BADLANDS QUILTS: Rugged & Refined

Liberated Wedding Rings

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:43:00 +0000

This little liberated wedding ring topper is from a Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild challenge. It is a UFO that you've seen before but it is now finally finished. This project began with 2 1/2 x 22" strips of black and white fabrics that we swapped with other members and were allowed to add just a single colored kona to.

I finished it a month or so ago but missed last month's meeting for either another meeting, a sick child or baseball and will miss this month's due to band preview night so decided not to wait any longer to share.

This is just but one of many UFOs on a very long list... so here's to getting a few things done this summer!

I'm linking up with Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday post...check out the big list of finishes others are sharing today!

The Boys of Summer are Back

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:19:00 +0000

Life around here has been a total blur for the last month. We were out of town at Easter, then had company a few weekends and I was in charge of a weeks worth of events for Staff Appreciation at my son's school for our PTO. (Which I did do some sewing for but didn't get photos, so will when the decorations come down)

Since February my 10 yo has had spring training for baseball but the season is in full swing now. Last week they had games Tuesday and Thursday with a Friday, Saturday and Sunday tournament. 7 games in one week. I was sunburned and my hexagons have gone MIA since last season, not good. But I am certainly not complaining, the kids are so fun to watch. They placed second in their tournament last weekend qualifying them for their state tournament already and the last game was a total heart breaker - a two out rally lost by one run. (the last out was a matter of a few inches on the final slide into home)

School activities and demands are on the final wind down and I'm looking into settling into a summer schedule of just the boys' activities with hopes of doing some sewing and gardening during the days. On my to do list for this weekend is to pick out a new paper piecing project (since I have baseball games & camp for one or both of the boys for all buy 5 days in June). Of course I'm looking for suggestions? What is your favorite paper piecing project that you've seen recently?

Doll Quilt Swap #12 Received

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:37:00 +0000

Here is the Doll Quilt I received from Nicole at Peonybliss. It is no secret that I love red and Kaffe Fassett fabrics and Nicole used both to create this striking toothy star design using log cabin blocks. The entire quilt is meticulously hand quilted... Thank you so much Nicole! It is wonderful!

(And check out the geese in the label below - cute!)

If you haven't yet, you must check out all the wonderful quilts in the Doll Quilt flickr pool.

WIP: MSP Guild Upcycling Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:30:00 +0000

On occasion of the upcoming Earth Day holiday, our Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild challenge this quarter is to make an item using repurposed fabrics. A portion of my project will utilize the wool pictured above. Today, I'm cutting out zippers and waistbands and then will begin felting all this wool.

It is fun to use things that I've been hoarding for a while as well look back at their original purpose..the blue wool on top was a jumper of one of my sisters, the herringbone is scraps from a jacket I made myself in high school, the plaid are scraps from a shirt one of my sisters made my dad, the darkest tan are pants that my sister made me in high school...and the MOST FUN of today is the dresser drawer that I'm emptying that I can store more fabric in!

Doll Quilt Swap 12

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:36:00 +0000

My doll quilt for DQS12 is finished and off in the mail today! I used an assortment of Moda Crossweaves to make up this little quilt using three of the blocks we were allowed: flying geese, churn dash and log cabins. The quilt is 12" square and those little log cabin blocks are just three inches! I paper pieced them and they turned out much better that way than the alternative! (crossweaves are a little stretchy!)

I hope my partner likes it?! We weren't allowed solid white backgrounds and this seemed to be the crossweave color that allowed for the greatest contrast to show off the brights but I'm a bit worried that it's a bit to muddy for them?!

Thanks for stopping by today. To see all the other fabulous doll quilts, check out the flickr group!

And I'm linking up with Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations for Sew Modern Monday!

HSTs for March Block Lotto

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:40:00 +0000

I used some Sisboom Poodle fat quarters from my stash and a few colored Konas to make 8 of these triangle blocks for Block Lotto this month. I used a new favorite technique for triangles that I need to share soon and also bought some white on white fabric from my LQS to use as the background instead of white Kona. When it came time to press the blocks, despite being cut on the grain correctly those colored Konas seemed the most susceptible to stretch. I think it's time do some solids research now that there are so many options available. Do you have a favorite brand...soft, doesn't stretch, not thinner or thicker than regular prints?

Quilting Quandries

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:00:00 +0000

The last day or so I've been quilting my Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild Black & White Challenge piece (it's a UFO from a challenge last year). I was at a loss of how to quilt it. I had a single block that wasn't quite square that I was going to quilt up to use as a candle mat on my kitchen counter. (below) I thought my variegated green thread would be a good choice...wrong, the green varied widely from lime green to forest green and I didn't like it on my grass colored kona, and though it's a small piece the small scale stippling looks terrible. I zig zagged over the liberated wedding rings with a gray thread and did like that...thank goodness I had this little square to practice on.

For the main piece which is just a table square (top), I quilted the entire piece in a darker gray Aurifil and that was an acceptable choice. I again zig-zagged the liberated rings and then just stippled the rest in a looser scale - passable but not very exciting or inspiring. I think most of the time I have so many different fabric prints and colors in a piece and use a neutral thread so everything just blends together. This is one of the first things I've ever made where my choices seemed so obvious.

This is a very humbling hobby, just when you figure one aspect out there is another that you need to contemplate more. I am signed up for a FMQ class at my LQS the end of April, which I am now looking forward to even more. What is your favorite quilting technique as of late? I need to make some time to try some new stitches (AND practice!)

I used a sample of this Airtex 80/20 batting that I had received at a quilt class or shop hop and while it was ok, don't think I'd buy it myself. It seemed like it the batting wanted to come through the needle holes. (Though there was a fair amount of un-stitching that surely didn't help)

I'm off to trim and block this quilt before I attach the binding...hoping that when I see a cute binding fabric I'll like it a bit better. Thanks for stopping by today.

Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:38:00 +0000

The winner of the Quilter's Blog Hop Party giveaway chosen via RNG is:

#159 Ullhärvan

Thank you to all who stopped by and entered. And thank you for all summer time management tips! I am outside a lot in the summer with kids and yard work. This year we will have baseball games four nights a week with the two boys, plus some weekend tournaments so I know I need to be rather disciplined with my time to get my sewing fix.

Have a good weekend!

Clean

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:45:00 +0000

There hasn't been much sewing going on in this sickness infested house...but last week when I did clean my sewing room I took the time to empty out and reorganize my pre-cut shelves. Sometimes little accomplishments can make you feel pretty good.

Today is the last day for the Quilter's Blog Hop so if you haven't entered, check out the previous post.

Quilter's Blog Hop Party (Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +0000

Michele at Guilters Gallery organized a Quilter's Blog Hop with Giveaways and I thought it would be fun to play along and check out some new blogs too while I'm at it.

I'm giving away 2 charm packs from the Lately Arrived from London by Barbara Brackman. To enter leave me a comment sharing any time management tips to get a bit of sewing done in the summer while the weather is so nice! The drawing is opening to international entries and will stay open until March 23rd when a winner will be chosen via RNG. To check out all those playing along, check out the list which will go live on Saturday the 17th of March.

A New Book & Taupes in the Mail

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Did you notice there was no WIP post yesterday? Well, that's because there hasn't been much work going on around here...late last week I got the flu. My husband had it about three weeks prior, I certainly would have thought I was in the clear but fortunately my kids haven't gotten it! (fingers crossed!)

About that time though, I did get some good mail that I haven't shared. I found the book above (ISBN 978-4-86322-295-3) and this stack of taupes on ebay. The book has lots of good eye candy.

This bag is one of my favorites...

I just love the detail in these smaller bags.

And these too.

Now that I've ogled long enough... I'm hoping to get a bit of sewing done despite the uncharacteristic warmth outside. Hope spring is here to stay.

Doll Quilt Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 22:15:00 +0000

For this round of the infamous Doll Quilt Swap we are limited to using churn dash,flying geese, log cabin, drunkards path and New York beauty blocks. No solid white backgrounds are allowed. This is a VERY rough draft that I came up with in EQ (though I have yet to finish all the tutorials and really know what I'm doing).

I'm pretty happy with the center block and two sided border of flying geese blocks. I'm kind of going for a Gwen Marston medallion quilt type look...this will probably end up a bit wonky.

I have two choices to make though, the first design wise - are those log cabin blocks too busy/heavy? Would a piano key type border on those sides look better?

The second question relates to fabric. Option 1 is the safer of the two... use fabrics from my collection of Moda Crossweaves.

Option 2 has a focal fabric of this pink button print by Suzuko Koseki that would be complemented by bright/electric random prints from my stash. (sorry about the shadows, I was happy just to see some sun!)

What would you decide...please tell me!? To see all the other quilts in progress check out the flickr group.

Wednesday WIP

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:00:00 +0000

I never really know how often or how much of a WIP to share?! I decided to join up with Lee's WIP today, I do like the once a week check of what's in progress.

These pretty star blocks are from last month's Schnibbles... I needed additional fabric and then since I wasn't going to make the deadline decided to make a coordinating runner too. So I have a few HSTs to make before I can finish my additional star blocks. This pattern calls for charms packs but I used Pam Kitty Mornings fabric for Lecien and there are so many different prints with contrasting colors, varying scale and value that is was quite easy to come up with a cute combination.

This project is an unfinished Guild challenge UFO. I think it is from last fall? Each member brought strips of black and white fabrics that we swapped and we are allowed to add one solid too. Typically these type of projects are a suprise but considering my untimeliness I think it's ok! I am hoping to get this done by our March meeting since we have another challenge reveal in April. I shrunk the template for Gwen Marston's string wedding ring block and am making a table square to use in March since the green gives it a St. Patty's theme.

So that is what is going on here in Minnesota, to see what everyone else is up to check out Lee's linky party.

BeeFF (Flickr Friends Bee): March for me

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 22:30:00 +0000

This month is my month for the Flickr Friends Bee that I am in. My 10 year old son desperately needs a light weight summer quilt for his bed. He has a duvet with a very warm comforter for our Minnesota winters but also has the hottest room in the house in the summer. I am asking my fellow bee members to help me make a quilt for him... I chose a timeless design in a pallet to coordinate with his black furniture and changing themes.

His room currently has a vintage train theme in rusts, browns, golds and black. He says he has outgrown this and now ready to move on. This vintage sports theme fabric by Timeless Treasures is the inspiration for the fully evolved room, but in the meantime this color pallet will actually match both themes.

Here are the fabrics I pulled from my stash that I'll be using for the blocks I need to make. For the larger 4 patches I am using anything from milk chocolate brown to rust. Not as dark as a dark chocolate (isn't that sad I think in terms of chocolate), but a warmer brown. For the smaller four patches I'm using anything from cream, oatmeal, natural to a light tan paired with a black solid and tone on tone fabrics (without any white).

The block I chose is a rather simple double four patch that I'll be setting on point. The black/cream colored small four patches are made up of 4 -3.5" pieces of fabric and the rust/brown larger squares are 6.5 inches each for blocks to finish at a standard 12.5" size. The quilt that I will be making, as shown above, uses 25 pieced blocks with setting squares and a 3" border to finish at 93" square.

With the wacky mild winter we've had (not that I'm complaining), here's to getting this done before it gets very warm out!

February Quilt Square Along

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Jo from Jo's Country Junction is hosting a Quilt Square Along using Lori Smith's pattern set. This is one of the 6 mini quilts from set #1. These little quilts are 12.5" and are classic designs. This month I used fabric from the Aster Manor line by 3 Sisters for Moda.

These little quilts are great tests for the accuracy of your piecing and your 1/4" foot. I got quite cross piecing the bear paw having challenges getting things to line up. Only after all the grumbling and finishing that section did I discover (after reading the directions that I obviously should have sooner) that it wasn't the machine... I was suppose to trim down the inner HSTs just a tiny bit. Oops. That was my humbling lesson learned.

To see all the other finished quilt squares, be sure to check out Jo's blog.

Liberated Wedding Rings for Sarah

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:41:00 +0000

It is Sarah at Needle and Thread 's month in my BeeFF (Flickr Friends Bee). She asked for Liberated Wedding Ring blocks with aqua backgrounds and blue, green & black/white rings. The original Liberated Wedding Ring block by Gwen Marston uses a template. I thought this version, based on a nine patch was clever and easily repeatable, so perfect for a bee block.

When Sarah posted her block at the beginning of the month and I looked at my very few pieces of aqua fabric, I knew I would need to get a few new ones for the block backgrounds. Both of the fabrics I used (Dear Stella chevrons and Little Apples leaves) and also the aqua tree fabric (birch organic) came from Lisa's FreshStash shop on etsy. (Lisa is a fellow member of the Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild.) At our last Guild meeting we had a scrap swap, and I was so lucky to get a bag of scraps from Nikol that had several blue and aqua fabrics. Between the two influxes of fabric I was able to make a scrappy block with many different fabrics. If you'd like to see more the blocks, check out our flickr group.

36 Patch Block Tutorial included a Tube Method for Directional Prints

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 +0000

For the last few months at our Minneapolis Modern Quilt Guild meetings we have had a block lottery. After getting together for over a year, at this past meeting we decided on a few offices and positions to help organize our growing group. I volunteered to be the Block Lottery coordinator. Each month it will be my job to post the block criteria along with instructions.

For our March meeting I suggested 36 patch blocks and I wanted to share a couple of methods for making them, including a tube method that works for directional prints. You can view and download the tutorial here from my google docs. Our blog is evolving as we decide what to put where so for now, I'm sharing the info here. The idea of using the 36 patch block was inspired by Amanda and Cheryl's finished quilts and the tube technique in the tutorial is similar to those used in many trip around the world patterns.

Contruction is Complete

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

This is last months Schnibble...Full House. I used a variation that Carrie showed on her blog to create this lumbar pillow sized to fit a Pottery Barn 16x26 pillow. The fabrics are Renewal by Brannock & Patek for Moda. Both Another Year of Schnibbles and the Quilt Square Along have their reveals at the end of the month, so I've quickly figured out there is going to need to be an improvement in the time management area around here on the months that I participate in both.

Though, I do have to say, it wasn't the piecing and quilting on this that got me. It was the zipper. I again used Natalia's tutorial that always works so well. I must've stretched the zipper a bit while ironing it got a bit wavy on me, so that combined with the length tricked me up until about the fourth try. If nothing else, I am persistent.

Guest Posting at Craizee Corners

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Sharon at Craizee Corners features different projects from different designers on her blog and I was honored to be asked to share some of the items I've made using fabric designed by Sandy Gervais. Go over to Sharon's blog to see what I'm showing today and also all the other fantastic projects featured there this week.

Doll Quilt Swap 12 Inspiration Mosaic

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:01:00 +0000

After taking a year or so off from swaps, I signed up for the Doll Quilt Swap on flickr. This rounds' designs must include flying geese, log cabins, NY beauties, churn dash or drunkards path blocks and no white backgrounds are allowed. I rather like having a few constraints to the design as otherwise someone like myself tends to agonize over the infinite choices. I have received information about the partner that I'm making a quilt for and have already began to strategize a design and ordered a fabulous Suzuko Koseki print for the focal block. Be sure to watch the flickr group this next month as all the creations appear!

Quilt Square Quilt Along

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:34:00 +0000

Jo from Jo's Country Junction is hosting a Quilt Square Along using Lori Smith's pattern set. This is #1. These little quilts are 12.5" and are classic designs. I decided to join as time allows...this month I made a square that I'll use for fall decorating from some of the my scraps and more primitive stash from my wannabe quilter years.

Go to Jo's blog to check out all the different squares and also she is having a giveaway from the the Quilt Along sponsor, Country Threads. (And I think she is also giving away a Mini Quilt stand from Ackfeld Manufacturing...which I think I am going to have to order - I was originally going to frame my mini and despite best efforts of trimming and measuring each round, got a little big on one side so the frame didn't look so good.) Thanks for stopping by!

Baskets for Anita

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 15:44:00 +0000

I was excited to be invited to play in the Flickr Friends Bee (BeeFF) earlier this year by Sarah. Sarah and I were partners in the placemat swap a year or so ago. I haven't participated in many swaps as of late, but love the idea of the online bee...just doing a few blocks a month and even getting blocks made for you one of those months!

January is Anita at BloominWorkshop's month, and she chose baskets inspired by Gwen Marston and Freddie Moran's book, Collaborative Quilting. Anita asked for bright colored baskets and backgrounds in varied neutral prints.

I was nervous about the basket handles because I have never appliqued, but they turned out fine and I love how the applique foot on my Horizon worked wonderfully to line up my stitching so close to the edge and the wide plastic foot smoothed down the handles as I sewed them on. My mistake on my practice block (below) was to trim the block halves before joining them...and I didn't think about how the handles are getting wider and basket narrower as I was trying to match up the handles with the basket edges? There really is always something to learn isn't there?

To see all the other pretty basket blocks everyone made for Anita, check out our Flickr group.

Building Houses

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Sherri and Sinta have organized Another Year of Schnibbles. I plan to participate again this year as time allows. January's Schnibble is the Full House pattern. Carrie had several variations posted on her blog, and I opted for one of the pillows. These are a few of the houses I have constructed so far from an older Moda line, Renewal by Brannock & Patek. Be sure to check out the parade of finishes on February 1st!

Best Pressed

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:37:00 +0000

It seems like every year it takes a fair amount of time after the holidays before things return to normal around here... There are many decorations to put away, gifts to find places for, and inevitably I have a mess to clean up in my sewing room from sewing last minute gifts. And also, this very important guy just turned 10 a few weeks ago! (my oldest son, Jon).

One of the things I received this year for Christmas was a new iron. My old iron was ok, but I put it up in our bedroom for ironing clothes and will keep this new one downstairs in my sewing room. It is a SINGER Expert Finish 1700 Watt Steam Iron. There are so many wonderful irons to choose from now: the cute Oliso irons (but I just couldn't get over the foot thing), the cordless Panasonic (that some of the reviews said weren't very hot) and the Rowentas that everyone seems to either love or hate passionately. I wanted something that was a bit lower in price point and this one was recommended by Consumer Reports, so this is what I picked and my husband got. It is has 1700 watts which is comparable to the more expensive models and several settings...and gets very hot. I haven't done any large projects yet, but so far it gets a thumbs up.

And of course, a new iron meant that I had to spiff up my ironing board. It hadn't been that long since I covered mine but let me assure you it was rather nasty...so I kept the patchwork strip and replaced the rest of the body of the cover. So now I'm all set, ready to sew and ready to press!

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (badlandsquilts) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from Minnesota! Hope you all have an enjoyable holiday weekend with your families and safe travels to wherever you are going! See you in 2012!