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 -

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.

Farm Animal Flannel

Brilliant quilt name, I know. I bet you can't guess it's origin. This is a really old quilt top. I would guess Aught Nine or so. I started consolidating my flannel scraps in December and found this completed top with flannel four patches and farm animal mid weight fabric that I got in LA for cheap. I didn't have any trouble with the different weights on the quilting. The big squares got stippling and the four patches are just diagonal lines straight through.

It was 48 x 48 before washing and I will have to check if it shrunk much.




The backing is a lime green dot that I had on hand. Flannel, of course. This was other one on my FAL list so hooray for that.


No definite home for this one but I ordered dorky new labels so it will stay here until those show up.

It's my second finish for the month and shared a photo shoot with the Jungle quilt.



That's three out of ten so far but I think February might be slower due to a trip to Austin for QuiltCon.

First Finish of he Year

Get ready for a gazibillion photos of the quilting.





















H'okay! The dots are from two polka dot charm swaps I participated in last year. One was with my guild and one was through Flickr.




It's a good size at 54" x 72". The backing is flannel dots as well but its a hot mess with the grey thread in so many different designs. I meant to donate it but am currently hanging on to it as a quilting design sampler.

I quilted most of it with the frame set up half size but finished the edges in the new location.

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

I'm a Maker

I'm also a sleeper so didn't do proper photos. But I made a zippered pleated wristlet.


And look, there's proof of a great photo under the glass of my desk.

I Mustache You to Have a Happy Birthday

My brother turned 40 last week so I made him a skull quilt from the Dare to be Square book by Boo Davis. Nice, right? Lots of scraps including bits from other family member's quilts.



But wait, there's more!! This is the quilt that has been making me giggle. Why?



Changeable facial hair!!!!!!








While I don't know many of the words, I also sang a lot of Jimmy Buffet's Pencil Thin Mustache while working on this one.  For those that want it stuck in their head - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGFRYI8ZfO4&feature=related

The backing is minkee and shows the diagonal quilting and the outline of the skull.



Super soft!


It ended up a nice 58 x 70 size.  And I also made a pillowcase to go along with it. To be really fancy, I used French seams.




Happy Birthday, Shad!

Robot Strips

I'm already posting my first finish of the quarter because of my vacation time.





I had a few of the robots print by Caleb Grey, it's an organic line and perfect for a quick baby blanket. Which is all I can quilt at the moment because my frame is set up at half size.





I quilted it up with random rectangles and squares. If you know where to look in the picture above, I included the word 'love' in the quilting as usual but didn't loop the letters so they blended better.





I took it along on my trip to have something to do while flying and driving since I wasn't in charge of either of those. The backing is a blue flannel that i had on hand. I think from Sam's quilt.





I donated it to a quilt shop in Kona, HI for their guild (I think Aloha Quilters) to gift to a child in foster care. Always a worthwhile cause.
It was nice for me to have something to do and nice to show my friend traveling with me that there is a purpose in my quilting. He may not want one still but he knows the term 'fat quarter' and how nice it is when someone's face lights up when handed a quilt.

Second Round

It's the second quarter of the 2012 Finish Along at Quilter in the Gap. It's a long list but I'm coming off a vacation and feeling on top of the world.
Here's the quick list and I may come back and add fancy pictures of each project, I may not though so don't hold your breath.
1. Giggling project - it's a gift so I won't show much detail.





2. Arabella Modern Day Diamonds - it was on the list last quarter too but isn't quilted totally yet. Here's the progress
3. Mandarian Chinese Takeout - also from the list last quarter.





4. Chirpfest 2012 - here's a link to the top
5. Blue Greek Crosses - the initial blocks are here
6. Robot Strip Quilt - small quilt to donate





7. And the last is linked here. It's the first stack pictured. All cut and sewing was started but I'd like to get it finished for donating soon.

These aren't all the ongoing projects and of course I'll start at least a few more but that's what makes it fun. Oh and I'm hoping to build a new studio too. :)

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.

Triangles Finished

I finished the binding on the triangles today. It's really scrappy with a minky backing. Some of the triangles are pieced since the scraps weren't quite big enough.




It's a decent size baby blanket that I'll stash away for a gift one day.



The quilting created asterisks on the backing which goes well with the overall patterns.



This is one of the projects I listed for the Finish Along. Just 5 or 8 more to go.

Some Progress

It seems like every year when I figure out a goal (or two) for my sewing that I happen across others with the same general plan. Last year it was not buying fabric for a few months and there were plenty of people trying the same resolution.*
I've spent the last week or so focusing on not starting new projects since I ended the year with at least 15 projects in the works. The number may seem high but the urge to finish is pretty common on blogs this year. So I've updated my Excel spreadsheet and made some neat piles. I'm linking up to the Finish Along at Quilter in the Gap for the first quarter. Here are my projects to be completed -






It is kinda a mug shot setup with the front and side views but there are six projects there.

1. Summer Takeout
2. Arabella Diamonds
3. Sunkissed Jelly Roll Magic
4. Triangle Quilt, Triangle Quilt, Doing the Things a Triangle Can
5. Grand Bazaar
6. Origins HST (with the border fabric hanging in the back

The last two need backing fabric still.**

Oh and the turtle quilt top that I gave away for Christmas and brought back home to finish. Because that's classy.





However, my main goal this year is not to sew with any deadlines, I did enough of that in 2011. So we will see what gets done without pressure.

Oh and I will be starting a new project that makes me giggle tomorrow. Or next week.


*Please ignore the full shelves in the following pictures. I mostly succeeded.
**Again, can I say that there are not enough flannel choices out there?