Liberated Mizz Jane A-2

First, I want to say I don't understand why my camera doesn't take photos of the actual colors.  In this photo, the two light inner triangles are butter yellow, not some almost white/off white.  The purple and blue are about true, though.  And, would you believe it took me 9 tries to get a photo this close?!?

So, here's my Liberated Mizz Jane A-2.  This is my second try at this block in a liberated fashion. 

Here's my first, tho very cool, was too wonky and looks more like a blue sun.  It will end up somewhere else.  Oh, and yes, it's the same fabrices, same colors as the block above.  See what I mean about the camera?  Both were taken with a flash, both on a white floor.  What gives?

And here's the original Dear Jane block. 

While we're on the subject, I'd just like to say a few words about the Liberated style.  There's no right or wrong.  Liberated can be as simple as just flying through something, not bothering to match seams.  It is not a pattern.  It's something personal.  Whatever liberates you, whatever makes it freeing and fun, that's what you should do.  Don't let anyone tell you that something "isn't liberated" because it's not done a certain way.  Bull Hockey! 

True, people may not like what you make, but you know what?  That can be liberating, too!!! 

Some things I've discovered about sewing in a liberated style for my own ease.  If you want, you may try these.  When I'm trying to liberated a specific pattern, such as the Dear Jane blocks, I don't want to change every piece.  I should pick the focus and change that.  Then change the outer parts.  That's what I did in my chosen block above.  In the photos above, I changed everything in the discarded block and it was just too much.  It's better to simplify.  But, and I stress this, when you sew, remember that it's YOUR Liberated block.  If you want to change every piece, you just go right ahead! 

Thought they may mean well, say BOO! to the quilt police (that's the motto of our LibQuilters group) when they approach. 

Till next time

-Wendy

Strings

Bonnie Hunter has a good rule:  clean the scrap bin after every quilt.  I'm adding one more: make a string quilt each time you clean the scrap bin.  It's a rule I'm looking forward to!

I've never made a string quilt before.  I (mistakenly) assumed they were like strip quilts, but smaller strips.  WRONG!  It was sooo fun!  I just zipped right through it and TaaaDaaah!  A lovely appeared!

This is my Liberated String Kaleidoscope Quilt.  I call it Liberated because, as you can see, the points don't match.  In fact, I didn't even try to match them.  It's very ... Liberating!  You should try it sometime!  You may just like it.  This one is made from all my uglies, my "OMG, What was I thinking?" and my "How many yards did I buy?!?"  I actually have enough of all these fabrics to make at least 5 more just like this one.  Now, I'll set it aside while I think about a pieced border.  I love this pattern, too.

Up next, the Ocean Waves quilt for the Liberated Amish 2010 Get Together.  I've also been asked to do a tutorial on how I panel quilt, so that's in the planning stages.

As for Moene Rising, I think Moene needs to overthink his love relationship with Ket, ending the book with leaving her just as she realizes she really does love him.  Those of you who have read the first book probably will understand this better than everyone else, but Moene is dangerous for Ket.  He's an untrained psychic and she's a strong empath who can get caught inside his mind.  What do you think?  It's a good setup for book #4.  

Congrats to The Saints!

Keep writing.  Keep reading.  Keep quilting.

-Wendy

Mystery Top Center Finished

Finished the center piece of the Carolina Christmas Mystery yesterday.  Originally, I'd had only two columns of the blue stars, but I think this quilt looks best when wider.  First thing I had to do was throw it on the bed and lay on it.  Is that silly or what?  I'm not necessarily that way with my others, but I love this one soooo much!  I think the back is way cool too, LOL, all those seams!  Elwood also shares my sentiments about laying on it.  It was absolutely YUMMY!  Like lying on a soft field of flowers.

I also started a Kaleidoscope quilt from my left-over strings and uglies.  Though I spent most of the time making panels and cutting them into triangles, I did put together one block to show you.  Um, the pretty corner pieces weren't some of the uglies, but I thought it finished the block nicely.

And here are the boys sunning while I'm working on the novel and some poetry.  Jake is the one on the bicycle seat and Elwood is staring out the window.

We're expecting some fall-out from that big storm that hit DC yesterday.  Good thing there's plenty of hockey on TV and lots of hand sewing for me to do so I can stay awake during the game!

Till next time!

-Wendy

Sunrise on a Friday

Good Morning!

-Wendy

Scrap Bins

Doesn't it always seem like you never reach the bottom of the scrap bin?  I mean, I spent all afternoon yesterday trimming, measuring and sorting scraps and my bin is STILL at least half full!!!  A friend told me they reproduce like bunnies.  Like bunnies, indeed!

While scrap-binning (another word that just became a word-because I said so), I kept staring at my bin of little shaved pieces from the edges of squares, etc.  I had read in one of my yahoo groups that someone used them for stuffing toys.  Unrelated, on another blog somewhere, I read about a person making pet quilts (Was that you SuBee?).  LOL, I'm so bad about remembering where I see something.  Really, I try to give credit where it's due, but I read soooo much from so many different places during the day.  It's impossible to keep track!

Anyway, back to the story.  Somewhere in the back of my mind an idea came together (I'm sure I read it somewhere too, LOL).  Shavings stuffing + pet quilt = what my DH calls the Cat Nap. 

Jake isn't happy at being disturbed.  But there's no hair collecting on the back of my couch now.  I don't know if you can see it, but the little quiltlet is like soft logs put together.  Both Jake and Elwood love it.

Now, I'm sure I did this the hard way.  I sewed a strip, stuffed some shavings underneath, sewed another strip and stuffed more shavings.  Sew, stuff, sew, stuff.  LOL, there's shavings all over my floor now!  And it felt much like (what I'd imagine) trying to stuff a cigarette while smoking it.  In retrospect, I think I'd make the strip quilt top first, then layer the backing and top together, sew down the seams, add the stuffing with the blunt end of a knitting needle and put on the binding.  Yes, that sounds much easier. 

Anyway, a huge thankx to everyone who I read parts (or all, even) of this idea from!!!  If you make these kinds of things or what I said rings a bell, please post in the comments so others can go see it in your blog, too!

-Wendy

Finished!

It's finally done!  Binding, shams, everything.  WoooHooo!  (cue Theme from Rocky music)

-Wendy

Short and not so sweet

Butterfly

Love,
when did your tender
regard harden into this
chrysallis
from which only you
will emerge perfect?


What do you think?  Longer or is it good?  Frankly, I like it short and punchy.  This was inspired by the movie: Hope Floats.

-Wendy