Indigo Bag– A Monkey Wrench Surrounded By Geese. Project Quilting Challenge 6, Season 7

This week’s challenge was to make something that would include the block Monkey Wrench and a Flying Geese Block. I was unsure of what a Monkey Wrench block was. As I looked it up on google, I realized it was one of my favorite blocks which also goes under the name Churn Dash. I first made this block several years ago as I took one of first quilting classes and we were doing a sampler quilt. I’m not sure why, but something about this block, the traditional look, the shape, the simplicity, who knows, but it just appeals to me.  This block goes by many names and was thought to have originated between 1800- 1840. other names include Broken Plate, Double Monkey Wrench, Double T,  Hole in the Barn Door, Indian Hammer, Joan's Doll Quilt,  Love Knot, Old Mill Design,  Picture Frame, Puss in the Corner, Quail's Nest, Sherman's March and Wrench.
    I decided to do a tote as my challenge. I started off making a simple bag, but the project grew and grew in size and in detail.    I ended up with a 17 inch by 17 inch tote, with bindings on the outside seams and a fabric padded , shaped handle with lots of detailed quilting. I'm not sure what goes on with me and these challenges. The ideas start flowing and can't stop. As I drive to and from work, as I'm doing anything that allows me free time to think, I just keep thinking of new ideas that I can add to my weekly challenge. I usually stay up late the night before my challenge is due, one night until 5AM)  trying to complete my challenge due to my constant flowing of ideas!

My fabrics, Low Country Indigo by Windham Fabrics.
The fabric in the pictures looks black, but it is actually a deep dark Indigo blue.  After living in Japan for 2 years, I fell in love with Indigo dyed fabrics as they were everywhere  and oh so beautiful!

  My Monkey wrench block(Churn Dash)
Adding geese to edges
Front block of bag done                                  Sandwiched and machine quilted using various designs
Quilted back of bag, sandwiched and completed


Pieces for front, back, 2 sides and bottom quilted and ready to assemble


As I began to put my tote together  I decided it needed something. (Ha, more ideas!) I thought adding a little red fabric would give it a POP   


Bag beginning to be sewn together. I decided to sew it from outside, ( Sewn with wrong sides together) and to put outside bindings on seams for a clean finish. No exposed frayed seams at all in this bag.When that goes together it is gives the bag a stiffer more completed appearance on the outside. And the bag can stand up!!


Done!!!!! Front of tote Remember it is dark, dark blue, not black

Back of bag
Side of the bag.


    Inside of bag.
3 pockets on both sides to hold lots of goodies!



Hope you enjoyed my pics! Thanks again Kim at Project Quilting for all your hard work putting this challenge together!! Till next time! Irene xo

Ode to My Quilting Mother

    I guess you can say my quilting adventures began on April 25, 2011. That is the day my Mom died. 
    My Mother was an avid quilter. She sewed ever since I can remember, making matching dresses for my 2 sisters and me, Halloween costumes galore and curtains to fill the windows of all the homes we occupied, as we moved every few years since my Dad was in the military. Her quilting passion began after my siblings and I had left home. She joined her church sewing guild, a separate local quilting guild, and went to every class on quilting available to her in the area. As her love for quilting progressed, she assembled a abundant supply of quilting tools and the exciting sewing machines that went with it. I remember when my dad gave her favorite most treasured possession, a Bernina 1630 Inspiration Update 96. With this machine, she continued to quilt for fundraisers at the church, for new babies, and a special quilt for each grandchild as they graduated from High School. Each and every project so was so special, thought out as to color and design to match the personality of the recipient.
   After my Mom died, my Dad pulled me aside one day. “Your Mom’s sewing machine meant so much to her, would you be interested in it?”  I was taken aback. How could I ever use her prized possession? I would fail, my sewing ability could not honor this machine of my mother’s. These and other crazy thoughts flew through my head. I had sewn a little since I was married:  a few simple costumes and lots of curtains (we also moved in the military). The whole idea of quilting scared me. All those small pieces, all the colors, and all the complicated designs seemed so daunting to me as a basic sewer. 

   My Dad took me to my Mom’s quilt room to help me pack up her machine. Beside it was a pile of fabric readied to begin a quilt for my niece in honor of her high school graduation the following June, but with only one trial block done. Later that week I kept thinking of that fabric just lying there. I went back later, I took that material. I searched for the closest quilt shop and entered a new world.  I scheduled a time for the owner to sit with me and teach me some basics. In a day, Kathy taught me rotary cutting and how blocks go together. I picked a simple pattern, a split rail fence, that she assured me I could complete. We would put my Mom’s trial block in the center. I spent many days at that shop. I completed that quilt. My niece was brought to tears as she received this gift from my Mom and me.
   Now I am hooked. Almost 5 years later I have completed over 12 full sized quilts and other smaller projects. Just like Mom, I take every class that is available . I visit any quilt shop I see, and attend every quilt show nearby. I even have gotten my neighbor to start quilting. We now get together most Friday nights to sew. Recently my friend Pam expressed an interest in quilting. I showed her a few things and less than 4 months later she has whipped out 2 bed sized quilts that were absolutely amazing!!! It is so much fun to have friends to quilt with!
    I can’t help but think of my Mom as I get her trusty Bernina sewing. Thank you for such a great gift Mom!
 

My first quilt. I even got to long arm it on an old free motion machine at the local quilt shop!


A recent quilt of mine.  Design MSQC- Disappearing hourglass.


This is one of my Mom’s quilts as a gift to me on my 50th birthday. A triple Irish Chain. Can’t ever imagine working with those postage stamp sized pieces!

Through The Eyes of A Child-Project Quilting Season 7

This will be a quick blog as I am less than 30 minutes from the deadline for Project Quilting!!! ( I was able to add my process below today 3-7-2016)

I loved this week's challenge, "Through the Eyes of a Child"…. But my ideas wouldn’t stop and my details ended up taking me a VERY long time! But ta-da….I”m done!!!
When I think of a child’s world, I can only imagine what they are visualizing is what they portray as they color and draw. These are those great pictures they are so proud of when they bring them home from school. I remember rainbows, bright colors, always a sun and animals such as birds, our dog, our cat and butterflies. I would place these treasured pictures on my refrigerator for all to see! In my portrayal of a child's drawing, I added as much as I could with my time constraint with LOTS of COLOR!  Get your sunglasses!!!And here it is.

It is 47 inches x38 and a nice baby blanket size! Hope it won't keep the baby up with all those colors! Ha

Some close ups
My wonky smoking house
The MUST rainbow and dog chasing a cat up a tree
And here is MR Sun, a butterfly and of course a colorful flower

My Process:

So like many quilters, I have alot of stash. I was determined to try to use my stash for this project, and was fairly successful. I confess I did have to buy a fat quarter of the green zizzag as I didn't have enough...

Lots of colorful pieces, many left from my Thread Challenge!

I began with my house, was attempting a whimsy feel, so added a wonky house. To tell the truth, I wasn't so happy with my house and almost scrapped it several times, but ended up adding the bird a scalloped front and smoke which helped sorta get closer to that feel. If I could do it again, I'd stick with a plain house and make it whimsy with colors and cute details.

I choose a simple snowball block for the trees. I designed some applique animals, bird, cat, scottie dog after searching the internet for ideas,

I had to add a rainbow, seriously this was not as easy as I thought! I tried several ways, but ended up using a round rotary cutter, doing increasing sized circles and pasting together and appliqueing.

The sun was made through variation of a Dresdan block.

I added all these details and included some others, a butterfly and colorful appliqued flower. I wanted to add a few other details, additional flowers, another bird in my second tree. But I ran out of time!

After doing my center "drawing", I added borders and completed my sandwich with batting and a nice flannel back. Then quilted and quilted..... 

And here is my trusty Bernina which allows me to do some machine quilting… I got her for a birthday gift in December. I'm still learning!

Thanks to Kim Lapacek at Project Quilting for her challenges!! I'm learning so much by trying new techniques.
 Till next time! Irene xoxo