Fifty is Nifty!

Guess what!?  My Tuning Fork Series is turning 50!  I can't believe it!

This has been a productive week.  I finished piecing a very large mineral series quilt (it is 57" x 80" unquilted) on Tuesday.  So, for the first time in several months, I had an empty design wall.

Of course, I do have a very small pile of unquilted tops.  Just eight or so.  Ranging in size from my SAQA Benefit Auction quilt (12" x 12") to my newly finished Tiger Eye quilt (57" x 80").
I'm currently using them to hide the longarm.  It works very well.

I went into the studio yesterday morning with every intention of loading a few small quilts on the longarm and quilting them.  I estimated I could finish at least three of them in one day.  After all, they are small.

But the blank design wall was very distracting.  All of that glaring white.  I decided I'd just take an hour or so and cover a bit of it up.  Just so I could concentrate on quilting.

And coincidentally, I had a small pile of fabric from the NTAQ scrap bag challenge.  Evil person that I am, I had sorted my scrap bag into eight piles.  At the last meeting I gave each member a pile and told them to make something with the scraps.  Restrictions:  the piece must be at least 12" x 12" and one dark fabric and one light fabric could be added.  I added an espresso brown and a very light teal to my pile.

I started by making some Tuning Fork parts.  Forklets, if you will:
I started placing them on the board.  Hmmm.  Looking good, I think.  I like the green/teal/red violet/gold color palette.
 One I had them arranged, I started sewing vertical rows together:
The left side is pieced together.  I flipped one of the rows when sewing them together.  I decided I liked it that way:
And here is the finished quilt top.  Tuning Fork # 50.  20"w x 30"h.
At this point I made two discoveries.  First of all, it was 4:30.  No quilting would be done that day.

And secondly, I had just created Tuning Fork #50!  Fifty!  I can't believe I've made that many Tuning Fork quilts!  Here is the page from my sketchbook
Of course, Brian and I had to celebrate the 50th incarnation of the Tuning Fork.  It's not everyday someone or something turns 50!

I'm linking this post with Nina-Marie's Off the Wall Friday, Confessions of a Fiber Addict and Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday.  Go see all the wonderful work there!

Comments

Carol Morrissey said…
Wow!! I love them all. Congratulations on Turning/Tuning 50.
piecefulwendy said…
How fun, and congrats on Turning 50! Love the quilt and its colors. Your scrappy challenge is a great idea. I'm taking over as Activities Coordinator for our group next year, so I'm taking notes. This one might be fun!
jeanne Marklin said…
Thanks for the laughs Heather! Love to hear how other people spend time procrastinating. I'm better at it, because I can successfully accomplish nothing. Love the quilt!
Margaret said…
Love it! I used to sing "Lead" in a Sweet Adelines Chorus (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)...and we used a tuner to start us off (all a cappella) so this work invokes particular interest and emotion for me. It's delightful! Thank you!
Norma Schlager said…
Fifty!! Very impressive! I love your new little quilt.
Unknown said…
#50 may be your best one yet! I love it!
I tend to hide my longarm in the same manner. I also tend to be easily distracted in the studio. Congrats! on Tuning Fork number 50.