Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Spring to Finish Blocks!

I do not know what is up with my personality, but I just keep starting stuff and not finishing. I am a walking disaster in most parts of my life. I used to be so decisive, and now I'm floundering. But enough about me. Here I am finishing stuff I said I would. The last eight Paintbox blocks.
I had stopped, because my Kona roll had like four greens left, and I didn't have anything in those particular colors of green. I was stumped. I didn't want to buy any more fabrics, so I just set the thing aside in my mind -- undecided as to what to do. Then I found the other Kona roll I had purchased -- I think it was the pastel colorway. Anyway, I just pulled four colors from there and finished it up. The pastels might not go with my brights as well, but I just needed to get it done. I think it will be fine. They'll blend in.
So, yeah, all 80 blocks are done! I realize that the quilt-along is over and a lot of people have their entire quilts done. I'm making progress, so that's good enough for me. I'll put that on my next list. This checks off one more on my Spring to Finish challenge. Yay me! (And, seriously, yay, Jacquie for getting us to do this. There are only like five days left.)
Three blocks for Nadia.
I loved her fabrics so much that I ended up making three. I'm three months late, though, so hopefully that makes up for it. And I'm hoping that she has been too busy with her new baby to put this quilt together. =/
(All these are for Common Threads.) For Amanda.
And for Wendy.
Wendy wanted a neighborhood quilt like the one from Material Obsession. (I think it was their first book?) Luckily, she said we could wear pants. I do wear dresses to church on Sunday, but that's about it. I'm jeans and t-shirt, blend into the background, no-one-notice-me kind of girl. And also, I am not fond of lace. I'm really not that girly. So my person is rather plain, but it is reflective of who I am. Also, I didn't put shoes on my person, because I'm usually barefoot (although not footless, as shown above). Nor am I bald. Okay. Okay. So it's not an exact replica, people.
However, that DOES catch me up for Common Threads, and it's my month to send stuff out -- which I am hoping to do today. Yeah, I'm a little late. Who's surprised? Anyway, so that makes four more to check off my Spring to Finish list. Five days, four items. Can she do it? We will see.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Calen's Quilt

In case any of you don't know it yet, I love Elizabeth Hartman's designs. She produces such clean lines. This is another of hers, the Charm Squares Baby Quilt. However, true to form, I modified it slightly. She uses charm squares in her version. I just had some half yards, so I cut my squares 5 1/2 inches instead of using charm squares. So hence, I also cut the rectangles 3 x 5 1/2 inches. For the sashing strips between the rows of blocks I cut four strips that were 3 inches by about 38. The upper and lower borders were cut 5 1/2 inches wide by about 38. Well, I cut them WOF, and then trimmed them. My washed and crinkly quilt measures approximately 37 1/4 x 44 1/4.
Back
I used the straight/zigzagged stitch on my regular machine. I guess I don't know what it's called, but it's the one where it stitches three straight stitches up, then three stitches down to form a zigzag. I just liked the wavy look it gave to the quilt.
Fun striped binding.
Michael Miller fabrics except for the gray, which is Kona Coal. It's for my baby nephew who was born at least a month ago. Counts for my Spring to Finish Challenge, so I can check it off my list!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Blogger's quilt festival

Amy that was Park City Girl is hosting the Blogger's Quilt Festival again, so I thought I'd join in.
This is the New Wave quilt that was designed by Elizabeth Hartman, but I made it slightly smaller for a baby size and turned it on end. She offered the pattern free on her website, and now she has expanded it to include other sizes (which she is selling in her shop). I have never bound a quilt in white before, and I was slightly skeptical about how it would look, but I really like how it frames the quilt, ties in with the sashing.
Amy Butler's Midwest Modern.
Back.
I love the movement of this quilt, and I wanted my quilting to complement that. I just did some wavy vertical lines that overlap each other. I absolutely love the overall effect. I wish I could have kept this quilt, but I don't have any baby girls anymore.
And look how happy the mama is. She loves it too, and that's what it's about for me anyway.
Don't forget to click on the logo above to see everyone else's Festival quilts. There are a ton out there, lots of inspiration.
Thanks for stopping by.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Bridesmaid Dresses -- Done.

Hopefully I can have better pictures from the wedding, you know, with bridesmaids actually in the dresses. I didn't hem them, because the bridesmaids are across the country from me. Someone else will do the final fit and hem. I'm just going to say, though -- three bridesmaid dresses, two weeks, whew! On to the next item on my list.