Friday, October 26, 2012

Toddler Stepping Stones

I was commissioned to make a quilt for a friend for her son over a year ago. (gosh, I can't even believe it's taken me that long!) My summer vacation got in the way and with the hubs home all the time this past year and not having to deploy, I haven't been sewing much!

I gave her a choice of a few different patterns and this was the one she chose.
 It's made with several fabrics I picked out from Fabricworm/Birch Fabric store in Paso Robles, CA. I was able to visit the store before we left Southern California on my way to Monterey for a weekend. It's a great store by the way!
I also used a Kona cotton grey (not sure which one exactly) and a few other prints from Connecting Threads.
It's backed with a print I got from Connecting Threads, as well.
The pattern for this quilt can be found here. I think I altered the size of the sashing, but I can't remember. I think mine was the same width as the color pieces.
It measures 40" x 50".

Now all my "To-Do" projects are done! I just have a whole bunch of mini quilts to catch up on. (but I don't count those as "to-dos"!)
I still have a goal to finish up a bunch of WIPs, so I hope to get going on those as well!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

DEVASTATION...a lesson learned the hard way..

Today I decided to pull out my Cathedral Windows quilt that I started several months ago. I wanted to see how many white squares I had pressed and ready to go so I can start working on that again. 

To my HORROR, this is what I discovered on my completed blocks and one incomplete block.
this is the incomplete block, only the 4 windows on the right are sewn.

one of the completed blocks.

Look closely. See all the RUST spots! OMG! The block not completed was tacked with pins and on the edges, quilt binding clips. The completed block, the edges were tacked with pins.

I'm guessing it's the humidity here in RI. I'm not used to it, I don't know much about it being from California and never even thought that it would affect my pins and binding clips!

These are all the FRONT of it. At first, I thought, it will be ok....once I attach all these blocks together, I'll be putting windows over these and it won't show at all. No big deal.
WRONG... Here's the BACK!
 These are the 2 completed blocks that just had pins in them. Now these I think I'll still keep because this quilt it for me and the rust marks are small enough that they won't bother me too much.


These are the back of the incomplete block. Top one here shows all the binding clip damage, the bottom picture shows where I had pins holding the window to be sewn in. So needless to say, this block is getting trashed.

Here are some of the pins and clips. You can see the rust if you look close.

So here's my lesson learned (that maybe all of you already know!):
I will never have pins or binding clips "hold" my work for me and let it sit. Especially when using white fabric. And especially if I live somewhere where there is humidity!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

A quilt for Finnegan

One of my great friends had a baby a few months ago. I knew I'd make her a quilt, of course. She loves the Nicey Jane fabrics by Heather Bailey and fortunately I have a pretty large stash of it. So I chose some of the blues and greens from that line and a few blues and greens from others and make this little baby quilt set on point. It was my first quilt set on point and I LOVE it! I love the colors, love the fabric and love the design. I wish it was a big one for me! Maybe someday, I'll make myself one! 
It measures 38"x45" and is quilted with a free motion meandering pattern.