Monday, February 24, 2014

Aiming for Accuracy Is Stretching My Skills!

I'm really enjoying the Aiming for Accuracy quilt-along.  I'm also going to start Leah Day's quilt-along to improve my fmq.  I hope to get started on that today, along with working on a project for quilt club.  Oh, and there is that blog hop of Madame Samm's with ruffles that I need to work on!  Oh, so much to do, and I  am having so much fun doing it.  I almost (I did say "almost") don't want winter to end, because there will be less time for sewing!

I decided that I should start my Aiming for Accuracy lessons by making a practice block using muslin and scraps.  My actual quilt is made of batiks, but I think I'm going to like both of them equally.  Here is what I have done so far:




This is my practice scrappy quilt above.  Below are my batik blocks. 




I am really pleased with how this quilting is going and how it is improving my skills!  What are you working on today?

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Friday, January 31, 2014

Aiming for Accuracy Requires Patience and Pins--lots of them!

I'm so happy that I signed up for the Aiming for Accuracy star quilt this year.  I began a quilt for my daughter a couple--well maybe a few--years ago, but it has so many points and tiny pieces that I put it aside for awhile.  I'm sure this class is going to give me the confidence I need to finish it.  Here are the first 2 blocks, blocks, blocks 18 and 24 of the quilt:


I really like the yellow background.  I don't usually do "bright" so this is an adventure for me!  Come back in the weeks to follow, and I will post more blocks as I go! Happy quilting!
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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Let the Quilting Fun Begin and a Little Christmas!

It is January, and I am very excited about the Quilting Gallery's Quilt-Along.  We will be making quilts using star blocks.  I started a very difficult star quilt for my daughter, Anna, a few years ago.  I really want to finish it.  I think it will be much easier after Michele Foster shares her expertise with me on this quilt-along.  Anna, it will get finished--I promise.   I have my fabrics washed and line-dried.

                         Today, I found time to press all of my fabric so that it is ready to go!


This is the first time I have used Magic Sizing.  I ordered Best Press along with my background fabric from JoAnn's, but I wanted to get my fabric pressed.  I really like the Magic Sizing.  It was very easy to use, left my fabrics nice and crisp, and it is much cheaper than the Best Press.


I laid out all of my fabrics.  I am so fortunate to have great friends.  Over half of these fat quarters were gifted to me by my great friend, Jani.  I had some others in my stash, and I traded fabrics with my friend, Carol Kussart, (who is also in this quilt-along) so that we would have even more choices.  Now the big decision will be which fabrics to use!


I have decided to go out of my comfort zone and use a yellow background.  I want this quilt to be nice and bright when it is finished, and I think the yellow is just what it needs.  I had to order it, since I need 6.5 yards. I went to JoAnn's and looked at their Kona Swatch Chart to decide which yellow to order.  I can't wait until it arrives!

I was very pleased to receive 2 great quilt patterns for Christmas--2 of my favorite wild flowers.


I'm looking forward to making these this year.  Also, I can now share with you more of the Christmas I made because it has all been gifted.  I made no-sew hats and scarves for my 2 granddaughters.


                         Then, I made 5 aprons.  I hope to get 2 more made soon for my granddaughters.


(My daughter, Anna, on the right, and her friend, Aparna, on the left putting their Christmas aprons to good use!

Now, on to read Michele's post for the quilt-along.  Come back in a few weeks, and I will share the first of my blocks with you for this Delightful Stars quilt!
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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Christmas Cheer

I'm hoping that everyone had a Merry Christmas.  This was a year of aprons for Christmas.  My daughter, Anna, and her friend, Aparna, are learning to bake pies, and I thought they should have their own aprons.  The aprons are from a pattern called "Church Ladies Aprons".  Anna also got the new Inglenook Cookbook, published by the Church of the Brethren.  This is a new edition.  I remember my mother cooking from the Inglenook Granddaughter's Cookbook when I was young.


I love this picture of these beautiful ladies and their pies--a Kentucky Derby and a black raspberry.  They were delicious!

I made an apron for my friend, Jani, also.  Jani is always willing to share her stash with me--and you quilters know what a big deal that is!  I love her fabrics.  As a matter of fact, this "cat" fabric came from her stash.



                                           I love that these aprons are also reversible.

I made poinsettia wall hangings for my friend, Betty Sue, and for my daughter-in-law, Jae.  I bought the pattern at Ruth's Stitchery in Colorado Springs this past fall.  The petals are 3- dimensional, giving a nice appearance to the wall hanging.  The background is flecked with gold, a Stonehenge fabric.


This memory bear was not a Christmas gift, but it was a gift I made for my daughter, Anna.  It is made from a pair of gray pants that she got for graduation for her Grandpa Gentry.  She wore out the pants but hated to get rid of them.  The bear is made from a pattern I got from my friend, Fay.  He is wearing a little flannel shirt like Grandpa Gentry would be wearing.


Even though Christmas is over, I still have a couple of things to make for my granddaughters.  They will be visiting from Colorado Springs next week.  You will have to check back later to see what I am making for them.

Wishing everyone a Very Happy New Year filled with Peace, Love, and Joy!

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Thursday, November 14, 2013

Let's Hear It For the Boys!




A few years ago I purchased a stack of flannel fishing fat quarters (Can you say that 3 times very quickly?) at a garage sale--a great bargain, but I didn't know what to do with them.  For the Boys is a perfect time to use them.  I decided to use them in a rag quilt for my DH's best friend's birthday.  He is, after-all, a fisherman.  I bought solid flannel in various colors for the back, used the prints for the front, and snipped away.  I was very pleased with the outcome.


Here are some close-ups of the blocks:






I used a random arrangements of the solid blocks on the back--much easier than trying to put them in a pattern.


                                           Then, I added a fish to the back to sign the quilt.


I used a tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Co.  You can find the tutorial here.  You can use any size block.

I've made many little boy baby quilts over the years--cars, tractors, trains, airplanes, teddy bears, outer space, jungle animals, etc.  I'd like to share a baby quilt I made for my first grandson, Nathan in 2000.  It would have worked for a little girl, also, but it has a blue background and several little boys on the quilt:


The quilt is all hand-appliqued and hand quilted with much, much love.  I think it is the best quilt I have ever made.









                                      What little boy wouldn't love a Mother Goose quilt?

I used a pattern by Bonnie Kaster in the book "The Nursery Rhyme Quilt".  She has fantastic quilt patterns. The Cinderella quilt at the top of my blog is also one of her patterns.  I've also made a Princess and the Pea pattern from one of her books for the director of the musical, which my daughter, Anna, performed in.

This fall I made 2 pillow cases for my DH.  He is a huge Chicago Bear fan.  One is for his bed; the small one is for a throw pillow he uses on his recliner.




Thanks for stopping by my blog!  Be sure to visit all of my fellow bloggers today:

                                                                Everyone Deserves a Quilt
Just Quilt It  (That's me!)

Thank you, Madame Samm and Amy for another great hop!  Now, Let's Hear It For the Boys!

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Saturday, November 2, 2013

For the Boys Blog Hope Schedule



Before you know it we will be in the midst of another great blog hop.  This one is "For the Boys".  The schedule can be found below.  Catch mine (a clue to my quilt) on November 15th, the last day of the hop!


November 6th
 

November 7th
 
 
November 8th

 
 November 11th
 
  
November 12th
  

November 13th
 
  
November 14th
 
  
November 15th 
 

As you can see, it got expanded to include more days for more quilts!  Yeah!  Stop by to see everyone's great creations and get some new ideas for quilts for your boys, too.
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A Wicked Winner!

Congratulations to Bonnie for winning my 2 fall fat quarters.  She has been notified and sent me her address, so they will soon be in the mail, my pretty!



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