Monday, March 23, 2020

Sun-seeking quilting

It's been grey outside for most of the last week and I'm looking for sunshine.  My scrap bins teamed up with a ruler and a book that have been patiently waiting on my shelf for several months to bring some into the sewing room.

Sunflower block from Soak Up the Sun from "Mini Wonderful Curves" by Sew Kind of Wonderful

I bought the QCR Mini ruler by Sew Kind of Wonderful in the fall, planning to use it to make their Posh Santa for Christmas.  Umm, well, Christmas comes around every year, right?  It might still happen.

I also bought the Mini Wonderful Curves book on impulse.  I don't usually buy on impulse, but this one has several projects I think I'd like to make, time permitting.  I'm starting with the cheerful sunflowers in the Soak Up the Sun quilt.  I didn't really want to make 9 sunflowers, as I have other projects also clamoring for attention, but just three for a runner sounded about right for a short diversion.


Cutting and trimming take the most time with these blocks.  You start with squares and rectangles, and cut curved pieces from those, then after sewing you trim again.  It sounds like a chore, but I really like that it makes the curved piecing very forgiving.  There isn't any pinning, or matching ends of curves.

I should have done a bit of math before I got started. Now that I have all the curved units made and have started laying them out into sunflowers on the design wall, I realize this runner is going to be too long for my table, as well as much wider than I like for a table runner.  I have a few options.  I can add a little extra length and turn it into a bed runner, but I'm not sure that will coordinate well with the other things in my bedroom.  Option two is to create a new layout that makes a quilt using only 3 blocks.  Option three would be to make extra blocks and make the quilt as described in the book but again, I'm not sure I want to devote that much effort to this little distraction.

What to do?  Play around in EQ and see what I can come up with, of course!


I think I like this.  This quilt would end up being about 54" x 70", a decent size for a couch throw. The triangles would be 2" tall prairie points to dress things up a bit.  I have plenty of green scraps for a scrappy green binding.  The grey/neutral background squares and borders would be the only sticking point. If I have enough in my scrap stash, I'll go ahead with this plan.  Other wise, I may retrench to a bed runner.

However, for right now I need to step away and do a bit of planning for my turn as a guest designer with the Just Wanna Quilt Inventory Quilt project in April.  I'll write more about that soon.


8 comments:

  1. What an interesting design. I like the leaves on it, too.

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  2. That idea is great! I love how the leaves curl out. Several years ago, I made a patriotic quilt using my Drunkard's Path ruler, and I loved how it turned out; still do! I'll be watching to see what you decide. ---"Love"

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  3. That is a very fun block, and I like the quilt you came up with in EQ.
    Forgot to tell you the other day that it was fun to see your "Leftovers" table runner pattern on the MSQC ad in my email.

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  4. I love how your project! I hope you have enough neutrals to finish it.

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  5. I can get lost playing in EQ8. I like the layout you came up with! And yes to the green binding!

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  6. What a great block! I have the QC mini ruler, but not the pattern book. I should spend some more time just sketching a few pretty shapes that could be made with the ruler. I agree that the curved sewing is quite easy using it :)

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  7. I REALLY like that quilt pattern!
    Looking forward to seeing where you go with it!

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  8. I love the effects/blocks with the Sew Wonderful rulers - that's a great block and I like the design you have come up with. I wonder if you found enough scraps to make it or if you're onto Plan B or C?! Happy sewing!

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