Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Harvest Pillows redux

It's a good thing no one in the family reads my blog, otherwise I'd have nothing to talk about for the next month.  My mother in law decorates with what I like to call harvest colors- orange, yellow and brown.  Since I got her name in the Christmas draw, I knew what I was going to make her.  She had admired the set of harvest pillows I made for a friend, so I made her a set of her own.
 The two pillows on the right started off as orphan blocks leftover from the framed squares quilt I made my mother in law over the summer.  The top left incorporated a pillow top I trimmed too small for my friend's harvest pillows.  I added more batting and made it bigger and square to match the others.  the bottom left was all new.

 I tried new quilting ideas on two of these.  I just sewed random straight lines all over the pillow.  I just picked a starting point and when I hit the opposite side, I bounced off on a new angle until the whole thing was quilted.  I like the way the quilting is in juxtaposition with the rectilinear piecing.


This is the pillow that started off as another pillow.  I do love the quilt as you go techniques I learned over the summer.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Manic Monday

I'm really plowing through this list.  Go me!

1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
3 pillows for teachers (2 done)
16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift (9 done and one ruined)
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts (one batch done)
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (I tried 2 test blocks and am liking block #2)


I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room (one top almost together
2 Christmas tree quilts for listing on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

FINISHED
1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids
1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee
3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders
1 quilt for my dad
1 Advent Calendar

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Pillow cases

A year ago, I learned how to make pillow cases so they look professional.  No exposed raw edges anywhere.  It'a lot easier than it sounds.  The technique is variously called the magic burrito or magic hotdog technique.  I won't reinvent the wheel, there are a ton of tutorials out there like this one.

You need a yard total of fabric, a 3/4 yard cut and a 1/4 accent for the cuff.  There is no waste, you use the whole width of the fabric.  You can do a little trim or ric rack if you like, but it's not necessary.  I thought it was a great way to make something easy for my nephews for Christmas.  My LQS had some great super hero fabrics, so I bought some of that and some cute dinosaurs for the youngest.  I added their initials so they don't get mixed up.  Plus, wasn't it the coolest thing ever when you were a kid to have your initials on things.  I'm so glad I figured out applique.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving

We're having a low key Thanksgiving.  Since we only have 3 adults and 2 kiddos for Thanksgiving, we tried to simplify, the fewer dishes the better.  Obviously, we're having a turkey.  Last year we followed the recipe for a roast turkey in the America's test kitchen cookbook.  It was the best turkey ever, so we're doing exactly the same thing this year, right down to the brand of turkey.  Clearly, gravy is a must.  I love mashed potatoes, so they made the cut.  Hubby has to have homemade noodles and broth.  His family pours the noodles and broth over the turkey and mashed potatoes.  Then we needed a veg.  We recently had good luck with roast brussel sprouts, so we're trying them again.  We originally decided to cut out the stuffing, because neither the hubby nor I really like it.  However, my mother is visiting and stuffing is very important to her, so it got added to the menu.  We're rounding out the meal with cranberry jelly, a pumpkin pie and some dinner rolls.  I'm guessing the kids will only eat the rolls and a bit of turkey.  Yeah, I think I have the only kids who don't like mashed potatoes.  They have NO idea what they are missing.  I usually use an entire stick of butter.

I wish we had more people, so I could also have baked mac n' cheese and a mocha whiskey cake.  Those aren't traditional Thanksgiving dishes, but they got added to the roster thanks to my uncle's kids, who we used to have Thanksgiving with.  I once asked S how he made his mac n' cheese so good.  He started saying something about a can of macaroni and cheese that he used as a base and I decided I didn't actually want to know what was in it.  And I think mocha whiskey cake speaks for itself.  Oh yeah, there's a lot of whiskey in the frosting.

What dishes make it Thanksgiving for you?

Monday, November 21, 2011

Manic Monday

1 Advent Calendar (mostly done, a little bit of quilting left and binding)
1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
1 quilt for my dad (only needs to be bound)
3 pillows for teachers (2 done)
16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift (4 done)
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (I tried 2 test blocks and am liking block #2)

Added
3 pillow cases for nephews
4 bow holders (3 done, 4th started)

I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for lisiting on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

FINISHED
1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids
1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (swapped)
1 gift for my mother in law (4 items)
6 blocks for 4x5 bee

Sunday, November 20, 2011

3x6 Bee block

I made another test block for the 3x6 bee.  I love it, but I'm afraid it's too simple.  I love that it shows off the fabrics and that it looks like 4 little blocks put together.

It's pretty much a tiny version of my first quilt and Happy Robots.  Both quilts followed the Happy Hour pattern.  I think that's the first and last time I followed a pattern.

This brings up an interesting question.  Do you follow patterns?  I was talking to the woman cutting my fabric at the LQS yesterday.  I was telling her about my plan for the fabrics I was buying.  She asked what pattern I was using.  I was momentarily confused, "pattern, what's a pattern?"  I told her I was making it up as I went along.  She looked just as confused as I had felt a moment earlier.  I make up everything as I go along, mostly.  Do you?

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Another Christmas finish

This is the pillow I made for the holiday swap at the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild on Thursday.  After demonstrating my quilt as you technique at last month's meeting, I thought that would be an appropriate thing to bring to the swap.
I machine embroidered the center using a pattern from Urban Threads.  I love Urban Threads.  Their patterns stitch up really well and their prices are good.  I pieced the first 4 pieces before doing the embroidery so that I could hide the top of the ornament strings under the fifth piece going across the top of embroidery.

I got my new tags from GutenTags on etsy.  They turned out perfectly.
I love that stripe/dot combo I used on the back.  The binding was a diagonal stripe, so I didn't have to cut it on the bias to get the diagonal effect.

Friday, November 18, 2011

4x5 Bee Blocks

I got all my blocks finished and I couldn't be happier with they way they turned out.

Here are the last two blocks.  Garnet, lilac, and baby blue with coal as the background on the left.  Teal and green with ash as the background on the right.  That green pops more in person.

Here are all 6 blocks together, including my test block.
It's fun to see how far I've come in the last year in terms of technical skills.  Every point lines up and these blocks are all within a quarter of an inch.  My cutting and sewing have all come along way.  The blocks should be 12.5 inches for a 12 inch finished block and everyone of them is between 12.5 and 12.75 inches.  For 6 seams across each direction and being made up of 36 2.5 inch squares.  I call that a job well done!

I'm crazy enough that I'm thinking about making a wall hanging with this design.  It might be a good leader/ender project.  I am surprised that despite using scraps for almost ALL the stars, I don't notice any particular dent in my scrap bins.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

DSMMQG

Come on out to the Des Moines Modern Quilt Guild meeting today.


We have a change of location and we are meeting at:


At the Heart of Quilting
315 5th St. (Valley Junction)
West Des Moines, IA  50265



We are having a holiday swap and yummy munchies.  Come out and join us!



Wednesday, November 16, 2011

WIP wednesday

I don't have any in progress pictures because I'm working too fast to take pictures.  I can show you something I've finished recently.

First up, the Grinch blanket.

The front is mostly a panel with borders.

The back is pieced flannel.  I did a pillow finish on it and top stitched around the edge to hold everything in place.
 This was another one of those panels the kids saw at the store and had to have.  I just wanted to use it up quickly and make something they might use.  Now we have a Christmas blanket, that hopefully someone will use.

I found a project that isn't finished yet.  I'm making a tree skirt with my MOMS Club quilt group.  We started it in November and will finish it at our meeting in December.
This is my first time doing applique.  I have no idea why I was so afraid of it.  It's easy.  I'm printing out the words from my computer and then tracing on to the fusible web.  I found a great free font that is nice and chunky, plus it automatically makes most of the letters touch, which is just ideal for this use.  The font is called, and I kid you not, whoopass!  I didn't do any applique on the back two panels, because they're in the back.  My tree is in a corner and no one will ever, ever see the back two panels.

I love the ball trim, but my goodness it was a pain in the tush to use.  I sewed it to the top and batting then laid the back on top, right sides facing and sewed around again.  The ball were big enough, that the backing would not lay flat on top.  I was constantly smushing and pulling to make use I didn't end up with a big bubble on the back.  I think I was mostly successful, but I haven't quilt yet, so we'll see.

Here is a close up of the applique.
That font is Whoopass!  Hee hee,  I couldn't resist.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Manic Monday To Do Update

I'm going to try and keep this updated every week until Christmas with my to do list as it grows or shrinks.

Here is the list from last week.  I'm giving myself the deadline of Dec 16th, as that is when we will be leaving for the in laws Christmas.  Things like teacher gifts could be later, but won't I feel wonderful if everything is actually done by the 16th.  I now have 35 days to complete the following:

1 Advent Calendar
1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
1 quilt for my dad (only needs to be bound)
3 pillows for teachers (2 fronts done now need, backing and binding)
1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (due Nov 17)
1 gift for my mother in law (fabric gathered)
1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids (FINISHED)
Added:
16 machine embroidered dish towels to give along with jar of jam to school helpers and assorted others who should get small holiday gift
2 batches of jam to fill jars to give as small holiday gifts
6 blocks for 4x5 bee (4 blocks done, 2 to go)
7 blocks for 3x6 bee (I tried one test block and am back to drawing board, but I have an idea)

I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for lisiting on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar
1 something with Flurry Charm pack that I found

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Paper Piecing

I'm still trying to decide what block to do for the 3x6 bee.  I'm in a star mood, what with the wonky stars I'm doing for the 4x5 bee.  I've seen some paper pieced stars recently and I picked the Star from the Summer Sampler Series to try.  I've never done any paper piecing before, so I knew I definitely had to do a test block before committing to make 6 for the other bee members.

Faith from Fresh Lemons wrote a great tutorial for this block.  The template printed out in the correct size and the directions were very clear, for someone who had never done paper piecing.  My block turned out quite well, but I don't think I'm up to make 6 more.  I don't think I've ever ripped so many seams in one 12 inch block and when you are talking about 1.5 length stitches the frustration factor is magnified.  The other problem is that 2 members of my hive have monochromatic color schemes.  This feels like at least a  3 color block.

I think my color choices were spot on.  Blue is the dominant color and everything pops against the dark brown ground.  I'll definitely use the block in my quilt, but I'm still on the hunt for a block for the bee.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Bee Blocks

I'm in 2 bees this quarter.  I've never been in a bee before, so why not jump in?


I've completed 4 blocks for the 4x5 Modern Quilt Bee and have 2 more to make.  I'm counting my test block as one that I need to make.  I'm so pleased with my blocks.  The last two I'm having trouble with the colors, but I think I've figured it out.


My test block- my colors are robins egg blue, green and yellow

 Block for Sukie80-her colors were tomato red, corn yellow and grey.  I had to use my precious tufted tweets scraps

Block for hehehe922- her colors were purple, orange and grey.  I thought the purple would make an awesome background for the orange and light grey to pop against.

Block for Nydia-colors were aqua purple and lime

 These are the fabrics I pulled forLaineybug-  She wants teal, green and grey.
I don't know why I'm so indecisive about these colors.  I'm just completely unsure I know what teal is.  I thought I knew what color teal is, but when confronted with fabrics that aren't quite what is in my head, I'm lost on this one.  I'm planning on using ash as the background.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Organizing idea

I love to be able to keep important papers, bills to pay, coupons etc all visible so I don't forget about them.  Unfortunately, they aren't very nice to look at. Why not take advantage of an untapped surface area in you kitchen.  The inside of your cabinet doors is available, easily accessed, but best of all easily hidden.

I picked up these magnetic boards at Target for a few dollars.  They are even dry erase and the black circle are for pins.

I added my favorite Command strips.

Voila!  Hidden organizing space taking advantage of previously unused space.  What more could you ask for.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

40 crafting days left

Don't have a heart attack.  I only have 40 days left, the rest of you have 47.  My husband's family is getting together early this year because of scheduling difficulties.  Since I'm also making teacher gifts this year, I have to have everything done before Christmas break.  So 40 days it is.

In that time I have to complete the following
1 Advent Calendar
1 Christmas Tree Skirt (really I'd like to make 2, but I'll be ok with 1 finished)
1 quilt for my dad (only needs to be bound)
3 pillows for teachers
1 pillow for guild holiday exchange (due Nov 17)
1 gift for my mother in law
1 Grinch lap quilt for the kids (top is almost done and this one will be tied)


I'd like to get the following done
2 or more pillows for my living room
2 Christmas tree quilts for lisiting on etsy, the tops are already done, I just need to quilt them.
24 ornaments for the advent calendar

That doesn't seem so bad written out.

Monday, November 7, 2011

B's Bento Box

The quilt I made for my friend B is now on her bed.  I heard from her this weekend that it arrived safely.

I love a pink and chocolate color scheme.  It makes me think of candy.
 I did a 3 inch binding and it definitely made it easier on a quilt this big.  The binding is a stripe, that was actually our inspiration fabric.  All the other fabrics were pulled from that stripe.

I made a coordinating pillow from scraps.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

The not so common rainbow quilt

I got my mom's rainbow quilt all finished up.  I hand sewed the binding so I can enter it in a show if I want.  It was also nice to have some hand work to take around with me.  I got a ton of compliments, even from the guys at the car dealership.

This quilt is so long it's almost impossible to get pictures by myself.  Fortunately, a new friend, Paula Reeves, came and took pictures for me.  She took pictures of most of the quilts I've made this year.  I think we're going to get together in the future so I can teach her how to quilt.  I love teaching people to quilt.

I've gotten a few good finishes recently, so I'm going to try and get those blogged, before I forget.  Without further ado, the not so common rainbow quilt*.
 I just love the way the dark border frames the rainbow.

 The quilting by Lana Corcoran is just a work of art.
All photos by Paula Reeves.

*I thought this was a good name, considering it started off as a Boston Commons quilt.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Quilt bees

I joined two flickr quilt bees the 4x5 modern quilt bee and the 3x6 sampler bee.  I only meant to join one, but I didn't hear for so long and the posted list of members kept being updated without my name, so I joined a signed up for a second one.  Then I found out I got into both of them.  That's ok, I have 3 months to make 9 blocks.  It won't be a problem.

I have a plan in place for the 4x5 bee.  I'm making interlocking wonky stars.  Here is my test block.
I'm ridiculously pleased with this block and it took me a couple of hours to make.  Most of that time was digging through scraps and walking back and forth across my kitchen.  I've been sewing in the kitchen for the last week because I had people over for a sewing night and I never moved everything back to the basement.

Here is my test block and the first block for the bee on the left.  Nydia asked for aqua, dark purple and lime.
These bees are highlighting some serious holes in my stash.  I'm really light on the jewel tones, dark purple, garnet, sapphire etc.  I'm even having a hard time finding them.  The two dark purples are a kona solid (berry, I think) and print from Connecting Threads.  The Central Park prints aren't dark, but they do have dark purple and aqua in them, so I used them.  The next few blocks will have grey as the background, I hope they turn out as well.

I'm thinking about trying paper piecing for the 3x6 bee.  One of my hive members doesn't like wonky and someone else is doing a Christmas quilt, so I think a paper pieced star is in order.  I feel like I'm on a star kick.  Ironic, I'm doing wonky for the first time and paper piecing for the first time, for the first two bees I've joined.