WIP Wednesday {8.31.2011}

Is tomorrow really September?  This is blowing my mind right now, where exactly has the summer gone??  This week has been a little of this and a little of that...here's what I've been up to!

Completed Projects

Rocco's Garden Fence quilt

This was my big finish of the week, Rocco's Garden Fence quilt is on his way to him as we speak!  More on this quilt here.

Ongoing Projects

Bee Blocks

I sat down last night to work on my bee blocks, and realized that two of my bee's had ended in July?  Whaaat?  A year has gone by already??  Our Simply Strings Bee goes until October, and then I will be bee-less.  Anyone know of any modern bees starting up?

Anyways, this block is for Becky.  She wanted scrappy fan blocks based on this quilt, and wrote up this great tutorial if anyone is interested in the process.  She wanted things really scrappy, so instead of sending us her scraps, she sent us each a fat quarter of fabric to keep, and asked that we use our own scraps to make the blocks.  I think this idea is genius!  Can't wait to see what this quilt looks like.   

Solid Spiderweb quilt

As I was doing a major clean up of my sewing room this weekend, I dug out my spiderweb blocks I received from the Solids Bee, Sew Fun Bee and Simply Strings and threw them up on the design wall to see what I had.  I am so so loving these blocks!  I need to make more, I'm thinking at least 7 more blocks for a good snuggle sized quilt, but this has now jumped on the to do list.

Birdie Stitches

This is February's block.  Too stinkin cute.  I think I have found my new favorite portable project.  Embroidery it is!

Farmer's Wife

I now have completed  blocks 1-26.  More on this weeks blocks here. 

This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 1

Completed Projects: 2

In Progress: 6

For the Love of Solids {a modern swap}

FWQAL

August Bee Blocks

Rocco's Garden Fence Quilt

Birdie Stitches QAL

Solid Spiderweb quilt

UFO Quilt tops (maybe, one day...)

Postage Stamp quilt top

Central Park quilt top

back in the saddle

The farm and I have been away from each other for a week or two now, so I was very happy to spend some quality time working on a few blocks this weekend.

Block # 24 Country Path

This week, I took a hint from twin fibers who pointed me in the direction of paper piecing templates for all of the Farmers Wife blocks.  I had seen Lee mention this in her FW post last week.  On Yahoo there is a Farmers Wife Sampler group that has the templates for all the Farmers Wife blocks, so I decided why not give it a try!  

Now, I don't know that I will piece all the blocks this way, but for this weeks blocks, I'm a huge huge fan.  Don't compare this block too closely to the block in the book, because I messed up the color order!  It took until about half way through block #26 before I got the hang of the whole mirror image thing with paper piecing.  I'm still happy with this block, so I'm not going to change it.  

Block #25 Cups and Saucers

I don't know what it is about this block, but I just really like it.  Again, I paper pieced this block, with no worries about the mirror image thing, as its the same frontwards as it is backwards.  I used some Amy Butler Love fabric that I received from the lovely DeeRoo G in the DQS 11, and some American Jane pin dot fabric I picked up from my LQS for $5 a yard!

Block #26 Cut Glass Dish

Again, don't compare this block to the book, because its not the same either!  My triangles are pointing in the wrong direction.  I think as I was piecing tiny minuscule triangle 40 our of 48 that I figured out if I turn the paper over and plan where my colors should go, magically things work out better!  D'Oh.  I was really happy with how this block turned out though.  I used some Riley Blake and Alexander Henry Heath in Metal, and some random fabric I had laying around from Joanns.  

Again, I don't think I will paper piece all the blocks from here out, but you can bet when I come across these 90 bazillion tiny triangles I will be heading towards the paper piecing templates.  Not in a million years could I have gotten all those points to line up just so piecing them regularly.  

Here are blocks 1-26.  Almost 1/4 of the way done!!  That's exciting and very very intimidating at the same time, as there's a whole lotta blocks left to make!

Garden Fence Quilt

Rocco's Garden Fence Quilt is complete!  This quilt is based on the pattern by Cindy of Hyacinth Quilt Designs. I just love this pattern to pieces, and am not quite finished playing around with this design just yet...(wink wink).  This quilt is a commissioned quilt for baby Rocco that was requested by two friends I work with.  As per their request, I used blues, browns and I added some greens in "non baby" prints, with white sashing.  I just love the way these colors work together, they should work quite well as a baby quilt, and work long into boy-hood.  

As for the quilting, I used one of my favorites, an allover meandering stippling in white thread.  

On my last trip to one of my local LQSs, I spied this Sweetwater Pure argyle print, and it literally jumped into my arms almost subconsciously, as it is the absolute most perfect fabric for the back of this quilt.  Rocco's mom is apparently quite "preppy", and what is more preppy than an argyle print??  I made sure to grab some extra to add to my stash as well.

My co-workers also requested that I embroider Rocco's name on the quilt.  I always get so nervous when I go to machine embroider on a quilt, I am absolutely terrified I will set it up wrong and ruin the quilt I spent all that time on!  Aside from being ever so slightly off center, I'm happy with how the embroidery turned out, whew!

This quilt will be on its way to Rocco next week, welcome baby Rocco!! 

Quilt Stats:

Name: Rocco's Garden Fence Quilt

Size: approx. 45" x 45"

Fabrics: Assorted designer/quilt shop quality fabrics (Kate Spain Verna, Denyse Schmidt Picnics and Fairgrouds, Joel Dewberry, AMH Good Folks, MoMo It's a Hoot!, among others) Kona White 

Binding: Brown with white geometric circles (from LQS)

Quilting: All-over meandering stipple in white Gutermann thread

secrets revealed

I can finally reveal my secret project I had been working on a few weeks back!  I took part in the Little Quilt-Sew, Vote, Swap over on Flickr.  It's a secret swap where everyone who is interested in participating makes a doll sized quilt, snaps a pic and sends it to the Swap Mama who then posts the pic in the group pool.  The great thing about this swap is  there are no designated partners, and you just make what you want!  At the end of the alotted time for entering quilts, everyone votes on which are their favorite quilts, however no one knows who made what quilt.  Once all the votes are entered, the person whose quilt received the most amount of votes gets their first choice quilt, the person whos quilt received the second most votes gets their highest ranked quilt thats still available and then on down the line until all the quilts are assigned to their new homes. 

I love that because its secret, no one really ever knows who's quilt was picked first or last, and everyone ends up with a mini they liked.  Here's what I entered into the swap:

 

This mini measures 15" x 20" and is made entirely of Kona solids, with the exception of the binding.  I had seen this picture on pinterest, and knew immediately that I wanted to interpret the design into a quilt.  I used my Accuquilt GO! Baby and drunkards path die to cut the pieces and played with them until I liked the color arrangement. 

I quilted this quilt simply by echoing each block 1/4" on either side of the seam.  I really want to make this design again, perhaps using the larger drunkards path die, and possibly some prints in addition to the solids, and think next time I will echo quilt around the curves instead...oh the possibilities!

Once the voting had ended, I waited with baited breath to see who was going to receive my mini, and to see which mini I would be receiving!  I was shocked to learn that my mini would be headed out to none other than the mini quilt queen herself, Carol (known as mamacjt on flickr)!  I think my first reaction was "she wants my quilt??!?  Needless to say I was shocked and honored.  I mailed my mini out to Carol last weekend, and guess what showed up in my mail box on Monday??

Carol's mini she made for the swap!!  I absolutely adore every mini I think I've ever seen Carol post about, so I couldn't believe that one of her creations was now mine!  Mine, mine, mine!  It is just absolutely perfect, it measures appx 14" x 17" and is already proudly displayed above my sewing machine.

Oh goodness, I can't believe I'm showing you my disaster area of a sewing room right now, but there's my new mini, ready to inspire fun, colorful, bright projects! 

I do believe there is another round of the Little Quilt- Sew Vote Swap starting up in September, and anyone can join in the fun, enter here if you're interested!

WIP Wednesday {8.24.2011}

Before I get to whats new in sewing land over in these parts...any east coasters feel the earthquake yesterday??  I can honestly say I never thought I'd ever feel any part of an earthquake out here in Pittsburgh, but I most definitely felt my chair shaking yesterday afternoon.  Too wierd.  Anyways, onto more things sewing...

New Projects

Birdie Stitches

This project is certainly not new, but new to me!  I've been looking for a portable project, and while I like to knit, I'm still quite a novice, and as I have about 9,000 scarves and hats that I've knit, and have already knit several for all my friends and family, I was search for a new take along project.  After seeing all the cute embroidery all over blogger land, I decided to throw my hat in the ring and give it a try!  I found the Birdie Stiches quilt along over on Flickr, and these adorable little birdies were right up my alley.  Seeing as I just happened to have a layer cake of Sunkissed on hand, I figured it was meant to be.  This block is actually January's block, but seeing as I'm completely addicted, I don't think it will take long to catch up.

In Progress

Rocco's Garden Fence

I finished Rocco's Garden Fence quilt top earlier this week, I had planned on getting the back completed and having this puppy basted last night, but I was lazy and just didn't feel like it (ever have those days??)  I promise though, you will be seeing a finished quilt in the next few days!  More on this quilt top here.

Farmers Wife QAL

I set these aside for a few days to work on projects with more looming deadlines, but rest assured I have not forgotten about these little guys!  This is why I really like doing more than the "required" two blocks a week, because I'm still not technically behind!  I'm itching to get sewing a few of these this weekend.

Completed Projects

4x5 Bee Blocks

These were mailed out to their new homes on Saturday, more on them here.

This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 1

Completed Projects: 1

In Progress: 7

For the Love of Solids {a modern swap}

4x5 bee blocks

FWQAL

August Bee Blocks

Rocco's Garden Fence Quilt

Birdie Stitches QAL

UFO Quilt tops (maybe, one day...)

Postage Stamp quilt top

Central Park quilt top

What's new with you??  Head over to Freshly Pieced and add your WIP!  

garden fence quilt top

This past weekend my sewing machine and I spent some quality time turning this fabric:

into this quilt top:

This is a commissioned baby quilt for two co-workers of mine.  Their requests were that I use blues and browns, and that mom wasn't into cutesy nursery prints, telling me they decorated the nursery "preppy".  Check, check and check.  I rummaged through my stash and pulled about 9 different prints, throwing in a little green, because just blue and brown wasn't really doing it for me.  

This quilt is based on the Garden Fence block designed by Cynthia of Hyacinth Quilt Designs.  I think this was the perfect pattern to use for this quilt: clean, fresh and simple.  It pieced together so nicely.  It's piecing like this that really show me how far I've come in my 1/4" seam accuracy.  I always think back to my very first quilt I made, I remember being so confident that I did everything perfectly...and then went to piece the blocks together, and everything was off by almost 1/2".  Argh.  Needless to say, this was close to spot on.  I'm now caught up on my Bravo and E! reality television series while I chain pieced like a champ.   

I'm hoping to finish this up soon, seeing as baby Rocco was born last Thursday, I'm sure he's anxiously awaiting his new quilt :-)

Spoiled!

The post man made me quite a happy girl this evening when I checked the mailbox, and lo and behold was my package from my DQS 11 partner!!  Dolores, DeeRoo G over on flickr, spoiled me rotten!

I am just completely in love with this little mini.  She paper pieced these teensy tiny little blocks using one of my favorite combinations of bright fun fabrics with grey, AND hand quilted this beauty.  Can you believe that Dolores almost scrapped this quilt and didn't send it??  After much convincing by almost everyone in the DQS pool she was convinced to send it, and I'm so grateful she did!! 

This little guy measures 12"x18" and is already proudly displayed on my sewing room wall.  

Not only is the doll quilt just perfection, but Dolores included all these fun extras!  Amy Butler fat quarters, pillow patterns and a fun Christmas pattern, adorable ribbons and a hand made journal as well as an adorable hand made ornament.  (I feel like those infomercials, "but wait, there's more!")  Like I said, she spoiled me.

I'm almost sad that this little label is on the backside and will be facing the wall!  Look at that hand embroidery, just love.

I just cannot say thank you enough, Dolores, if you are reading, thank you again!!

4x5 bee blocks

Me and my sewing machine spent some quality time the last few days sewing up bee blocks for my hive 15 beemates in the 4x5 modern quilt bee, and I am super thrilled with how they turned out.

I used this tutorial as the basis for these blocks, and altered the dimensions slightly so that each finished square measured 2" and my unfinished block measured 12.5" square.  I toyed with buying the lil twister tool to make these blocks, but I wasn't crazy about the fabric waste it looks like you end up with.  My way was probably the more time consuming way, but still fun and fairly easy to piece together.  By far it was harder to keep the pieces in order than the actual sewing!

This block is for Little Bluebell.  Adrianne requested pink, orange and aqua.  This wasn't a color combo I would have thought of as something I'd like, but this block ended up being one of my favorites!

For creationsbyrachel.  Rachel requested light aqua and light yellow, with some light grey thrown in as well.  I just love this block, the colors are so calming, reminds me of a spa!

For Stitch 'n' Bits.  Rachel requested aqua, yellow and grey, which was a popular color combo in our hive!  Including myself, 3 of the 6 of us requested aqua, yellow and grey.  Could be cause its just so darn pretty :-)

For Charise *.  Charise asked for yellow, red and pink.  I typically don't lean toward pink for myself, but every time I make a block for someone using pink I think, "I should use more pink!"  Just so so pretty.

For Seaside Stitches.  Tina asked for pink, orange and yellow.  Yummy :-)

Hopefully my hivemates are as happy with these blocks as I am!  

WIP Wednesday (8.17.2011}

Before I tell you about what I've been up to, I just want to let everyone know that our dear friend and WIP Wednesday host, Lee has entered one of her adorable fabric design's into  Connecting Thread's fabric design contest!  Her design is called Flourish and is located under the Floral/Botanical section.  You can vote here.  Voting is open through August 31st.  Be sure to hop over and vote for Lee's design!  

As for me, I feel like I've been working on the same few projects for far too many weeks now, and am itching to get things crossed off my list.  Here's what I've been dabbling in this week:

New Projects

Rocco's Garden Fence

These pretty fabrics will soon be turned into a commissioned baby boy quilt.  I love making quilts as gifts, and occasionally will do a commissioned piece for family/friends/coworkers, however my only stipulation is I get to have full (or close to it) creative liberties with what I'm making.  The request was that I use blue and browns, and that the mom is quite "preppy."  I thought these fabrics fit the bill, and will be using Cynthia's Garden Fence block  which I have been dying to try.  Stay tuned!

Completed Projects

DQS 11

I've just about finished doing my happy dance that this mini is finished, and it came together just as I had been picturing in my head!  Now just to make a few little extras, I'm thinking a pincushion and some pin toppers are in order, and this mini should be on its way to it's new home this weekend!  More about this mini here.

In Progress

4x5 modern quilt bee blocks

While I find selecting the fabrics for each of my 5 awesome hivemates blocks my favorite part of the block making process, I have the fabrics cut and 3 of the 5 blocks completed, more on these soon!

This Weeks Stats

New Projects: 1

Completed Projects: 2

In Progress: 7

DQS 11

For the Love of Solids {a modern swap}

4x5 bee blocks

FWQAL

Secret Mini Swap

August Bee Blocks

Rocco's Garden Fence Quilt

UFO Quilt tops (maybe, one day...)

Postage Stamp quilt top

Central Park quilt top

What have you been up to?? Head over to FreshlyPieced and add your WIP!

DQS 11: Completed Paintbox Hexie Mini

I finished up sewing the binding down on this little pretty last night.  I really usually do not enjoy hand sewing binding on, but on these little projects, its the perfect thing to do while vegging on the couch, catching up on our Netflix cue.  Instead of using the usual double fold binding I use on regular quilts, I tried a single fold binding, using this tutorial from verykerryberry.  I really like how slim and non bulky the binding is, I think I will cut the binding maybe at 1 1/2" vs. the 1 1/4" I did for this mini, but all in all I like the look!

The finished quilt measures 17" square, and the center square of "paintbox" hexies measures 11" square.  I didn't follow a pattern in making this, but based my bordered hexie idea off of Lee's tutorial for her Hexing around block, only in miniature.  I'm pretty sure my partner digs this, fingers crossed! 

After spending far to long just looking at the quilt top and waiting for it to just tell me how would be best to quilt it, I decided to go simple, with nice clean echo quilting 1/4" on either side of the borders and horizontal seams of the hexagons, and I'm quite happy with my decision.

Now just to whip up a few extras to add in to my package, I think a pin cushion and some pin toppers are in order. 

Hopefully my partner enjoys!