Five Shadows

My Path was a bit windy this week. I just got to my Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along blocks today, and now I’m not so sure my plan is going to work. I might have to do some tweaking and playing around with them to get them to feel right.

The white seems too bright to me. Maybe a gray would work better. And even tho I’ve shown these 4 blocks with green and blue set stones, my intention is to only use color set stones in about 1/4 of the blocks. More playing for sure, or maybe the white will grow on me?  I’m just not jumping for joy with the look right now.

Earlier this week I worked up another Curve it Up block which just happened to have Drunkard’s Path units in it. See the Star Points – Drunkard’s Path units!

I do like the subtle kind of white to white going on in this block. See Block 1 here.

For the Demo this weekend at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop in Roanoke, Indiana, I will be talking about how to use Creative Grids Storm at Sea Ruler using this quilt made by Linda Ridgeway.

And since I like changing things up a bit and showing other uses for rulers, I also made these three blocks.

Oh I just love love love the way this color wheel turned out! I used 12 fabrics from Moda Marbles, Grunge, & Solids, and Jenny Beyer prints for the wheel and Moda Grunge for the background.

All the pieces for these blocks were cut from the Creative Grids Storm at Sea Ruler. I used the Flower Filigree line from Quilting Treasures for the star blocks.

My path lead me on a short road trip this week with Daughter #1 to visit Daughter #2. Among the day’s adventures was a stop in at Crimson Tate! Heather and David are just as personable in real life as they are on their Facebook page! It was nice to meet them and chat for a bit. I could have bought one of everything in the store (if one only had the where-with-all to do so!) but settled for these two lovelies! If you are ever near Indianapolis, Indiana, stop in and visit them!

I’m linking up to Vicki’s Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along.

It’s Blogger’s Quilt Festival time, and I’ve decided to enter this year. Bubbles is a personal favorite of all the quilts I’ve made so far this year.

An original design, baby quilt, given to my niece. Simplistic, with 4 floating blocks, spiral quilting, using the walking foot with guide bar set at 1″.

I love the bubble fabric! The back (sorry no picture) is a Batik River Otter Print.

Here is a close up of one of the 9″ pieced blocks:

I’m linking up to Amy’s Creative Side for the Blogger’s Quilt Festival, Modern Category.

The rotary cutter is seeing a lot of action here this week!

All the pieces are cut for the Drunkard’s Path pieces. Next step is to sew them together. Then I will have more cutting to do for the sashing – and I hope what I am envisioning will look great sewn up.

There were other projects that needed my attention this week. Which means I didn’t get to working on the DP other than cutting out the pieces. I worked on the quilt promised to my son and daughter-in-law. I have completed 27 of the 35 blocks needed for the top, I have decided to enlarge the quilt to queen size. That meant more time spent with the rotary cutter!

I’m 4 days past my self imposed deadline on this quilt. Fiddle Sticks!  Hopefully, next week I’ll have the blocks complete and rows together, than plan out the borders before getting back to the Drunkard’s Path. Here’s hoping!

I’m linking up to Vicki’s Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along.

Tonight starts a new class at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shoppe in Roanoke, Indiana. I’ll be teaching Jenny Pedigo’s Curve it Up book using her Quick Curve Ruler. Tonight we will learn how to cut and piece the curves for this Churn Dash Block.

I’m using Sphere fabric by Zen Chic for Moda to make the quilt, but will be using fabric from my stash to show how to cut and sew the blocks together. I should have two quilts by the end of the classes!

Remember the chair upholstery class I’m taking with my daughter?  Here is what I have been learning/accomplishing on it. First off the chair is just about naked. Let’s just say it is jutted. I have stapled new webbing to the bottom (over the old webbing) as instructed, I would have preferred to remove the old and just have the new. But ya got to do what the teacher says. I have re-tied the springs into place and added a new spring to improve the seat. Again, the teacher said to leave the old string – several of the strings are broken, and just re-tie the springs. When it was all done, he said if the old had been removed it would have been a cool picture! Dah! Oh well! And the springs are now covered  with burlap.

Not photoed is the new batting and foam that form the seat, and the upholstery fabric stapled partially in place. It’s coming along.

And here is an old over due project, I had hoped to have completed by yesterday. Sigh. Maybe another week, and I’ll have the top complete.

This quilt was intended for my son and daughter-in-law for their second anniversary. It was yesterday. The pattern is from Elm Creek Quilts, Remembering Victoria. I started it so long ago that I can’t remember if it is supposed to be a queen size, which means enlarging the pattern, or if I was just going to follow the pattern. But, since there is still yardage left after cutting out all the pieces, I’m thinking I’m supposed to be upping it to queen size. That means I’m only about half way there on constructing the blocks. I’ve got to get cracking on this!

Linking up to Connie’s Linky Tuesday over at Freemotion by the River

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About one quarter of my Drunkard’s Path units are sewn together.  I only cut out that many, and now that I’m sure of what I’ll be doing, I will cut out the rest of the pieces.

And take a look at this! I finished up the last 10 or so units on my new-to-me Singer Featherweight! She sews such a sweet 1/4″ seam!

Hubs bought this gem Saturday via Ebay! I had mentioned to him that Vicki, from Field Trips in Fiber, had a Featherweight for sale on Ebay, and never mentioned it again. Saturday he said there was an hour left to the bidding. Up to that point, I had not been aware that he was even watching the bidding. Then a hour later he said it sold for $340.00. I asked who bought it, and he says,”You!”  !!!!!!   Talk about one excited girl!  Vicki got her shipped out on Monday and she was on my door step Wednesday afternoon! And of course I had to try her out right away!

Thank you, Hubs!  Thank you, Vicki!

Other news – I’ll be teaching a class starting next Tuesday night at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop in Roanoke, IN. We will work through Jenny Pedigo’s booklet  Curve it Up, using her Quick Curve Ruler. I’m using Sphere by Zen Chic for Moda for my Curve it Up quilt.

I’m linking to Vicki’s Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along. Go take a look at what the others are up to in the Drunkard’s Path world!

My daughter and I signed up for a re-upholstery class. It started September 15th. We are half way through the class now, 5 more weeks, meeting one evening a week. Here I am at the first class, just starting to pull out tacks and staples. It took me two classes to get it all pulled apart. My daughter is doing a wing-backed chair and it took her 4 weeks to pull it all apart with my help! I tell you what! Pulling staples is hard work! At least for me! My hands would be so sore the next day!  Tonight I retied the springs in the bottom of the chair. That was even harder on the hands! They hurt so much right now and I just got home from class. I hope they won’t be hurting like this tomorrow.

Earlier today, I started two new things. A tote, using Quilts Illustrated pattern Charm Party Tote. I’m modifying it by adding a zipper. Here is one side with the charms sewn together. I did a simple meandering stitch.

This morning while reading the blogs I follow, Amy of 13 Spools announced she will be hosting a Feather Quiltalong featuring Angela Walter’s Free-motion Quilting with Feathers Craftsy Class.  That class has been on my wish list, so I went and looked at it again. I pondered if I should take yet another Craftsy class -how many Craftsy classes are too many? I considered all the other projects I have going, or at least started. I went back and looked at Amy’s post again and read the comments. Then I thought about the tote I’m working on and decided a feather would look nice on it for the quilting. So, I took the plunge and signed up for Angela’s Craftsy Class and then went back and left a comment on Amy’s blog. I watched a few of Angela’s lessons while eating lunch, and then I jumped right in and quilted my first ever feather on one side of the Charm Party Tote.

That makes my second new thing for the day free-motion feathers. It’s not perfect, but it was fun! I’m showing the batting side because you really can’t even see it that well on the Charm side, the thread blends in well. My Charm Party Tote will be meandered on one side and feather quilted on the other side. More fun, right?!

Have you signed up for any Craftsy Classes? If so, how many?  This Feather class makes 20 for me. Several are free ones, and I do try to buy when they are on sale. Luckily for me Angela’s was on sale today!

I’m linking up to Connie’s Linky Tuesday over at Freemotion by the River.

I’ve been playing with Jenny Pedigo’s Quick Curve Ruler this past week. I had just bought several of her patterns when Vicki Welsh announced her Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along. Perfect timing!

I have decided on Two Step Topper in black and white. But I’ll be adding a twist or two – stay tuned – because it is just so fun to change things up a bit.

I continued playing with Dot to Dot. Both are designs by Jenny at Sew Kind of Wonderful and printed by Cut Loose Patterns. I used a Moda Kate Spain Horizon Layer Cake and just love how it is turning out!

And the fun continued with Metro Hoops. Jenny has a Tuesday Tips page on her blog and I found it helpful for accurate cutting and piecing of this block. I’m using Moda Best Day Ever Jelly Roll by April Rosenthal.

The fun will continue this weekend as I get to use these examples to demonstrate Jenny’s Quick Curve Ruler at Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop in Roanoke, IN. Stop in from 10-3 Saturday and introduce yourself to me if you happen to traveling through or live close by! I’ll be in the kitchen with donuts and coffee and a fun demo!

When I read about Vicki’s Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along over at Field Trips in Fiber, I knew I wanted to jump in! I love all the variations using the Drunkard’s Path block and have made several and even taught a class once or twice several years ago. I’ve picked up a few new patterns, so why not just join in and get to making up a few?  …  OK, so I might not have time to make a  few but I can play with some of the new patterns I’ve bought and some of the ideas rolling around in my little head!

Here are some of the patterns I’m interested in making that I have already purchased:

Curve it Up by Sew Kind of Wonderful. See the second block in the third row? That is a Log Cabin with a Drunkard’s Path curve! So cool! I love how Jenny is using her Quick Curve Ruler to alter tradition blocks!

I also like Jenny’s Dot To Dot Pattern. Apparently so much so that I have bought it twice! Oops!

While looking through the Flickr Link that Vicki posted, I found this DP in a Wedding Ring and since I just bought Jenny’s Metro Hoops, I can see playing around with this idea of putting DP inside the hoops.

Then there is this modern DP! Love! It would make a great baby quilt.

And this Retro Flower by Rachel of Stitched in Color. Another great modern look!

Oh! And Clam Shells! I bought this pattern from the Craftsy site. Latifah Saafir has designed it in several sizes.

And there is another pattern I keep looking at while at the local quilt shop – Fabrics and Friends in Roanoke, IN. Polka Box by Karla Anderson keeps calling to me and asking to be made up in Oriental fabrics. Here is another Karla Anderson pattern I like, Circle Takes the Square. It reminds me of a quilt I made using Elisa’s Backporch 8″ Rainbow Block Templates. 

Now, which one will I work on? So many lovely DP quilts out there!

I’m linking up  Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along with Vicki!  Come join the fun!