Portfolio of older work

Showing posts with label Red and White Snowball Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Red and White Snowball Challenge. Show all posts

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Finished! (Well, just about)

 Here is my Red and White Snowball Challenge quilt!
It is just the top. Finishing will have to wait until I finish my self-portrait for the "Interpret This!" challenge.  Here are some  modification I made from the Evelyn Sloppy pattern and the plain red challenge. 

  1. I modified the red blocks to go from white-with-some-red to red to black-with-some-red.  I wanted the color to add some movement to the quilt. The transitions are not as smooth as I would like. That is the result of not having a design wall large enough to put the whole quilt up before starting to sew it.


  2. I added a row of snowballs to the length. Again, I want to be able to sleep under this quilt so that addition was purely for size.


  3. I altered the border.  In the pattern the snowballs go all the way to the edge.  Here there is a row of only the off-white snowballs to complete the little half/square bow tie detail.  Next there is a row of off-white squares to make the whole design float a bit.


  4. I do think I will add some piano keys that will be the width of the squares and twice the length (2 x 4 finished size). That should bring the quilt up to the size I want. The piano keys will all be red (white/red, red, black/red) and will replicate the value transition in the quilt.


  5. I think when I quilt it I will use black thread on the bottom, red thread in the middle, and white thread on the top to accentuate the value shift.  The quilting will be simple since it is not the star of the quilt.


  6. I have tons of different red fabrics so I will piece the back out of the leftovers rather than to purchase a whole cloth backing.

Do you like it?

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Check back tomorrow


My snowball challenge is about to be delivered!
 Well, the top is almost done.  I have the border put on 2 of the 4 sides.  If I have to stay up overnight I want the other 2 borders on before I go to bed tonight!

I didn't want to spoil the unveil so I have not been blogging about the quilt.  I have been working and working on the snowball for the last week.  The three days of the snowed-in new year weekend were spent on the quilt.    Of course, I have made a couple of changes in the pattern, primarily to get it to the size I wanted it.  The overall design is not turning out quite as I have envisioned.  Not to say it is bad, just that it could have been better. 

At any rate, come and see the pictures tomorrow and make your own judgement.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Oops!

Spent last night making more blocks for the Red and White Snowball Challenge. Well, at least the first part of the night.  The second part I spent picking out the stitching.  I had forgotten to switch the needle position to 1/4 inch seam allowance.  Guess how I will be spending New Year's Eve?

Happy New Year to you!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Red and White Snowball Challenge

I have all my Christmas sewing done and the presents are in the mail.  I have only finished one UFO for the Joy in the New Year Challenge.  Perhaps I should be working desparately on the rest trying to make the deadline but I am not.  I would rather finish them to my satisfaction later than rush them now.  I am at peace with that. 

I have skipped the Year of Schnibbles December pattern too.  I don't use pin cushions. I had thought about turning the pattern into tree ornaments. It would not be hard.  But we don't put up a tree and all the Christmas packages are in the mail. Why bother to make it except to say I did it?

So, on to the next project. I have been slow starting on the Red and White Snowball Challenge but I think I will get it finished by the January 31 deadline.  I have all 480 half-square triangles made.  I made most of them using the "Easy Piecing Techniques" on page 10 of the book.  I took pictures so I can create a tutorial if you are interested.

I got bored ironing all those half-squares and trimming them so I do a little at a time and make a few blocks.  Then I iron, trim, and sew some more.  So far I have almost all of my red blocks done!  Yeah me!

Merry Christmas to you!  In with all your unwrapping and feasting and partying and family fun, I hope you have time for some quilting!