Fanciful Quilts

Okay, so I am taking a liberty or two with this "backed into a corner" bit.   Quilt backings. Oh, I long for the day when I believed the only way to back a quilt was to use muslin.  Pure, simple, off white muslin.  Easy to use, showed the threads beautifully if quilted correctly.  Showed the threads well if not quilted correctly.   All this to say .... just the perfect batik in my stash to use as backing for Tilt-a-Square was just a tad short.  As in - a good 30 plus inches too short.  Okay, so I piece. For whatever reason, I discarded the idea to just piece together the various lengths of batiks on hand.     Idea #2.   I pulled 7 different batiks and start cutting 10" squares.  Great idea for a backing.  I've done it before...and it worked out quite well.  Until the thought of "just" 10" squares was a bit - well, uninspired.  Snap the fingers (did you hear it?), and viola - HSTs.  And the fun b...

Goals for 2019....in writing....included one quilt a month.  As in fully quilted.  Might be able to finish January's project on time.  Imagine that. Hello, Tilt-a-Square.   You have not been my favorite project (understatement) but I have learned quite a bit about appliqué ... and that's not all bad.   Here she is.....  Started the journey in October and today the last stitch is done.  Now to locate fabric for the backing....which shouldn't be difficult.  Pieced backings are fun...as long as one doesn't choose a backing made of 2 1/2 strips.  Ever try quilting over seam after seam after seam?  Poor Mz Bailey (aka my mid arm) absolutely screams with agony..... And today's delight....SNOW... From the window of the front room.  Okay, granted it was taken several days ago but that white stuff isn't going away any time soon.  Still looks like that now.  If memory serves me correctly, it wa...

To date, the 2019 Great Challenge (aka finishing those UFOs/kits) has not happened.  In fact, I think I am slowly on the road to perfecting procrastination. So far, I have made quilted coasters.   Yes, I know.  Just four of them.  But lots and lots of fabric has been cut into strips....waiting. And then there are the wonky placemats.... And more strips were cut.  Absolutely no rhyme or reason or plan....just placemats with somewhat sedate backings.   In the meantime, current quilt project is languishing on the ironing board....and if it's speaking to me, I'm not hearing it.   On the homefront, the kitchen floor is looking very spiffy - as in very clean.   I've spent hours online looking for a specific door handle to the laundry room....which morphed into looking for just the right kitchen mat to go on the spiffy kitchen floor....which morphed into..... After quilting ...

THE Challenge continues.   Randomly selected number (1-71 projects at the time) was.... Tilt-a-Square.  A kit. As to what number that was, I haven't a clue.  It's off the list.  I modified the list, along with reorganizing the SQS.  If I think long and hard enough, SQS could mean something else other than "Sharon's Quilting Studio"....  Like.... "Simply Quiet Space".....or...."Something Quirky Stuff".....or... Darn squirrels. Tilt-a-Square.   Minus the borders....which will be tackled when this headache goes away....   Nothing like a wonderful (small) space to photograph a quilt top.  Once the borders are on, I need a larger floor space.   Honestly, it will never be one of my favorite quilts.  The pros:  I love the wonkiness of the blocks.  I love the colors.  I love that it's all batiks. The cons:  Applique.   Okay - one con.  But enough to either up the game of...

For the past couple of years (five?  six?  three?), I have chosen a word for the year.  Not even sure why this yearly "thing" happened....or even if it made a difference.  Looking back, probably had no impact whatsoever.  However, this year.... Flexibility.  It is now the 7th of January and I've come to the conclusion this word is revealing a portion of my character that does need some work.  Rather than go into great detail (surprise), suffice to share that it's a startling revelation and it isn't pleasant.  When something needs to be changed within, it is never pleasant.   Moving on..... SQS (Sharon's Quilting Studio) underwent a major (to me) organization.  What started out as numbering the fabric bins....anyway, a picture is worth a thousand words. First there was this....behind the closet door.  I sort of liked it.  Okay, it was a brilliant idea to move the cubbies into the clos...