Wood Lily

in*spi*ra*tion

:something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create : a force or influence that inspires someone

For an upcoming meeting with the Virginia Beach Modern Quilt Guild we have a challenge, take the block #110 from The Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt and make a modern version.  Wood Lily is the block name, and we are to make a 24" mini quilt. (If you want to have a look, there are some photos on Pinterest and Google Images, but I don't want to post anyone else's photo of the block without their permission.)

After looking at a few different images of the Wood Lily block, I settled on two elements, the half square triangle and flying geese blocks which are present in the original.  This is an inspiration exercise, I only wanted to work with those two parts of the whole, and see where I could take it.  

I started with a drawing on graph paper

At the time I was working on my modern variation of Wood Lily, I was also reading Savor Each Stitch by Carolyn Friedlander Yep, I was reading a quilting book instead of just looking at the photos.  The section of the book about contrast in value inspired me to think more about the name of the block 'Wood Lily' and think of the contrast in those two words 'wood' and 'lily'.  One is dark and robust, one is soft and smooth.  

Taking those 2 contrasting words I transferred them into fabric color

Making flying geese blocks

Progressing with all the small geese

The small flying geese are 1" x 3" finished.  

Both sections of this mini use the two elements I chose from the original Wood Lily block, half square triangles and flying geese.  I have seen a few examples of other VBMQG members minis and I think it's a good exercise to see where each person finds their inspiration.

Commencing with the quilting

This one needed squaring up after the dense quilting of the lily sections

While I was working through the different steps of concept, drawing, fabric selections, and piecing what came to mind was a dense forest seen from the air with surrounding snow fields.  

This mini finished at about 23 1/4" a bit smaller than 24" due to the dense quilting, I'll need to keep that in mind for future quilts.  

Kaffe Fasset and Brandon Mably prints in the dark wood sections, Kona solids in the snowy lily sections.  Quilted with Aurifil threads.  

Keep Calm and Quilt On!

Mary

Crabbing

I had my bee mates in Sew 2 Speak put together these blocks for me.  I also had a group of local quilters make a few for me to make enough for the quilt top.  These are simple to make, actually simpler if you make them the way a Bento Box should be made.

My intention was a Bento Box quilt using the Michael Miller Going Coastal fabric line.  I didn't really know how Bento Boxes worked, and I had everyone make 4 sections instead of a big one that I cut into 4's.  Whatever!  It worked.  

With the borders!  This may be the quickest I have ever put together blocks from a Bee!  This will be for a friend of mine who is crabby sometimes, but loves to crab!  haha.  Just kidding about the crabby part, in case she reads this.  I have a few extra blocks and they will go on the back or maybe a pillow.

The final 4 Ring of Flying Geese for a Block Swap, I did such a great job getting these together.  Only 2 of them were too small and I had to re-do them both because they weren't for me and if they had been for me I would have left them alone because these are a lot of work.  There were actually 8 blocks in this swap, but these were the 4 I took a photo of together.  

A few of the March Bee Blocks I have completed this week.  It was a sprint to the finish, I procrastinated all month on getting my bee blocks complete.  

FLOS2 Out The Door

I first attempted this block last year, this photo was my first one and you can't tell from the photo, but it is full of holes and the back is a mess.  Paper piecing and I were not good friends.  But, for reasons that are still unknown to me, I fell in love with this block.  I had avoided paper piecing like dessert on the first day of a diet.  But for me, like diets, my will began to fade soon after I had attempted this block, and dessert was back on the menu ~ in the form of paper piecing ~ actual desserts were never off the menu.  

And, whoa, stretching my sewing skills here, I even made a smaller version of the Ring of Flying Geese.  These blocks were made for my secret partner in FLOS2 Swap.  My first idea was to use both of these in a table runner, one of the items she requested.  I changed my mind after playing with the blocks for awhile, and I just couldn't decide how to fit in the block of the smaller version, but I also wanted to use it somewhere, which I did HERE .    

The template for the Ring of Flying Geese block is HERE, to make the smaller block I reduced the size before printing.  Be careful when you print, there are 2 directions of geese, make sure you print out 4 in one direction for your block.  I ended up making a second regular size version of the block for the table runner.  The finished block was 12" and the finished length of the table runner is 38".    

I went with some improv piecing for the center of the table runner.  With the precise paper piecing on each end, I thought the middle would be jazzed up with one) a little color and two) something not so formal.  The center colors were originally one piece, I halved it, added a strip of background color, and flipped one side of color strip when sewing back together.  

After putting together the two blocks with the center, the table runner just needed ends to finish it off.  I pieced the triangles to match the flying geese.  The background color is Kona Ash.

A little bit of punch in the center.  I kept the most of the quilting simple and understated.  Just outlining the geese in the ring and the squares, except for this bit in the orange.  I think my partner can add quilting if she would like more.  

This is the whole package that went out to my secret partner.  A zip pouch I made using the smaller ring of flying geese block, a fabric basket, the table runner, and a few sewing goodies.  I hope she loves them!  I loved being in this swap!

The back of the table runner, which is a Kaffe Fassett print, and you can see the cute zipper pull I added.  I'll need to make one of these fabric baskets for myself now that I know how, it was hard giving this one up!

Progress FLOS2

For my partner in the FLOS swap, I made a zip pouch using a small Ring of Flying Geese block.  I had made the block thinking I was going to use in the larger item I am making for her, but changed my mind and didn't want the block to go to waste.  

This is the back of the zip pouch.  

The next item I made for my partner is a fabric basket.  I used stiff fusible timtex (not sure how that is spelled) so the basket will stay upright.  I was able to iron on the front and back pieces, no quilting involved.  

The back of the fabric basket, or really she can say whichever way she prefers.  I really like how it stands up straight.  I had a hard time getting the side seams sewn, I might try something different if I make another basket.  

My two completed smaller items for my partner.  I hope she likes them!  

And the finishing touches are going on this piece for my partner.  I know it doesn't look like much here, but there is more!  I promise.  

Geese are flying

Per my usual, I have overcommitted February to the hilt.  On top of the Mouthy Stitches Pouch swap (which I finished, and on time!), I am in the FTLOS2 swap.  Now, I will admit that when the first round was going on I saw the photos on blogs and flickr - and I wanted in!  There were such exciting ideas happening in the group.  When round 2 opened up, I might not have been first in line, but I tried.  

My partner assignment shows these color choices, and I'm thinking of a table runner for her with the Kona Ash as a background.  The greens pop right out from the Ash.  

This block has become one of my favs.  It is getting easier to make, but takes no less time and no less amount of fabrics the more I make, which is irritating.  I am trying my hand at the smaller size, which, yay!  used scraps from the larger block.  More work to be done, and I'm not ready to post the progress on flickr yet, but if she comes across here, so be it!  I have another block to make and I have an idea for improv piecing to round out the perfect paper piecing.  

These geese are for ANOTHER project.  I loves the black background, and I made a reverse flying goose trying to see if I can make a flow.  It isn't working yet.

And just to prove I never say no to anything - I'm also in the Ring of Flying Geese swap, for which I have to make 8 blocks.  I have 2 made so far, but not photos.  So, actually there are more geese flying around my room that what I show here!