Thursday, June 26, 2014

Log Cabin Goes Modern

Log Cabin Goes Modern

That's what I decided to call the finished quilt! LOL! Anyway, it's all done now! It's even already been put on my Etsy site for sale, and so has the pattern for those who would rather make their own! (You'll find a clickable link to my Etsy shop over to the right of your screen.) I decided on a modern geometric print for the backing. I kind of like the effect. What do you think?


Now I'm busy on my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt again. I've gone as far as I can with that green fabric I had, so I'm now removing paper from what is done so far. It was enough to make a medallion type center that will cover the top of a queen size bed. Then I can add borders for the drop. I think that removing the paper is taking almost as much time as basting the paper in did to start with! It's turning into one of those "what was I thinking??" projects! Once all of that is done, and a border is put around that, I'll decide how I want to proceed on the rest of that quilt. I may just do the rest in appliqued hexie flowers... way easier!!

Happy quilting!
Jean MaDan

Sunday, June 22, 2014

New Top

I've been working on a new top this past week. This time I've put two old faithful blocks together... the log cabin, and the churn dash. This was the result:
 As you can see, I do tend to favor Kona black to offset all these scrappy colors. I think it really makes them pop! And so far all the men in my life that have seen them (now come on... I'm talking relatives here... be nice!) have really liked this one!

I really do need to get busy on the quilting side SOON! I'm building up quite a stack of tops in my sewing room that need attending to. I was waiting for a supply of batting to magically appear I guess. LOL! (What I had on hand got used up in my last round of soldier quilts.) But I just did a couple of baby quilts for a customer, and that put some funds back in the batting kitty, so hopefully this week I'll be able to get a few finishes done to show you guys. I really haven't been as indolent as my blog might imply lately! *wink*

Happy Quilting!
Jean MaDan

Friday, June 6, 2014

Other People's Strips

Other People's Strips

I've been working lately with my sister-in-law on scrappy quilts. She is... tentative... to say the least about venturing out on her own on them, though she loves them if OTHER people do them. She mentioned that maybe she just didn't have the right kind of scraps, because nothing she put together seemed to work. Then she got the idea of sending ME a box of scraps that she didn't want, to see if I would do something with them. Well, once I received the box, I sorted through them, and using nothing but her 1½" strips, and some Kona Black that she had put in the box, I started laying out some squares. The only part of the following quilt that came from MY sewing room was the multi-color sashing that I bought on clearance! And it didn't require much of that!


 For the backing, I cut 8" squares of various fabrics, and just made a multi-fabric reversible out of it.


A couple of the online groups I belong to have been addressing the subject of "stashbusting" older or unwanted fabrics in their collections. This might be a solution for some of them. Personally, I think this quilt turned out quite nicely, using fabric strips that my sister-in-law thought were not usable for anything more than string quilts at best. At least it's another option. And the backing is a way to use up some pieces that might not be enough to make a full coordinated quilt from, but do work as a nice patchwork effect. I like it better than a boring back, myself.

Happy Quilting!
Jean MaDan