Week 1: June 1-5

 Picking Patterns and Fabric

This week I was looking at fabrics, patterns, and quilting stitches. I was able to go a local fabric store and pick up some fat quarters, as well as go through some of the fabrics I already have.

My first project is going to be a chevron table runner. I have a blue ombre fabric that I am going to pair with a similar batik. The batik will be used as accent squares between the ombre strips. I will back this project with a white woven. This project should be finished by the end of June.

For my second project I am going to do a lap quilt. it will be done in a style called a Disappearing Nine Patch. You sew nine squares together, cut the larger square into fourths, then rearrange all the squares and sew them together again. I found a lot of fun batiks in teals and blues, and will try to find a coordinating flannel to back it with. I'm hoping I this project will be finished before the fair, so it should be done by mid-August.

I am learning how to quilt, so I am not familiar with a lot of quilting styles, but I have a few ideas. For the table runner I want to try "stitch in the ditch," which is going over or right next to the seams made from piecing the fabric earlier, then add some hand embroidery along the edges. On the lap quilt, I have two options I think would look cool on it: echo stitching and circles. Echo stitching is done by stitching a quarter inch in from the seams, so I would have a series of squares and rectangles on the quilt. Doing circles, as the name implies, is just stitching circles in varying sizes all over the quilt. The deciding factor of which design I will do is time.

Both of these projects are simpler then they sound and look, but should be challenging enough for me to try and enjoy.

Have a great day and don't forget to check in next week.