I seem to be unable to settle in to one project for very long currently. Stalling on a major one usually produces this condition. In this case, the Dreamweaver quilt and all its applique has been hogging the cutting table. I've pulled out the table on the Hoosier cabinet for an additional cutting and auditioning area.
My DIL was happy with the progress and agreed with adding more applique. We decided some smaller circles over the larger solid ones would help them stand out less. I had already cut a lot of leaves from the Steam a Seam fusible but needed more sheets. Also I wanted to pick up some floss for another embroidery project. Happily, although limiting customer volume and requiring masks, the larger local fabric store in town is open.
I was able to find all of the floss colors for this thrift store scored Blackbird Designs pattern, and then wandered about the rest of the store. There were 20% off tags on many of the bolt tables. I found a good option for the backing of the Dreamweaver quilt, then perused the fat quarters while waiting for the cutting table traffic to clear.
Well I HAD to buy these $2.00 fat quarters, didn't I? I always need neutrals and picked up the fun stripes and a couple of blues as I seldom buy blue fabric. I could have bought a lot more FQ but had to consider how stuffed the FQ storage drawers are...and put some back, lol. I want to make some cloth napkins and fat quarters work well for that.
While avoiding the applique, I worked on the Perkiomen Valley blocks from last post. Trying to figure out how to nest seams when the blocks were going to be twisted and turned was impossible, so I pressed all the seams open after chain piecing the block pieces. I got annoyed by trying to stick my scissors between the pieces to snip the chain thread while holding them in my hand, so did this instead:
I laid the joined rows on the table, pulling down the just added row to the limit of the chain thread, and snipped through the now visible chain.
When laying out the first few sets of squares and HSTs before piecing, I noticed I was choosing a blue for the center, and went with that for the remainder. Above the blocks are looking good in a straight set layout....
...and here more dynamic in "The Stacey" layout, after a fellow guild member. This is just a small corner of her layout, which I showed last time. The top is now complete.
Another "squirrel" project jumped out when I was pulling charm squares for the Perkiomen Valley blocks. I have acquired mini charm packs over the years, usually as freebies, but seldom use them. A well aged Bubble Pop charm pack by Sandy Klop along with a sweet green and white background fabric pull from stash and I was on my way....
The Moda Love Quilt I have made in layer cake and charm pack size, but this is the first mini charm pack one I attempted. These squares and HSTs are little! This is a free pattern from Moda.
Pen for size reference. Since I used my Bloc-Loc trimmer for all of the HSTs, the rows went together pretty smoothly. I did have to restitch a few seam allowances that got skewed, but it wasn't too painful. This will likely become a pillow cover with the addition of more of the background print and leftover mini charms.
...now back to applique pieces for Dreamweaver....
4 comments:
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Lovely progress on all accounts! I love the new mini :-) I have only used a few of the mini charm packs I have acquired as well. I will remedy that someday..probably while avoiding finishing applique too. HA!
Dreamweaver is coming along beautifully~ with all your pretty projects I'd have trouble sticking to any one of them too. I just love scrapiness of the Perkiomen Valley blocks, the various layouts are all great!
That Perkiomen Valley quilt is going to be a beauty!
I had to laugh at your DIL agreeing with more applique. Are you going to do that applique by machine or by hand. Almost any piece I've ever made looks better with more applique but the time required to do it by hand always determines whether it will get done or not!
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