Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Christmas quilt 2014


 
I love this pattern!  Can you tell?  Its the Moda Love free pattern,  same one used for the last quilt I posted. 
Its a super easy layer cake (10') format and I think for an 'easy' quilt it makes an impact.
 
 
 
 This is the 5th year that I have made a Christmas quilt.  Its become a tradition I am liking, making something for me!
 
 
 
I did cheat a little this year and actually made two.  I made this one with the scraps from the star quilt.  I didn't have a layer cake but was cutting either FQ or lengths that I had and was left with a nice pile of strips, perfect for an improve strip quilt.  Sam took it back to college when she returned form Thanksgiving break, for a bit of Christmas cheer in the dorms.



Sunday, November 16, 2014

Moda Love

I wanted to quickly share the quilt I made this week. 
 
 
This is from the Moda Love pattern using a layer cake I have had for awhile of Urban Chicks Boho. 
I used Kona Snow for the background and a flannel from Joann's for the backing.
 
After coming off poly-hell (see prior post) I wanted something quick and easy to get back into the groove, and I needed a bridal shower gift as well.
 
This pattern was super quick, super easy, and I think it makes a great visual impact as well. 
I liked it so much I am making a second one for myself in Red/green for the holidays. 
 
 

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Whatever it takes!


 
Well, this was the culmination of the last few months efforts by these wonderful students!
My daughter the just to the left of the girl in magenta. 
 
 


 
These were the big flags, the team made 60 of them.  When I say big, I mean big impact, we actually made BIG flags, 80" x 120" too!
 
 
 
Group shot with Alamo Done in background.
 
 
 
This year I did more than flags.  See the bling on these uniforms?  That is crystal tape that was hand sewn on.  Between another mom and I we did all 4 drum majors (conductor, not drum player), averaging 12 hours per uniform. Go ahead, zoom in, I hope the details of those points is visible.
 
 
We also made 12 add hoc uniforms.  We were requested to take uniform with white shoulders and get rid of the white. After some inventive attempts of dye  and some use of spray paint we ended up cutting the white off  (old uniforms) and sewing lower section onto extra dark uniforms.  Crazy!
We added the gold trim to give a little contrast with the gray on gray on top of "m".


 
 
Sew/So, this is my last year as a band parents.  Its been lots of work but I will miss it. 
It has definitely encouraged creative thinking, or as is our parent motto,
"whatever it takes".

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

I'm still here!!!

Hmm, do I lead with excuses as to why I have not posted in 6 months, or get straight into the quilt?





I'll start with this fabric, Sandi Henderson Secret Garden.
If you find this stuff, get it!  It is luscious!  it is so soft and wonderful!  I had done a prior quilt back in another print from the line and when I found this one cheap, I grabbed it!


 
The large scale print worked perfect for the backing of this quilt.

 
And yes, it was late summer when I completed this quilt, maybe only 5 months ago. 


 
So, here is the story for this quilt... My oldest daughter studied abroad at Oxford this summer.  When I found these 'British' fabrics I decided she needed a quilt!  (middle row below)  Its a simple disappearing 9 patch that she can cuddle with watching movies in the rec room at the dorms. 
 
 
And since the material is posted, I will move to quilt number 2 completed in the past months for daughter #2.  She is in the High School marching band and wanted a 'show' quilt, a quilt that matched the theme of this years marching show to take on the big road trip to San Antonio to State Championships (more on that to come).  I made her one last year when the theme was snakes.
 
 
The show had a gem motif this year which I thought would be easier, but this was the only fabric I could find.  I think it turned out great, a small bus size quilt and matching pillow case. 
 
I am pretty proud that I got these two quilts done in the time period...  anyone familiar with competitive marching band, well, I did more than flags this year, but will save that for tomorrows post.
 
 
 
 
 
 


Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Quilts as Presents



Hi! I actually have still been sewing!  I completed my Layer Cake 1-2-3 quilt from Katie Jump fabrics. 


I made both my daughters quilts from my stash of this line for Christmas and had started this one for me, however, my mother saw it and commented how much she liked it, so she got it for Mothers Day. 

I apologize for the resolution, I don't know why these pictures are so bad.  
Since I already gave both quilts away I can not re-take them. 


The second quilt is a scrappy log cabin I completed for my nephew as a college graduation present. 


The backing is flannel wood grain print, super snugly!



Friday, April 11, 2014

Acadia


 
This quilt has been sitting for a couple years, half done.
 
 
I am not sure why I was putting off working on it, I love the material in this line, Acadia by Moda,  and I added several others from my stash, mainly some Joel Dewberry prints.

 
The back was a great deal I found at Joann's and I love how it coordinates.
 
This is the 3rd of 5 quilts that I have completed and sitting on a chair waiting for me to sandwich, quilt and complete.  
 
 
I got a tad distracted and started cutting on my horded stash of Bonnie and Camille yesterday before moving on to the next quilt in the waiting pile. 
 
I am trying to make a deal with myself that I can finish cutting, but must then clear the table and sandwich/quilt one from the pile before I start sewing something new. 

Monday, April 7, 2014

#economyblock

 
It rained this weekend, a perfect time to settle in and get a quilt done!  This had been sitting on my table for many weeks, half quilted, waiting for me to complete.  Happy it is done!

 
This may be my favorite block....

 
Or maybe this one....

 
It finished out 60x70, made from the original Lush line and Lush Uptown as well with solids.
 
Backing is the paint by numbers from the original Lush line.
 
I now only have 3 quilts paired with backings sitting on the chair next to my table waiting to be quilted! 

Friday, February 7, 2014

Scrappy Trip Along...


Never so happy to finish the last stitch of quilting!  I did not time it, but I did see at least 6 episodes of Dowton Abby plus a couple other shows, so my estimate is over 9 hours.

 
There are 1764 squares on this ScrappyTripAlong  top which I completed Jan 18, 2013.

The border and binding are Kona Cotton Ceries which is a perfect berry color. I need to get some more as I used every last bit.
 
 
It backed with a zebra print that my mom de-stashed to me, with a strip of solids pieced to make the backing big enough, as this quilt is a biggie, 95x95, perfect for our queen sized bed.
 
 
Someone besides me likes it too!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Lush Economy Block

 
I have obsessed before about my love of the Lush line by Erin Michael.  I collected quite a few of the prints and the similar Up Town, and recently was able to add to my collection the elusive paint by number deer print with the reprint named Lush Uptown.  The only problem was that I could not bring myself to cut into the fabric until I found the perfect pattern that displayed the large scale deer print. 
 

 
Have you seen the #economyblockalong
These are all over instagram and some of my favorite blogs as well.  

 
There are lots that are being made at 6.5 inch squares, mine are 12.5.

 
The larger blocks are perfect to show off the deer and use some of the various accompanying fabrics as well, and a stack of random solids that seem to match well.

 
This is what I have so far, I figure it will end up 6 rows, so half way there. 

Friday, January 10, 2014

Macaron quilt




Can you see it?  Why I named my new low volume quilt Macaron?  This was a box of Macarons that we got on our recent trip to New Orleans and I think it picks up all the wonderful colors!



This quilt is the 'cousin' to the low volume quilt I made this summer
As has happened a couple of times,  when sorting scraps and cutting more squares, I had a pile of strips left over which morph into quilt number 2, the cousin of the first as it is related, but not the same.
It is rainy and cloudy this morning, but I think the colors show pretty well.  There are a couple pops of red/pint that show through as well as a couple darker prints.  I used a pale Heather Baily print from the Fresh Cut line for the back and a creamy linen texture print from Riley Blake for binding, all from my stash. 
Shout out to my helper, the best quilt holder in the house.  He has the distinction of being the tallest in the house which helps establish his superiority in the task.
Sharing today at Confessions of a Fabric Addict
If you want to see other great projects go check out her linky party!




Thursday, January 9, 2014

Bring it on!

 Bring on the winter cold and quilting!  I am prepared!
 

 
Last year I DVR'd and watched the initial 7+ seasons of NCIS and all of Burn Notice, watching most of them while sewing and quilting.  At one time I had 78 episodes on NCIS stored on DVR! Since then there have been issues with the DVR (piece of junk), but have been managing through the fall using on demand to see a couple series, entertaining me while sewing, but got inspired today and decided to branch out! 
 
In addition to jumping on the Downton Abbey band wagon, I also got season 1 and 2 of Game of Thrones.  After some research, determined that 'season 1' (Dr.9) is the place to jump into Dr. Who! 
BBC America graciously had a one hour special on what you need to know to watch the Dr. that explained enough that I think we are ready to go...  wish I had watched it first and I would have jumped in at Dr. 10, but I plan to watch Dr. 9 while sewing and if it is as good as its supposed to be I will bring hubby in at regeneration. 

 
This is the Arcadia quilt that I dug out and will be the first in the video series.  Just a note to myself and anyone else who may benefit, when setting aside a project for hiatus, make a little sketch or notes on what your plan was.  I spent 20 min looking at the blocks and trying to figure out what I was doing before being able to pick up progress.
 
 
Last,  a shout out to the serger, great little thing.  She will be headed to the sewing machine spa tomorrow for a long overdue cleaning.  Best I can figure I have had her close to 20 years and have never had her serviced/cleaned.  I have been using her to give a clean finish to quilt edges after quilting before binding. The spot on the front is glue from the name emblem that melted and dripped when we moved here 10 years ago.. I expect a little WD40 will take it off, but have never gotten around to it. My hope is that when I get her back in a couple weeks that will be gone and I will have 3-4 quilt tops quilted and ready for her to zip around.

Monday, January 6, 2014

New and Old

 
Well, after listing all my UFO's pending in my last post, I figured the most appropriate thing to do was start a new quilt!  I have been loving the giant block quilt and saw a couple this past week that inspired me (1 & 2).   This pattern is super easy, I got the star part pieced, cutting and sewing blocks,  in the second half of the 49'ers/Packers game. 
Its now hanging up on the design wall waiting to be sewn together.

   
I gave myself permission to go ahead and make this after finding the backing (field study by AMH) in a little shopping excursion last week. Don't hate me, it was $3/yard.  The Sandi Henderson next to it was $4.50.  I got 5 yards of each.

 
Here are some other new acquisitions.  The piles of cream and blue/grey are for a project I have been envisioning and started collecting for.   Below them are a linen found at Hancock Fabrics for $3/yard and the aqua is Essex Linen that I got for $2 yard.  
 
I love fabric shopping and I need to stop finding such great deals!  I used the linen in the star quilt after researching different opinions on use in quilts and pre-washing (didn't).  We'll see.

 
Those are the new, and this is the old.  I completed the remaining blocks for the 'cousin' low volume quilt.  It is cousin to the original made from squares that I then had strips left over, hence, once quilt with squares and one with strips!

 
Love, love, love this and hope to have it all done by end of the week. 
In the spirit of using up scraps I pieced the batting to use and rather than succumb to the temptation of buying a fabulous cream on white fabric that I found cheap, I used a fabric from stash for the backing.
 
Hope everyone is staying warm!  It was 12 F here this morning which I know is warm compared to some of you... but goodness, I live in the south!