Rose Boll

Happy New Year!

So, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I planned to start a second, new (for me), Bonnie Hunter design, in addition to the others that are already on the go. This is it!

Rose Boll

North Americans will know the pun, which I just could not resist. Every New Year's Day our family used to watch the Rose Bowl parade from Pasadena, California. My grandfather was a wholesale flower supplier, so flowers are in our blood. This fabric is from the Savannah Garden collection by Henry Glass.

Last January, while we were all working on Bonnie's last mystery, Allietare, I was also looking at her previous mysteries. I became obsessed with this one, Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll:

The pattern is now in Bonnie's book, String Fling (2012). The main colours in Bonnie's quilt are red, pink and green. I tried many variations over the past year, and finally settled on just a two-colour scheme, red and white. When I realized that I could use all my rose-themed florals, and call it "Rose Boll," the decision was made!

Of course, now I've also started two more red and white quilts, 150 Canadian Women and Wild & Goosey, so I'm going to be up to my neck in red and white this year.

Wild & Goosey

(I know, Wild & Goosey doesn't currently look like a red and white quilt, but the sashing will be red and white flying geese. I've even considered the name "Canadian Goosey." We'll see...)

Anyway, this week I rough cut all my red rose fabrics:

I miscalculated and cut everything about a 1/2" scant! But, it's ok. I can still use it, but now the whole thing will need an extra bit of care when I make the final cuts.

There are some scant seams in the first block to make up for my cutting error. But, I think it worked!

The second block was a little easier:

Actually, with these two blocks you can see the range between the fairly solid red and the boldest floral in the mix. Although I have lighter reds in my stash, these dark reds seemed very determined to be in the quilt. Despite all the florals, I think it's going to be very graphic.

I'll tell you right now, I also have what I think is a good plan for Bonnie's quilt Orca Bay, which is also in String Fling. But I think I can let myself finish a couple things before I start that! And anyway, my next new quilt, for sure, will be Prairie Star, which has been waiting and waiting and waiting...

Mod Pillows

Here's one more little finish for 2016 -- my Mod Pillows. I made these from the strip sets left over from Mod Trips, my modern, red and white version of Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Trips Around the World. That was the quilt that started my Bonnie Hunter infatuation!

Anyway, the tops for these 20" square pillow covers have been quilted for a long time, and they just needed the back and binding. In my stash I had this fabric with old maps of the world...

...which is a perfect match by colour and by theme! When I first bought it online, it turned out to be much darker than I expected. So I "discharged" it by an overnight soak in a diluted bucket of bleach. The colour turned out much better, but despite several washes the fabric smelled of bleach for over a year! A cautionary tale. But, I'm glad to have it now!

So far, I'd sewn all my bindings by hand, simply because it is easier and hand sewing is something I already knew how to do. But, with my back the way it is now, I decided it was time to learn to sew binding by machine. Around the internet I've seen a couple of award-winning quilts that had bindings machine sewn to the front of the quilt. That's what I wanted to try!

Front

This is a double-fold binding, sewn to the front the same as you would for a hand sewn binding. I did cut the strips 1/4" wider, just to give myself a little extra room on the back.

I ironed the binding out, and then ironed it again folded to the back, pinned the corner and used Clover Wonder Clips to hold the binding in place. Then, with my zipper foot and beige thread in the top of the machine and red thread in the bobbin, I stitched in the ditch from the front of the pillow, being careful to catch the flap of the binding underneath at the same time.

Back

It is a little wobbly, as expected, but on the whole it was easier and turned out better than I hoped! I really prefer to have that loose flap on the back, and have a neat front. So I'll definitely use this technique again!

I'll be using the pillows right away, so I am glad to have them done at last. Plus, I am very happy to have the empty project box! It will be nice to get some of my new projects off my sewing table. :D

Top 5 Posts of 2016

WOman plans, God laughs

Each year that I've blogged, my list of resolutions for the new year has become shorter and vaguer. I've realized that for me, concrete goals and the creative process are basically incompatible. This year, my resolution is three words:

1. Follow the fun.

Over at Meadow Mist Designs, Cheryl is running a linky party where bloggers can share their Top 5 Posts of 2016. This got me curious about my stats, so I had a look at the numbers. I looked at most page views, most comments, and then added my own preference to the mix. Let's count them down!

#5 -- Sunny and Derivative. This was my two cents on the whole "derivative" controversy triggered by the Modern Quilt Guild this summer. Since my blogging focus is largely on the creative process, the issue was close to home even though I don't consider myself a modern quilter.

#4 -- Allietare Red Blocks. This post ranked second by page views for the year. Allietare was my first time participating in Bonnie Hunter's annual mystery quilt. It was a challenging project, but completely worthwhile. And it's inspired me to start a few more of Bonnie's quilts as well.

#3 -- 13 Cherry Trees. This post was ranked third by page views, and the one before it was second by comments, so I've combined them into a third place overall finish. I've been both surprised and gratified by how popular this quilt has been!

FYI, I've decided to make it bigger, and a wide border has been planned.

#2 -- Little Wooly Baskets. This post is #1 in page views, with more than double the page views of the runner up Allietare. The Woolie Contingent is large! Dawn Heese's quilt along was hugely popular.

My photo of Block 2 here, with the white basting threads all over it, seemed to hit a chord with people, and it was widely pinned on Pinterest. Very flattering! For a while I was concerned that it was more popular than the finished block, but I've realized that a) readers have to wait a long time for finishes around here, and b) I am mainly writing a "process" blog anyway!

And, drum roll please...

#1 -- Gwennie Medallion Month 1. This first post in the Gwen Marston-inspired medallion quilt along is definitely number one by comments. I've rated it as my best post because I certainly value comments more, and I think it is an entertaining story about the creative process. Plus, it's all original and I love how it turned out!

2017 looks now like it will be more machine sewing and less hand sewing. But, eventually I will figure out a new, ergonomic hand sewing set up too. A more supportive chair, to start with. All those people who told me to sit up straight when I was young are laughing now!

In any case, creatively, 2016 has felt like a very good year. God willing, my plan for 2017 is more of the same!