Spring Blooms

I have a lot of projects happening right now but I am super happy to have this Spring table runner finished and on my table!It was put on hold because I ran out of thread while quilting it. I made a point to pick some up at QuiltCon last month and finally put my Trinket Quilt (which you can see here…Trinket Progess) aside to finish up a few things. This table runner was toward the top of that list. I only had two small areas left to quilt before I went looking for a good binding fabric.This particular choice was something I had picked out before I ran out of thread and had put aside, but in view, for when I was ready to bind. I starting trying to decide what fabric I should use when my eye fell on this one and I was so pleased with my forethought as this piece is perfect!

Now let’s talk about the quilting for a second. This is the back of one block and I love how it turned out with this variegated Aurifil thread that I used for the appliqué and I had to use that same design throughout the piece which I was able to do using my walking foot.I love the happy feeling of this runner. I got the pattern inspiration from the Quilt Block Cookbook by Amy Gibson. I used the Petal unit for the center and combined it with the Plus One Block. There are so many different combos that you can create using this book and Amy makes it so easy to do so.

The Blueberry Park fabric fulfills my need for happy spring and summer colors. I had the backing fabric in my stash and it pulled it all together beautifully.I love this runner! What happy spring projects are you working on?

Candy Wrapped

Another table runner is complete! For this one I used the Bon Bon block from the Quiltblock Cookbook by Amy Gibson.I’ll be honest – this first block had too much red in it and needed a bit more contrast. So, I unpicked those candy stripes and substituted green ones. A much better result was achieved with the green.I added a few more candies and put it all together into a table runner. And, that candy stripe? I used it for the binding. Can we all just agree that a striped binding is everything?A sweet gingerbread cookie backing and this runner was complete! I’ve added it to the list of items that are in the running for my guild Christmas Dirty Santa Swap. I have a few more ideas but am getting a little low on time so we’ll see what else I can get done before that meeting.

Happy Sewing!

Sugar Block Club 3.0

I’ve been working on finishing up some long standing works-in-progress.  One of those is from the Sugar Block Club 3.0 by Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock.  I finished the top a short while back and just needed to baste and quilt it.  Well, lets check those two tasks off the list!  Done and done!My color palette was taken from the floral background fabric which included berry, moss, and teal.  I set the colors off with some low volumes from my stash.  I like how all the colors play so nicely together and look at those Mirror Dots shine!I used a wood grain like quilting motif inspired by the Gentle Curves section of the book Walk by Jacquie Gering.  I like her term of Forward Motion Quilting to describe using your walking foot and not having to stick to straight line quilting.  There are so many options available to those of us that do not yet have those free-motion quilting skills.The backing consists of what I had remaining of the floral and an additional pattern that I found in my stash that carried the theme forward.  I took an Instagram poll and the overall winner was the berry for the binding.  I was pretty close to out of any of the berry that I used in the quilt top but found this Rhoda Ruth fabric in my stash that was the perfect color to frame this beauty.I’ve got another old WIP awaiting some binding so back to it I go.

Happy Sewing!

Straight to the Finish

I’ve made a ton of progress on finishing quilts this year.  I want to make sure to finish a bunch of current works-in-progress to help clear up the clutter in my sewing room.  One of those from the basting session I had a few weeks back is the Triple Barnstar quilt pattern by Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock.  She had it on Craftsy a few years back as a quilt kit that contained Birch Farm fabric by Joel Dewberry.  It’s super pretty but not quite my style – and there’s so much white (we’ll get back to that later).  But I persevered and got it finished.  A great friend of mine just bought her first house and I decided this would make a wonderful housewarming gift for her and her family.  They got the keys last week and that’s the kind of deadline that gets things done!

During the journey to finish this quilt, I was trying to decide what to do with all the white space.  I knew the quilting would show no matter what color thread I used so I needed a bit more precision than I normally go with.  I’d already decided on triangle shaped lines to bring out those side triangles.  I then remembered that I got a Hera Marker for Christmas and had not yet used it to help mark quilts.  I tend to go rogue and just do what I feel and call it organic rather than precise straight lines.  I used the Hera Marker in the white sections to score straight lines at even intervals that I could then stitch over to get some crisp and straight quilting lines.The end product really shows how well this worked for me.  I never sew this straight.  It was amazing!I bound it with the Chicken Coop print in all 4 colorways and backed it with the remaining fabric from the kit.I can’t wait to wash this one and get it all crisp and crinkly!

As a funny aside – I did have to unquilt and unpiece one corner once I realized it was not facing the correct direction. I just couldn’t live with it that way and it would have messed up my quilting design for those corners.  I found it when I went to quilt the corner.  But, as you saw in the final quilt, I was able to fix it with minimal damage since it was on the corner and easy to get to.

I finished two other quilts as well but I’ll show those another time.  I bought more batting so I’m now ready for another round of basting.  Many more quilts in that work-in-progress pile to tackle.

Happy Sewing!

Craftsy 2012 BOM – Finished!

One quilt top quilted!  Part of my goal list this year to to actually finish those quilt tops that I have piling up.  This finish is from the 2012 Free Craftsy Block of the Month class.  I loved this class.  I learned so many techniques and styles and it really improved my piecing accuracy.  It also introduced me to Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock.  I love her teaching style and how straightforward her instructions are.  She also seems like a genuinely good person and I just want to hang out with her and soak in her energy and enthusiasm. This class was taken before I found out about ‘designer fabrics’ and high quality quilting cotton so all of the block fabrics are fat quarters from JoAnns, the background is from Hobby Lobby, and the backing was bought at Hancock fabrics a few years back.  I hope the quilt police aren’t reading this as I also mixed in some batiks. 😉 What was I thinking.?.?..I was thinking that these fabrics were cute and played really well together.  I love this and I wish that Hobby Lobby still had that blue background fabric.  It’s just so fabulous and fun!

This top has been complete for about 2 or 3 years so it’s about time I actually put it together and quilted the darn thing!  I quilted it with a random improv triangle continuous line design.  Whew…that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?  I used a blue variegated thread and I love the effect it gives.  There is so much texture here.  It’s going to be so great and crinkly once I wash it.This one stays with me as it represents such a big change in my abilities and style.  I improved while we went through the blocks and it’s fun to see where I’ve been as I try to get where I’m going….I had some extra blocks that I put on the back.  One of them did not have enough contrast and the other I just didn’t like the colors I used for it.  I added some 2 1/2 inch strips to separate the extra blocks and add more color to the back.That backing fabric was perfect and I have had it for awhile stashed away specifically to back this quilt with.  Love it!I still have a number of quilt tops to get quilted but I have the need to start something new.  I’m looking at a few options right now – a mini quilt based off a drawing that a friend’s son did, a Preppy Whale quilt using some fabrics I was recently given by a very generous quilting friend, or a baby quilt using this adorable jelly roll that I just received via Craftsy.It’s very difficult for me to resist a big Craftsy sale and this was no exception.  I also got yardage of these wonderful greys at fabulous prices!I’m thinking the Blueberry Park grey will look wonderful with those foxes…..

Sugar Cross Quilt

 I finished the January 2016 block for the Sugar Block Club 3.0 by Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock and needed a place to store it while the rest of the blocks are released throughout the year. I love this fabric combination and needed to use one of my storage boxes to keep it all together and to make sure I don’t use it while I continue to work on the rest of the blocks. While doing that, I came across one of the boxes that had the Sugar Club 2014 blocks in it.  A little switcher-roo occurred and I decided to pop those into a quilt top.  This will make quite a dip into my stash.  There was a lot of left-over fabric from what I had chosen and I really didn’t want to put most of it back into my stash.

I laid out the blocks and decided on a layout. I’m not a big fan of 3×4 with sashing all around and I like to offset things a little to give a bit of interest to the quilt.  I ended up with some blocks square and some blocks on point, some blocks bordered and some not. To marry everything together I used the same fabrics for border and accent pieces. I adore the cross on the top section and it really drove the design of this top.  I took all the pinwheel blocks and surrounded the center block within the cross to give this top some movement.  I used the remaining fabric to piece together the back which left very little added back to my stash.  Yay!    It was bound with a sparkly and swirly gold dot on ivory print.  I added a little of the Joel Dewberry Woodgrain to pop it and bring it all together.  The quilting was a thick wavy line going around the cross and a thinner line inside the cross going lengthwise and width wise.  Thicker wavy lines went vertically and horizontally on the edges and over the on-point blocks.  There is so much texture going on and I love it!       I’ve got one more top quilt sandwich ready to be made and some backing fabric on it’s way for another.  Let’s see if I can get at least 1 quilt done and out of my stash per month.  That sounds like a pretty doable plan, right?

Speaking of stash – I’m still getting in items I ordered before the new year began.  These beauties came from the Intrepid Thread pre-Christmas sale. 

Studio Stash by Jennifer Sampou – I love this crossed grid print.  So reminiscent of my love of cross-stitch.  Knit by Timeless Treasures – I know lots of people who knit or crochet so this would be perfect for pouches or stash bags. I also received this green and pink Robert Kaufman bundle courtesy of the Year-end sale at Craftsy.   I love the headphone/earmuffs print.  They would make great additions to a tween quilt top or pillow.

Second week in and I have a few finishes under my belt.  What a great start to the year!  I have lots of ideas brewing so let’s see if I can keep it up.  😊

Fall is here!

I’m starting Fall with a quilt top finish! Yay! I was able to complete the Triple Barnstar quilt top and I love it.

Now if I can just get a few quilts basted we might be in business. I also pieced a backing for a disappearing nine-patch quilt that I made using Sunnyside by Kate Spain. So that puts me at about 5 or 6 quilts that need to be basted so that I can quilt them. The basting is my least favorite part of this whole process so I just tend to put it off completely (unless I have some sort of deadline.)

So, I switched gears and put together the October Block for the Beyond the Block challenge for the Sugar Block Club. This one is called Peace and the challenge is to find some time to be peaceful by unplugging and enjoying life, or relaxing however you choose to relax and find peace. This may be one of my favorite blocks so far.

Then I decided that my mom needs a Halloween wall hanging since she’s terrified that the dogs will try to eat her Halloween quilt again. I already did surgery on it once and I know she doesn’t want that to happen again. So, I don’t think she will be adding it to her decor this year. I found this super cute Witch Hat pattern on Craftsy and it was free. Just perfect!

I shopped my stash for the fabric I would use for this block and it’s going to work out so well. I am also using this sweet little bucket to keep the pieced sections from getting lost. It’s working out great!

My Kitty Mini Quilt is ready to head to it’s new owner and I’m so excited to send it out into the world. I used a 9″ Flowering Snowball pattern with Catnap and Chicopee fabric lines. They play so well together.

I’ve got the goodies and just need to wrap everything and package it up. I got the cutest dog and cat wrapping paper that will work out so perfect for this swap.

Happy Fall everyone!

Triple Barnstar Workshop

I had to go back to work this week so I did not get nearly the amount of sewing done that I had last week on my ‘sewcation’. I did a little more work on the Triple Barnstar Quilt. I posted this shot last week of a few of the blocks:

I got all the blocks made and then I laid them out into the pattern, creating a even distribution of colors and patterns, and then started sewing sections together. I like to piece in sections and not necessarily rows. It helps me to match up seams a little more precisely. Eventually you do have to piece a row or two but it helps me keep everything straight in the meantime. I got the center star section pieced and it looks so cool.

White is not a color that I normally work with especially in a solid. But it came in the kit and I going with it. I’m a bit concerned at this point as how to quilt it. With a patterned background the quilting kind of fades in but with white I just don’t know. I love quilts that have a solid white background but it is nothing I’ve used on my own quilts. Taking this large step out of my comfort zone will be good for me and help me think a different way about the quilting plan and technique.

At this point, I have 3/4 of the top done and pieced together. It’s a gorgeous pattern and these Birch Farm fabrics (by Joel Dewberry) really work well with it.

Since I am not buying fabric, and will be shopping my own stash for any projects, I don’t have any pretties to show. But, I did pick up some swap goodies for the 3 swaps I’m currently in. I posted this super secret swap goodie on Instagram for the Disney Mini Quilt Swap and everyone was really excited about it.

I also picked up some Needle Magnets, some sewing goodies, and some local Memphis flavor.

I hope my partners will enjoy whichever of these goodies is coming their way!

Sewcation!

I now consider this last week my ‘sewcation.’ I had a week off from work and took the time to get a lot of sewing done! I tackled the Mini Medallion QAL , my Kitty Mini, my IG Mini Swap quilt, some swap goodies, and I started the Craftsy September Workshop quilt, which is being taught by Amy Gibson.

Mini Medallion QAL:
The third border was posted here recently. Small snowball blocks were constructed.

Then they were added to the Medallion Center:

By the way – I love how I accidentally, um, purposefully matched up this road:

Kitty Mini Quilt Swap:
I quilted my kitty mini and got it bound. It is ready to send off to my partner. I had a little kitty help quilting it but the group doesn’t mind cat hair and most on Instagram wanted me to send the cat…

I had the perfect fabric in my stash for the binding. (Right about now, my best friend is saying ‘Of course you did!’ I used to do the same thing with clothing. It drove her crazy….). Anyway, it really brings out all the colors on the quilt and I love it. All these minis are helping me practice my binding technique and I believe it is getting better.

I also made a notepad holder for 5×8 notepads using this tutorial to send along with the quilt as one of the goodies. I cross-stitched the cat and then framed it a little wonky-like on the cover of the notepad holder.

IG Mini Swap quilt:
I wanted to play with my new Quick Curve Ruler and pulled out some fabric from my stash that might work for this mini. I kind of made it up as I went along. Four curved pieces and some corner squares left me with an opening in the middle of the quilt. I’d been drooling over the flying geese being made by @jeliquilts on Instagram and thought that the circular geese pattern would work out perfectly. So, to Craftsy I went to purchase her Juicy Goosey pattern. It worked superbly! I’m so happy with it.

I added one more border outside the curved area and this top is done! I’m so ahead of the game, which is normally unlike me. I tend to like the pressure of a deadline and this one doesn’t have to ship until December. It’s so cool, I may just keep it. We’ll see.

Swap Goodies:
I used some Horizon Mini Charm squares to put together some of the Koozies that Fat Quarter Shop featured recently.

I’m not a coffee drinker but they worked well on my regular glasses as well. I have a few that sweat quite a bit and the Koozie really helped catch that liquid without becoming drenched. I will have to make a bunch more for Christmas gifts. I love that they can be completely personalized.

Craftsy September Quilting Workshop:
This is the fabric included in the Amy Gibson workshop at Craftsy:

Birch Farm by Joel Dewberry. The second photo shows my favorites of the bunch. The kit also included a few yards of white – which is so out of my comfort zone but it will be gorgeous. I got all my cutting done and started piecing some of the blocks.

My sewcation is almost over and I’m sad about that but I got a lot accomplished, and without any new fabric purchases, and hope I stay on this quilty productivity path that I am currently on.

Christmas Detox

I’ve barely touched my machine in 2 weeks. I did learn how to make some pillows and that was fun. It’s always good to have new skills in your arsenal. You never know what will come up. A cool pillow might just save the day or at least bring a smile to a friend. 🙂

A new ceiling light was installed in my sewing room and you can’t even imagine the HUGE difference it is going to make. The colors on the quilt tops that I have hanging up are so much more vibrant than what the construction grade light was showing. This picture shows the room just after the light was installed. I failed to take a before picture as I didn’t realize the difference was going to be so incredible.

In addition to the light I received a few gifts to keep my obsession going. They include a couple of quilt books, some fabric bundles, and a Joann’s gift card.

I’ve only briefly scanned through the 2 books and am starting to get inspired. I have a ton of fabric to work with so I should have a very productive year.

I started cutting into the Simply Style Charm Packs for the Simply Charmed quilt. I think the color combos with the sketch floral grey will work really well together.

I’m happy to be at my sewing machine again.