Foxy Finish

Fields of Foxes is done, squeaked in juuuust under the Lovely Year of Finishes deadline (original goal post here). As in today was the last day to post the project, and I stitched up the binding last night. Fields of Foxes was a Craftsy workshop (project page here) and I really enjoyed the format and discussion.

A kind colleague at work helped me take these photos. She’s also a quilter, so she understands the need to document these things.

Fields of Foxes was also one of my goals for the Q2 Finish Along. Which means that I completed all of my goals this quarter! Frankly, I’m surprised I finished everything, because I feel like it was really busy! Next quarter will not be nearly as productive, but I am really excited about the projects I have planned!

Foxy Quilting

One of my favorite parts of a day is sitting down to this:

Fields of Foxes is nearly quilted with spirals and I’m really loving this pattern and quilt and thread (Aurifil 50 wt in Butter, yes I indeed splurged) combination.

I like piecing and ironing and figuring out a pattern, but there’s just something lovely and meditative for me about free motion quilting, when one’s hands and foot are moving in harmony.* There’s a freedom in fitting each individual spiral exactly where it needs to go in relation to every other spiral, and a joy in stitching a perfect center point. They remind me of ocean waves or of roses or pearls.

Of course, all this is Best Case Scenario business. There are skipped stitches, and weird zaggy lines, and non-air conditioned workspaces made stifling by being draped with quilt. Usually, I have the windows open while I sew, but last night, my neighbors were throwing a loud and epic beer pong party. I maintain that when you can clearly hear every conversation and are starting to learn the names of all in attendance through closed windows AND over a sewing machine and an episode of Amazing Race, it’s a loud party.

In any case, hopefully this one will be done after one more night of quilting! Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced – she’s giving away a FQ bundle this week!

Adventures with Seam Ripper

After spreading out all my fabric across the floor and reorganizing a lot of it, I managed to select fabric for the back of Fields of Foxes from my stash. The teal and white print is Put a Lid On It from Michael Miller, the grey chevrons and bird vine print is from Cloud 9’s collection for Joann, and the blue and green chevrons are from Joann several years ago. Yay for using up fabric that was languishing in my stash!

Then I got to quilting. Because the fabric is so bold, I was thinking of doing some straight lines along the diagonal diamonds with a bit of FMQ in the diamond centers. Note the operative word ‘was’ in the sentence above. I was thinking of doing that. I spray basted as usual, and then got down to quilting the FMQ bits.

Sadly, the back turned into a puckering mess. I didn’t take any pictures because truly, it was disheartening. I have a few theories why:
1. Usually, I FMQ from the center out, but this was quilted from the edges across. I thought that if everything was quilted down that it wouldn’t shift, but I guess that wasn’t the case.
2. The backing green chevron fabric is a little lighter weight than the others and may have gotten a bit stretched.
3. Aliens. Small, pucker-causing aliens.

Also, my quilting thread didn’t get along with my machine and kept snapping.

I talked all this through with my sensible husband and tried to convince him that I’d be okay with tucks. He responded by looking me in the eye and reminding me that I would be much more pleased with the finished product if it had no puckers. So, to the seam ripper I went.

Three nights of unquilting and two thirds of a season of New Girl later, the layers are separate again. This time, I’ll pin baste the sucker and quilt it with some all-over spirals. Boom.

Oh hello, fun quilty mail! The jelly roll is for my next (secretish? I haven’t decided) project and I can’t wait to start cutting and piecing.

Linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

Foxy Diamonds and Triangles

It’s been a while since I’ve worked on a new quilt top and this one is so much fun! I got this kit from Craftsy (project page here); the pattern name is Fox Tails but I’m calling this project Fields of Foxes.

So far, I’ve finished all the large diamonds and side triangles. I also originally planned to make the top and bottom triangles using the log cabin technique is going well.

Well, if going well means scattering strips and scraps all over my sewing area! Some strips have to be pieced, but it’s working well. Five more top and bottom triangles and I’m ready to put together the top!

Linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.