The Process

I got a lot of work done on BBW during the election coverage. I didn't realize how stressed out the entire process made me, until CNN called the election and I burst into tears. I was standing at the ironing board, trying to keep ironing and just crying. I couldn't stop! It was such an epic moment.

This is work I did tonight, in a step by step fashion. Here I've laid the elements I want to sew together. See that white slab above the cutting mat? I've been using that as a long ruler to cut long strips of fabric. Maybe I should get a real ruler for that...

And there are all the individual blocks waiting to be sewn together, and the layout they need to be on the computer screen. I've sewn them together the wrong way more than once, so I'm double checking now. 

I think it's starting to get pretty cool. And I'm over half way done! Surprisingly, after yellow and white, gray is the most used color. If you had asked me what colors where in this painting before I started this project, I don't think I would have even remembered that gray was a color in it. 

Slow Goings

Well, here's the next layer of BBW. This project can feel really tedious at times, as every piece of it is unique. I think there is something soothing in repetition, and this project doesn't exactly have it. I do enjoy seeing segments finished though, so it's not a total wash. I would like to revisit this theme someday, and see if I can't get some sort of "inspired by" quilt pattern created. Something with the same color scheme, but with more repeated elements, and actual blocks! I might need some distance from this particular imagery for a little bit, assuming I ever get it finished. I'm pretty sure my next project is going to be something small and Christmasy, like placemats. I think that would be pretty fun.

I don't have much family background in quilting, or really any sort of crafty activities. I do have, however, two antique quilts in the house, made by someone in the family. I know they are from my mom's side, and I wish she was here to tell me who made them, and how they are significant! I'll ask my one of my aunts, I hope they will know. This first one is an applique, and I like a lot of the fabrics used.

Look at those pretty red flowers!

And look at those misshapen circles! 


More interesting fabrics.
This quilt is amazing. Everything is perfect, and stitched so nicely. The fabrics are gorgeous as well.



I love the blue and orange flowers.


The quilt above has been sitting in my linen closet for years. My mom would never let us use it because it was too special. This is the first time I've ever actually looked at it, which is a shame because it is so pretty. I'll have to figure out some way to display it. Someone put a lot of work into it, and it deserves better than hiding on the bottom shelf of a closet no one ever looks in.