Pincushion

Sometimes you need step aside from making big quilts and do a simple project. 

My pincushion is filled with crushed walnuts. Our guild had a pincushion exchange - which I didn't sign up for - but there were some extra crushed walnuts left over. Filling a pincushion with crushed walnuts is quite tedious but I am happy with the result.

This pincushion is about 4.5" wide and sits right next to my machine. The inspiration came from this tutorial. 

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Improv Update - Almost Done

This is what my improv quilt looked like on September 1 after not touching the project for the entire month of August. I looked at it every day since it was the only thing pinned to my design wall but other projects caught my interest. 

When I met a friend for coffee recently, she commented how much she loved the piece and wanted to buy it from me. I was so incredibly flattered! I am not currently planning to sell the piece but it certainly left me with a nice feeling.

Here is where it stands now after my first September sewing session. I think all the blue bits are done and the next step is to assemble together and fill in the white bits.

I am in love with the process of working on this over a longer period of time. More soon. Until then, you can see more of the progress photos as the quilt developed on my last post. The inspiration comes from the book Dancing With The Wall by Irene Roderick.

Have a wonderful day! Patty

Scraps and HRTs - an update

Remember when I started playing with HRTs and scraps a few weeks ago? (see that post) Everything is all sewn together, twisted around and now is a new quilt top that I've tentatively named "The Twist"!

I am so very excited about how well this entire quilt top came together - exactly as I had planned and hoped! I started with two semi-identical pieces. The one of the left used some scrap leftover fabric since it was never going to show. From the piece in the middle, I cut out a circle.

Then with the use of many many pins, I appliqued down my circle. (I'd briefly thought about machine piecing but went the applique route for more control and, hopefully, accuracy.)

Once it was appliqued down, I cut away the bottom bit and pressed those seams open and flat.

Much to my delight, the whole quilt top lays flat! Before pressing the seams open, the circle was raised and I was trying to decide if I would embrace this with a bit of trapunto or not.

Now the quilt is pinned very densely and the quilting can begin!

Have a wonderful day! Patty