Nearly Insane Quilt (Salinda Rupp Quilt) - August 2015 Update

'Nearly Insane' Quilt - August 2015

Well here it is.  The Nearly Insane Quilt in all its glory.  Once I started those Dear Jane blocks I knew they would be difficult to put down, so I put them aside and made sure that this weekend was a Nearly Insane Quilt finishing weekend.  I actually finished all the blocks, sashing and cornerstones last August (2014) and got them all together last November.  

Tour de France - July 2015

The last stretch was the hardest.  The border really tested my resilience, but I set myself a target and it was finally completed and stitched onto the quilt on 26th July 2015 - the final day of the Tour de France as the cyclists were cycling up the Champs-Élysées in Paris.  The removal of the papers took longer than anticipated (doesn't everything ...) and I estimate that it took me about 7 WHOLE days. The final pieces were taken out yesterday.

'Nearly Insane' Quilt - Detail

Now it is done, I am delighted with it.  It looks really lovely now all the tacking thread has been removed.  Without the paper it is also much lighter!  Would I use English Paper Piecing again? Yes, I think this quilt done on a machine would have really driven me insane, some of the pieces are really tiny.  Perhaps I would have removed the papers as I went along ... 


'Nearly Insane' Quilt - reverse

I have recently purchased a photographers studio stand to display quilts from, which you can see in the top photo. I took this photo from behind the quilt with the light flooding through which makes it look like stained glass. The real joy of this quilt is that I am looking at the blocks and remembering all the different places around the world where I stitched my portable sewing project (France, Switzerland, USA, Buckingham Palace!), so it has a lot of good memories. If you are just visiting my blog for the first time you can go back to February 2013, where my journey started. I cover every block, using Electric Quilt software and you will see what a great contribution Suzi the cat made along the way.

I guess the next question is 'How am I going to quilt it?'  If you pop over here, you might just get a clue.

Joining up with Connie at Freemotion by the River. and Crazy Mom Quilts.

Dear Jane Quilt - Block D3 Jason's Jacks

Dear Jane Quilt - Block D3 Jason's Jacks

This is my first ever attempt at reverse applique.  I don't intend to give instructions on these blocks as I go along as there are so many useful sites to refer to already which I have been using myself!  One tip I picked up was to cut the size of the block slightly bigger that the 5" square (4.5" plus 1/4" seam allowance), and to cut it to size once the reverse applique has been completed.


Dear Jane Quilt - Reverse Applique

I cut out a template from freezer paper, then cut the fabric with a seam allowance, snipping around the shape to get smooth edges / sharp points.  I starched the edges which made them firmer, but still have a few areas where the raw edges have poked through to the front.  Any tips how to stop this?


Dear Jane Quilt - Reverse Applique

The next two blocks are also reverse applique, so I hope to get my technique up to scratch.   Two blocks already and I can't wait to do the next one. Those Nearly Insane quilt papers are STILL calling me ...

Techniques: Reverse applique
Pieces: 2

Dear Jane Quilt - Block L-9 Walter's Place

Dear Jane Quilt  Block - L9 Walter's Place

I thought I would start off on an easy block taken fro Draw 1.  Walter's Place (L9) was easy to do in English Paper Piecing - my preferred method of construction.  At the moment the papers are still in, but I do intend to remove these as I go along this time.  You may be able to see from the centre block that I have already started to do' fussy cutting'.  Once you start there is no going back.

Dear Jane Quilt  Block - L9 Walter's Place

As these blocks are only 4.5" they are much quicker than the Nearly Insane blocks - 29 pieces were done in no time at all.

Techniques: English paper Peicing
Pieces: 29

Dear Jane Quilt - Draw 1, B7, D3, L9, M7

Dear Jane Quilt - Random Draws

Just as I did with the Nearly Insane quilt, I am using a regular draw to choose which blocks to do.  I will be using new sewing skills in this quilt, mainly with applique techniques, and rather than have my early blocks all together, a draw will mix up the 'quality' a bit.  This time it is a bit more scientific as I will be drawing blocks from just one quarter of the quilt and then doing the blocks that mirror it in the rest of the quilt.  I think this will be the best way to ensure that the colours and the blocks designs remain visually balanced, something I have been working on in my overall design.
So for Draw 1

• B-7 World Series
• D-3 Jason's Jacks
• L-9 Walter's Place
• M-7 Junko's Rose Garden

By golly, three of these are applique!  I think I will start with L-9 Walter's Place, a nice bit of paper piecing ....
 

The Dear Jane Quilt Journey begins ....

Apparently, Sunday (16th August) was Bennington Battle Day, a holiday observed in the state of Vermont in the USA.  This is also the week when I have decided to launch my DEAR JANE JOURNEY.  The coincidence will not be lost on the Janiacs out there - Bennington Museum is the home of the Stickle Quilt (1863), yes, the DEAR JANE quilt, made famous by Brenda Papadakis - the Mother Quilt.


'Dear Jane' Exhibition , April 2013, Nantes, France

This quilt has been in my mind since I saw the Dear Jane quilt exhibition in Nantes, France in April 2013.  It was the BEST display of quilts I have ever seen.  As my followers will know, I have been slavishly completing my Nearly Insane quilt before I would allow myself to get started on my Dear Jane quilt.  The Nearly Insane quilt top is complete, but those papers are still being extracted.  I promise a photo soon.  Meanwhile, I need a portable hand sewing project and with a bit of time available at the end of the August holidays I felt it was a good time to get myself organised.

Kim Diehl fabrics for Dear Jane Quilt

I have been collecting the fabric together quietly over the past 12 months and with the help of my main suppliers, the Fat Quarter Shop and Doughty's, I have accumulated enough fabrics to get this project going.  I will be using Kim Diehl fabrics for the Dear Jane quilt in a wide range of colours.  

Holly Wishes by Kansas Trouble Quilters (#9444)

For the background I will be using the same fabric throughout, Holly Wishes by Kansas Trouble Quilters (#9444).  The amount of fabric quoted for the background in the book and on various online resources varies between 5yds and 15yds, depending on how you construct the quilt.  I have opted for the larger amount as I don't want to be caught out at the end. I would like to think I would be able to report back on how much I actually use at the end, but suspect that might be a statistic too far for me.

Scanning fabrics into Electric Quilt software

I will also be using my Electric Quilt software again.  I used this for the Nearly Insane project and it was brilliant.  I received the Dear Jane software for my birthday a few years ago and over the past few months it has been put to good use as I have been working out how I want my quilt to look.  I have scanned all the fabrics into the Electric Quilt software and have been re-jigging the placement of some of the blocks.  Yes, I know, I am already messing with the original, but like the quilts in that exhibition, everyone brought something new to the party.  You can follow my progress with the Dear Jane outline on the sidebar.

Kimono Silk thread

At the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham last year (2014) I purchased a few reels of Kimono silk for the hand applique blocks.

Sewline Fabric Glue and Apliquick Tool

At the Festival of Quilts this year (2015) I bought some tools to help me along the way, an Apliquick tool and some Sewline fabric glue.

I think that is everything. Is there anything I have forgotten?

Pets on Quilts Show 2015 - Cat on Quilt

'Suzi the cat' - Pets on Quilts Show 2015

Adorable, I know.  This is Suzi the cat's entry for the category of 'Cat on Quilt' in the annual Pets on Quilts Show 2015 held at Lily Pad Quilting.  Once you have stopped 'oohing' and 'aahing' over her cuteness, pinned her on your Pinterest page etc, please head over to Lily Pad Quilting and take time to look at other cute cats (Be warned: there are dogs there as well ...). Then from the 27th August 2015 you can vote for your favourite.

In this prize-winning photo Suzi is resting on my red and white Nearly Insane quilt whilst I am removing papers.  I used the English Paper Piecing (EPP) method which was a great way to get the quilt done, but is time consuming when it gets to this stage.  I spent a whole day removing papers yesterday and even with the bits I had done before I am only half way through.


Suzi the cat helps with the Nearly Insane Quilt

Suzi did suggest an alternative way of removing the papers at one stage.  It involved a lot of frantic activity on her part  (usually when I was not in the room) - in this shot I have caught her in the act!


Suzi the Cat on Nearly Insane Quilt

I will let the pictures do the talking - enjoy!

Storm at Sea Quilt - Black, Grey and Cream

'Storm at Sea' Quilt

I am between big projects.  The 'Nearly Insane' quilt top is complete, but I am still taking the paper out.  It sounds like I have been doing this for a long time, but I just haven't been prioritising it, so I haven't actually been removing ANY paper lately.  No photo yet as it looks weird with paper half in and half out.  The next big project is the Dear Jane quilt.  As a result, I have had a period without any 'portable' hand stitching and it is starting to be a problem. However, during the gap I have been catching up on a few UFO's whilst I have a bit of time to spend on my sewing machine.  I started this 'Storm at Sea' quilt on a workshop at the beginning of the year.  It is not as black as it looks in the picture, more a soft dark grey - a bit like a man's business suit.

'Storm at Sea' Quilt 39" x 39"

I have kept this one small, just 39" x 39".  It is only recently that I have realised that I have a habit of making very large quilts. 

'Storm at Sea' Quilt blocks

Just as with other quilt blocks, it is amazing to see the visual effects the combination of just three different blocks and a range of fabrics have.  I had so many choices and wish I could have tried all of them.  Do you ever have that problem? I think I prefer this pattern on point - if you tilt your head you may see what I mean. 

Newsprint Fabric - Quilters Basic Perfect, MCS 13-45 , by STOF

The black and white check is a bit more of my 'Mama Said Sew' by Sweetwater stash.  I really am running this collection dry. Also one of the tones I have been using is a newsprint fabric by the German fabric company, STOF.  It is written in French and so I have been brushing up on my language skills as I go along!

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts!

Miniature Block of the Month August 2015 - The Quilt Room

'Jack in the Pulpit' Miniature Block, The Quilt Room BOM

Another month, another miniature block from the FREE Miniature BOM offered by the Quilt Room.  This one is called 'Jack in the Pulpit'.  It was a nice simple foundation block, which I pulled together with NO mistakes.  I think this might be the first time this has happened with this project.  I am using a 'Snowman Gatherings' Layer Cake for this project and the light blue fabrics are starting to run out, so I have had to resort to using the fabrics with the actual snowmen on them.  Snowmen in August .... hopefully, the pieces are so small that they are unrecognisable.



Foundation Piecing - Miniature Blocks, The Quilt Room 2015 BOM

The collection of blocks are growing, but it feels like Autumn is just around the corner and that means there are only four more left.

Pets on Quilts 2015

Also, just a reminder that it is the Annual Pets on Quilts Show next week.  Suzi the cat and I have been working all year to capture a winning photo which will be revealed next week.  We are pleased with our efforts but are realistic in our expectations knowing that we will probably be up against 'cute kittens'.  We welcome your support when voting opens.

Square in a Square Quilt - Mama Said Sew by Sweetwater

Square in a Square Quilt

I have been busy on the sewing machine this week making a 'Square in a Square' quilt.


'Mama Said Sew' by Sweetwater for MODA

This is where it all started.  A couple of years ago I saw this collection - 'Mama Said Sew' by Sweetwater for Moda in our local quilt shop and fell in love.  If you want specifics, it was the red and cream fabrics which drew me in.  It was the start of my 'Nearly Insane' quilt journey.  (BTW - I can report that the Nearly Insane quilt top is now complete - details to follow in a forthcoming blog.)


5" charm squares - 'Mama Said Sew' by Sweetwater

Having now exhausted all the red fabrics, a collection of mixed grey, black and red fabrics remained from a layer cake and fat quarter bundle I acquired, which I loved just as much, but were not candidates for the Nearly Insane quilt.  Searching around the internet I have never seen a quilt made from this collection which ever disappointed, so I was confident that whatever pattern I choose it would look great.

I settled on a Square in a Square quilt, with a nice bit of white space to contrast against the graphic style of the Mama Said Sew collection.  I cut the layer cake into four 5" squares and sewed them onto a larger 9.5" square. I had decided that during the construction I would make sure I had some generous BONUS half square triangles to make another quilt.


Square in a Square Quilt - 54" x 72"

I made 48 blocks and the final dimensions are 54" x 72". Having hand sewn the Nearly Insane quilt, I am still surprised how quickly a quilt comes together when you use a sewing machine.

Bonus Half Square Triangles - 'Mama Said Sew' by Sweetwater

So here are the bonus half square triangles.  I think they might turn into a chevron quilt - I will keep you posted.

With this quilt top finished I think it deserves to join up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Quilter.
 

Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room

Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room

For the past few months I have been a bit late completing my BOM, but this month The Quilt Room were slightly delayed themselves, only posting the details of the Miniature Block of the Month for July yesterday.  Today I have had a bit of time to get it done and it came together quite easily.

Miniature Block of the Month July 2015 - The Quilt Room

I find flying geese blocks quite easy with the foundation method, but  it doesn't look as if I have been very generous with the seam allowance at the edges of this one.


Nearly Insane Quilt borders, with Suzi the cat

Meanwhile, progress is being made on the Nearly Insane Quilt borders.  They are all together and I am slowly applying them to the main quilt.  This Nearly Insane progress is due to the 2015 Tour de France.  I love to relax and stitch, whilst I watch the cyclists work up a sweat in the French countryside.  I might be 'nearly insane', but those cyclist have to be 'completely insane' to endure 3 weeks of relentless cycling. 

As you can see all that effort on their part has completely exhausted Suzi the cat.