Farmhouse Quilt Finished

"You can't be both awesome and negative.

Choose one."

Evidence indicates I will never have a stash of finished baby quilts. They leave as soon as the the final strings are buried. In the meanwhile, time is passing and the farmhouse quilt will be gifted next month. You may have noticed I'm working to the deadline... as usual.

Farmhouse quilt - Log Cabin and split Ohio Star blocks

I was amused to see Julie's latest quilt because we both quilted freehand Baptist Fans. Is that an example of great minds thinking alike? A few years ago Julie gave me the courage to try fans again when she shared some tips. Her post with all the details came while I was out sick but it’s here. Take a look and then try it yourself. I never mark them because it's always hard to see them on my quilts - unless they are so dark they never come out. And somehow, mine always come out larger, 6-8 inches. Four-inch fans would be easier to quilt. My new goal. 8-)

Detail of binding and backing of Farmhouse quilt

There are a few dark blue plaids and stripes in my stash that looked terrible next to this lovely ikat border. I finally dug one plain dark grey-blue with enough yardage to complete the binding. Hooray.

Previous Posts:
1. Starting to piece Ohio Star blocks
2. Blocks sewn
3. Top bordered

Quilt Specifics

Size: 66"x76"

Design: Log Cabin and Split Ohio Star

Batting: Pellon 100% cotton

Thread: Gutermann 50 wt light blue cotton

Quilting: Free motion Baptist Fans

Approximate yardage: 8.75 yd

Off the Bookshelf
I knew William Smith as one of the founders of geology who developed the science of stratigraphy and created the first national geologic map in 1815. His greatest accomplishment was recognizing the continuity of the rock formations and confirming that by the specific fossils within. Fossil collecting was a stylish pastime but no one else bothered to actually relate them to the rocks where they were found nor to relate one outcrop of a rock to any other location. Simon Winchester wrote his biography with The Map that Changed the World and the cover of my copy opens to a replica of his famous map. Smith was a blacksmith's son with modest education who faced many difficulties getting recognition for his work which still hangs today at the Geologic Society of London.

The Map that Changed the World by Simon Winchester

FUR or Fabric Use Rate Update
Five finished quilts = 21 yards. Two dresses and one shirt = 11.5 yards {which includes some preliminary muslins.} Sixteen linen hand towels. I also donated 6.5 yards of fabric. Total FUR = 39 yards.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Surprise Baby Quilt

DH forgot to tell me one of his co-workers was expecting... He forgot for about nine months. The surprise was on me when he mentioned the birth. Fortunately one last log cabin top remained.

It only took a couple of days to quilt and bind this charmer. The larger light areas occur because some of the log cabins are entirely light fabrics rather than half light/half dark.

Log Cabin baby quilt

Given all the tiny pieces and the fact that baby quilts must be washed frequently, each log is secured by quilting. I alternated groups of straight line with wavy lines. {It's a multistitch zig zag choice on my machine.}

Quilting and binding on Log Cabin baby quilt

The green insert was needed to complete the back. It's bound, separately, with the same seahorse fabric as the back.

Quilt Details

Size: 44" x 44"

Design: Log Cabin variation

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Guterman grey cotton

Quilting: Straight and zig-zag lines with walking foot

DH and I went to see Hamilton for our anniversary.

Orpheum Theater in San Francisco

Wonderful show with excellent cast. The stage was this single set throughout with the cast moving additional items in and out as needed. The curtains never rose or fell.

Hamilton stage set

Dinner included a view of the Bay Bridge as the sun set.

View of the Bay Bridge from Perry's

The next day we enjoyed fish tacos at the Woodhouse Fish Co.

Woodhouse Fish Co.

I loved our seat in the corner of this vintage cafe.

Charming decor in the Woodhouse Fish Co.

Enjoy the day,  Ann

Fifth Log Cabin Baby Quilt Finished

And this is the last of the five log cabin leader/ender projects from last year. Hooray! While it seemed helpful to have the tops ready to go, it's even better to have a finished quilt tucked away for a quick gift. All these blocks are regular log cabins but two columns were made of lights only. Similar blocks appear in this log cabin, too.

The light/dark shading highlights design changes so there are almost endless ways to set log cabins. In fact, they are the same ways you can set HSTs.

One yard of a Jane Sassaman print is extended with men's shirting leftovers purchased in NYC several years ago. The finish on the shirting material makes it shimmer like polished cotton. It also makes it wrinkle resistant and cool - the opposite of flannel, very welcome in hot Texas.

I'm not as happy with the free-motion quilting loops I made on the lights. The darks were ditch-stitched with a walking foot.

Quilt Details

Size: 44" x 44"

Pattern: Log Cabin variation

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Gutermann cotton sewing thread in navy and white

Quilting: Straight line with walking foot and free motion loops

Here are some log cabins I've completed if you want to look at other layouts. Many of these were from the leader/ender project.

• Four patch log cabin
• Making tops as leader/enders
• First zig zag log cabin
• Variable star variation
• Barn raising variation
• Sunshine and shadow variation

Do you have any improvisational and utility quilts for the AHIQ linkup this Tuesday, March 22?

Enjoy the day, Ann

Fourth Log Cabin Quilt Finished

The fourth small log cabin is quilted and bound. The top is from last year's leader/ender project. (There were five in all.)

I'm using the new-to-me plan for the back. Four WOF reds create the sides: two quarter-yards, one third-yard, and one half-yard. That made the length 47", enough to overhang the top. The width is only 40" so I sliced it about a third of the way across and inserted a cream quarter-yard remnant. Look closely; the top of that strip is a different fabric so it reaches 47", too. This one is so pretty.

Straight lines with the walking foot on the lights combine with free motion loops on the dark. Tami's recommended marking the middle of the dark to keep the loops aligned. Great idea.

Quilt Details

Size: 44" x 44"

Pattern: Log Cabin, zigzag variation

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Gutermann cotton sewing thread in navy and white

Quilting: Straight line with walking foot and free motion loops

Stephie at Dawn Chorus Studio continues discussing how long it takes to make a quilt with Kaja Zeisler of Sew Slowly. Kaja is a master improvisor and hand quilter. Stephie has written a thoughtful article; take a look.

Remember the AHIQ linkup for improvisational and utility quilts is next Tuesday, March 22. Kaja and I hope you'll join us; there's always lots of good reading.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Colorado, Chihuly and Two Finishes: Confetti and Log Cabin

My sister and I took a confetti class with Peg Collins a while ago and decided to actually finish one this year. Sister wants to include aspen, mountains and a lake so I used the same idea. It was easier than planning something myself. Half my luggage was batiks for these tops; my sister had a much larger collection and we still needed to buy specific colors.

Her well executed plan was to go to work one day leaving me to purchase more fabrics. This entailed two trips because I "didn't get the right aspen fabric" the first time. Good thing I love her to pieces!

Confetti Quilt - Cabin in the Aspen

We cut skinny little strips then cross cut them into itty bitty squares. Sister made fabric dust with some while mine were a bit on the large size. Each fabric went into separate piles on plates and trays. We sprinkled them across the batting making sure to cover it all. Think of it as something between dusting sprinkles across a cake and piping whipped cream on the cake. Bent nose tweezers came in handy to move specific pieces just a tad. Who'd have thought an eighth inch would make a difference?

I carefully cut the aspen trunks, laid them in place and added a cabin rather than a lake. Finally, I covered it with tulle and "quilted the heck" out of it.

Confetti quilt  - Cabin in the Aspen, details

Sister suggests I hang mine in the bathroom. That may or may not be a compliment but she's certainly channeling our mother. When we brought artwork home, clever Mother would admire it then say, "Go choose a place to hang it in the garage so we can look at it every time we drive in or out." We not only fell for it, we thought we were extremely special. Our friends only had a refrigerator for artwork. We had a gallery!

Aspen Quilt Details

Size: 14.25"(H) x 18"(W) 

 Pattern: Confetti quilt 

 Batting:100% cotton scrap 

 Thread: YLI nylon monofilament in the top, cream Aurifil in the bobbin 

 Quilting: Free motion

One of my husband's coworkers had a baby girl so I finished the log cabin star quilt, too.

Variable Star Log Cabin

Here are the final two choices for the binding. The brown looked good but not as fun as the blue batik.

Binding choices for Variable Star Log Cabin

There was some soft pink for the back. I used curvy free-motion quilting to enhance the cuddliness.

Back and quilting detail - Variable Star Log Cabin

Log Cabin Quilt Details

Size: 42"(H) x 42"(W)

Pattern: Log cabin

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Lavender Aurifil 50/2

Quilting: Free motion spirals and flowers

Next, DH and I visited  Chihuly Garden and Glass near the Space Needle in Seattle. What an inspiring exhibit! Some of his installations were in Texas recently but I missed them. Don't be like me. If you ever have the opportunity, take it.

Although all of his work is fabulous, my favorites were some of his earliest Baskets, based on Navajo pottery and weaving. I loved the juxtaposition of these understated glassworks with native art.

Dale Chihuly glass Bowl with a Navajo basket

A wall of Navajo rugs at Chihuly Garden and Glass

Each room highlighted a different series of his work, such as the Sealife Room. For some reason this reminded me of Disneyland's ride "It's a Small World."  Happy, concentrated colors.

Sealife Room at Chihuly Garden and Glass

In  all the gardens, this was my favorite view. Fabulous colors in the plants and glasswork.

Chihuly Garden with thistle

Enjoy the day, Ann

First Zig Zag Log Cabin Quilted

The first zigzag log cabin is quilted.

Zig Zag Log Cabin

I used a bit of this fabric in the New York Beauties. (Do you see it near the top?) It's been in my stash for a while.

Back of Zigzag Log Cabin

Here's a detail view. The quilting mimics the zigzags and the spacing of the stitching adds interest. The light areas are quilted with yellow Gutermann cotton thread while the dark areas have navy thread.

Back of Zigzag Log Cabin, Detail

The front and back don't match each other but it was fun to use this cheerful print for a San Francisco Giants fan or just as a change of color. Hopefully the young recipient will like it.

Zigzag Log Cabin, folded

Quilt Details

Size: 44" x 44"

Pattern: Log Cabin, zigzag variation

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Gutermann cotton sewing thread in navy and gold

Quilting: Straight line with walking foot

I'm not much of a knitter but I bought the Hitchhiker shawlette pattern by Martina Behm. I wanted something to work on while travelling. The sawtooth border is such fun. Much more practice is required.

Hitchhiker pattern by Martina Behm 

Enjoy the day, Ann

Leaders, Enders and Log Cabins

Using scraps to sew off the end of a "regular" project keeps the thread from tangling and knotting when starting a new seam. Originally I sewed onto a scrap (and threw it away) but eventually realized that a scrap block seam serves the same function AND finishes an extra top before you know it!

In the past I made little nine-patches but about two years ago I returned to log cabin blocks as my leader/ender project. And not just log cabins, but half-inch logs. Crazy.

I haven't paid much attention to them; simply set them in a bin. During a bout of cleaning last week, I pulled them out. What a huge collection - so many that I considered making a bed quilt. Finally decided they worked better for baby quilts. That's helpful; several are needed soon.

Every different corner a block has increases the setting variations that can be made. Part of the reason log cabin is a perennial favorite is that it has four different corners. Here are some of the variations I laid out on the design wall.

These Streak of Lightning variations use some "all light" blocks to create more open space.

Streak of Lightning variation, log cabin blocks.

By rotating every other row of the layout above, I created this triangular setting. (Definitely making this one!)

Triangular rows variation, Log Cabin blocks

More Streak of Lightning variations.

Large asymmetrical streak of lightning log cabin variation.

Streak of lightning log cabin variation 2.

Chevron log cabin variation.

 Medallion variations:
An inner border of "light only" log cabin blocks surrounds the center star.

Medallion log cabin with lone star center.

The star is rotated into a Sunshine and Shadows variation.

Medallion log cabin 3.

A bit of zig zag on this outer border differs slightly from the previous one. 

Medallion log cabin 2.

A log cabin heart.

Log cabin heart set on a background of "light only" blocks.

There are enough blocks to make five baby quilts.

I finished a Sunshine and Shadows log cabin and a Barn Raising log cabin a while ago. It's time for a different leader/ender.

Another trip to San Francisco, another tour. This time, we walked around Telegraph Hill. These 1937 apartments are decorated with raised plaster called sgraffito (yes, same root word as graffiti) by Alfred Du Pont. An outline of California appears behind the image of Califia, the mythical queen of the island of California in a Spanish novel from 1500. It was so popular that when the first explorers mistook Baja California for an island, they could think of no better name for the land.

Sgraffito of Califia on the Malloch Apartments

Lauren Bacall's character lived in one of these apartments in the 1947 film, Dark Passage, with Humphrey Bogart.

Around the corner are these gorgeous Carpenter Gothic homes. The middle is a former grocery store. The lavender one (then painted dark brown) starred in The Streets of San Francisco with Michael Douglas. The lower floors of all the homes were added when the city paved the streets. Can you believe how much paving lowered the street? And it's still so steep, it's scary.

Carpenter Gothic houses near
Union and Montgomery streets, San Francisco.

Of course, loads of blooming plants wherever you turn.

Hydrangeas on the Filbert Stairs.

Enjoy the day, Ann

Woo. Pig. Sooie! Another Finished Quilt

When my son attended the University of Arkansas I made a quilt in his college colors. In fact I made enough blocks for two quilts thinking the second set would work for a Razorback friend. Of course, he graduated several years ago but... (insert various excuses here.)

I finally pulled the blocks out again. Exactly 63. Most log cabin layouts have centered designs which use an even number of blocks. Where was the 64th? However, sixty-three makes a seven-by-nine quilt: off-center but appealing. It just needed a border.

Another year passed until I was ready to piece it. Gwen Marston's liberated variable stars looked like just the ticket to perk up this quilt. They were fun and relaxing to make since you don't worry about the star points. I like this one better than the first one. (Don't tell my son!)

Razorback 2 quilt finished

The open spaces in the border gave me room to write the recipients' names, college, graduation year. My favorite is the college yell!

Razorback yell

Here are the fabrics I considered for the binding: dark brown, white, tan with dots, dark red, black with white lines, and white on white.

Binding choices for Razorback 2

In the mail today. Off to the East Coast. Woo, Pig. Sooie!

Related posts:
Liberated Variable Stars
Block Piecing Tutorial
Ready to Quilt
Razorback 2 Quilt

Enjoy the day. Ann

More Log Cabin Baby Quilts

Just before Christmas a friend's wife gave birth to a darling baby girl. Their son is so excited! And I am, too. Here's the quilts I made for them. This one finished about 42" with those half-inch logs.

Barn Raising Log Cabin

This next one is about 64" square and has two-inch logs.

Half Log Cabin

Here's a quick view of the backs. The one on top is one of my favorite Alexander Henry prints; so many lovely colors. The quilting is a combination of straight lines and feathers but I had to put some spirals in the border.

Quilt backs

I pick a quilt block to use up scraps. Then I piece the blocks slowly as leaders and enders when I'm working on other projects. As they are finished, I press them and add them to the scrap block box. When I need a quilt, it's halfway complete. When I get tired to making one style block I choose another. Works for me. These blocks use light & dark fabrics. I'm about ready to start a new block using medium shades; they are overflowing my scrap bag.

Enjoy the day. Ann