Quake Quilt progress, front bottom

Sometimes I think procrastinating on projects is simply my mind's way of saying it needs more time to problem solve. More time to sleep on the matter, so that I can do this project without melting down in despair mid-stitch.

I know I've admitted my anxieties previously, and I hope you know that you have done well with the encouragements. But, I have to say that some of the reasons for the anxieties was that the way I had planned on doing this quilt was that I couldn't figure out how to effectively do the wave pattern I wanted without falling on my face. The primary issues being the layering, the curved edges, the sheer numbers (80+),  the small size, and my short patience coupled with a heavy sewing foot. These things were going to take a while, I'm not known to do things carefully. I'm a cavalier of craft.

Just waiting for a satin stitch.

Ultimately, I chose the following approach: sew strings of half circles together, sew them down on a muslin backdrop in rows that overlap, and then raw edge applique row by row, one on top of the other only without stabilizing paper and using a satin stitch instead of a blind hem. I thought about tucking in the edges and doing a proper applique or an English paper piecing method, but the volume of work involved seemed nonsensical. And paper hungry, I think. 

I'm currently in the applique process, and without the paper or other stabilizer and trying to use the satin stitch slowly, I can certainly see the fruits of my cavalier labor: some bunching around the edges of each half circle and inconsistent stitching, mainly. But I would like to think that by the end of the 80+ curved edges, I may find myself a little more competent. (By the way, I've found this link quite helpful.)

Another matter that arose was that the dark wave portion of the quilt was not the same size as the lighter sky portion. I needed more on the bottom but didn't want have the fabric or time to do more circles. So I did a "wonky triangle" block with scraps. It was great, in that it used all of the "too small to be used for anything else" scraps from the other parts of the quilt.  It may not be the most precisely measured piece, but I do like my some improv. Besides, there's enough errors with the quilt overall that I no longer worry about its imperfections. Here's the result, which I found I was happy with, both in size and appearance.

The only thing was that it seemed to mess with the curvy, watery feel I was aiming for in the wave section. So, I made a wave:

the water insert

Sewn along a wavy line, then cut away.

second half sewn on 1.5" below the first seam

Et, voila! (Not the best picture, but I had the camera well over my head. Sorry!)

While I'm finishing the applique portion with the semi-circles, I'm trying to formulate my plan for the catfish. I think I will try it with some applique meets reverse applique. It's the only way I can figure I can do the whiskers properly. Any suggestions?

Quilt Class 101: Week 3...ish

I'm about halfway done constructing the top. I didn't exactly follow any exact plan, which I think has compromised some of the design. There's more vertical elements here than I had intended. The plan was for more horizontal movement, but hey. It's done. Next time, I'll make an annotated list of what size pieces I'll need, how many, and of what fabric.  There's also more blue in the top than originally planned, but then again, I didn't really plan this out too much. And I didn't have very many options in my determined stash.  All in all, I'm not displeased. 

The red circle in the middle (made to hearken to the red sun of Japan's flag) isn't sewn on yet, but will be soon. It's pinned in place and was tucked and ironed around a cardboard circle before being pinned (sans cardboard) to the rest of the quilt. There have been some helpful posts at Chasing Cottons on different options for applique. I based the "sun" on this particular tutorial.

Next step is the second half of the front: the waves. I anticipate this to take a little longer, as it has more to do with top-stitching scallops multiple times for a few rows and then a few more rows. The layout looks good so far, and I have some tweaked techniques I plan on referencing for this portion as well.

 More updates to come! Thanks for reading!

Quilt Class 101: Weeks 1 & 2

Okay. I said I was going to do this Quilt 101 Class thingie, right?  And I will. But I haven't gotten very far. I don't want you to think I'm not doing *something* at least. I really want to be.

I'm just stuck.

I'm too scared to cut anything out yet, and I think it's because I need some feedback.

Alright, so I have actually gotten as far as the first two lessons: planning and fabrics. I did them in reverse, but will present them in order. If that makes sense.

The first week's lesson had to do with fabric choices. I wanted to use the fabrics that I won from the Japan Quake Appeal raffle from Monkey Magic and the ones I had originally posted for my own raffle. You know, the one no one wanted to enter. Oh c'mon, you know.

I even bought some additional fabrics that donated some of the profits to the quake assistance funds.

Here are the fabrics that I've chosen to include in the quilt. 

I had to add some additional fabric (white sheet scraps) because I needed more light colored fabrics for the top half of the quilt. It's not much, but I think it will do.

The second week's lesson was design. I had already sketched my plans out ages ago, during my work-related trainings. I don't care what anyone says. Doodling helps me learn, darnit! Some of the most discerning and sharp minds in academia have been known to doodle and goof off in lectures. I don't think I need to explain my call to take a pen to paper to *not* take notes.

Anyhow, so here are some of my sketches:

As you can see, I have made some various calculations, and I'd be making a quilt that's about 36"x30" by the end of it all. I don't think that's unreasonable, right? Nothing huge, but certainly complicated enough for an ambitious first time go at it.

You may have also noticed that I've chosen curved pieces to sew together. And I think that's part of why I'm still stuck. I'm not quite sure how to bring myself to do that portion without fearing the work involved or the chance that I'll mess it up royally.

me = too ambitious to do something simple = too anxious to mess up by actually trying the complicated plan out

I think I have some idea on how I want to do the applique, but I think I may just go for the simplest and slightly sloppy raw-edge version to increase the likelihood of it actually getting done.

The other obstacle here is that I am starting to second guess the color choices here. I can't really tell if the blue fabrics that would go on the bottom 'waves' portion of the composition actually match. And the top 'sky' section should be somewhat white but part of me feels it's too stark or that I don't have enough fabrics involved in the process.

So, I'm asking the few of you out there who are reading this, especially those with some sewing and quilting sensibilities, Do you think the colors look like they actually would work together? and How would you sew the half-circles to the quilt?

This stymied and overly cautious girl begs you for some bolstering and education as well as thanks you ahead of time for anything you can offer. Otherwise, I'll continue to have a sizeable and long overdue UFO sitting around and a small readership waiting for me to make good on a goal I set in front of their eyes.

Japan Quake Quilt Project: Quilt Class 101

Alright. Since I've committed myself to this quilt project, it's time for me to pool my resources. As luck would have it, UCreate shared a link to Chasing Cotton's Quilt Class 101: a "sew-along" meets tutorial series.

Now, it's not that I will likely follow along quite on her schedule, and I know pretty much how I want to do this, but I thought it'd be good to have a group of similar interests to share my progress with. So, I'm following along, and hoping I actually follow through.

In the meantime, I'm going to try and use scrapbooking tools to cut fabric. Yeah, I'm wild. Or lazy.

Japan Quake Appeal Raffle, the goods

I got it! I got it! My raffle winnings from Diane at Monkey Magic arrived! (Yes, I am yelling, and yes, I am doing the Snoopy dance, and yes, I'm using lots, and lots, of commas.)

an endless queue of stamps!

The packaging itself was exciting and fun, which tickled me even further.

they just keep going... and going...

Here are the contents:

I love the kawaii animal prints--toadstools, roosters, rabbits, and hedgehogs for everyone! :) And yes, I know that toadstools aren't animals. They're still cute.

Here are my favorites though:

Now it should be noted that I just ordered myself some cute fabrics from kawaiibeads on Etsy, after my sketchfest for that tsunami/quake appeal quilt I had briefly mentioned before. I don't know why I ordered them, because I knew this package was coming in the mail any day. But part of the proceeds of the fabric are going to the tsunami relief fund, so I suppose it's never a bad thing to contribute.

I think that the main issue here is that I'm so intrigued by this project that I am buying things for it. *Sigh* I sketch like my dad, and buy supplies like my mom.

And for those wondering, these are the fabrics that I ordered:

This Is How I Stay Sane

Source: Comic Art Fans

My father got through thirty some years working at a job he hated by drawing his way to sanity. I imagine him drawing away, creating Frazetta-esque barbarian/hunter figures all while dealing with stressed out co-workers the whole time.

Source: Flavins Corner

Or maybe bears.


This is what I draw while I'm in staff meetings or trying to work myself up to actually doing my paperwork:

The colored pictures are obviously my attempts at envisioning the Crepe dresses I want to make. The line drawing is an idea I have for a quilt I'd like to make with the Japanese fabrics I had mentioned in the Japan Quake Appeal raffle I had failed to get off of the ground.

Though not as dramatic as my father's comic-book inspired sketches, and though I don't hate my job (though I wouldn't mind less hours at it and more spent sewing), I certainly feel like I have a convenient tree on which to blame this apple's drawing habits.

Thanks, Dad!