May Day

May is officially arrived! I am in wowing the flowers showcases in my neighborhood. It is just so pretty and gorgeous. I have been enjoying making these court step blocks lately and attempted making one block a day. This quilt has a name, did you know? I named it Corn Field, yellow and green.

Few weeks ago, I  put 12 small blocks into a large patchwork piece, just to see how it looks like, together. It is so satisfy! It didn't take much time to take the paper pieces off from the back at all! I have really gotten better with the time management in making one.  

Of course I had to add few more greens and yellows for Corn Field Quilt, since a few prints that I am using is running short and really like to save a small piece for the future.  

The back look of the patchwork piecing is so "clean" and I like how doesn't have much thread hair coming off now. It seems like a little problem for my other patchwork pieces, big and small. I often taken time with a small scissor to trim the excess thread hair before quilting. So far this quilt is neat and clean {gotta love that}. 

Did you get your Mother's Day cards mail out? I have mailed out mine last week and it should take a good 10 days to get to my mama. I hope ma will love this card that I made her this year and S made one for grandma, too.  It has been fun getting personalized cards made lately and getting things off lists. 

and did you know that I put together the farmer's wife 1930's quilt top {added the borders as well}+(yay}? It is a giant piece and I called it my EPIC quilt! I mean giant quilt=big quilt (biggest quilt I've ever made) and too big for any mattress around here. It will for sure sending to a long arm service to have it professionally done.  It doesn't fit in the floor space around here either, so I can't really take a good photo to share with you {peak over here}. I plan to work on the quilt backing soon and you'd be surprise how it look like. I want to talk more about it when I have it quilted and ready to take photos and you'd know why I called it my epic quilt, stay turn! 

Other side note:

Other than all the good sewing journeys+time, I am doing better! It is no secrete that I have been unwell for sometimes. I didn't think I should say more here, but I like to let you know when I am absent sometimes, I am resting and some of the days are harder and some of the days are better. I have a lot thoughts since met the doctor last time and have gone through some testing and waiting for report now. Please don't feel sorry for me because I don't!  

I just think that here at quarter inch mark should be a positive, energetic, and lots crazy sewing journey to share. It is hard to say days are always perfect and fill with happiness because some of the days actually felt dark, difficult and emotional

{ because i am just not well). I tried my best to keep my spirit up and take every stitch I can when I can fully focus. 

Now, take away your worries from me because that made me worry you! 

I will be alright and that's a promise! 

xxc 

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Time to harvest

Maybe you have one of this quilt finished or quilt blocks still around. Have you get it completed?  This is my Farmer's Wife 1920's quilt along from August, 2011 then I dropped off making quilt blocks after moved away from N.D. in 2013. You can view the blocks from the Flickr Page {here}.

Last year, I have finally put all the quilt blocks together.  Added the corner stones and sashing then hand-basted the quilt with a good intention of hand-quilting the sampler quilt. After letting this quilt sat for another year after basting. I convinced myself to machine quilt it and finish another work in prograss quilt! It was not an easy decision for me to machine quilt it because I really want a classic/ traditional finish look. This quilt probably was the first quilt that needed so much piecing and cutting job. I remember it was frustration at the time. Sometimes, I cut too many blocks at once and ended up mixed them together and trying to find the right pieces? It was bad idea, but it was fun sewing along with other sewers. That was motivation and encouragement, big time!

Then it is hard to move forward older projects especially when being behind from time to time then time moves on and new projects starts. I have tried to limit start and making large quilts last two years because I knew that I have come to a different sewing phrase and have cutting down fabric purchases and cutting down big commitments; making two quilts a month or sewing 10 hours a day is not happening these days.

I have also tried hard to hand quilt most of quilts when I can because I love the texture of it and the little tiny hand stitches on every little patchwork projects, not just on quilts. It is how I like to present the works and makes who I am, as a sewer, quilter, patchworker, but I have came to realized that I can't hand quilt everything . Maybe only if I stay 10 hours straight and not being interrupt and a large space to set up quilting frame (I'd be happy place).  I have been struggling the idea of hand quilting quilts this year and have been thinking maybe I need to open up to other options.

It was yesterday morning that I took down a few rolled up w.i.p quilts then pick out Farmer's Wife 1920 to work on. I decided on using simple puzzle and loops quilting pattern for the overall look on the quilt.

The batting is used Hobbs Poly-down for hand-quiltin (the original plan) which is a big different from the cotton batting that I used to for machine quilting. I love the Poly-down for hand quilting and it gives lovely texture for the little hand stitches, but for machine quilting it turns out much loose and fluffy which might not for me as I enjoy machine quilt on the cotton batting, much firm.

For the binding, I used the bias tape that I made awhile ago for the binding which is perfect for the finish look. Do you think it is a little over taken 6 years to finish a quilt ? I knew I won't be the first or last person who take years to finish a quilt.  It feels really really really good and a great accomplishment that I have finally harvest this quilt after all the dilemmas that play around;  should I or shouldn't I?  I am ready to put it in the washer this weekend when the weather is warmer.




xxc

Ocean Wave Quilt in Scrappy Style + quick tutorial

It surely feels great when the last seam allowance was press and quilt top carefully iron out before fold up for photo day! This quilt might had been the quilt that I spent most hours and making good square trimmings. Gosh, it is ready to being quilted, any day now!  I also wrote a quick tutorial for you, if you would like to make one! 

There are total of 30 large Patchwork Blocks to make this quilt top. So the layout is 5x6. It is a closed to a queen size quilt and barely fit to the living room floor here.    

I chose using versatile and bold prints for the darker value prints; 80% of the prints are used from {Suzuko Koseki} prints, one of my favorite Japanese textile designer. The other 20% of the prints are used from last bit of older prints that have saved from years of sewing and also added a few new prints that I purchased earlier this year.

For the low value prints, I used 50% of Kona Snow (from Robert Kaufman) and low value prints that has smaller scale prints on. So, it gives some nice contrast as a whole.

The challengs of making this quilt I'd say were the time, patience, and determination. 

Time: This quilt started August 2016, but really started cutting and making efforts of making was last October. When the weather was cooler and I was able to stay time in the workroom for longer hours. Soon after that, it became a Snow Day project! It was just that perfect for the Snow Day, slow process. I was able to keep on sewing and making more HSTs during snow days.

Patience:  In the earlier quilting years, it seemed so important to start a quilt on the weekend and finish it on following weekend. Oh, it was surely fun and lots sacrifices, too! Lack of sleeps because I was young, quick dinner meals because mama has to get back to finish the quilt and poorly assemble/sewing jobs after all, live and learn!

This quilt really made me to take time to process every little step of making. Carefully cutting squares (good squares), accurate 1/4" seam allowance sewing ( it is very important if it calls that for seam allowance), HSTs (half square triangles) trimming is so time consuming (good trimming brings happy dance when it comes assembling). Matching seam allowance sewing ( for nice nice triangles outlook).

I preferred making small amount of cutting at a time for making a quilt, so I won't overwhelmed myself. I also do step by step job; cutting in one day, sewing in one day, pressing seams in one day, trimming in one day. Assembling in another day. It makes easier for me and allows me to work on other projects as well.

Determination:  This is probably the most challenge aspect in quilting for me over the years! That result many W.I.P ( work in progress) quilts, unfinished quilt tops, distract to new directions then end with many fabrics that might not work for the new projects over the time.

When I first started the idea of making an ocean wave quilt, just a few block to start with. I didn't plan on if I'd make a full version of it. I actually had plan on making a mini quilt instead. Then I though if I scale up wouldn't that be so fun? I knew the challenges that I mentioned (time, patience, determination) would come to me. Then I started to organized how can I make the quilt without feeling overwhelmed.  I planned once a week I would work on this quilt and little by little the time it will come together; step by step.

I wasn't going to give up making this quilt, but maybe impatience towards to the end; honest talk!

The assembling came really quick and probably is another favorite step in quilting for me. Especially when the seams are nicely match together!

I stopped working on the sewing when it is time ( dinner time, rest time, off accuracy moments). I took finished Patchwork Blocks to the ironing board then start press seams in the back. Sometimes, I have 3 large Patchwork Blocks finished for the day, sometimes 5, and sometimes just one! Never too little to call for a good accomplishment for the day!

The most pretty and surprise of the quilt is the pixelate look for the entire quilt. The versatile colors and the low values are nicely pieced together!

The last 7 Large Patchwork Blocks were harder to finish up. I ran out HSTs, a few hundred of them. Then I stepped away for a few weeks before started pulling out fabrics and repeated cutting, sewing, trimming, and pressing. I found good joy for the repetitive making process because it will be a worth all after it is all put together and use!

Unlike the other Ocean Wave Quilt that used flipped corners, I went with squares and HSTs process. Which means extra time and extra steps, but wroth every bit of that! 

Here is a quick and simple tutorial for you! You can decided on the color themes, making a big or small quilt. A mini quilt sounds really good to make! I'd make four patchwork units for a mini quilt, so that finished at 16"x16", fairly nice size for a quilt.  

You can download the quick tutorial images from the blog post and print it out!

If you make one, please tag me over on Instagram. I love see your scrappy style ocean wave quilt!  

@quarterinchmark 

Enjoy

xxc