Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this.
Instead of counting sheep - my brain has this imaginary grid like graph paper, where I can envision shapes and patches - triangles, squares, rectangles and more - coming together to create patterns, make connections with other units with seemingly endless possibilities -
I design during my waking hours. I design in those moments where I am relaxing before falling to sleep. the giant graph paper in my mind starts filling up with shapes the moment that birds start their morning chirping and awaking begins.
Sometimes it drives me absolutely insane.
Other times - I am so excited to jump into my day I want to throw all the "must do's" to the side and just dive in.
This is my Triplet block from the September/October 2021 Addicted to Scraps column in Quiltmaker Magazine.
I posted more about this block HERE.
The block doesn't look like much by itself - but there are so many bells and whistles that go off when you group the blocks in sets of 4, rotating every other one to create a built-in sashing effect.
This is what kept my brain engaged last night, and what I had to jump into first thing this morning.
You can find the print edition of the magazine HERE.
Yes, there are digital copies available HERE.
Just one block. I just need to make one block!
I just grabbed fabrics that were close at hand - I just made a blue and neutral quilt (Rivanna) and these fabrics were right there -
Of course I love cutting triangle pairs with my Essential Triangle Tool from color/neutral strips already placed with right sides together - there is no matching of individual triangles. I can quickly sew the pairs.
When deciding how to press, I like to put the pieces wrong side up on the table so I can see what needs to happen for the best nesting of seams.
In this case - that little twirl in the center really helps eliminate some bulk - but moreover it means those seams can nest with each other, no matter which way I turn the units.
Sweet tiny hourglass!
With the dog ears trimmed from the triangle pairs, it looks like a perfect little octagon!
Lickety split - I'm webbing this block togther!
And I finished another Fish School block as Leader & Ender in the process. Woot!
Dang! That was quick! And Cute!
And I want to do more - only - do I need another project? And I really want to play with something other than blue.
Could I truly be Blued-out?
I have a BIN. A whole BIN. Of brown strips that were gifted to me. Dark chocolate brown to medium brown. And a whole other bin of sandy/toasty neutral strips to go with them. What if I did this block with those?
I won't have corner squares to match - but I could go in the same color family and cut from Scrap User's System strips?
I need a way to use up those browns - but I want it to be something GOOD, not just something meh.
What goes well with brown and sand? Aqua? Could I pull aqua in there somewhere and make it a 3 color quilt instead of a 2 color?
Do I have time today to play with some block coloring ideas?
And there you have it - this is how my brain works on quilts. LOL!
While I worked yesterday, this is precious Lola, supervising as usual.
Evening time had me switching gears and getting some more stitches into this thing.
There are only two big background corner sections and one side section to go, along with the border that surrounds those areas.
This is my fall/winter evening project. I want this quilt finished by January 1st. Can I do it?
Pardon the blur - she turned her head at the click of the camera!
Zoey seems to think I can.
But she is going to have to move out of my spot first.
I want to thank everyone for the tremendous response to yesterday's PDF pattern release for September Sky and Spider & The Fly!
Thank you thank you thank you!
I have placed BOTH patterns in the digital pattern section of the Quiltville Store at 25% off the regular price with no coupon needed.
The introductory pricing is good through 9/30/21 and will revert back to full on 10/1/21.
If this is your first time downloading digital patterns from my store to a computer click HERE.
If you intend to download to an iPhone/iPad click HERE.
Save even more!
Purchase BOTH in the September Sky Pattern Bundle and save an extra discount!
This bundle is a limited time only offer, and will be retired on 10/1/21. So hurry!
And while I have you here - I want to remind you of this little Gift-Away for you and a friend!
I will be gifting away a September Sky Pattern Bundle AND a Facets of black color roll from Cotton to Quilts!
And our winner gets to choose a friend who will also receive the pattern bundle and a black color roll!
Fabric prizes must be shipped to a USA address. If you are outside of the USA and win, you may have the fabric prizes shipped to a friend within the USA who can forward them on to you.
Head on over to Yesterday's Post for more info and get your entry in. We'll be drawing for our winner on Saturday, September 25th, 2021!
I have also marked my Appalachian Autumn PDF pattern at 25% off through September!
The sale price will remain through September 30th, and revert to full on October 1st, 2021. Don't miss out!
It's time to start in on the fall projects - to pull out those oranges, golds and browns and dig in to some comfort sewing with the upcoming change of seasons!
Yes - I'm going to dig into those browns today and see how I like things!
What do you have in store for your own Thursday?
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Follow your own muse with blinders on. Can I get an Amen?
Pineapple Blossom quilt from the free patterns tab at the top of my blog,
Have you made one? Or more?
22 comments:
OH MY GOSH!! I thought I was the only one! YES YES I also play with fabric in my head & rearrange blocks and cut and sub cut.... quilting friends will show me pictures of fabric and ask, "what pattern could I use?" and I will try different patterns in my head until I come up with something that will work.
My other favorite thing is when I reach a stumbling block (figurately haha - or wait, would that be a great name for a quilt!?!?) or cut something wrong, I fall asleep thinking about the best way to fix it or a way to save the project and I can usually figure out a simple solution that eluded me the day before.
Thank you! Thank you! Bonnie I so appreciate all you do and your brain is a gift. May the brain arranging never end.
I think brown, neutral and aqua would make beautiful quilt blocks. I like how your mind works... my mind has been thinking about the September Sky pattern since the moment I saw the quilt and dreaming of how it would look in Kim Diehl fabrics in stash (since I don't have much purple in stash). Will have to do a few blocks to find out!
Red looks great with brown..cherry chocolate..
Pinks and browns, hugs and chocolate, Valentine's Day...
You can add me to your dream of quilt blocks group. Creative minds never rest. My problem at this time is having the time to construct what I have dreamed. In fact just this morning I was thinking of using 1 of your leader / ender blocks as a boarder for another quilt. Thank you so much for all you do. Love from Clemmons, NC
Brown, pink and mint green is a favorite color combo of mine. Think spumoni ice cream.
Add a touch of white for whipped cream and call it "Chocolate Cherry Sundae"?
Absolutely! Red was my first thought too.
When my husband asks what I'm thinking about, he has started to answer the question himself since I always say, "Fabric". I have to force myself NOT to think of quilting when I go to bed or I can't turn it off and go to sleep. I have done quite a few other creative things in my life, but nothing has been more obsessive for me than quilting. Thanks for feeding my obsession, Bonnie. PS I'm looking forward to that brown quilt. The suggestions have been great! It's not in my usual color set, but I'm starting to think it could be gorgeous.
I love how your mind works and your color choices. Brown/Tan/Teal would fit in my living room perfectly. I also thought of brown with pink a traditional old color combination. Sadly no quilting for me for the next week. Traveling to see granddaughter at college and a trip with my church to Branson, then back to Monroe. Got to keep moving at 71. LOL
Play with all your colors. That's the most funn
Brown is a neutral, everything works with it! 😁 I can see sunny yellow, grassy green, oranges, reds of fall, the sky blues, golds and tans of wheat and dry grass. Just look out the windows and see all the colors that works well with earthy browns. I’m sure that whatever direction you go, it will be beautiful as always. Hope your ankle is on the mend.
I recently made a comfort quilt in these colors & donated it through my quilt club.
Brown and tan go with LIME GREEN in my world. :-)
I sew in my dreams, marvelous stuff, wake up and it's gone! Last night I made something and remember thinking, this time it will be there in the morning but,alas,I was wrong! Can't even visualize to repeat it!
brown and blue would go great in my living room!! Just saying! You do so darned much - even with a hurting foot. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your thought process!! I too sometimes get the ideas as I am going to sleep, and then I have to sew the block together the next chance I get! I have ideas for a pink and brown, or just the teal and brown would be gorgeous!! Absolutely loving the new addicted to scraps block, I may have to go hunt that one down! Thank you for the furbaby fix, I love how yours curl up with you when you work. Mine just lays out on the floor in the room!! I will be picking up those new patterns soon!!
Me too and it’s frustrating because I can’t just go to my space and sew in the middle of the night like I used to! I’m so tired but my
Brain is playing with shapes and color combinations!
Yes to the dreams! Luckily they are nice ones, not unpicking ones! The lovely Lola all snug.
Hope your ankle and back are all getting better now. Cheers and have a good one today!
I am planning quilts and thinking about fabric all the time! It is nice to know we are not alone, thanks for your blog and all you share!
As a bookkeeper, I think about numbers. When I can't sleep I usually count (not sheep) and I try to slow my mind and body down. Sometimes it doesn't work. Or some accounting problem will work itself out overnight and in the morning I'll have an answer. The brain is an awesome thing. Wish mine had graph paper though!!
I simply love Lime Green with dark browns! I had a box of a swap strips where we did that…no no I love that. The swap was brown and pink! No one wanted my Lime Green! Lolo
Bonnie, I have been wanting to ask. How is the Love Seat Recliners working for you. My hubby, at one time wanted one. But he is a still person, I am sewing, crocheting cross stitching, knitting. I think my movements that never stop would make him very,unhappy.
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