Saturday, July 4, 2020

Sewing Saturday a finish and a start

How do you define a finish? Think about all the "finishes" you go through on your way to binding a quilt.... I Have been making improv log cabins in each monthly color for RSC, and when it came to pink... I had to stop and finish them into this part! Why, I might even just make this into a wall hanging I like it so much... imagine lots of metallic pink threads glistening in it!

then there is this kind of finish... down to the beading done and on display!
This is number three in the painted pink flower series... all inspired by one of my paintings.
see the thick gold threads woven around the binding here?
I have one more in progress, printed in gray scale and hand pencil colored, and several in my head to try... They are also my art quilt group's challenge to make a 12" square art work each month
The image above shows something I tried, stitching around part of the binding with thick threads, french knots in gold thread, free motion quilting with thick metallic turquoise thread

time for some embellishments!
a mix of walking foot quilting, free motion flowers and spirals, and programmed spiral stitch
see the little barrel gold beads along the side?
detail of free motion
When it came time to design this one, I cut out the printed picture, used scraps to make improv green and pink fabric to use for setting
and now I can't decide how I want it oriented! The first image was how I built it, and the above orientation is possibly my favorite for display on the little stand.
Maybe it's not finished til you decide how to hang it!

I started a bed quilt inspired by Joy at Joyful quilting...
I thought I'll use up some scraps, and some solid fabrics I don't much like, to make a king quilt (as you go)
I have been listening to the book Bubble in the Sun about how Florida turned from a beautiful natural landscape into whatever it is today. I grew up there so it's nice to learn where some of the names came from but not nice to know unscrupulous land developers manipulated the environment for their profits. I might have to sage this quilt clean after it's made, after learning too much about my native state! Land developers... snake oil salesmen... all must be watched closely because they have their own agendas while telling people it's for them... oy vey...
for the RSC people
The color this month at RSC is dark blue... so these two blocks came from one 10" square of blue scrap and a 10" square of white

since it's the 4th of July... my dog and I beg you not to shoot off fireworks today. Think of the people with ptsd from actually fighting for our country and freedom...haven't they heard enough gunfire?

21 comments:

Kat Scribner said...

THey dont care. They shoot it off before it gets dusk around here, right on your block, not out in the open. Love your new quilt start. It is so pretty!

The Joyful Quilter said...

Binding, a beading needle, and a bed quilt? You made SEW much progress since Tuesday afternoon, LeeAnna!!!

Cathy said...

Amen to your comments about fireworks. (I had to say something about it on my blog too). I’m totally in love with your pink fabric flower art! It’s absolutely divine. Reminds me of my crazy quilting days, and my love of roses. Wow!! hope you’re doing well. xo

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Aren't those Magic Star blocks great! I love yours in all the colors!

Molly the Airedale said...

Absolutely gorgeous work! Mom keeps wondering why fireworks were ever invented. Stay safe and enjoy your 4th!

MissPat said...

No matter how you hang it, your pink flower quilt is stunning. I think the fireworks are even worse this year even though most of them are illegal in NY. People just drive to PA where they can buy any kind they want. We live in a country with some very selfish people.
Pat

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

Love your improv pink log cabin, very pretty. And your pink flower art is delightful. I do love all the extra bits of embellishments, it's very creative piece of art work!

Tails Around the Ranch said...

LOVE those hot pinks!

Linda said...

Your quilts are glorious! I heard on the radio that fireworks sales hit a record high this year. I guess people were bored. Unfortunately they've been setting them off almost every night, making life difficult for pet owners and others.

Joanne said...

Hi LeeAnna,
Why does a quilt have to hang just in one way? Make it so it can hang to fit the mood and location !
Great embellishments! Thanks for another creative quilt idea :)
How do you define a work in progress? If all the supplies have been gathered and are just sitting around in drawers and baskets is it a work in progress? or does that start once the scissors have attacked the fabric ?
HUGS,
Joanne

Barbara said...

Amen to fireworks! It’s time to be “over” them after so many loud conflicts our military has been subjected to fighting. We had the most deafening ever and we live in a semi-rural area. I love your bright cheerful pinks and lovely thread embellishments!

Stacy said...

Beautiful quilts!

Rebecca Grace said...

Hello, LeeAnna! I love how your pink flower piece came out -- especially all the embellishing with beads and yummy decorative threads! Stitching around the binding in heavy contrasting thread is a really neat idea. I ran across an old podcast episode from Abby Glassenberg/While She Naps yesterday (I think she's changed the name to Craft Alliance something now). It was an interview with Sue Spargo about how her art and her business came to be and evolved over the years, how none of the shop owners were interested in wool threads in the beginning and all of the colors from major manufacturers were drab "traditional" so she and her sister started hand dying their own wool threads in wild colors. So very interesting! :-)

As for unscrupulous Florida land developers... I read a book with one of my sons about that once, when they were in middle school. I think the author was Carl Hiaasen and the title was "Scat." It was about an unscrupulous company that wanted to build on Everglades land where there was evidence that it was the habitat of a protected species, one of the big cats (?). And of course, finding that animal's poop (scat) on the land was evidence they wanted to suppress so their project would not get shut down. I think they had even hired illegal hunters to get rid of the inconvenient endangered species from their property before the government agencies discovered they were there... And of course, a young boy and his "eccentric biology teacher" team up to stop them. :-)

grammajudyb said...

I am in awe of your flower series. Thanks so much for sharing! The embellishments are wonderful! Keep up the good work,

Quiltdivajulie said...

I agree that the pink and cream log cabin piece is ready to be quilted and hung. Love it. And your pink flower piece is marvelous.

Preeti said...

Beautiful flower LeeAnna. Love all the embellishments. They sparkle :-) The log cabin is a darling too. Very RSC appropriate. Those Joyful blocks may be the answer to the question - what do I do with this layer cake? I love fireworks and we sometimes go someplace to watch the display. One year we went to Chicago to see them from a boat in the lake. Not fond of the neighborhood noisy forced celebrations. So I was surprised when Paul brought home some fireworks. What for, I was incredulous. Because we cannot go anywhere this year and you like them so much, he said. Most were just shiny but a few were noisy. Sorry about that.

Nann said...

The rose and its pink surroundings are beautiful! And your bed quilt start is a very intriguing design. I'm sure you've read Carl Hiassen's comic/satirical novels about Florida.

Sara said...

You had so much fun playing with that beautiful flower. Great job!

Char said...

Love that gorgeous pink flower. I'm so with you about the fireworks. I live in Pa. where they weren't legal until a few years ago. Worst decision ever!

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Beautiful projects! Thanks for sharing them!

Gwyned Trefethen said...

Symmetry is so tempting with log cabin quilts. You elevate the design both by changing the piecing of some of the blocks and by your setting. Draws the eye in a way the expected blocks and setting no longer do. Well done.