Wednesday, July 25, 2012

WIP Wednesday


This week I started playing around with scraps.  There is something very therapeutic about just taking an idea and letting your mind and soul wander as you sew.  Free piecing.  That's what I call it.

I started with yellows for a luminous quality in the center.  Then I transitioned into pink and I'm beginning the green transition and that will probably end in blue.  This will either be a lap quilt or wall hanging.  Not sure yet. 

Taking a picture of the blocks laid out helps me get an idea of where I need to switch out blocks.  I don't have a design wall because of space and practicality (picture cats climbing the wall just for kicks!). 

I finished up this baby quilt at the beginning of the week too.


My nephew's daughter is due soon and this is the gift I'm taking to their baby shower Saturday.
I patterned it after a Granny Square block in honor of my mom.  Who is becoming a great-grandma and has fought so hard to make it this far.

Very soft, old fashioned floral prints with sweet pink and of course...white.  I used two different fabrics for the binding and I love that effect!


Summer's easier schedule and a need to push my FMQ skills led me to be creative on the quilting.  Using a Tupperware hamburger press as a pattern, I used a Frixion pen to mark circles, hoping to soften the straight lines of the quilt.


The pen's line disappear with the heat of an iron!  Sweet!


I like the way the quilting turned out.  I just used my 1/4" foot to do this and I thought enough ahead so that the quilting was a continuous line (with freshly wound bobbins as needed) using plain, white thread. 
A vintage sheet from my collection is soooooo soft and when it came out of the dryer, it was like silk!
Perfect to snuggle a newborn in!


Another WIP is quilting my Swoon blocks.  Pinterest led me to a quilt as you go tutorial I'm going to try to quilt the top and get it out of my "to quilt" pile that is growing.  Check it out and I'll share my progress here.  I picked the orange block to do first.  Using the hamburger press, a plate, bowl, ruler and some tracing paper...this was what I came up with.  Once again, just using my 1/4" foot for the geometric quilting and my darning foot for the meandering in the corners.

I'm not sure if I will use this patter on every block or try a new pattern for each individual one.

I'd like to thank Karen from Quilts on Bastings for the inspiration she gives with each quilt she shares with us!


Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.  I'll be kicking back with a cold drink and reading through some very fun blogs to be inspired and encouraged to keep on learning, piecing, quilting and creating!  Hope to see you there! 

Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday Finish...ahem...well...

So, it's been a while.  Like a whole lot of days of summer heat, cleaning for an appraisal for refinancing (killer rates that make the hassle and nagging worth it) and some sewing.

Two very special ladies have birthdays in August. No. No. I'm not one of them. Ratz! Because if I were...




I would have one of these in my card.

Javi and Chris are gifting these sweet girls a handmade, homemade, Pinterest-inspired pendant.


Here is the inspiration found at Pinterest.
We found everything needed (except for the silver, box chain for Javi's girlfriend) at Joann's.

My finish for the day is finishing up this


bag of chocolate covered pretzel bits!
Now lest you think I ate them all today...this bag was around when I was working on the other baby quilt.  These "sweeties" are the perfect size of blended sweet and salty goodness needed to help keep any quilter sane and motivated. 
LOL

Okay, okay.  I've been working on another baby blanket and trying out some new FMQ patterns.


Before you you see Pilot's Frixion erasable ink pen.  A lifesaver here.
You also see the Tupperware hamburger press I inherited from my MIL.
LOL
It's perfect for hopefully making a very squarish quilt look a little softer for a sweet pink thing coming soon to my nephew's family.

On a more serious note.


Javi and two friends went to see the premiere showing of "Batman" last night at our local theatre.  I'm so very thankful they made it home safely and my heart, thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of those who didn't.

God bless.