Friday, August 19, 2011

Two Steps Behind

I feel like I'm getting farther and farther behind. None of this two steps forward, one step behind. I'm one step forward and two behind these days. I've made some progress on the insane Lego quilt, finishing 49 blocks:


Still completely in love with it. Believe me when I say there are some truly ugly fabrics in here - I've been muttering and grousing about them and then when it's all put together I wonder what I was fussing about.

Julie's making progress on her lego quilt with flying geese and now Pokeytown Kim has joined us as well. Anyone else?

I've received more uglies/olds/boring/just-get-it-out-of-here fabrics in the mail. Since I just mentioned Kim, here's her contribution:
 

Next up, Beth S's fabrics, shown with a hint of Habibi.  ugh, shamrocks and teddy bears. I had fun fussy cutting the soccer players to get lots of feet!


Jill I. wrote she was excited to find the faces fabric (rather Andy Warhol-esque) and bought four yards of it - her friends that she was crazy. I understand though - I think it's awesome. Trying to convince myself to cut some of it off, cuz I'm tempted to keep it for a different ugly project in which I would leave it whole.


Sewkalico Karol-Ann sent these all the way from the UK. Yeah, kinda bland, but I love the little sheep!


Hey-Boo Lynn's group included the incredibly florescent fish and fabulous purple cabbage.


PrettyMade Nina sent these fabrics and the sweet heart all the way from Finland. I happen to love love the big bold flowers and the ?bee toys? I'm guessing those are kiwi birds in the corner and can that possibly be a kiwi-human hybrid playing football???


And for my fellow geeky quilters out there, Nina is one of us. She loves Doctor Who as well - woohoo! (Can't wait for it to start back up - not long now!)

Bumblebeans Victoria was mean to me. Aaagh. That hideous dark plaid with the roses will be awesome in a bugly quilt someday - I'm saving most of it for that.


Robert sent me two of his handmade Christmas stockings in addition to loads and loads of scraps. Love the tiny skeletons on blue. Are those turtles wearing roller skates???


Completely Cauchy Chawne is cutting up strips to make an insane quilt of her own (woohoo!) and kindly sent me some legos. There are some gorgeous fabrics in here! (Does that count as cheating?) Love the kitties and woohoo a sock monkey.


Thank you all so much!!! That's all I've received as of today. Hope I haven't forgotten anyone. Gotta run. I leave you with a pic of Pokey and a magazine that just happened to arrive yesterday:

 

Since I just got my subscriber's copy in the mail, I figure it will be two weeks before the magazine hits store. Ya'all take care.

52 comments:

Nifty Quilts said...

Wahoo! Legos is a masterpiece!! Truly!!

Browndirtcottage said...

AWESOME!!!!!!

Lisa Shafer said...

It's incredible to me that something made up of such ugly parts could look so beautiful from a distance. This is an awesome quilt, Tonya.
I have lots of ugly stuff I could send to you, but it's all 70s polyester, so it wouldn't work..... :)

CBB said...

This quilt is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I have to make one one day... I really like the effect: very contemporary. Thanks for sharing.

Quilts And Pieces said...

It is wonderful!

Diane said...

It looks to me like you're getting plenty done! Love the quilt!

Pokey looks like she wants to pounce on Ricky and Alex!

cauchy09 said...

you know, i find those peeping kitties i sent you are rather creepy. i got it from a friend in Canada who keeps sending me more just to bother me. of course i'll be putting some lecherous kitties in my own quilt. :o)

beth said...

Love your quilt! Did I win a prize for sending the ugliest fabric? ;)

Millie said...

The quilt is spectacular! I love it. Move at your own speed, and don't worry about anybody else.

Unknown said...

The bee toys are Buzzy Bees (caution, the website talks): http://www.buzzybee.co.nz/

So that's a very New Zealand fabric set you have there.

Hedgehog said...

Holy, Moly, Tonya! This looks great! Does it weigh a lot from all the seam allowances? How large are you planning on making it?

Sarah said...

I'm going to attempt something similar, but the pieces will all be random lengths. This quilt is *amazing*...I can only hope my idea looks just as good when put into practice! :D

Contented Caroline said...

Wow it's certainly coming along - is 'Insane Lego Quilt' the final consensus on name - I think it's a good 'un. I can certainly relate to your one step forward, two steps back. I made a step forward in May and quite a few steps back in June and haven't seen much 'forward' since then!! Oh dear!! You're blog certainly brings a smile to my face. Keep it up.

MulticoloredPieces said...

Great lego quilt! And it's amazing what you can do with bizarre fabrics--you've got quite a collection!
best, nadia

Spice said...

I love your quilt. EXCELLENT!

Nina, the Wonder-Wench said...

Glad to see my letter reached you! :) Yeah, the slightly disturbing kiwi-human hybrid is playing rugby... :)
Hugs!
(Been watching tons of older Dr Who to ease my longing for the new season... ;))

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

mean, huh?
Hey Your lego quilt looks amazing... It' looks BIG for you too? how big is it so far, or how big are you going with it?

Ruth said...

It is amazing that ugly fabric doesn't look bad when mixed in a quilt! I use lots of ugly fabric in strip quilts. BTW, I bought your book in Sisters, OR this summer specifically to make the Lindy quilt with the pilots call letters around it. I don't know when I will get to it, but at least I have all the eagles embroidered.

Chris Daly said...

Tonya, that quilt is looking like a museum piece. Bravo!

Clare said...

A masterpiece!

I'm with you. Just got to finish Strawberries & Cream and tie another Leukaemia quilt and then I'll start.

Far too hot here to do anything except lie by the pool and read.

Staci said...

I look forward to every installment of this quilt's story. It is so wonderful! What an amazing thing.

Kim said...

Okay this is looking very modern artish.
Happy Sewing

YankeeQuilter said...

Looking good! Now I have to run out and check my mailbox....

em's scrapbag said...

Scrap happiness at it's best. Just proves that if you think a fabic is ugly you just haven't cut it small enough yet.

linda said...

I love the lego quilt. You just gave me and idea for my scraps that are different sizes and really different patterns that don't seem to go togehter. Thanks.

Sharon said...

Oh, this is insanely awesome! This quilt has got to be a hoot to study closely.

I'm still trying to get some fabrics together for you. I've been going backwards lately too.

Congrats on Rumspringa being a "cover girl"!!

Lori R. said...

Another thought .... Tonya, have you looked at the tiny "thumbnail" picture of the lego quilt top? I see action that isn't apparent when viewing it in a larger version. I'm interested ... there may be another lego quilt born soon, this one in North Carolina!

Quiltdivajulie said...

I WILL be making one of these quilts - have been busy trimming clean cuts and strings to 1-1/2" strips so I'll have lots of scrappiness (your "control" is "ugly" - mine is "used during 2011 in one of my quilts"). Stay tuned!

(totally understand the feeling behind issue - try not to stress about it!)

Michele said...

I found some ghastly cherubs for you gals today. Tonya, I have your addy, but if any of you others want a hunk, just let me know. I'll be happy to send it to you.

Rachaeldaisy said...

Wooho0o - Loving your lego quilt!! and laughing so much at the uglies!

sewkalico said...

Your lego blocks together are looking amazing!

It's not fair that you photographed my uglies in such a way that they don't look as bad as they are LOL! But I a sure am glad to be shot of them! :-)

joe tulips said...

Holy COW!! Awesome stuff. I see some fabrics that I own too. They are old, but not ugly! This is really a fun adventure in quilting, thanks for starting me on it.
I did look for the newest quiltLife issue, just in case it was out...but no. Can't wait.
Remain calm and carry on!

Carol E. said...

I love the quilt!!

Appalachian Mercantile said...

All I can say is WOW!

Teresa Rawson said...

I'm so lovin' this lego quilt...any ideas on how you might quilt it? Machine? Hand?? My daughter is counting the hours until Friday night's Dr. Who episode and plotting how to invite herself over to a friend's house (who has BBC America...) to watch it. TOO FUNNY! Unless I act like a 14-yr-old and tag along, I will have to wait. I bought Riley some previous seasons for her birthday with the SNEAKY PLAN to catch up on the show MYSELF! I'm now hooked...

In stitches,
Teresa :o)

Anonymous said...

I love that pattern and all your use of the scraps. Do you have a pattern for this?? I have alot of scraps that I need to get a handle on and this looks like fun. Please email me back at sewfinequilting@gmail.com.
Thanks, Diane in Alaska

Kristin L said...

It's looking awesome! Like making lemonade from life's lemons. And you are a cover girl! How cool is that?!

Rosalyn Manesse said...

I love how you are composing this quilt! And I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one on the planet with truly ugly fabics--

Nicky said...

Is it your mission to mop up all the ugly fabric in the world to leave us free to enjoy the good stuff?

Maybe the latest Doctor's enemy should be a sentient quilt!? Imagine all those fabric characters animated??? Worse than the Daleks! Especially the kittens....!

Kim said...

I was just thinking how you already have plans for some of the uglies that you received OTHER than this lego project. The gears are always turning huh? I love it......so many ideas so little time :0)

Happy Sewing and as always I look forward to what is coming next :0)

Sharon M said...

Love your newest quilt. I am a really scrappy quilt lover. Don't like any wste! What kind of cat do you have? I have seen ones in my neighborhood that look like the same family. Keep up the great work Tonya.

Leeann said...

That's a Rugby playing Kiwi, not football! And the bee is a Buzzy Bee which is a New Zealand toy, it has wheels and you pull it along, and it has a clicker in it so it clicks as you pull it. I love Dr Who too. Do you watch Torchwood also?
I made a crumb/mile a minute quilt like this for my bed but I can't use it as is too heavy, makes me feel like I'm tied up! I love my quilt though it looks great and so does Lego

pat sloan said...

amazing how that works.. love following the journey!

Barbara Arcement said...

love the lego quilt. What a great way to use small scraps.
it truly is a work of art!

Valerie the Pumpkin Patch Quilter said...

Should I be embarassed? I have some of that UGLY get it out of here fabric and LOVE it! LOL* I have yardage of some of that stuff... *blush*

Sujata Shah said...

Tonya.
This quilt has life of it's own!
LOVE IT!I have been away for way too long. Glad I am catching up.

myrtovl said...

I visited your blog after a long time last night and all night I could not sleep thinking of the Lego Quilt, it's fantastic!
Myrto

Annaliese said...

this post leaves me with a big goofy grin on my face. Thank you!!

Marit said...

This is ab fab!!!!

Anne H said...

That legos quilt is fab. I am going to have to make one, but will have to wait a bit longer as i dont have that much different fabric as i have just started quilting this year.

Anonymous said...

I've started my own version of your legos quilt this week...but I'm naming mine "Teenage Daughters". I hope someday to see something beautiful come from the chaos of the relationship I have with my girls right now...and this quilt is my therapy to get me through it. All the good bad and ugly thrown together is going to be beautiful once complete. Thanks so much for the inspiration!

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