WIP Wednesday - The Weekender Update!

(haha does it show what sort of week I've had already, that it's only Monday and I'm screwing up my days? I thought I was posting a little early - on Tuesday night... nope.)

Amy Butler Weekender QAYG Detail

I've been plugging away at piecing and quilting the outside panels of my Amy Butler Weekender. So far the Quilt As You Go (QAYG) method of piecing and quilting is going nicely but slowly. I am considering piecing the final two panels (the ones behind the big outside pockets), then quilting each side down as one piece.

Large front pockets and small side pockets.

I have all the outside pockets pieced and quilted, and one of the top pieces quilted. I also have the handles and the piping prepared. I'm really loving the way it's looking so far. The colors are really fun.

Wonky star in AMH Bohemian!

I'm a little nervous about assembling this bag, but I think it'll be ok. I'm sure I'll get frustrated at points. lol. Right now I'm really excited to start assembling it all!

4" sawtooth star & 3.5" zig zag

I've also made a little bit of progress on my Doll Quilt Swap quilt. I pieced a tiny sawtooth star (4" finished), and a strip of HST zig zags. These will be only a couple of the elements of this quilt. I need to get piecing! I'm planning on some micro paper piecing too! I hope my partner loves it as much as I do!

I haven't worked on much else this week. So here's the list of no progress:

1. Michelle's Quilt - no progress, but the batting arrived this morning. So quilting soon! (still waiting for the thread!)
2. {Modern} Robin - no progress. 
3. Bubble Quilt - no progress.
4. Sabrina's Quilt - no progress.
5. Harry Potter Patronus/Dementor Mini - no progress.

By the way, if you missed it last week - here's my BIG finish. My Bella Quilt is finished, blogged, and delivered to it's new owner! It's by far my favorite quilt I've ever made! 

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday and WIP Wednesday.

WIP Weds!

Finished!

October bee block! I made these feathers for Katie. They're made using AMH's pattern on her blog. I'm in love with these feathers!

I also made a TEENY pouch - and wrote up a tutorial for it for HLPH after Thanksgiving! 

Currently working on:

EEE swap! (a side swap between myself, Emily, and Elaine)... I'm making them both a really awesome something (it's a secret!), and they're almost finished!! I love both things very much, and want to keep them for myself. It's ok though because I'm pretty sure they'll both love them!

Doing some prep work for the Happy Little Pouch Hop, and for Doll Quilt Swap - which will be starting up SOON!

Lindsey's quilt!

Working on later this week:

Lindsey's Quilt! - I've made no progress on this... it's sitting basted and ready to be quilted.... 

Some progress made:

Bella Quilt - I added a (very simple) border to it - it's getting bigger! Just a couple more rounds to go!

Michelle's Celebration Quilt - prepped binding and I'm working out what color solid to add to the border.

No progress made:

{modern} Robin - quilt top finished, need a bit more fabric for the backing.

This will become a baby quilt soon!

New projects:

Building upon these three blocks - to make a baby quilt for Lindsey's baby!!! Yep, she had her -still to be named- baby today on Halloween! IT's a girl which means I get to sew with some pretty flowers and washi! :)

I"m linking up to WIP Weds! :) 

WIP Wednesday - the real list.

I can't seem to handle actually re-listing all my projects each week. (there are a lot of them)

It's been a while since I did so I guess I should list them out again!

Let's see...

Modern Robins swapped for the last time!! 

Finished:

{Modern} Robin -- I finished my last border add to Emily's, and we swapped them at our guild meeting last weekend. They're so fabulous! I'm in love!

RATZ Swap - keychain has been finished for a while, mailing it out this week!

Snazzy covers for my neice's crutches (she had to have a bone aspiration, - with great results!!!! - but she'll be on crutches for a couple weeks while she heals).

{Sew} Beautiful Bee - May block for Angela.

Super Secret Project - finished sewing!

In (immediate) progress:

Bella Bella Quilt (the round one) - I hope to finish the next round/border this week.

My Precious QAL - If I happen to buy more Kona Coal I'll be finishing this up soon.

Super secret project - need to do some "homework" lol. typing is no fun. - needs to be finished by the end of the month!

FQS Bella Parade Season 2 I've got two more samples to quilt up. I'm hoping to do something spectacular, so I haven't gotten to it yet. Also I've got a ton of fabrics to pull, and blog posts to schedule! :)

Zip pouches for my sister. Always. Oh and one for her best friend too.

No progress (none planned):

9 million random things. Blocks hanging around waiting to be put together for my tiny scrappy fun quilt.

{Modern} Robin - yes it's on the list twice. I need to decide what colors to border it with and what size I want it. :)

New projects:

Pretty Pleats Tote - I'm going to buy fabric for this one and start it soon!

Linking up with fabric tuesday and WIP Weds!

Worrying...

I have a question for those of you who do flickr swaps.

Do you worry? 

Finished DQS quilt top.

I'm usually not a worrier. I stalk my partner's photostream and blog until I have a list of ideas and then run with it from there. I occasionally worry and mostly about color or fabric likes. I don't have a big fabric stash and sometimes don't have the ability to drop everything and buy more fabric. 

But this time I'm worrying - my Doll Quilt Swap quilt is spectacular (if I may say so), but what if it just isn't my partner's style. It's not entirely her colors but the fabrics were begging to go together. 

Drafted by hand flying geese.

It's technically the hardest/most complex piece I've ever worked on (and that says something I think). Between the miniature NY Beauty block, plus the tiny plus blocks, then the giant set of 48 flying geese in a circle - that I drafted by hand.... and learned a new way to paper piece. I think I've executed it very well so far... and I do still have to quilt it and finalize the "framework" (hehe... how else would I expect for a circular quilt to be hung on the wall?) oh yeah, and it will finish as a circular quilt. 

So I'm worrying. Will my partner like it as much as I do? I couldn't bear if she didn't like it. Sometimes it's ok for a swap partner to not absolutely be head over heals over something... but this one, they've got to love it. What if she doesn't? 

Optional hexies - I haven't decided yet.

I've never felt such angst over sending a quilt to a swap partner... eek! 

Here's hoping she loves it!

(linked up for Fabric Tuesday)

Hexies...

I think it's safe to say that I've revisited them. If you've been following my ramblings for years then you may remember this. The post where I swore off hexies (at least ones made by me). Well, my mind has been changed. I went on vacation and needed a fun little project to add a bit of color to my days (and the 14 hour drive there and back). I expected to make a half dozen or so... but that ended up being 30! I used every bit of fabric that I'd brought with me. 

And then today I decided to make some more... this time to be added to my {modern} Robin piece. I whipped together another 13 while watching Beauty and the Beast this afternoon. 

If you're wondering where I got my papers? I'm too cheap to buy the packaged ones... so I printed mine out here. I printed mine at 1" and black ink. That one inch is the measurement of each side. I just printed the sheet and cut them out. Using just plain computer paper they've held up pretty well - I've used each paper about half a dozen times. 

Hmm... who knew that I'd eventually come around to liking hexies!

Linked up for Fabric Tuesday at QuiltStory.

Pillow Talk Swap 5 - Sending soon!

When I arrived home last weekend from visiting family out of state... there was a surprise waiting for me!! My pillow talk swap package had arrived!! Not only that, but it was the one I'd been pinning over since the first in-progress pictures were posted (I'd already even favorited all of them)!

I received this lovely pillow from Michele of Delightful Disarray. She used my favorite - grey, and my other favorite - yellow, and my other favorite - stars, and my other favorite - FMQ'd words, and my other favorite - hand stitching. And... the zipper is blue, which in itself is amazing. I know I'm gushing a bit, bur really this is an awesome pillow. It fits my 18" pillow "insert" (not an insert at all) that I got on clearance at Target - it's by far the cushiest pillow insert I've used (way better than the expensive yet cheaply made ones from Joann's). 

This week I also finished the pillow that I'll be sending out soon for my partner. My inspiration for this swap was to try something texturally outside of the box. I've been wanting to work with corduroy for a while now (ever since reading about the Gee's Bend quilts that used corduroy), and I think my partner would like the linen (light blue) that I paired it with. I also broke out the big guns and cut up a silk tie that I bought in Rome (at a farmer's market/flea market type deal) - I'd originally intended to use them to make another tie purse... but that never happened. The beautiful silk ties have been sitting around for years - and I recently "found" them when we moved. I also added in a bit of dots (to bind the envelope enclosure) and some printed linen that Shruti had sent from India in my DQS10 package! So the materials here all have a great story. That's a good starting point right?

I started with this a-symmetrical rectangle thing. I really wasn't sure I was feeling it at all but pushed through to the finish. Even as I was putting the finished pillow case on the form I was unsure if I liked it.... As soon as it was all on the pillow though I was sold! The texture really does it. That corduroy makes you want it on your couch (if I had a couch)... and the soft silk middle, and the textured linen.... I'm in love with it! I think I have to make myself one! I sure hope my partner likes it!! I feel like while it's a bit more simple technically then I usually do, the texture and warmth of it sets it aside. I hope my partner isn't disappointed!

Linking up for Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story!

Fish Baby Quilt - Finished!

I've finally finished this one... it has been a fun little project, but unfortunately one that nearly killed my sewing machine (you can get the whole store here and here.) I followed the tutorial from Sew Mama Sew; it came together perfectly (minus my machine issues). I fell for the quilt as soon as I saw the tutorial - I love square in square blocks! It was really a quick finish if you don't include the down time machine wise, and the fact that I procrastinated with the binding. 

See, I thought I might send this away to a beloved friend (who is -surprise surprise - pregnant all my friends are right?). I think she'd appreciate the colors and the coolness of this quilt, but at the same time I want to make something beautiful and intricate as I know she'd appreciate it. She doesn't know if it's a boy or a girl so these colors work well. But... I've pretty much fallen in love with the quilt, and I don't know that I can give it up. I have no use for it though since it's tiny (about 38" square if I recall correctly). I may keep it just because I love it. We'll see. I'd really like to have a baby to wrap up in it (have I mentioned that before?). lol. 

I am pretty lucky too, since this quilt was nearly free - the top is pieced almost entirely from the FQ bundle I won earlier this year from Michelle at I Like Orange, Too! (thanks Michelle!!!) I've been really lucky in the giveaway department this year! The solids are made by Free Spirit and they're lovely! I am pretty impressed with them.

That's about it... I'm a little too tired to be typing this up tonight... I may revise it tomorrow. 

Linking up for Fabric Tuesday at Quiltstory!

Chicago Modern Quilt Guild Scarf Dying

Today was our monthly meeting with the Chicago Modern Quilt Guild. We had a guest speaker Sara Hochhauser, who taught us how to dye silk scarves using a special kind of dye that sets instantly (and doesn't dye your skin!).

the dye concentrate

I watched as the first set of people worked on their scarves... unsure of what I might like to try to do. My dilemma was that I knew I'd never wear the scarf. And I wanted to try something different and that I might use for another project. So I went with making pleats to dye stripes... then re-folding and adding another color over it. My thoughts are that I might be able to cut this scarf up and use it in a quilt of sorts. I've never sewn with silk so that may or may not work... but at least it's something usable. I really love love love how it turned out! 

By the way, everyone's scarves turned out great!!! I loved the variety and creativity! I took a lot of pictures so feel free to head on over to my flickr page to see more action shots! Also check out the CMQG flickr as I'm sure others will be adding their pics too! 

 

This was a really fun project. Thanks to our program committee and to Sara for teaching us!!

My finished scarf!

Most of us with our finished scarves!!!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday over at Quilt Story!

Words in/on quilts!

Recently I've been really loving seeing words written/stitched onto quilts. It all started back during the DQS9 when Cathy was creating this little quilt - yes with tiny stitched words across the middle. Lovely! Since then I've given it a try and not done too bad. But here's the thing, as much as I love the way little embroidered words look, they take forever especially when I'm not very good at it. Also, my letters tend to look a little bit more remedial than I'd like. And what if I want to stitch a poem or a whole letter? (ok I know... a little nuts there right but I have always loved words... and journaling). So then I've been lusting after these pillows. They have sweet bible verses and the child's name on them too! Perfect!

Some of my practice swatches. I practiced for about 20 min before making the real thing.

On with my point. For the past few days I've been compiling a pinterest board full of awesome examples of words on quilts. Here it is if you'd like to see. Finally I got off my computer and gave it some practice! One of the ladies at the CMQG retreat a week ago recommended practicing my free motion wording on a doubled up layer of felt since it's about the same thickness as a quilt sandwich but much cheaper! I'll recommend that highly! It worked like a charm. I just sat down and practiced. I practiced cursive, and I practiced print. When printing I would stop and pull the threads a bit (to give a little slack) before moving to the next letter - but I didn't cut those threads until the end. I had a lot less bunching of threads that way. The tiny pointy scissors that I have helped a lot in trimming those little threads in the end. Once again my inspiration for the label shape came from Cathy's DQS9 quilt label. that little circle with the ruffled edge is cute!

I completely recommend you try this! I'm loving it and can see that most of my future quilts will have some sort of text quilted into them! 

I'll do my official post about being finished with Gia's quilt sometime after the sun comes out so I can get some good pictures!!

Oh and I'm linking up for Fabric Tuesday over at quiltstory!

Hope for spring!

A little hope... being put together for my Urban Home Goods Swap partner. 

Linked up at Quilt Story for Fabric Tues!

DQS10 - Making Progress!

Remember that terrible picture I posted last week of the boat and the sidewalk... it was so not me. So I scrapped it and started my DQS10 planning all over. Here's what I've got: 

Yes, that's a quilted Chicago flag!

This star is just under 2"

My partner better like tiny, because these are 1" squares!

Are you dreaming of my quilt yet?

Well partner, if you're reading this I hope you've enjoyed the little peak. I took a lot of time stitching those words on there...... it's so rewarding. I have just a bit more embroidering to go then I'll be piecing together the back/label/special thing and quilting.

Pillows Pillows Everywhere!

Has anyone else noticed that Pillows seem to be the hottest quilted item around? I have. Maybe it's just the fact that I have a couple from the Pillow Talk Swap? Or that I use mine all the time? I think it's a great trend because it's essentially a way to make a doll sized quilt but use it for something other than decoration (or warming dollies). Although I hate that making pillows require the use of pillow forms, which are expensive. 

I just read that SewMamaSew is designating this February as pillow month. I love that especially since I have one that's in the process of being made. And it's pretty fantastic if I say so myself. Again, a great big thanks to Cherie for having us all make Dresden plates for January's bee block. I made a great practice, then added another layer of petals, and a ton of detail work. It'll eventually be a pillow for my daughter's big girl bed (which she isn't in yet...). Here's a little peek at it.

 PS: Linked up at Quiltstory for Fabric Tuesday!

Zip Pouches again!

Michelle if you're reading this stop. Otherwise you won't be surprised!

Yesterday I got busy sewing up some zip pouches. My best friend in the world is celebrating her birthday in a couple weeks so I had to whip up something special to send to her. Last year she got this wonderful doll quilt (my first free motion quilting!). This year, something a bit more useable. This zip bag measures at about 4.5" x 8.5" a good size for storing just about anything. I tried to keep it mature, although the only zipper I could find was bright pink! lol.

I made a second one, but didn't get too far because upon opening up the packaging for my second zipper, I found that it was missing the entire top of the zipper pull! How does that happen? I'm hoping Joann's doesn't give me trouble when I try to return it. It's definitely been sitting in my drawer for a few weeks, no receipt. I just want a replacement. That was the only other zipper I had. So the second bag will have to wait! The second one is a little thank you gift for Allie's fav. speech therapist (who she'll no longer be seeing since she doesn't require as much therapy anymore). I'm planning on adding a little note and a Starbucks gift card. That's cool right? I know it's not typically acceptable to really give gifts, but Ann has helped us a ton, and has been with Allie since she started Early Intervention almost two years ago! We'll be sad to see her go!

Linking up to Fabric Tuesday.

Fabric Tuesday!

so this is love mosaic
Originally uploaded by emedoodle

A near finish... I just need to sew down the binding on this one! :) Dear husband must be loved... I knocked out this quilt in less than two weeks and used some of my favorite fabrics which otherwise would have been horded forever!
This was my first time doing strait line quilting... in a step pattern at that! My walking foot (thanks Santa!) came in the mail yesterday so I got right to it! The baby took a really long nap while I got it all done. Well I surely made up for that last night by having to sleep on the floor next to her and wake up every half an hour or so while she was sick. Yuck. That was seriously the grossest night of my life thus far! lol. She's feeling better now (thank God!). We did call the doctor, who said this is going around.

Some binding sewing will be happening tonight! Oh and I even attached a quilt label too! :) The pattern for this quilt was the Color Brick Quilt Along hosted by Stitched in Color. It worked up really easily and turned out just great! I added a border though to add some extra length. It's definitely the biggest quilt I've ever made (by a few inches)!

Now go on over and link up for Fabric Tuesday!

So this is love....

 Yep, you're seeing correctly. I actually cut into my AMH Innocent Crush FQ's! All for my hubby! Ok so maybe it's not completely self giving... it's also because I so badly want to sew with this fabric, but I want it to stay in my house. :) So this will become a Color Block Quilt using the tutorial from Stitched in Color (now go over to her flickr group and ooh and ahh over all the color bricks!). I'm still not 100% sure that this is the best use of this fabric, but hey, DH is really excited (and it gets me out of shopping for a birthday and Christmas!), and it gives me the freedom to play with some of the scraps too! Another perk? I edited the FQ stack I'd bought, reserving the lighter purples/pinks so I can add them to my AMH stash and maybe even use some with those lighter Tula Pink fabrics. :) Possibly another quilt right there for me! :)
Oh and tomorrow's Fabric Tuesday, go on over and play along!

**EDIT**
I've already sewn these all together - one more step and I'll be forced to go buy more grey at the fabric store. Oh darn! :) This sure is a gift that keeps giving! :)

Delightful colors yes?

Fabric Tuesday!!!

 Some of you may recognise some blocks from this quilt -- since you made them! That's right, Rosemarie's Cancer Killing Quilt and Katee's matching one are very nearly finished!!! I was on a major time crunch to finish Katee's (it was just a strip of blocks and an idea a week ago), since she and I will be working on hand stitching the bindings down on these two this week at Thanksgiving! All I need to do before we leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow is sew on that binding to Katee's quilt! I hadn't been worying too much about getting Katee's done too, but then my mom (who watches Katee while her parents are away with Rosemarie for her treatments) mentioned that Katee's really excited to see her quilt! I couldn't let that sweet 10 year old down!

Stopping in for the first time and don't understand what I'm talking about? Here's the first post and all the others. The short end of the story is that my four year old niece has cancer. She's been battling for three years and it makes me crazy that there's nothing I can do to make it better. We've rallied the forces and people from all over the world (I think like 6 countries... though I'd have to go back and count) have sent me pink and purple quilt blocks to make her and her older sister (Katee) quilts (since of course you can't make something for one sister and not the other). This project has warmed my soul in ways I can't describe. You all are amazing!

 Here are those raw edges, soon to be covered over with binding! It looks great doesn't it? The bindings (and back of Katee's quilt) are very scrappy. I used up almost all of everything that people had so very generously sent along with the blocks. These quilts are going to make AWESOME Christmas gifts! :)

Don't forget to head over to Quiltstory to see all the other goodies linked up for fabric Tuesday!

The Pillow Talk {Swap}

Sunday night I recieved my partner info for the Pillow Talk Swap. The swap mamas surely did a great job at matching us up since I think I've got quite a lot in common with my partner. Our tastes are very similar and I think she'll really like what I've got planned for her pillow. 

I usually don't jump right in and get started on day one of a swap, but last night this idea really stuck with me. I decided to stop by the local quilt shop (Quiltology) and pick up the supporting role fabrics (light yellows). I've really been itching to make a monochromatic quilt with lots of grey + one color so I'm going to do just that. Here's my idea:

Fabrics: some fat quarters of yellows, (the two on the right are Hope Valley) Kona Ash, and Kona Coal. 

The design here is one I've wanted to try ever since seeing it here on flickr. Here's the tutorial. Now here's the real shocker. I finished the block! lol I couldn't help myself! I did cut enough pieces for two pillows (one to keep for myself). I've got all the star points sewn together for the second one too! Oh let me tell you, I really did squeal right out loud as I ironed that last seam open. This block is really a work of art! I'm so excited about it!!! In the morning I'll take a picture of it and maybe let you count how many eensie pieces there are in that block - here's a hint, the block finishes at 10.5" and the centers of those stars are about 1" each! Did I ever mention that I loooove tiny piecing. (Ok so I don't always love sewing them together, but I love the finished product!)

Not to worry though, I've got lots more to do on this before it's done! I'm not sure if I'll be stippling it as originally planned though, there are a ton of bulky seams there. We'll see! :)

Oh yeah, and I'm linking up at Quiltstory for Fabric Tuesday!