FF: Gypsy Wife Quilt.

My Gypsy Wife Quilt is complete. It's been such a long-term project that it honestly feels odd to have it done! 

I thought I'd been working on it for over two years, but come to find out, it hasn't been quite that long. I bought the pattern in February of last year.

The first time I saw the pattern, I knew that I wanted to make it and that I wanted it in AMH fabrics with a handquilted finish. I don't always have such strong feelings, but this quilt definitely did that for me.

This pattern...wooboy. It was an effort of love, let me tell you. And since I handquilted it, it took about a kajillion years to finish. So now I have a new system for measuring my love: if I'm willing to make someone a Gypsy Wife quilt, it means I love them A TON. (That being said, I have absolutely no desire to repeat this pattern. Ever.)

The handquilting took forever, but it was totally worth it. I mostly straight line quilted it using perle cotton, but occasionally I got fancy and tried something else out.

When I got ready to back it, I pulled some of my favorite fabrics from stash that hadn't found the perfect project. Some AMH prints I hadn't wanted to cut into, some Kate Spain, Lizzy House, Alison Glass, and I can't remember who designed that yellow print, but that made it in there too. It's a total mish-mash, but I love it.

I had pieced some HRTs incorrectly for one of the blocks, so I used them to form a diamond and added it to the back. At some point I'll add a label. One of these days....

The binding is a fun stripe, also by AMH. While my original plan had been only AMH fabrics plus a few solids thrown in willy-nilly, I expanded that to include a large number of other designers, including a precious bit of Tula's Parisville line.

With that project finished, it's time to move on to clearing out some of the other WIPs I have waiting. (And maybe even start a new quilt or two??)

This is my first finish off my Q4 FAL list. After sitting on that list for what feels like a year, I can finally cross it off, woo!

Handquilting.

I know things have been quiet around the blog, and there are a lot of reasons for that. Family in town, husband out of town, homeschool planning for the fall, birthday party planning for two kidlets, and my writing career is about to hit a huge milestone that has required quite a bit of my attention of late.

But that's not all. My heart has been heavy, and I haven't known what to say here. I've heard so many sad stories lately about bad things happening to people I care about. Several friends have lost a parent, people are very seriously ill, and while none of these things are directly happening to me, my heart hurts for them. It's hard to keep a positive attitude when there seems to be so much pain around.

But I'm trying. I haven't gotten much sewing accomplished during the day, but my evenings have been filled with handquilting and Netflix.

Work on my Gypsy Wife quilt is coming along slowly, but I'm enjoying it. Lots of echo quilting and straight lines, but in various colors (and weights) of thread. I love the look of it, even if it will take me until the end of time to finish.

I've started more EPP flowers for a friend of mine who recently lost her mom. I have plans to make a cushion cover for her, which I had better finish up soon since I'll be seeing her in a couple of weeks.

And I cut fabric for a birthday gift. A loooooooong overdue birthday gift. But it will be epic (I hope) when it's done, so that will make it totally worth the wait, right? RIGHT.

I usually feel a bit overwhelmed with my to-do list, but recently, it has felt impossible. My husband took this past week off though, and we crossed several things off the list. There are still several things hanging about--like fixing my dishwasher, eep!--but I'm hoping after this weekend that I will feel that the list is back under control. (Then I have to start another big mountain of things. My newest nephew's baby quilt! A quilt for my daddy! Placemats for my mama!)

I'm not the only one who feels this way, am I right? In the meantime, I will be stroking the new fabric I received this week for my nephew's quilt. I feel this quilt will be downright opulent given the number of fabrics it will require, but this baby is blood, and he deserves an amazing quilt. Come back tomorrow for Sunday Stash, and I will show it all to you! Until then, have a most lovely Saturday.

FF: Gypsy Wife Quilt Top Done!

I feel like this post should alternatively be called OMG, I finished this freaking beast, let's have a party! Better yet, a fiesta. (Because that sounds even more exciting.)

My Gypsy Wife Quilt top is done. Finished. Finito. And NONE too soon. Made primarily of AnnaMaria Horner fabrics from her Dowry and True Colors lines, it was an act of love to get this bad boy to the flimsy state. (There are also a handful of solids, mostly Kona, some shot cottons, a few Juliana Horner prints, a C + S print from their basics line, some DS, and maybe a few others that I can't identify right now.)

This is maybe my favorite part of the entire quilt. I love this fussy cut rose nestled inside of pink polka dots with a bright mustard shot cotton border. Some of my favorite quilty business right there.

I also adore this block. Also fussy cut. Which leads me to believe I should have done more fussy cutting, but I needed to make sure I had enough fabric, so fussy cutting was a matter of coincidence and luck, not specific planning.

This is my least fave part of the quilt. One of the downsides to the construction is that you make a ton of scrappy blocks first. Then assemble ten sections, which theoretically yields a super scrappy quilt. I made sure to make my blocks super diverse and scrappy, but I still wound up with this corner of blue and green madness. The same navy fabric and the same green kona in all. three. blocks. But there is no way in all that is good and wonderful that I am remaking them. Nope. What's done is DONE.

Overall, though. I'm pleased with it. I wasn't sure during the final assembly, but my heart gets happy when I catch a glimpse of it, so that's a pretty good sign of love, right?

I'm planning to handquilt it with perl cotton, which is maybe a crazy idea, but yet, it seems the way to go with this quilt. Never mind that I've never handquilted something so large. Never mind that it will extend this quilt's production even further. Never mind that I might not know what I'm doing at all. Since I first saw the pattern, I envisioned AMH and handquilting. (And I'm not the only one! I'm trying not to let Nicole of Snips Snippets's AMH version totally intimidate me with its awesome handquilting.)

And when she's done, and I'm snuggled up underneath her on my couch--or more accurately, one of my kids has stolen it from me and is snuggled up watching Octonauts--it will probably all be worth it.

(Probably.)

I'm linking up today with Shelley at The Carpenter's Daughter Who Quilts for TGIFF because OMG, I'm not sure I've ever had a finish for which I've been more thankful.

GW Progress, Part 2.

I never did make it to the fabric store. Maybe this weekend? But my week was full of Gypsy Wife progress, and since I'm pretty sure I'll throw this quilt in a fire if I pause and think about working on something else, I'm trying to forge ahead.

In lieu of a design wall, I've been using my design floor, which I unfortunately share with my kidlets. More than one construction truck has driven over my WIP in the last few days.

See that short pink piece? I cut it an inch too long (as there was no measurement for it in the pattern and I was guessing) and of course I guessed wrong and OMG. It meant ripping out a bunch of seams, including some gorgeous partial seams. I'm trying to tell myself that it just means I got to practice partial seams so that I can be totally wicked awesome at them, but a small part of me was like, "Don't you make me do those again!" (Note, I should have referred to the errata that Jen Kingwell posted to see if she had the measurements posted, but I didn't. My bad.)

Auditioning fabric for more strips. I've been cutting and piecing in sets of 3-5 depending on what works best with the pattern. It seems to work for me. If you're familiar with the pattern, you might notice my substitute block. I didn't have a filler block for that piece, and I didn't think I could make one more square in a square, so I made my own. I don't like it as much. I wish I had just made a square in square. But I'm not fixing it. Nope. It's staying AS IS.

More strips.

And more. As my quilt has grown, it's gotten more difficult to keep my kids from touching it. All the more reason to hurry up and finish it! I'm a bit further along than this picture shows, and I've got fabric cut for my next five strips. I think I'm about halfway through? I waver between really liking it and worrying that I don't. I really think I'll have to see the full top before making that judgment. But that's not terribly uncommon for most of my projects, so hopefully this one will turn in my favor.

Dear GW Quilt, 

I will rock your face off. 

Love, Audrey

Gypsy Wife Progress

I'm slowly plugging away at my 2015 Q1 FAL list. Three of my nine goals are finished, and five are stalled because I need various fabric/thread/batting needs. I promised myself I would purchase those things this past weekend. (Oops.)

That leaves me with my Gypsy Wife quilt.

I have finished quite a big chunk of the blocks, but peeps familiar with the pattern will know that the final assembly of the blocks and the twelve kajillion little strips isn't something to take lightly. I will tell you though, I'm almost looking forward to the Y-seams and intricate piecing after the twelve kajillion square in square blocks and the measurements to 1/8"!

This block took four or five or twenty times longer that I felt it should. 16 HST units. It's not like HSTs are something I have never seen before, and yet...

This one also took a chunk of time, but that was to be expected. I think I counted 41 pieces of fabric in this 8.5" unfinished block?

And the filler blocks. OH, the filler blocks. If I'm counting correctly, I think I have three more big blocks left, and twelve more filler blocks. *sigh* And then I have to start cutting strips, and I have no idea what to do for that. I really really hope this quilt is as amazing as I had hoped. It will definitely be the most intricate (and scrappiest) quilt I've pieced.

I am 98% sure I will not finish this before the end of March, and I'm 98% sure I won't have my Tula Pink City Sampler quilt done either, but I am happy that I worked on both projects and pushed them farther along towards completion.

How is your FAL list coming along?

August Blocks.

Even with Fava's arrival, I've somehow managed to get some sewing in this month. It feels a bit odd that I'm not sewing every (or almost every) day, but then again, I'm usually so busy that I don't even notice.

First, my August Stash Bee block for Tiffany. I think this is the latest I've ever taken a photo of a bee block before. See that blue countertop? That would be the counter at the post office. (But I got the photo done, folks.)

And my August Gypsy Wife blocks. Eight square in square blocks down, eight kajillion to go. As much as I love this quilt pattern, and I'm sure I'll love the finished quilt, I am soooooo ready to be done with it.

Linking up with the August GW link up at Farm Gal Designs.  

July Blocks

I finished my Stash Bee and Gypsy Wife blocks some time ago, but I seem to always find it hard to remember to post them here!

For Stash Bee, I made two blue and green pinwheels. The block was quick and fun! Our July queen requested this block in 6.5" or 12.5" unfinished sizes, and I think the finished quilt will be super fun. (I feel like I always say that, but I really do mean it. Truly.)

My Gypsy Wife blocks for July. I got tired of cutting small pieces of fabric, and I figure there are going to be twelve kajillion square in square blocks in the final thing, so why not have a couple of repeats? Probably a bad idea that I'll kick myself for later, but for now, it was simpler, and simpler equals better in my current state.

Even though I'd been warned about July, I forgot, and it turned out meh in the center. But I like the colors, and I think all in all it's okay.

I should get started on August's blocks, but I just can't seem to motivate myself to get started! All those square in a square blocks. Or maybe I'll just start putting sections together? Either way, I should do something....

I'm linking up with the July Gypsy Wife link-up at Work in Progress Girl!

SS: GW Strip Edition.

I'm working on a Gypsy Wife Quilt right now, (GW QAL, woop woop!) and I'm using a F8 bundle of AMH's True Colors and a F8 bundle of Dowry. Plenty of delicious fabric, especially since I'm pulling in solids and other fabrics from stash, but definitely not enough long WOF strips for the final product. Something I did not consider when I purchased fabric for the project--oops.

I've started picking up small 1/8 cuts of fabric when I see something that strikes me. I'm not sure everything I pick out will go, but the blocks to this point are such a hodge podge of crazy that probably anything would work. That Shimmer fabric is actually intended for something else, but the others will hopefully work out. Shimmer on the far left, then some of Julianna Horner's new fabrics for Joann's--why not add in some of the daughter's fabrics with her mom's?--and one polka dot DS quilts print. I can't remember who made the metallic print on the far right.

But Friends. I had to make a stop at my LQS for more Aurifil this week, and when I was making a quick glance of their new fabrics, these immediately jumped out at me. SHOT. COTTONS. Oh, still my beating heart! You may be completely aware of my intense shot cotton love. You may not. If not, I absolutely adore them. And these feel so so yummy in my hand. (Of course, they're going to be a pain in the you-know-what when it comes to sewing those skinny strips, but it will be worth it.)

I waxed on to one of the owners in hopes that my huge immense love will encourage them to carry them forever and ever and in more colors to boot. These are from Studio E, and they've called them peppered cottons, but whatevsies. I didn't write down the colors names--that would be thoughtful and organized, and we know how I am about that--but I think the colors are Saffron, Blue Jay, Paprika, and Plum. Studio E recently held a contest with their peppered cottons, and wow. I especially loved this quilt, called Fresh Pack Potential. I've never had the pleasure of working with Oakshott cottons--one day--so my experience is limited to Kaffe Fassett shot cottons. It will be interesting to see how these compare.

I'm linking up with Molli Sparkles for Sunday Stash. Now I'm going to drool over everyone else's purchases!

WIP: Sewing Day Progress.

Last week, Mr. Audrey took the kidlets on a last minute road trip to see family. Since I am more than a little pregnant, and a long car trip sounded like a horror of horrors, I stayed behind and attempted a sewing vacation. Of course, Agatha had a small problem, but that was quickly solved, and I tackled a few projects that had been lingering.

Gypsy Wife blocks for June.

When I cut my rectangles for my HRTs, I wasn't thinking properly, and I didn't cut them right. Hence, a weird looking Crazy Anne block. Getting those HRTs to look pretty was also a major pain in the you-know-what, and I figure that even if I re-cut the HRTs, it still wouldn't turn out well, so I left it. Yep, laziness to the extreme. But my reasoning is that this quilt is for me, I don't care, and it probably won't be noticed in the final project. Or, peeps will totally think I did it intentionally. Because I did! Yep, totally.

It's odd. Some mistakes totally bother me, and some I shrug off and tell myself will add character. How does that work out? 

I finished my Stash Bee block for June for Carly, who requested an improv squares and rectangles block with a square of coral somewhere in the mix. That is the only piece of coral colored fabric I had in my entire stash. Only piece. (Thankfully it was big enough!) When I finish making an improv block, I'm always so happy I made another one. Improv is a stretch for me, and it takes me a long time because I think I overthink it. But stretching myself is good, even if I still can't get comfortable cutting wonky fabric! (In my defense, I really tried! I didn't use a ruler when I cut, but even still, it appears as though I got into a mode and cut mostly straight lines.) I'm really excited to see this finished quilt because Carly is responsible for my all-time favorite improv quilt (which was also a bee quilt!) so I know great things will happen.

And I finished the last few borders of Fava's quilt, so the top is complete! Mr. Audrey has promised to help me baste it this weekend--and I'm going to try and talk him into pressing my binding for me, woo!--and then, to quilt it. But I'll have more on this one for this week's TGIFF.

I had hoped to get a head start on my July GW blocks or get some more City Sampler blocks done, but I'm content with what I did get finished. I'm linking up today with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. See you over there!

May GW and Bee Blocks.

It wasn't until I went to link up my May GW blocks that I realized I had never posted them here. I also didn't post my May Stash Bee block. (Which is a real shame since I absolutely adored the finished product and joked with Sylvia that I was considering keeping it. Don't worry, I did in fact mail it to her, even if it hurt to do so.)

And while some of the filler blocks for the May GW QAL are...well...filler, I do love my main block (Hope from Hartford) for the month. It was only the second time I'd wrangled partial seams, and it turned out pretty well. My block is totally spinning the other way from the pattern, but I like it anyway.

I snapped this photo right before dropping it in the mail, so while that background fabric might look like black, it's totally navy. I love the way the oranges play together, which is weird because usually orange and I don't get along. I had so much fun making this block--really, no sarcasm--that I made another for my medallion quilt for Fava.

June means another month of GW and bee blocks to attend to! This month's offerings are proving to be super exciting. (Improv, eep!)

Oh! And for those of you wondering, my Mama received her quilt, and she absolutely adores it. (YES. I'M SO HAPPY!)

WIP: Keepin' Busy.

This week has been a little of this and a little of that. I had a leftover hourglass unit from my April GW blocks, so I quickly pieced this together. Some of the GW pattern directions are all sorts of confusing, so I'm actually not sure if this is the right size. Thankfully, I'm not the only one having this dilemma. I figure I'll have to wait until I get to piecing the top, and we'll see where I'm at.

I finished up the top of my Mama's Quilt, which is pretty exciting. Full reveal Friday.

I had intended this quilt for my husband's cousin who is expecting, and I cut 5.5" squares with plans for simple patchwork, but after speaking with her, I had a better idea. I expect I'll donate this one to Project Linus when it's done.

And that's just a bit of what I've been working on this week! What have you been up to? I'm linking up with WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

April GW Blocks.

There was a brief moment this month when I looked at my copy of the Gypsy Wife pattern and thought, "Meh. I totally don't want to make these blocks this month." Because it's only APRIL, and the QAL goes through DECEMBER, I figured I better suck it up and get some work done. And I really am thankful I got them done.

I love that heart block, but I think my absolute favorite is the Courthouse Step block in the lower left. I picked the center based on scraps I had and cut logs around it, and it's wild. It's full of pattern. It doesn't afford the eye a place to rest. But I wish the whole quilt was exactly like it. Though I will admit I have a soft spot for the CS block in the top middle. I had to sneak in some Tula (Topiary from Parisville) and while it's much more subtle than my fave, I love it anyway.

And these are all of my blocks so far. It's a chaotic mess, but I think (or rather, I'm hoping and praying) that it will all come together in the end. It will, right? Seeing them all together, that orange block still really bothers me. I think that bad boy is getting a new set of corners...maybe next month?