Adventures in foundation piecing

An addition to my quilting library last year was this book by Juliet van der Heijden (tartankiwi patterns).  The animal patterns were all very enticing, but I finally settled on "Howl" -- the wolf pattern, as it would be ideal for a quilt for an upcoming baby.

The patterns are quite large -- the wolf is one of the smaller ones with a 20" block.  The patterns are easily printed on 8 1/2" x 11" paper using the CD that is included in the back of the book.

I decided I wanted my wolf reversed from the way the pattern is designed, so I printed off my pattern using the mirror image command.

Then I made a cup of coffee, put on some music (Jonathan Antoine), and settled down to prepare my foundations.

First I cut out the sections and assembled them in roughly the correct configuration, using the "maps" in the book.  Fabric choices are not indicated on the foundations.  I studied the colour diagram and used coloured pencils to block in the fabrics where I wanted them.  For fairly large pieces like these I prefer to use freezer paper for my foundations, so once everything was labelled, I set up my light table and traced each piece and all my notes onto freezer paper.  This wasn't a quick process -- I think I listened all the way through my music several times.

Printed foundations with notes about fabric placement. 

Each foundation was traced onto freezer paper. 

The sewing step was fun.  There is that eagerness to finish just one more section so you can watch the picture come to life.

All the sections are completed and it is time to sew the block together!

I framed the block and extended the "night sky" fabric to the edge of the quilt.  I chose the column of Plus Sign blocks to balance the quilt and give it a bit of a modern look. 

The new parents were very pleased with the quilt, although they have decided that it depicts a coyote, not a wolf!

Some finished quilts

As a new season of quilting starts up it is time to clear the decks a bit.  Several small projects that were made as class samples have been quilted and bound over the summer and are on their way to the regional hospital for use in the preemie ward.

Starting with a square and adding frames is a process with lots of possibilities.  This little quilt used strips made of random sized scraps for the frames.  Using one fabric for all the light areas adds a bit of unity.

Making framed squares and then cutting them into quarter blocks leads to the popular Bento Box pattern.  Perhaps the pattern gets lost a bit with all those fabrics, but it is definitely cheery.

After all the scrappy fabrics in the previous two quilts it was time to make a top using only three fabrics.  The blue was the middle band in each block and that gave the opportunity to create a path through the yellow and butterscotch squares.

The bin of flannel scraps never seems to end.  It took only a few strips to piece a backing.

More baby quilts

The sewing group has an on-going project of making quilts for the regional hospital.  I find it simple to make class samples in the size needed for preemies. I love how this lets me have projects to show the group, uses some stash, adds to the stack for the babies.  Winning all around!

Lots of 8-pointed stars have been made lately.  Extra donated blocks make a cheerful quilt.

Can't play with diamond stars without making one of these!  Might have used the last bit of that blue Hawaiian fabric, too.

Hunter's Star is another beloved variation of stars made with diamonds.  

Little Memory Quilts -- blankets given to mothers who have lost an infant.  Donated fabrics. 

In the Pink

Some of the scraps in my sewing room are sorted by colour.  This is what the Pink and Purple drawer looks like:

Drawer of odd pieces of pink and purple that don't have homes anywhere else.

This is a collection of odd bits.  Anything larger than a FQ, or anything that has been cut into one of my favourite useful sizes is not in this drawer.  And this is how full the drawer is now, AFTER a couple of projects that were done specifically to use some of this!

I spent a happy afternoon picking out squares (and cutting out more squares from some of the bigger pieces) to make this pink and green quilt.

Lap-sized quilt will be used as a Prayer Quilt by my church group.

And I've just finished a quilt  top that will be a gift for a new baby girl. (Since the picture was taken quilting has been done.  Pink binding has been added and is being stitched down as we speak!)

Baby quilt from 2" squares and triangles.

I can't imagine how many more quilt tops could be lurking in just this one drawer of scraps.  Isn't it a wonderful thing that we have such riches of fabric resources that we never need to worry about running out!

Random Rails -- finished!

Nearly two years ago I made a quilt top that has been just sitting there, patiently waiting, ever since.  I blogged about it here.

Recently I needed a baby quilt.  I pulled out that Random Rails top and decided the colours were perfect, but the top wasn't quite big enough.  I added a couple of borders -- more random strips for the inner border and blue for the outer one.

A Bubbles pattern was perfect for the quilting and orange binding finished it off.

The result makes me very happy.  I liked the top, but I love the finished product!