Different Border, Different Quilt

Oh my gosh!  I put on the blue border and it looks like whole different quilt.  MUCH better!

Noah's Ark Quilt

Last night I dug deeper into my stash and found these Noah's Ark prints.  The outer border in the picture is laid out for effect.  I'm not sure I like it enough to sew it on.  I'm also toying with the idea of doing a royal blue solid with a scalloped edge to emulate water.

As much as I love novelty prints for kid quilts, they do get rather busy. 
Will have to sleep on this decision. 

I don't know anyone who is expecting a baby...so I think this little quilt may have solved my dilemma for the upcoming silent auction at work

Decisions, Decisions...

I laid out my prospective projects to take inventory...only to discover many of them have food related themes:  Kitchen-y prints, Chocolates, Tex-Mex. I'm also planning on making a summer picnic quilt that features a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. 

At least, thank goodness, the last one is a seasonal image that does not involve food at all.  Here are my options:

Chocolate.Kitchen Stuff.Tex Mex.I may change one cardinal to a yellow female.  But will probably wait to begin this one until after the holidays.

Apple Filigree - Done at Last!

One Christmas present complete, umpteen more to go!  But which project to choose next?

I Love Leftovers

I love leftovers.  Its so nice not to have to start from scratch now and then.

Will add a border, quilt and bind this doll-sized quilt top when I find a lilac backing I like. 

But what good is a doll quilt without a doll?  When I saw this lilac Beanie Baby, I knew he needed a home and a quilt to call his own.

Ideas for Charity Quilt?

There's a charity auction coming up at work.  Only about 6 weeks away.  I've donated a quilt before, but this year I'm behind schedule.  There are other quilters I work with, and I'm wondering if we could organize something, where we all make part of a quilt.  Any suggestions?

Cre8tive Quilter: Quilts on Barns - #20 Twirling Mosaic

Cre8tive Quilter: Quilts on Barns - #20 Twirling Mosaic

These barns are way cool!

Imperfection: Embrace it!

WARNING: The following photo contains graphic images of imperfection, intense untidiness and strong disarray.  For MATURE audiences only!

I just read a blog about trying to appear perfect at all times.  Let's face it: we don't need Good Housekeeping magazine or Martha Stewart to make us feel inadequate - we do it to ourselves. 

And so, I proudly share photographic proof of my own imperfection.  If this sight looks familiar, I hope it makes you smile.

Unfolded laundry graces my bedroom.  My "sewing room" is a hand-me-down cabinet, in need of refinishing.  My latest project puckered, so I'm flattening it beneath heavy books and a crate of yet-to-be-started  projects.  The pillow shams never found their way to my bed today.  And worst of all - I left the house in a hurry this morning, so the ORIGINAL version of this picture even contained some "unmentionables."  (HAD to retake the picture...even I will only sink so low!)

But ya know what?  I had a GREAT day today!  I heard a speaker, toured a mine, attended a football game and saw a beautiful 12-point buck moving through a cornfield at sunset.  Enjoyed fresh air, sunshine and companionship.  I'll remember these things far longer than if the laundry was put away promptly. 

Now I admit, I feel a bit inadequate when a fellow blogger says "Gosh, I made this quilt for my book...."  But other blogs share what we already know.  Life and quilts rarely proceed as planned. 

To my fellow bloggers who've made intricate quilts with dazzlingly even stitches, from fabrics you dyed yourself - I say "Wow - way to go!  You amaze and inspire me!"

But to everyone else: So long as our imperfections are not illegal, immoral, don't risk life or limb, don't violate sanitation codes or reflect a general lack of scruples....I say, "Please, no more apologies.  Imperfection makes us who we are.  Embrace it!"

( I'll get off my soap box now.....)

Apple Blossoms

I finally did it - stopped practicing free motion quilting and actually quilted something!  I've been dragging my feet after ripping out the stippling on this table topper.  I wanted something different - but what?

It hit me last night - what goes better with apples than apple blossoms?  They're even about the same size as real apple blossoms.   Hopefully you will soon see this topper fully quilted.

Quilting Friends

A friend and fellow quilter brought her quilts to work.  Got great tips on color selection, stippling and echo quilting around applique.  Can't wait to get started.  Gotta love those quilting friends!

Stippling and Ripping

After a few hours of practice stippling, I worked up my courage to begin stippling my first real project - the Apple Filigree pictured in the previous post.  The results were dissappointing, so now I'm rip, rip, ripping.  Once I get the stippling out, I still have to figure out how to quilt this.  Never quilted anything with applique or embroidery before.  Its a little scary!

Apple Filigree Top

Finally made some time to complete this mini quilt top.  Its called Apple Filigree Table Mat by Cottage Quilt Designs.  The binding will be green.

Initially had some trouble remembering how to do applique, so this small project ended up taking large amounts of time.  Much longer than anticipated, so I'm feeling pretty good about this accomplishment!

This will be a Christmas gift for my mom, who likes all things apple-y.  I took a class in free motion quilting a few months ago, but didn't get to use it until now.  This will be my first project that involves something other than straight or wavy lines.  Will have to practice a bit before I do the actual quilting!

Blue Jeans Quilt

Here is a queen size jeans quilt, front and back.  Top includes light, medium and dark blues and some black jeans.  Backing is fleece.  Low loft 80% cotton batting inside.  User reports is very warm!

Quilterblogs.com

Just found out about http://www.quilterblogs.com/ - check it out!

Purple Nine Patch Jeans Quilt

A young friend wanted a jeans quilt to take to college, but she wanted it to be ALL purple.  What a challenge!

Expanded my search to denim and corduroy.  Even so, it took a year to find enough recycled fabric.

It became a purple treasure hunt.  My favorite fabric is a striking purple & black paisley denim.   Other fabrics include flowers, kittens and  butterflies.  The fleece backing has purple horses.

Fall Is Here

Now that we have snow flurries in the air, I've finally accepted that Fall is here.  Pumpkins, leaves and autumn harvest themes are good until the end of November.  I love this focus fabric.  Hope you like it!

Applique Adventures

   Had some setbacks on the way to producing two squares with applique apples and leaves.

   Thought I'd try doing applique on my sewing machine.  It was quickly apparent that my machine was mutliating my work.  HORRORS!

   Then I decided to do it by hand.  However, fusible web is new to me...trimmed the applique too close and found it was fraying, web or no web.   Frustrated, I set it aside for a week (or three). 

   Finally, I resorted to the technique I learned from Grandma, and got better results, pictured here.  On to piecing the rest of this table runner.

   FYI - my grandmother will be 100 years old this weekend.  Happy Birthday Grandma!

Ideas, Ideas Everywhere

 Saw this sweater at a second hand shop and bought it for a buck. It doesn't fit anyone I know; I bought if for the pattern. The flying geese pattern would make a great quilt for a guy. LOVE the fall colors.

This summer, I pieced a baby quilt, and couldn't decide how to quilt it. Then I noticed the "quilted" pattern on my paper toweling.

Ideas are everywhere!

Poochie Quilt

Isn't this the cutest face you've ever seen? (OK, so I'm biased). I want to take this photo and make a portrait quilt. Am researching portrait quilt techniques and looking for suitable fabrics. Tips from portrait quilters welcome!

I found this site to be helpful:

http://www.hgtv.com/simply-quilts/free-standing-applique/index.html

Winter Doldrums: Managed

I'm making preparations now for the winter doldrums. After the holidays, and long before its warm enough I get the urge to plan my flower garden and dig in the dirt. So this winter, I plan to start a Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt. What better way to beat cabin fever, than to work with bright summery colors?

Christmas Gifts

In 2008 I collected materials and patterns for numerous small quilt projects. They were intended to be presents for Christmas 2008. So here it is Oct. 2009, and I'm finally getting around to these projects. Time for some uber-quilting!

Election Year Quilt

In honor of the 2008 presidential election, I made this quilt for a fundraising event. I learned some valuable lessons from making this quilt:

1. Triangles are not recommended in jeans quilts. Don't expect perfect points. Its just not gonna happen.

2. Take your own picture at home BEFORE (not DURING) an auction.

3. Live and learn - LOL

If you want to see another jeans quilt, scroll down. If you want to learn to make them see:

http://www.equilters.com/library/jeans/bluejeans.html