1/10/13

A New Project

When I woke up this morning, there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.  It was all gone by mid-morning.  Whenever I look out to an unexpected snow fall, it always reminds me of the first time I awakened to such a sight when I was a little girl.  I was six years old and we were living in Groveton, Virginia.  My dad was stationed at the Pentagon.  My mom awakened me and took me to the window.  I can still recall how enchanting it was to get out of my warm bed and look outside at freshly fallen snow.  It still holds the same magic these many years later.

Here's one thing about it:  it makes for strange quilt fellows.  Gracie appreciates Smitty's hot little body when the weather turns cold, and she's willing to share a quilt with him.  No grrrrrring.


It was a good day for trying out a new recipe for my Dutch oven.  I'll tell you more about that tomorrow.  For now, I'll show you what I did in the sewing room today.  

I cut out my January NewFO.  It's a new quilt for my son Matthew who will be starting an internship with Intel this month.  He still has a little way to go on his engineering degree, but he's been hired on at Intel for a terrific opportunity as a paid intern.  He's very hopeful there will be a job for him when it's all over.  This quilt was originally planned to celebrate his graduation, but this internship is special enough that it deserves a quilt too.  I'm calling the quilt "Intel Underneath".

Today, I cut out all the pieces.  I'll still need to cut sashings and borders, but all the pieces for the blocks are cut out.  


This is the pattern I'm using.  The quilt will look something like this when I'm finished.


This is the Taking Turns block by Monica Soloria-Snow.  The blocks finish at 18 inches square, and I'll be putting a 2-inch black sashing between them.  Obviously, my fabrics are completely different.  Here's how the blocks will look when they're sewn together.


I'm going to arrange them 4 blocks by 4 blocks, and I want the four smaller green squares to meet in the middle.  Of course, I may change my mind once I have them laid out.  They're simple to sew together since they lend themselves well to chain piecing.  I'm hoping I'll have time to sew them together tomorrow, although I may be underestimating how much time it will take.

And this must be Matthew's lucky month because I'm probably going to start another quilt for him this month.  With his new little rental house, it seemed like a good time to make this wallhanging for him.  I bought the pattern ages ago, and I'm only just now getting around to making it.  Tonight, I was auditioning fabrics for it.


I'll use the polka dots in the border.  The solid colors will be for the guitars, and the batik in the lower right corner will be for the background (shown in blue on the pattern).  I still need a brown for the brown guitar shown in the lower left of the pattern picture.  I don't have anything that looks right, so I may need to pick up a fat quarter for that.

This next image is the fabric I purchased for the back.  I was going to use it in the border too, but I think it will be too busy.  The polka dots will be a better choice.  Looking at it, I realized I chose a section of the fabric that has no guitars.  There are also guitars and peace signs on it.  Very 60's rock 'n roll, baby.


Fabrics.com had a good sale last month, and so I was able to get a good deal on these fabrics.  I purchased a one yard cut of each of the ones you see below too.  The one in the center is white on white polka dots, which works well for snow.  The others are just for fun.


So that's my sewing for today.  I tried a great new recipe tonight for some short ribs braised in red wine.  Tomorrow I'll blog about them.  For now, I'll just say Yum!

14 comments:

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

I am hoping to get behind the sewing machine again after being sick and recovering since the first of the year. I sat in my sewing chair for a few minutes today and talked to Iris about how to finish her Quiltain for the back bedroom in her home: sleeve or loops and finished size. It's been a slow regroup this time around.

Lyndsey said...

Oh Smitty you are such a hard working kitty. Sorting the mice out yesterday and today being a hot water bottle for Gracie. What will you do next.

Barbara I agree wholeheartedly that a paid internship with Intel deserves an intel quilt and that circuit board fabric is so appropriate. A great choice of pattern. I also love the fabrics for that wall hanging. The backing fabric is just rocking.

Lynne said...

That guitar wall hanging looks like fun! Lucky fellow to be receiving two quilts!

JLVerde said...

Cool circuit board fabric.

That yellow spot fabric is great, too. I used that for the giant squid I made.

Snoodles said...

Super, Matthew! Paid internships are the bomb! My son is hoping for one in a law office local to his university.
Love the fabrics, Barbara. That is going to be a great quilt, and your plans for the wallhanging are so bright and cheerful. Rock on!

Lynette said...

How great for him to get that intern job!

Unknown said...

Love Love Love the curcuit board fabric! That is going to be an awesome quilt! And the guitars ROCK!

WoolenSails said...

Those are great patterns and love the guitars, fun idea.

Debbie

Dogwood Lane Rambles said...

The wall hanging will look fantastic at Matthew's new place and go so well with his interests. I admire your enthusiasm for new projects while I just keep plugging away at my old ones but I'm determined to finish before I start anything else!

Diane Wild said...

Both of these projects look great. I really like the musical/guitar project. Lucky Matthew.

LethargicLass said...

I really like the fabric on the right in the last photo... could see it being used for so many things!

Angel, Kirby and Max said...

That is a fun quilt you are making with the circuit board fabric. I like the bright wall hanging.

Teresa in Music City said...

Lucky Matthew! Two new quilts in one punch - way to go! I really like that guitar quilt - it's way cool baby :*D

Kate said...

Oooh, very cool guitar pattern. You've got great choices for the fabrics. Looking forward to seeing that one come together!