Scrappy Garden Trellis

UPDATE:

I have the free motion quilting (FMQ) done and two of the sides of this quilt bound.  Here is an updated photo:

 



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It is an absolutely gorgeous day here! So sunny outside! I just cannot stay inside my sewing cave today. Not going to happen!

Here is something I wanted to try - a scrappy quilt using leftover 2 1/2 inch strips of Amy Butler's Lark fabric line. They were taking up space in my sewing closet and screaming to be used.

That's what I like about modern quilting - no rules, think outside the box, make it your own, and it's perfectly imperfect.

Now I am thinking on how to quilt it. I have blogs and books to inspire me!

When it is finished, I would like to send the quilt to Oklahoma for some baby or child. It is a small quilt about 40" x 46".

 

 

Ongoing Projects

Here are a couple more projects that I am working on.  The block of the month bonus block from Sew Lux Block of the Month.  It is a fun block, pretty easy to make.  The fabric is Happy Go Lucky by Bonnie and Camille along with Kona white.

 

 

 

And here is a table runner that I am practicing my free motion quilting on.  I made the blocks out of some patriotic fat quarters that I had.  I used my Accuquilt Go and was experimenting to see if I could use the Accuquilt Go and dies to cut out the fabric for my Swoon blocks.  The experiment worked, so I decided to make a table runner from the blocks.  Very, very busy with all those dots!!   Not one of my favorite projects at all, but I definitely need the practice!

 

But just now, I received a package from Amazon.com!  I got a couple of books ~ one is Beginners Guide to Free Motion Quilting by Natalia Bonner and the other is Free Motion Quilting with Angela Walters.  Excited to delve into both of them! 

Finished Over the Rainbow Roses Wall Quilt!

Here is the quilt top after applique and before sandwiching and quilting.  What colors!  (It is a little blurry, sorry, and not in the best lighting.)  The fabrics are the Moda Over the Rainbow batiks.  The thread is the matching Aurifil for the batiks along with a King Tut from Superior Threads and a variegated Sulky.  100% cotton Quilters Dream batting is my favorite.

 

Here is the wall quilt after machine quilting, washing and drying.  All ready to be hung!

 

The back is pretty much plain except for the color!  Wow!  The tube at the top is for the hanging rod.

Courtyard Garden Block

In the book Shape Workshop for Quilters by Fat Quarterly, I found this block by John Q. Adams.  I recently got a layer cake of the Glimma fabric line (yes, I am officially obsessed) and decided to make a quilt with this block.  My thanks to John for the block and the book, too!

 

Four blocks that I have finished:

 

 

Rose of Sharon Wall Quilt

Here are two blocks that I have finished for a wall quilt that I will hang at the office.  It will be four blocks (12" each finished) with sashing and a border. 

They are applique in the hoop, Rose of Sharon pattern.  I love the bright colors of the batiks!  They are from the Over the Rainbow line by Moda.

Quilt Show

This weekend was one of our local quilt shows.  Here are photos of some of my favorites:

Front:

Back:

 

 

 

Quilting

 

 

 

 

 

Wishing for Fair Winds and Following Seas

Here is the finished quilt Fair Winds and Following Seas.  I will be giving this one away later today.  : (  (I can make more!  : ))  I do wanna just lay down in the hammock, wrap myself up and sleep in the shade!  But no...I have to work.

The family that is getting this quilt are moving away.  Very sad about that.  The Mom of the family worked with us for several years.  The Dad of the family is in the Coast Guard, so I thought the whole Salt Water fabric was darn appropriate.  Definitely want to wish them Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Still tempted to keep the quilt, go back outside in the hammock with it and sleep the afternoon away.

Learning to Quilt

Even though I did sew and quilt here and there while growing up, I have been self taught (with the help of tutorials, books, YouTube, blogs, Craftsy) since I took sewing and quilting back up.  Here is a photo of a book that influenced me a great deal. 

 

The book is called "The Practical Guide to Patchwork" by Elizabeth Hartman.  And it is exactly that, a practical guide.  It has several gorgeous quilt patterns in it as well.  Some of the first quilts that I made were from this book.  I recommend this book (highly) to those who are just beginning to quilt and to those who are taking it back up.  (The quilt in the picture is a Turtle Quilt that I made for my husband in 2010.  At the time, I had no idea of what I had taken on!)

 

Here is a photo of one that I made from some leftover "scraps" that I had after making one of her quilts.  (January 2011)  I basically made the pattern up based on the pieces that I had leftover.  I did some straight line machine quilting with different colors.  It took me awhile, but I liked it then and still like it now!  I came across it the other day as I was "organizing" my sewing room.  (Hah! Like it will ever be organized!)

My Glimma Obsession!

Here are the items I've made so far with the Glimma fabrics (LOVE!) and Kaufman's Essex Linen.

Wrist pin cushion, bow tie for my grandson, sewing organizer, clutch, and tote! There will be more...

Flickr Group - May's Blocks

Here are blocks 1, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91 in Architextures fabric and Tula Pink's fabric.

Finished Quilts!!

Here are two quilts that have been finished, washed and dried (for that crinkly look). They both just need labels embroidered and sewn on.

"Tend the Earth" is a layer cake pattern by Camille Roskelley. It is about 64" x 73" (or so). 100% cotton batting and thread. The fabric is Moda's Tend the Earth. This one is going in our bedroom on a couch. I did the FMQ in a leaf pattern on the squares, a loop pattern on the sashing, and straight line quilting on the borders. (Scroll down to see close up.)

The other quilt, "4 Seasons", is a kit I got awhile ago from Connecting Threads. The kit sold out quickly, so I am glad I got one! The fabric is 100% cotton voile, the batting is 100% cotton (Quilter's Dream - my favorite). I might sell this one; not sure. Because the front and back are cotton voile, it is really quite light for a quilt. The FMQ is stitch in the ditch with straight line quilting around the appliqued squares. (Scroll down for close up.)

A big thanks to my husband for holding these up while I took photos! And that's Miss Molly, our doggy, in the one photo - she just had to have her picture taken! The weather has been rainy here all weekend, so been inside sewing!

Craftsy BOM 2013 - So far

Here is the layout on my design wall for Jan thru May blocks for the Craftsy BOM with Laura Nownes. Obviously, there are a few more blocks to make! (June - Dec). I have learned quite a few things by taking this Craftsy course! The fuchsia looks a bit strange in this photo.

Curve Master Foot

I got my Curve Master Foot in the mail yesterday! I had already picked up the adapter shank from my dealer (as in sewing machines, but you know...)! I had yet to do my BOM for April and it was the perfect block to give the foot a try. Here are some pictures. In one, you can see how I am holding the top fabric with my left hand. I use my right hand to guide the lower fabric. I realized when doing this just how heavy handed I can be - so I need to ease up! The tweezers come in handy at the very end. At the end is a picture of the finished block. The colors in the photo aren't the best, it is a hot pink, not red.

Zoo Menagerie Quilt Baby Girl

Here is the the Zoo Menagerie Quilt for baby girl Emmy! The lunch/baby shower was yesterday and gave it to Emmy's Mom, so it is safe for me to post pictures. Front and back.