On Point - If You're a Baby

I busted open a couple of Early Bird charm packs over the break and put together a quick baby quilt. 

It was pretty quick overall since you don't have to measure the setting triangles. 

I quilted on my little machine since it was just straight lines along the seams and also because my longarm has a quilt loaded that I don't feel like quilting.   But I'm not taking it off until it's done! 

The backing and binding were already in my stash and happened to also be by the same fabric designer, Kate Spain.   The backing is of course flannel.   Because flannel.     Binding is hand sewn to the back.

I used this tutorial  and it was very easy.  If I do it again, I'll make the original squares bigger and pay more attention to placement because I did end up with same fabrics touching.   And yes, I did take those bits off, reshuffle and sew back together. 

It's currently listed for sell in my Etsy Shop and as always, all proceeds go to charity.

I also finished putting the labels on a bunch of charity quilts -

Charity Sewing Day(s)

2017 : Do Something.   

As many of you know, I don't agree with certain things that are going on these days.   So I'm doing something about it.   Actually lots of little things, which added together, will change the world.   Maybe only my minuscule part of it but I believe that matters.   I believe the good that I can add to the world matters.   So we start.   Or continue.  

This year, once a month, I will open up my sewing studio, the Carriage House, and host a sewing day.  On that day we will sew for a specific charity or two or thirty-seven (good is limitless).   The first of those days was today, January 15th.    I chose two causes and we started.

Seven of my friends showed up, at various times and stayed as long as they could.   Some have been quilting for years, some for months and for some it was their first introduction.   There was some ironing, some cutting, some hand stitching and some piecing.   Everyone did something and worked toward a common good.

The first group we are donating to is the refugee community.   I would like to be very clear that some of the national rhetoric and spewing of hate and otherizing does not reflect America.   It does not reflect me.   It does not reflect many that I know.    So here's a little welcome to some family who might be missing their first home, who might be feeling a little out of place and unsure.   So we say -

You are Welcomed

You are Loved

You are One of Us

We will be donating the quilts later this month after the labels arrive and are added.  I am so very happy to report that we will be donating 15+ quilts after this day.   Some I have been rounding up from previous sewing.

This one was finished today -

The backing for another was finished and quilting has been started on it -

Binding was started and nearly completed thanks to four different people on these two quilts -

And then there is the series that I privately refer to as We've Got Your Back.   I've pulled out the tubs of flannel from quilt backings of past quilts and started cutting them into useful sizes.   8 1/2 squares, 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 rectangles, 3 1/2 squares and 2 1/2 strips.    Blocks for 1 full top and 3 partial tops were completed today.    And a whole lot more squares were cut by someone who had never picked up a rotary blade before today (and might still not know that's what it is called).  

The other community we sewed for is a local LGBTQ project.   The blocks were originally started after the Pulse nightclub tragedy but these quilts will go to our local community.  (tutorial)   I'm talking with some friends who will know the best way to distribute.     It's just a few more blocks to add to the rainbow blocks already done.   Love is love is love.   Even when it might not look like the way you love.

It's hard to explain how putting this event together makes me feel.   Hopeful.   Proud.   Delighted with how many busy people showed up.  Anxious to do more.  

So as you go through your own busy day, look around.   There is someone you can help.  There is someone who has helped you and you can show some gratitude.   A little thank you can encourage even the crankiest to do a little something.   Sew a little colorful block for us to add to a few other colorful blocks.    Plant a pepper.   Lend a hand.

It's for humanity.

Project Linus

I've got another nice stack of quilts ready to go to our local Project Linus group. Here is the latest which I started late Friday night as I was too twitchy to sleep. Quilted up on Saturday with a bunch of new motifs and machine bound on Sunday with lots of breaks because I hate doing that. Pictures galore!

Sea Improv Baby

I used the leftover bits from my niece, Lightning's, quilt to do a little improv quilt. It is small, 37 x 37 but I like it. The tan solid was at the top of my scrap basket and I had enough to run with it.



I had a Riley Blake flannel that worked quite well with the colors on the front.


I quilted this one with some straight lines in a few different directions using my basically free Janome. Actually, I ended up a little ahead on that one. It's a nice machine that I got at QuiltCon in February. Not that I needed a new machine but they had such a good deal on the machines used in the classes that I ended up bringing a couple home and finding people interested in them. So after a few nail biting weeks, I basically made back the money that I spent on them. It's nice when a diabolical plan works out.

I entered this quilt in the San Diego Quilt show. Not because it's anything special but just to give people a little taste of other options in the world of quilting. Sure you can do detailed floral appliqué but you can also do a million more things.

For the Tasmanian Bushfire Relief

I finished up the quilt for Jess at The Elven Garden and it will be on the way shortly.
It's a small quilt which washed up to about 39 x 42 inches. I started it on the 11th so it was pretty quick.




Umm, sorry about all the elephant butts. I guess I should have fussy cut those.




I did a simple basket weave kind of quilting. Actually, we did the quilting. My machine is living a few blocks away right now. Her hosts came out when I started up the quilting and took a turn on the machine. See how perfectly, the top dark gray square turned out? They are naturals.




I embroidered the label although didn't have a lot to say. Stay tuned for a bit of dorkiness to add to future quilts.




It's flannel backed, of course. No piecing required and it happened to go really well.




As a bit of added trivia, I used Jess's block tutorial for the woven chevron quilt last year. The turquoise fabric I used in that quilt was perfect for the binding on this one.

This quilt made possible through the generous support of Jim's garage.

Elven Garden Tassie Bush Fire Quilt Appeal

One of my potential minions put out a call for quilts today. You can read it here and help if you can.

Since I haven't decided how to run the universe (benevolent, diabolical, iron fist, there are so many options), I volunteered to make a quilt for those affected by the bush fires. Luckily I had not cleaned up from the last quilt so started cutting squares and slapping them up on my design wall.




So tomorrow I can put together the top and decide on backing. A bit of quilting, some binding and I could be done by breakfast. Except I like to sleep at night.




It should end up about 42 x 48, unless I get votes for borders or more blocks.

Third Round

I did well in the second round of the Finish Along. Five of the seven projects that I listed are now done. So this quarter I'm going big. Not just quilting projects but a few other projects in process.


1. For hopefully the final time, Arabella Diamonds. It really is just a little more quilting in the borders and ditches, binding has been ready for ages.



2. Lightning's quilt from Salt Air


3. Polka Dot Whirlygiggle



4. Hometown 1



5. Hometown 2



6. Greek Crosses


7. Receiving Squares 2


8. Kitchen curtains - these are two contenders for the job. I have the measurements from deconstructed panels that came with the house.


9. Fiori pouch



10. Studio

Weekend of Binding

This was officially the weekend of staying up late for binding quilts. I finished the edges of three quilts.
Here's the edging of the latest. I had to buy the fabric at guild today since I don't have a lot of dusty rose.


I went with machine binding to test it out again. It worked out fine but I think I still prefer hand stitching my quilts. I did figure out the corners pretty decently though. I do like a sharp corner.



And just so y'all don't think I've turned over a new leaf, here's a project I started this weekend. I also fixed the block with the misplaced corners.

Progress, Progress and More Progress

I made a lot of progress on projects this weekend. I finiahed a top, quilted three projects and loaded another on the frame. Be warned, phone pictures galore below.

First up, my completed top from a precut pack of squares of Wrenly. Or as I might name it, ChirpFest 2012.





I quilted sea weed on the second Going Coastal, I know I should branch out on the designs but when it works, it works. I pieced three pieces of flannel for the back of this one. The binding is ready for some hand stitching now.



The second bit of quilting was super custom and I can't show it for a little bit more.

And can I just say, hot damn, stippling is FAST. This is the flannel backing on one of those quilt tops. You know, the tops that find you because a friend of a family member hears you are quilting. It's been in a box for a few years and I decided it needed to move along. Of course it helped that I found the flannel for $2.50 a yard recently. And it might be a good one to try machine binding again.



If we hadn't been under constant threat of attack by the cats living in the house, I might have stippled this one to death as well.




According to my handy Excel spreadsheet, I am 56% done on this year's quilts. Nevermind that I haven't finished much.