Showing posts with label round robin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label round robin. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Monday Modern round robin

Back in August I organised a round robin with some of the members of the Monday Modern quilters. Nine of us made a center block that was added to by 3 other quilters and then quilted by a fifth person. This Monday, all of the quilts were returned to their owners and I have to say that we are a fabulously creative bunch!

Not everyone was as enthusiastic as I was, but I think that everyone learned something about themselves as a quilter. It is quite a challenge to collaborate with other people, do work that the owner will like, and still be true to one's own quilty voice.

Every month when we exchanged quilts, I would categorize them in my mind based on some characteristic - orange vs. not orange, round vs. pointy, animal vs. inanimate, calm vs. busy. It was so much fun to watch them change as different personalities added to them.

My quilt started with a red/pink and white checkerboard background and appliqued circles with birds on them. The finished quilt is so pretty with just a bit of a Christmas vibe - maybe because of the original bird fabric and the fact that I received it back just before Christmas.


On the back was a recycled green cat that had been part of the front (it's a long story).


I worked on 4 other completed quilts (in order: first border, second border, third border, and quilting/binding). I tried to do something very different on each one. I confess that I do have a favorite, but I'll keep that a secret.


And another one I did work on but was incomplete because someone needed to opt out halfway through, and the 3 that I didn't work on.


Sunday, October 11, 2015

Monday Modern round robin progress

We are in the process of adding the third borders to our little quilts after making the swap last Monday. I have two to work on since one of the girls has dropped out and being the organizer I felt a little guilty and decided to at least add her last border so that she could quilt it.

The second border that I did last month was a bit of a mishmash after I ran into a few design issues. I made the paper pieced diamonds first with a very dark navy background and then with a grey background. I thought one was too dark and the other too light, so I decided to balance it out and do half and half. I had to ponder the corners for quite a while and admit that it I'd planned it out, I would have just mitered the stripes in the corner. But I didn't make them long enough to do that and wasn't sure I had enough fabric to re-cut the strips.

Even with these hurdles, I liked the results and (as usual) I always enjoy a challenge.


This weekend I worked on the third border for one of the two I have. The original block was a tiny Seminole-style piece in green, orange, and mustard. I think it only measured 3" x 9". I wanted to refer back to that original piecing and added 4 patches on point in those colors with the navy thrown in. The background fabric is an odd color, but seems to go (I hope).

My original plan had 2 rows on the top and bottom, but it was too much so I removed one row - not easy when they are on point. I was determined not to re-piece the whole row so I ended up inserting the background triangles using y-seams. Tricky, but quicker once I worked out what I was doing.

I debated adding a final plain border, but it was necessary because in my re-work I had to use some HST on the edges instead of the QST I should have. With the bias on the edge it was at risk of getting really mis-shapen. This was the best option that I had enough of. The owner can reduce it down to minimize the effect, if she likes.


My last 'victim' is a fantastic piece with a huge variety of animals and colors. I already have some ideas on what I am going to do. I definitely want to make it taller and envision some reed-like vertical elements. But, I don't know if I want to add to the happy chaos or try to calm it all down. I'm leaning towards more color because the original block with the frog is so bright. We'll find out next weekend...

Monday, August 10, 2015

Monday Modern round robin

We've started a round robin at Monday Modern quilters and I am organising it. I've been wanting to do one for a while, so 9 of us have joined in. After 4 years of participating in the Cotton Robin, I'm pleased to be doing one with this group. Unlike the Cotton Robin, we are sharing our work along the way - some of the girls were a bit nervous about the process and I think seeing each other's progress has helped with this.

My starting block is a red/pink and white checkerboard with two appliqued circles that I fussy cut from a Christmas fabric I had in my stash. I debated doing something a bit more avant-garde (or at least more modern), but decided that having a mix of styles would make it more interesting.


I have Melanie's starting block which she managed to put together after being overseas for the lead-up discussions. She used the cutest fabrics (my 11-year old announced "Adorable!" when she saw them). I had it hanging on the wall for a week before diving in this weekend. I was determined to use fabrics from my stash but really struggled with the green and the navy. I think I managed to find some fabrics that work without being exactly the same.


The flying geese (Melanie's go to pattern) were my inspiration. I decided to stack them up for some variety and drafted a paper pieced pattern to do this. I had to add the cute cat fabric, but am wondering if I will re-do the corner piece because I don't like the direction the cats are facing (which way is up?) and think it should be a bit larger. I may need to fussy cut that one to get it to work better but I have 3 more weeks to play with it, so who knows?

I only added to two sides which I think balances well. There will be 2 more borders added to this one, so it will be interesting to see if the asymmetry continues.

Monday, July 20, 2015

Cotton Robin finish

For the fourth year in a row I have finished up another Cotton Robin round robin organised by the lovely Julie. This year we were challenged to use a color for our center block that wasn't one we had used. I chose purple after I noticed that I had very little in my stash and did not have a purple (or even partially-purple) quilt in my pile. Don't get me wrong - I love the color and often wear it, but I don't quilt with it.


My center block was not the most creative - next year I'm going to have to think outside of the box a bit more. I think I wanted to see what would happen with the borders if I started with a design that wouldn't be considered a centerpiece. My quilt was added onto by Kate (first border), Nan (second border), and Terri (quilting and binding). I love that Kate started in an asymmetrical direction - this was a great idea. Nan also went asymmetrical, leaving the finished quilt just off center and rectangular. I loved the piecing in the borders and the quilting by Terri was nicely done - I especially like the little spiral flowers and leaves.


My only surprise was this: it is REALLY PURPLE! Of course, I am to blame for setting the stage, and everyone followed my lead.

I worked on three other quilts along the way. The first was a sweet little applique block to which I added a circular pieced border. I made this using scrappy narrow strips of off white with little squares of brights forming the circle. I paper pieced the strips onto a template I made with the circle on it so that they all lined up. I was really pleased with the end result and the final border matched so perfectly.


The second quilt had an intricately pieced center block and a first border of flying geese. The second border introduced fuchsia and between the center and the border it was getting quite busy. This is why I enjoy doing round robins because you just don't know what you will receive and how you will add to it. I decided to just add detail to the corners of the second border with some tiny log cabins and use some solids to tie the color scheme together. I was hoping whoever did the quilting would take advantage of the plain sections and use it for some nice quilting - and she did.



The last quilt I worked on arrived with a note: something about keeping it monochromatic and small. It was very yellow (perhaps more yellow than mine is purple) and just over 10" square. I didn't want to overwhelm it with quilting, so I did wiggly lines in the center portion and some straight diagonal lines through the 2 borders.


You can see all of the finishes at the Cotton Robin website. It's always so exciting to see all of the finished quilts and to pick out my favorites, but disappointing that it's all over and we will need to wait until next year to do it again.

Luckily, my Monday Modern friends have agreed to do a round robin with 3 borders. I'm organizing it, and am quite excited to get started. Watch this space...

Friday, July 11, 2014

Round robin has come home

For the past 3 years I have participated in Julie's Cotton Robin. For those of you unfamiliar with round robins - each participant makes a center block and passes it on to someone else who adds to it. In this round robin the center gets 2 rounds of borders and a third for quilting and binding. When it's finished it heads home back to the person that made the center block.

The process is anonymous so you do not know who is working on your quilt. It's always a creative challenge working with someone else's ideas and integrating your own into the mix. It is one of the things I really enjoy each year.

You can see this year's reveal here and my posts from previous years here and here.

This year I made a (slightly too busy) block from small equilateral triangles. Each one finished at 1 inch tall. I admit that I should have used a less busy background, but I wanted to introduce more colors into the mix. The block was an experiment for me - the round robin is a great opportunity to try out a technique on a small scale. I would love to make a big quilt with lots of these stars in different colors.


The first border was done by Julie who headed towards a color scheme that was a bit quieter that my start. At first I thought it dulled it all down, but now I think it lets the center shine. The piecing really enhances the center.


Maria did the second border and created a checkerboard design in grey and purple. I love the skinny aqua border (added by Julie or Maria) which sets off the two others.


The quilt was hand quilted by Cathy. The hand quilting was the perfect choice and echos the print in Maria's grey fabric. She added little 6-point stars in the checkerboards. I also love the blue binding.


I worked on three other quilts. First was Anne's improv center block. I added a border of little fuschia squares surrounded by dark blue and green batiks. I had trouble getting started on this one. The center didn't lead me in an obvious direction. I thought I wanted to create something with a regular pattern without losing the spirit of the improvisational piecing.


I added a second border to Sandra's tree. Glen had added an unusual curved woven section and I added the darker black strips, blue crosses, and a hot pink/orange outer border. I thought this one needed something bold and quirky to hold it all together. I like the asymmetry of the finished quilt.


The final round was Rachel's applique center. The two borders were so well integrated it was hard to tell where one started and the other finished. I decided against FMQ and did outlining on the applique, continued the circular lines for a while and then added rectangular spirals in each corner. Everything was quilted using a very fine beige thread.


I love doing these round robins. Every finished quilt is a surprise. And, although my quilts never turn out as I expect, they are always fun. Everyone's perspective is different and that's what makes it such an enjoyable process. I can't wait until next year.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Round robin progress

For the third year in a row I am participating in a round robin organized by an online Block Lotto friend. We are on the third round - adding a second border to someone's center block. I would love to show what I have done, but it's all supposed to be secret. I can show you a color-modified peek though.


I am at my mother's house in Virginia right now - my father is very sick and is in the hospital under hospice care. I made the decision to come home on short notice from New Zealand to be with my family. Mom and I are talking about making a small quilt to be placed in the casket with my dad. He will (eventually) be buried with full military honors in Arlington Cemetery, so I am thinking about something patriotic with a stars and stripes motif.

I wonder if it's a strange thing to be designing a quilt at a time like this, but it is something that my mother and I share and we all know that quilting is therapeutic. It will keep me busy as well. I have some ideas, but I need to keep it simple so it doesn't become a burden on us to get it finished.

I was making my bed this morning (uber-uncomfortable futon couch) and wanted to take a photo of the three quilts I have been using. I was so cold the first night and none of them are bed sized, so I thought three was appropriate.


The bottom one was made in a class we did together in Queenstown a few years ago using a 4-patch caleidoscope technique. The fan quilt is made with Laura Ashley prints that were purchased in England in the 70s - I think my mother started piecing this by hand about 35 years ago and finished it recently. The last quilt is a simple block pattern made with Asian prints. A nice mix to keep me cozy.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Finished round robin has come home

For the second year in a row, I've joined in a round robin (Cotton Robin) online with other quilters. Most of them are from the Block Lotto crowd, but not all.

The process is straightforward - I created a centre block which was then passed on to three other people to add 2 borders and to quilt and bind the finished quilt. They are small (maximum dimensions are about 20 inches) so that they can easily be mailed from one person to the next. During the round robin I was unaware of who was working on my quilt but eventually it comes back home and all is revealed.

I contributed to borders on 2 quilts and was supposed to quilt/bind a third one that was lost somewhere between Canada and New Zealand. It has been over 8 weeks, but I am still hopeful that it will show up one day and I can finish it and send it on to its owner.

I really enjoy these collaborative exchanges and am truly amazed at the finished quilts. The amount of work that some people invest is astounding and always makes my contributions appear quite humble. Oh well, something to work up to for next year. See all of the beautiful finished quilts here.

This year I think that the most inspiring aspect was colour. Some of the quilts (including mine) received an unexpected injection of colour - in my case, the stuck-in-a-rut centre block of blue, green, and grey received a hit of orange that did it a world of good. Here's the original centre block and some detail of the amazing first border of cathedral windows, appliqued circles, and yo-yos.


The finished quilt is sweet and quirky and I love the orange - thanks so much to Rachel, Anne, and Catherine.


The two quilts I worked on were much more traditional. I added a few narrow strips and a sawtooth border to Janet's compass (left) and a hand-stitched (eek, hand-stitched?) applique bias ribbon to Rachel's centre block (right).


I'm already looking forward to the next installment.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

International quilting day

There was a rumour of rain this weekend. It's been so dry in Auckland this year and we are desperate for rain. A wet weekend is a quilting weekend, so I was hopeful about getting some things done.

This week I've spent some time on my Cotton Robin round robin second border. So far so good. But, it's hard to judge when working on a project for someone else - is less more or is more needed? That's about all I can say about that one.

Last night I picked up my butterfly hearts quilt again. After sewing the hearts on with a running stitch of embroidery floss, I decided that it was too delicate to hold up to wear & tear. I tried a machine zigzag around 2 of them, but the results aren't great. This could be my technique or maybe it's just not the right approach.


So, what now? Carry on? Take them off and try something else? Needle turn? Buttonhole? This one has been on hold for a while and I really want it done.

(...later the same day...)

I did a few more hearts with the zigzag and this is the way I will proceed. Sometimes, I have to compromise to get the job done and this is one of those times.

Today I went to a small quilt show put on by one of the local groups. I've been a few times over the years and admit that my taste is changing and this group is probably not producing work that I appreciate these days. So, I asked myself - how can I look at each piece and still appreciate elements of it without necessarily liking the whole thing? So, I broke each one down by colour, fabric, pattern, and quilting. I enjoyed this approach and it made the trip to the show worthwhile - working through each element systematically allowed me to filter out the elements that did not appeal and focus on those that did.

I've also been working on the Monday Modern curved cushion challenge. I did some FMQ on the background using some biscuit-coloured variegated thread I picked up at the show. I should have done the circles first, because there's some puffiness I'll need to deal with now. I just didn't know if the circles needed anything, so I left them. I've now decided that they do need something but don't know what yet.


More sewing on the cards tonight - Melbourne Formula 1 is on TV, so I'm steering clear!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Round robin complete

The round robin that I started earlier this year is finished. I have not seen my finished quilt in person, but it has arrived at my mom's and she has seen it. The organizer, Julie, has kindly sent me photos and posted all of the finished quilts on the website here.

My starting center block was a needle-turned applique bird (New Zealand black robin) that I found in an old New Zealand Quilter magazine (I will properly give credit when I am back home and can check the magazine date and the designer). I modified it slightly because the original pattern specified fused raw-edge applique. My needle-turn skills mean that some tight corners needed to be smoothed out slightly.

The background was made up of bands of color with curved seams made to represent an abstract landscape. I included some of the background fabric and another fabric for anyone to use along the way.



The finished quilt included borders added by Sophie (3 sides: the sun, the words, and the small squares, I think) and by Julie W (2 sides: vine and black/brown strips). The quilting was done by Gwen. I can't wait to see it in person.



I also added the first border to Sophie's center block. She included with her center star block some additional fabrics including one with large polka dots. It was screaming to be cut into giant dot appliques. I chose to stick them on using a running stitch for something different.



And the second border to Melinda's center. My border included the skinny green, red, and black/white checks as well as the words. A kakariki is a green parakeet that we have in New Zealand; it is also the word for green in the Maori language. I had never done words before but I really enjoyed doing them...I feel a project coming on. Interesting how I added words to another quilt and someone else added words to my quilt and both referred to birds, hmmm.



For the final round I had to sandwich and quilt Andra's quilt. The first border was paper pieced and very intricate, so I did some stitch-in-the-ditch in that section. I also did some stippling in the blue triangles in the center and hand stitched around the birds and foliage. The outer border has a diamond pattern.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Wednesday update

There's no WIP this week on Freshly Pieced and no Block Lotto this month either. Everyone is taking a holiday.

The baby quilt that I started last week is almost done. I've quilted and bound it. Really, it's just some thread tidying that's left to do. I'm really pleased with the end result and am amazed at how quickly it went together. Here's a quick preview - I'll take some better pictures soon.



I've joined a round robin through Floribunda Quilts. I've never done one before and am keen to give it a go. The only problem is that everything is a secret, so I won't be able to post any detail. I'm thinking about my center block design already. The finished quilt will be very small (20"), so I want to do something that's different than my usual style that can stand alone. So often in quilts I rely on the repetition and variety of fabrics to make an impact - in a small piece that will likely hang on the wall the focus is much different. I don't have a lot of time because the first center block needs to be sent in less than 4 weeks. Time to get the sketch book out.