This week the block for the Long Time Gone sew-along is Trip Around the World.  I am having so much fun with this project and look forward to each new block.

I also finished the Hemingway quilt top (40 1/2″ x 46 3/4″).  Originally I had pulled a brown calico with salmon flowers for the border, but after sewing one side on I knew that it wasn’t right.  This brown fabric makes a much better border as it looks like a picture frame.

Now that the Hemingway quilt top was finished, I needed a new leader/ender project.  Since my 2 1/2″ bins are getting full, I decided to make a Rainbow Braid quilt top using the Creative Grid 2 1/2″ Trapezoid ruler.  I bought the ruler years ago, but have never used it and now seemed like a good time.

My favorite thing about this braid is that I don’t need to trim the sides to make them straight and the seams will nest when sewing two braids together.

The plan for this weekend is to get a couple of the setting triangles sewn for the Lincoln quilt.  My plan was to have this a finished quilt top by May, but I can see now that it won’t happen.  Maybe it will be completed by the end of the summer.

Happy Easter Weekend,

Marlene

I am still on track with the Long Time Gone sew-along.  Jacob’s Latter (Block 4) was completed this morning just in time for a Trip Around the World block tomorrow.

Over the weekend I finished quilting & binding another quilt which makes #10 for the year.  This is another quilt that I pieced before 2008 and was a kit.

I really like art deco designs although the colors in this fabric are a little subdued for me.  However I am very happy that it is now a finished quilt.  I dug deep into my fat quarter stash for the backing and found some fun fabrics to use.

While I was piecing the backing for the Art Deco quilt, all the blocks for my leader/ender project (Hemingway quilt) were completed and sewn together.  As I was putting it back up on the design wall I compared it to the original pattern picture and found an oops.

Can you see where I turned a block?  Bottom row, second from the right.  It doesn’t bother me a bit because I actually think that it made my quilt design more interesting.  Next up will be a inner and outer border then I will be looking for a new leader/ender project.

Check out all the other quilt inspiration at Judy’s Design Wall Monday.

Marlene

Week three and I am keeping up with the Long Time Gone sewalong.  This week is six Crosses of the U.K. blocks.

I am using a striped fabric for the sashing and adding it to the blocks as they are made.

The pattern directions also use the sashing fabric for checkerboard panels, but I plan to use the light beige fabric instead.

The burnt orange Lincoln block was finished today – three more blocks left to make!

The setting triangles will be the next part added to this project.  My middle daughter found me a tag that reads “This took forever” to put on the back of this quilt – sometimes it does feel like it has been forever.

Between the Lincoln quilt and Long Time Gone, the leader/ender blocks are almost finished – only six more to go.  I found some fabric for the inner and outer border that I hope will work.

The first four blocks in the top row are sewn together.  I wanted to see if it was going to be tricky to get the light strips matching correctly, but everything went together smoothly.

Since the weather channel predicts some snow for this weekend, the plan is to machine quilt the Apple Core quilt.

Marlene

The very best way to NOT ask for a new quilt –

11 1/2 year old grandson:  ” You remember the quilt you made for me when I was 7?  Well, it is too small for me now.”

Me:  “Hmmmm”

Well I guess I know what he is getting for his next birthday.

I really wasn’t going to start a new project, but at the last moment I decided to participate in the Long Time Gone (by Jen Kingwell) sewalong.  I have several of her patterns and this seemed like a great way to actually get one sewn.  It is being hosted by Marti Michell, Angie at Gnome Angel and Nicole at snip snippets. 

At first I was going to use Oriental fabric, but this wonderful autumn fabric jumped up and down saying “Use Me” so I am.  I have been having a great time pulling from my stash the colors that  want to play with the inspiration fabric.

The first week’s goal was to sew two Bow Tie blocks.  I love the autumn colors and am really excited about this quilt.  We will see if I can keep up though – I am so easily distracted.

I also made some progress on my new leader/ender project – the Hemingway Quilt.  The original pattern called for 10″ finished blocks in a straight setting 6 x 8.  My quilt will have 6″ finished blocks in a 5 x 6 setting, so it will be quite a bit smaller.

I don’t have a picture of the original Hemingway quilt, although this does give you a good idea of the end result.  I cut off the extra two rows and one column for ease with block placement.

Since I only have 5 different fabrics, I am setting the them in diagonal rows.  I want to brighten it up a bit with an inner and outer border – maybe pulling out the salmon color.

Check out all the other quilting inspiration at Judy’s Design Wall Monday.

Marlene

The last border in the Apple Core quilt was attached today.  Right now it measures 47″ x 56″, but it will be smaller once the edges are cut straight.

I think it took two or three times longer to pin the borders than it did to sew them.  This was the best picture I could get of the pinned border.  Doesn’t it look so strange?

While sewing on the Apple Core quilt top I also started a new leader/ender project.  The pattern is the Hemingway Quilt from Timeless Treasures and designed by Osie Lebowitz.  It is not on their website which isn’t a surprise since my printed directions are dated 2014.

The pattern calls for 10 1/2″ fabric squares, but I am using 6 1/2″ squares instead.  I found 30 squares (6 squares of 5 different fabrics) in my stash which will make a fun fast quilt.

Happy St Patrick’s Day

Marlene