SAHR

It's the first of the month, so you get to see assorted quilting blogs.  I am doing several things that are monthly right now.  This is step 2 of the Stay At Home Robin from Kate's Quilting and Other Fiber Arts Blog

Step 2 was to add a 4x6 inch piece onto the left or right of our original 6x6 inch piece.  Well, I have known that I was not completely satisfied with my original square, but I've been waiting for step 2 to figure out what I wanted to do with it.  I think I worked it out quite well.  I took my original square apart and realigned the "stem" pieces and then I cut it down to be the 4x6 inch piece.  I did some little triangles to make the 6x6 piece.  This did a couple of things that I really liked.  First of all, my original "stained glass" design is a little more exact.  I haven't really dealt much with tiny pieces like that before.  Secondly, it moved the "stained glass" piece away from what will be the edge of the quilt.  I think I like its placement much better now.  I like the prairie prints in my triangles and I have a few left over that may find their way into the quilt someplace else down the line. Who knows?

Now it's back to the waiting game, which is so hard when I'm excited about the project where it is right now.

Stay at Home Robin

A few days ago, I told you about my search for creative quilting motivation and my discovery of the

Block Lotto

.
  Well, another thing I had explored was the making of Round Robin quilts.  Basically, you started a quilt and then it was passed along to others in your group, each of whom added a border or whatever the instructions called for.  I don't really have a circle of quilting friends to do that, but I then I found

Kate's Quilting and Other Fiber Arts Blog

 
They had done round robins, but of a non-traditional type.  The results were fabulous art quilts that were small wall hangings.  I loved them!  In July, Kate started a Stay at Home Robin, where you would do each of the steps yourself.  I thought that was a wonderful way to "test the waters" so to speak.

I picked a sort of theme.....the Prairie.  I found some fabric from my stash and picked up a couple of fat quarters that amused me.  I have a few visual ideas and even some quotes floating around in my head.  Since I don't know where we are going with this, I don't know which of those elements I'll actually end up using and I'm sure I'll think of tons more along the way. Then I was ready to make my first block.

Here it is: a 6 inch block that roughly mimics the Prairie Style stained glass of Frank Lloyd Wright.  It's done scrappy with batiks and creams.  I'd say I love it, but the perfectionist in me seldom "loves" anything of the artwork I do.  I think it's an okay start.  I've already thought of how I could have done it differently, but I'm just going to relax and see where this project takes me.

 The only problem I have now, is the next step isn't until next month.