Finishing the rainbow quilt

I finished the rainbow quilt by sewing some simple grid patterns in to the quilt. Mostly I just stitched in the ditch (followed the seam lines) and used the backing as the binding.

Finished quilt

Backing.

The above pictures were taken before I washed and dried the quilt, so it's a bit more comfy and puckered now. It usually highlights the quilting after you wash it, so you just have to imagine the grid pattern on the quilt.

I'm glad I finished this quilt. But as my Mother asks, "So what's your new project?" 

Onto the next project. Not sure if it will be a sewing hobby project, or something else. That's the great thing about hobbies. They exist only to please yourself. It's not for profit or to please anyone, just for you. There are no deadlines, and they never need to be finished unless you want to.

Well, it's quilting time.

It's been a long drought of new posts and such. That's completely my fault. I was in a very long and dusty creative block. Then, my sister had her baby. And it was QUILTIN' TIME! Thank you dear sweet Sullivan, you helped me out of my slump.

Here's some of the work I did that helped me back into the sewing creative groove.

These were leftover fabrics from another project I had done years earlier.

Another zig zag pattern? Yes I think so.

I made this design wall out of a 8'x4' piece of wall insulation foam board.
Wrapped in a piece of batting and then flannel, I never have to get on the floor to lay
out a quilt again!! Genius. It just lays agains the all, and is super lightweight.

Final idea approved my myself and my sister, and my mom.

I pieced it together, and then just did a basic stitch in the ditch to quilt it on my machine. 

Note my children's artwork and notes adorn my design wall.
I can use straight pins in it as a bulletin board as well.
I always have those around.

The backing had a little piece work in it. I rarely have enough fabric for the backing, and I love pieced backs. It's like two quilts in one!

 My dear little niece, Sullivan.

Thanks to Tery Wiemers for the
embroidery machine help.

My sister Sully is a teacher at a local high school and she helped me to get this embroidered with her name and date of birth. Big Thanks to Terry Wiemers the fashion design and sewing teacher who let me use the embroidery machine and worked it for us.

Actually I must thank Sully, without her I wouldn't have done this at all. Like I said, I was in a creative slump. Sort of. My sister was having a baby in May and was planning on name her Sullivan. So my older sister the original Sullivan, Sully to all of us, insisted we do a project together for our new baby Sully.

Sully: "Ruthie, we need to do a project for baby Sully. And by us I mean, that we brainstorm a project, and that you do it for me."

Ruth: "That definitely sounds like one of our projects."

Now Sully, is and was an artist and art teacher, and Home Ec teacher. And this was apparent even when we were children. She taught me art, and how to make taffy, and how to make candles, how to silk paint, and read me stories, and created treasure hunts and musicals that are lovingly recorded on video for all of our combined amusement and horror. For birthday presents, she would give me "gifts" that were more like projects. Like blank paper and water colors, or gave me an assignment that I would sometimes finish. Once I became a full fledged member of the BFA club, (bachelor of fine arts) we would work on projects together. And by together I mean, she would start one and I would finish it. She has been one of the most ardent supporters of EVERYTHING I do. Well, especially quilts. So after much brainstorming of ideas for little Sully, we decided to do a quilt. Mostly I decided because Sully and I couldn't agree. Maybe this was her plan all along. Hmnn, she's a mastermind older sister right?

So thanks big Sully, and little Sully, and Gracie for conspiring to help me get some fun work done.

Thanks and thanks again.

Ruthie

Big Brother Quilt

Now that I finished my daughter's "Care Bear Quilt" I have some fabric left over, actually, I have lot's of fabric. About 3/4 a yard of each color. So I decided I HAD TO make my son a big brother quilt.

Here's the mock up.

I'm going to use Amanda Jean's zig zag tutorial that uses no triangles.

She's the genius behind Crazy Mom Quilts blogspot.

I'm also trying to get my little corner of the garage into a more comfortable sewing room, and get other things done that involve that area. It gets hot in there, so we had removed a door and shoved a window unit into a cheap hollow door and patched it up. Well, it cooled pretty well, but the door was molding and rotting because of the rain that was diverted by the window unit. So we removed the ac unit, put it in our room, which was getting way too warm due to our failing HVAC and now I sleep in an ice cave and it's wonderful. But we got an in-room air conditioner for the garage since we don't have any windows. We put the original french door back and I got so much more LIGHT, and conversely, so much more heat. We'll see how this new arrangement works out. I wont be doing much sewing when my little girl is born, and she'll be born this fall so it will be cooler anyway. So, until then, many fans, and my ac will hum while I sew. And I'll just make sure I only sew when it's early morning or late night, when it's cooler naturally, and just never ever have the dryer working while I'm in there. I feel pretty blessed when I look back on all the years I had a sewing room (or nook) in the house. Once I went off to college I made sure of it. My roommate and I were both fashion majors so we just set up shop in the dining rooms of the very old historic homes we rented next to our campus. When I got married, we tried hiding it in nooks and finally just getting a house with an extra room just for my sewing room. When we moved here, it was just supposed to be temporary, 6 month at most. It's lasted much longer than that and I've just adjusted to having a much warmer sewing room than I had in the past. 

In the meantime though, my husband doesn't have to listen to it make so much noise when he's trying to watch tv or sleep.

So, you give and you take.

I'll post again when I have gotten further.

Ruth

Baby Poppy's quilt

So I have started on Baby Poppy's quilt. Here's the end result.

My final layout. I am in love. 

Here's how I started.

The pattern- to be repeated 3 more times in mirror image.

The first layout- the navy really throws off the colors and is too dark  so....

I found a new blue to fit better within the color scheme.

My pattern weights during cutting and marking

My final layout. I am in love. 

Mu intention is to have 3/4" ivory sashing pieced inbetween the triangles, not to applique. The only applique will be the heart in the center.

Here's the mock-up I worked from.

Now, after this is a thousand more things I want to do for her and my son.

But, first things first, MUST FINISH QUILT.

Ruth

what should I make?

I have this wonderful fabric that is crying out for a fabulous creation. But what should I make it into?

My first idea was a dress, but it's a fairly large print, which can make it hard to turn into a garment without the repeat becoming well, an eyesore. Skirts can work better with large repeats I have found. But perhaps a maternity dress? Or should I just horde it for when the inspiration makes itself clear? Maybe a Baby dress, with matching booties?? Oh, be still my beating heart. So wonderful!!!!

Here are some great ideas. Not sure which I want yet.

I've also been going through one of my most favorite sewing books, Handmade Beginnings by Anna Maria Horner. 

I was thinking of making those little booties on the cover, and maybe that dress. You should really pick up this book. Great stuff in there. She also blogs about her creations, needlepoints, fabrics, quilts and the like.

Check her out here.

I'm perpetually in love with everything she does.

Well, first I MUST finish Poppy's quilt, then we can do baby clothes.!!!! My Mom is soooo excited. Baby stuff is her favorite. I should hope so, she did have 10 children.

Ruth

Poppy's Quilt

Update: 8:41 pm
I finished the mock up of the quilt.

I really like it. It's looks a little Care Bear, but hey, I like care bears.

So, I finally bit the bullet (such a curious expression) and bought fabric for Poppy's Quilt.

Here's the crib we got her:

This was a great find, Baby Modena at Walmart.com

Her crib is sitting in a box in our garage right now. I'm waiting until my husband has a day off so we can put it together. It only takes one person to put it together, but another to keep my three year old entertained so as to not "help" us into oblivion.

I found the inspiration for her quilt.

Here are the fabrics I picked out. I had originally wanted red and navy, but decided to go rainbow.

I'm so excited about these. I'm working on the quilt pattern right now!!!

Here's another tidbit I found I think may go in to her room.

from minted.com

I'm trying not to be too stiff when it comes to things for her/our son's room. It's ok if they all don't match some master color scheme or plan. It's ok if my son would prefer ToyStory sheets and blanket from Target as opposed to a handmade quilt.

I get so inspired from all the masterfully decorated nurseries I see out there. (I'm looking at you pinterest) but again. It's a room. A place to live.... and I must remind myself that over and over again. So it's not quite amazing, or perfect or even matching. 

It's just a room....not a museum.

R

Spiderweb quilt finished!!

So, after many many (10 or so) months of stalling and stopping and finally finding motivation....
I  finished the spiderweb quilt.

I'm so glad my neighbors are so friendly and let me use their fence to photograph
the quilts I make.

Instagram fun

Picnic anyone?

A little piecing in the back is my favorite thing.

Onto the recipient, my sister Laura who's been asking for a quilt
for years now.

I had originally found the tutorial from CrazyMomQuilts blogspot. But instead of paper piecing, or sewing onto a small kite shaped piece of fabric, I used a muslin triangle, and just sewed on top of it until I was finished. That way I don't have to pull off paper, and I've got a perfect triangle and built in stabilizer. The quilt was heavier that way, and because of all the piecing and the under layer it was a bear to quilt through. My long arm quilter Kelliegh called me and told me the 12 layers of fabric at the thickest point was too much to fit under her presser foot on her long arm machine, and we decided on a lazy stipple for the pattern as opposed to a pantagram. And I love it, it's not too overwhelming for such a busy quilt and it allowed her to avoid breaking her machine and numerous needles.

 You can find Kelleigh at:

http://www.kellsquilting.com/

Next on my mind is a quilt for my daughter, to be joining us November 26, 2012. Talk about Thanksgiving.

Ruth

Kilt

So, My brother asked me to make him a kilt for this race he's running called "The Warrior Dash." It's a 3 mile run and obstacle course. I don't know why he wants to wear a kilt or why he's doing it....I think it's a guy thing.

Here is the pattern I used.

It's a costume pattern but the only one I could find. It asked for 5 1/2 yards of fabric. Which is a lot of fabric. I can only imagine what a 'real' kilt would call for. I've hear it takes upwards of ten yards. That is a LOT of pleats. I found some very cheap, cotton yarn dyed plaid. I cant believe the printed plaid was more expensive. But there you go, life is strange.

Here is the finished product.

Seawolf standing at the apex of my dryer, my water heater, and my deep freeze.

It's being modeled by SeaWolf, my size 12 women's dress form. It's a bit low on her since she's not a 35" waist but she was the only person who was willing to model it. I apologize for the bad pictures. I do not have a great camera, ( I use my phone), I do not have photography skills, I do not have a backdrop, or lots of natural lighting. I do most of my work in the garage where my sewing "room" is. There is no light in there. I sometimes lament that my blog doesn't have great pictures of my work like Making it lovely, or crazy mom quilts, or Anna Maria Horner. But they have the aforementioned things I do not. Instead of spending money and time on acquiring them, I just spend my money and time on doing the things I love. Which is sewing, and quilting and blogging in less than stellar studio space. That being said, if someone wants to come to my house, make me a studio, with gobs of natural light, excellent space, a great camera, and give me a ton of lessons, I would be willing to accept them. Until then, my blog wont be a glorious as those others that I mentioned. More's the pity.

Back to the Kilt, it was a very easy pattern, and simple to complete. There's very little construction past ironing the pleats, and then constructing a waistband. The most time consuming part is ironing the pleats, and then pulling out the threads on the hem to give it a "distressed" look. Other than that, it was a piece of cake. (Now I'm hungry) The problem with cotton plaids is that eventually the creases on the pleats will fall out. The only way to make them permanent is to have a synthetic fabric heat set. But, since this kilt is going to be worn in a race that ends in mud, I don't think my brother will have an issue with less than knife straight pleats. I only made the kilt, not the accompanying spats or drape. Which saved me at least 2 yards. Now I have two yards of a pretty plaid. Another piece of fabric for my collection. Sigh.

Ruth

New Quilt, Single girl in a batik dress

Here is my latest quilt that I've been working on.

It's based on the Denyse Schmidt quilt pattern "Single Girl". I'm calling mine 'Single girl in a batik dress."

I don't have a dedicated sewing room, or a design wall, so it goes on the floor in the living room. But, I'm proud of myself for doing curves. It's not something I ever 'choose' to do. 

In the mean time, I found this incredible resource. It's called Yale Digital. The Yale Library is digitizing art, prints and pictures in a searchable index. So, say, if you need a picture of something, take a look there. It might be a bit better quality than say google images. Or not. But I believe the only place they would be is in the database, I think* that the art they are digitizing belongs to Yale.

http://discover.odai.yale.edu/ydc/

Here's a fun idea, just plug in a word and see what they have. They are still in the process of taking pictures and what not so not everything in the world is there. But, it's a nice search into what Yale has and it's nice that they are willing to share it.

Ruth

Baby Project with Love

I started working on perfecting the curvy "Single Girl" Pattern. So after the first draft, I cut out four blocks of the pattern, and got to work, matching up notches, and pinning. I tried a couple methods and the pinning method worked better for me. Which is funny, since I've been doing the "make it fit" version for years and years and wondering why it never turned out well.

The four blocks fit well and proved I could use my pattern. And since it turned out so well, and I feel in love with the fabrics (all from my fabric stash) I added a little border and a heart and made it into a baby blanket.  No sense wasting a nice looking quilt just because it's only 3 feet by 3 feet.

Here it is.

I'm not one to try out patterns first when it comes to quilting. Only when it's a dress or a shirt. But then again, maybe I should going forward. Especially if my rough draft turn out as nicely as this.

 I added the hearts and appliqued them to the center. It needed a focal point. I thought about monogramming it with the baby's initials, and then chose an applique heart instead. I like it.

It's just straight stitched around most of the seams, (about 1/4' away from the seams) and it fluffs up just fine.

Hope the little girl likes it.

Ruth

Quilts and the eternal fabric stash-baby quilts

Here's a look at what I've been doing lately.
You could call it a woobie, a lovely, a baba, or just a blanket. It's a small little piece of cloth used to comfort a child. AKA, it's a security blanket.

This is a small little blanket, about 2 x3 feet. It's not very big, but it's supposed to be small. It's going to a baby. This little baby might want a little something to carry around when she gets older, and here's the little something. My son has a soft fleece blanket that he needs to carry at times, and he calls it his "Baba." Her "Baba" is pieced fabric on one side, and super soft on the other, bound with satin and quilted. I think she'll like it. And when she gets older, she can use it to cuddle her dolls in.

Next, for her own warmth.
This quilt, and the baba were both made from scraps from the "lines meet in the middle" quilt, (that is going to be raffled off to help support a young child diagnosed with cancer.) I was able to make three quilts from the scraps that I had. I like this kind of recycling.

Front:

 Back

 Here's her gift. She is due to be born later this year. So, she'll have to wait. But, hopefully, she'll like it.

Ruth