(Photo credit: Purple Panda Quilts)
Over the summer, I made it my intention to get back into quilting. I could start right with my daughter’s quilt, a project for which I’ve been collecting fabric for several years. But I had decided that the best way to tackle that project was to practice the quilt-as-you-go process which allows you to put the batting and the quilting stitches in while you’re putting the block together. That way, the project is worked in sections, and then the pre-quilted sections are all joined together in the final step. So before I started my daughter’s quilt, I wanted to find a small project, an interesting block or two that I could practice the technique on and then move on to the larger project.
When I came to this conclusion, I was still in the US, with my return to Taiwan only a few weeks away. I took aadvantage of that time to look at patterns, browse a few quilting books, and visit a couple of quilt shops in anticipation of my return to quilting. I was looking for just the right small project for my practice work. I didn’t know what it would be, but I was sure I’d know it when I saw it.
Well, it showed up in a rather routine place. I have a subscription to a quilt of the block day email. Usually three or four times a month, something comes that I actually save to my design software. Other times, I barely give them a second glance. For example, if the block is some version of a flower, a boat, a lighthouse, or a basket, you can be pretty sure that I’ll just delete the email.) But on August 9th, a great block featuring a coffee cup was the Block of the Day. As many people know, coffee is one of the things I love almost as much as quilting. I was excited.
In an interesting turn of events, someone expressed an interest in the coffee cup project, and it has grown into a bigger project. The awesome part is that not only will I get some practice with this process, but one of my quilts will eventually hang on display in a coffee shop in Taiwan. I’ll tell you more about that another time, but today, I want to show you how this coffee mug block has turned into a plan for a quilt with 3 rows of 5 blocks. When it’s finished, it will look something like this.
The coffee mugs themselves will all be made of different fabrics. But the rest of the quilt will be made with the fabrics below. You should note that the light green squares in the picture above will be replaced by the lavender fabric (although it looks a little blue in the picture).
If you are interested in seeing the fabrics that are being planned for the eight coffee mugs that will be in this wall hanging, here they are!
Good news! We have a four-day weekend coming up, and I am going to use one of those days for quilting. I plan to do a lot of cutting and organizing, and with any luck, start piecing things together. I’m looking forward to it. I’m ready, and all the things on my to-do list will wait, while I have a day of quilting. I will post pictures as this project takes shape.
Container Chronicles 
I shall be watching and willing you on!!
Thanks, Willow! Interesting how I just found the comments for this post today! But hey, it’s another excuse to connect with you and say hi. 🙂
Well Hi there how’s your weekend so far.
So far, so good. I’ve been grading exams and writing notes to student writers. Tonight, finishing up class prep for next week and my music post. 😉 Tomorrow, Dave and I have another adventure with Mei. That should result in some interesting photos and posts. 🙂 My weekend is half over. It’s already Saturday evening here. 🙂
It is early afternoon here and I am exhausted already, been to the gym 😦 done the shopping , tidied up at home and spoken to one of my sons flying off to Seattle on Business, along way to me as we are living in the UK. Mind you he is left home and married but I still worry about him! Enjoy your evening I hope I can stay awake. 😉
Wow, I lived in Seattle for nearly ten years! A beautiful place. 🙂 I hope you can stay awake. I’ll send some music your way in about 20 minutes if that helps. 😉
OH! fabulous always glad of a little music!! and I am just about to make some coffee , would you like one? xxxxx 🙂
Yum! But I’ll have to take a raincheck on the coffee. It’s 10 pm here. haha
Lovely work. I do a simple denim quilt, I just can’t seem to match edges well enough to do the patchwork quilts. Have fun with your four days, my long weekends tend to get considerably shorter when the kids wake up and get moving. 🙂
Hi Maxine,
First, my apologies for the late response. For some reason, I missed the comments on this post until today. Nice of you to stop by. I actually prefer to do quilts that are a little more freeform so I don’t have to worry about the matching, but the quilt for my daughter is different because she wants something that is more traditional, without being too traditional. A goldilocks quilt, of sorts! 😉
I remember well the days with kids around. Now it’s just all the work projects that bleed over into my weekends that I have to watch, but I decided over the summer that it is critical that I take time for me, even if it’s only a few hours here and there.
Hope to see you again! 🙂
I haven’t sewn anything in a very long time but I’m carrying the spirit of your enthusiasm along into my writing. Thanks for sharing and I’m so excited for your process!
Thanks, Kieta! I think enthusiasm and support are the best gifts we can give those around us. It keeps us creative, motivated, and willing to express ourselves, in whatever form that takes. Sorry for my late response. I hope your writing is going well! The quilting project has morphed a bit, but at least I’m quilting! 🙂
I love the coffee cup idea, and it looks like you are all set with the fabrics .. look forward to following its progress … !