Liberated Wedding Ring Top Complete

    Well, I finished the top for my niece's Liberated Wedding Ring quilt. It's a wedding gift. The wedding is in September. The top finished out at 42" x 42". I saw this quilt featured on Quiltstory several weeks ago and was smitten!

    Here's a shot of what I got for backing and binding. Not sure if you can see it, but the backing is a cream with tiny gray dots. I bought black quilting thread. My Blessing quilt had contrasting thread and I really liked how it turned out. So, we'll see how this looks in several weeks!

    AND ... I had plenty of leftover black, gray and cream fabrics. So, I decided to try my hand at making a bag. Here's the pattern I used. However, instead of using one piece of fabric for the outside, I pieced several strips to get the look I was after.  I think it turned out pretty good for my first try. = )

    I've linked this post to Fabric Tuesday on Quiltstory!! = )

 

Taking the Plunge!

    I've been blogging about quilting and reading what others blog about quilting for about three months now. I've seen several different swaps that looked like fun, but I was always too chicken to sign-up.

    Well, I decided to take the plunge.

    Jennifer, at Ellison Lane Quilts is hosting a Rainbow Charm Swap. Sounds pretty easy, and--more importantly--not too scary. Pretty confident I can cut 5 inch squares. Although, I'd better not get too cocky...

    The bonus, when it's all over, is that I'll end up with enough rainbow-hued charms to make a pretty quilt!!

Frugal Baby Boy Quilt

    In my last post I mentioned that I'd started a quilt for a friend having a baby boy next month. It's made from the leftover HST's from grandson, Jericho's, quilt. All I needed to purchase was the green polka dot for the borders and enough muslin for the backing. Everything else I had on-hand.

    When I began cutting the bonus triangles from Jericho's quilt, I pressed both seam allowances to one side. But, as I progressed, I switched to pressing the seams open. I'd read that pinwheels are a little easier to piece if you press open. So, that's why I switched.

    Well, they ARE easier to piece ... but they're not easier to hand-quilt. It's so much easier to hand-quilt along the ditch on the HST's I pressed to one side. So, on my next pinwheel project, I'll need to decide if I want easier piecing ... or easier hand-quilting. I don't really think it makes much difference in the appearance of the pattern. And, many experts tell me that pressing seams open won't lead to inferior stability. Oh, well. Guess I'll decide when I make my next pinwheel project.

    Here's a couple photos. = )

I've linked this post to Quiltstory's Fabric Tuesday!

Time to Focus

    It seems I have too many irons in the fire!  Addison's quilt is on the frame. Jericho's quilt is probably about half pieced. Niece's quilt is about 60 percent pieced. Placemat flowers are finished; I'm working on the leaves. Oh, and I started a crib quilt out of the leftover triangles from Jericho's quilt for a friend who's baby is due in June.

    Made a trip to JoAnn's today to get a few things. White solid for background to grandmother's flower placemats, and bright yellow for the backing and binding ... green polka dot for borders and binding on the crib quilt, as well as backing fabric for it ... sewing machine needles ... thread.

    AND ... I decided to make a slipcover for our highchair. On Easter, Jericho slid down and got stuck in a wide space on the back left when one of the "spokes" broke (decades ago). It took several tries, but I think it turned out pretty cute. We'll see how it works with an actual child in the seat. = )

    All this to say ... I haven't posted anything in several days because I've been trying to get things finished before I begin something new. I'm trying to focus!!  It's a lofty goal, I know, but one I really need to stick by ... both for sanity's sake and the sake of our finances!

Placemats III - Grandmother's Flowers

    There's one particular quilt pattern that has always moved me. Here's a photo I found on flickr that displays it beautifully. It's called Grandmother's Flower Garden. It's made up of hexagons that have been English paper-pieced into a beautiful arrangement. I want to make one. I found one on one of the blogs I read, and she called it her "lifetime quilt," presumably because of the amount of time it would take to cut, piece and quilt such a beautiful, inricate piece.

    Well, you know me! The best way to start a long journey is with a simple step forward. = )  So, this weekend I began the process ... and what better place to begin than--PLACEMATS!!!

    It's a small project where I can practice a difficult technique, not getting overwhelmed with the process. It's an opportunity for me to work out many of the kinks and see if I really want to bite off the larger project.

    Here are a few of the flowers I've made for my placemats. I figure I'll make 7 ... since there are seven of us who dine at the table ... Grandson, Jericho is still in the high chair. I figure only two flowers will fit on each. So, I'll need to make 14 flowers. Almost halfway done!! In my quest to have an ample supply of seasonal placemats--these will be our Summer placemats!

I've linked this post up with Quiltstory's

Fabric Tuesday #35!!

Liberated Wedding Ring

    I picked most of the fabrics for my version of Little Miss Shabby's Liberated Wedding Ring quilt at the International Quilt Festival, held in Cincinnati back in April. I got a cream with black dots for the backing, and a black and cream stripe for the binding at Stitches Quilt Shop in Glendale, Ohio. The batting and solid cream background fabric came from JoAnn's.

    This quilt is to be a wedding gift for my niece and soon to be nephew-in-law. Originally, they were planning a wedding for April, 2012. Well ... The new date is 09-10-11. September 10th! That's only 4 months away! Oh, well. I should have plenty of time to finish the quilt by then. Here are a couple shots of the blocks I've gotten done so far.

    And ... the UPS man brought me something special today! Here's a photo.

    It's my brand new quarter inch piecing foot with guide for my sewing machine!!  YAY!!!  Not that I'm expecting to make perfect quarter inch seams from this day forward, but surely they'll be better using this foot. Surely. = )

Blessing Quilt - Finished!

    I finished up the hand-quilting and binding on the simple batik quilt I made to donate to Connections for their "Be the Scream" awards banquet this past weekend. I wanted to get rid of the penciled-on quilting lines on it. So, I tossed it in the washing machine and dryer. It came out all crinkly (which I love)!

    This is the first time I've used some kind of a pattern for my quilting. The other two quilts were hand-done just using the pieces for a pattern, stitching either in-the-ditch, around the outline or with perpendicular lines. I penciled on a swirled pattern around the white borders, using this book, and quilted with purple thread. I think it turned out really cool, and was amazingly easy to do. You just follow the line! = )

    So far, I haven't made any labels for my finished quilts. Both of them were for the grandkids' nursery here at our home. So, if and when I get around to it, I'll just add a notation somewhere on the back with a permanent marker or something.

    Here are several shots of the finished quilt, after washing/drying.

I've linked this post to Quiltstory's Fabric Tuesday!! = )