Pickle Bird

Pickle Bird was my entry for this years QuiltCon fabric challenge. 

The design for Pickle Bird evolved in a improvisational process when playing around with half-rectangle triangles and drunkard path blocks with an initial intent of creating a version of a pickle block. When the final layout looked like a group of tropical birds sitting around chatting with each other somewhere on an island paradise (once you see it you can’t un-see it!), the name Pickle Bird was born.

The quilting is a combination of walking foot and big stitch quilting using a series of cardboard templates to mark the curve quilting lines.

I tried something new this year for capturing quilt photos and it worked really well. I hung a white table cloth from my quilting rack and then pined the quilt to the table cloth. Duck tape was used to get the table cloth reasonably taut and the setup meant I didn't need to worry about the background.

Creating a quilt with the fabric challenge fabrics is something I look forward to every year! Sadly, Pickle Bird won't be hanging at QuiltCon 2024 - 3 of my other quilts will though! - so I'm glad I snapped a photo of me in during my 'front yard' quilt show.

Have a wonderful day! Patty

My Cork Firefly Tote

Some friends might say I've got an obsession for making bags and they would be right! I really enjoy the process and I like the variety to choose the bag I need for the occasion. My latest finish is the Firefly Bag in cork with modifications for size. (See my prior bags with this pattern in the project size and tote size.)

There were more than one bump in the creation process - read about the beginning of my bumpy journey here. I used some new to me interfacing for the bag and ended up with too much bulk in some areas which means my top stitching isn't as pretty as I'd like. I've debated a disassemble and trying again but have decided to embrace the bag just the way it is.  I never did try the rivets - too chicken about putting a hole in my new bag. And while I do like the using the white as my topstitching thread color, all my little bobbles are too visible so I will certainly go with a complementary thread color the next time.

My cork color choice of Ocean Blue was influenced by this print I wanted to use for the lining.

I didn't start out to make this specific bag pattern but I am glad that this is where I ended up. The bag is the right size for what I like to carry. In addition to making an entire bag from cork, I also tried some new techniques including adding purse feet.

I am confident I will make another new bag next year for no other reasons as to use up the supplies I purchased and didn't use for this bag!

Have a wonderful day! Patty

100 Days of Scraps (Progress report 2)

Back in September, 100 days before the end of 2023, I started a 100 Day project to get all my scraps under control. (see that post) Now with less than 40 days to go, I can report some mixed progress - essentially I've managed to gather the scraps all in one place and either parcel them out for some projects (see that post), make some more placemats from orphan strips (above) and have consolidated the rest that I don't know what to do with into one plastic tub.

For some of my solid scraps, I decided to make improv-y square in a square blocks. I'm hoping to turn these into a large tote bag useful for hauling things back and forth to guild meetings and maybe sew dates with friends. These are filling up my design wall and making my sewing space look so happy.

I found lots of orphan 5" squares and am turning them into lots of HSTs for one - and hopefully 2 - charity quilts to be assembled in the new year. This is my go to project when I need some mindless sewing. I've started the cutting and trimming process but will likely save these for a time when I've got a good movie to watch!

I've given myself to the end of the year to figure out what to do with the rest. What ideas and suggestions do you have? How do you deal with leftover bits and scraps?

Have a wonderful day! Patty