Border Thoughts

To use the world well, to be able to stop wasting it and our time in it, we need to relearn our being in it.

~Ursula Le Guin

Quilting

Ocean Waves V has been languishing for months while I consider a border. Unless something is added to the block centers {such as appliqué or a pieced star} the pattern only seems to differ in the borders and the background color. Previously I've made dark blue, red, and white backgrounds but each border is different.

The first was my favorite border because the waves seem to run up onto the shoreline. I seriously considered reprising it but hadn't enough triangles left. {Such a happy event! I thought they'd never end.}

Ocean Waves 1

The second is the softest but has no border at all; however, it is the most heavily quilted. 

Ocean Waves 2, no border

Although the third Ocean Waves seems to have no border, I appliquéd flowers in half of the outside red triangles. This is also the only one with printed fabric in the centers. 

Ocean Waves 3 with appliqued border

Because I wanted a rectangular quilt {and also to use up more triangles} sawtooth edges were added to the top and bottom of this Ocean Waves.

Ocean Waves IV

So what can I do here? I want to use fabric in the stash and/or leftover blocks.  One idea was the remaining four Shadow Stars in the corners with more of the stripe used in BB1 stems. Two problems: the strip doesn’t match the feel of the waves and the Star is 15” wide which will make the quilt way too large.

I tried to scoot it in by trimming the corners on the diagonal but they were still too large. 

A second thought was Ohio Stars in the corners using the absolute last of the triangles.  But it doesn't seem to relate well to the center. 

Finally I simply added three borders: white, blue micro stripe, and more white. My friend, Peg, will quilt it so this gives her lots of room to play. 

Now it's off to my friend, Pat, for long-arm quilting. This one is much too large for me to handle anymore.

Reading

Dr. Rundell's biography of John Donne is interesting and comprehensive. I studied several of his poems and essays in school but didn't know anything else about him. I'm glad I read it. 

Enjoy the day,  Ann

Ocean Waves V and BB1 Centers

'Thank you' is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, and understanding.

~Alice Walker

Quilting

The quilt became too large to lay out on the floor of my sewing area which made it a bit harder to put together. There may be a few triangles leftover but I'll put them on my guild's Free Fabric table. What a diversity of triangles from dusty reproductions to fairly current clear tones and everything in between. I thought this mixture might look terrible but it may be my favorite of all these quilts.

A quarter of Ocean Waves V

Although my BB1doesn't look different, all the appliqué is stitched - by machine. I deliberately didn't put a blue-green center in the lower right leaf and think I like it. We'll see how it weathers. 

Bramble Blooms #1 QAL center

Now to plan borders for both. Appliqué or some piecing? Time will tell. Audrey and I use a similar method here - we both pull fabric and set it around the centers. I'll try to take more photos.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Round and Round on Ocean Waves V

186,000 miles per second is not just a good idea, it's the law.

~Albert Einstein

Quilting

This is the fourth round and I think there's enough for a fifth. Wow. Someone cut way too many QSTs. At least they are all going into this final Ocean Waves quilt. Although I've complained about the repetitive sewing I want to finish this quilt. 

Ocean Waves V in progress, starting round 4 

And here it is with the next round of triangles sewn. 

Ocean Waves V in progress, round 4 finished

There's at least a yard of the fabric used for Bramble Blossom #1 stems that might make work in the border here. Using up more stash stuff. Win/win.

Kawandi placemats in blues

Meanwhile I've continued working on the kawandi placemats. Four finished; all with this soft brown plaid backing. My previous set is multicolored. With Fiesta plates in a variety of colors, it seemed more monochromatic placemats would better set them off. The top left print on the left-most placemat is a gift from Sujata Shah who is visiting this year. We'll certainly be eating off these. 

The center of BB1 is basted. The next step is machine appliqueing them. Then I can start on some borders. Way behind but still plugging along... very slowly.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Trying to Finish Off the Ocean Wave Triangles

There are two ways to be fooled. 

One is to believe what isn't true. The other is to refuse to believe what is true.

~Soren Kirkengaard

Quilting

When will they end? There are still a bunch of Ocean Wave triangles: both individual and in sets of four.  I thought there were just enough for a five-block baby quilt but, no. Silly me. While I love the finished quilts, I'm sick of making the same pattern. 

Here's my plan to avoid counting and continual cutting of new triangles.  As I finish a "round", I'll move the outer half and quarter blocks out, add a new "round" and fill it with waves. As soon as there aren't enough to finish one more round, this quilt will be done. 

In the photo above, I've moved the outer blocks, added a new round of center squares and then filled the waves in around them. These are leftover triangles from all my previous Ocean Wave quilts, ignoring all colors and values. The Use Them Up philosophy.

 

There seems to be enough triangles for one or two more rounds. Perhaps one and a half. Then it would be a rectangle. 

Reading

Since I enjoyed Steven's previous book, The Guncle, tremendously, The Celebrants was on my list. It reminds me of The Big Chill although the friends meet for multiple "living funerals." The two Jordans (Jordan and Jordy), Marielly, Naomi, and Craig made a pact in college that each could call a meeting once - when they desperately need to be reminded that they matter and that their lives mean something. 

Steven's writing highlights the joys of connection and friendship despite the unexpected twists of life. 

Enjoy the day, Ann

Ocean Waves IV

It's no trick to make a soup out of fish, but making a fish out of soup is a challenge.

~Czech saying

Quilting

This is a soup made from fish. I just threw a line into the depths of my leftovers and there were all the pieces. Not the most original or exciting but we both love the colors and design. We’ll keep this “fish” forever.

Ocean Waves IV

It took longer than expected this time. Restarting in the summer may have been reasonable but trying to quilt in the excessive heat was a mistake. So it was put away till fall. Because of health and family issues, I didn't work diligently. Even making a schedule didn't help much. But after New Year's there was finally time and determination to get busy again... plus, I'd already embroidered 2023 on the corner. Can't be a liar.

The foolish plan to SID all the triangles was part of the difficulty. This is too large a quilt to turn so much fabric (although I did it) but I couldn't think of any other choices. 

Next was the red centers. FMQ wreaths are alway a choice but my eyes don't let me see marks on dark fabrics. Instead I mixed spirals and circles. Pretty good and certainly easier than a wreath.

Free Motion waves spirals and circles 

By then I was tired and ready to be done so simple loops fill the outer border. They are very quick and easy.  

Finally, it was time to bind. I pulled two choices: a busy print on black and a stripe. I wanted to use the stripe (which works well with the back) but the print matches many of the triangles on the front much better (probably because so many of them are 10-15 years old.)

Quilt Specifics

Size: 103" x 92"

Design: Ocean Waves

Batting: Mountain Mist Cotton

Thread: Superior red and white cotton thread

Quilting: walking foot and free motion

Approximate yardage: 20 yds

Previous posts:

1. Pulling pieces

2. Sewing the blocks

3. Choosing a border plan

4. Backing for Ocean Waves

5. Fixing a mistake

6. Restarting the quilting

7. FMQ on Ocean Waves

Belated Happy New Year. 

Enjoy the day, Ann

Working on the Center of Bramble Blooms and Ocean Waves

God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.

~J.M. Barrie

Quilting

The quote made me consider using roses in the centerpiece but my applique skills are rusty to say the least. Red circles are more my style... and ability. A pink center was much too soft/ill-defined; the black center is better. After rereading Audrey's post, I went back through my stash for stronger yellows. Here are three that might work. 

The one on top was too green. I thought the one on the lower right would work but it's still too light so I'll be making petals from the remaining yellow. 

The stems are a stripe that both Audrey and I purchased. I thought of it as binding but immediately noticed {and admired} when she used it in this quilt. My two-yard cut is a bit of overkill for stems only. We'll see where else it works.

On to leaves. The large olive green leaves match the darker strip but are making the bottom too dark. What about adding blue polka dot leaves, too. And why are my first leaves always wavy? This needs quite a bit more thought. 

I'm behind schedule quilting Ocean Waves and need to double down. Fortunately the quilting is now free motion and that usually goes faster.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

Enjoy the day, Ann

Finally Starting Bramble Blooms QAL

I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.

~Gilbert K Chesterton

Quilting

Are you as busy as I've been? All summer it was too hot to move. Now there are a multitude of projects to finish {and some that still need to be started} from summer as well as the swell of fall, family, and holiday activities. Additionally, some sinus/allergy issues continue. 

I finished my jacket before the start of cold weather; however,  Ocean Waves is intended as a Christmas present. Lots of quilting still although it doesn’t look different than last time. Forty-one center squares need to be quilted as well as the border and binding. That means five to six squares daily, two to three days for the border with a final day or two for the binding. Having a schedule should help me finish on time. 

I decided to alternate it with Audrey's Bramble Blooms QAL. The first step in this project was to pull fabric. My, oh, my. So many value gaps. The whites are fairly diverse but there is no progression from beige through brown. The same problem with light and dark greens. 

Nevertheless, I divided them into three groups and chose this assortment to start BB1.

Creating a center background was the second step. That lovely piece with printed circles is all that remains of that fabric. I've been determined to find a place to showcase it, so it was the first bit pulled. Everything else was chosen because it worked with that.

FUR (Fabric Use Rate):

This statistic was left off the previous post but November used 9.5 yards and the yearly total is now 58.25 yards. Quite the slow down.

Reading

Originally I thought On Fire Island would concern protagonist Julia's last summer of cancer. Instead, it begins with her death. Julia's spirit follows her husband, Ben, as he works through his grief and learns to live again. A teenager facing adult life and an elderly widower are the main supporting characters. Jane weaves them all into an engaging read.  

Enjoy the day, Ann

Quilting Ocean Waves Again

Through (Fannie Lou Hamer’s) example, I learned to think less about what I don’t have and instead focus on what I do have and how it can be be of use in the service of others.

~Keisha Blain

Quilting

Since this is a large project I’m quilting on my home machine, my first step is to quilt the main diagonals… again. Done without tucks this time. Next I found straight lines the length and width of the OWs. Now I’m trying to fill in by ditch stitching all the remaining triangles because many of these pieces are older and I hate the thought of seams fraying. I really should be using free-motion but currently the walking foot is still working. {Those free-motion orange peels from point to point would have been much simpler and easier. Ah, well.} 

Reading

Dipo Faloyin’s book, Africa is Not a Country, is my current read. It’s a continent I’ll probably never be able visit so his insights were especially interesting. Starting in his home city of Lagos, Nigeria, he uses seven dictatorships as background for the complex struggle for self-rule, freedom, and democracy. Topics range from colonialism to white savior complex, and from soccer to jollof. His love and enthusiasm for the diverse people of Africa shines throughout. 

Enjoy the day,

Ann

A Big Pleat on the Back

There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; 

true nobility is being superior to your former self.

~Ernest Hemingway

Quilting

Two weeks of guests with heat advisories daily. No rain; temps well over 101 F (38 C) but no fires. It meant everything we did was inside. Fortunately, the A/C only went out once. It finally rained Sunday and we are grateful the temperatures have dropped 10 degrees. Funny how the heat wave made mid-90s seem cool. 

Guests left yesterday so I returned to quilting. I’m still having major difficulties posting photos but that pales in comparison to the mess on the back. After quilting about ten diagonals, I noticed all this bunching on the back. Huge pleats. It's only happened once before and I'm not sure exactly what my mistake was this time. Obviously it was pleated as it was pinned; I’m just unsure exactly how that happened.

I'll be taking all these seams out. Perhaps I can save half of them. We'll see. This will take a while.

Reading

I read the novella Foster by Claire Keegan about a young Irish girl who goes to live with relatives for a year and found it thought-provoking.

Happy Fourth of July, America!

Enjoy the day and the fireworks, Ann

Choosing a Back for Ocean Waves

The trouble with blaming the powerless is that although it's not nearly as scary as blaming the powerful, it does miss the point. Poor people do not shut down factories... Poor people didn't decide to use 'contract employees' because they cost less and don't get any benefits.

~Molly Ivins

Quilting

As I've repeated ad nauseam, the point is to use up more of my ancient stash... especially larger yardages. There's about four yards of this darling owl print which I purchased because it's my college mascot. Fortunately, it's also DH's mascot so it's going on the back of the Ocean Waves quilt. The white Xs on black fill out the rest, 

The layers are ready but I still can't get many photos to load here. Sorry. Pinning is the next step but since it’s summer, I’ve been visiting and hosting family. Time enough for that step when it quiets down. It’s more fun to enjoy in-person visits again. Hooray. 

Reading

There's a new book called Marple of short stories using Agatha Christie's characters. They are all good but some are better than others (of course.) They were good afternoon reads, perfect for down-time when visiting.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Bordering the Waves

To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition; 

the end to which every enterprise and labour tends.

~Samuel Johnson

Quilting

Is it just me or is anyone else having difficulty adding photos to their posts? I've sent messages to Google but have yet to see an improvement. Eventually I got two photos added; don't ask me how. 

The border idea worked. One light and one dark unit make a four-patch of triangles. {Look back here to see the basic units.} Groups of four-patches formed this border. 

Adding them only to the top and bottom made the quilt slightly rectangular. Since this quilt has become fairly large, that's a good outcome.

The last of this Kona red made a border around all sides. 

As I mentioned, the quilt has gotten pretty large. Just the OW blocks made it 85-inches square.  Nevertheless, DH and I will be very happy with this old-fashioned quilt at home.

Reading

It's too hard to try to add book cover photos but I finished two books recently. First was The Spare Man by Mary Robinette Kowal. Her delightful Lady Astronaut series made me eager to read this new book modeled loosely on The Thin Man. A rich woman marries a detective; they are blissfully happy with a dog (who in this case is her service animal.) While on their honeymoon (a cruise from the moon to Mars) they become embroiled in a murder.  The setting was inventive as well as the Thin Man reprise but it's not my favorite book. Hopefully things will improve through the series.

Next I re-read The Pelican Brief by John Grisham because we watched the movie again one evening and I wanted to compare them. Oddly, I like the movie better; the plot is tighter. Fewer people fell in love with Darby (Julia Roberts) and the behavior of evil oil magnate Victor Mattiece was more believable.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Ocean Waves at Work

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things 

that you didn't do than by the ones that you did do. 

~ unknown

Quilting

These triangles aren't twenty years old, just fifteen. At least I won't be disappointed to find them in another five years. I divided the triangle units into two sets since there are enough for {at least} two quilts. These are the "darker" ones. I made as many OW blocks as I could from them... that will fill a row. So this is it.

As for the solid: All I know now is it's four yards of Kona. It's {probably} possible to match it, but this will be enough... and then it will be gone transformed, too.

The quilt could stop here but a border will create a better finish. Some of triangle units remain which could be utilized. Woo hoo! More of them used up! We'll see how my idea works. If it bombs, they will become part of a gift quilt. One way or another, they are not going back on the shelf or into storage.

Enjoy the day, Ann

On the Shelf

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

~Annie Dillard

Quilting

This year DH and I are spending our days in home repairs. Last year was kitchen organization. The results are relaxing as I can quickly put my hands on tools. A few more things may be recycled there. Our church sets up apartments for formerly homeless people. When they are ready to transition to their own housing, they take all the furnishings. We are constantly on the lookout for good used items and purchase other things. 

This year the roof started the ball rolling; it has become an avalanche. With so many people in and out of the house, pounding all day, thinking is hard. It's better to continue the theme by clearing out the closets and shelves. I've done a bit of my clothes closet but prefer to work through the storage and quilting areas. On a shelf I found not one, but two boxes. One contains sets of triangular units; the other is simple QSTs. Most are leftovers from my previous Ocean Waves quilts but a few were a start on {yet another} OW for my daughter. Hard to believe some have been "resting" fifteen years. This time I am determined to use them up. All of them. There are certainly enough for two quilts: one for DH and the other for DD. There will still be leftovers and they will make gifts for the apartments. 

Here's my basic Ocean Waves unit(s): one light and one dark. Not squares at all. Which doesn't bother me because no method of making OW blocks is trimmable. You have to sew them accurately from the beginning. 

My basic Ocean Waves units

I've always loved this pattern even though there aren't different ways to set the blocks. Why have they languished in the shadows so long? To try to spark my interest I {finally} read Bonnie Hunter's instructions... and realized why she creates such beautiful mystery quilts. She easily divides her quilts into many different blocks. She "sees" multiple blocks. Her basic triangle is a HST.

Until I reviewed my previous posts, I didn't remember exactly how I made my version but it was nothing like Bonnie's. {No criticism; just interesting how our eyes work.} Since my basic triangle is a QST, right away her method won't work with my scraps because all the edges would be bias. 

Here's how the two triangle units create an Ocean Waves block: six light units and six dark units. Oh, boy. My fifteen year older eyes and hands are grateful these triangles are already cut and mostly sewn.

Ocean Waves block layout

I know I have some solid yardage squirreled away. Why I ever purchased 4-6 yards of anything is unknown but it will be useful making the centers. 

Reading

Over several years {the hundred Sundays} Stella Levi related her family history to author Michael Frank. For nearly five hundred years the Jewish community of Rhodes thrived along Christians and Muslims after the Spanish diaspora. Even though Italy gained control of the island in 1912, they mostly modernized living standards and education. However; in mid-1944 the Germans rounded up the 1700 Jews of Rhodes and sent them to Auschwitz where most were murdered on arrival.

The details of life on Rhodes in the years between the wars are interesting. Don't you wish we could travel back in time instead of merely through place?

Enjoy the day, Ann

Adding Flowers to Tethys Waves

"The danger is not that America will collapse into a Depression tomorrow... The danger is that the paralysis of the American political system - its inability to tackle any big multigenerational problem anymore - will just very slowly erode our strengths and assets as a society. We will slowly choke off immigration, slowly give up our commitment to free trade, slowly allow the budgets for research in science to decline, slowly let our public schools slide into mediocrity, and only slowly face up to our energy challenge."

Thomas L. Friedman

Hot, Flat, and Crowded, p20, 2008

Friends are a blessing. The blue striped yardage from Kaja that was used to bind the Froggy Star reminded me of Tethys Waves because it's in the same family of blues. There's enough to appliqué triangles over those gaping white triangles on the sides. But then... Thinking about the AHIQ flower challenge, a better solution presented itself. You guessed it. Flowers. A small bit of red batik scrunched under some larger pieces lurked in my stash. Ah, the joys of cleaning house... Well, at least of cleaning the sewing room.

Half flower pinned on the sides

Can you tell I don't appliqué much? That's a lot of pins. But this time I wanted to see the result before sewing everything. See, this old dog can learn a new trick. After pinning three red petals and adding a blue center to one I can tell the idea works. It tones down the gaping white triangles while blending with the floral theme of the red squares.

Half flowers added to Ocean Waves

It's only eight half flowers. How long could it take? Knowing myself, much too long if handwork was involved. So these were blanket stitched by machine in matching thread. Done it a couple of hours.

Tethys Waves quilt top with side flowers

Now to find a back. And consider whether or not to add a border. And figure out a quilting design that won't take the rest of my life.

Off the Bookshelf

 I enjoyed the Lady Astronaut series so much I picked up Shades of Milk and Honey, too. It's the first of an older series by Mary Robinette Kowal set in Regency England with a small twist - magic exists. Threads of glamour can be pulled and twisted to created visible images. Young ladies of quality are expected to practice this talent along with painting and music.

Mary credits Jane Austen as her inspiration. While not as complex and deft as Jane's novels, it is an intriguing read that reminded me of Rick Riordan's first book, The Lightning Thief - another clever first book developing a coherent alternate world - that should improve throughout the series. Definitely worth the time.


Enjoy the day, Ann

Is the Tethys Waves Quilt Top Finished?

I'm uncertain whether I like this top or not. These are all the red triangles. After testing several other red fabrics I thought a cream solid looked best to fill in the missing sections. Now I'm not so sure.

Tethys Waves, an Ocean Waves quilt top

Perhaps the cream should have been an inner round? Or perhaps it should be dark? Would applique help? Does it need a narrow cream border? I will ponder this for a while.

Meanwhile, DH and I saw the Van Gogh exhibit at the Houston Museum of Art. It was the last week and I was determined to make it. And I’m glad I did. So much in exhibitions has changed for the better. The layout made the show as much a biography, travelogue, and art history lesson as a simple art exhibit.

The curators enlarged several of van Gogh’s sketches and placed them, along with large aerial maps in each room to highlight the different areas Vincent traveled while painting. BTW, did you know he only painted during the last decade of his life and still left over 900 works?

Enlarged sketches by Vincent van Gogh
highlight his creative journey
at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts

The exhibit brought together complimentary sketches and paintings like this pair of Montmartre.

Sketch and painting of Montmartre
by Vincent van Gogh

It highlighted his friendship with Paul Gaugin who visited Vincent in Arles where they set frequently set their easels side by side as each painted the same scene or model. For example, Portrait of a Man (Joseph-Michel Ginoux?) by van Gogh is believed to be the proprietor of the Cafe de la Gare in Place Lamartine, Arles. A photocopy of Gaugin's painting with the same name was included on the information card. Although at a different angle, it is the same man in the same clothes with the same lime background.

Portrait of a Man (Joseph-Michel Ginoux?)
 by Vincent van Gogh

Van Gogh considered wheat a symbol of life. He used it repeatedly as the focus and background of his portraits of peasants such as this pair.

As you all know, van Gogh was repeatedly entered an asylum near the end of his life but continued to paint there. I think The Garden of the Asylum at Saint-Remy is my favorite in the exhibit for the movement of the leaves and his masterful use of black outlining.

The Garden of the Asylum at Saint-Remy
by Vincent van Gogh

Mel Beach's Summer Lovin' projects, with their black thread outlining and writing invoke a similar feeling in fabric.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Still Sewing

Sewing continues although I see little progress. {Sigh.} However, I do like the way the triangles twinkle. It's the mix of mediums and darks that causes it. It just takes a bit of careful placement so the lightest of the darks is still darker than the surrounding lights. Make sense?

Here's an example of a light green surrounded by several cream triangles.

Ocean Waves quilt in progress

The same green fabric appears again next to one of the red diamonds but this time it's next to a darker light... much closer in value to the green than the creams above. This green won't twinkle as much because the neighboring value is so close. At least, that’s what I think.

Ocean Waves quilt in progress

The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles is currently exhibiting H2OH, a SAQA member show juried by Linda Gass who gave a lecture one evening about how she approaches her art. Linda made a second career as an artist focusing on water resources. Her beautiful work combines silk fabrics, hand dyeing and machine quilting as she interprets maps of various areas of concern.

Memory of Water by Susan Else

This three-dimensional sculpture intrigued me most - Memory of Water by Susan Else. It looks like wood but it's all fabric. Growing up in Sacramento, Susan remembers that water was free and wasted. Great fun for a child but a sorrowful memory of an adult.

On another note, I saw this picture at a San Francisco hotel. It glittered in the light so at first I thought it was a diamond painting like Julie's been making recently.

Art made of screws

A closer look revealed it's made of screws, attached at different heights and painted single and double colors.

Enjoy the day, Ann