Making her Swoon

One of the things I really enjoy about my iphone is that I don't have to wait until I get home from work to check my email.  Today at lunchtime, I checked my email, and I had several lovely comments about the Swoon quilt I made for my beautiful daughter and her husband.  I know that she posted it on Instagram and got over 200 "likes", which warmed my heart.  But today she did a blog post about her gift. And several of her friends stopped in here to tell me they liked her gift!  I am so glad they did.  It made me feel wonderful!

Those of you who may have read the blog recently know that I made Amanda a Swoon quilt for Christmas.  Or rather, I made the quilt top and put it in a box with the backing and a promise to send it to the fabulous Sarah for quilting.

We mailed it off to be quilted in early January, just days before Sarah gave birth to a darling little girl.  Ironically, I received it back the day her baby was born.

Sarah sent it back to me for binding, which I finished in a weekend - all 420 inches of it.  And I managed to get it mailed off again in a reasonable amount of time.  BD#1 had the quilt within a month of Christmas, despite the fact that it had to traverse the country twice!  (Itself a major miracle.)

I wanted this quilt to keep her warm.  I wanted it to show how much I love her and her dear husband and their adorable children.  I wanted this gift to bridge the distance between us.

So today, she posted on her blog about how this little gift made her feel.

She made me cry.  In a good way.

And that's the best part!

Teal We Meet Again - Again

Last Sunday, I actually had a chance to take my Teal We Meet Again quilt outside and take some more pictures.  I'm clearly not a great photographer, and I wish I could rig a way to hang my quilts so they weren't so disproportional, but this photo will have to do.  It's better than the ones taken in the living room - at least I've got a little room to move around.

This quilt has several really fun blocks, and I thought I would show them off a bit.  They make me smile.  Maybe they'll make you smile also?

This Amy Butler block is super fun.  I love the anchors paired with the blue.  Reminds me of the ocean.

And I really love the shoes.  This one is from the swap, and I don't know who made it, but it's totally fun!

And a little Bliss is always nice, don't you think?

And aren't these dress forms just totally appropriate?  (And that's a little lantern bloom for the cross.)

And I have no idea who made this block, but the fabric in the center just pops.  Love it!

And here's a little Tufted Tweets mixed with Central Park for your viewing enjoyment...

And finally, I really liked this diagonal plaid from Ready, Set, Snow.  In fact, I liked it so well, I used it as my binding fabric.

 This style quilt is a great way to showcase fave fabrics, don't you think?  I never thought I would be so jazzed by modern-style quilting, but I have to say that while I still like traditional blocks, they are often just so boring.  Nothing boring about this baby!

And now, I'm really getting cold.  I think I'll go cuddle up in a nice warm quilt.

SUTK Swap Package

My package for the Spicing Up the Kitchen swap is finally done.  After several abortive ideas and much frustration, my package is COMPLETE!  I am so glad.  It seems like I have been working on it forever.

I started with the idea of a reversible place mat.  My original color choices were based on a piece of Amy Butler fabric that was lovely, but the only fabrics I could find that coordinated were pink, and that received a resounding thumbs down from the SUTK Flickr group.

Then, I thought I would do little birdies in green.  It was maybe just a little too green.  Note the Amy Butler fabric in the picture below.

 Then I fell in love with Kumari Gardens and wanted to showcase the butterflies.  Sadly, they did not want to be showcased as badly as I wanted to showcase them.  This is where most of the frustration came in.  I took them apart and put them back together too many times to count.  And then, when I finally did finish them, they were bigger than their partner and wouldn't work for reversible place mats at all.  I may finish them for a wedding gift or something.  They really are pretty.

And so, I did what any self-respecting quilter would do who was running desperately short of time - I took what was to have been the other side of the double-sided placemats and went full steam ahead.  I don't think I have a scrap much bigger than a charm square left of any of these fabrics.

There are 4 placemats, each with a different applique.  The applique patterns are from Sandi Henderson's Bits and Pieces book.


Note that I am too short to get a really good picture of these.  This was taken standing on the couch.

I made a decorative dish towel.  I pieced a decorative border for the bottom of the towel.  I was amazed that I had a towel the perfect color in my stash.  Such forethought (NOT - purely accidental!)

Each of the fabrics is "quilted" onto the towel.

I made a double sided pot holder from a tutorial I found here.  It was super easy and fun to make.

I did discover that my sewing machine, which does not really like to FMQ at all, REALLY does not like to FMQ on Insulbrite - especially two layers of insulbrite.

This is the outside.  

And this, of course, is the inside, with two little pockets for your hands and a little loop to hang it up.
















 Finally, I made a modified fat quarter apron.  I used the same border idea on the apron as on the dish towel.    I thought it turned out pretty cute.

I really hope my partner likes it.

Spicing up the Kitchen

So I've had a month to get my act together for my swaps, and I am really struggling.  I am starting to feel the pinch of time, since this swap is due at the end of the month.

My partner asked for placemats and said she liked the usual fabric designers.  From the beginning, I wanted to make a double sided placemat in fun, bright colors, which is what she said she liked.

This was my first idea, but when I posted it, the general consensus was that pink in the kitchen was a no-go.  I guess I was stuck on the Amy Butler fabric, though, because I just couldn't get that print out of my mind, until I made this:

Easy Reusable Grocery Bag by Keika Lou

Somehow, that seemed to help, and I could move on.  Then I came up with this

Then I came up with this:

which I think was entirely too green, and not very exciting.

My next idea was a little better.

although I should learn not to take photos late at night because the color just doesn't do it justice.  This is a beautiful robin's egg blue Kona matched with Moda's Bliss by Bonnie and Camille.  This one turned out OK, and I think I will like it when I get it quilted.  The appliques are from Sandi Henderson's Bits and Pieces book, which BD#1 got me a couple of weeks ago.   Each placemat has a different applique. 

I lightened this photo and the colors are better, but it lost a lot of the detail in the process.  

For the other side, I picked Kumari Gardens by Dena Designs as my fabric inspiration.  I just loved the butterflies.  Somehow, the design just doesn't pop like I wanted it too, so I pulled it all apart and started over.  Here was the first try:

And here is the detail:

Well, I'm a little frustrated, but as they say, it's a work in progress.

Honestly, I had such good intentions...

Seriously, I had such good intentions for this weekend.  I was going to get myself out of this swap deficit and really get some things accomplished.   In fact, I did get some things accomplished, just not the things I planned.

I made 10 more primary chair covers.  All of the red ones are done and I completed 6 of the blue ones.  There are 4 blue ones and 10 yellow ones to go.  This is a worthwhile project, but I will be glad when it's finished.  Frankly, making 30 of anything is not especially interesting.

I got BD#2's Fandango Sugar Rush quilt ready to quilt.  The more I look at the scallops, the more I'm glad I cut the border away from the scallop.  It gives it such a nice contrast, and I didn't like the darker border fabric showing through the white.

So that was my Saturday.  Doesn't seem like much for a full day's work, does it?

Today, I planned to come home from church and really get some things accomplished.  I did do a couple of things.  I sketched a design for the Mini QT swap.  A conversation with BD#1 scaled the project back some and it was a good thing.  My idea was too ambitious by half and there's only so much you can do with a 12"x12" maximum area.  I really like the design now, and I think this little mini quilt will be really cute.  Need a few supplies, and then I can get going.

And I made this reusable market bag for my partner in the Spicing Up the Kitchen swap.  I got the pattern here.  It was super easy to make and is larger than it looks.  I think you'd be able to fill it up with groceries and not be able to carry it home.  But it is really a cute bag.  I see myself making several of these for little "extras" in various swaps.

So here it is - mid February, and I have several swaps due at the end of the month.  Gotta get busy!

Meanwhile, tomorrow is heart day.  Or as my younger children like to call it, "Singles Awareness Day."  Whatever you call it, I hope it's happy.

Fabric Therapy

So, the last time I blogged, I mentioned that I was glad BD#2 had come home for Pres Day weekend and that she arrived at the end of a t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e week.  I work for a bank and we were laying people off, most of whom were my friends.  In addition, I had to move my workspace after 9 years at the same desk.  Many tears shed, many late nights, much anxiety about friends gone and new responsibilities and a tired, sore body on top of it all.

It was time for some fabric therapy, and I was very glad BD#2 was home and glad to have a playmate.  She and I went to A&E and I thought we exercised a great deal of restraint there.  We only bought enough fabric to finish the 2nd McKenzie pillow, the fabric for my PP6 swap (Hideaway in aqua),  and fabric for one other project she asked me to make for her.  And we even shared half of the AMH Garden Party and selected coordinates (A&E didn't have much AMH left) with BD#1!  Wasn't that generous?
 
BD #2 is taking a culinary arts class.  What she asked me to make was a knife case and a tote bag for her CA stuff.  Hmmm...  I've never made a knife case before.  Just what are the requirements?  How big are the knives?  Are there patterns out there?  Not that I could find.  So, I did what I always do when I'm really stumped - I made it up from thin air.

Oddly enough, while I was at quilt guild last Monday, someone donated some home dec fabric on the giveaway table that was perfect for my purposes.  And I just love the outside fabric.  It is so bright and cheerful.  Anyway, here are some pics of my creation.

Here is the knife case folded closed into a neat, tidy bundle.

The case rolls together and ties shut.  I forgot the handles, so will add those before it is mailed.

Here the case is open with the cover folded up.

Here are the pockets for the individual knives.

In this one, the knives are covered and safely stored.

I thought it turned out OK.  I hope it will be functional and make BD#2 happy on those COLD, no make that FRIGID Idaho mornings (it was -7 there this morning when I checked).  Farenheit.

So, my kind sister got me two books for my birthday.  This one, that I've been oogling forever:

And this one, which is just the ticket for my next little project:

So here are the beginnings of the tote bag.  The outside is mostly done - sewn and quilted.  It was mostly fun to quilt.  I am not a great free motion quilter and frankly, my machine doesn't like it.  I broke several needles in the process, but I am fairly pleased with the results.  The flowers look kind of cool quilted.  I'm not so happy with the quilting on what will be the sides.  It is kind of funky, maybe because the pieces are so long and narrow.  Overall, though, I'm ok with the results.

I am currently working on the inside pockets.  The requirement is that at least one pocket has to be able to hold BD#2's chef's coat.  Now that I have the quilting done, I am thinking I should have put a couple of pockets on the outside.  I may add a pocket for a water bottle to the side, but frankly, the flower is just too pretty to cover up with a pocket.  I may just have to put all the pockets on the inside.  This is a WIP, but I hope to finish by the weekend.

Anyway, so the Tuesday after Pres Day, I head in to work thinking that the layoffs are over, the worst is behind us, and things will get better.  Not so.  In the next 2 days, 6 officers leave to go to work for another bank in town.  THIS required major fabric therapy.  Friday night, I went to A&E and treated myself to the above selection of yummy fabrics.  When I came home, I arranged them, and rearranged them, and petted them...  WH laughed at me.  He just doesn't understand.

So the next week has to be better, right?  Nope, my boss retired suddenly and we have a whole new management team.  Whew!  That's a lot to happen in 3 weeks.  It required even more fabric therapy.  The picture above is the selection from last Friday night.  It is also the selection for the charm square swap I am in.  (So, if you are involved in the swap and you are reading this, I just spoiled your surprise when you get your little package....  Sorry.)

This selection includes:

Weekends by Erin McMorris
Dancing Paisley by Amy Butler
Monaco by Dena
Kites by Felicity Miller
Picnic Plaid by Joel Dewberry
Daisy Chain by Amy Butler
Freshcut by Heather Bailey
Paperweight by Kaffe Fassett
Kumari Gardens by Dena Designs

Speaking of the charm square swap, there are 18 members (including me) who are swapping 8 unique fabrics each.  That's in the neighborhood of 144 charms (of course I kept a set for myself - I just love those fabrics!)  That should be enough charms to make 2 quilts.  I think for one of them, I will do the Square One quilt from Camille Roskelly's book.  I really only expected to have enough charms to make one quilt, so I haven't really thought about the second one yet.

So far, I have received two of the packages of charm squares.  It is turning out to be a wonderful selection of fabrics so far.  And getting these little non-bill envelopes in the mail has brightened my less-than-stellar-but-better-than-the-last-three-weeks days so far this week.  Here are pics of what I have received so far from Val and Lucinda.

Charm Square Package from Val in Indiana

Charm square package from Lucinda.  I'm not ready to untie it yet, but it has "chairs" in it!

It is so much fun to get these little packages in the mail.

Also yesterday and today, I have gotten 2 books from BD#1 and her family (for my birthday? - she had already made me some hand-knitted dishcloths for my birthday!)  Anyway, I have had 2 great mail days in a row.  Here are the things she sent.

 I have been eyeing this book since I first saw it at BD #1's house.  Yummy projects and ideas.  I can't wait to try them.

And I hadn't seen this book before, but it has some great modern twists on traditional quilt patterns.  Can't wait to try some of them. 

AND today is February 1 and I signed up to be in the Mini QT swap.  My partner is Valery Anne.  As I understand it, you know who your partner is, and you only give sneak peeks of your project until your partner receives it.  So here is my sneak peek.

I just love this fabric.  It is going to be so much fun to play with.  The theme is 3D, and I think there are wonderful possibilities.

I think this blog post should have been 3 or 4 blog posts.  If you have made it to the end of this, you are uber stout hearted, and I wish you a wonderful week.  Meanwhile, hopefully, this week there won't be a need for so much fabric therapy.  On the other hand, if something good happens, we could go fabric shopping to celebrate....