ok, it's off the working wall ;) I Love my center and my fabrics, but I've spent three days working out different ideas for the pieced border, or borders and I'm just making mental soup. time for a little break so I switched to a jeans needle and am working on a gift for a generous board member or bailed me out of a hole I'd sewed myself into.

happylab, you mentioned buying 9 yards of background for a mystery. Wow. that's probably 6000 1.5" pieces! Or includes the backing? can you link to the mystery? Being a lover of little pieces. I think my Dear Jane took about 15 yards total.

Progress report!

I was lucky enough to have the day off while the weather was absolutely miserable, so no going out for me today. Sat down with my coffee, turned my machine on, and made the executive decision to put my pins and clips away, and cut back on how often I run and iron each block. I also tucked my leader and ender scraps back in their box. If I didn't make some major progress on this thing today, the odds of it ending up as a UFO was very, very high. Finished roughly is better than an UFO, mismatched points and all.

I finished the block I had laying out the last time I updated, and then got to work. If my instincts told me to flip a block over and sew it on the wrong side, I went ahead and did it. If making a seam line up properly meant flipping an allowance the opposite direction for a few minutes? I did that too. I pretty much ignored everything I have been taught about proper piecing and just sewed the way I thought might be easiest for these blocks to go together.

And actually....it turned out okay. The points still (mostly) line up, and aren't any worse than when I took three times as long to pin and press every single seam. I don't need to steam each block unit before piecing either, just a quick press is fine, with the steam at the end. Putting them all together, you can't pick out which ones I did properly, and the ones I did today. I think my flying geese seams on today's batch of blocks have actually lined up better than the ones I spent so much time carefully pinning.

So far today I have finished 7 blocks...more than I was doing in two weeks before. I have four more left to sew this afternoon, and then I can move on to setting triangles!

origamigoldfish: Awesome progress! I’m not a big fan of bad weather but it sometimes gives us these unexpected sewing days.

I have lost my mojo on this project. Got the first 25 blocks done and then just looking at the directions for the corners and ends brought me to a screeching halt. I really have to be in the mood for this.

Origami- love your attitude and determination to get this done! I can’t wait to see your completed project, loved your fabric choices!

Maminstl: I’m sorry you’ve lost your mojo ☹️, but the key is recognizing that you have to be in a particular mood to tackle this. Perhaps taking a break for a bit will help you get that loving feeling back!

I’ve got 6 blocks done, and I plan on working on this with no self imposed deadlines! I know that Bonnie loves scrappy and small pieces, and my intention coming into this, was slow and steady. I’ve decided to work on a few projects at a time so that I’m not getting bored, I think I’ll rename Frolic to Lazy Days, cause that’s when I seem to decide to work on a block!
My hats off to everyone, I just love seeing everyone’s interpretations of Frolic, we have such a talented group!

A big woohoo for those who are continuing on and understanding and a hug for those who have come to a pause....

My tasks for the day are to finish the back and make the binding, or at least draw the lines on the binding, I've cut and sewn my bias piece. I also sliced some of my extra blocks and have my diagonal bar for the back almost done, so not a whole lot of effort for today.

Cleaning up after this project has been worse than usual for me, but I'm going to feel good when every bit of these fabrics is hidden away for awhile!

Yesterday at group I didn't have much to bring since I spent all week last week working on the XFL Dragons outfits and banner for me and the hubby, pictures over here:
https://www.quiltingboard.com/person...m-t309905.html
I did cut a piece of binding I had made for another project, bit by bit clearing off the chaos that has landed on those boxes I had to move and now have to clear off and move back. I'm keeping the fabric for the next project on a hanger on the back of my bedroom door for now.

I've filled up my working wall with something else exciting, but after a 2 or 3 day break, I definitely was overthinking my frolic borders. When this house block projects comes off it will be fun to get back to frolic...with a clean palette so to speak.

And ne-ner ne-ner, I cut all my scraps as I went, so even those are cute! :) I know, don't hate me :)

maminstl, I totally understand the lack of mojo. I pretty much took a break the week after the reveal until this week, trying to wrap my mind around how busy this quilt is going to be because somehow it turned out nothing like I expected. I am like that on quilts though...the last one I made sat as a flimsy for almost a year before I finally was in the mood to quilt it...and I did no other sewing during that time. You'll get it done in time...don't feel bad about not finishing it quickly!

retiredteacher09, tallchick, thank you for the encouragement!

Iceblossom, I love the outfits! they're so fun!

Kalama, I can't wait to see pictures :)

I finished the main blocks last night, working on half blocks now. I am hoping to finish them and be able to lay everything out my next day off. I am still torn on borders, but I think I'm going to go with pinwheels or using the HSTs to make a chevron border. I will probably add a small outer border on top of that because I love flanged binding and I don't want to cut off any points.

I also think that after putting all of this work into piecing the top, I may send it off and have it longarmed. I think it may be too large for me to stuff through the throat on my machine, and I'm not sure my quilting skills are up to doing what I want anyway.

This is where I am with mine. Not going on point. Outer borders needed.

Iceblossom: Cute outfits!

quiltsRfun: Very pretty.

QuiltsRfun, that is a beautiful version of this challenging quilt. Lovely color choices and a pleasant layout. Once again, color makes all the difference in how the pattern reveals itself. Using multiple fabrics but not totally scrappy throughout calms down the business and allows the beautiful stars to shine. Congratulations on the "almost" finish.

quiltsRfun: That looks just super! Isn't it neat how different quilts look with a change of color? Yours almost has a look of a woven coverlet.

Leslie

If you are stopped by the 'busy' use plain sashing. It will calm the whole effect down. The pieced sashing can be stacked and used on the back or in a border. better to not use part of one clue than have the waste of the whole project setting in a closet.

quiltsRfun, your version is lovely! I've noticed how having a darker color in the 'green' spot makes the quilt appear much more orderly, even when set on point.

Ok. I have all my 25 blocks complete. Now I am doing the 1/2 blocks. I haven't even begun to do sashing and corner stones.
Question; Are there really that many unused pieces in the 16 sets for the 1/2 blocks? Truly???
I am loving to see everyones on here. It inspires me to keep stitching.
Thanks
Kirsten

Yes, ScubaK, there is roughly 6 blocks worth of pieces left over if you make one corner/one setting triangle per set.

I added in extra 4 patches particularly and came out with 9 full blocks after making all my four corners the same and each set into two triangles instead of one.

I am having another sewing day today...working on the half blocks and corners. Four half blocks to go, and the corners. If it is still light enough I can see to iron by the time I get those finished, I will start sewing the sashing together. Not a lot of progress, but I'm chugging along!

Goodness, my thinking unit was giving me all sorts of problems in this rather straight forward (once the blocks were done) pieced back. It's amazing what a bit of measuring and thinking can prevent, unfortunately I had to react to mistakes... Good thing the print is so busy. I did keep the print going in one direction but other than that didn't bother with matching anything.

But Frolic is officially finished for me, I count a finished top as a finished project and not a UFO. It has gone to join the stack of those tops waiting to be quilting. I still have no idea on how to quilt it down and am still considering sending it out to be finished.

First shot is the pieced back, second shows the cut binding -- that fabric was much more vibrant before it got its needed boil! I do cut my binding a bit fuller than most, 3" and I love what the bias does to striped fabrics. I used to fold it and iron it and I like it stored that way better, but I've been trying the suggestion to not press first and it is working just fine for me.

COool! Well done you,

Iceblossom: Awewome! Congratulations on your finished top.

Iceblossom, great job! It was an inspiration to follow your progress.

Iceblossom, beautiful finish. Nice and bright and cheerful!

I have the larger 'half' of my rows sewn together, and am plugging away at the last four rows. Hopefully by tonight I will have the bulk of it pieced!

Iceblossom, that is beautiful! Congratulations on getting it done. I know what you mean about putting all those fabrics back into their proper place in the stash - seems that half of my sewing room is made up of Frolic fabrics. All my blocks are done and now I just have the sashes and borders to go. It WILL get done and it will be OK :).

I finally finished the main part of the top this morning. As much as i disliked the individual blocks and how busy they are when I was piecing them, putting them together with sashing between has changed their feel, and I actually like it now. The busy actually works in my favor, it's hard to notice where some of my flying geese points don't quite line up, and other mistakes.

The last photo are my options for the inner border. Hard to see in the white on white, but one is a dot and one is a larger damask print. I am planning on doing a repeat of the inner border outside the HST border, but I don't have enough of the flower print or the darker tan to do more than the inner border. I used a curated bundle, so I also don't have enough of any of the neutrals to make it from one fabric, and I don't want to buy more. Opinions, please :)

origami, your colors are so spring-like and fresh. I love it! I would use whichever border fabric you have enough of for both borders. I think the whiter ones look better than the tan.

Beautiful finish Origami! I agree that a white would really set it off! Congratulations!

Origami, I agree that the white would be perfect.

I have a question for you- are you using the HST's or not?
I've decided not to use mine because my top came out too busy as it is.
Yours, however, is lovely!! It looks more structured to me. Great job~

Thank you for the advice and the compliments! I agree that the white sets everything off and softens the creamy neutrals and the whites in the quilt already. I loved the flower print, but against the rest of the quilt it looks dingy, and the darkest neutral is too dark.

Susie, I am planning on using the HSTs for the border, but I am not so fond of the sawtooth Bonnie laid them out in. I plan on laying them out in different ways and seeing what I like best. I have seen pinwheels, larger triangles, chevrons, more flying geese, and even friendship stars made with them as borders. I still have a small stack of pinks and blues and plenty of neutral fabrics left to make more if I need to.

I think the structure in my quilt came from having a limited number of pinks, several dark blues that are almost the same shade, and a few prints carried across several colors. And so many polka dots, lol. I can't claim credit for that, that was all the employees at the fabric shop I ordered my bundle from. I think they chose wonderfully, especially since they didn't know what the end result would be!

Origami, thanks for your reply.
I love those polka dots!!!

You gave me an idea about the HST's. I don't like them as is either, but maybe I can also figure something else out.
Or I may just leave them out and use for another project.

origamigoldfish: Very pretty and congratulations on getting the top this far.

Goldfish, I agree with Joe'smom. I don't care for the two tans. They distract from your quilt colors. Any chance you would get just enough of the back/white polk-a-dot or the lovely fuchsia for a narrow, inner border?

Your top looks wonderful, Origami! I agree with the others that the white would look really good with your blocks. It maintains the freshness of the quilt. Congratulations on completing the top.

Leslie

I might have enough of the dark fuchsia with the black crosses to do an in inner border...the navy polka dot was a fat quarter with the printed selvedge edge, not the label side. I have been trying to ID it for a few weeks.

Thank you for all the lovely comments!

OragamiGF, love your quilt and fabric choice...it looks awesome.
I have been away from Frolic for a couple of months but just pulled all my pieces out yesterday and just finished the 25 pairs from Part 8. Looks like I will be able to start construction blocks from here. : )

still trying to figure out how to post a photo : /

I was wondering whether or not anyone has picked this up again as being the perfect project for being socially isolated. I know that I could actually be pretty happy boiling large pots of fabric right now but on the other hand, I'm thankful that I do not!

Honestly, I've been in what I'm describing as a post-Frolic hangover. I did a flurry of costuming for Hubby and I to go to the XFL Dragons games, but those were cancelled too, and I've been just moping about, not really doing much, cleaning up after the Frolic and costuming. It's really rare for me to not be doing something quilted related (other than thinking and chatting) each day.

I'm starting to get back into the desire for sewing but spending more time on-line in my role playing game slaying dragons.

I have just finished the center portion of Frolic and now need advice on the borders. The center measures 96 x 96 so it seems almost too large for just the diamond border, but the added pinwheels seem too busy. The dark blue may be just right ( Goldilocks here), but that means I would have to buy more fabric...oh darn. What do you ladies think?

Carol,

I love the last pic with the dark blue border, that will be a fantastic finish! I love the colors you chose and I can’t wait to see it all done!

Just today I pressed and trimmed the 9-patch units that make up the main blocks. I have a top to quilt tomorrow before I start working on Frolic again.

I really like that version 3 with the dark edge, holds it all together nicely!