McKenna Ryan Group Quilt-a-Long
A place to share our journey to completing a McKenna Ryan project
- one block, many blocks or a quilt.

Tuesday 31 December 2013

My first blocks


I already fused these 3 blocks.

I don't know if:

- I will use monofilament as required for appliquilting or threads. I read some machine don't like the use of monofilament.
What are you using please ?

-I quilt as-you-go, block by block or all together... I'm afraid to ruin the design...


Susan's Plan

In 2000 and something I (and my bestie) bought 4 blocks of the "Sea Breeze" patterns.  I have completed these blocks and have an idea of how I want to put them all together.  I made the blocks and did the raw edge applique and for a while ...they sat... then I went to a "creative quilting" group for a few months (arty quilts - lots of creating texture & shading with a sewing machine) and picked up a lot of tips - like how to make seaweed with my machine using FMQ & wash a way stabiliser.
My plan is to make the quilt look like part of a large ship that is underwater, rusted etc and through the portholes, you will be able to see the blocks.....mmmmm..... that is the plan.

Here are my blocks:






and here are some of the various bits & pieces I have collected to make the quilt.. Some cottons, some chiffony sorts of fabrics, some pictures for inspiration, some practice pieces of seaweed etc....I found things I had forgotten about...so that was fun....and now I am keen to get going.
You will see of course a marked similarity to the blocks Maureen has ready to go....
The journey begins . . . 


Sunday 29 December 2013

Four Lonely Blocks

These are my four blocks that I fully intend to organise into a design for my brothers new island home.  Design still to be nutted out on paper but it is firmly in my head and it goes like this.......storm at sea background, mariners compass in the centre and my little sea creatures playing happily around in the foreground. He loves his boats so that is why I have chosen the components mentioned above. So I had better get started. Oh and by the way, I have chosen the raw edge applique method which I feel is best suited for those tiny weeny pieces.




Saturday 28 December 2013

Welcome to the Group Quilt-a-Long

The plan is to encourage those who have a McKenna Ryan project on the wish list, or started, to finish their project.  You do not have to have a blog to participate, you can post directly here.
The blog is open to anyone who wants to participate.
There is no set agenda, you are each responsible for your own commitment, and since we are all working on different projects it would be hard to set guidelines.
I think those who want to commit should set their own plan and publish it here if they like.

Please feel free to post as often as you can - pictures of where you are at now - even a picture from the pattern of what you are working on...or plan to work on.

Together we can encourage each other, and seeing how others are progressing will encourage you to keep going too.

Good Luck to everyone - perhaps by 31st December, 2014 we will each have a finished McKenna Ryan Project.

Susan