An almost win!

Last week I showed you the three sets of fat quarter bundles I designed as part of a contest on The Fabric Shopper.

My fun set of Sugar Sprinkles was chosen as an honorable mention! The set will be listed on Whipstich with my name. How cool is that?! One of the things I am most unsure about is color and pattern matching, so I was very excited.

I actually pieced most of that set together myself last week and bought several fat quarters from her shop. I'm now on the hunt for more candy-colored oranges and pinks to make a wonky star quilt like this wonderful creation by Georgia McDonald. Takes your breath away, doesn't it! (I think I need a clothes line just for pictures like this!)

But for now I have given myself a deadline to finish two projects. One will be a gift and the other is our summer picnic blanket that would be best done before the summer is done!

Quilting Help

I've been asked to help machine quilt a top that my husband's sisters pieced, so I thought I would ask all of you for some suggestions.

This was made for my niece, and everybody had written/decorated a square. A couple of squares have iron-on photos. As you can see, things aren't lined up directly in one way or another.

So, I was considering stippling, but wasn't sure what that would do to blocks with writing. I think there are too many to just not quilt on them. The back is a pink ballet slipper pattern, so whatever I do, it should just blend in there.

It is boxed and on the way here from Dayton (they are only about 30 minutes from The Fabric Shack!)

Any thoughts?

Summer Fun

On Sunday, while trying to find other quilt shops in the Chicagoland area, I came across one that is so very close and I had no idea it existed! I talked Becket and Kenton into a trip over on Monday and was pleasantly surprised to find a little gem. The boys happily played with the blocks set out for kids while I rummaged through their pile of fat eighths (I told the boys I would be fast and wouldn't wait for anything to be cut).

Tucked in the corner of a strip mall, it's a wonderful and bright shop - buzzing with a surprising number of customers - VERY friendly shopkeepers, and a good sized collection of my kind of prints. In the back of my mind I'm thinking I would like to work part time in a shop - this would be the place! I picked out these goodies.

And I loved these little cupcakes - it's the only piece I didn't recognize nor does it have the selvage info. Anybody know it?

We had a crazy amount of rain today. Except for a bit of flash flooding toward evening, it was a wonderful summer rain - warm and thunder free. I told the boys they were free to run and splash if they liked. The oldest and youngest rushed for their swim shorts and headed out.

I tried to catch some of the fun from the front door.

But I had to venture out with the umbrella once they found a huge puddle in front of the neighbor's house.

Before heading in, I found this beautifully perfect egg that blew from a tree and landed on our stone out front.

Week 7 nine patch

A fun group - they looked like they were floating as they sat on the tips of the grass.

Mini Quilt Monday #2

My second mini quilt. It is about 11" x 16" The little hour glass blocks started out as some of the my extra 2.5" squares. (As I work on the nine patches, they seem to be growing in number exponentially!) So, those finished blocks are an inch and a half square.

I usually use Gutermann thread to do the quilting, but this time I used cotton machine-quilting thread. I wanted it to show a little more on the linen.

The embroidery is the first one I did since childhood. I pieced together some of my favorite bits from Aimee Ray's Doodle-Stitching book.

Treasure found

As I was folding all my fabrics, I found an embroidery test piece I did on linen last summer. I thought I would make a perfect mini quilt. I should have it ready for Monday!

Opposites

Before....regular, never-used china cabinet and plastic bins of fabric with in-progress piles

After....the fabrics were neatly folded in the bins, but I couldn't SEE them. This is better!

I have the pile of fat quarters, some pre-cuts, a pretty display of some Neptune, and favorite novelty prints on the right side.

Here at the bottom are quilts-to-be that I have already pulled specific fabrics for.

One more opposite...the Halloween swap nine patch next to a quilt along nine patch. It looks like a giant!

Fabric fun!

The nine patch quilt along has been so great!

I am happily cutting into fun fabrics, and I am starting to become comfortable pairing fabrics.

I have been surprised by how great some combinations turn out.

I used my new found skills for some fun....I had a grand time making some fat quarter packs with the new contest at The Fabric Shopper. You go to Whipstitch Fabrics and make your own dream fat quarter bundle from her stock.

I made three:

Sugar Sprinkles - like the colored sugar the boys top their oatmeal with!

Cool Lake

Through the Garden Window

Of course, then I couldn't get those pink and oranges out of my head, so I ordered the Sugar Sprinkles!

Week 6 nine patches

But first, I was so excited to find that I had won a Sewn Launch giveaway! This one is from Threads of Conversation. She is going to send me a quilt pattern and some fabric - what could be better than that?!

The Sewn site is up now and I visited this morning. It's awesome - go have a look.

For my nine patch blocks, I took advantage of last week's extra block and have only done six for this week, but I think they are a great bunch!

Mini Quilt Monday and Sewn Launch Give-Away

The binding was sewn during the Lacrosse game Saturday and I love it! This mini quilt really brightens up the kitchen table. So quick and fun - plus a great way to try out new techniques - I will certainly be doing more!

And now, with help from the random number generator, the winner of the fun pattern for Bonzer is:

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:107
Timestamp: 2009-06-08 12:13:42 UTC

Dan and Karen said...
These are so cute! My son loves koalas and I love Melly and Me patterns. Have you seen the adorable monkey pattern they have? Thanks for a great giveaway.
6/05/2009 7:32 PM

I had so much fun visiting all of your blogs! I hope you have enjoyed reading mine. At this rate I am not too far from a 100th post giveaway!

Candy Corn Anyone?

A fabric shack delivery of yellow, orange, and cream for my Halloween Spooktacular candy corn.

And a fun pair for the nine patches. I really love that Joel Dewberry sunburst.

Plus just a few random bits for me! Have a great weekend.

Small project #5

My final small-ish project. I loved being able to check off all these little things this week!

It is a beautiful day today, and as soon as I can get the boys packed up, we're off to the zoo! So I'll get that binding sewn down later.

I've wanted to make a table topper for a while, and LOVED the one that Cluck Cluck Sew put up this week. I have also been looking to do a red and blue quilt, as well as something with triangles....this was the perfect place to try it all out. This little quilt is 14" x 16.5"

Love those lemons!

I changed up my normal stipple quilting with some straight lines. I really like how it shows off the triangles, and it was fun to finally give the walking foot a try!

My mantra after this quilt, though, is SQUARE IT UP! I was a bit lazy, since this was so small, and didn't square my blocks. I was surprised at how quickly those little differences added up across the short rows.

Small project #4

This one sneaked in a little quilting. I used an awesome tutorial by Oh, Fransson! for a nine-patch door stop.

Her patterns and tutorials are very detailed step-by-step with lots of pictures. Super fun and easy to use.

Nice, square top with a handy handle

Zipper on the bottom for dumping out the beans and washing.

I made this one for my front door, and the fabrics are the same as my first quilt that ended up being hung on a nearby wall. That's my favorite Amelia print on the back.

My only problem was using batting instead of fusible fleece for the lining. I tried to turn it into a fusible thing with heat-n-bond. That was a mess! The paper back didn't peal off and I had to just toss it.

Hmmmmm

School's out. I fear for my blog and crafting sanity. Perhaps I can convince them to start quilting.....

Caleb did make a really cool fish in his home ec class this year with wool felt. It's funny, at school these days, they are into self-evaluation in everything. In his comments on the fish, Caleb said he was really slow at the blanket stitch - just like me!

Regarding my quilting - you'll see to the right that I've added a Halloween swap button. I'm so excited, but also kind of freaked out that I've joined my first swap. What if they don't like me?! I decided to do 'candy corn' as my theme. I had remembered Amanda Jean's quilt, and found some other wonderful inspiration on flicker.

I have my fourth small project sewn, but it needs a filler - so hopefully I can make it to the grocery store today. (With three boys in tow, I may rather jab my eyes with knitting needles!)

Small project #3

I found this tutorial at Pink Chalk Studio - she made it after having to carry everybody's water bottles on the 4th of July. I can totally relate to that! I can not tell you how much I love the one I just made.

I like the look of her pieced outside fabric, so I went with that, too. This is the same pair of fabrics used on Becket's shorts. It was super fun doing the improvised quilted waves through the fish!

She suggested twill tape for the strap - but after 2 tries at different stores, I couldn't find a good length of wide tape. In both places, they were down to the last yard! With Becket along, he wanted this sea turtle belting - since I'm hoping he will carry this one, I thought it fit in just right.

I attached the strap before joining the sides. I'm sure that made it much easier. For his little body, I ended up using a 30" length for the strap.

I was pleasantly surprised when I slung it over my shoulder and it hung quite nicely. A good thing, as he'll probably want to ditch his water from time to time.

The pattern suggests a french seam. That was a wonderful idea, and should avoid a bunch of stringy bits from sticking to your cold water!

My water bottle holder went together so quickly, and turned out perfectly. I think it would be a great party favor - you could change up the fabrics for any age/gender/occasion. I'm going to enlist the older boys to choose their own fabric combos in the hopes they will actually carry them (we're getting to the point where some things that I think are great are sooooo not cool).

Small Project #2

but first..... Run! Enter for a chance at 30 Katie Jump Rope Fat Quarters!

They are on The Fabric Shopper, offered by Marianne of Pickled Pear Lane. For myself, I've bought fabric from her before and had a wonderful experience. I would certainly recommend her! So go, enter, and then visit her etsy shop...I'll wait.

Now that you're back, I finished this cute mushroom needle case that has been on my list for some time. The pattern is from the spring issue of Quilts and More.

I used wool felt - if you haven't worked with wool felt before, you should really try it. I learned that I am crazy-slow at blanket stitch.

I especially liked how there is room for my scissors and some floss or thread. I'll be all set for sitting at the boys' summer games.

I used this Sewline fabric glue pen for the first time, and it was amazing! Just as good as the pencil I talked about a couple of weeks ago. I have sewn small felt things on softies in the past, like eyes, and it is so hard to pin them and keep them from shifting before you're done. With one little swipe, this glue stick held each mushroom dot perfectly! Have you ever tried to glue felt before?! It never sticks! I plan on giving this a try on my quilts the next time I need to pin something small, or applique in any size.

Small project copycat

I've been having a grand time cranking out bento box squares, but other lists keep going through my head.


Crazy Mom Quilts did a fun small-projects-week in April to tackle those items that are on the list but never get to the top. I really liked the idea and thought it could be a great motivator for me to blast through a few small things that always seem to get pushed to the side.




I had the perfect fabric, so Becket's new shorts got crossed off the list today. We call these 'lounging pants' - for generally being comfortable and hanging out around the house and after the pool. I based them on these Bandana pants tutorial.




That's a really great tutorial and I've used it several times in the past with both bandannas and yardage. The big benefit of bandannas is no hemming or need to turn under the raw edge at the top casing.

For this 3-4yr old size, I cut two pieces 18" (waist) x 20" and for fun used a wave print and a fish print instead of all one pattern. You just need to make the waist edge bigger and the length a tad longer for a 10yr old size.

These two prints are so cute together, you'll be seeing them again later this week!