size matters

He asked, "Why is it so small?"
My answer, "because I just wanted to try something new."
"But I can't snuggle with it..."
He wants to snuggle, I guess I'm a lucky girl. I love snuggles too.

t-shirt quilt

Completed a while ago, but pictured today.

I love these t-shirt quilts. They're so soft. They're perfect for soccer games and practices. Oh, and did I mention, easy to make? The current completed tally is 3, but I have piles of t-shirts waiting for their turn. I made a flickr set for them that can be seen here.

in progress

19 more needed, 17 are done.....just waiting for my mail to come.

This was initially going to be much larger, but now I'm thinking of keeping it small. 3 more blocks....that is all.

beach house quilt

My hubby and I say we will retire on the beach one day. My beach house quilt will rest on his crusty old-man armchair that he's destined to own. It will be used for our grandkids when they visit. It may even keep my legs warm when we watch the sun set.

I'm 32, so I have years to complete it, but I just can't wait. I started it last night and am hoping to finish it soon.

My inspiration came from this quilt. I've admired it for quite some time. I visit the picture often, waiting for the right fabric. Lately I've been on a mermaid kick.

The tutorial for curved piecing came from this site. It was my first time using freezer paper for quilting. It's awesome and easy. My only additional tip would be to allow the fabric and freezer paper to cool completely, prior to removing the freezer paper from the block. Also, when the tutorial says to use MORE glue......use MORE glue.

Inhale....can't you just smell the salt air?

fussy quilt finished!

All done! Yes, there are many errors on this quilt, but it's DONE and that's the way I like it.

Also, I realized I didn't have any pics posted of the Fresh Air quilt finished. So, here they are.....I really like the binding.

switching gears

I haven't been spending much time with my sewing machine, but I did manage to start some string blocks. I'm using this tutorial, from Ashley, to do so. Let me tell you, this is my favorite project, thus far. Because I'm just doing a block at a time and using paper piecing for the first time.....I'm really liking this.

Always intrigued with social events of any kind, I joined a swap. It's a placemat swap. Check out some of the inspirational photos. My swap partner is Chen, of Mushyhed's Sweatshop. She is so stinkin' adorable! I'm so lucky to have been matched with this girlie.

As the title states.....I'm "switching gears". Our family is off to Kauai in 6 days and I'm down to the grind. It's time to concentrate on miles and calories instead of thread and fabric. Fortunately, I have an awesome husband who will take me fabric shopping while we're on vacation, so I'm not giving up my fun altogether. I've done my research and found that Kauai is blessed with loads of Japanese fabrics. I'll be happy to report the truth of this matter when I return.

Aloha!

done!

Whew! It's only the second day of a three day weekend and I've had a blast. We've been on the road for soccer all weekend. I was able to complete my mom's gift in the car yesterday. I washed it this morning. It's wonderful.


I visited an out-of-town JoAnn's and found my favorite......Mocca, by Alexander Henry (pictured on left). I bought the rest of the bolt. A little over 4 yards.

My husband was nice enough to take me here, where I found some Lush, Alexander Henry Seagulls that I've been dying to buy, and some other great finds.




Soccer was good, but I'm looking forward to a day at home. Tomorrow I will begin binding this.

What to do next? That Buttercup Bag looks fun and has been on my "to do" list for quite some time.

fresh air quilt

Guess who's home from the long-arm machine? I love her. She's so pretty. I can't wait to bind her, but know it's going to take some time, due to the larger size.

tips for taking it easy

The other day I was "all a tizzy" thinking about the reality that I was about to quilt my mom's gift. Quilting just isn't a natural talent for me. However, I began the job.

I sat down and started. Sweat began to bead up on my neck.....this was going to be a long road. I reminded myself who I was quilting for, my mom. This is the lady who cherishes my little pincushion, stuffed with cotton balls, the one I made when I was too young to even use a sewing machine. This thought relaxed me a little.

Music. The room was too quiet. I turned on a newly purchased Dave Matthews album and instantly felt my mood get even lighter. I was on the road to recovery.

The sewing continued. There were a few moments when I had to replace a bobbin or rethink the direction of my meandering, but the experience wasn't as bad as I expected. Positive thoughts and Dave Matthews really helped.

When I finished I decided this was a good quilt to try some "boo-boo" fixes on. Overall, the quilting is pretty nice, but there were a few stitches that were larger than others or the back thread was a little loser than I'd like. I removed these with CARE and then some additional stitches. Then I just ran over that area, backstitching at beginning and end, to create a pretty nice looking "band-aide".

The hand binding is close to done. I will probably finish it tonight and give it a good wash in the morning. My crafting time has been limited, but I really want to see this completed before I head to bed.

i hate this part

"Hate" is a strong word, so maybe "strongly dislike" is more appropriate. I had to use that title because of the song by the Pussycat Dolls that's ringing in my head.

It's ready to be quilted.......am I? Quilting is always the hardest part for me because I nitpick the stitches. Are they too large? Too small? How's the tension? It's just so much pressure. I'm waiting for it to get easier, but I always get nervous just before I get started. That's usually when I start thinking about my next project.

Aren't these the cutest fabrics? The birdies are Moda's Urban Chicks.....I think the line is Sweet. The florals are Amy Butler's Daisy Chain. I can't wait to bind it. This quilt has taken me much longer than expected. My life has been soccer, soccer, soccer. I need some down time to catch up with this project. Truth be told, this is my mom's Mother's Day gift. For 2009, I swear. *Mom, surprise!*

getting stuff done

This top is finished and was dropped off this morning to be quilted. Waiting is the hardest part.
300 inches of binding, ready for that phone call. I'm hoping to get it back in time to finish the binding and use it in May's Spring to Finish.

These are the start of a new project. Hopefully, something smaller, so I can quilt it myself and finish it without any torturous wait.

not much of anything

I feel like I failed at Jacquie's Spring to Finish challenge.  I was going to finish so many projects and it just didn't happen.  There were a few small successes.  This one, which I realized I've never shown the back of, and another t-shirt quilt, and the Fussy Quilt top.  The Fussy Quilt will be quilted by someone else, due to the thickness of the fabric, but it's still a finish for me because I can say "I'm done with it".  That's 3 entries......do my Spring Chicks count?

This quilt has taken a turn.  My husband says I like to take out stitches more than I like to sew.  Maybe.  The bright yellow had to go.  It was replaced with some Heather Ross.  I have 6 blocks done, now all different sizes, and I'm stuck.  Should I frame them with an ecru muslin or grey organic kona cotton?  Will it be a square or more of a thick rectangle?  

Tonight is a big night.  My girlfriends from high school are starting a craft group.  There will be food, fabric, and some scrapping.  I'm thinking it's the perfect opportunity to start a new quilt.  

hot, hot, hot

Southern California has been hit by a heat wave. It's been in the high 90's the last few days, which is not very motivational. I've considered moving the sewing machine out by the pool, but don't think she's waterproof. My "fresh air" quilt is still coming together, but rather slowly. It's more like "the air's so hot I'm suffocating". Block #5 was completed last night and the determined size for the blocks has been established at 14" by 15". Rather large, but very powerful.

Amy, at Badskirt, posted about her recent package from Sew, Mama, Sew. And so, I bit. Half an hour later I found some awesome deals that I feel good about. Really good about. Especially this one from the Katie Jump Rope line. Something about this green gets me.

I'm enjoying viewing everyone's quilts from the Blogger's Quilt Festival. It's hard to comment on every quilt, due to time restraints, but I'm trying to get in a few words here and there. Thank you to everyone who's left a comment for me and mine.

Man, alive, it is HOT! Stay cool. Find a pool.

Quilt Festival Spring 2009

Amy, from Park City Girl, is hosting an online Quilt Festival. Fun, right? My entry was an easy choice. My improv quilt. Due to the first-time experience of improv quilting I have a fondness of this quilt. No rulers, no rotary cutter, no real rules! This form of quilting is a feel-good experience and compliments both red and white wines. (Actually, I found it also goes well with a "so dirty it's filthy" martini!)

There's also a proud feeling of contribution to this quilt. The first block I created for this project was actually sent to Jacquie for Project Improv. Since sending the block I've spied it on the Flicker group. My block has the Alexander Henry Mocca flower and I love it. What a happy print.

I suppose my entry quilt is emotionally satisfying. Kinda crazy statement to make about a quilt, but there it is, in black and white.

a breath of fresh air

And so the story continues.

Instead of turning off the sewing machine I decided to give her a new purpose. She needed to be cleansed of the negativity that the Fussy Quilt brought upon her. She got a good cleaning with the air can and brush. She was re-threaded and her foot was changed. A new woman.....(if she was human)

An improv quilt is just what the quilting crafter ordered, so that's where I'm at. My machine and I are starting a new adventure together and there's a good vibe in the air.

no more fussing around

My participation in Jacquie's Spring to Finish event has driven me to extremes. I pulled out an older project from years ago and went at it full throttle. The initial design was from a class I took for a vintage baby quilt. While taking the class it was determined that the weight of my chosen fabrics didn't match, thus throwing off my every stitch. The instructor advised that I take apart EVERY seam and recut the small squares.

And away it went into the dark corner of my closet.

April 2009 the dreaded "fussy" quilt was reborn. I no longer like the color palette, but decided there would be a reward of satisfaction once I finished. I wouldn't take it apart, as advised, but embrace the imperfections of my mismatched corners. I am not a fussy quilter. I refuse to own a fussy quilt. I added thick sashing to make it larger, no longer a baby quilt. My binding color changed to black for a modern touch.

I began the actual quilting.

The tension was off. I couldn't get it right. I sewed and tore apart stitching. I re-basted and tried again. There's just too much fabric to deal with. My little machine was jumping off the table in fear of this monstrosity. No more, I decided, I just can't do it. Off you'll go, Fussy Quilt,(yes, I have named it) to see the long-arm machine.

So, Jacquie, I am cheating a bit. I will have a completed project, but I can not commit to completing it with my own hands. I hope you can forgive me.

stacked coins finished!

I love it! It's hard to tell from the pic, but the binding is a dark grey. It's kinda small, but will serve it's purpose as a lap quilt. Ahhhhh.....the feeling of completion is wonderful.

stacked coins

I free-motioned! So badly I had wanted to conquer my fear of free-motion quilting and last night I did it. Using Recess, by Moda, and touches of Peas and Carrots (that was gifted to me by a dear friend) I created a quick stacked coin quilt to work with. I finish the "quilting" process without any blood or tears and didn't even have to use the seam ripper. Today I'll finish the binding and celebrate a victory.

This weekend I finished another t-shirt quilt top. I dropped it off with the long-arm quilter this morning. I now know that I will never quilt a t-shirt quilt myself. The jersey cotton, fused with the interfacing, and fleece would be too thick for my little machine to handle. The cost of replacing needles would be more than my long-arm quilter charges me. I will get that back with my project improv quilt.

To continue with my Spring to Finish entries I'd like to complete another t-shirt quilt top by the end of this week. That would be good.

another t-shirt quilt

This quilt is going to be a hit with my girls. It has shirts from their current soccer club and from events we recently participated in. I'm planning on using it tonight at practice, actually. The colors are bright and wonderful. I concentrated on red and black, but used grey, as well.

This one went to my "expert" long-arm quilter. She did a great job. I decided on red thread for the quilting to create contrast. Love it! And a strip of color down the back.....so perfect.

Go Hawks!

project improv quilt

I finished the top and am working on the back......I'm so happy with it so far.  It's so bright and cheery.