planes for Coulson - doe by carolyn friedlander

We live near a small airport so you don't have to wait too long before a Cessna comes along.  Our 2 year old grandson loves to watch for them in the sky.  It's so fun to see his excitement when he hears one approaching.

the brain started churning, quickly a visual came forth. . .
go here to see the actual process.



stats:
51 x 85 (washed)
batting - 80/20% Comfort Blend by Winline
fabric is Doe by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman
binding is scrappy
gray is unknown (out of my stash)
blue sashing is Punctuation by American Jane for Moda
block size - TBD (when it gets out of the washer)
quilting is crosshatch

flip chart tutorial here

"Doe" is now out in stores (I've only seen it online).  isn't it lush?

 this crosshatch quilting design was so fun.  I just kept thinking "saltines" with a few extra lines here and there.

 I never pre-wash my fabrics, I figure a good pressing before cutting with heavy steam and starch ought to set the colors, but I recently learned the hard way that if I'm going to use a large piece for the back, it needs to be washed until the color catcher comes out white.

I couldn't find just 1 fabric for the binding, and really wanted to "use what I have".  So scrappy was the answer.

 for Coulson

all linked up:

crazy mom quilts

fabric addict

plane quilt flip chart

"Doe" by Carolyn Friedlander just out in online stores.  (can you tell she's an architect by trade???) 

I couldn't find a good pattern or tutorial for this plane pattern.  I hope I don't have to make another one.   I made 2 blocks to get down the measurements of the pieces before mass producing.

 here was my process:

after making 2 sample blocks, I was happy with my meaurement (except for that wing piece at the top, I ended shaving a good inch off the the width, making it skinnier lengthwise)

body

fold fabric in half

This part was tricky.  I did a lot of unpicking.

 "make big enough to trim to size" seemed to be the trick until I got the system down.

 wings

 Originally they were too thick.  I had to trim them down so do not use above picture as a measurement.

nose:

I didn't want a flat nose.  This angle with my ruler was just right.  Fabric is folded.

 press one side

 lay onto  your backing fabric

 pin right sides together

 sew (lots more unpicking)

 trim other side before adding backing fabric

 make the first one large and cut down to size until you have your measurements right.

 sew strips together

 finished block  -

to see post on finished quilt, go here.

aaron's plus

Another boy plus quilt finished.  This one is a throw size.

I love the dense straight line quilting that you see everywhere now, especially, this one by Alissa from Modern Quilts.  The quilting doesn't show up like it does with solid colored fabrics.

I was afraid it would make the quilt very stiff.  But after a washing or two, it has a nice flow (or hang) to it, plyable.

stats:  

54 x 46

fabric is Tasha Noel's Country Girls for Riley Blake

and the mice are from Lizzy House

binding is "out to sea" by Sarah Jane

linked:
crazy mom friday finishes


You may be interested in:

a year of quilts

a year of quilts

I loved seeing all the "2014 year of quilts" posts on InstaGram.  So, of course I had to try it.  (any reason for a quilt photo-shoot, right?)

this does not include a boat quilt, or "trip around the world quilt.  It doesn't include any play quilts, ruffly pillow cases, doll quilts, buntings or pincushions, or heming or mending (bleh!).  You can see the posts on these quilts if you go to the "finished quilts" tab at the top of my blog.  

This week, I've been hanging some mini's on walls.  If they're small, say 24 inches or less across the top, I take the lazy way out and I cheat and use clear push pins.

 If you put them right up in the corners, you don't really notice them.  (this is my Heather Ross Sampler)

More than 18 to 24 inches, and you really need to make a sleeve to go across the top, or your quilt will sag. (what it eventually looks like if your pin is not in the corner)

This is the boat quilt that lives out of state and didn't make it in the "2014 quilt" photo shoot.  

I'm trying a new method for hanging larger mini's, 

 by sewing on several "Command Strips" along the top .

 Press backing onto the piece you just sewed on.  Peel off and stick to wall.

You can put some on the bottom, but I prefer to just let it hang naturally.  

WIP:

works in progress for this week include,

piecing this back:

for this grandson,

 for this airplane quilt (more on that in a future post, including tutorial)

It features "Doe".  Carolyn Friedlander's newest line.  I JUST got an email from Fat Quarter Shop telling me that it's now available for retail in their store, here.   You can see more pictures of this fabric in this post.  It's a great line for those of us who have to watch our florals (if you know what I mean).

This quilt was supposed to be a Christmas gift.  It'll now be a Valentine's gift :)   Also featuring Carolyn's line, something about "architexture".

linked:

freshly pieced

aylin