Put a shark on it!

I don't know how it happened -- probably it was the unrelenting rain last Saturday that meant I didn't have to take the kids out, but could proclaim it a movie day for small people -- but I actually had a small burst of productivity.

They do brighten up our otherwise very neutral living room.

I also scratched another long planned project off my list - I love, love, love cathedral window quilts, but thought that getting those smooth curves might be challenging, so I started off with one of these from the Moda Bake Shop site.

So easy and so cute! I shortened the stitch length for the curves and they went perfectly. The only thing i would change is to cut the centre square 4.5" instead of 4.25", as i had a hard time making sure all the raw edges were sewn in before turning it. Next, I would love to make a small cushion. Of course, that cushion would then have to be encased in plastic (like all that "good" 60s furniture) so that no sticky paws could destroy it!

The major project last week was making the shark for my son's pirate quilt. I still had to make the sea, and then enlarge my original test shark. All went smoothly until I had a little lesson in values (I'm sure you've been noticing all the blog talk about value quilts!). See what I mean?

His jaw and bottom fin are almost invisible because I placed them next to fabrics of the same value. I could only face so much ripping out of improv pieces, so I only replaced the one next to the jaw. I can live with it! I just have to clean up the pattern, and then I'll have it here to download for anyone who might need a little shark in their life. Who knows, sharks could be the next owl, hedgehog or fox! It could happen.

I think he is pretty cute. I don't have a firm plan for the rest of the quilt - paper pieced letters for my sons name, maybe a paper pieced Jolly Roger. An HST inner border and a plain outer border? I think it will evolve as it needs to. I think this quilt will require some hand-quilting, as I can imagine I might break some needles trying to fmq with all those seams!

Lastly, (I told you I actually got some stuff done this weekend!) I saw a gorgeous table runner with four Japanese x and + blocks by Liz of Dandelion Daydreams, and I have wanted to make that block for a long time so I figured I would give it a shot.

I'm not crazy about the block on the left, a little too pink and blue I think, but I do like the one on the right. I think the Field Study fabrics work really well for these blocks. I feel like I still have so much to learn about colour, scale and value and these blocks are a really good exercise for that. I like how Liz used a neutral for the triangle pieces, it certainly works well to tone down the craziness of this block - but I also kind of like the crazy!

Well, it felt great to accomplish some stuff this week. The thirteen loads of laundry doesn't count, right? Thanks so much for visiting, it is great to have people to share with!

Linking up with WIP Wednesday, and the Slow Blogger link up.

The Lets Get Acquainted blog hop is still going strong for another few weeks - here are the recent and upcoming bloggers:

 

Oct 11

Chrissie from madebyChrissieD

Marit from Sew, love, live

Oct 16

Vicki from Quilting Lodge Blog

Liz from Dandelion Daydreams

Oct 18

Melissa from issa.ino: handmade

Julie from The Crafty Quilter

Oct 23

Tracey from The Peony Teacup

Megan from City Stitches

Oct 25

Kerstin from Sunset Sewing

Jenniffier from Jenniffier's Sometimes Creative Life

Oct 30

Janice from better off thread

Shena from Apple Pie Patchwork

November

Nov 1

Kelly at Live. Love. Create

Wendi at Bethadee Zoo

Nov 6

Gertie from Quilting for England

Christa from Christa Quilts

Nov 8

Pat from Color Me Quilty

Cathy from Cut it Straight

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