Work in Progress Wednesday
This week I have been enjoying just being home. We had a busy weekend with travel, speaking, and spending time with good friends and family. Part of that time was spent with my brother Steve and his wife Nita. They have a quilting business, so it’s fun to catch up with them and see what they are up to. Nita gave me a peek at the quilts for classes she will be teaching; she inspires me more than she realizes. I can’t tell you how I wish I lived closer to her!
So let me show you what I’ve been creating this week. I have spent most of my time just playing with my scraps. I have used one pattern, but the rest are just things I came up with.
Remember those little stars I was working on? Well, I ended up with nine of them out of the scraps I had. The scraps were left over from another mini quilt I had made, so I used up as much of them as I could while making the stars. I pondered what to do with them when putting them together as a quilt — should I just stack them 3 rows of 3? Should I set them on point?
On Monday, I knew what I wanted to do with eight of those little stars. It was a totally different idea than I started with. This was so much fun, I’m tempted to do another set. These would make great Christmas gifts, but this stack is getting mailed to someone this week.
The coasters went together quickly. I didn’t quilt them much, just a quick stitch through them each way. I thought the binding would take me awhile, but it didn’t. They were the perfect handwork project for later that evening. I love the little neat stack they make!
Yesterday I got up earlier than I had planned, due to a household snafu (it could have been something major, but it wasn’t, thank goodness). So my quilt day began early and I made the most of it.
I had a baggie of little scraps left over from a Kim Diehl quilt I had made. I couldn’t wait to dig into these and see where it led. I knew there were enough scraps for a few small nine patch blocks, so I stitched as many together as I could get, which was 4. I turned them on point and added the rest of the neutral blocks. Rather than making it square, I chose to keep it this fun shape. The neutral blocks needed something, and what are Kim Diehl fabrics without some appliqué? So I pulled out my wool scraps (I save the most ridiculously small wool scraps but they come in handy) and came up with this, based on some of Kim’s other designs. I hope to finish this today.
Remember that I said I had nine little stars made? One little orphan star that was withheld from the coasters because of a squaring mistake. As I was looking through Kim Diehl’s latest book Simple Christmas Tidings I came across a pattern that I could make using my little star in place of the one called for in the pattern. It will be a cute little quilt hanger to be hung from a doorknob, etc. Here’s the top with the wool appliqué completed, waiting for the next quilting to be done on it.
We have been having lovely cool weather here, but today is rainy and overcast. Another perfect day for quilting!
Linking up with Cooking Up Quilts and Quilt Fabrication today.
Wendy
15 Comments
Susan
Love that you turned those little scrap stars into something adorable and useful – good job! And a great place for the orphan star. Thanks for sharing on Midweek Makers
piecefulwendy
Thank you!
soma @ whimsandfancies.com
The wool applique looks wonderful with the star. The coasters are amazing. Love how colourful they are and the grey binding is just perfect!!
-Soma
piecefulwendy
Thank you, Soma. They were fun to make.
Karen Goad
I have ever made coasters because I figure they will be soaked through and water stain the furniture – do you put anything on the side that will be on the furniture to protect? if so what do you use? These are cute
piecefulwendy
Karen, I just make them with fabric. Honestly, I hadn’t given much thought to whether they would stain the furniture if liquid would stain. I’ll have to give that some thought.
Beth @ Cooking Up Quilts
Amazingly creative! Those little coasters are fantastic, and I love that you found a project for the little orphan block. 🙂 I have a bag of itty bitty scraps; maybe it’s time to get them out and play with them!
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Beth! Playing with scraps is therapeutic; go for it!
Needle and Foot
I
Needle and Foot
Well that was silly! I hit done a bit prematurely! I love the coasters- makes me want to make some just like them. Maybe for gifts this year? I have some that were given to me and I haven’t had any issue with dampness leaking through to the table at all. Lovely projects!
piecefulwendy
They are so quick and fun, and I think a great gift idea! Thanks so much, Bernie!
Patricia
Hi there! Wow! I love your from a cscrappy projects! You have really encouraged me to hang on to my bag of scraps. I read that you kept scraps from a project in a baggie – great idea! Now scraps are coordintated!
Your coasters have convinced me to make my friend a set. She is always admiring the set I keep on my kitchen table. By the way, I’ve made several sets of coasters and, yes, condensation can be an issue – but a minor one! In the New Mexico Southwest we go through a lot of ice and cool drinks, so let me tell you, coasters are our friends!
My solution? We simple stack them. When one gets a little moist, we simple place another coaster under it or grab another coaster. This works perfectly for tumbler glasses. A possible issue is now a non-issue.
Either way, your projects are lovely, and inspirational. I realize that my goal of making a small Christmas gift a week is now now possible, thanks to you! Thank you for sharing!
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Patricia! I hope you enjoy making them. Thanks for the tip on how to avoid the condensation problem! Great idea!
Connie Albin
Adorable costers! Great idea for small blocks.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Connie!