Another Quilt With the Feel of Africa

I decided that Kalahari Fire Ring was very flat and lacking in the detail that I like, so I decided to try something using the Cathedral Window block. I think these fabrics are more vibrant, and that satisfies my interpretation of African textiles. I had to dedicate a piece of fabric for the windows that was earmarked for a vest lining, because I fussy cut the windows. The repeat on the fabric was so large that I had to break it down to 3 sets of 4 windows each. The center four were one, the remaining 8 were two different cuts. I like the red/orange in the center of this a lot. The fact that the windows were cut from leaf shapes also echoed the leaf prints in the black fabric, and I like that kind of continuity in my work, if I can make it happen.

My closeups always look distorted...but this is 12.5" square

These 3 black fabrics were companion pieces that I got from a shop in Columbus Ohio, and I liked that they all felt organic in the design. My method for hanging these small pieces is to get a wooden dowel, and cut it to fit inside the sleeve. I then wrap tape around the ends and screw in eyelets. The tape prevents the wood from splitting, and I  can use a smaller dowel that doesn't distort the front of the quilt. There is no weight to speak of, so this can be hung with straight pins. They don't leave much of a mark, and it can be moved around without too much wall damage. It's how I hang all my pieces here, and it works very well. I also like that there is no visible hanging hardware.

My next Cathedral Window experiment will include rectangle blocks that impart a bit of a 3-D effect. This pattern uses a LOT of fabric and needs a LOT of hand stitching, but I like the result, so I think I'm going to work on another piece.

Kalahari Fire Ring

As a gift for someone who collects African art, I was inspired to create a wall hanging with colors that reflect that continent's vibrant and rich textile and nature colors. I knew it would be a small piece, one that is like many others I have done, because I lose interest with larger projects. I usually have several things in mind, and when my Mr. is away on work travel, I take sewing magazines and my clipboard with graph paper and mechanical pencil to bed with me and work on plans and schemes for future projects. They are usually left on the Mr.'s side of the bed, that is way too empty when he is gone. But his work trip this time may give him the chance to jump in the ocean at Challenger Deep, and give him the chance to claim swimming at the deepest place on earth. He deserves that, even if it makes me extremely nervous for him to do it. It all depends on the weather, which right now is at typhoon level 3. But he will be out there for a few weeks, so maybe the chance will still be there.

My color inspiration came from this insect, the African Bottlebrush Beetle. Africa has so many amazing creatures, this beetle among them. Its front legs look like, well, bottle brushes. Even I was able to figure that out. I also liked that the orange/yellow/black colors reminded me of some fabric that I had on the shelf, from Paula Nadelstern's Patternista Chorus Line. I love these fabrics, and am buying yardage online because it isn't in stores anymore. My choice for the background fabric with leaves on it came from the fact that the Kalahari Desert has areas that get up to ten inches of rain per year, and things grow there. These few interesting facts about Africa gave me some reasons for my choices, and I always try to incorporate things like that in work that I do.

My first bright idea was to piece it so the featured triangles were all the same. Known as fussy cutting, it is a great way to give a quilt an added visual impact. Good idea, except for the fact that this is paper pieced, and lining them up on the back of the paper, and having to sew the seam, then flip them over and press them into place left room for a lot of error. In order for the pattern to flow around in the circle, they needed to be nearly identical. 12 triangles, 3 of them removed, repositioned and re-sewn, and 1 triangle removed twice. Talk about frustrating. It was. But their position was crucial to the impact of this, and there was no way I was going to give up on it, even though taking stitching out of the paper foundation weakens the paper, and can distort the rest of the sewing lines. So I was very careful to place the needle back in the original hole so I wouldn't be adding another line of perforation in the paper. Couldn't sew them all correctly the first time, but I could resew them. Add to that the small stitch length used so the paper is easier to remove, and you have a seam ripping nightmare.

I began looking at sashing strips. Light or dark fabric...how many...I spent a day considering many fabrics. I gave in to the dark, light, dark, light look, and I think I'm happy with it. 

Four blocks done. Whew. I had added another triangle to each of the inner corners to give it a center focal point, only to find that when I trimmed the under fabric and sewed the blocks together, I didn't like the fabric choice. Really, Peg? It didn't blend with the other fabrics, and was a distraction instead of a compliment. It kept staring at me like a grey eyeball. I hated it. I knew that if I took those four triangles out, having been stitched in with those tiny paper piecing stitches, it would probably distort the center of the quilt. 

So I spent another day deciding what to do. Enter the fussy cut, again. If I wasn't going to remove the grey fabric, I was going to have to hand stitch a square of fabric over it. And that is where I am now, about half way done. I have an Ott light, but the only light bright enough for that kind of stitching is sunlight, so tomorrow, about mid day, I will finish it. I am going to strip piece the backing fabric, including a fabric label, and then decide the quilting pattern. I will post a photo of the finished piece in a few days, but now it's off to bed to spend some time with my clipboard and graph paper. Also, my close up photo taking abilities need some work, because these look distorted, but another blogger, Heather said it was because the camera wasn't parallel to the surface. I need to work on that...but thanks Heather!

Vintage Goldmine

Well, I hit the mother lode of vintage fabric last weekend, and the second of four parcels arrived today. This first photo is just a VERY small sample of one auction that I won. The woman who did this work had to be an amazing person. She had so many projects started, and had taken the time to keep the groups together, many of them in zip bags. There are literally thousands of blocks, groups, pieces and parts. I am amazed at the variety of pieces in this collection.

This sewer liked what I like. I was humbled to open the box and start looking through what was there. Some of the pins were still holding pieces together, waiting to be stitched. One piece still had the needle and thread in it, where she left it. I have no idea who she was, or her name, or where she lived. But I feel like I know about her. I know the stitches on these pieces now, some by hand, some by machine. She was knowledgeable, the point and seam matching was quite nice. Some of zip bags contained cut pieces that are about an inch square, and the template is there as well, with the lead marks on it where the pencil slipped as she traced it over and over. Wow. I think I am meant to carry on where she left off, and I plan on working everything I can into clothing, green bags, and gifts for friends. Some of the bigger pieces will be quilted and bound for wall art. I have to honor what she began.

 This is the second batch, over 400 1" squares, 5 bags, sorted by color. Again, this person was busy. Some of them had been stitched together, and taken back apart. Lots of feed sack prints, amazing, vintage fabric goodness that is going to find its purpose in the now.

It's funny how this stuff is still out there. Fabric is fragile; an organic thing that doesn't last forever. Some quilts seem to have stood the test of time, others look as though the dog's had them under the porch. I have seen both, and when I came across these groups, I felt like I could save them. I could make things that would give them life, and hopefully, they will be around for a long time. The Mr. is on work travel for a month, so I have time to sew, along with painting ceilings and walls. It's going to be a good, productive 30 days. :-)

Better Late Than Never

I have had lots going on, but at least remembered to take the last photos and post them before the moon quilt is delivered to that sweet baby boy this weekend. I loved using painter's tape for marking the straight diagonal lines, but there were some blocks that it was hard to see against. Who knew painter's tape was going to match the quilt so well? I need to get some Frog tape just in case my next project is blue! I used a bamboo quilt bat that I like very much. I think if I need some filler in the clothing I plan on for my fall sewing, I will consider it. Nice, soft feel, and not stiff at all. I really like it.

I did free motion quilting around all the letters, and I have not had a lot of experience at that, but I think it turned out okay. This quilt is meant to be loved, dragged around, and generally scrunched up, so I tried to give it the foundation for lots of wear. It will be given with a re-stitch warranty, should anything come loose, but I think it's  going to last.

In Italian, the literal translation of 'to give birth' is "dare alla luce"...to give to the light.

Benvenuto alla luce, Lyric.

Moon Quilt Top

Sometimes my camera distorts the image, like this one where the edges don't look square. It is square, though. Rotary cut, 1/4" guide on the presser foot makes this as square as humanly possible, but it still looks crooked. Oh well, even if it weren't, after Lyric gets ahold of it, hopefully it will be loved, dragged around and broken in properly!

I usually opt for brighter colors over pastels, and this is a good example of those choices. My Mr. went with me when I needed to get a few more blues to plump up my selection. He found the one that has the yellow and orange in it, and I'm glad he did. It shows up because of the yellow/orange in the center panel. I like a mix of prints, and these are all batiks, my favorite fabric. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the right from the wrong side on them, but I love the feel of the it. It has a smooth, tight weave, and I was surprised to notice the differences in un-batik printed fabrics after having sewn with batiks for a while. There's a noticeable difference in the quality most of the time. I think this will wear well. I have a feeling it will be going through the wash more than a few times.

The quilting plan is free-motion in the center panel, and diagonal straight line in the squares. My Babylock machine is great, and makes it easy to accomplish all these things with ease.

I have to put it aside until Monday, but I hope to have it finished by the end of next week, and in the mail to Lyric's mom and dad in Ohio, where they're eagerly awaiting his arrival.

Second Project

For some reason, I seem to find it necessary to work on more than one project at a time. I think by the time I get to the part of stitching the current one together, my mind is already looking for the next one to begin. These fabrics were in a jelly roll from Moda®. Forty 2 1/2" strips, arranged by color in such a way, that I didn't want to disturb them. But that only lasted for a while. My rotary cutter and mat are wonderful tools, because they feed my need for instantaneous gratification. If I had to measure each strip and cut it with scissors, this post would not be taking place. Plus my machine has a foot with a 1/4" guide on it, so even with my impatience, it's nearly impossible to stitch inconsistent seams.

The one thing that bothered me was that these strips were cut with pinkers, and that sawtoothed edge was biting into the quarter inch seam allowance. After it's all done, it won't matter, I guess, but it makes the cut edge a little more unstable as I sew the seams.

Last photo is my beginning attempt to lay them out in a color wheel sort of fashion. I already see some things that have to be changed. Funny that I didn't see it when I was looking at it, but when I saw the photo, I noticed it right away. And I may have to use some other fabrics, because this group had several pastels, and I am going for brights in this one. Well, I am as soon as I finish that baby quilt.
PHOTOS©pegyates/2012

And The Stitch Goes On

It has been a delicious relief to have the humidity drop ahead of a thunderstorm. One that didn't quite make it to us, unfortunately, but it is bearable outside now. I was really hoping for a drenching rain to water the grass, flowers and shrubs, and generally wash away the grime that has accumulated on everything since the last rain we had. But I'll take the cooler temps even without the rain.

I Love You To The Moon And Back detail.

I decided to free motion stitch the letters down before I layer and quilt this piece. I figured that if I did that now, and stitched the blue background after I sandwich it all together, they will pop a little more. The edges of the letters are meant to fray a little after washing to give it a used and loved look, but with all the stitches, they won't be going anywhere.

This quilt was one out of my imagination. I did google the name of it, with 'baby quilt', and got some hits, but nothing like this at all. I get myself into these situations of sewing but mostly they turn out okay. I do fine, unless I am sewing for someone with a deadline attached. For some reason, that takes all the fun out of it for me. 

After and before cushion covers.

My step daughter asked me to make new covers for her cushions. It was something I had never tried before, but how could I say no? Old on the right, new on the left. I even picked out the 12 zippers and reused them in the new covers. They were in great shape, and it seemed a shame to toss them, aside from the fact that new ones weren't nearly as well made, but yet, they were still expensive. It would have cost about $60 for upholstery-grade new ones.

The plaids match on these cushions, even to the gussets on the sides of the back cushions. Thanks for forcing me to understand the finer points of that, Grandma. I learned to sew from her when I was in the 5th grade. I stayed over night with her on a Friday, and Saturday morning we got up and make a jumper for me, in an uneven plaid, and it matched, everywhere. She made it impossible for me to buy plaid off the rack, because it never matches. So, 6 back cushions, 6 seat cushions, and 12 zippers later, my machine was all ready to go/sew after 4 months of sitting in the box from our move. I LOVE my Babylock.

More photos will be added as this quilt goes together. In between stitching the letters, I have rotary cut strips for a miniature wall quilt. I have missed sewing time, and am fortunate to have the equipment and supplies to sew as much as I want...so get busy, Peg.
PHOTOS©pegyates/2012

...And I Begin Again...

Epic failure at this blog, but I am going to give it another go.
Most important, the husband was able to resume his travel after the medical adventures, and the first trip was to Japan in January. Quite a big step across the ocean for a first go, but it was uneventful.
I was a little twitchy, with him on another continent, meds, and a list of the meds packed in his carry-on bag. I tried to get the list for him from the pharmacy, and they told me they couldn't give it to me, that he would have to come pick it up. "Really?" I said. "You will let me pick up his drugs and call in refills, but you won't give me a list of his drugs?"
"It's a privacy matter." they said.
"Well, it's a convenience matter for us, because his hours are long and I do as much as possible to clean up the fringe for him by doing things like this."
"Sorry Mrs. Yates, but he will have to come in himself."
And they didn't even ask him for his ID, to be sure they weren't giving it to the wrong person.
Add two more trips to Pearl Harbor in May and June, and you have a ballistic missile man who is back on the horse. The last two trips were successful test missions, so, Yay! Oh, and I also had a hysterectomy in August of 2011, so with that, and moving from the river in October of that year explains a lot of why I didn't keep up my rambling....uh...I mean blogging.

On to more things:
Another baby quilt is in the works. AJ & Lea are expecting their first baby, a son, named Lyric, in September. She has such a way about her, and tells her husband on Facebook that she 'loves him to the moon and back'

Well, this quilt was a no-brainer, given that way of sharing love, so Lyric's quilt will reflect those words, surrounded by blue patchwork. I am going to put a hanging sleeve on it, in case she wants to hang it on the wall, but it will be easily removed if she wants to cover him up with it.

This is the center panel, and I am stitching the letters down before layering and quilting it. The strips of fabric under it, to the right are being sliced for a wall hanging. I need to make up for lost time, and so at least two projects are up for prep work, along with the quilt which I hope to have done it a week.

There, Peg. That wasn't so hard, was it. A little bit, every few days, and you will be an official blogger.
PHOTOS©pegyates/2012

A New Twist On Cathedral Window

Cathedral Windows as a quilt pattern has always fascinated me. I tried to make one a long time ago, but in my impatience, I didn't follow the directions, and had raw edges on the blocks, and that didn't work. Enter a book on the assembly, lots of sewing experience, and the understanding of how it goes together,  and I have decided that I like it very much. The book is full of  lots of ideas that take this pattern way beyond the muslin background which was the style back in the 50s. This has a fresh and artsy twist of color, which I like. So my sensible goal was to make a 3x3 block wall quilt so I could complete something with it before I decided that I didn't like it. But that wasn't the case. There are so many beautiful fabrics and the combinations of prints for the blocks and the windows make it difficult to see where one ends and the other begins. I like that. The only down side is that the blocks take a lot of fabric, and so much of it remains unseen. That seems wasteful to me. I would love to know who invented this design. Quilts in the old days were utilitarian, and this pattern uses so much fabric, that I can't imagine it being very practical for ordinary quilters who used old clothing and scraps with which to sew. Well, hat's off to whomever came up with the idea, because its my new favorite, and this 12"x12" experiment will look nice hanging on my wall.  

PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011

Baby Slippers

The center square in these pieced blocks is 1/4". My vision may never be the same.

Last pair of shoes done, and I would probably make another pair, but I am tired of sewing for a while. I get muscle aches from sitting so tensely and I keep making myself relax, but it doesn't last. I wish I could sew lying down, that would make things sew! much easier. I am glad, however, that I decided to make these gifts. I know how I felt when I got handmade things, and handmade baby gifts are extra special. I think I need a nap.
PHOTO ©pegyates/2011

The Handwork Has Begun

Binding on the back side of the quilt is getting hand-stitched attention. I never did master the technique for doing both sides on the machine. I always ended up with a little flap of fabric that annoyed me. I like this detail better anyway. Now today's work includes finishing up two pair of shoes to go with the quilt, and I will be done with one day to spare. Who knew I was so efficient?
PHOTO ©pegyates/2011

Putting It All Together

Oh Baby Girl. Not born yet, but almost. Fluffy girl stuff has always intimidated me. I raised two sons, have a nephew and a step-grandson. I wouldn't know what to do with a girl. Their little outfits, dozens of pairs of shoes, hair adornments, ruffles, fluff, pink and girly.

So when I decided to sew for this soon-to-be-here granddaughter of a good friend, my translation of pink took a huge detour, way off course. I knew batiks would be my choice, all from my stash. Some of them I've had for over 5 years, so it was time to sew out of my fabric bounty.

I actually had some pale ones, but the brighter colors said, "Choose me!" And knowing that pastel was too boring, I decided to let this quilt speak of a bright, happy and colorful world. I imagined this wee girl lying on it when she is able to hold up her head, and scratching at the colors like my boys used to do when something colorful was in front of them.

The quilting is done, and now I have to trim the edges and make bias binding. I found instructions so I will have one continuous piece of bias tape to bind it. Plus I have that handy little contraption that takes the strip of fabric in one end, and spits out a folded strip out the other that goes directly under the iron to be pressed into a crisp-edged piece of bias tape to bind the edges of the quilt. Of course there will be photos of that process. And the baby shower isn't until the 11th, so I have dispelled the rumor that I wait until the eleventh hour to complete a project. This time.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011

Tiny Sewing

The daughter of a friend is expecting a girl in September. I have never had the pleasure of spoiling a daughter or niece, so this has given me the chance to make girly-girl things, beginning with a pair of baby shoes. A princess should always have lots of slippers. My other goal is to make a very bright baby quilt. I have the top pieced, so I have to add borders, baste it, do some machine quilting and bind it. The difficult part is done. Plus she will have another pair of shoes with a paper pieced top that will replicate the block in the quilt. It's probably better that I didn't have girls to dress...it would have been expensive.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011

Clothesline Tote Update

Zigzag stitching the bag together was a LOT easier than covering the clothesline. It was like putting a coat on a worm. I really think if I attempt another one, it will be a thicker clothesline. This one had a tendency to roll a bit and it took a lot longer than I thought it would. I consider myself a good sewer and this challenged me.

I need more clothesline and more fabric. I assembled this from photos online, and didn't have exact measurements. It needs to be taller. I have plenty of fabric though, so after another trip to the hardware store for line, I will be able to add enough strips to make it the size I want. I figure it will be a good tote for the grocery, or when I have my camera and other things that I want to take along.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011

All Tied Up

credit to Bali Pop, their original
design, shown here for inspiration.

On to my fabric projects, which gave me the idea for the blog name. I like being able to sew. I have a lust for fabric that makes me want to have it just to look at.

But finally, I decided to follow one of my facebook friend's plan of 'something a week'. I promised myself that I would sew every day, and hopefully have a project completed, or nearly so, each week. I have way too many ideas, plans and schemes in my head that don't seem to come to fruition. So by challenging myself, I become accountable for using my time wisely and finishing what I start.

This is from a Bali Pop by Hoffman collection of fabrics, called Strawberry Fields, that is 40 different 2.5" strips. They are sewn end to end, folded and wrapped around cotton clothesline, and then coiled and stitched together to create things. Baskets, totes, containers and the like. I decided that if I could get the clothesline covered, (easier than it looks), I would make a tote like in the photo. I don't know what kind of multi-armed seamstress invented this method of wrapping and stitching fabric covered clothesline, but she must be like Shiva to be able to keep everything lined up by the time it gets under the presser foot to the needle. I'll let you know if I manage to keep my fingers from becoming part of the tote.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011, except the completed tote photo.

Night Skies Over The River

Trying to catch up on the things I wanted to post about but couldn't find a moment to myself.

These are from the night of the mega moon of March 18/19. Usually when things like meteor showers happen, we are under cloud cover. Rarely do I get the chance to photograph cool sky things. I was able to do a timed exposure and capture Orion's Belt and Sword, another timed exposure once the moon had risen, and finally moonset the next morning. I wish when I dreamed I could dream that I was able to fly. I would go to that moon, but be back in time to pack Paul's lunch before he left for work.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2011

Open Door Weather

Just a lovely, end of the day shot when the sun was slipping low, and skimming across the floor.

Family

Ah, my sweeties. From l to r, Liz, Evan, Katie, Marshall. I had not seen Marshall and Katie since before Thanksgiving. Evan was here then, and at Christmas, with plans for Marshall and Katie to come for a visit, but Paul's heart had other ideas, along with Mother Nature, who decided to spit snow on everything. It really was so emotionally and mentally draining with Paul's stroke, that it really worked out better that the visit didn't happen until yesterday and today. We got to meet Liz for the first time, and she is lovely. Katie is wearing an engagement ring from Marshall, and I am blessed to see both of my boys happy.

We are still recovering from everything, and I am amazed at how exhausted I can be by late afternoon. It's a process. A one-day-at-a-time experience that has taught me a lot about how fragile life is, how frail I really am, and how one small thing can eclipse my perception of a normal day, and rearrange how I think about everything. Did I mention I am thankful?

Internal Overhaul

This is the box of chocolates my nurse put in my bag because my surgery was backed up from its original time. I would have preferred about 60% cacao, but that day, I was just glad to get home.

Boy have I been away. Seems when my sweetheart got home, my gallbladder decided to attack me. And it continued on until December 19 when I finally gave up and went to the ER. I had an ultrasound and they found stones...no kidding, really?...but sent me home because my bloodwork didn't show an infection...lucky me. I was told to see my regular Dr., with whom I already had an appointment on the 28th, and she referred me to a surgeon.

New Year's around the corner, I think to myself, I'll tough it out until after the first of the year, and then go. So we are in Massaponax, VA on Jan 4th, and surprisingly, I feel pretty good that day. Then the sweetheart starts having a headache, along with some chest pressure that he neglected to tell me about. With the cardiologist's urging, we go to the ER for a CT scan to rule out another stroke. That was okay, but his EKG was showing an abnormal rhythm. Guess who was admitted to the hospital? Chemical stress test on the 6th, heart cath on the 7th, and finally a quadruple bypass on the 10th. Meanwhile my gallbladder decided to start up again. But with a husband who was discharged on the 14th, minus his driving privileges, but plus 54 staples and a newly wired shut sternum, my gallbladder was given a stern talking to by me to knock it off.

I have never felt so bad for so long in my life. On February 14th, the sweetheart was given back his driving privileges, I had my surgery consult on the 16th, and laparoscopic gallbladder surgery on the 22nd. It will be 5 weeks since my surgery in two days, and I am still sore at times and learning how to help my body live without something I had every intention of taking with me when I left this world. Not to be. I couldn't even keep the stones. They now have to send them to the lab to see what they are. Wait, wait, I know, I know...they are gallstones!! It took me 55 years to make them and I wanted to at least see what they looked like. Anything after 50 years is an antique, so me AND my gallstones both qualify.

Under The Microscope

My Prince Charming had to go to the hospital. He had a stroke. One of several, we found out to our surprise. And a heart attack that he does not remember.

A hole. The size of a dot made by touching an ink pen to paper, between two chambers of his heart. A blood clot. Formed by blood leaking out into the space around that hole. A clot small enough to pass through that dot of a hole fired out of his heart and landed in his brain.

Have you ever had something happen that felt like it wouldn't fit inside your head? To process what was being said to you was more than you could understand?

That was me. To look at my hero, his communication somewhat affected by that tiny blood clot, was more than my mind could understand. He is all about missiles, guided missile cruisers in the Pacific and helping to protect our country from incoming dangers. I did not know how to think anymore. I wanted to hide inside his shirt.

But nurses, doctors and florescent lights had a way of snapping me out of my self-perceived exile. Questions to answer. When it started, what were the steps that led to us coming to the hospital, what I thought of his speech, behavior and interaction with me.

We were sort of cocooned in a hospital room that became our reality. That space felt safe, in a way. I dreaded leaving it at the end of the day, but I dreaded getting up and going back the next day. It seemed that where ever I was, was where I wanted to stay.

But. Again. Time marches on and no matter how I folded up at this trauma that forced itself into our life, I still had to do things.

The good news is, he is home. He has driven his truck, interacted with his work mates, and communicated with his boss. He is marching toward normal again, and for that, I am thankful. But I don't think I will ever be the same.