The "tidying" continues!!

 The "tidying" in my studio continues in spite of all the temptation in the garden.

I've tackled this pile of fabric on the floor because it always in the way (blocks creativity).

Most of it is BIG HUNKS that I hoarded during my years as a quilt shop owner.  I whittle away at it for borders and backings.

I moved it all onto the (cleared off) cutting table and sorted it by color pulling out a few pieces to donate to my charity quilt making group for backings.

It lived on this shelf for a long time before taking temporary refuge on the floor (my son is replacing windows in the studio), so I was happy to have it back in place and out of the way.

Doesn't it look neat and tidy??

Turning around, I decided to handle these floor piles as well -- a combination of UFO's to be repurposed and fabric that hasn't been put back into the "floral" collection.

In the process, I uncovered this hoard of random strips that I used for a charming little string-pieced kaleidoscope quilt.  I'm not sure why I haven't let the leftovers go since I never do the same thing twice.  You could help me out with this!!  There is at least 1 1/2 yards in the assortment and if you'd like to use it, you can have it for the cost of postage -- just leave me a comment -- first one wins!!

My magazine hoard is also housed there and I let go of some and have plans to let go of more as the month progresses (we'll see??), but I found this article and set it aside for a closer look!! 

Perhaps we could use that information??

So that corner of the studio is much tidier!!

At this point, I decided I had earned a stitching break!!  This wall hanging is on my third quarter 2015 Finish Along list and I decided to try out "pencil" quilting on it.  It's 29" square and a teaching sample from the triad color scheme lesson in Quilting From the Heart by Gai Perry.

I thought I would use a turquoise thread since that is the dominate color, but at the last minute decided to audition a variegated gold thread as well.  In the end, that was my choice primarily because it didn't contrast so strongly with the background fabric.

I used the edge of my walking foot to measure the distance between the lines.  I started at the center of quilt and worked out to each side.  The lines became somewhat "organic" -- why can't I quilt as straight as I piece??  Not sure why, but it is what it is this time.

I love that there are no thread tails to tie off when I am done with the quilting since all the lines went from raw edge to raw edge!!

I need to learn how to keep the line spacing more uniform or else do this as whimsical lines in the future, but I like the look and the flatness of the finished piece. (The wonky upper right corner is the camera angle, not the quilt!)

 

I spent the evening stitching on the binding and adding a casing to the back so it's all ready to share with someone.  I've decided to call it Cactus Flower for no other reason that it seems like the right name. 

 

I'm feeling good!! 

A bit more of the studio tidy and another UFO finished!!

Next???

 

Mary Huey

 

Linking up over at PINK DOXIES!!