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Monday, January 9, 2012

A New Beginning....

I have decided my middle name must be Distracted....because my mind is always letting me put aside the project at hand to play with another.  Today I had two distractions!

The first - very pleasant - distraction was the Rose and Star!  And so it begins a new English Paper Piecing project to keep my fingers busy.

   
If you recall, Clare and I had a little secret squirrel exchange before Christmas....Clare sent to me the most fantastic English Paper Pieced quilt....the Rose and Star.


It is sensational!!!  And now I have a whole new appreciation for the work her poor little fingers went through to produce this masterpiece.

I made my templates {from freezer paper so I can iron them on to the back of my fabric}.....selected some fabrics and began the basting process...


There are so many pieces!  But I am almost finished basting one flower....


I considered using my inspiration fabric as the background {where Clare has white}....but I am thinking it may be too busy {even for me} and it would need to be pieced as well so it will need some thinking yet...


Another lovely distraction was playing with the block I posted yesterday.  Marit aptly described this as an inverted spiderweb.  And in fact, I used both a kite ruler and my kaleido ruler to work out this block.  I think the official name of this one is Periwinkle - according to Maggie Malone's Quilt Block Designs.  If you notice it has the spiderweb wedges in the white octagon spaces. 
Desert Threads mentioned that she has done a couple of these quilts and she said the block is The Arkansas Snowflake.
This is what makes quilting so much fun!

But I wanted to play with this block a little more.  Some time ago, I had pinned another quilt that, again, reminded me of the spiderweb but was ever so slightly different.


      This one is built on a square....my original spiderweb quilt {that I am still working on} is built on triangles.
 The thing I love most about this square version is the secondary pattern...


 How fun!
Okay....enough playing...time to focus.
Hope you had a wonderful Monday!
mary 



21 comments:

  1. funny thing, when you are distracted you... you still end up with something wonderful. i end up with a higher calorie intake :-) and more things pinned on pinterest.

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  2. I can totally see how you would get distracted-- those are both beautiful projects!! I'm doing my first paper piecing project (taking a class-- first meeting was Sat) and I'm so excited about it. However, I have put all other projects on hold and cannot get distracted b/c we meet again next Sat and there's lots of "homework". I love the finished Rose & Star and I'm curious to see the overall effect of the inverted spiderwebs all together. Enjoy your quilting projects-- they look beautiful!

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  3. So much to get distracted by! You're right about "Periwinkle"! It's one of the Farmer's Wife sampler quilt blocks! I'm looking froward to seeing how you go with the 'Rose and Star'!

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  4. Awesome!!!
    (you can get away with bigger tacking stitches)

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  5. At least they're good distractions.

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  6. This certainly gets me excited to see what you do with these two adventures...
    Mary

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  7. Typically, I am more productive in my "distracted" mode than otherwise. Also, I LOVE having time for distractions!!

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  8. These are both really exciting projects. I am most impressed that you are going to make the Rose and Star. The finished one is stunning, and I know yours will be as well. While I don't have the patience for paper piecing, I really admire those who do and the beautiful quilts they create. I look forward to following this one.

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  9. Distracted??? I should be creating my own quilts, instead I get distracted with some great images such as yours! I love both designs, but I think that the inverted Sprder Web is just amazing!!!

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  10. Your projects are all so fun and pretty, Mary! (Hope you don't have to give up sleeping!!)

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  11. You sure are having fun over there in Maryland!! I goes without saying I'm loving all of those wonderful projects!

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  12. i love how you use color! it is always so vibrant and full of life. just like you! ;)

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  13. Wow they both look so complicated if i had seen them in a book but breaking up the pieces like that i can see how they go together. There is so much work in patchwork and its very rewarding. Happy sewing, dee x

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  14. Love to follow your mind when you are distracted! It seems to me you are being very creative and letting the inspiration take you to interesting places...
    As I spend last night releasing 1" paper piecing hexagons, those first pictures really draw my attention. Very pretty rose and stars blocks!
    ; )

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  15. I'm forever getting distracted but it's hardly ever that fruitful. Although today I blogged about a project I've had on the backburner (due to other distractions) since Christmas 2010!

    Abi @ AngelEdenBlog

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  16. Oh your blocks are so beautiful! I love your happy colourful works! I should quilt bubbles now but I would like to start 'tiles', diamonds ...
    x Teje

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  17. Still just love to see how you put fabrics together - would love you to choose some fabrics for me but I still wouldn't be able to work magic like you do! Sigh!

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  18. Great blocks...the paper piecing is fabulous and I love the Periwinkle too!

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  19. What fun! An almost inside out "Rocky Road to Kansas." I'm so glad I found your blog. Love your work!

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  20. hey there. I just started a new english paper piecing project as well. Lovin the hexies

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  21. beautiful spiderweb!!! i love the sharper kite angle...i think i need to do some playing!!!

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