Sewing Relief

After more than five years hiatus, due to a family illness, from sewing and quilting, I began again.

I connected with the designer from Blue Moon Embroidery  from Malta, near Italy, with fantastic embroidery designs, that I have started testing designs for. I love how her  designs stitch out! It’s still sitting on my shelf, folded and ready to leave my sewing room. 

For nephew and niece on Honey’s side of the family that has twins.

For Dear Daughter and Son-in-love, using fabric from their Pinwheels and Postage Stamps wedding Quilt Four years ago.

For a sister of my heart, has been there for me through so many hard times and the good, yet she still chooses to be my friend.

For The QL... who has taught me so much and challenges me to learn more and challenge myself

Under my needle on Francis, my sewing machine. QL challenged me with sketching out the FMQ designs before stitching them out.  Admittedly, she was right on this one (as always).  I noticed a new FMQ design called Onion Peel.  It's hard to find a good tutorial or example on how to achieve this, so I cornered QL in church (shameless, I know).  She quickly whipped out a scrap of paper, and it suddenly made sense.  I'm such a visual person.  Working on matching quilt. Hope to sell it.

Branching out on paper piecing with this boy quilt. I’m still working on how I’m going to quilt it. I'm thinking of clouds and a flight path for each paper plane. Hope to sell it as well...

On a Whim Wedding quilt

Shhh, Don't tell... I've started on a wedding quilt for my nephew and his bride to be for their May 2013 wedding! When My sister-in-Love first started inquiring about colors, she said they lean toward more richer colors. Took me close to two hours to pull this fabric together, but I think this works. 

It's called "On a Whim" by Camille at Thimble Blossoms, which seems to fit them just right.

:"On a Whim" by goneaussiequilting

What do you think? I've never done one like this before, but I'm excited.I'm trying to cut the fabric for two separate blocks at a time, and then sew one specific part of the block (like the upper corners with the purple triangle, and print block).  Sure makes things go much more quickly! 

Tweleve blocks done, eight left to go!

Honey and Youngest will be gone this Saturday for a Boy Scout even, Oldest is working, and Only will be babysitting.  Home Alone!!!  Yes, I plan on sewing so much more! I'm still not sure how I'm going to quilt this massive thing, but I sure the inspiration will come just in time.

Homemade Gifts

Key Fob

Key Fob

I was very excited when I first heard about key fobs on Pinterest, as they would make great gifts for Christmas, birthdays, or simple thank-you type. I really like being able to slip it on my wrist when I walk out of the store and it is much easier to find my keys in my purse.

"shopping" for tools

Found the hardware on Etsy, but I really didn't want to order a special tool to secure them. Honey has so many tools and gadgets in the garage, I hoped he would have something I could steal use. I was delighted to find these welding pliers in his tool chest and, eh hmm, "borrowed" them. Honey was kind enough to clean them up, replaced the broken spring, and they were perfect! I love saving money! 

Honey's clean up job

Only's was my first trial, and they were so simple to make that they were what I have made as Christmas gifts this year. I used my embroidery machine to personalize most of them with names on the ribbon or fabric before attaching them to the webbing and then assembling them. Using this tutorial I found on Pinterest, they were a cinch to make!

Only's Key Fob

Looking at the picture of my fob makes me realize I have WAY too many keys!  What colors or style would you imagine keeping your keys company?  I'd love to hear your ideas!

Miss AB's Just Growing quilt

When Miss AB's birthday began approaching, I knew I wanted to make her a quilt.  Something fun, with bright colors that alluded to her sparkling and energetic personality. 

JellyBean jumble

I had a plan in my head that I wanted to use Jellybean quilt pattern by Thimble Blossom.   Had my material all picked, blocks pieces cut and assembly started.  Then I realized I was doomed.  I had grabbed some white pieces from a previous quilt, Raine's X-rated quilt.  It really messed up the whole thing! Wonky to the seams and no matter how hard I worked, ripped, re-sewn, and adjusted, it just wasn't working out, so literally, I scrapped it. While it may look okay in the picture, the cute little white turned squares were not matching up, which threw off the rest of the points and seams. 

Cute dots on applique

Plan B:  New material, different pattern:  LeAnne Ballard's Just Growing from Moda Bakeshop.  I've had this in my "going to make this quilt someday" book (everyone has one right?) and loved the cute personalized flower applique.  It really seemed like the right choice for Miss AB!  Easy construction and layout, thought I made two major layout errors, Honey and Only said no one would know.  Well, now the whole world does!  I left off a white square on the second row and I completely flipped the last two rows. I can't follow directions worth a hoot!  I decided to only add one strip of fabric instead of two, like LeAnne directed, mainly because I wanted it to fit the quilt batting I already had in my stash. 

personalized flower

Cutting out the applique letters and flowers took some time and some thinking power, but Oldest took that evening to introduce me to Duck Dynasty... life will never be the same (can you see me rolling my eyes). Honey said the flowers needed a little something, so I added some "star" dots to the center of the flowers and voila! 

Personalization on the back

Using soft baby brown corduroy for the backing, I appliqued her name in Polaroid type frames, making sure they were purposely wonky, then added another flower underneath, using a blanket stitch for all the applique.  Because my machine was acting up, I decided to get out my walking foot and quilt straight lines, connecting the corners, leaving the strip of fabric across the stop un-quilted for an added focus on her hand prints (brought together to form a heart).  I wish I had a picture of that, but I don't at this time. This is the first time I "went beyond the border) and did not add a border and I must confess I liked the idea!  I'll have to do this one again as it was such an easy and fun quilt to do! 

The front before quilting

Ready to be snuggled with

The doomed quilt pieces?  I'll have to save their final purpose for another day.  I'm so glad you stopped by today!  Have you ever started a project and had to "scrap" it because it was a total fail?  I'd love to hear how you "saved" the day!

Raine's X-Rated Quilt,

Raine's X-Rated Quilt

 I knew, when I first saw the X-Rated quilt at Jo's Country Junction and Kim's Big Quilting Adventure, that I HAD to make it and I had just the person in mind.  I was flying a little blind because I was going off the picture Jo had posted ( I recommend buying the pattern instead), but was up to the challenge. You should have seen all the LOOKS I got when I told friends what type of quilt I was making!

I started off with Faith, Hope, Love print material I had found at JoAnn's 15 years ago (nothing like getting it using it right away), pulled in some other colors, and started arranging colors.  I had to put the cheetah material in there - a little sassiness! I had Honey help me lay the quilt out (because he's awesome at it) and though I planned for it to be a simple personal snuggle quilt, it turned out to be big enough for a queen sized bed.  There was some wonkiness going on with the border, but it just reminded me that only God is perfect and He uses that imperfection in each of us just the way He needs to.

Add caption

One half

The other half

 




 Using free-motion quilting, I had the freedom to hide  20 adjectives describing her (from her kids and mom), her favorite scripture (Proverbs 3:5-6), the outline of the state she lives in, and her name within the winding endless 1,920 yards of thread.  It's like a big word search!  (I only posted these so she would know what words to look for in case she can't find them all.

Some personalization

 

• considerate
• loving
• thoughtful
• discerning
• patient
• hardworking
• Raine
• Mom
• funny
• forgiving
• prayerful
• smart
• faith
• hope
• gift
• loved
• considerate
• friend
• beautiful
• understanding
  
  

  

  Piano Key Boarder

The back (half of it anyway)

Raine

Raine, her mom, Lindsey (daughter)

 I loved making this for Raine, my cousin.  She's always been a special part of my life - from childhood playmate, college dorm-mate, encourager, prayer warrior, mentor, friend, fellow mom...  I really wanted her to know that when she wraps that quilt around her, she is wrapped in love - literally.

Feb. 2013 Update:  It was a little strange visiting Raine a few months ago and seeing this quilt on her bed.  I guess I had spent so much time working on it, that it was like an old friend, and leaving it there just seemed wrong!  I still love this one and maybe someday I'll make it again.
 

Zoe's Blissful Confection

in the beginning

A little more than nine months ago

over a delicious Italian dinner

a sweet friend confessed, 

she was expecting
a new little one

a girl, we later learned

and Immediately a plan formed in my brain

Some girlish material for a sweet little girl. 

Zoe's Blissful Confection Quilt

So fresh from God

Why I choose the Blissful Confection quilt pattern:

Confection: a work of fine or elaborate craftsmanship  

Babies are a beautiful gift and the product of elaborate crafsmanship from God + a little of Daddy + a little of Momma = A Blissful Confection (Zoe)

Pinning down the quilt

Zoe's quilt

 So I present to you

 Zoe's Blissful Confection Baby Quilt

Made from the heart

Her foot prints

Bob and Audra

Today, we visited Zoe's family and presented the quilt to her. I'm horribly nervous each time - Just praying they wouldn't look too closely (but they did).

Zoe (Isn't she just a cutie!)

Isabella (older sister) wanted in on the pix

   

Back side

The front

I'm really not great at this stippling and free-motion quilting yet, but it's getting better. The Quilt Lady is a great encourager and teacher, a great listener, and makes this easier. I'm so thankful that through quilting I'm reminded that only God creates things perfect.