Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Squirrel! Strikes Again

Yep.  Squirrel!  On Thanksgiving Monday afternoon and evening, this happened:

Eeep! I love it!  I've had this fabric for quite some time; folded up all together waiting for the right pattern.  I'd bought the focus leaf fabric and the orange and matching medium green leaf prints at the same time.  They're all the same line of Cranston VIP prints from Fabricland.  I added in the Classic Cottons yellow, a Moda Marbles deep purple, a Timeless Treasures black paisley, the Buggy Barn deep olive green, and the brown, a Purrfect Christmas by Benartex (had to research it as all I had on the selvage was "Purrfect Christmas").  All of those except for the olive green are scraps from other projects.

Sidenote:In Amanda Jean's Sunday Morning Quilts book, she and coauthor Cheryl suggest always trimming the selvages off first so you get nice long pieces for use in selvage projects, but I'm a geek in that I love to know the manufacturer, line and designer, so I always leave them on.  When I buy fat quarters, I always try to get the side with the selvage information on!  I've been that way since pretty much the beginning of my quilting life.  Anywho.

So when I saw Cynthia's quilt, "Quick Half Hexie Baby Quilt", even though I hadn't set eyes on this bundle of fabric for a while, I just knew her pattern was the one for this fabric!  I used her measurements, drafted up my half hexie as I don't have any of the Jaybird rulers and went to town.  I might have overcut by half a dozen the half hexies, but oh well.  I was so excited to sew this up!  It went together in a snap, and when I looked back at Cynthia's quilt Tuesday morning, I realized in my enthusiasm, I kind of missed the point of her quilt:  separating a whole hexie with the strips of focal fabric.  I emailed Cynthia, asking if she thought I should do some ripping and rearranging or go with it as it is, and you know?  Before I read her reply, I decided it's okay.  It's, um, improv, really.  I didn't pay attention to keeping the colours in the same order, nor did I pay attention to symmetry.  It sings to me of the colours I see around me at this lovely slowly changing time of year.
Me amongst the bananas this morning
I'd hoped to insert a glorious Fall photo here, but not too much is changing yet; the black walnuts behind us, of course, are the first, and lost all their leaves a couple of weeks ago.  I wish I knew all the trees by us, as one is almost all gold, another is pure deep green, another is fading green, Jude's Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus for your benefit, Mum!) is half deep green and half deep red.

Last year I gathered several leaves, pressed them, and then I pulled batiks that reflected their vibrant colours in preparation for making a quilt to reflect Fall's glory.
The leaves have faded over a year...I'll have to gather some fresh ones over the next few weeks!

...and then we went to Florida.  This is where the quilt sits nearly a year later.  Yet I knew I had the other Fall fabrics for the half hexie quilt stowed away.  So the squirrel scurried downstairs, and within minutes had located the stowed fabric, pulled it out and got to work!

I just knew another stash of fabrics would work into a smaller version of this quilt for a wheelchair quilt.  So yesterday I made this!  I paid full attention to symmetry and colour order in this one.
All these except for the pale pink feathers fabric are from the guild's charity fabrics I brought home for quilts.  I've already cut these into kits for more wheelchair quilts, to be picked up at next week's guild meeting.  It's neat to see the same fabrics in different patterns!  Should have another, maybe two to show you this week.

Linking up with Freshly Pieced and Sew Fresh Quilts.  Lots of squirrels, er, inspiration over there!  These two will be on my Q4 FAL list, which I will have for tomorrow, as that is the deadline!

13 comments:

  1. Oh, I love this one! I had the same thought when I saw Cynthia's post about this pattern. I'm so impressed that you could pull out the fabric and make it right away! Are you heading back to Florida soon?

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  2. I actually really like the movement that the "improv" version has, and as soon as I saw it I knew you got a case of the squirrels pretty quickly; she just posted that quick tutorial! And you have a second top pieces as another wheelchair quilt! Awesome! :) I appreciate the photo of you standing by the banana tree - they are very large indeed.

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  3. Yes this is the project I was thinking of making and look you've made two versions already. I think both look great but I like the wheelchair version the best. I think that's just because I am more drawn to those colours. I'm looking at a flaming orange maple in my backyard right now...our walnuts are looking terrible due to a virus that was around last year.

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  4. Wow...you're quick. I've decided I want to use this pattern as well, but I haven't thought any farther than that. They look great! Improv is just as nice.

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  5. I'm really looking forward to your fall leaves quilt. But can understand why you squirreled out with the half hexie pattern. I really like both of your versions, but I'm glad you pointed out the pattern of the hexies. I might have missed that. Not that it would have mattered, obviously. I have that pattern saved for some rainbow prints, but I still need to get the focus fabric for the in-between strips.

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  6. Great quilts. I love the autumn colours you've used

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  7. Look at you go girl!! Now I wannta do this one too, LOL I always want to do what I can't at the moment! At least I got a dozen snowmen all dressed up this morning, I was up early.

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  8. LOVE the banana plants and so glad my dear brother in law finally came to his senses and will save them LOL!
    Beautiful work you've been doing! Your quilts are gorgeous!

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  9. Both quilts look great! It will be fun to see how you quilt them. Great picture of you out in the banana grove :)

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  10. I love the look of the improv top best. I wish I could whip things up as fast as you do.

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  11. I want to make a quilt like that, and I'm impressed you already made two. I would definitely keep it the way it is. Your banana trees are amazing!

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  12. What a great pattern to work up a quick quilt. I do like both of your versions. And what a huge plant you're standing in front of!

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