think pink

Think Pink!  As I mentioned in my last post, this set of placemats and tablerunner (along with the two clutches) are being donated to a charity luncheon for breast cancer to be auctioned off in October.  The lady who is hosting the event gave me free reign to design how I like, with the only stipulation being that it had to be pink!

 

Heres a picture of the set on my own dining room table.  The runner measures 12 1/2 x 48 inches and each placemat is appx 14 x 18 inches.

This was my first try at string piecing and I used the tutorial from Film in the Fridge and couldn't be happier with the result!  i started by cutting my paper squares to 6 1/2 inches and then cutting what seemed like a bazillion strips of fabric in varying widths ranging from 1 inch to 1 1/2 inchs wide then kind of used an assembly line type system to add my strips.

I just love this effect, and have a quilt in this style in my ever growing "quilting to-do list"!  Maybe not all in pink next time...

The placemats are much simpler in style, but I'm pleased with the look.  I pieced together some 2 1/2 inch strips in pink and then bordered them in white. 

Apparently my machine does not have a problem with light pink thread...its apparently quite picky sometimes, as I found when I tried to quilt the whale baby quilt in light green thread and my machine was not having it!  As for quilting, I again used good ole faithful and stippled both the tablerunner and placemats.

The binding on both is a pink with tiny white polka dots, and the back is a solid kona in bright pink. 

Can't wait to donate these so they can get to their new owners...Dolly, I'm not sure how they will be auctioned off, I was assuming they would go as a set, but however she decides to organize things would be fine with! 

progress

Slow work for sure this week.  If only I had nothing to do but work on quilty things all day!  Ugh, unfortunately thats not quite the way things work, but I finally finished the table runner quilt top and accompanying placemat tops.

Hopefully through the weekend I'll get these puppies basted and quilted so they can go to their new owner for the raffle next week!  Finished pics to come....

Fun with Purse frames

After loving how my experiments with using purse frames went a few weeks ago, I really wanted to track down some more frames at a better price than the ones I found at Joann's.  Lo and behold I was able to find a shop on etsy from 3dpatternpaper that sells all kinds of shapes and sizes of purse frames at a really really decent price too (shipping was a little high, as they came from China, but even after figuring in shipping to the per frame cost was still very reasonable.)

I whipped up this little number just wanting to experiment with a good shape for the frame, and I couldn't be happier!  The frame is 7 inches long and the bottom measures appx 8.5 inches.  The perfect little clutch to fit cell phone, keys, lip gloss, money and ID (I've tried, and its fits great!)  I'm loving this fabric and and can't wait for an outfit to take this out on the town!

On a different subject, last week an acquaintance of mine asked if I would be interested in donating some items for a breast cancer luncheon she was hosting.  Of course I said yes, and she told me that the only requirements were that whatever I made was pink.  We decided on a table runner and placemat set, but after playing around with these purse frames, I decided to throw together 2 pink patchwork clutches.

I used the 7 inch purse frame for the larger clutch, so the dimensions are similar to the blue/black fabric print clutch, and the smaller frame is 5 inches, and the bottom measures appx 6.5 inches. 

While on my weekly trip to Joann's (sad, I know) I came across this pink ribbon fabric, and thought how perfect for the linings!  So both clutches are lined with the pink ribbon fabric.

As for the table runner, I dug into my scrap bin of pinks and started cutting strips of different widths to make a bunch of foundation pieced string blocks to string together into a table runner.

Theres certainly more where that came from, but I was getting antsy doing all that cutting...I wanted to sew!

Heres the beginnings up on my design wall...I'm diggin it! 

More to come soon, Happy Labor Day!!

Buzzzzz

I received my fabric from Krista in our solid colors bee for September.  She sent along some Kona solids in pink, yellow and white.  She requested pinwheels of any kind measuring 10.5" square, and gave us this beauty to use as inspiration.  How fun!  I immediately began scouring flickr and the internet and this is what I came up with!

I have to admit I've never made a pinwheel block before!  I liked the fairly simplistic look of it, and I'm pleased with how it came out. 

I ended up having some of the exact colors Krista had sent along in my stash, so I couldn't resist making a second block. 

This is my favorite favorite block I think I have ever made, and am seriously contemplating making an entire quilt out of these.  In my flickr searching, I came across this tutorial from Christina at The Sometimes Crafter and decided that it was pinwheel-ish and that Krista needed to have it (I hope she likes it, well both of them!)

This block was also my first attempt at paper piecing...I think I'm hooked!  There will definitly be more paper piecing in my quilting future.

I hope Krista enjoys her blocks, I certainly had fun making them!

Finished baby quilt

Finished!  I have to say, second to picking my fabrics, the actual quilting is my favorite favorite part of the quilting process, but this really gave me a run for my money!  Lately I've been using my thread that I use for embroidery to do my free motion quilt (I know its polyester, but I like the look, with just the little shine it makes it stand out a little against the fabrics).  I was trying to use this pale green, and my machine was not having it!  It kept skipping stitches and making a mess of things.  At my wits end, and after trying everthing I could possibly think of I just tried switching spools to a different color, and voila, it worked like a charm!  No skipped stitches, so I'm not sure what that was all about.

I just can't get enough of those whales!  I know I mentioned prevously, but they are from the Ann Kelle line Urban Zoologie, along with some prints from her Remix line.  The dots are Robert Kauffman (along with the binding) and the solid brown is Kona chocolate. 

The finished quilt measures 40 inches x 40 inches and is from Oh Fransson's Simple Modern Baby Quilt pattern. 

I did a pieced back, that I couldn't be more pleased with!

 

Unfortunately I used up most of the yard of my uber cute whale fabric by using it on the back, but I love it.  It's definitly on my list to order more of with my next fabric purchase!  When I was piecing my blocks I made a few extras knowing that I wanted to piece some of them into the back, they are sashed with Kona Snow. 

I get to hang onto this one a little longer, my coworker requested that I embroider the baby's name on it once he's born, but this quilt will certainly be hard to part with!  (Oh, Dolly, my machine is the Brother SE 350, you had asked a while back and I just remembered I never answered you!  Its the entry level embroidery machine, does a wonderful job, but the downside is you can only embroider 10cm at a time and then have to rehoop or reposition the larger loop for additional space.)

I've decided that I'm keeping the hexagon quilt.  I just can't part with it :)  This means I need to start a quilt that I actually will be giving my mother in law for Christmas...I'm leaning towards starting a Value quilt using the tutorial by Katie at sewkatiedid.  1. I've built up a good bit of a fabric stash that I think have enough different fabrics to make this work, 2. I love working with half square triangles and 3. This quilt looks beatiful!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jessica

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

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