Showing posts with label Moda Modern Building Blocks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moda Modern Building Blocks. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Portable Quilt Frame & 2 Finished Quilts for Show



Moda Modern In Print
Finished and Delivered

Insomnia has taken over tonight. I adjusted my pillows too many times to try again, and a cup of herb tea seemed more welcoming. One side of my mind was stewing in the guilt of not posting in so long, but the other was running through the list of all the things I had accomplished through my blogging hiatus. We cannot be all things to all people, and this summer has belonged to me, and my idea of becoming more centered. Loose ends frustrate me, and my life has been feeling quite unraveled over the past many months. I thought a summer break would be relaxing, but I have never been busier. 

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Moda Modern Building Blocks Quilt Porn



"Moda Modern in Print"


The Moda Modern Building Blocks came off the frame nearly 2 weeks ago. I needed to assess and mark the areas requiring more quilting, turn it 90 degrees, and put it back on. While it seemed simple, I was researching behind the scenes. I'd run out of my standard blue fabric markers, and was fairly uncertain I wanted more. I'd had a run in with one that refused to come out in this Costa Maya project, and wondered if there was anything new on the market.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Moda Modern Building Blocks Off the Frame


First Round Done


Yesterday was a challenge to get through the last pass on this Moda Modern Building Blocks. I was pretty excited to finally unpin, and evaluate its progress.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Longarm Quilting "Moda Modern in Print"


Loaded Lengthwise: The Starting Block


"Moda Modern in Print"

Long on my list to quilt, Moda Modern Building Blocks is finally in the frame. You can see above that I was all "anti-solid" fabrics, and substituted my beloved prints. 90% were from my stash, but a few odd ones were picked because they matched the shade in the pattern. You can read about individual block construction (and errata) below. This was a fun quilt, but shockingly begun nearly 2 years ago to the day!

Monday, August 10, 2015

Moda Modern Building Blocks Flimsy Finish



Moda Modern Building Blocks
The Print Version

Warning: This pattern may be addicitive. 
Proceed with caution!

Many of you know I had no intention to make this quilt. I only wanted to experiment, and try a few blocks. One thing led to the next, the momentum built, and it became a highly addictive project. It spanned months, and dominated my design wall and my attention.

Friday, August 7, 2015

Pet Project #32 & Close, But No Cigar On Moda Building Blocks



I sincerely believed I would have a whole flimsy to show off today, but if you follow Pink Doxies on Facebook, you'll know I played hooky with my girls yesterday. It was worth it. Family first, right? We had a ball at IKEA, one of our favorite spots.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

One Year Blogiversary & Moda Modern Progress



Do you know the feeling of the 3rd lap while running a mile? You've used up a lot of energy, and still need to pull off that last burst? I'm there. Yesterday was a good day even though I only added a few new blocks. I am working strategically, and finishing up sections. These 2 below are sewn together now. There are 12 more 6" blocks to go, but the section top left can be sewn together. Half the top will be finished by afternoon, and I'm focused on my goal.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Moda Modern Building Blocks #7 & Rotary Cutting Tips


There's little to say except I'm pushing through the 6" blocks. If I have half an hour to myself I'll hustle to the studio to cut a couple out, and see how far I can get. 

Friday, July 31, 2015

Moda Modern Blocks #6--Red


Back to Moda Modern Building Blocks

The studio was in shambles a few weeks ago. (Really. The other side of the shelved stash was worse.) I could live with it, and work in bare feet or socks so I don't step on anything vital, but toward the end I was patting at piles trying to find things. (Don't lie. I know you've done this.)

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Rules Were Made to Be Broken-Moda Modern Building Blocks #6




The original plan was to only use fabrics with prints that would present as solids. For instance, a dark red printed on a light red background, or a subtle colored print perhaps. I was trying to not repeat prints to give a greater variety, too. And I was reading about color theory at the same time. Perhaps my timing was poor, but I chucked most of the rules I'd imposed on the project, and wanted to see what would work.

The block above was listed in the pattern as green, and I couldn't bear another green block. I hit my Cotton+Steel fat quarter bundle, and loved the combination with the fussy cut lion.

When it was time to do the next block that actually called for peach, gold, and blue, I stared at the same FQ bundles. Why not? These are from 3 different designers, but the colors are similar. They're also colors echoed in other blocks in the quilt. Yes, it's terribly busy, and you may not like it close up, but to me it is effective in the quilt. The block would have been intense in solids, too. Try squinting at it for fun!



Can you see it in the context of the whole quilt?



There is a subtle balance in this pattern with regard to color distribution. You can start to pick out triangular placement of like colors, and I think the groupings of 3 make it pleasing to the eye. For instance, see the 3 highly visible orange blocks? If I had kept the lion block green, there would have been 3 strong greens. Even though I changed it to a print with an aqua tone, it works because there are 3 strong aquas. Corner, middle, bottom. It will be most interesting for me to see how all the 6" blocks play into the overall color!



Several new blocks have shown up in the picture, and I have fabric pulled for part of the remaining 6" blocks. I'm still aiming for a Friday flimsy finish. Keep your fingers crossed--or hold your thumbs, wherever you may be!


A new sewist asked me the other day how I knew to put the blocks together if there were no instructions on the pattern. Well, I've said before that this isn't a pattern for beginners. It's mainly cutting instructions. Some of it is intuitive from doing other patterns with similar construction. If you're newer, look up flying geese, HST, and how to line up points. Or, ask someone with more experience to just show you. Most veteran quilters are happy to share their expertise with newbies. We were all new when we started.

She also wanted to know how you center HST to sew onto a square. Good question! I just fold my square in half, and finger press a little crease. Then line up your triangle point with the crease, and pin or hold until you've sewn it.



If you have a whole line of triangles, which we would then call flying geese, use the straight edge of something to line up your points. Pin, or hold, and sew. 


Most of my points and seams line up, but not in every single case. Sometimes I go back and take in or let out a seam just the teensiest bit to make things fit better, but not always. I remember the wise advice by my dear friend, Irene: 

A man on a galloping horse is never going to see that!

Your skills will develop as you sew. Don't be so critical of your work that you miss the joy of creating whatever makes you happy!



Me: Hey, Doxie girls! Today's the big day! The secret is coming. We have to check all the boxes, and make sure it's all there, and just so. We should take pictures, shouldn't we?

Doxie girls: (Big yawn. Sleepy eyes. Mild interest in me to see if I have food.)

Me: Are you all ready? Will you promise not to escape and chase Mrs. UPS back into her truck? Please don't bark through the windows, okay?! It looks bad for us. I need more coffee!

I'm off to get ready for IT!
Until next time...
Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.




Linking up with~
Quilting Jet Girl
Freshly Pieced
Sew Fresh Quilts

Monday, June 15, 2015

Making Progress with Moda Modern Buildng Blocks


You never actually know how a block will turn out, do you?The block above is a good example. It was difficult finding colors to simulate Moda's colors in the pattern, and was necessary to substitute the soft red stripe for a bright red. This is one very odd combination of fabrics close up, but look below at the block in the context of the quilt. It works!


I'm gaining momentum in overall progress. I have just a few more medium blocks left, and then it's all small 6" blocks. Some are fairly simple, and I'm expecting a Friday flimsy. Some of my other work has taken a back seat, but my focus is here. It's also keeping my mind off my big secret.



The taupe and coffee color did a wonderful job of balancing the overall tone. The darker colors help anchor the brights.



Ironing each seam as I go has ceased. Finger pressing at the machine, and continuing to sew is speeding things up. All seams are pressed open now, and it's changed my mind about being worthy of the extra effort. There is a vast improvement in the flatness of the seams. It's even visible in the pictures.


I was mid-way through another of the larger blocks, and the passing storm flashed and boomed all around me. I made the decision to unplug my last machine, and call it a night. It will be there in the morning waiting for me.

Until then...
Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Pet Project Show #24




My self-imposed rule for using prints that show as solids is 
becoming less defined. I have started adding fabrics that have more color mixed into them. A book called Colorific by Pam Goecke Dinndorf is the influence. Color seems to be the most interesting thing about quilts for me, but I have so much to learn. I keep turning to new resources to find out how ways to use it effectively. Even blending in tiny amounts of color that appear elsewhere in the quilt are helping to tie the palette together for my eye.

Above, the salmon has small yellow flowers, and below the grey is pulling in the teals and greens. If you squint hard, which we often do picking fabrics, it still shows as mainly a solid. Also, the above block is about 12", while the one below is only 6". Viewed from a distance, the 12" color will have more color impact to you.



The other thing repeating itself during construction, is how the Moda pattern suggests assembly. I think the instructions are rather typical. We tend to construct smaller blocks or units that can then be sewn all together without a Y seam. It made sense to me, but I kept seeing another way. 

What I Was Seeing and Thinking

Can you visualized the 3 pieces on each corner made up of the navy square and 2 half-square triangles? They make a triangle unit. Sewn together by themselves, I have greater control over the precision. I sew non-bias edges to the square making a flying 'goose' only with a square. If I construct this way and sew it to the unit inside, my bias edges aren't as likely to distort. 




This 6" was not a candidate to try it on as it only had 2 corners that could be broken down. I was not as pleased with the end result, but will blame it on my laziness with pressing. 


The HST should have all been pressed open, but they were so little! I thought I could get away with a little cheating, and pressed to one side. I'm sorry, but it shows in the end result.

Look above at the smoothness of the 2 horizontal seams above. No puckering, and they lie flat. Now compare them to the vertical seams. See the puckering? Me, too. I am trying to decide if I should redo it, but I have definitely learned my lesson.



I picked a block I could experiment on. This will be a large corner block with many pieces. What I'm showing is just the interior of the block.

The sewing diagram showed sewing flying geese for the top and bottom HST. Then HST units at the corners would be sewn to the same flying geese units to make up right and left columns. Those columns are causing me the most problems as they are not coming out straight.

I did this instead.





I pressed everything open.


What an amazing difference in the trueness of the block!
I was astounded, and then perplexed. 
Why?


My wall looks like this now.



And in my policy of full disclosure, I did a quick run to my LQS to buy a few more 'oddities'--colors I wouldn't normally keep in my stash, but needed to keep going. They aren't a mixture of color like I was trying above, but more of the one color only theme. I'm excited to use them today.



Can I leak a little of my secret to you? 
I have tracking numbers now. 

Linking up with~
Sew Can She




Thank you to each one of you who link up with the Pet Project Show. I love to see your work here!


Come on, Doxie Girls.
It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 


Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Pet Project Show

Add your link here every Saturday-Monday. 

Rules


Do we have to have rules? 


No worries! It's EASY.



1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left)
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 
your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-
1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject


Either way you link up, remember it's a party
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 
Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until
Monday, June 15th at midnight. 
Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.
*The first Saturday party of each month will
feature several of the Doxies and my
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account.