The Continuation of the Pixelating Quilt.

I've cut all my squares now.  I need quite a few.

I needed 133 blues, 45 gray/blues, 111 light yellows/tan, 78 yellows, 111 golds, 174 light browns, and 183 dark browns.  As stated in a previous email, there is a great program that figures this out for you, so I was so happy for this.  You take what it produces, put it as a background picture in excel so you can calculate how many squares you need of each colour.  See this link for an explanation and the name of the link.  It's really not that hard to do, but it does take some time.  You can also edit your picture to change some of it so it's clearer in your mind.

On a note, for me, cutting one strip of material at 2.5 inches equalled 18 squares.  So I will use that measurement to figure out how much material I'll need.  To be safe (better to have more material then less), use 16.  

Section 1

Once done, I use very light weight interfacing, and following my excel sheet which works like a map, I now place the correct amount of squares in the right position.  You don't have to work the full length of the quilt, you can do it in sections.  I work in sections of 10 squares or 15, then place them together.

Tomorrow sewing the squares.  Will fold the sections horizontally, sew up and down, iron it and clip between the vertical lines, and then sew vertically.  Will take pictures of this process tomorrow so you'll understand better.  But for now, the cutting took over 3 hours, and the placement of these two sections too approximately 45 minutes (it is very important to double check all your placements before you iron your squares down on the interfacing.  Note that when you place the squares on the interfacing, you place it on the sticky side (that means the sticky side is up).  Also please note that when you iron it, you do so with a dry iron, and you just place the iron straight down, then lift it, move to a new section, and place it straight down for a few seconds, then straight up and move it again, etc.

Section 2

Both sections together.

Is it not starting to look like a sunflower?  This is still not the full width of the quilt.  I still have some to go.  But as states, you can do it in section.

I've put a grid on my excel/map to it's easier to follow when I put it away and then come back to it.  Take a look.  Having the grid lines organize your setting easier.  The quilt in the end will be 29 squares by 28 squares.  After sewing every thing, that's 29 * 2 inches = 58 inches by 56 inches.  Then I'm thinking of putting the dark brown fabric around it (a 3 inch border maybe) or just the binding.  I haven't decided yet.  

Keep following to see the process of this quilt.  ;)

PS - wouldn't you know, I see sunflowers everywhere now

July's 2014 NewFO Challenges - table runner.

This blog posting was done in two parts - I started the blog posting on the 18th, showing the start of this quilt.  I purchased a bag of pre-cut material for $7.25 at the quilting show in Abbottsford a couple of months ago.  The cuts for lengthwise of the material, and perfect for making thangles, so I purchased the pre-made thangles and want to make something with the material, be creative....

Here's the package and what it included, pinks with flowers, light straight pink, pink and green polka dotted on white, and straight white.  So, as you can see from the pre-cuts, it's perfect for thangles.

Here's the first one, a double star, looking at making three stars, with the polka dot material around each one, then smaller ones maybe if I have the extra material.  I'm only using what material is in the package.  The white will be the backing.  I'll probably get 2 large stars from the material and one small one.  Which is fine.    Will continue to post about this one.  It's going into the  "2014 NewFO Challenge.

Learning to make a Pixelated Quilt.

I've been taking a free Crafty class on Pixelating your quilt.  Great course, taught me a lot, and you did need to do a lot of math.  But when reading some of the comments on the side of the course I made two great discoveries.

I found that the Victoria and Albert has a patchwork pattern maker that is absolutely perfect!!!  You do need an account to download your patchwork, but the simplicity of this program is fantastic.

You upload a picture that you think will work, you choose what type of square you will use for selection (square, portrait, etc), then the machine runs the program, and you can fine tune it to say if you want to do only 15 colours, more colours, and if you want to do HTS (half triangle squares like the example above).  Below is one that I made.

You can choose the size you want the squares.

So here is the the one I am trying to do.  The original picture:

This is the picture of the sunflower after going into the Victoria and Albert web site.

After putting the picture as a background picture in excel I was able to colour each cell and put in the letter code (the A, B, C, etc).  Then using a formula for excel "=COUNTIF(A2:AD23, "b")" - don't do the double quotes on the outside.  

So with the count, I can guestimate how much material I need for making 2.5 inch size squares.

I'm now at the point that I am cutting the 2.5 inch squares, and larger pieces for the same colour sections.  I used the same excel sheet to mark the sections that I want to do (This is where I differ from the Crafty course) as a larger piece, and then calculate those sizes, deducting the 1/4 seam allowance.  See to the side.  This way, making this quilt is a little faster.  But you don't have to do this.  

So now, I need to cut my pieces.  I'll keep you posted.  I will be using light weight interface to keep the squares together. 

wish me luck....

Vice Versa going on...

Got another one done, this one is Vice Versa BOM

The green background material.

Finally done, took  days of putting it off.

OK I cheated..... went ahead.

Wanted to paper piece.  I wanted to practise it.  So when I found out that October's Crafty Block of the month 2012 was paper piecing I did one right away.  It was one that I saw on Amy Gibson's site previously (sorry I don't know the address).  I liked it there, and I wanted to do one.  So it's done.  I'm still not great with paper piecing, I waste too much fabric, but with more fabric then needed, I make sure that I cover the area that needs covering.  So that's the purpose.  

See for yourself.  Love the colours.  It's on my quilted table top.

Crafty works.... Doing more then the months.....

I love these Dresden's from Crafty Blocks of the Month 2012 by Amy  Gibson.  It's been really fun.  I have up to August all done, and looking at working ahead a bit.  I have a picture of the Dresdens.

My favourite

Both are easy to do

i'm very serious about making a large quilt with both of these, a sort of modern version.  Notice that I machine button stitched around both.

All the blocks so far.....

With the borders, this quilt is going to be quite large, 2 per month, until October.  I already have August done (top right two squares), so that leaves September (Drunkards), and October (paper piecing).  I must admit I started the paper piecing, or at least one of them.  Will include that in another entry.

As for the Drunkards, looking at doing it differently then the instructions on the video (Crafty Videos are sooooo helpful), trying something new and will take tons of pictures for a tutorial (my first one) if it works out.

Have a great day.

Debbie Mumm's Quilt coming along....

With my husband's order to stay home and take it easy, "sew if you want" - boy what hardship ;)  My flu was not as bad today, all that sleep yesterday seemed to have helped, and a day of just taking it easy, and doing a bit of sewing, has also helped it along.

I did some cutting, to catch up on a couple of quilt blocks that need to be done.  There's Debbie Mumm's Stars of Honour - a free block of the month every two months.  Each block of the month you need to make four or six of them.  Here they are:

Another project I worked on was the spike block from the Block Lotto site.  I want to join in the fun this month, I missed the last one completely because of all the striking going on at the end of the school year.  But this time, I'm bound and determine to join  :).  I need to make 14 blocks for the queen size quilt this month, and here are 9.

Two for the Block Lottery

These seven for me.  Need to make 14 in total.

The basic colours for my block lotto quilt are wild colours - but the most of them are the orange and yellow background fabric in the picture.

I've also worked very hard, and cut out the Vice Versa blocks.  It's the first time I've every make flying geese with the large block and four smaller squares method, but at the end I found it extremely easy.  Can't believe I've done it any other way....  Hopefully I finish the blocks tomorrow and will post them then, as well as put it up on Flickr.

Quick post because of the flu....

Couldn't stop yawning at all on Saturday, and kept on turning hot and cold.  I napped around 3:00 for an hour but woke up and was still tired.  We went over to the fringe festival, but was still yawned all the way through it.  Got to see Bruce Cockburn in concert but still, was tired so I left..

So today my husband ordered me to stay home, and behave, no doing nothing.  But I can't just sit and watch TV so I worked every hard to complete one of my applique quilt blocks.  This is #12 of the Prairie Flower Quilt, I skipped #11 because 12 was harder.  So here it is, all done.  The flowers are different purples in wool, and two colours of green for the leaves.  I have a callus on my finger  :)

Notice all the stitching... around the circles then around each petal.   I used tons of thread on this one.  One to go...  then the corners of the quilt.

I'm going to hand quilt this baby....

Another two small quilts done..

Here's another quilt I finished yesterday..  This one has a funny story behind it.  I made the blocks in February, when I was doing the Block Lotto.  I made enough for the queen quilt, and more.  I had three extra blocks so I decided to make this table runner.  The quilt top is about 4 feet by 1 foot.  I was free style quilting it to be prepared for the major quilting project for the "Year of Finishes" project.  This was one of the projects for that month.  I used another layer of muslin with a circle drawn on it, and placed it to the top material.  I sewed around the circle, then cut out the circle, and turned the muslin inside out, so that there was a hole in the top fabric. I then placed the circle material under the top material (face up) and it shows up as a circle.  I then sewed close to the circle edge, and that made the circle.  To get the two different colours on the one circle, I cut the circles I made in half and sewed the circles to the orange strip and voila, the block.  I find it easier this way.

Anyway, I put the three blocks that I sewed together away somewhere, and proceeded to lose it.  Took until last week, when looking for material, that I found it.  Am I the only one???!!!  Losing quilt tops ready to be quilted????

I also finished yesterday the Doodle quilt of the month for July, it was mugs.  I need to  put the handles on it, but otherwise it's done.  The steam runs up from each cup.  They're two different fabrics, alternating.  I machine stitched the steam, but I hand stitched the handles on the cups, which believe it or not, was somewhat difficult, because I didn't pin (my fault), I just sewed.  Learned that lesson!!!.  But it looks great!!  On to the next!!

Steam machine stitched, handles, hand applique

Two different reds, but close enough to match.

Need to catch up.

I've been away on vacation for about 10 days, a wirral wind trip, with my husband and I doing something every day, sometimes two things.  We've been to 4 baseball games, three different days on the beach, and to disneyland 2 days.  It's been a very tiring trip, but fun.  We  drove there and back taking two days for the trip.  On the way back we stayed overnight at a cabin in the mountains, and just sat outside having a drink, while the sunset.  It' was lovely.  Here are some pictures...

Tea Cup Ride at Disney

Huntington Beach Sunset

Shasta Mountain California

But now that I'm back I need to catch up with my BOMs and more.  I didn't buy any material when I was out, but I have so much now that it's overflowing my closet.  Also as going away gifts from my school I got more material from friends.  More to do now.  So I'm trying to just use what material I have, thus the Aurifil quilt that's only in flower patterns with a white background, the Crafty 2013 that I've been working on using only batiks I have in my stash, and the others.  

Aurifil July

GlobeTrotter Quilt - Another one done.

In my closet for 4 years.

Window Quilt. 

Made into a purse - inside pocket.

Flat purse for side hip

Zipper on top.

I also started my Quilt Doodle for july but it's so huge, the entire quilt is 58 1/2 in length and 12.5 inches in width.  It's huge.  All pieces are cut and each 2 1/2 inch square needs to be sewn together.  There's also applique on this one.  It will be fun.

That's it for today's sewing.  I've  got August for the Crafty 2012 cut (2 of them) and ready to go, the Aurifil bed end quilt all cut up (for my "Year of lovely completions"), and 5 block lottos cut, just need to sew.  May do some more sewing tomorrow.

Why am I obsessed with BOMs?

About BOMs

• There are those you pay for online - Skill Builder BOM at Pile of Fabrics (it cost - I think - $24)....
• There are those that are free that later become payable (See to the left the Garden one - it's fantastic and very challenging) and Doodle ....
• And then there are many that are free - At Grandpa's Pond or SuperMarios no cost.  
• There are those that last all year (see Vice Versa - pay one but well worth it and many of the others), and those that end 6 months into it (Material Girl, and Down the Rabbit Hole - you can see my entries on them in the Tag section to the left).

I can't seem to stop joining all the free ones.  Want to be part of all, so I spend half my time doing blocks, and nothing completed.  But as I stated above, I have finished two BOMs (see labels on Material Girls and Down the Rabbit Hole - both are free and the last one is on Crafty - my favorite site). Aurifill's BOMs also have patterns attached to the block so you can complete a quilt of that one block alone.  That's great, the best of both worlds.  But still I feel as if I have not accomplished anything, so I add to my list of things to be done - quilts.  I really need to stop the BOMs, I have over 12 of them that I have kept up with and one that is not listed, a Thangle quilt that I purchased ages ago. 

Is anyone this crazy or is it just me?  Did I forget to mention that I work full time as a teacher?  And all this catch up is on weekends....  Crazy!