Tragelaphus Strepsiceros Quilt

No – my fingers were not on the wrong keys – I really am making a large wall hanging for The Loopy Ewe Fabric Safari Camp loosely based on a Tragelaphus Strepsiceros, otherwise known as a Greater Kudu which is an African antelope.

But that’s now how I started out.  I had a plan to use the fabrics I ordered for sort of landscape – I have some stripes with birds (those would be random strips in the sky) and similar striped looking fabric with animals and trees (random strips along the bottom) and I’d applique some African animal silouhettes – that was my general basic plan along with maybe printout out some actual photographs of African animals and framing them so they looked like vacation/safari photos.  Then my other plan I had been thinking of was something along the lines of African masks.  But I randomly started adding in strips in EQ7 to a custom layout quilt and when I got this far..

I decided that hey – that design made by the lighter colored print (not the stripe) looked like squiggly (highly technical term) 🙂 horns.  Isn’t there an African animal with squiggly horns — a little web surfing to the rescue and meet the Tragelaphus Strepsiceros with the squiggly horns.

Oh yeah — my plan emerged — sort of a squiggly horned animal mask — not made to specifically look like him (when you see my you will note among other things I didn’t add ears to mine) – but my final design was definitely “inspired” by this photo.  I love he white line across the face that makes them look like they had their sunglasses on in the sun too long an then took them off and had a tan line there!

So this is just the general look of what I will be making — the fabric images are not to scale — it’s going to be a large wall hanging about 72″ x 45″ when it’s done and yes – I need to get it made start to finish between June 1 and June 30. Yikes! But then I have been thinking I need to schedule a vacation day or two  soon.

Any way, since Tragelaphus Strepsiceros  is a mouthful, I think I’ll just call this design Safari Squiggles. 😉  There may still be a few tweaks before June 1 on the design (and I had to order just a little more fabric since I ordered before having a project designed) but I think it’s going to be fun to make.  The “traditional” block (you have to include at least one) I’m using is the Roman Stripe which makes up the border blocks and four of them used together make the medallions above and below the Squiggles’ heads.

Now that I’ve spent the entire morning playing in EQ – I need to get dressed and get to those cleaning chores!

More swap blocks

   Before lunch I finished off these blocks so I’ve sewn up all the life saver batik  pieces I had cut out and I think I’m done making swap blocks.

So my next plan of attack is to go pull them all off the design wall  and measure them all to see which ones go to the swap pile and which ones I keep for me. (well really my next plan of attack is to go make some cookies but after that or during that I’ll be sorting blocks). 😉

Beverley and Janet had commented on the prior blog post regarding the third quilt layout and possibly setting that “gold sashing” block both horizontal and vertical.  Hey I can’t show you all my fun projects!  LOL  I do have one layout where I did color it in with that section going in both directions for a different project (and yes it looks good) but it would not work with the swap blocks.   I forgot that I had recolored some of the corners of the blocks with a different project in mind in that third layout but in the swap blocks, those corners are actually black.

  That third layout has the blocks set on point (actually both the last two layouts are on point designs and there is a second block design used with the life saver blocks so there’s really no sashing). So with the blocks on point, if you tried to make it with the swap blocks (and put the black corner triangles back in the right spots like the swap blocks have)  it would actually look like this – with two separate diamonds and black triangles in the middle.

If you altered the alternate block to get the gold pieces vertically too, it would look like the next image.     Either one would have great open spaces for quilting.    A little more alternating of the alternate block and I get the last image — see this could go on forever (that’s why EQ is so addictive – just a little change here or there and a whole new idea) so I’d better get off the computer so I can get something else done. 🙂

  They all remind me of bracelets or strings of jewels.

Life Saver Block Swap update

I updated the LSBS page with the packages received as of last night (mail doesn’t arrive until later  in the day on Saturdays).  Five packages received so far. 

Remember,  if you haven’t already – mail that swap package today! 🙂

I was playing a bit more in EQ with the swap block design.  The first image is the original one I designed for these swap blocks and if you completed this swap, you will be receiving the information on how to complete this quilt design with your swap blocks.

But I haven’t decided if that’s how I’ll actually finish putting together my own swap blocks.  Here’s a couple more ideas I’ve been playing with that I also like.  Then again, there’s probably enough batik fabrics aroud here that I could probably make all three!

City Streets!

It’s design wall monday over at Judy’s blog – such great eye candy so check them all out.    CTS is still on the big design wall. I will get back to that one of these days. But I’ve been busy yesterday and will continue working on today – the Batik Lifesaver swap blocks. These are the ones I had done yesterday – I’ve got about 27 more in various stages and hope to get them all sewn this morning.

  I posted several different colorways of this quilt design, which will be the March quilt for the Stitchin with Justquiltin 2013 project.  The stitch along will be March 16-17, 2013.

I also asked for name suggestions and much thanks and congratulations go to Glenna for coming up with an absolutley perfect name for it — “Reminds me of a taxi in the city. I’d call it “City Streets” cause my eyes just keep moving when I look at it.”

If you take a look at this map of the Capitol Square area here in Madison, you will see why I think it’s so perfect.  (Okay, you need to tilt your head to the left when looking at the map to get the right alignment.  But that pieced block square in the very middle of the quilt  is like where the capitol building is.  It has main roads going out like a “plus” sign in each direction  and it also has roads traveling out on the diagonals.  The next block out (the large square formed by all the dark brown squares) — on the map you will see those roads too – for those who live in Madison, we  refer to it as the “outer square”.  

So I hope you’ll join me in March to make this project named by Glenna.  And as a thank you Glenna – please email me (justquiltin@peoplepc.com) with your full mailing address and I will send you some of my Justquiltin goodies — the mousepad and pen with the Stitchin with Justquiltin 2013 logos on them. 🙂  Sure to be a collectors item some day! ROFLOL

Thanks to all for playing “name that quilt.” 🙂

Stashbusting Report 1/13/13

Well it could be worse I suppose. My first stashbusting report had me at 5.5 yards busted. I wasn’t going to add in the fabric that I had ordered before the end of the year but arrived after the beginning of the year – but what the heck. So I added 5 yards into the stash (and there’s another box with Kona black fabric I needed for a block swap and perhaps another piece or two ordered with it coming in the mail this week). So for the 2nd week of 2013 — I’m back down to 1/2 yard busted. Guess that’s better than none! LOL
I have been sewing the last two days but just don’t have the project done yet. But next week I’ll be able to add in the yardage for this small Starshine.

  I need to sew the stars to each other and cut out the border sections and get those pieced but it was really quick to put together.  I should also be able to add in the yardage for the larger Starshine pattern for next weekend’s sew along – if I ever make a decision on what fabric to pull from the stash for it.

As I was looking for something in the sewing room, I opened a little storage drawer that I thought only had fabric scraps organized in it.  Nope — there was knitty stuff on top.

I did not get that red/gold shawl blocked yet — it’s just not a blocking sort of day to me today — too damp, and mostly I haven’t cleaned up the sewing room to give me floor space to work on.  I did however, move that shawl just a bit toward completion since now all the ends are finally buried.  I also pulled the Honey Cowl out of my knitting  basket and buried the ends on that — I don’t think that one needs blocking so it’s ready to wear now and marked DONE!  My second finish of UFK projects – hey it counts even if it as a quick and easy one to finish off.  VBG  And I also found this in that drawer.

   I had totally forgotten about this shawl.  It was made from leftover sock yarns from other projects.  It of course needs a whole bunch of ends woven in (yes I truly hate doing that part) and needs a good blocking.  It’s actually a since large size and very stretchy so it will be interesting to see how big it is once I block it.  So I’ll get the ends done this week some night and perhaps get both those shawls blocked next weekend.

Hmmm wonder how many other started knit projects I have stuct in places I’ve forgotten about….

January 19-20 – Stitchin with Justquiltin Starshine Project

I just updated the project page with new info for the first project for Stitchin with Justquiltin 2013 which  will be presented January 19 and 20.  I hope you can join me for a weekend of sewing!

Earlier this week I ordered some cool giveaway items (well I think they are cool anyway) which should be arriving by Friday incorporating the button design for Stitchin with Justquiltin 2013 and the button design for Strictly for the Birds in various items.   I’m hoping they turned out as neat as they looked on the computer screen, cause I’m so anxious to see them!!

Just remember, as mentioned in a prior post, although you don’t need a blog to join in the project, you do need a blog or to use one of the photo sharing services that allows you to post a link to your project photo so we can all see your version of the project in order to be eligible for random drawings for both this project and Strictly for the Birds.

I’m going to have to search the stash this weekend to see what fabrics I want to use – brights, batiks, orientals, homespuns, christmas….too many choices.

First Stitchin’ with Justquiltin’ 2013 Project Revealed

Well I’ve made up my mind which project I want to do for the first Stitchin With Justquiltin 2013 project. It will be Starshine. Below are a couple different colorings.  Lite background, dark background, brights, batiks, small prints, patriotic colors, more scrappy or just a two color quilt with a neutral background – they will all look good in this design.  I’d stay away from large prints and also one way designs if you don’t want them upside down.  And for those of you who have an aversion to Half Square Triangles, there are only 32 in the entire quilt so that’s not bad.

This project measures 60″ x 78″ and is definitely beginner friendly.   More info will be coming later this week as to exactly which weekend this one will be done and I may even have some yardage info in advance for you.

Whoooo Are You???

First – I just remembered it’s the first Stashbusting Reporting day on Judy’s blog. And yes!! I actually have something to report!  5.5 Yards busted for the Coloring Outside the Lines quilt top.  Now to get it layered so I can count backing too but that may have to wait until next weekend.  Need to clear off the table so there’s actually room to layer a quilt. 😉  And Yes — waving hand madly in the air — I was one of those people trying to entice her into buy fabric but I found the most perfect fabric for the backing of one of the bird quilts so my telling her about it was just a “public service announcement.” ROFLOL  She stayed strong tho, even when I told her I don’t think any fabric purchased and paid for in 2012, even tho it doesn’t arrive until 2013, does not have to be counted as an addition to the stash since it was paid for last year. 😉  

Whoooo Are You????

One of the bird designs I’ve had floating around in my brain was an Owl.  Remember the Owl from the Tootsie Pop commercials who tried to figure out how many licks to get to the chocolatey center? I suffered from his same weakness — loved the chocolate tootsie pops and never made it to the center without biting them to get there quicker.

Anyway – enough rambling – I woke up this morning with the Owl in my head and decided to see if I could get him drawn up.  I don’t know that he’s finished yet but here he is so far.  I think his name is Egbert – he’s shaped like an egg.

 I never did really get to the laundry yesterday (I did throw one load in around midnight but there’s more to do).  Instead I managed to get the first draft of a pattern for Hoffman Fabrics written — it too, uses one of my bird designs which goes great with the lovely cardinal prints that they do for the holidays (and next year’s holiday fabrics will be no exception).

Just need to double check all that pattern info before sending it off and once that job is done, I can concentrate on writing up one of the blog projects,  either a Strictly for the Birds design or Stitchin with Justquiltin project, so we can get started.

I did get several hours of knitting in late last night so there has been progress on the Greta vest.  It doesn’t look like much right now but it’s progressing.  In addition to the socks I’m also working on, I did a bit of knitting yesterday afternoon on the red linen stitch cowl in my UFK basket.   I love the way it looks like it’s woven rather than knit but it takes longer to make progress since the stitches are more compact.

I picked up fresh blueberries at the store yesterday so I think some blueberry muffins and scrambled eggs would be just about perfect for brunch and while they are baking, a bit of laundry and cleaning and then my plan is to spend the rest of the day sewing or knitting.

 

Which border fabric?

  My original EQ7 drawing had two borders added before the pieced border in basically the colors shown on the right of the quilt — hence the reason I bought those fabrics.  The green IN the quilt  drawing was more lime green and not the darker green I used. 

If you scroll down 4 or so blog posts you’ll see the EQ drawing of the whole quilt.

The fabrics on the right are all from the same fabric line used in the crayons but those specfic fabrics haven’t been used in the quilt.

As I was looking at all of these I decided the first border would actually be the background fabric.  So I cut the strips then hopped back on the computer to see how long they needed to be.  In the meantime I colored in the quilt image with the background fabric replacing the color I had in the first border strip.  It just didn’t look right.  It needs to be the black fabric to sort of rein in all those crayons — back to the cutting table.

So, the next border added will be black – which fabric would you use  for the next plain border, keeping in mind that there will be a pieced border added after that with colors from the center of the quilt.  I think I have already made my decision, but what color would you pick — the bright blue on the left, lime green, raspberry, toast, or blueberry?

Blocks Done

  My crayon blocks are done and just need to be sewn into their rows.  These have been so quick and fun to make.  The hardest part was my background fabric.  It is white with a slightly cream marbling on it.  I think I managed to get them all right side out and if not – heck you cannot tell.

I’ve  been having a “Christmas Carol” marathon while I’ve been sewing yesterday and today.  It’s one of my favorite holiday movies and I have probably 4 or 5 different versions of it.  But now I think it’s time to switch to something else — another all time Christmas classic — Santa Claus Conquers the Martians — LOL