Tuesday, May 11, 2021

That's it for the Red and Yellow Squares

For what it's worth... it's never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. 
There's no time limit. Start whenever you want. You can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you've never felt before. I hope you meet people who have a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of, and if you're not, I hope you have the courage to start over again.
~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Quilting


These are the last of the red and yellow six-inch squares. They were cut {and carefully stored} so long ago that I can't remember the reason. So Sujata's freehand hourglass block from Cultural Fusion Quilts seemed like a great way to quickly use them up... and again attempt to rebuild a stash of baby quilts. 

My old rotary cutter no longer holds the blade firmly. The nut and bolt unscrew with each swipe. It's time to purchase a new one. Meanwhile my pair of very sharp Kai scissors works well to cut the diagonal lines. {Of course, the blocks are squared up later with the rotary tools.}

With my usual insouciance I cut all of them before determining how many were really needed. And there were way too many for the first toddler quilt. In fact, there's enough for seconds but I'm ready for a new layout. This time all the hourglasses point the same direction.



Did I mention I started putting slabs in scrap bag in addition to strings? That's where the oranges came from as well as the remnants from last year's aloha shirt. Not sure how I like that but at least they were available despite being the "wrong" size when I started. And I didn't have to find yet another bag or box to store them.

The shading between orange and red isn't great but I love the way the orange foreground blends into the yellow background. There's always something fun to discover working with scraps. 

Since the blocks were sewn a couple of weeks ago, sewing the top went much faster but it needed a border. I drove myself nuts pulling out almost every blue in the stash.  These...


and these.


I wanted to like the carrots because of the bits of orange. You can see I laid the horizontally and vertically but neither seemed to work. And I love the blue and black plaid but it clashes with the stripe that will be the binding. {It's too good an opportunity to pass up using it to bind and that's where the idea for a blue border came.}

Eventually and oddly I chose the darkest blue. It's almost a reproduction wide stripe. Not sure why it works but it does.

The finished quilt bound and ready. 

Improv Hourglass toddler quilt in red and yellow


The orange fabric was purchased for a different quilt that has yet to be started so I'm using it here. Of course, there wasn't quite enough for the back so a few remaining hourglasses and border strips fill in.

Back of Improv Hourglass quilt


The binding looks great. I love striped binding and frequently purchase random stripes that then molder in my stash. What joy to realize this one works so well with the blocks.

Detail of Improv Hourglass quilt


A final view of the front and back of the quilt.

Folded Improv Hourglass quilt


It's now in the quilt stash waiting for an older sibling who needs some attention. 

Quilt Specifics
Size: 57" x 57"
Design: Improv Hourglass
Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose cotton
Thread: Gutermann multi-yellow cotton thread
Quilting: Walking foot parallel lines
Approximate yardage: 6 yds

Reading


I've been eagerly waiting to read the second of Becky Chambers' Wayfarer's series. A Closed and Common Orbit picks up with the transfer of AI system Lovelace to a human-looking body. Pepper, a human who escaped from a factory where  genetically engineered girls recycle trash, invites her to her home and tries to help her fit into this new reality. The novel explores sentience, autonomy, and purpose. 

I've learned the hard way to space out reading new series. Reading them back-to-back usually results in burnout. Now I'm counting the days till the next one. 

Enjoy the day, Ann

20 comments:

Julierose said...

Love this red/orange/peach-ey combo with the lacey triangles...lovely work on this one. Hugs, Julierose

patty a. said...

What a cool quilt! Love it!

Nann said...

The quilt is totally charming. The binding adds a nice pop after hte black border. "Insouciance." I may adopt that descriptor -- so much better than "what was I thinking"!

Nancy O said...

Re: Reading in series, I took your recommendation on the Cadfael mysteries, and can’t—no, I don’t *want to*—stop!! I’m gobbling them up; reading the sixth chronicle now, and I just might have to go straight through to the twentieth, just to say I did. What an inventive mind Ellis Peters has, and what an amazing command of prose! Thanks for being so creative and literate yourself! Nancy O., Your Avid Fan

Mystic Quilter said...

Such a bright and cheery quilt, Improv Hourglass is a block with so many possible settings.

Ann said...

What a charming description. Thanks, Julierose.

Ann said...

Thanks, Patty.

Ann said...

Thanks, Nann. It's always nice to throw in a new description of our modus operandi. Haha.

Ann said...

I'm delighted you enjoy Cadfael. I read them years ago but am enjoying the opportunity to reread. Some older books don't age well but these are still wonderful. IMO. Ellis was a fantastic writer and I enjoy her deep knowledge of medieval Wales and England.

Ann said...

Thanks, Maureen. Sujata's casual style expands the setting results of these blocks.

Janie said...

Some of my favorite colors here and your improv hourglass blocks are super exciting.
Lots of fun going on in that quilt.

Ann said...

It’s interesting what colors each of us favors, isn’t it? Thanks for writing, Janie.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

There's lots about this quilt that is so delightful... the colours, the simple improv hourglass blocks.

Bluestocking said...

Wonderfully cheerful -- that will be a lucky child!

cspoonquilt said...

I love the wonkiness of these blocks and the diagonal drift of peachy blocks through the upper to center. Very cool. Some baby is gonna love it!

Kaja said...

I'm drawn to orange recently and your blocks confirm my interest. Such simple shapes, ostensibly, yet so much to look at and enjoy.

Ann said...

Thanks, Linda. Ita fun to see what comes from the scrap bag.

Ann said...

Thanks for writing.

Ann said...

Range is my husband’s favorite color. I like the complexity of your quilts but usually make my baby quilts with one simple block. I guess I should try something with more variations but this does get them done.

Ann said...

Thanks, Claire. I was hoping those light peaches looked like spring blossoms drifting to the ground. At least that succeeded.