Design Wall Monday

Before you ask, no I did not finish my red and white Prairie Star quilt that I posted last week. I did work on it a little, but as you read on through this post, I think it will become apparent why I have decided that it's a good thing that I didn't work on it very much.

Instead of working on the Prairie Star quilt, I felt the need to finish up a few projects that I've had sitting around here for a while. I wanted to be productive, but not have to think too much. With that in mind, I pulled some quilt tops and prepared them for quilting and binding. 

Everything was going along swimmmingly until yesterday evening. I had finished two quilts - simple meander quilting and even finished the bindings, and I was feeling so good. Ok, I admit it, I was feeling a bit cocky. 

Since all was going well and I was being so productive, I decided to make the backing for my "dark" version of Zen Garden and get it ready for quilting. 

I really like this quilt  - and every other quilt designed by Little Louise Designs that I have made - so I knew that once I got started it would go quickly. (Click HERE to see the "light" version of the same quilt.)  

All was going well and I was even using up some stash to make the backing. I like this, don't you?

Well, I guess maybe I was tired or perhaps I was just not paying attention. I don't know, but I do know that my backing isn't wide enough! ARRGGHHH!!!  It's plenty long, but that doesn't help me. :-(

Can you see that the top left corner of the backing is shorter than the quilt top? The right side is lined up exactly, so there is no excess there from which to "borrow." I decided it was time to just put this away and try again later. I think I have some extra of the print fabric that I could piece together and make another strip. We'll see though....

Do you see why I have decided that it was a good thing I didn't work on the Prairie Star and have to think? That just might have been ugly!

Anyway, on a positive note I did completely finish two quilts. This first one was actually not a UFO, but I was so excited to try a strip piecing method for making Granny Squares that I spent part of last Wednesday pulling fabric and trying the technique. I loved it and this quilt is the result.

It's not too often that I begin and finish a quilt in such a short amount of time, but this was so easy and I was having fun. I still wasn't feeling well and did not want to have to think while sewing. This was perfect and I really like the end result!

The quilt below had been a quilt top just waiting to be finished for quite a while. I already had the backing and binding ready, but I just hadn't quilted it. It's done and I really like this too. (Quite a bit different than the Granny Squares now isn't it?) I've named this one Color Splash.

Anyway, I was productive and even though I am now faced with a backing challenge, I'm pretty happy with my progress. The Prairie Star quilt is not put away. It's just set aside for right now. It will be finished soon because I'm feeling much better and I really want to finish it!

Check out what other quilters have on their design walls today.
Go to Judy L's Patchwork Times and be prepared to be inspired.

Design Wall Monday

I've got to get back in the routine of posting and I think today's Design Wall Monday is just the way to do that.

I have my Zen Garden with the white background up right now. Here are 11 blocks completely done, and I have the other 9 ready for the side strips. I'm using a jelly roll called Ticklish by Me & My Sister for Moda and I think it is so fresh and fun!

 

I really like this pattern. It's by Little Louise Designs and I'm also making it with a dark background. The really cool thing about the quilt is that since it only it takes 20 strips 2 1/2" x width of fabric (half a jelly roll), I can make both quilts and only have to come up with background fabrics. YEAH!!  This is the second of her patterns that I've made (Gateway to Paradise was the first), and it also only used half a jelly roll.  I have a couple other patterns by Little Louise Designs that I'm going to make, so be on the look out for them soon! I think these will make great classes. That's what Zen Garden is for so I better get busy and get it (them) done.  :-)

I have a couple of table runners that are not technically on the design wall, but since I made them today and they are ready to be quilted, I'm lumping them in with today's design wall post. These are made using the Easy Striped Table Runner pattern that I've mentioned before. Super simple, and super cute!

 

 

 

Click here to see a picture of a couple of other table runners I've done using this pattern. I made at least five of these table runners in November and I think I forgot to take pictures of most of them. Darn! I do have this one and I really like it. I think there is one more at Country Fabrics because it was hung up for display to advertise my class. I think I should check and see if it is still there. 

 

 

To check out what other quilter have up on their design walls today, go to

Judy L's Patchwork Times.