Quatrefoils Block Finished

I finished the first Quatrefoils block tonight.  I tried out several variations using the Asian print and the caramel solid (all Asian print, all caramel, and combos of the two) and took photos.  I thought I had a favorite until I viewed the photos as a slideshow.  Here's the winner:

Quatrefoils Block

I like the little pop of the caramel and how the Asian print adds interest and a kind of transition between the dark chocolate brown and caramel.

Quatrefoils block with Souvenir blocks and Paris theme fabric

I've got to make nine more Quatrefoils blocks, which will take me several days.  Looking good so far!

Quatrefoils Blocks Started

Last night I started working on the Quatrefoils blocks for Papillons de Paris.  I should have a block completed tonight.  I'm still undecided between the Asian print and the caramel solid.  I may try variations of both and see which I like most.

Off to See the Wizard

Today I'm headed to San Francisco with my friend Thomasina to see the musical Wicked.  From what I gather, it's the backstory to the Wizard of Oz--what happened before Dorothy arrived.  I hear it's a great show, so it should be fun.  I'm familiar with one song: "Popular."  I played piano accompaniment for a singer at the opening of a local sports park a few years ago. 

Thomasina and I will take BART to the City, and we'll do a couple of other things while we're there.  We're talking about going to The Ferry Building.  I've been there once, and Thomasina has never been.  We'll figure out the rest of the day as we go.

By the way, my daughter Lisa is obsessed with the Wizard of Oz--has been since she was a little girl.  She's really jealous that I'm going to the show.  She lives in another state, and I told her if Wicked comes to a theater close to her, I'd pay for a ticket.  It's the best I can do for now.

White and Pink Four-Patch Done

White and Pink Four-Patch -- 55" square

I finished the white and pink four-patch last night.  I'll be donating the quilt to a local high school for a fundraiser.  I'm glad it finally has a home.  I've wondered for a couple of years where it was supposed to go.  I hope it keeps its new owner nice and warm.

Close-up     Tied with embroidery floss

Back

I love the sweet little white-on-white print on the front, but there wasn't enough of it left to cover the back.  I found a couple of other white-on-white prints in my stash and pieced them together.  The picture below shows the intersection of the three prints.

Three prints meet on the back

Now, it's back to work on Papillons de Paris.  I'll start the Quatrefoils blocks by this weekend.

Souvenir Blocks Finished/Four-Patch in Progress

I finished the Souvenir Blocks for Papillons de Paris yesterday.  I'll start the Quatrefoils blocks in a few days.  Meanwhile, I'm finishing a four-patch in white and pink. 

I made the top a couple of years ago, and I've been waiting to see where the quilt wanted to go.  I'll be giving it to a local high school as a fundraiser.  I worked on it today and I should finish it tomorrow night.

Hearts Wallhanging Done

Hearts  19"x29"

Tonight I finished Hearts, a wallhanging I started about a year ago for Valentine's Day.  The heart shapes are all a little different from each other.  I drew lots of hearts on paper, then chose my favorites.  I traced the shapes onto the dark red fabric, which I had previously backed with fusible web.  Once the hearts were arranged I ironed them into place.  That's as far as I got last year.

Since Valentine's Day is tomorrow, I decided I'd go ahead and finish it.  After viewing several tutorials on the Internet about machine applique, I chose a tight zigzag.  For stabilizer I used plain binder paper on the back, sewing through the heart, background and binder paper.  After the applique was done most of the paper came off, but a little remains in the zigzag stitches on the back, which doesn't really bother me.  The paper will never be seen.

Close-up

With the applique done, I made the quilt sandwich with scrap batting and the same green fabric for backing. I machine quilted in a loop-de-loop pattern. Here's a tip I got from Ami Simms' website:  Before attaching binding, I took 4" squares and folded them on the diagonal, forming triangles. I placed a triangle in each corner of the back of the quilt, raw edges to the sides of the quilt. The corners will hold strips of wood for hanging. I attached the binding, and voila!  Another WIP was done.

Close-up showing one of four triangles that will hold strips of wood for hanging

Souvenir Block Done/New Title

Souvenir Block

I finished the first Souvenir block of Paris Brown last night.  I love it!  I need to make nine more of these blocks, then I'll start the Quatrefoils blocks.

By the way, I've given the quilt a new title:  Papillons de Paris (Butterflies of Paris).  Last night I thought of the title Papillons et Paris (Butterflies and Paris).  This morning I ran the title by my co-worker Samantha, who grew up in Spain and is half French and half Spanish.  She is fluent in those languages, as well as English.  She is my go-to person for French.  She said "and" was a little weird, and that "of" was better.  So, "of" it is!  Merci, Samantha!

Half Square Triangles Done

I got 80 half square triangle units sewn, pressed open and dog ears trimmed off.  These will go in the Souvenir blocks of Paris Brown.  I'd do more sewing tonight, but I'm going to watch the two-hour season premiere of Lost...a day late, but I had too much going on last night to watch it in its entirety. Normally I watch TV while I sew, but I don't want to miss a second of the show.  I'll sew again tomorrow or Friday.

Paris Brown Started

My next project is Paris Brown, a quilt based on a Paris-themed print I bought years ago at Poppy Fabric in Oakland (sadly no longer in business).  I'm making the quilt for myself, to go on my bed as an extra blanket.  The colors work well with the store-bought quilt that I have.

Paris theme print

EQ sketch of Paris Brown

The center of the quilt will be the theme print, shown above in beige.  For my design I chose blocks whose names seem to relate to Paris:  Souvenir--with the large center squares, and Quatrefoils--with the four points.

Above are the fabrics I chose for the quilt.  About half are from stash and about half are recent purchases.  The butterfly fabric will fill the large center squares of the Souvenir blocks; the medium dark brown and mottled pink will also be in those blocks.  The Quatrefoils blocks will have the deep chocolate, mottled pink, brown/pink floral and/or caramel.  I'm not settled yet on the last two fabrics; the floral blends really well, but the caramel adds a little punch.  I may use a little of both.  We'll see.

Tonight I layered the medium dark brown and mottled pink on triangle paper to make 80 half-square triangles.  Tomorrow I'll sew them.

You may wonder why I call this quilt Paris Brown.  I bought two Paris prints on the same day at the same store.  The other print has ladies in fifties clothes walking their dogs and eating at sidewalk cafes.  The colors are blues and pinks so I call that project Paris Blue.