2 More finished!

This my attempt at improvisational quilting. Using the Wonky Star pattern I drafted a quilt on EQ5. I a devil of a time piecing it but it turned out well. The quilting was inspired by this blogger. It is machine quilted with the walking foot from 1/4"-3/4". I really like the way it turned out. It is a monster baby quilt measuring 45"x60". The back is white except for the one yellow star.

This baby quilt is for my baby who is now 8 months old! Love the simplicity of the design and especially love the improvisational piece on the back. I might add more quilting later but for now it is finished. I fought and struggled with the loopy quilting on the border. My machine was having a very bad attitude and I finally gave up on it and used my OLD Bernina 717. It worked like a charm. This baby quilt measures in at 43"x49".

One project down...3 to go

So this super cute pillow case was not on the list but birthday parties come up and I like to make something to go along with the store bought gift. EJ said her friends favorite color was yellow and that she really liked dogs. I let her pick out the fabrics from my stash and then I tracked down some dog appliques.

This was a fast project (faster without the applique). I think about 1 hour. All the seams are finished. I like french seams a lot and found several good tutorials/refreshers on pillow cases and french seams here, here, here, here and here. (I know a lot of links but each one offers something a little different.)

I could go into lengthy detail about how to make the pillow case but I don't want to bore you. Suffice it to say today I had time to iron/press between each step and I love how crisp the seams are. Lesson learned...Take time to press as you go!

Flaming quilt

I have had this idea rolling around in my head since November 2007. Too long undone. My son's 6th birthday is in less than a week and this is for him. I am very hopeful that the machine (and my skills) will cooperate. I love the way they look so far! I am going to leave the edges raw and put a pieced border on it and may add some flames licking onto it. Now off to sew.

May Spring to Finish

If you didn't get to play last month Tallgrass Prairie Studio is hosting another Spring to Finish. Just click the link on my side bar to find out how to participate.

I was only able to complete two projects last month and hope that I can get 4 done this month. We can always try right?

Spring to Finish

Well I had great hopes to get three baby quilts done but with sick kids and machine temper tantrums I was only able to finish one baby quilt and one little quilting sample. My kids are fighting over the small one and the baby quilt will be mailed to a good friend.

I love this baby quilt. Much smaller than I had originally planned but love it. It was based on a Ricky Tims design from this book. I chose the most basic one to start and hope to move on to the more challenging ones with curves. Curves do scare me a little though. I am really happy with the way the border quilting turned out. I used freezer paper cut out to the template. I think freezer might be my new favorite quilting tool!

I am trying a new label method. I am printing iron on transfers. I hope they work out well. The computer design looked good and I am waiting for hubby to print them for me. I have been little label lazy of late and it is good to get back into them.

Apologies for the layout. I am still learning the ropes. Overall I guess this has been a success. One done is much better than none.

 

 

 

 

Goal Update

Projects completed....
1. Elizabeth's fairy quilt
2. Nephew's quilt (much past due)
3. William's Quillow
4. Project Improve blocks
5. Bushfire blocks

Projects almost completed...
1. Rueben's quilt
2. Spencer's quilt
3. Trent's quilt

Projects ready to start...
1. Ian Flame quilt
2. Leslie's baby quilt
3. Lisa and Angelica's quilts (triangles cut)
4. Quilt for my Mom
5. Quilt for my Dad
6. Quilt for US!
7. Baby quilt for new niece or nephew
8. Pay it Forward gifts (still have one more...)

I think this list grew since the beginning of the year. I guess that is typical. I know there will be more ideas and projects that come up. But that is the fun of quilting and crafting. Here's to more success this year.

I am going to restrain myself from blogging again until all three almost complete quilts are complete. See you in a week (hopefully!)

Newly Named--Puzzle Quilt

I finished the star quilt top today. Nothing else is done around the house but the top is finished! I have renamed this quilt, Puzzle Quilt. It is so named because of the brain-strain it was to piece. I like the idea of improvisational piecing but the reality of it is challenging. I had a design I had done on my EQ5 program using multiples of 3. I thought it would be straight forward to put together.

Wonky Stars, simple. But I didn't trim the triangles off and so I have some lumpy spots. Lesson learned, always trim. If it's going to be stretchy, starch and press carefully. I may even be converted to pressing seams open too.

I cut the filler pieces short and had to rip three seams and do them again. Then there were the set-in seams. I do these but usually relating to diamonds. Glad I already had that skill or this quilt may not have been completed.

I am very pleased with the way it turned out. Bigger than I planned too. I rarely make baby quilts this large. It measures approximately 46"x62". This baby will be well covered.