course, making it up as you go along sometimes creates design flaws...or are they planned design elements?
Can you see the flaw?
I have to make more HSTs for the bottom row.  Once I've got that laid out I'll decide if I can live with the flaw...er, design element.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Rainbow Scrap Challenge - March


The Rainbow Scrap Challenge color for March is pink.  No problem!  My box for 2 inch strips and squares is full of pink - some of those scraps date back to my earliest quilting days in 1988!  It didn't take long to piece 4 16-patch blocks.

Then I pulled out a larger pink scrap and cut some quarter-square triangles for hourglass blocks.

My design wall is full right now with another project.  I don't want to take it down or I'll mess up the piecing sequence - so I'll have to assemble all Rainbow Scrap Challenge 16-patch blocks another day.

There are lots more pink scrappy blocks to see over at Soscrappy's blog - go grab some inspiration!

Glad to be Home!

Greetings, Gentle Readers!  I had no idea I would be absent from my blog for so long, but I'm back and soooo happy to be home.  I've missed my quilting activities and blogging friends, but fortunately I could read all of your blogs and keep the thread of inspiration going.

I was rather unexpectedly offered a new job several weeks ago, but I had to travel to St. Petersburg, Florida for job training.  I was told the training did not have a rigid schedule, so when I left home I thought I'd be gone for a week.  Unfortunately, one week turned to two.  Fortunately, my mom now lives nearby, so I got to spend a great deal of time with her!

Since I thought I'd only be gone a week, I only took one hand-sewing project along with me.  I made and attached the binding for the Little Hearts quilt, and figured I'd use my free time in the evenings to stitch the binding down.  Instead, I wound up setting up my mom's new desk-top computer and getting all the programs tweaked and old files transferred over.  And she also wanted me to go with her to do some new car shopping, so we trekked across the county a few times to visit car dealers.

Life is good!  I returned home on Friday night, filled up on some good New Orleans cookin' and slept in my own bed.  There are still chores to be caught up on, but I did manage to spend a little time in my sewing room yesterday, so I should have some quilty things to share soon.