Friday, January 28, 2011

Liberated Stars



I have finished my first liberated stars top. It will be given to Community Projects once I get it quilted....I sure do like how it turned out!

Rolling along!

Here is a picture of the quilt I brought home from Community projects on Monday to finish quilting.

I also brought home a couple of yards of red fabric to to use with some kid prints in a pattern I had seen on Stashbusters. I dug through my own and Mom's smaller pieces of kid prints and made this top, started Tuesday night, finished on Wednesday.
Simple 9" squares and 9-patch blocks. But a design wall is needed to layout the pieces for the 9-patch blocks to match the adjoining squares. It went together very quickly. I decided no border on this as it is already a good size for a baby/toddler at 45" square. I'll use a red binding to finish it off after quilting.
While going through the fabric I found one I really wanted to use, but the pieces weren't big enough for a 9" square. I remembered the Batting Buddy template I just got at the quilt show had a 7.5" square and thought "perfect! I can do 7.5" finished size 9 patches. So I proceeded to cut the twelve 7.5" squares and the 3" squares needed to make the 9-patch blocks. Sewed the 9-patch blocks and, lo and behold....they were 1/2 " larger than the 7.5" squares I had cut......OOPS! the large squres were cut size 7.5" and would finish at 7" I guess I shouldn't decide to start something new late at night! Not to worry...no seams to match up in this pattern so I just used the 7.5" square template and trimmed the 9-patch blocks down to the right size. If you look close you can tell. This one was started Thursday and finished this morning!
I had just enough of the red fabric left to use as a narrow( one-half inch) sashing in my liberated stars quilt. No pictures yet as it is still in the works, but should be ready for borders tonight...if I get back into the sewing room!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Another Quilt Quilted...

...for community projects. I didn't piece this one, just did quilting, binding and sewing on the label. No picture because Kay borrowed the camera. So that makes 3 for community projects this year so far. I'd like to be sure and get at least one a month done.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Another UFO Done!

This quilt was a stack of squares I picked up from guild community quilting last month. Qualifies as a UFO since it was started before Dec. 31. After posting last night's finish, I sewed the top together before heading to bed. I quilted it tonight while the house was quiet. It is backed with extra fabric from Jackie and Seri's aprons. It's already been washed and dried and is ready to turn in tomorrow at work day. Not fancy, but pretty and functional...and we needed more baby sized quilts!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Another UFO Finished!



This was a kit I brought home from guild for community projects back in November. Ann Watkins embroidered the blocks. I decided simple walking foot quilting suited this best.
Next up to work on.....as far as quilts go, liberated stars sashed with red. Monday is community projects work afternoon.....I have some squares I brought home last month to sew together....maybe tomorrow!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Late, but DONE!



I finished the table runner for Kristi. Late for Christmas but it is done!
The top was done over a year ago in a class I took at guild. Teacher was Lerlene Neveril and the pattern was from her Hidden Block Quilts book. I chose fabrics with Christmassy music theme. Don't know why it took me so long to get it quilted.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

1 down, 1 left....

Late Christmas packages that is.

I finished Jackie's apron and we mailed the package without me getting a picture, but it is just an adult size copy of Seri's apron. Now I need to pull out the table runner for Kristi and Victor and see what it will take to finish it. I have a miserable cold and don't think I want to work on anything too complicated. Waiting for my pot of chicken soup to get done.... well, actually waiting for the bread to be ready to bake...a few more minutes rising I think. Dinner will be delicious and comforting and hopefully speed my recovery!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Progress!

I have Seri's apron and chef's hat finished. Of course Ginger is bigger than Serenity, but she is able to model them. The hat has a Velcro closure, so it is adjustable. The Chef's hat pattern was found at www.homespun-threads.com . I used Simplicity #2319 for the apron, but instead of using a single fabric as shown on the pattern, I used three fabrics and turned the casing/facing to the outside to get color along that edge. It turned out nicely with a boutique kind of look. Jackie's apron will match. The pattern has adult and child sizes in one envelope and it is an "It's so easy, It's Simplicity" pattern which is reasonably priced. I got mine at Wal-mart. I may finish Jackie's apron tonight, but I may wait until morning. I have a miserable cold, but I do want to get the gifts in the mail tomorrow as early as possible.

What's on my design wall Monday

Here are the quilts on my design walls currently. the embroidered vehicles are a Community Projects kit I brought home from guild, which I assembled on NYE. This will be a small quilt, just 42" square, so quilting shouldn't take long!
The other wall has half of the liberated stars i won in the block lotto for November. They've been up there a while and on NYE I decided they really need sashing. I have selected a small red and white check and plan narrow sashings...1" finished size. Then a blue background star print fabric for borders. It should end up a nice size donation quilt and will be suitable for a boy...we always have plenty of girly quilts!
Of course I can't work on either of these until i get the last of the Christmas presents done. 2 aprons, a chef's cap and a table runner (just needs quilting if I remember correctly).

to see what others are doing check out Judy's Design Wall Monday post

The best laid plans

I had planned to spend New Year's eve sewing all day....but got off to a late start. I did finish my new black skirt...fit could be better but it will do for a while. Then I added a ruffle to a dress that was too short for Ginger. Turned out cute. Finally at about 10:00 pm. I got around to working on a quilt. I decided the stars on the design wall needed sashing and picked out fabric for that, but i needed to be washwed and ironed so i decised to work on the kit I brought home from community projects day at guild. 12 embroidered blocks alternating with 13 star print squares. Add a matching border and I had it done by 12:15 am. on January 1...a good way to ring in the new year!

I have the fabric picked out to back this and fabric ready to cut sashings for my stars on the wall. I also did get aprons cut out for Jackie and Seri...they are top of the list for sewing today as thay are Christmas presents and I want them there by the 12th day of Christmas. Seri is also getting a chefs hat. Those are on the agenda today as we get back into the normal routine. Denny is back to working 4pm-1am. I have nowhere to go today. I already did 45 minutes on the Wii fit so I am good to go for a sew-a-thon tonight!

And here is a picture of my January lotto blocks. These were very fun and easy to make. Even if i don't win tis months lotto, I suspect there are quilts of this block in my future!
One of these days I will find a plain flannel sheet for my design wall...until then the snowmen will have to do!