Thursday, March 28, 2013

Bag Tester!

Again I was thrilled to be a bag tester for Sara at SewSweetness!  She has the most amazing patterns and ideas.  I'm not sure how she comes up with this stuff!  And her patterns and instructions are so good she probably doesn't need testers anymore.  Anyway I signed up to make this beautiful purse! 




I used fabric I had from Joanne's and the peekaboo fabric behind the grommets is from The Seam Shoppe I was talking about in a previos post in Key West Florida.  I always wanted to have a white purse so I thought why not make one for myself.  It is a spacious bag and I think it came out great.  I was able to sew it together in 3 days maybe 3 hours or less.  Which is short considering I have a little guy running around and trying to change my stitch settings on my machine! 




The inside fabric came from Hancock and was black with white circles.  I thought it was a fun contrast to the outside fabric.  I am planning on making some as Christmas gifts maybe a beach bag?  It is the perfect size for your towel, sunscreen and favorite book.  Thanks again Sara!

Seriously go buy this pattern I had so much fun making this bag!

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Modern Constellations Quilt Top!

It is pieced... I know this picture is late because the quilt is already basted and I have started quilting.  I always baste with pins.  Here is a picture of the pieced top.  I hope to have this quilt done in the next month... My goal of 4 quilts this year is not going to happen if I don't speed up!




I am hoping to get a lot of quilting done today.  I have been using various widths of straight line rectangles and I think it is coming out well.  I have been using painters tape and my machine to help guide my lines and it looks good so far.  

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Baby Shower Gift

Saturday night and basketball playoffs are on... BORING!  So I have been doing some straight line quilting to the modern constellations quilt.  I also wanted to update the blog.  I have a friend who is due in a couple of months with her first baby girl.  I wanted to use some of this cute fabric I bought at The Seam Shoppe in Key West Florida for a bib and burp cloth!  Here is the bib and burp cloth they are sewn right sides together leaving about a 2 inch gap and then flipped and top stitched.  I traced a bib I have from my little guy to use as a template but there are tons out there on the interwebs! 


I absolutely am in love with this modern children's fabric.  I have 3 more fat quarters of boy fabric!  I have another friend pregnant with a boy who I work with so maybe she will be getting a similar gift!  


I was also using my Janome and testing out some of the specialty stitches and added a little embellishment for the fun of it.  It was so easy, just choose the number and pedal to the metal! 

I also have decided wherever I travel I want to buy fabric and use it to make a quilt someday of all of my travels.  The Seam Shoppe in Key West had tons of options.  They had modern, traditional, beachy inspired, and Batiks.  If you are ever in the area there check it out!  They also have a website which I have linked to above.  

Friday, March 15, 2013

Next project....

I know I still haven't posted my constellations quilt top but I am hoping to have the quilting done this weekend.  Happy Quilting Day Saturday 3/16/13!  I got the fabric for my next quilt which will be a flannel quilt in the mail.  The fabric is washed and dried!  It is SO soft.  I have flannel (from a big box fabric store) on the back of my son's quilt I made while I was pregnant and it is nothing compared to how soft this flannel is!  I purchased a fat quarter bundle from Connecting Threads .  It is the Big Sky Lodge flannel seen below.  



This fabric is a great collection for a men's quilt!  




Here is my inspiration quilt I am planning on doing a log cabin quilt.  This quilt is by Jeni from In Color Order and she makes some of the most beautiful modern quilts!  She is so inspirational check out her other quilts under her quilts tab.  


I bought this gray herringbone for the background.



I can't wait to finish the modern constellations quilt and post pictures!  I also have been making some gifts for baby showers which I will post soon.  

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Constellations Binding


I am anxiously awaiting the backing fabric for the constellations quilt.  I ordered it Monday so hopefully it will be here by the weekend.  I decided to do a scrappy binding with all of the constellations fabric I had left over.  This is a first for me, I typically use one fabric so I am excited to see the finished product and of course the finished quilt.  I already got the binding sewn and ironed.  Here it is!  



In the meantime I have been piecing the robot squares together in a chain and will keep doing that until my backing comes in for the constellations quilt.  




I made a little "square" of fabric from leftover triangles from the binding.  I might embroider the names and dates on it by hand.... or with FMQ.  Not sure yet but I would like to use it as a "label".  




Sunday, March 3, 2013

Modern Robots Kids Quilt

Here is my next project.  I am making it for my little guy.  He already has a quilt so this isn't a rush project.  I finished my quilt top for my constellations quilt but haven't had a chance to get outside to take a nice picture... Pictures coming this week.  I was able to piece a few blocks together for the robot quilt today.  I had this robot fabric since Christmas which my husband got me as a gift.  It was from  www.connectingthreads.com and I think it is since discontinued.  It is so cute!  Here is how the block looks. 



The white fabric is from fabricworm and is a moda fabric called Aneela Hoey, Sew Stitchy, Chain Stitch Glass/Olive.




I am using the pattern Les Elefants et Hippos from the book Modern Designs for Classic Quilts which I received as a gift for Christmas from my parents.  It is a "sliced 4 patch" which goes together easily! 




Here are the rest of the robot colors!  I plan on working on this until I get the backing fabric for the Modern Constellations quilt which will hopefully be this week.  I am anxious to have it done soon for my husband.  And I am planning on using my scraps to make binding for the Constellations quilt.