Carolina Chain Quilt Top Update

It's soooo nearly done. My plan is for a 6' 6" square quilt made up of 169 6" blocks (13 x 13). So far, I have assembled 156 blocks, so close. I made plenty of blocks but discovered that I have too many pink and blue blocks and I couldn't fit them into the quilt whilst maintaining the scrappy look. So, I will have to make a few more, non pink, non blue, blocks. 

                                

                                

I am hoping to piece a back from my stash and quilt it with an all over quilt pattern, once I have practised my quilting. Maybe a meandering swirl or stippling. I have ordered a Supreme Slider to make the job easier and I have a Freemotion foot and pair of quilting gloves ready and waiting. I have no excuse not to get going and learn free motion quilting once and for all but it dies scare me, if I am honest. 

I'll post some of my practise pictures when I get some done, if you promise not to laugh. 

A Bit Of Hand Quilting

My free motion machine quilting needs some polishing before I get brave enough to use it on a quilt, so I am finishing some of my small quilts up with some hand quilting with perle cotton. 

The biggest hassle is deciding on a quilting pattern and marking it on the quilt, I am about a third ps the way through this motif and I am already wishing I had used the Amish waves design instead. 

     

It's a small pinwheel quilt I made for Project Linus, from leftover Moda Oasis fabrics. It's quilting up quite quickly but I can hardly see the pencil markings, which is a pain. 

This is the back, so far...

                                

I'm really enjoying the stitching but couldn't find a thimble that was comfortable, so I am using some pieces of horse bandage, the rubberised crepe bandage that sticks to itself. It really works, though I may need to cut a new piece soon. 

   

NOT Feeling Guilty!

I have countless projects on the go at the moment. I am making 2 Sister's Choice quilts, one for a commission for a family friend and a gorgeous blue and neutral one that may or may not be a gift (I've yet to decide if I can part with it). These are some of the commissioned blocks, made in Moda Community fabric. Sorry it's blurry, the light in my craft room isn't great. 

                              

I am still making my Carolina Chain quilt, which Is nearly finished and which I add to when I have new fabric to add to the scrappy look. This is it when it was half done, I only need another 16 blocks to finish.

                                        

I have a half square triangles quilt that I haven't touched for about 2 years. I have a scrappy string quilt that has stalled because I can't decide on a layout, a disappearing nine patch that I got quite far on before I realised I just hate it and some wild and goosey blocks that I can't be bothered to continue with at the moment.

Then, I have about 7 finished tops that need quilting. So, that's about 14 unfinished projects. So, I don't know why I got the urge to start an economy block quilt on Friday and a log cabin quilt on Saturday. 

The economy blocks are going to be my reward for when I have finished a couple of quilts, so I only made 2 blocks to test the sizes, etc. and I gathered some fabric and put it away for later. That is my version of restraint. The 2 blocks in the middle row are sewn, the others aren't. 

                                

    But, the following day the urge to make a Log Cabin (I've never made one) got too much. I gathered a load of blue and aqua fabric and got cutting. I cut 2" strips into 2 1/2", 4", 5 1/2", 7" & 8 1/2" lengths and cut some 2 1/2" squares for the centres. I made 14 blocks that day and another 20 since then. 

                                

Playing with the layout...

                               

I have 34 blocks, I am thinking of making 120, they will finish at 8" each and a 10 x 12 layout will be 80" x 96". Or, I might make it single size, not sure yet. I'm obviously as indecisive as I am ill disciplined. 

Ohio Stars Quilt

I finished the Ohio Stars quilt top (quite a while ago actually but I forgot to post about it). I sashed it with flying geese, as planned. I was nervous about lining the geese up with the stars but I got most of them matched up and didn't chop off too many points, just don't look too closely. 

I also grew my own quilt holders, it took a few years but they are paying off. Finally. 

This joins the rest of the finished quilt tops waiting to be quilted. I'm really bad at getting around to that bit, it makes me anxious.