Roseville Album Update

I finally finished my Roseville Album panel (more or less).  When I last showed it, I was struggling to find a fabric for the two birds near the top.  (They're the pink & blue ones.)

While I am happy with them now, there are a couple other birds, a leaf or two, and a few berries that I wish were different colors. (the light lavender/green spot bird at the top for one)  

But I've decided not to change them for now. Maybe they'll fit in better as I finish more blocks, or maybe with the other blocks done, I'll want to change them to something different than I would now.  (Then again, with my memory lately, I may even forget I don't like them.)   I also worry that the panel seems too busy, but I guess that will resolve itself (one way or the other) when I finish a few more blocks. 

One lesson learned is not to jump around on the panel--better to start in one place and work from there otherwise you paint yourself into a corner where no color works because there's a similar one right next to it.  Here's the rest of the panel:

 

I  also started working on a couple of the smaller center blocks, so I'd have something to take with me when we traveled.    Maybe next time I'll have something to show.  (I must be the slowest worker though for the little progress I've made--you'd think I had to weave the fabric!)  

I've also started using up my leftover Bordered Diamond pieces--will post more about them soon, but here's a sneak peek. 

Happy Quilting!  

2nd Finish!

The second binding is done, and the quilt is wrapped and on its way to my dad for his birthday!  

This one feels like it's been quite the process. It actually began as quilt BACK for a quilt top that I made to give my dad years ago. 

   

That quilt was Star SA-lute, a design from Country Thread Designs, which I made in rust, periwinkle, a print, and cream--only four fabrics. (I don't think the book. Star Gazing, is still available for sale.)

These are the fabrics and pattern--someday I'll pull the quilt top out again, but right now I'm not sure where it is!  It was a bit conservative for me--usually I make scrap quilts, so sticking with the same four fabrics was hard.   It was quick to piece, but has remained just a top.
  

This past spring (ten or fifteen? years later), in "Spring Cleaning Mode", I pulled it out to finish it, and decided to use fabrics from my stash to piece together a back in those colors.  (These are some of the fabrics I planned to use on the back.) 

I began cutting away, but when I put them on the design board, ICK!


Of course, by then I had cut quite a few squares.  I scoured my quilt books, looking for something else I could use them for, that wouldn't be too time consuming, and found the Yellow Potpourri quilt by Kaffe.  It used 9" blocks, and would work with the size pieces I'd already cut.  I then planned to make that quilt to use as the back of the quilt for dad. 

But, as I worked on that quilt,  the lighter fabrics seemed to stick out and disrupt the flow.  

 So the quilt evolved into a rather dark one shown on the left.   It is much spottier than the Kaffe one since my fabrics weren't as homogeneous in color.

While finishing it, it occurred to me that it would be much more practical for my dad than the quilt I originally planned for dad which had a cream background.  (My dad has a black lab who is known to have been on the bed at least once or twice.)


 So Dad will now get this "quilt back" for his birthday next week.

 

The backing is Brandon Mably's Jazz in purple. A little wild, but I was able to get it for a ridiculously low price, and it coordinates so well with the other fabrics, I couldn't pass it up.  I think (hope) it'll be fun for Dad.

If you'd like to make your own quilt from this pattern, the pattern and directions are online for free at:  http://www.abramsbooks.com/stc_craft_news/sssq/images/YellowPotpourri.pdf

I followed the instructions as written, EXCEPT  I added an additional column to widen the quilt.  AND, be sure to pay attention to the diagram, as you need to have two of the outside border blocks larger than the others, to allow for the inner border addition. 

Happy Stitching--and Happy Birthday, Dad!

One Down, One to go...

Since it's been at least a zillion years since I last posted, it's about time to let you see what I've been up to.  I finally (!) finished one of the two quilts.  Though I'm in the process of binding the second one, it's time for the first one to leave to meet its new owner, so I had to take photos of it today--despite the horrible light outside on our glum, dreary day.  The finished quilt is quite cheery even under the grey sky.

The binding is Paper Fans in red by Kaffe, and the borders are Primula in black by Philip Jacobs.

Yvette did a lovely job quilting it!  She stitched feathers down the borders, and outlined the individual flowers in many of the diamonds.  When there wasn't a good flower to outline, she stitched a feather in the diamond.  

The backing is Bekah by Kaffe in magenta, which looks lovely enough to be a great quilt even on its own.  Since I cut double the number of diamonds I needed, you'll probably see another one of these sooner or later, possibly in a larger size with a few additional diamonds cut from the many new pieces of fabric I haven't been able to resist lately. 

These are just a couple of them-- aren't they fabulous?

As far as the Roseville goes, I'm still stitching away.  The panel is mostly finished although there are a couple of berries that may end up being swapped, and a little bird that I may change.  I'll post a photo of it when it's done, but first I need to finish that second binding...

Happy stitching!