Thursday, August 5, 2010

Stick of Gum

I knew this would happen…eager start, slow follow-through. I have been working. Mostly at work but I’ve also completed a sewing project (a long overdue sewing project).

Our goddaughter’s birthday is in August. In May 2009, I bought a couple charm packs of Bubblegum Basics by Barbara Jones for Henry Glass Fabrics to make a cute quilt for her. I started this pattern and by started I mean I had a handful of squares chain pieced together. July came and there was no way I could finish the quilt before goddaughter’s birthday. So I thought it would be her Christmas present.

Then Christmas came and I made 4 quilts for presents and again there was no way I could get the Bubblegum one done. I had the fabric packed away in closet and there it sat. Until a couple months ago when goddaughter’s mother said, “So are you still making a quilt?” Crap.

I pulled the charms out a couple of times during the spring. I wasn’t feeling it/them/whatever. And a week and a half before her birthday party this year, I grabbed those charms and went to work. I was going with my original plan and ordered some Moda Bella Solids in Snow…only Moda Snow and Kona Snow are completely different. Kona Snow is a soft white. Moda Snow is cream. And cream wasn’t going to work. By the time I received my wrong colored fabric, I didn’t have enough time to get it right.

p.s. I like the way my jeans look in this pic too!
I opted for a regular disappearing 9 patch instead. And then at some point I miscounted/didn’t pay attention and the thing ending up an odd size…long and skinny. Oops. Thankfully it’s a play blanket for a 3 year old and she thought it was perfect for pretend picnics!

And since the gift of a quilt might not be so exciting for a 3 year old, I also whipped up a little quilt for her dolls. There was a mis-measurement there too but she liked it anyway.

As you can see, I finished this right before we had to leave for the party!
The backing is Alexander Henry (found at JoAnn's).



Monday, July 26, 2010

Hello Betty!

Last year, after discovering Moda fabrics, I fell in love with the Hello Betty Retro line. I may have become a little obsessed…especially when I discovered that once a line is sold out, it’s gone. Forever. So I hoarded all of the precuts I bought. Then I searched and searched for yardage. And I hoarded that too.

I finally untied a jelly roll to do an Old Red Barn Co quilt along. It felt good to use some of the fabric but even just that little bit hurt to leave my stash. When I decided to give it to my momma for Christmas, I knew it would be in good hands and was glad to share that fabric love with her.

Spring rolled around and I was ready to use some more of the precious Hello Betty. I had 2 charm packs of the entire line and used them (and some yardage!) to create the patchwork lap quilt in my header.

And I didn’t stop there! I took a layer cake, and using a Moda Bake Shop tutorial, created this fun oversized lap quilt.

I used it as an altar covering for a Contemporary worship service at Annual Conference (symbolizing the old and new coming together to create something special) and then gifted it to one of my closest friends who had just had surgery.

I’m slowly working my way through my Hello Betty stash and enjoying the fabric all over again! Gotta make room for my next obsession.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Amish Puzzle

In the spring the Fat Quarter Shop had a huge sale. HUGE. The kind of sale that’s not bad on the bank account. I ordered my first quilt kit during that event. I had thoughts of Christmas presents, at a discount!

The kit I ordered was an Amish Puzzle Quilt using Moda Cross Weave fabric. In May I started working on a few quilts to be used on the altar at Annual Conference (a regional United Methodist event). I needed something for the Memorial Service and thought this quilt would be wonderful. The fabric included in the kit was the entire fat quarter pack of Cross Weave so there were all varieties of colors (bright, muted, soft, loud)…just like us. And woven together in a quilt was the perfect reflection for how we are all connected. I thought it was ideal for a memorial.

When I started laying out the blocks, I hated it. There were too many colors and I didn’t appreciate some of my combinations. I arranged and rearranged. Nothing worked. Finally I decided to just go for it. As it turned out, this has become my favorite quilt I’ve made thus far. The design/coloring is perfect for my living room and the Cross Weave fabric is super soft. And there was enough fabric in the fat quarter pack for a second (albeit a little smaller) quilt…a great Christmas gift for my aunt and uncle.
Here it is on the altar at Annual Conference.



Friday, July 23, 2010

Happy Graduation

My little sister graduated from high school in June. I still have a hard time believing she is 18 (she’s still 3 in my head…okay maybe 8 but definitely not old enough to start college next month). She’s headed to the one school I loathe. Yuck. I have told her she can transfer after a year and I’d even help her move. The colors of that particular school are maroon and orange (double yuck).

I couldn’t stand the thought of her being surrounded by so much ick so I made her a small quilt for the end of her bed. A little something to cover her while she studies or to cover the junk in her dorm room…whatever she needs! I chose blue and grey, something far far away from maroon and orange! And, as it turns out, that’s exactly what she chose as her bedding. Perfect!

I used this tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Company. It was very quick and I loved the outcome. All of the fabric came from JoAnn's.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Beginning...again


I've tried this before. Last year after I purchased my first quilt shop quality fabric, I started a blog. And I got about this [ ] far. I think I posted a 4th of July quote. Lame, I know. I have now been sewing for 16 months, am involved in a Modern Quilt Guild, and actually remember to take photos of my finished projects so I thought I'd try again.

I made this Wonderland Patchwork this spring. I'm stuck on patchworks when using Charm Packs but I found this to be the best way to display all of the lovely Wonderland line by Momo. I quilted it with small loops. It's a great size for the car (I tested it earlier this week).

p.s. I really love my husband's jeans in this picture.