Dakota Star

Although I do have one hand-pieced quilt project (the New York Beauty blocks) I'm continuing to work on during this busy time, there isn't much other quilting I can do while packing up for our move. We're in a bit of frenzy trying to get everything done before the moving date. Packing is exhausting work. At the end of the day, I'm too tired to do much quilting, and at this point a lot of our supplies are in boxes anyway.

Fortunately, I can still get my quilting fix with the Electric Quilt program.  The pattern is called Dakota Star.  The illusion of curved lines fascinates me.  I created this quilt to get outside of my usual color scheme--blue, purple, green with maybe one warm color added.  I wanted the oranges and reds to predominate.  I don't know if I've succeeded in them being the predominate colors, however, it's a stretch over my usual color scheme where the warm colors are a distinct minority. 

I'm very pleased with the result.  Now if it just looks this good when I actually try to make it.  This quilt is on my bucket list.  I'm looking forward to working with these colors, and collecting the orange and red fabrics, for which my stash is definitely lacking.  Oh darn, more fabric shopping!  ;-)

Mulling the Quilting Bucket List: A Stack n Whack

Ah, the Quilting Bucket List. Such a good idea for getting focused (Thanks P.!).

Then the pressure set in. This is a Bucket List; not a "someday, wishing and a hoping" list. I can't just add my 400 or so "someday" quilts to my Bucket List. I mean let's be real here. If I'm lucky, I complete one quilt a year. Even if I get faster by improving my free motion quilting skills, I'm probably looking at only two quilts a year at best. And seriously, I'm not holding my breath on that.

So given those parameters, what is a reasonable number of projects to put on the Bucket List? I decided that number would be ten (a nice round number)--with the option of adding more if a Bucket List project becomes a WIP. And this is where the pressure came. I have to prioritize from 400 "someday" projects to 10 bucket list projects. Whew! It's not that easy.

Nevertheless, I have decided on another Bucket List project: A Stack n Whack quilt. I love the look, and sheesh, I've owned the book for 10-15 years. It might be good to get some use out of it. Right? Heck, I even have fabric for the project, also about 10-15 years old. Methinks this one is no brainer.

I didn't have to look far for inspiration. Cynthia at Home Matters 1st, recently posted a picture of her lovely Stack n Whack quilt. Isn't it gorgeous?



(photo courtesy of Cynthia at http://homematters1st.blogspot.com) Thanks Cynthia!

The Quilting Bucket List

My buddy, P, from over at The Way I Sew It, and I were discussing quilting one day (like what else?), and she asked me a very pertinent question: "What's on your quilting bucket list?" I had to laugh since I'd never heard the "some day" list referred to as a "bucket list". Yet upon further pondering I realized there is a subtle difference between the quilting "some day" list and a quilting "bucket list". The bucket list brings those quilts into sharp focus. These are the quilts you will try to make before you die. The "some day" list implies wishing and hoping that you'll take the time to make the quilts on the list, whereas the bucket list implies if you're really serious about making these quilts, you'd better quit wishing and hoping, and actually do something about it.

So I'm adding a new sidebar to my blog, called My Quilting Bucket List. The list will grow as I blog about the quilts I want to make. Today, I will add The Double String Pinwheel, designed by P at The Way I Sew It. (Seems only fitting that her quilt should be the first entry since she started this whole thinking process.)



This quilt appeals to me on so many levels. First, it is scrappy. I love scrappy quilts--all bright, cheerful, and fascinating. Simply, they make me happy. Secondly, it will be so cool to make a quilt designed by my dear friend. Lastly, the quilt incorporates string piecing, which I've always wanted to try.

As stunning as P's quilt is in red and blue, my curiosity about what it will look like using other color combinations is driving me to choose other colors. I haven't yet decided on which two. I've considered a cool combination like purple and green, and yet, I find the idea of purple and orange fascinating. Green and yellow might give it a spring feel. Ah, so many possibilities! However, my scrap box doth grow, so before long, I'll really need to get serious.

If you're interested, you can find the four parts of P's Double String Pinwheel tutorial here, here, here, and here.