My Quip – EssbeeCon Quilt – Top Completed

Good Day,

The top of our new and original EssbeeCon quilt has been completed. The borders have been attached. Take a gander.

Thanks for the many suggestions regarding the possibility of quilting design. We have decided that in keeping of the geometric nature of EssbeeCon configuration that we needed a simple and complementary quilting configuration.

The approximate dimensions of EssbeeCon are now nearing 85” by 85” before the addition of the binding. The backing has been selected. It will balance the top, and again it will be a solid shade of color.

And a couple more images.

We will be using three methods of sewing to complete our EssbeeCon: freeform Longarm; freeform domestic; and hand stitching.

Stay tuned for our updates as we round the corner to completion.

Also check out, if you are interested, my two other blogs, A Genealogy Hunt and Jim’s Trek.

Enjoy,

Jim and Andy

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My Quip – EssbeeCon Quilt Redesign Revealed

Good Day,

Thanksgiving is done. Everyone is satiated… methinks. Now the next stages of the Holiday Season begin to unfold. And somehow we need to fit in the issue of the Mayan ideas of December 21st. Be considering that the December Solstice this year, the same time and date that the Mayan calendar runs out, is 21 December 11:12 (UTC)… Also the new moon reaches its peak on my 61st. Will we see each other on the other side? Which side?

Andy and I are now ready to begin the top of our next quilt. All 100 8 ½ -inch square blocks for our new and original quilt, EssbeeCon, have been completed.

Each block is a paper-pieced construction that includes a set that has to be sewn together before it is added to the paper foundation. Not including the framing borders, EssbeeCon will approximate 80” by 80”.

Here is a sneak preview of our original EssbeeCon design. The construction of the top has begun.

This is our ninth draft of our design, and we have decided that this is what we will settle on, even after the changes that we have made for our first draft. We are still working and developing the complimentary plan of the quilting.

Keep in touch with our status and updates.

Enjoy,

Andy and Jim

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My Quip – EssbeeCon Quilt Progress

Good Day,

The piecing of 100 blocks continues. Andy has been painstakingly piecing and sewing each individual block that eventually will be a part of the construction of our original quilt design, EssbeeCon.

Each block is paper-pieced from our original pattern… and the construction requires the piecing of each to be completed in fifteen parts. And we have tapped the term; segmented-piecing, sort of. Each block is pieced to only one drawn paper pattern.

There are two cuts that are sewn together from a created template prior to combining, sewing together with the block construction. In creating the block design we wanted the paper pattern to be a single unified construction. (It makes sense to us…)

Thanks to all, who have proffered thoughts and advice regarding the eventual quilting design. EssbeeCon is turning to be quite a challenge.

Stay tuned for our progress and updates.

Enjoy,

Andy and Jim

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My Quip – The Amulet – In Progress – Quilting Errors Unpicked – Ready To Start Again

Good Day,

Well the unpicking of the first chance run of quilting of The Amulet has been finished. Talk about a pain. And our reason for unpicking… we did not like the thread which we had chosen for the top and used it simultaneously for the back. At the time it just seemed so right, but it was so wrong. New thread for the back has been decided upon.

The Amulet, our original design, is inspired by the work of artist Richard Tsosie. We have attempted to capture the spirit of one of the pieces of his art.

The top of The Amulet has been completed. We are now fine-tuning our piecing and reviewing the work. The Amulet will approximate the size of a Double-size quilt. The dimensions are about – Width: 72” (183 cms) and Length: 94” (239 cms). The top is constructed of 120 parts of fabric which have been pieced to create mirror images.

Here are a couple more preview images. You can see the square and rectangular construction of the fabric pieces. The backing is a corresponding light blue. My camera my not do justice to the actual coloring of the fabrics.

And boy, have we learned a lesson. Going forward, we will attempt to test-quilt on a sample piece in order to determine the complimentary and conforming thread choice.

Stay tuned to our progress.

Enjoy,

Jim

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