More Baby Tahoe Quilt - A Big Distraction

I feel like I have to keep my hands busy, with something sewing.  My Baby Tahoe quilt has caused an interruption in my progress in my Farm Girl Vintage quilt.  The diamonds have been piecing together rather fast.  

I had planned on sewing each set of diamonds every week for 24 weeks.  By taking it slow, there's no rush in complete the quilt.  I'm enjoying it so much, I'm ahead of schedule! I recently finished with the sixth diamond, which puts me about a month ahead of schedule!

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to set the diamonds aside and work on more of my Farm Girl blocks.

Here is diamond # 5.  I love the tiny blue diamonds.

And here is diamond # 6.

It will be difficult to take a short break from the diamonds.

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - -

Baby Tahoe quilt - Diamonds #3 & 4

The diamond #3 is very similar to #2.  The long blue strip along one side is placed on the opposite side.  

These tiny diamonds are fairly easy to sew together.  In my opinion, the stitching is the most time consuming.  I used a fairly slow stitch speed, so that I can keep the seams straight.  If I veer off a little bit, it could distort the overall shape of the finished diamond shape. 

Although it's just the a few of the diamonds that are made, I hope they all will assemble together properly and not look crooked.

I couldn't wait to make another diamond, so here is diamond # 4.

I had to lay out the first four diamonds to see what they look like.  This is just the start of this mini quilt, but I love the way it looks so far!!

Until next time, 

- - - - Jane - - - -

Farm Girl Vintage - Old Barn Block

I've been wanting to start on the Old Barn block for a while.  I don't know if it was the color red or the barns that are scattered in my area of southwest Indiana.  I found it very pleasing to the eye.

As I laid out the fabric pieces out, I could see that there weren't many seams that needed to be perfectly matched.  That made the piecing easy.

I could really see the barn coming together, once the quarter square triangle block was placed for the barn door.

Two more blocks I had made a while ago: Haystack Block and Wooly Sheep block.  Using the courthouse steps piecing, the Haystack block was a very easy block to piece together.  I found the piecing of the Wooly Sheep block very irritating.  I had a quite a fight with the ears.  I had an annoying time trying to keep the ears on the correct side of the head!  I'll add the embroidered legs later.

With these three blocks added, I have 15 blocks so far.

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - -

Baby Tahoe - Diamond #2

There is nothing like the feeling of new fabric arriving in the mail!  The excitement of starting another project.  My fabric for Baby Tahoe quilt arrived yesterday.  It was a couple of days late, so I was anxiously waiting for it to arrive.

I'm planning on making the blue version of the Tahoe quilt.  I had chosen eight Linen Texture fabrics, four for the blue and four for the cream.

The Tahoe quilt I'm wanting to create is the blue version.  In the image used on their website, it is made up using fabrics from the Bluebird collection.  With the diamonds being so small in size, I was worried if each of the printed fabrics would have a cohesive color theme. 

With a diamond the size of 3/8 of an inch, it would of an unpredictable color shade that would come through with the print.  Here's a few examples with the different fabrics:

I'm afraid that once the fabric is cut, the color shade will jump around.  That may cause the quilt to not have the look that I want.  That's the reason why I had chosen to use the Linen Texture fabric.  Without the print, each diamond cut from the fabric will be the same.  

I had to draw up a color comparison sheet.  I could visually see the shades of blue and cream, in each individual diamond block.  And then I labeled each fabric with a number.  

And here we are!  We have Diamond #2!

These small blocks are sewing up quicker than I thought they would.  It takes time to cut them out, so that the angles will accurate.  I keep stitches slow, so that the 1/4-inch seams stay consistent.  I can' wait for the next diamond!

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - -

Farm Girl Vintage - Kitchen Window Block

Here, we have the Kitchen Window block.  If you want a quick and easy block to sew together, this is it.  

With the four squares in the center of the block, you'll have to make sure the seams match in the center.  Otherwise, it's easy straight line stitching with no corners to match. 

With the kitchen theme, I've added the Kettle's On block and the Baking Day block.

And here we are, with the next three blocks added.

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - - 

I Couldn't Help Myself!

I have no self-control!  Please don't hate me.  I may need help!

As of today, it's been 15 days of Tahoe Quilt Along (through Laundry Basket Quilts). Two weeks and one day of diamond block construction.  I did it!  I couldn't resist.  I'm starting a small Tahoe quilt.

Another one of my UFOs is the Illuminate quilt.  Yes, it's another Laundry Basket quilt!

It is made using a fabric line named Linen Texture.  It is a textural print made to look like linen.  It's not a solid, but it can be used as a solid.  And I love that!

I had gotten a jelly roll and a layer cake of these fabrics, to use in the Illuminate quilt.  I know I should not have, but I stole some of those fabrics to use in this Tahoe quilt.

They are small and so cute!

I think I'll call it Baby Tahoe.

My thoughts are that I would like to work on a diamond block a week.  Then, maybe, it won't consume so much of my time that I can't finish other projects.  There will be 24 diamond blocks (8 of each diamond block).  That will give me a deadline of May 2024.

Now, I have to order some more fabric for this quilt and to replace the fabric from the other quilt!

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - -

Another Quilt Idea?

I had mentioned about the Tahoe quilt in an earlier post.  Since the Tahoe Quilt Along is currently going on, I'm watching the progress of that quilt, on-line.  I've told myself that I'm not going to start on another quilt before I finish one of my UFOs first.  But, what about a mini quilt?  Could I count that as a "regular" quilt?  In my mind, I say "Nope!"  And that starts a new process of exploring different ways of creating a miniature Tahoe quilt.

In her Tahoe Quilt Along YouTube videos, Edyta Sitar posts one diamond block each day, for 24 weeks.  She is currently on block #14.  I've been watching the videos daily, for the last 14 days, 2 weeks of being teased with this quilt!!  I hate to admit it, but I really want to join in!

I had to sit down and draw up some ideas.  The Tahoe Quilt is made up of 1-inch diamonds.  I'd like to make mine with 3/8-inch diamonds.  It would make less than half the size.  It should be approximately 30 x 30 inches, compared to the original 84 1/2 x 84 1/2 inches.  30 x 30 inches isn't a miniature quilt, but it is small. 

The small diamond, on the left, will be the size of my small diamond block.  The right is the original block size.

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - -

Farm Girl Vintage - Mama Hen Block

The next block is the Mama Hen block.  It was a simple lay-out with small triangle points used for the comb on top of its head.  Visually, it doesn't look much like a chicken.

 

Once the primary pieces are sewn together, it starts looking better.  Especially with the comb and beak.

Now, it looks like a chubby mama!

Here are a few blocks I had made, when I first started this quilt, a few years ago.  Baby Chick block and Egg Basket block are a few in the same chicken theme.

My quilt is slowly coming together.

As a side note:  another quilt by Lori Holt, designer of Farm Girl Vintage, is Chicken Salad quilt.

I really enjoy applique.  The curves of the chickens and roosters in this quilt are very interesting!

(images are from Lori Holt's blog, A Bee in my Bonnet)

Maybe I can see this quilt sometime in the future.

Until next time,

- - - -Jane - - - -

Laundry Basket Quilts Addiction

I have gone through many phases in my quilting journey.  There was a time when I was really into Civil War quilts.  And another time I fell in love with the vintage look of Depression Era quilts, and I made a few of those.  And there was a time when all I wanted to make was miniature quilts.  Even though I love all quilts, my fondness of certain styles of quilts come and go. 

Currently, my enthusiasm is focused on Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. 

Within the last few years, I have started a few of her quilts, or collected her beautiful fabric for future quilts.  I've have a lonngggggg list of projects I want make with her designs.  On her website: Laundry Basket Quilts, Edyta usually has activities happening that draws me into another new project.  For example, her Tahoe Quilt Along.

The Tahoe Quilt Along is an activity that she is currently working on through Youtube. I'm enchanted by it's diamonds, and there are no Y-seams!  There are several options of this quilt, using her different fabric lines.  I'm loving her blue version.  I'll be writing more about this Tahoe quilt in a later post.  You can follow this quilt along by following her at Laundry Basket Quilts: Quilting Window on Youtube or you can check it out on her blog at her website.

For the time being, I'm going to try to keep myself occupied with Edyta's smaller projects.  I had recently purchased her Little Beach House kit. It is a small house that can be used as a pincushion or it can be an ornament for a Christmas tree.

I loved the blue color themed fabrics that was included in the kit.  

The pieces were small and simple to sew together.  It didn't take much time to have it all together.  I'm thrilled with how it turned out!

Since it is filled with stuffing, it has a bit of a rounded appearance.  And I had an idea!  If I cut cardboard and line it inside the walls of the house, would it have a more structured appearance?

Can you tell a difference?

I also added a hand embroidered heart on the bottom corner of the house, just like Edyta's pincushion house!

Until next time,

- - - - Jane - - - -