I Made a Moda Bake Shop Quilt.

I know most quilters/bloggers are ecstatic to be FEATURED on the Moda Bake Shop. Well, this woman was just ecstatic to MAKE a quilt on it.  truth.

I love the blog (and of course, the fabric) and I've pinned probably half a dozen things on pinterest. But it took the arrival of a new precious baby for me to actually make something.  AND I actually used moda fabric.  special baby = special fabric.

The Jungle Path Baby Quilt just looks fun.  And it was fun to make.  I liked fussy cutting the charms for the center of the blocks for maximum cuteness and picking fabrics to coordinate with each other.  The recipe calls for a charm pack, a jelly roll and some white.  I picked the Cherry on Top collection and off I went.

The front.
I probably should have taken pictures BEFORE I washed it.  It sure crinkled up;  making for crinkly pictures!

a closer up. feminine but not ridiculously girly.

the back.  It called for almost the rest of the jelly roll strips.  I made one  little change in the recipe.  I added a slightly thicker white strip and added EAS's initials for a personalized touch.

EAS

EAS's Mom got a birthday quilt from me almost two years ago.  It was daughter's turn.

THE twin frontT-shirt quilt finished

Finally. Finally. Finally. I finished the top well over a year ago and pretty much just put it to the side while I took my time looking for ivy and rose fabric.  I ended up finding something I wasn't wild about but I thought was good enough. But before I started putting it together, I found what I thought was the best I'd find.  yes.  

So, here it is:

the front

the back

LOOK AT THAT AMAZING QUILTING.  I had no part in doing it.  Well, I paid for it.  a lot.  but it was well worth it.  There's no way I could have gotten this VERY heavy quilt through my machine.  money well spent. 

the rose and ivy fabric.  Also, the binding is the same shade of red as the JC 03

Daughter's Friendship Quilt

A couple of weeks ago it was a WIP. Now it's on a five year old's TWIN bed!

 I'm really happy with how it came together.  I think most of that is just me getting more used to mixing patterns and moving away from solids.  There is actually NO legitimate solid on the entire quilt.  The red is the closest and it's tonal.  

You can't tell from the picture, but the binding is a purple with silver dots on it. 

the front

the back

I originally wanted to try to hand at hand quilting.  But then decided I didn't want to learn how to hand quilt on a huge twin quilt.  So I just did my typical beside the ditch straight lines ... in purple to better tie in the binding.

Daughter loves it.

Skill Builder Sampler FINISHED

Back September/October I decided to divide my skill builder sampler blocks into two lap quilts for my parents' November birthdays.  I actually put 3 solid fabric blocks in each front and then put 4 of the SBS blocks on each back.  (and of course I didn't take a picture of the backs. But I did remember to snap pictures of the fronts with my phone.)

I am really happy with how they came out and looked once I got them quilted and bound.  

The fronts:

WIP: Daughter's Friendship Quilt

I've been busy the last couple of weeks turning Daughter's room from a toddler room to a bigger girl's room. Out with the toddler bed and all the lady bug stuff from waaaay back when she was in a crib.  And on to a twin bed, a night stand, a vanity with a stool and a chest of drawers. I was incredibly fortunate that my mom told me I could have all my old furniture for Daughter.  

HURRAY.  

That was great to hear, especially after I spent a couple of days pricing furniture. WOWZA.

Ok, well, the title of this blog isn't "Daughter's New Room" so on to the main event.  The quilt for her new bed.

Thanks to my new purchase, The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt, I had great inspiration.  I decided to do an entire quilt of Block 39: Friendship.  But seriously, those blocks are like 6.5 inches finished.  There was no way I was going to make an entire twin sized quilt out of 6.5 inch blocks.  So I enlarged the templates and PRESTO: 11.5 blocks.  Much easier.  

I've spent hours cutting and sewing and sewing and sewing and sewing and this is where I am now:

the top row is completely put together and the rest is pieced.

I used 12 different fabrics. I based the color scheme on 3 fabrics.  If something matched those 3 fabrics, they were in!

the top left and both bottom fabrics are the 3 main matchers. (FINALLY , I found a use for the bird and fern fabric that makes me happy!)

The pink polka dots fabric is actually the new "theme" of the room.  I made her valances, bed skirt and dollhouse cover out of it.  And I'm planning on putting a border of it around the quilt and two yards of it on the back.   I haven't decided on the entire back, quilting or binding yet ...

The pink loving girl is in love with her new room and hopefully I'll have made some progress for a bigger reveal next week! 

A neglected WIP - picture frame quilt

First, I slowly gathered the fabric for this quilt. (every time I went by Hobby Lobby, I'd stop in and get either a fq bundle or jelly roll of this fabric collection with my 40% off coupon or I'd snag a yard of Kona white)

Second, I slowly cut fabric for it.  The "pictures" or inside material are 6inch squares and the "frames" or outside material is 2.5 inch strips. I thought that was a good balance in dimensions and it makes the jelly rolls a dream to manage. hardly any cutting necessary.

Third, I slowly started assembling the blocks. As you can see below, I've only finished 31 blocks and I'm no where near half way finished.  In fact, I could probably make two decent sized lap quilts with all the fabric.

I started sewing this in the summer and since my main machine broke (currently in the shop getting fixed) in October, I haven't done anything but admire the fabric. But the machine should be finished within the week and back to work soon.

There's still two kinds of fabric I haven't even used yet.  I really love the bright vibrancy of this bundle. Mainly, the bold orange and pale blue combo. 

When all the blocks are completed, I'll decide how big I want the quilt to be and if there is enough for two.  I'll sew the blocks directly together and, as of right now, I have no plans for sashing or bordering.  or what the backing will be, for that matter!

finished blocks on the design wall

a closer view to get a better idea of the fabric detail

SBS Blocks 25, 26, 27 (Wonky)

After a bit of a break, we are back at it with the Skill Builder Sampler.  This set concentrated on wonky blocks.  And the first one just happened to be something I have 2 throw quilts worth of experience on: the wonky log cabin!

the wonkies

Block 25: Wonky Log Cabin

Block 26: Wonky Star

Block 27: Wonky Fan

I really liked these blocks.  They were all pretty easy and fun.  I feel like the more I work with the fabric the more I like the fabric choices for each block.  I really do put a lot of thought into which fabric goes where and  which other ones look good with it.

The Baby Gift is in the Mail

Two great friends of ours, that we never get to see enough, are expecting their first child very soon.  And I just mailed our gift to baby ACT.

I made her a quilt, Son and Daughter decorated her a couple of onesies (with a little help from Husband) and then I added some diapers and the rest of the pack of onesies in for good measure.

the quilt front.  I used whirlwind romance collection from connectingthreads.com and the pattern is a slight variation of  one I've used a few times before.  I just love this pattern.  It's so easy and quick to put together and I just think it's great.

The back, with Baby ACT's initials.  Here's hoping that her parents don't change their mind on her name after she's born. or her quilt will be a call to action and service instead of her initials!

Son colored lots of "different colored friendly snakes" and then asked Husband to draw a green airplane.
Snakes on a Plane onesie?

Daughter decorated the front and back.  the front is covered in purple flowers and the back is covered with As and dots and a flower.  She was pretty proud.

We're so excited for Baby ACT's arrival and can't wait to see pictures and meet her!

T-Shirt Quilt Update

There's really nothing to update on the quilt except my sketch of what I want the back to look like.  

The Front.  Twin Sized.  (huge)

Daughter helped me spread it out in the office

The Back

I did a rather poor job of making sure the binding got scanned onto the image.  But you get the idea.  Black on top, Ivy and Rose on the bottom (if I can find ones I want) And a red binding that coordinates with the rose fabric. And the JC applique.

I've only found one ivy fabric I like and it's on a website in England.  (that has fantastically cheap shipping to the US, BTW) but I've put myself on a spending freeze in anticipation of a pretty huge household expense (there's nothing fun about needing a new furnace AND central heat/air unit)

I haven't found any rose fabric I like enough to say, "that's the one."

So, I've just put this on hold for awhile.  But the good news is, I finally have BBWP's shirts and money for interfacing so I can start her quilt.  It'll be much smaller than mine but I'm excited about the ideas I have for making it fabulous with fewer shirts.

Neither projects are deadline driven.  We're just taking our time and waiting and looking.  But  I'm excited about both.

Second Saturday Sunday: babies and furry friends.

Saturday JSS mentioned how we've been meeting and sewing together for almost a year.  And I've got lots of great things to show for it.  And rather fittingly, while having this conversation I was working on a baby quilt using the same tutorial that I used on our very first meeting.  And I wasn't the only one working on baby quilts.

JSS finished piecing the top to this AMAZING quilt for a soon to be arriving baby girl.

Marie quilted this quilt for a VERY soon to be arriving niece

 Susan wasn't working on a baby quilt.  no.  She was making dog collars.  Seriously.  And they are really great.  And inexpensive enough that if you'd like your pup to have a special holiday collar or just a collar that doesn't look like every other one in the pet super store and don't want to spend a ridiculous amount of money you can order from her etsy shop and know you've got a great deal and a very special collar.

houndstooth for your hound.

I had super big plans.  I was going to finish THREE baby quilt tops.  silly, silly.  I know.  I planned to, in 3 hours, put together 3 baby quilt tops all while managing my daughter, eating lunch, fielding calls and photos Husband kept sending about how much fun Son was having at an indoor bouncy house place AND catch up on all the latest goings on with the other 3 ladies.  Well, I ended up completely one.  And almost finishing a second. Not too bad.

This one is for a special girl who's initials will be/are ACT.  And thanks to the SBS Applique month, I actually have the courage and knowledge to applique her initials on the back!  The back will be the same green as the border and the binding will be the reddish/pink that's the same as the first block on the left hand side.  I still haven't decided with the letters on the back will be done in.  But something that will POP with the back.

I have the other two to work on and they are for sisters.  Big Sister is almost 2 and Baby Sister will be born in June.  All 3 quilts are surprises.  But I don't think their moms (or dads) read my blog.  So we're mostly safe.

I'm so pleased with this fabric it's on clearance at Connecting Threads which was great for my wallet.  But more importantly, I love it.  I'd actually picked out this collection to use months ago and it just go happens that when I got the funds to buy, it was on clearance!

Also, I haven't forgotten a t-shirt quilt update.  I'll scan my back plan soon.

Two Rainbow Plus Birthday Quilts

I have two sisters with November birthdays.  And what a better way to celebrate than with a new quilt?

Back in August I got this fabric.  It was originally intended to be a rainbow plus quilt for Daughter when she upgraded to a twin sized bed.  But when she saw it all laid out, she had one big criticism ... not enough pink.

So, I scrapped the idea to use this fabric for Daughter and quickly thought of two dear sweet friends (who are practically my sisters) who have birthdays in November.  

perfect.

I split the fabric in half and added a few solids from my stash and presto enough for TWO throw sized quilts.  

I was so excited to get started on these.  I put all the rows together at home and then spent most of our September Saturday Sewing day finishing the tops.  Back at home I decided on a solid light blue for the backs, basted, quilted, binded and done.  Over a month before I would actually mail them!  I really was so excited to get these finished.  And I'm really proud of how they came out.  My best quilts yet.

the front of one
it's bound with the solid blue that's in the quilt

the front of the other.
don't get stressed out about those two yellow pluses in the middle being side by side.  It's part of a pattern.  Find the pattern and the anxiety will go away.  at least it did for me.
this one is bound with the blue fabric I used for the wonky log cabin quilts and the place mats. It's a favorite.

the backs.  I took the "easy" way out and quilted beside the ditch to make squares. I like the way it turned out.  

a closeup.  this is the first time I've used my walking foot for such a big project and WOW I can definitely tell a difference.   no bunching.

a closeup of a few of the prints

a special hand embroidered message 

And now that I'm sure they have both been delivered, I can debut them on the blog.

SBS Blocks 10, 11 & 12

I kept putting off and putting off these 3 squares.  Oh, and I put them off some more. I seem to have lost a bit of my sewing mojo since I've moved downstairs. 

WAIT. WHAT?  I move downstairs to my own sewing space and suddenly I'm not excited to sew anymore?  eh, something like that.  It's hard to explain.  But when I did sit down and put all three of these together Wednesday night, it definitely felt great.  So maybe the sewing slump is nearing an end.  

Here's hoping anyway.

For this series we focused on Quarter Square Triangles and Improvisational Piecing.  Quarter Square Triangles? loved.  Improvisational Piecing? negative.  I seemed to forget how to add seam allowances, making my improv pieces much smaller than needed. Which meant more sewing and add-on pieces.

blocks 10, 11, and 12

Block 10: The Ohio Star
Super easy.  And I liked the idea of a blue/green block because I already have a red/green block.

Block 11: Beacon Light
I liked making the smaller quarter triangle squares but I didn't like improving the pieces.  But I do like the finished result.  Except the whole time I was making it, I pictured the top being what is the right side in the picture.  So that's throwing me off looking at it.  Sure, I could've gone back outside and taken another picture but, eh.  

Block 12: Improv House and Tree
I hated this one but it's all my fault.  I'd originally  planned on the roof to have eaves (hang over the sides of the house), but then I had to cut it down a little so the whole house could fit in the block and there still be enough room for as much "grass" and sky above the house that I wanted. Truth be told, I'm disappointed in the block because it's not what I wanted it to look like, but as Husband said, "It looks great and you're the only person who thinks it should look different."  I thought about redoing it but I don't want to waste fabric so I'm leaving it as a reminder to pay better attention. As a first attempt it's not bad, but I know it could be better.

I really did like making the Quarter Square Triangles.  I think I could make those all day long.

Because Connecting Threads (the GREAT website where I bought this fabric) currently has it on clearance, I'm thinking about buying a few of the prints/colors that I didn't get the first go around just for a little extra diversity ... and because my biggest fear is that I may run out of fabric before I'm finished!!

September Saturday Sewing

After missing last month's sewing, I was ready to head south and sew sew sew with my friends.  This was definitely my most productive trip yet.  I finished a throw sized quilt front and almost finished a second.  Then I took a break and broke out the yarn and crocheted a little while watching the very disappointing Auburn game.

Here's what everyone was busy doing:

Kim's new husband.  I love the fabric.

My scarf.  This is Jiffy by Lion Brand that I found on clearance at Hobby Lobby.  Score.  This is also my current favorite pattern.  It's just single crochet and chains.  Super easy. (sorry, no pictures of the quilt.  I'm keeping them on the DL for now) 

SDJ saving The Judson money by replacing a zipper on academic regalia.

Heather making bibs. I love the dog fabric.

Marie binding her baby quilt.  I'm going to be excited to see this finished.  It looks great so far.  (Marie, you  looked like a constipated fish  so I cropped out your face.  I must get better at waiting until people are ready before I take their picture.)

Mandy working on a crayon roll.  And now she has me interested in making some for the kids. She used my machine while I took the crochet break and she can verify that my sudden increase in quality is due almost entirely to this machine.

JSS's baby quilt is ready to bind.

I really love how she straight stitched the border.  I'm such a big fan of the quilting process and how it really adds to a quilt.  It definitely gives added dimension and interest.

Plus, we got to ooh and ahh over two very precious babies.  Great sewing trip indeed.