Thursday, April 28, 2011

No-Reply Bloggers

Did you know that if you don't have an e-mail attached to your blog profile, that I can't respond to your comments via e-mail?  I can only respond to you in the comments sections and there's no guarantee that you'll see that!

Jodi, at Pleasant Home, has some great posts about "no-reply bloggers".

simply square button

To those of you who have so generously taken the time to comment on my blog, thank you.  If you haven't had a personal reply from me, you may want to see if you are a "no-reply blogger".

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

WIP Wednesday: Lollipop


Quilt top is done.  I'm using the panel from the Lollipop line for the back, but needed to piece the sides to make it big enough . . . didn't calculate right, so I'll be adding some more before I can get this baby quilted.

Fabric: Lollipop by Sandy Gervaid for Moda
Pattern: adapted the "Small Plates" pattern from The Practical Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman

I'm Going to Quilt Market!!!

Okay, not really.  But I will be at Quilt Market Meet-up.  And I'm SOOOOOO excited!  Can't wait to meet some quilty friends.



Tuesday, April 26, 2011

I'm In . . .

I'm really excited to be participating in the Mod Times Quilt Along being hosted by Jessica at Twin Fibers.

Doesn't this quilt look stunning? . . . and a bit challenging?  I'm a little nervous about in-set seams, but I love learning new techniques.

Modern Rainbow Garden Quilt Closeup
from twinfibers.blogspot.com posted April 16, 2011

Here's my fabric selection: Kona White, Kona Coal, and a fun print I picked up at IKEA.  I also have a bright, large-scale print from IKEA that I'll use on the back.  It was too big to use as the feature print.


Jessica has posted fabric requirements and cutting instructions over the last few weeks.

I can't wait to get sewing!!!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Flying Over Kansas

It's finished!!!  And already claimed by a child. ;)


Finished Size: 56" x 56"
Fabric:
Browns from dark to light: Kona Coffee, Kona Mocha, Kona Stone, Kona Champagne
Greens from dark to light: Kona Forest, Kona Grass Green, Bella Pistachio, Kona Green Tea
Pattern: adapted from Modern Quilt Workshop


Binding Fabric: Hooty Hoot Kangaroo Stripes Green from Riley Blake


Backing Fabric: a flannel from the All Star 2 line from Riley Blake


Free motion quilted with Gutterman 100% polyester color #525.  I even included my "label" in the quilting.

Things I learned:
1) piecing curves is nothing to be afraid of
2) puckers in the backing disappear when you wash the quilt
3) so do perceived mistakes in the quilting
4) I really need to make a bed quilt for Kristine so I can keep my quilts

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Pattern-Matching Striped Binding

Note: This is NOT a binding tutorial.  It is just a tutorial on how to match up the pattern when making your binding.

I have really loved striped binding lately.  I also love diagonally joined binding strips.  And I love matched patterns.  Here's how I make them all work together.

Cut your binding strips to your desired width and trim off the selvedge.  Fold down one end of the strip at a 45 degree angle and press.  {If you are joining several stips, make sure you do this to the same end each time.  I keep track of it by cutting off the selvedge of only one end before I cut my strips.}


Grab your next strip and line up the pattern.


Stitch really close the fold with a matching thread.


Unfold it and trim off the excess about 1/4" away from the seam.


I save those little left-over triangles.  I aspire to make something like this little quilt or maybe some little wonky stars . . . someday.  {I was going to link to an amazing little quilt, but I can.not.find.it.  grrrr.  It's really awesome.  If you know what I'm talking about and you know where it is, please let me know.}

Now press your binding in half and continue binding as you normally would!

Fabric is Hooty Hoot Kangaroo Stripes Green from Riley Blake.

Spring Break

I took a semi-break from sewing and a break from blogging for the last few weeks, but plenty has been going on . . . like catching up on all the stuff I didn't keep up on while I was pregnant and caring for a newborn (balancing the checkbook and cleaning, to name a few.)   We shuffled rooms to separate fighting children, which also means the sewing corner got shuffled too.  But plenty was happening on the sewing front . . .

I taught my son a bit of sewing (shh, don't tell anyone . . . he's embarrassed . . . as am I by that mess in the background . . . it has since been shuffled and organized.)


Here's what he made . . .


I saw this idea as a Darth Vader Pillow.  She used these pixelated pictures called iotacons.  Spencer wants to make 12 of the characters to make himself a Star Wars quilt.

I've been making several of these . . .


No, silly, not babies . . . bibs.


I'd like to say that I finished this quilt . . .


. . . but I didn't.  I was tired of quilting it, so I trimmed up and bound the 3/4ths of the quilt that was quilted.  Please tell me I'm not the only one to do this.


AND . . . the perils of having 2 machines in the house . . . I can start another quilt while one is stuck under the needle when it is half-way quilted.  I need intervention!!!  A sweet little baby quilt for a sweet little future-niece from Lollipop by Sandy Gervais for Moda.