Sunday, April 22, 2012

Let's Revisit Essence Table Topper


Here is my second entry for the Festival of Half Square Triangles hosted by Megan of Canoe Ridge Creations.  Linky party runs from April 16 - 22.



This table topper has been documented already, but let's revisit it because I'm kinda proud of it. It represents my very first try at half square triangles (HSTs).  And, I think they turned out pretty darn good.  To think I would have never tried them, at least not yet, if not for the encouragement of my dear husband to try something new. He things they are cool, loves that you can get some many different looks just by twisting them this way and that.


Here it is layered and ready to be basted. (the best photo I have of it, I think).


This one will always be special to me because of the teamwork of myself and my husband that went into it. It all started when I picked up Big Block Quilts by Moose on the Porch Quilts (love this little book) on sale at a local store.  My husband flipped through it a bit when he saw it lying around.

          DH:  These look cool. You should try something like this.
          Me:  Really? I don't think I'm ready for triangles.
          DH:  Yes, you are. Go for it.  I think you will like them.

And I do, a lot.

Linking up with the Festival of Half Square Triangles linky party.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Patriotic Half Square Triangle Table Topper


Here is my first entry for the Festival of Half Square Triangles hosted by Megan of Canoe Ridge Creations.  The linky party runs from April 16 - 22.



About a week or so ago my dear husband asked me if I could make something quilty "with triangles like you did before" for the employees' club auction on April 25. "I think I can, honey, but I need to get the baby's quilt done first." What was I thinking?? I could have, maybe should have, just put the baby's quilt aside for a couple days and done this topper for the auction, but, oh no, for once I decided to stick to my resolution, good or bad. So, I proceeded to work on baby's quilt while putzing at different designs layouts for a patriotic table topper. (Went with patriotic because I thought it would have the widest appeal and because I had a charm pack of Prairie Paisley II) Friday (April 13) he informs me that the auction has been moved up to April 18 (which also happened to be my birthday. OH Gads!! Planning and designing phase - over!  Pick a layout and go with it. No time to dilly dally now.

But first, determined to finish baby's quilt first I basted, quilted and bound it by Monday a.m. (will share later) then proceeded to the table topper.  (Sorry, no work-in-progress photos this time, folks.) Pieced triangles Monday afternoon. Cut and ironed triangles Monday evening and lay them out for a final look see. Pieced rows Tuesday before supper. Stopped for supper and evening going ons.  Then discover (Oh crud!) that I don't have a suitable binding. It NEEDS something navy. Not a snitch of anything navy in the house. (how can that be? Navy is one of my favorite colors??? Note to self: rectify the lack of navy and navy-like fabric in stash) So, ran out for something that I hoped would work.

Finally back at it from 9:30 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. - finished piecing top, ironed, made binding, quilted, and attached binding to front. Up at 5:30 with baby and to see dear husband off to work. "Honey, you will have to stop over and pick up that table topper you need this afternoon at 1 p.m. I need to finish the binding." He is so cool. "No, big deal, sweetheart. You have plenty of time."  Finished sewing down the binding by 8:30 a.m. Took some photos. Husband picked up at 9:30 a.m.
Not perfect, but another favorite. Wish my photos did it justice. 

Think it would work very nicely as a wallhanging.

Impressed my children, which is always kinda cool.  "Wow, Mommy! You did that last night?!"  It got finished on time and nobody went underloved or undernourished.  Teamwork, folks, teamwork : )

PS:  I think I more than earned that free motion quilting foot I got for my birthday : ) Yay!!!
PPS:  The French Silk birthday pie he brought home for me was delish!!!

Linking up with the Festival of Half Square Triangles linky party.  A lot of great handiwork has been linked. I wonder how I'll do?