Finished Product!

After a year of experimenting with new block designs, I'm proud to have a completed quilt! I definitely had my ups and downs with this one. Squares I love...those I love to hate. Times I thought my color combinations were brilliant...and those I wanted to trash the whole thing and be done with it all! However, I learned through every step of the process. I learned that sometimes you have to trust your gut; that even when working with 12" squares, you can be too focused on a particular detail; that sashing color can sometimes rescue a quilt from the precipice of disaster.

When I laid out the blocks for my first attempt at design, and with my original choice for sashing, I was completely overwhelmed by color. I hated everything about it, but was so disgusted I was going to do it just to be done with it. During a stitching session with my friends, one offered that white would really offer some distinction and separation between the blocks. Why, I had never thought of deviating from my original plan?! It hadn't occurred to me that perhaps grounding the quilt with a neutral, after my very bold block color choices, would make all the difference. Motivated with a fresh perspective, I purchased some fabric for the sashing and backing and tackled this project. Between that and a new layout, I had a renewed passion for this quilt.

Two weekends of quilting later and I have a finished product! Now, this quilt is still not in my comfort zone. The colors are quite bold and some of the block designs are a bit too modern for my taste, but I am pleased with the outcome! I quilted with diagonal lines to form a trellis pattern, since the feature fabric is summer/garden song.

The best part of all this is that I had a recipient in mind -- but only since February, when her daughter was born. I had the chance to see my friend and her gorgeous daughter today and to present the quilt -- not altogether sure how it would be received, being that it is so far from my normal projects! Well, as you might have guessed, the recipient loved it -- to the point of getting a tear or two in her eye! I cannot tell you how moved I was by her reaction. To have had such trepidation about whether the quilt would "match her style" and what she would think of my crazy colors only to have her be thrilled with an unexpected surprise. I was floored. Not only did she receive a treasure, but so did I. I remembered why I love making homemade items for people. I can't wait to watch as her family gets great use out of the quilt!

Playing Catch Up!

Wow...three months since my last post! Sorry for the delay; I'm sure you were anxiously awaiting my next squares. Okay, I'm not really that self-centered! Truth is with holidays and travel and buying/selling houses, things got a little hectic.

So, after a little hiatus, I was able to take advantage of a quilting retreat to finish up the squares for the quilt a along! I felt very accomplished and it's time now to post the last two squares for the sampler quilt:

Binary, which definitely appealed to the math major part of me :) Forgive the wrinkles. I thought I had carefully packed my squares away, only to discover, I hadn't been as careful as I thought. Oh well, I'll iron later! I just love these fabrics; they make me smile!

The last square in the series is called Stacked Squares. I like it. I don't love it. But, I have great memories of making it. While I was finishing this square, I received news that a dear friend had just welcomed a daughter to her family. And then it came to me....this whole time I had no idea who the recipient of this quilt would be....now I do :) I can't wait for the blog to give us directions on assembly, so that I'm not left blindly guessing, but one way or another, I'll figure it out. At any rate, here is that final square!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a lovely day, week, month :)

I'm Back!

I fell behind in my Quilt-A-Long, but not for lack of trying. However, having survived hosting Thanksgiving dinner, I turned my sights to getting caught up. In one afternoon, I made 3 blocks! Usually, picking the fabric combinations is the longest part of the process for me. This time, though, I felt a little pressure to decide quickly and get caught up.  So, I picked my fabric and then spent far too long cutting!! It was a relief to finally get to the sewing machine! Without further delay, here are the blocks: Crosswalk, Pogo Stick, and Best Friends. Overall, I'm pleased. I am learning a lot of new techniques and forcing myself outside my comfort zone, which is always good.

In other craftiness, I wanted to post some of the other things I have been working on and that contributed to my QAL delinquency. The first project was faster than I expected, largely due to the help of a good friend. A little background for this project....I had bought some fabric while visiting family a couple of years ago. It was a remnant of upholstery fabric and I had no idea how I would use it, but I had to have it! Having gotten it home, I decided it would make a cool pillow in my family room. Unfortunately, since I only had a remnant, I was limited in the size of a pillow; somehow, I decided that a bolster pillow would maximize the fabric. Decision made! It's the first bolster pillow I've ever made and only the second pillow since I started sewing a few years ago. That being said, I couldn't be happier with how it turned out. Have a look!

Now, the final item taking my time was a journey. You may have heard about the shooting that occurred in Newtown, CT last year. The mother of one of the children who was killed attended my college. We are a very small, tight knit community. When news spread, her closest friends sprung into action to do something for her family. What started as an effort to make a quilt for our sister alum evolved into an effort to make a quilt for the family of each of the victims. Alums from over 3 decades all over the country donated money, fabric, and quilting skills to complete this task. Information was gathered from interviews, news releases, and such. I volunteered to make one of the quilts. The little girl whose memory I was honoring loved pink, hair bows, ice cream cones, lighthouses, sea gulls, and drawing peace signs. Quilts are being collected for distribution this month.

That's all for now!! I'm trying to decide which project on my list to tackle next....I'm thinking roman shades for the bedroom. I've only had the supplies since May! And, of course, keeping up with the QAL!

Going Up?

Well, hello September! Your arrival means several things around here: fall is coming, football will be on the television ad nauseum, and I will be spending more time at the machine (I hope).

The Escalator block this month looked daunting. The precision cutting had me worried from the start. I'm not usually so good at those details -- especially, as I have learned during this quilt a long, when it comes to my background fabric. The pink batik seems to stretch in strange ways and the ruler never fails to slip teeny tiny bit from start to finish. Nevertheless, I dove in! Surely I could conquer this square.

In the end, I found the most time consuming bit to be the planning. Once I had the materials cut, I laid out the square and then just needed to be meticulous in my methods, so as not to mess up the pattern of the escalator itself. The sewing itself went rather easily for me!! I am convinced this is because of a trick I learned from a friend not long ago. I sew on an old Singer from the 1970s. While quite advanced for that decade, it lacks a lot of the aides that today's machines have, like a quarter inch foot to help with consistent seams. In fact, I determined that a quarter inch actually falls in the middle of the presser foot. I had tried painter's tape, but that was a huge nuisance as it was rarely straight and I had to remove it every time I needed to access the bobbin. Then, a friend suggested drawing the line on my machine with a permanent marker -- sheer genius!! Now I have a long enough guide line that I am actually able to sew consistent quarter inch seams. It's amazing to me what a difference this makes. I am convinced that is one reason this square turned out:

Foiled? No! Quatrefoil!

Another month, another square! For the first time, I laid all my squares out side by side, and I realized how much we have already accomplished with this quilt-a-long. Each month, I am learning new tricks and tips, gaining confidence in picking fabrics for each square, and creating new patterns.

So, this month we made a Quatrefoil block. Fun, fun! I used the same feature fabric in the center square as I have used in the last two blocks; however, in each block, I've focused on a different part of the print, which really makes me smile. I love how each square calls attention to something new. I am hoping that they provide some cohesiveness when the entire quilt is assembled.

This block makes me smile, and I can't single out exactly what it is that pleases me so much, so I'll just share it with you.

A Star in July

Well, it's time for another update on the Quilt-A-Long. Before I get to that, though, I just want to thank everyone who checks out my squares and especially those who are leaving me comments! It's so encouraging to see the number of visitors and reading the comments.

Alright, onto the topic at hand...July's Quilt-A-Long square. This month, it's Megan's Star. I had fun picking the fabric and thinking about how I wanted to feature my star fabric. So, in contrast to previous posts, I am a fan of the colors and how they work together this month and less than pleased with my execution. I know, I know, it looks good. I agree (not to be arrogant). However, as anyone who has ventured into creating something will understand, we always see our own flaws. That being said, I really did learn from doing this square. Next time I opt to use this pattern, I won't make the same mistakes -- I'll spend a little more time thinking and maybe I'll remember to center things before I stitich...or cut!

Ah well, enough about that. Here's the square, in all it's glory!

Wound around the Spool

It's month 2 of the quilt-a-long!! This month's block is called "The Spool" and provided a great opportunity to showcase the star of my fabrics. (Is it bad to have a bias like that?) The print featured in the square was the one which won me over when I purchased the fat quarter bundle that forms the foundation of my choices for this quilt. I think it was also a main driver in the pink background decision. And as an added bonus, a pop of green. Since I'm a green freak, this seems like the perfect combination!

This square makes me smile. And, it feels like the perfect time of year to have used this print, given that I recently spent several days planting my annuals and gardening around the house. Hooray summer!

Happy quilting, everyone!