April 25, 2012

WIP Wednesday

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

It has been weeks since I blogged for WIP Wednesday.  I've been sort of productive, so I want to share!

Completed Projects:



I also made a few bibs for a friend who is pregnant with her first child and due in August.  I love quick and easy projects.



Ongoing Projects:
Umm, everything in my craft room. :) (They're on the floor, hidden in bins, thrown over the backs of chairs, sitting on the ironing board. . .)

New Projects:
Why does getting a few projects completed compel me to start a bunch of new ones?

I made an "I spy" quilt top using some of the charms from the fabric swap I hosted.  (But no pictures yet.)

A stack of half-square triangles for pinwheel blocks using the charms from Knotted-Thread's polka dot swap.

A swimsuit for myself.  I made the bottoms and they actually turned out okay, but my fabric is a little sheer and I didn't make a full lining since the pattern didn't say to.  It was good practice, though, and with a few minor adjustments to the pattern they should fit pretty well.  Good thing I bought extra fabric!  I bought the fabric back in January and my motivation for finishing it is Ricochet and Away's "I Will Wear it in Public" Sewing Challenge.

Proof that I can be productive if I just turn the computer off!

April 18, 2012

on a roll

You remember those April goals?  One of them included doing something with this cute little patchwork panel.


I was going easy on myself and set a goal of adding borders and making the quilt sandwich.  But then I was on a roll and finished the whole thing.  It's a smaller sized quilt--about 33 inches square.  I think it would be a good size for a play mat or to use in a stroller or car seat.  It's hard to see in the picture, but I quilted it with horizontal wavy lines.  The borders are pale yellow Kona cotton remnant I purchased at Hancock's.


I backed it in Bridle Path - Metro Orange.  It's not my favorite print from the collection, but that's what happens when you wait a year to finish a project!  I used pale yellow thread for the top and orange thread in the bobbin.  After a slight adjustment of the bobbin tension, I didn't have any problems with the bobbin thread showing on the top of the quilt.  I love the subtle look of quilting using the same color thread as fabric.


I used Central Park Flowers - Cream for the binding.  Kind of a waste of such a pretty, bold print but I like the look of it.


I think I'll hold onto this quilt for awhile.  (Yes--I'm the crazy lady that makes baby stuff for no reason.)  Who knows? Maybe we'll be blessed with a second child.  And maybe we'll be blessed with a baby girl.  And I would want her to have this beautiful little quilt.

***
4/26/12:  I'm linking up at Owen's Olivia.  Come share a quilt you have made!

April 15, 2012

rainbow quilt

One of my three goals for April is complete!  My rainbow quilt:

It's The Road Trip Quilt from Cluck, Cluck, Sew.  I didn't make it for anybody in particular.  Most of the fabrics I had in my stash and I made the top over a year ago.  My plan is to use the fabrics I have in my enormous collection to make blankets to donate.  The only problem is after I spend so much time making quilts I fall in love with them and it's so hard to give them away--even though I know they would be appreciated and loved!  It's hard to tell, but I quilted it with randomly-spaced horizontal lines.

My favorite 5-year-old finally agreed to help me out by holding it for me so I could take a few pictures.  It's so nice he's tall enough now!  (It was a little windy.)
 


I use Red Pepper Quilts machine binding technique to bind this quilt.  I don't think I'll ever hand sew a binding again.  I did have a few problems.

Corners were a little troublesome.


Most of it turned out really nice, though, and it was so much faster than hand sewing the binding.


I think machine binding my quilts will increase the number of quilts I'm able to complete since that was always the most time-consuming part of the quilting process.  I'm not sure why I was so resistant to switch over to machine binding--I think it looks so professional!


April 6, 2012

just three

It's no secret that I waste a ton of time on the internet (you know--"researching" projects, shopping for fabric I don't need, pinning projects I'll never make).  If I spent even a fraction of that time actually working on some of the projects on my to-do list I'd probably get quite a bit accomplished!  I learned about Just Three at traceyjay quilts (via Lady Face).  Just complete three small, attainable goals in the month of April--I think I can do that!

traceyjay quilts

My April goals:
1)  Bind this quilt using this machine binding tutorial at Red Pepper Quilts.  (I did finally finish quilting it--just needs binding.)


2)  Finish hand sewing the binding on this quilt.


3)  Add borders to this disappearing nine patch panel (from February 2011) and make the quilt sandwich.

Time to get to work!