2/7/14

Intel Underneath my Needle

Today was the day I finally got to work sewing together the blocks for the Intel Underneath quilt. I've done no sewing for the past two days, preferring instead to spend the day lying on my heating pad getting a muscle spasm in my shoulder to settle down. It still feels a little threatening, and so I took lots of breaks today. Doesn't my should know I have goals? Deadlines to meet? How can I get all my quilting and sewing done with that going on? A little cooperation please.

So first I laid the blocks out on my design floor. I have a design wall, but it is always taken up with other projects. Go figure.


If you're curious about this block it is 18.5 inches square unfinished. It is the Taking Turns block by Monica Soloria-Snow. You can find her blog post about it right here. I obtained the block as a part of a block bee I participated in last year. Anyway, once I had the blocks laid out, I ironed them, and then went to start sewing them together; only, uh oh. I seem to have lost my chair.


I traded him the cat bed for the chair. A little bribe of catnip did the trick. And then, I spent the afternoon sewing the blocks together. I really like the way this is turning out so far.


So from there I haven't really done any planning, but today, after spending some time looking at it, I decided to put another black border around the whole thing, and then use this computer keyboard fabric


to make another 7-inch border all the way around the outside. That will bring the quilt to queen blanket size at 90 x 90 inches. I had a grand design for the back worked out, but I'm not going to have enough fabric to do what I intended originally. I'm just going to use a solid black and use some of the fabrics from the front to piece together a center panel, and that will be it. For quilting, I'm going to do a design similar to a design I found on Urban Threads called Bauhaus. You can click on that link to see it. 

So that's all the sewing I did today. In January the Love Me, Love My Cat quilt was one of the four viewers' choice winners at the Redwork Challenge that was a part of the 2014 Road to California quilt show. I won a $50 gift certificate from Bird Brain Designs, and I wasted no time going shopping. I chose this pattern called Snowmen & Reindeer. This is the picture from the pattern cover.


It also has a cute button embellishment kit that I purchased along with the pattern. I think when I get around to making this (assuming I live long enough), I would substitute pinwheels for those cornerstones to look like snowflakes.


Also this Friendship's Garden pattern. It can be done in colors or as redwork (or anything else you might want). I'm kind of partial to the multi-colored embroidery and I have some cute fabrics in my stash to use for the sashings.


So our weather has warmed up to a balmy (cough) 23°F with a windchill at 17°F. It's terrible weather for cats if you're Smitty. There's nothing to do but get into trouble inside. He sits next to the window watching it.


Gracie, on the other hand, thinks it's perfect weather for napping, which she does with great gusto.


The fireplace has been on almost nonstop, and that's all she cares about no matter what the weather.

21 comments:

Lynette said...

That is coming along nicely! (Intel) I have felt rather lousy all day, and I'm pretty sure it's just the recent INSANE dip to -18 and -20 the last two days, followed by today's very welcome return to a solid 39 for a high! What a weird winter it's been so far. :)

Vroomans' Quilts said...

You did well today - love that keyboard fabric. And the quilting motif is perfect with this quilt. We had sunshine but still bitterly cold, so my furries did window watching today,too. It must have been hard work as they went to bed early.

CathyC said...

WOW lots of gorgeous pics - love the keyboard fabric - although I did notice it has no 'W' ;) I wonder if it is a copyright issue, or it is just a misprint ........... it could make that fabric a collector's piece LOL

WoolenSails said...

I would be in trouble if I tried piecing that type of blocks, lol. You did a beautiful job with the blocks. Great buys with your winnings, those will be fun to make.

Debbie

Kate said...

I like the direction you are going on the borders. Looking forward to seeing it all pieced together.

Very pretty kits. Those should be really fun to work on.

Tami C said...

I like the keyboard fabric you're going to use in the Intel quilt. I was really impressed with the quilting motif you have decided on. The Snowmen & Reindeer stitchery you got from Bird Brain Designs looks really cute!

ipatchandquilt said...

The yellow quilt looks a bit like it is inspired by japanese doors and tatami mats. Very original!
Esther
esthersipatchandquilt at yahoo com
ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com

Michele said...

Yeah for you for making progress. It is a tough life the furries live in your house. LOL

Marjorie's Busy Corner said...

Barb I really love this quilt pattern. And you kept the black strips lined up so nicely too. The keyboard fabric is wonderful for this quilt!!
I checked out the quilting pattern you will use and love it, but was wondering....do you mark it on first? I wouldn't remember which direction I was going..lol

Dana Gaffney said...

That border is perfect for the quilt and I like the quilting design for it, just be careful, queen size = more shoulder pain.

Carol Swift said...

Very nice design and fabric...love it!

Anonymous said...

No W eh? Craftycc you made me go back and look. I love the bold design of Intel and the quilting pattern.

I too like the multicolored Country Garden better. More of a country feel, I think.

carla said...

Hi!!! I really love your taking turns quilt!!! Very unique and the keyboard fabric will look great on it!!!! Thank You

Denise :) said...

Intel is fun -- I love the keyboard print you're planning on using with it!! The Friendship's Garden pattern is one I've been eyeing for a long time. It's so sweet! But the Snowmen and Reindeer one is too--though when I saw the darling little embellishments, all I could think was, "what fun treasures for Smitty to play with if he ever finds them!" :)

Teresa in Music City said...

Your lines on this quilt look so perfectly straight! I would have to work so hard to make sure they didn't get wonky on me :) I love the quilting design you chose - it's perfect for that quilt. Poor Smitty! I often wonder what animals think during times like this :)

Pieces to Love said...

I love the black, green/yellow and grey quilt blocks. Easy on the eyes, yet playful

Snoodles said...

What a fun and geeky quilt...and yes, those words do go together. :) Since I'm related to one, I know!
Congrats on your win at the Road To CA show...awesome!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Poor Smitty, I totally understand. This winter hasn't been fit for man (woman) or beast (cat). My dog agrees, and wants to go out, too. Be nice to mommy while her shoulder heals.

Lyndsey said...

The patterns you have chosen as your prize are lovely. I just love their designs but I must finish up the 'It's a dogs life' quilt before I buy another one.

Brown Family said...

Intel Underneath is awesome! I love the keyboard fabric and the quilting pattern you chose. I like color embroidery, too! I have never been a big fan of doing red work.

quiltzyx said...

Intel is looking good - I like your plan with the keyboard border too. And the Bauhaus quilt design. Yay!

Spent Saturday at Auntie's Ceramics, helping sort & organize "stuff" so we could make room for the new 10-thread embroidery machine she bought at Road to California. She already has orders & hasn't even learned how to use it yet! lol

Enjoying my time with the kitties - well, one of the two anyway. Ries is my bathroom buddy when I'm there. She loves to be ruffled up & petted, but no picking up please!