Sunday, April 21, 2013

Some Decent Pictures

I haven't had a lot of finishes this year, not nearly as many as I would like, but I have been working on a lot of things lately. I've been posting half crappy pictures of things that I have taken on my phone, or in bad lighting, etc. So today my sister used her fancy new camera to take some good pictures of what I've finished and what I've been working on lately. Thankfully the weather cooperated with us as well (I was starting to get tired of all the bad weather)
And I finally figured out how to get her pictures uploaded to my blog (she was having trouble sending them to me)












Thursday, April 18, 2013

Another Pillow and some other things

If you recall I got some pretty scraps in the mail last week, and I had been basically salivating over them since. I knew I wanted to make some more pillow covers, and I also wanted to do all the piecing improv. There is something relaxing about improv piecing that I enjoy. This is what I came up with.

 
I'm already in love with it. My boyfriend told me I'm going to have more pillows than Jeannie (You know, from I Dream of Jeannie? He's a little corny but I love him.)
 

 
I also made a new pincushion, and a little cushion for my wrist at work. (They are like little pillows, and you know how much I LOVE pillows!)

 
And look what came in the mail today!!!! My Anna Maria Horner Field Study (And some Amy Butler Lotus there on top!) I have some more on its way, another of the leopard print colorways and some AMH Lou Lou Thi and Innocent Crush, along with some low volume text prints. Still not exactly sure what pattern I plan on using, I am tossing around ideas in my head and hope to decide on something soon.



Monday, April 15, 2013

A Late Birthday Present (To Myself)

I read Katy Jones' blog I'm A Ginger Monkey voraciously. And I love how she uses Anna Maria Horner fabrics. I love pretty much everything she does. Seeing all the wonderful projects she has completed with Field Study has sparked me to take a leap of faith. I have been admiring these fabrics for a while now, and decided to go with it. I am still not sure what pattern I want to use, but here are the fabrics I decided on. I also added in some Kaffe Fassett fabrics to round out some of the colors. I think they work well with the AMH.
 



I also bought some delicious text prints, because I just couldn't resist.

(From left to right: Timeless Treasures Library Script Cream, Riley Blake Polka Dot Stitches Words Grey, Timeless Treasures Sewing and Knitting Motifs White)

I've been debating back and forth which pattern I want to use, I thought at first using the X Plus Quilt Along tutorial, or the Anna Maria Horner Spinning Stars Free Pattern, and then I thought of drawing one up myself. I thought of using the same pattern I used for my Halloween Strippy quilt, but making it bigger and using wider strips to show off the fabrics, but then I remembered how much I hated cutting all those strips. So I am still undecided. But I have enough other projects to keep me busy for a while anyway. I have plenty of time to think about it.

What pattern would you use???

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Stile by Liberty London

What an eventful day I've had. I managed to get some flowers planted (finally!) and pull some weeds from my flower beds early this afternoon, and then while doing laundry I cut into my Stile fabrics. I had about a hundred other things I needed to be doing, but I wanted to make a pillow from these beauties and I just couldn't help myself. First of all, I love these fabrics. These are the first Liberty fabrics I've had the pleasure of owning, and secondly I LOVE making pillows. Honestly, they are probably my favorite thing to make, ever!


 
I picked 15 of my favorite prints and colors from the bundle of 32 fabrics and cut 72 rectangles 2 inches by 3.5 inches. Then i sewed them into 6 rows of 12 rectangles and voila, an 18 inch cushion cover. I did a simple envelop style back, which I think is the easiest type of pillow. I'm also getting better at putting zippers in things, but I didn't have a zipper big enough for this project.
 
While quilting this pillow front I had a very big issue with my sewing machine. The bottom thread kept breaking and basically shredding. I took out the bobbin and tried a different one, no luck. Took out the bobbin case and checked it, cleaned in the casing, etc. Still no luck. I was in tears. Then while fiddling with the bobbin case I dropped the screw that holds the tension piece in. I was beside myself. I don't have a backup machine. I thought I was going to have a panic attack. I searched all over looking for that dag blasted screw, then finally found it, but still couldn't figure out what was wrong with my machine. I took it completely apart and cleaned about a ton of lint out of it. (I just cleaned it the other day, but I didn't take it completely apart, just did a quick sweep of it) Lo and behold, it worked. I cried tears of relief, and finished my pillow while holding my breath.
 
I plan on making another pillow using the darker colors from this line and then a pincushion at least. I just got the Sweet Sixteen bundle from Westwood Acres so it's basically 32 layer cake squares. I'm already wishing I had order a bigger bundle.
 
Speaking or ordering fabric, Fabric.com has a sale on Anna Maria Horner fabrics so I ordered several yards from Field Study. I have been wanting some forever, but had no idea what I wanted to do with it. But, I've been getting really good at ordering fabric just because I like it, with no plans whatsoever for it, and so I jumped in. I am leaning toward an eventual Spiderweb quilt possibly, a la I'm A Ginger Monkey. She does amazing things with AMH fabrics.
 
I also want to try Anna Maria Horner's feather quilt pattern. That may be what I decide to do with the Field Study fabrics I ordered last night. We'll just have to see!

Friday, April 12, 2013

More New Fabric

My birthday was yesterday and I have been using it as an excuse all week to order fabric. I also was very lucky to win some fabric last week from Jolene at Blue Elephant Stitches. She sent me a copy of Modern Quilts from the Blogging Universe and a rainbow collection of different fabrics including some AMH, Heather Bailey and American Jane. It was a great little surprise since I didn't know exactly what I was getting :)


Earlier this week I also ordered a fat quarter bundle of Farmington Feathers and a Sweet Sixteen bundle of Stile by Liberty of London from Amanda's Etsy shop Westwood Acres. She always has the best prices and a great selection.


The colors in the Stile bundle are amazing. These are my very first Liberty fabrics, and I think I am leaning toward making some pincushions and pillow covers inspired by Rita at Red Pepper Quilts. She always makes such beautiful things with Liberty fabrics.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Trying To Stay Accountable

In an attempt to hold myself accountable for my ever growing list of Works In Progress, I'm going to try and keep a on going list of my current projects, where I am with the, what I have left to do and what I WANT to do.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced,

Works In Progress

1) Flower Girl quilt- the top is finally finished, I need to order some backing and binding and get this baby finished!
 
2) Several quilted bags- I have some bags I've been commissioned to make and haven't had a chance to start on yet. Hopefully I will get to these this weekend.
3) Sidebraid quilt- this has been sitting on the shelf patiently waiting for a few months now. I have everything I need, backing, binding, batting, I just haven't had a change to actually quilt it. Not to mention I am not sure HOW I want to quilt it.
4) Log Cabin quilt- I worked on this one quite a bit last night. I have the sashing and blocks put together. I still need to do the inner border and order fabric for the outer border, and then the top will be finished.
5) Dream On quilt- this is a project that I should have put on hold until a few other things were finished, but now it too is in the WIP pile. I managed to finish these blocks last night too. I really want to lay these out and get the top together but I have so many other things I need to do they will have to wait a while longer.
6) Farmer's Wife quilt- I have 7 more blocks I need for this and then I will have to square up the blocks and get them ready for the setting I am going to use. This is another top getting closer and closer to being finished.
7) Grandmother's Flower Garden- This is the one project that I work on consistently. I work on this about every day while sitting on the couch, its the one good thing about hand work. I love being able to curl up on the couch under one of my quilts and watch TV with my boyfriend and sew. Its relaxing, and my favorite part of every evening. I am hoping to have this quilt top done by June sometime so I can start the hand quilting.
8) Scrappy Trip Along quilt- this is an "in between" project. I plan to work on this between other projects, if I ever get between other projects!
9) Berry Shortcake table topper- against my better judgement I started a new project over the weekend (I know I have a serious problem!) But this was so quick and easy, I finished the top in less than 2 hours, cutting and piecing and everything. It screams spring/summer to me, I am in love with the colors! I used Cluck Cluck Sew's Shortcake pattern and only did 9 blocks total to make a nice size little table topper for my kitchen table. All it needs now is quilting, which will take no time at all. (I just have to find the time to do it between everything else!)



 
Eventual Projects
1) Cherry Christmas jelly roll- This is an eventual goal for the year. I am hoping I am able to get to this over the Summer or fall, well before Christmas is here. We will have to see if I make it or not
2) Salt Water quilt- I still have my stack of Tula Pink's Salt Water sitting around waiting to be turned into a quilt. I drew up a pattern I want to use for it, but once again it is a time thing. I am hoping I will be able to get to this very soon though, I had hoped to have it done by summer.
3) Swoon quilt- I have no idea when I will actually get to this but I know what fabric I want to get for this project. I have wanted to tackle this quilt for a long time but was unsure about what fabrics would be just perfect. I think I have decided, and have a good picture in my head of how I want it to turn out.

Not to mention the new fabric I've been getting lately. I ordered some various scraps from Elizabeth and they came in the mail this week (you can see those below, and yes that is some coveted Melody Miller!), and I won some fabric from Jolene and a copy of Modern Quilts From The Blogging Universe (as if I needed more ideas for new quilts!) I also have a bundle of Farmington Feathers on its way along with a bundle of Stile by Liberty London. My first Liberty London fabric and I am beside myself excited for it to get here. I am fairly certain I want to make some pillow covers with it, but I am not sure yet. Maybe that and a wall hanging? We will see. I am sure I will be afraid to cut it for a while.


 


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Chugging Along

I've been working hard at the half dozen works in progress I have going on right now. The one I am most excited about it my Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. I have all 68 flowers and am finally in the process of putting it all together. It's definitely tedious work though, but I am making good progress with it, and I'm already in love.


 
 
 
Here is my inspiration for this quilt, this is the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt that my Great Grandmother on my mother's side made about 60 years ago. This is what made me act like a crazy woman and attempt this quilt, all by hand. This quilt is in pretty good shape for its age. There are a few places that are worn. There are a mixture of fabric types in this quilt, and you can tell it was made from what they had on hand. Some pieces of corduroy, some wovens (I'm sure they were my great grandfather's old shirts) some lightweight denim, some old sheets and plenty of flour sack prints.
 


And I finally got my Happy Go Lucky wall hanging quilted and bound. I can't wait to wash it so it wrinkles up. I love a freshly washed quilt!


And here is my biggest step this past week, my Flower Girl quilt top is finished. I have been working on this quilt top on and off for months. I am so glad to have the top done and ready for quilting. I have to order the backing and figure out a binding, and how in the world I am going to quilt this. I still haven't purchased a new machine so this is going to be quilted on my little machine, and I am NOT looking forward to doing that.




I am hoping to get some bags crossed off my list next. There are a few bags I am making for other people that I need to get done, and my beach bag as well. Then hopefully I will get a chance to baste and quilt my Sidebraid quilt as it has been sitting around waiting for attention patiently for months.