Snapped Together

 

Once I had trimmed all the Snaps blocks to size, I took them off the design wall and clipped them together. After I worked out in the garden for a while, I came back in the house, and started webbing the top together.

This is sewing the first pass.

I pressed the first pass.

I made clam chowder for dinner, then started sewing the rows together. I sewed it most of the way, and thought I'd stop because I was getting tired, but I had only three rows left, so I pushed through and finished sewing the top together.

I think I said the other day that this is a quilt that will look better in use than it does on the design wall, and this picture, taken after I finished pressing the quilt, proves it.

At any rate, here it is, sewn up on the design wall. I'll bring it to show my dad later. Next I will have to prepare the backing, as I am sure he will want to give it to his friend sooner rather than later. I think I am going to call this one Flower Garden.

Snapping

 

I made a few minor adjustments. I've also been trimming these and squaring them up. I will likely sew this together this weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANET-LEE!!!

Almost "It"

 

I'm pretty sure. I'm almost sure. I'm 98.999% sure this is IT. Of course I may yet change my mind, but if I do change something it will likely be something small.

I tried to divide the lights into "busy" and "not busy" and surrounded the colored blocks with rings of busy or not busys. After I thought I had that all set, I tried to make sure there weren't too many busybodys next to each other, and that "not so busy" ones weren't congregated in clumps either. After I did THAT I looked through it and tried to make sure the same print in a block wasn't right next to itself in the next block. The more prints you have in a quilt the harder this is. There are 81 blocks with two fabrics in each block, and I have about 100 different fabrics. I also try to ensure that animal prints and flowers don't consistently look right side up (because there really is no top and bottom to this quilt.)

For a generic quilt for a person I don't know a lot about, I think this is really pretty. It will look better when it is quilted and crumpled, but then, all quilts that are designed to be used, do.

Lady Snaps Grows Up

 

Even as I laid out the yellow blocks surrounding the center last week, I knew that arrangement would be boring and that I'd change it. But I had to make more blocks first!

I decided to make some pale orange blocks, and I alternated those with the yellow blocks around the center pink one. Then I alternated the blue and green blocks in the next outer ring. I moved the lavender blocks from the corners to the centers of the edges and pushed out the extra yellows to that next ring.

But then that other diagonal didn't make any sense. So I put the lavenders back in the corners and completed that ring with more pinks. But I had to... you guessed it.. make more blocks!

I like this a lot! I will rearrange the blocks so they look better, but the placement of the colors will stay the same. I like the way this looks. This is happy and floral, which is what I wanted and what I envisioned.

 Stay tuned!

Lady Snaps Grows

 

I got a little restless choosing bland blenders, so I cut some livelier greens to see what they would look like on the design wall. I put a few up, and realized it was just too much.

I moved some greens around, and they look better. I put some blues in there too, and a lavender. 

(Now look, I know it isn't QUITE there yet. I still have work to do.)

Now the orange block in the center bugged me.

Not too fond of that either.

Pink? Maybe.

I have to play a bit more. Not a problem, I can do that. I have decided that the center blocks of the blenderish colors will be the lights that are already in the quilt. I am also not quite sure if I will keep the colored blocks surrounding the center like an echo. Maybe not.

We'll see how it goes.

Lady Snaps

I had the idea to make another Snaps quilt for my dad's friend, the lady priest. Here are some pictures of previous iterations of the Snaps quilts.

This is Blue Topaz, the baby quilt I made when my son & DIL told me they were expecting.
 

This is Ola Pola, a quilt I made a year earlier and ended up giving to my friend Daniela.

It came from this book, except I rejiggered the size of the pieces so they would be easier for me to cut. So I think, how did I cut the blocks when I made these back in 2015 and 2016. I should have written the details in my notebook, don't you think?

Not really. Kinda sorta, but not really. There look to be two versions here. Which one did I use? Let's look at the next page...

Not much more help, but it does make me think I worked out the blocks to be 6" x 8". Still not sure, I decided to make a couple.

That confirmed it. The one on the left is 6-1/2" x 8-1/2".

My idea is to make a happy, colorful quilt with alternating blocks of lightish big florals with brightly colored centers and blendish blocks of rainbow colors with creamish center blocks. (Haven't got quite that far yet.) I know I've met this woman, but it was a long time ago. I remember her as being very nice with a big heart. I figure somebody like that will love a happy quilt filled with colors and flowers, so that is what I am going to make.

I grabbed these colored florals on lightish backgrounds. We'll see what happens when they get to the design wall. I do not edit myself at this stage. Yes, you can see a couple of dinosaur fabrics. I think they are fun. And there is a cat print, and a print of children from all over the world, and the really observant amongst you will see the fabric with the bras, and I just think that is way to funny to leave out. There are more fabrics, however...

As you can see I cut out a bunch of fabric already. I don't know if I have enough to use each big print only once (don't think so), but no matter. I will worry about that when it's time to lay out the blocks.

So that is the current sewing project.

The Really Big Thing in my life going on right now is I am going to be working at the office starting on Tuesday, so I have been packing. I am eager to see my friends and get back out in the world. I am under no illusions that Covid-19 is going away any time soon, so I intend to continue to protect myself and take precautions. I have a box of disposable masks that will come with me, along with some antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer. I am pretty sure I won't get a whole hell of a lot done on my first day back (I am planning to bring a cake to share), and I know there will be an adjustment, but I am ready.

Blue Topaz, Ready & Waiting

The quilt, Blue Topaz, is ready in California for Baby Tyler. The due date is August 7, and it is fast approaching. My DIL is no end of ready. We are all on standby, waiting for the News.

I have already alerted my boss that my cell phone will NOT be silenced until the Baby is here, because I don't want to risk missing out on The Big News. I don't care what meeting I'm in, if my phone rings, I'm taking the call. Of course, all my coworkers know about it, so they're waiting with me.

Believe me, when I get the news, you'll hear about it.

Blue Topaz is Finished

 The baby quilt I made for my future grandbaby, due in less than a month, is all finished.

I'm happy with it. Now I have to take some beauty shots of it, run it through the washing machine to make it soft and crinkly, and then send it to the City of Angels.

Blindstitching Again

I seem to be having a rough year. I can't seem to get out of my own way. I think hearing I am going to be a grandmother may have knocked me for a loop. My grandbaby will live 3,000 miles away on the opposite side of the country and that's going to be hard for me. I've kind of been in denial about it, trying to bury my feelings in books and busywork. I've got my tickets to visit after the baby is born, and that will be great, so I am trying to keep looking on the positive side of things.

I've been sending a stream of gifts to my son and DIL. A tote bag with pockets to use as a diaper bag and a baby sling along with a few other goodies for Mom and Dad. I have pile of stuff that I've been collecting set aside - some books, some baby onesies, a receiving blanket and a heating pad.

Now I'm working on finishing the baby quilt, Blue Topaz, above.

I'm also preparing for another Birds class at QT this coming Saturday. (It's full.) They tell me that every day at least three customers ask about the Flight of Fancy quilt.  Which is pretty cool.

Topaz Beach, Quilted

Woo Hoo! The baby quilt, Blue Topaz, is back from being quilted.

I've selected this blue batik for the binding. It's all sewn down on the back.

Over the next couple of days I will hand sew it down to the front.

Backing for Blue Topaz

I generally take a lot of care when I select the backing for my quilts, but for this one I have to thank Julie, who works at Quilted Threads in Henniker NH. As soon as she saw the flimsy she said, "Ooooh, I know just the thing..." She showed me this fabric and I agreed immediately. I think this fabric is a lot of fun and the colors are perfect. So the flimsy and backing are on their way to Chris to be quilted.

I will have two quilts in the AQS show in Syracuse NY in late July. "Too Much Chicken" and "The Black & White Crayons" will be on exhibit. I'll be visiting the show on July 27 and 28. If you'll be there, drop me a line. I love to meet quilt lovers and quilt bloggers.