Bentos and Templates and Dragons, Oh My!
I sure hope you don’t all get sick of these projects, because they’re going to consume me for the next couple of months!
The South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild retreat is the first weekend of November, and I’m trying to get things lined up to take advantage of having extra room to work on projects. I’m normally wedged into a section of the kitchen table, which has its moments to be sure. Especially when you have a dog waiting to get anything that drops on the floor stuck to her jowls.
Anyway, the point is, extra room is a serious treat, so I’m trying to get blocks done and prepped for the retreat. I finished cutting all my bento boxes this weekend, and put a few up on my design wall and it is absolutely thrilling to see it start coming together after working on it for the last year and a half!
I also found some 12×12″ scrapbook paper and drew out the 30 paper-piecing templates for the urban lattice quilt. My dad doesn’t like sports, but I still thought the scrapbook paper I found was fitting for a dad quilt! This is a slightly different approach to paper piecing, because you can’t see through the paper. Instead you use the lines to line up the edges of your piece, and sew 1/4″ away from it. I love all things paper-piecing, so I’m intrigued and excited to give it a try.
Finally, I’m still sketching dragons. Yes, partially because I’m avoiding working on the actual quilt because new stuff is scary, y’all. But it’s also because I’m still not happy with the style. I figure if I keep sketching, I’ll work it out. They have wings now, that definitely helped some. I know I need to be careful not to get them too complicated, though, since appliqué is more difficult with lots of fiddly bits.
I’m getting more and more of an idea of what the design is going to be, which is relieving.
Lots to do, let’s get sewing!
Loving those Bento blocks, Anne! Thanks for the mental image of your dog with fabric bits hanging from it’s jowls. Hmmm… And the dragons are sweet. I know what you mean about the applique. There is a fine line between too complicated and too plain. I’m sure you will get it just right!
Hahahaha you’re welcome. I almost got a picture of her with a charm square hanging off the side of her jowl the other day, but she managed to get it off before I got my camera. I’m such a mean mom.
The more I look into appliqué, the more techniques I find. At this point, I could make 10 dragon quilts and they’d all be drastically different!
Your dragon is precious and the Bentos are delicious.
Thanks Pat!
If I keep beating my brain against this dragon design, I will come up with something doable eventually!
Darling dragon. My 4yo said the dragon is smelling the flower; I explained not anymore. We laughed.
Hahahaahaha that’s so precious!
Sneezing is dangerous when you’re a dragon!
I have every confidence that your dragon is going to be amazing!
Thanks for the vote of confidence, Katy! I have so many ideas for it now! I think I will probably stick with the simplest one, though.
Those Bento boxes are awesome! No one will tire of looking at them! Stopping by from WIP Wed.
Thank you, Wendy! I am very excited about the bento quilt getting finished, as it’s meant for our bed! So hopefully you’re right that it won’t get tiring looking at them both on the blog, AND in person!
It’s the great fabrics that make your bento boxes! Very cute dragon!
Thank you Valerie! I kept buying fabric for that bento quilt, and when I was done, I had something like 90+ fabrics I had gotten for it. *gulp*!
This is so refreshing! Its nice seeing things come together!
Thank you! I am really excited to be finally making progress on several things at once! It’s been a while since I’ve had a full-sized quilt finish.
I love the color scheme and eclectic look of your Bento box blocks.
Thanks, Anne!
I collected fabric for quite a while before I had a chance to start the Bento box quilt, which means that I WAY over purchased, but allowed for it to be super scrappy. 
Those Bento boxes look great! Theyre similar to a scrap block in the Sunday Morning quilts book that I’ve been contemplating making
. I cannot wait to see what you do with those adorable dragons
Thank you, Liz! I don’t have that book. :O I did some googling, do you mean the Sunday News quilt? I may have to pick up that book.
I need to start making progress on the dragon quilt so I stop psyching myself out about it!
http://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Morning-Quilts-Projects-Treasured/dp/1607054272
Added to my wish list! I’m not allowed to buy anything for myself this close to Christmas. lol
Sooo my friend, does the dragon have a name? ;D
Hahahaa no name, I will leave that to my niece.
And since there will be different colors, it will likely be 3 or 4 different dragonlings. Oh, did I not mention I’m making 3 or 4 of them? Yah, I’m insane.
getting up close and personal with the dragon on paper before translating it to fabric sounds like a smart approach – not like procrastination at all.
Yes. Definitely that.
Although I know it’s a form of procrastination as well! I’m going to psych myself up so much with this quilt! I need to do something on it just to get the ball rolling.
poor lil flower. Cute dragon at first I couldn’t figure out why he looked so sad.
I was having fun trying to give them different expressions.
I need to go practice sketching on my machine instead of just sketching on my computer and with a pencil!
Bentos are looking fantastic! And your dragon is super cute!
Thank you! The retreat is next weekend and I am hoping to have both the bentos and urban lattice quilt tops finished by the end of it. So then I can focus on the dragon quilt.
And quilt backs, I guess. Right, those. lol