Sunday, August 29, 2010

Quilt top


I think this came out even better than I had hoped!


And quickly too!  It was almost like this quilt top put itself together...everything lined up, no headaches, and voila!


I know I said this yesterday, but I just cannot get over the cuteness of those whales...so adoreable.  Im glad I have extras of all the fabric for this quilt, because I will be tempted to make this exact same quilt again sometime in the future!


The top measures 40 inches x 40 inches and was made from Oh Fransson's simply modern baby quilt pattern, I highly recommend it, so simple but there are so may choices for the fabric combos.  I actually think she has updated the pattern since I've purchased it to include a few different quilt top layouts. 

Now I need to come up with an equally adoreable quilt back for this cuteness!

Jessica

Saturday, August 28, 2010

beginnings of a baby quilt

This morning was spent cutting fabric for the next quilt which is a baby quilt for a coworker.  Her requirements were that it was boyish and also told me that the baby's nursery was going to be mostly greens and browns.  So I started fabric shopping (my ultimate favorite part of the quilting process, I think!)

This is what I came up with...


*squeal* I think this may be my favorite color combination for a quilt yet!  My focus fabric is the blue/yellow/green whales from the Urban Zoology line by Ann Kelle.  I absolutely love it, and am definitly glad I bought extra to add to my stash!  The yellow and green dots are Robert Kaufman and the argyle and the blue/green/brownish dots is from the Remix line from Ann Kelle.

Here's a sneak peak of what I have put together so far...


Shouldn't be much longer until I have a quilt top assembled...Check back soon!

Jessica

Friday, August 27, 2010

Finished Hexagon Quilt


Swoon.  I kind of love this quilt.  Definite two thumbs up and highly recommend jaybird quilts Hexagon Quilt-a-long

I wish I would have made this just a little big bigger, it measures appx 56" x 48" so it does make a good size lap quilt.

As for the quilting I used old faithful, a nice stippling.  Always a winner.


I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do with this quilt, when I started it, I was planning on giving it to my mother in law for Christmas, but I'm not sure.  I may hang on to it...I just picture this quilt as a little play quilt for a baby girl.  So now I need someone I know to have a little girl! 

Next up is a commissioned baby quilt (my favorite to make!) for a co-worker, Stay tuned for progress pics!

Jessica

Sunday, August 22, 2010

New obsession


These are totally inspired by Andrea at Lush Stuff and her post on Friday about her patchwork clutches she makes, after seeing her pics of her latest clutches, I needed to find out how to make them! 

 I was able to track down this tuturial from u-handbag.typepad.com that showed how to use a purse frame, and voila! 

Three little mini clutches, perfect as a small makeup carrier or little pouch for random things!  Once I started making them, I couldn't stop...

It's definitly a work in progress, working to get the pattern just right, but I think each one turned out better than the one previous

Once I got the hang of it, I was whipping these things up in no time!  Now to find somewhere to buy these purse frames in bulk!

My sewing machine got quite the work out today...I also started the quilting on my hexagon quilt-a-long quilt top
Just a sneak peak!  Now I'm a little stumped about how to do the binding on this, since its not a square, but the edges aren't scalloped or anything...I'm assuming I'll need to do a bias cut binding, but I'm also assuming I won't be able to a standard mitred corner like on a rectangular quilt. 

Hmmm, any suggestions on what my best bet would be??  I guess I'll consult my friend Google, I'm sure he'll be able to find an answer for me, if all else fails :)

Jessica

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Little projects...

While I was in limbo between getting backing fabric to finish the hexagon quilt-a-long quilt top, and starting the commissioned baby quilt thats up next (fabric is ordered, but yet to arrive at my doorstep!) I figured I'd put together the two tote bags a coworker had asked me to make for two little girls.  


I love these colors together!  It reminds me of juicy summer fruit or something citrus-y...watermelons, oranges and lemons...The bees are just perfect and fun, and of course embroidered in hot pink.



For Breanna's bag, I just had to use the little birdie fabric I had purchased for my stash a few months ago, and forgot about haven't found the right project for (my husband is always on my case for buying fabric, he's always saying "you probably dont even know what you have in all those stacks of fabric!") apparently he was right in this case, I think this means I just need a better storeage system...I'll add it to the "to do" list, for another day
I just love those little birdies, so fun and a little funky and the color is a really great blue/aqua.  I think it would be great for an apron/pot holder combo, but it also just seemed right for this little bag.


Hopefully Breanna and Betheny like their bags!

On an aside, as I was working on this little project, I noticed my machine was making an odd sound and the thread kept catching...after threading and rethreading everything I could think of, I realized that since I got my machine (for Christmas last year) I have never tried to take the plate off and clean out the bobbin case, etc.  Soooo....


When I opened it up, this is what I found!  I'm almost embarassed to show it, and I think this picture actually makes it look about 10 times better than it was!  After thinking about it, I think I've quilted about 8 or so quilts on it plus all kinds of odds and ends projects...needless to say it was more than overdue for a cleaning. 

So I pulled out the shop vac with the narrow nozzle attachment, and the little cleaning brush and went to town!



Ahhh, thats much better, almost like new!  I think I actually heard my machine say "thank you"!  After reassembling everything, and rethreading, magically the strange noise was gone and it was sewing like a dream!  Shocking, I know. 

So lesson learned, keep your machine happy and it will keep you happy in return!

On a second aside, our solids bee is filled and will be beginning in September, can't wait!

Jessica

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Quilting Bee PSA

If anyone is interested in joining a quilting bee, I have found one that is looking for members to begin in September!


I believe there are still 9 spots open, and the focus will be on solid fabrics, any block design, shades of one solid or lots of different colors of solids, but solids are the key!  Each person takes a month, sends out fabrics at the beginning of their month to all members and in return receives 11 different blocks from each member to create a quilt.

I'm excited and can't wait to start, check it out if your interested!!

Jess

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Hexagon Quilt-a-long quilt top


Whew! My hexagon quilt-a-long quilt top is complete!  I must say this bad boy gave me a run for my money at times, trying to get all those little seams and points to line up, but I think for the most part I didn't do too bad of a job. 



I think if I do something like this again with this method of piecing hexagons, I will definitly purchase the Creative Grids 60 degree double strip ruler that Julie from http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/ recommends, I looked at my local quilt shops and at joanns and not only could I not find this ruler, I couldn't find any 60 degree triange rulers.  So I just used my 24 inch cutting ruler and lined up the 60 degree mark.  Once I got the hang of it, it wasn't too bad of a method, but that Creative Grids ruler I think would make my cuts alot more accurate and quicker.  Hmmm some food for thought.

I need to make a trip to Joanns this weekend and get fabric for the backing.  Just the thought of a pieced back on this is giving me a headache, so I think I want to find a large scale print and use it for the backing.  So I'm folding this quilt top up for now until I can get some backing fabric.


I have a few commissioned projects to tackle...two little girl tote bags and a baby quilt for a little boy, so I'm thinking I'll get those tote bags together and then come back to basting this quilt.
 

This may be a little slow moving in the comming weeks...football season is approaching and I need to do my fantasy football homework so I don't get schooled in our upcomming fantasy football drafts by all the guys in my leagues!! 

Jess

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Hexagon quilt-a-long progress

It's been a slow week on the quilting front, but I managed to get all my hexagons made for the hexagon quilt-a-long put together by Julie over at jaybird quilts, and here they are layed out on my sewing room floor
I've been toying with the layout this afternoon, and I think this is the final layout.  I really liked the offset hexagons in the hexagon-ish layout, just for something different. 
I auditioned a few different color as the background, but I think I like this cream kona solid, because the colors in the hexagons are pretty bright and bold.
I have two rows done and sewn together so I have one complete column of hexagons done!  More hexagon madness to come...

Jessica 

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

I'm back!

I'm back!  I'm back from the beach, considerably more tanned, relaxed and well fed than when I left!  I have to say going back to work today after 12 days (yes 12 consecutive days!!) of no work and all play was a little rough!  I made it through though and I have now have an urge to start a new quilt :)

In our hurried packing, we forgot to bring the camera along for the trip, but we made do without.  The beach quilt made the journey with us, and it looked perfectly at home on the sand with the sun beating down and waves crashing in the background.  It was definitely a hit, and received many compliments and much praise!  Its been washed at least 2 or 3 three times already, and I love how soft and crinkly its gotten and will now serve as a perfect "cuddle on the couch" quilt.



As for the current work in progress (very very early stages) I've had my eye on Julie at jaybird quilts hexagon quilt along for some time now, and have been waiting to get the urge to start a bigger project to dig in.  Definitely head over to her website and check it out, such a neat way to make a whole quilt of hexagons with no hand piecing or tedious crazy machine piecing method (hint, you use a 60 degree triangle ruler and sew together half hexagons and then piece the entire quilt together row by row! Ingenious I tell you.



I dug into my half yard bundle of Good Folks fabrics and some others that were recently purchased on my perusal of fabricworm.com and just started mixing colors together. 



I love these blocks, they remind me of kaleidoscopes!  Check back for more progress soon!

-Jessica