Quilting Zig Zags

I am trying to quilt and finish at least one of the many tops I have completed.

I chose to work on this one because I had the backing fabric already and a piece of batting large enough. I also knew how I wanted to quilt it. I'm using Bernie to quilt this one because it is small and I'm doing lines.

The center is done. I'm now working on the two long sides and taking the quilting into the side border. Quilting lines is not fast, but it also isn't hard. It is easy to quilt a couple of lines in between other tasks, which is how this one is getting finished - slowly but surely, one line at a time.

More Pin Cushions

It was recently pointed out to me that the pin cushion I made as a sample for the kits we have at my LQS was sold. So we have about half dozen kits and no sample. I remedied this situation over the weekend.

Because I can't make just one, I made four! All but the bottom left one have gone to the store. The one on the bottom right is the new store sample and clearly labeled as such along with "Not for Sale."  I've lost count of how many of these I've made and would you believe that I haven't kept a single one! So now I have one of my own. The one on the bottom left is MINE.

I tried something new with the one on the top left. I used a four patch as my window fabric. I love how it turned out and will definitely do this again. The fabric used should look familiar. It is left over from these two projects, one and two.

Trying to Use it Up

I'm still working with the fabric from that kit I purchased. I've made a second quilt and I still have fabric leftover!

This one measures 40" by 48". I even made the backing from fabric in the kit and will use fabric from the kit for the binding.

The pattern is called Fourth of July. It is a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville website. Since I didn't know exactly what I was going to do when I started playing with the fabric from this kit, I had a bunch of four patches leftover from the first quilt I made. So I had to resize the blocks in the Fourth of July pattern to be able to use my four patches. In the pattern, the blocks finish at 6". My blocks finish at 4".

In other news, I got a new sewing chair over the weekend. (You can see part of the back for the quilt above in the photo below.)

I didn't need a new chair, but I couldn't resist the color of this chair. The baskets I keep my fabric in are a lighter version of this color. It is smaller than my old chair so it takes up less space in my small sewing room. The color makes me happy and it is comfortable. As my mom says, you can always use another chair or dresser. Never pass up a good deal on either, especially if you love it. I love my new chair!

Rabbit Pin Cushion

I finished the rabbit pin cushion.

My goodness! It sure is cute (if I do say so myself and I do)!

A fellow guild member saw this first post I did about this little pin cushion and requested that I make her one. So Vicki, this one is yours!

Guess I'll have to make another one for me.

Think Outside the Kit Quilt

I finished the "think outside the kit" quilt during my parent's visit. Below is a progression of how it went together.

fabrics included in the kit

5" squares

four patches made from above 5" squares

panels cut from large print and playing with four patches

Added thin strip of black between panels and four patches then bordered the whole center with black

Borders attached

It finished at 64" by 79" and I don't think I used half of the fabric from the kit (shown in the first photo). I've got plenty left over to make a backing and do the binding. I'll probably have some left over from that too for scraps!

This was the "Summer" kit. As a reminder, this was the free pattern included with the "Summer" kit.

Mine doesn't look anything like the included pattern

I picked up a "Spring" kit too. Not sure what I'll do with it yet but I'm thrilled with how this one turned out. I may do something similar since it also contains a large print of the same type as the "Summer" kit. Or I may try to do something completely different. Whatever I make, I'll be sure to show it to you when the time comes.

Parental Visit Roundup

We had a great time with my parents, as always!

My dad did quite a few outside jobs for us.

Sprinkler Fixed

Garden Beds planted, pots spray painted and planted

Pots in front planted

The pot above is pretty neat. The solar panel on the right charges batteries that run lights inside the pot. It comes on after dark and glows for about 6 hours. It cycles through several different colors. Purchased from Gardener's Supply, here. In addition to planting 6 pots in the front yard with annuals, he also planted some new perennials and took care of some weeds and dead plants.

Funny Story: Over the weekend a woman rang our door bell to ask who did our front yard because she wanted to hire them to do her yard. LOL! My dad, my husband and I did the front yard and we aren't for hire. It was a nice compliment though.

My mom and I did several sewing room type projects.

Little Duffle, large size

Fun music fabric on the inside of the duffle

New bag pattern

What a fun and easy bag to make! Just requires two fat quarters and a zipper. We also used some interfacing on the back pocket.

Entire scrap bin cut into 2" and 4" squares

I wish I had taken a before photo of the plastic bin on the left. It was packed full of fabric scraps. My mom cut it ALL up for me. Sweet! In addition to the squares, she also cut a tumbler shape from every piece she could get one from and cut herself some strips for one of her own projects (not shown in the photo above).

Randomness

My first scrap group met yesterday at my LQS. We had a great time. I blogged about it yesterday afternoon on the Heartstrings & Heirlooms blog. Click here to read about it and see everyone's blocks.

I am making slow progress on my "thinking outside the kit" challenge project. So far I've cut a bunch of 5" squares.

photo was taken at night which is why the lighting is bad

And then turned them into four patches.

I used a new-to-me technique to make these four patches. I didn't take any photos of the process but I will and do a little tutorial for you on the process soon.

I bought a new bag pattern for my collection. Because the only thing better than a new bag is a new bag pattern. LOL!

Another Terry Atkinson pattern. I just love her patterns! I haven't even had time to make one of these yet. My parents are arriving today for a short visit. This looks like a fun pattern to try with my mom.

I may be a bit quiet for the next few days because my parents will be visiting. I'll catch up with you after they leave.

Think Outside the Kit

My LQS has had these kits hanging around for several years. The date on the selvedge of one of the fabrics is 2010. There are four of them, one for each season. These kits are not selling, even at 50% off.

I decided to buy one and challenge myself to make something with it. I got the Summer kit. This is the free pattern that comes with it.

Meh!

But look at all the great fabrics in this kit!

I can definitely do something fun with these. I even have somewhat of a plan. Stay tuned to see how this turns out ...

Evolution of a Pin Cushion

I've started working on a new pin cushion. Why? Just because the pattern is so stinkin' cute!

I've still got a couple of buttons to go along the bottom. Then I need to make a sand bag and finish it up. The pattern is by Sue Spargo and was published in the July/August 2008 issue of Love of Quilting.

A Dozen Scrap Jar Stars

I've got 12 stars assembled.

Currently this measures 45" by 60" since each block is 15" finished. I'm not sure if I'm done with this or if I will make another row or two. It will be a charity quilt when completed.

This is going to be the first project I hand out to my Happy Scrappers Group. We meet for the first time next week.

Boy Scout Cinch Sack Backpack

A while ago a friend gifted me some Boy Scout fabric she had leftover from a project. I used two of the fat quarters to make a cinch sack backpack for my son. I made it over the weekend, but didn't finish until yesterday since I had to make a quick stop at my LQS yesterday for the cording.

side one

side two

I let my son choose two of the fat quarters from what I was given. He chose the merit badge print and a green print with red stars. I used the khaki fluer de lis print for the tabs, one of the casings and the lining.

He is going on a field trip this week with his class and needs a small backpack to carry a water bottle and his lunch. He has a very nice rolling backpack that he uses on a daily basis. It doesn't roll that well on dirt and would be cumbersome to deal with where they are going. So he needed something simple and lightweight. I think this will do nicely!

Weekend Sewing Report

I got quite a bit accomplished during my free weekend.

On Friday I quilted two charity quilts, got the labels made and the binding sewn to the front. I only took a picture of one though.

The other is the same pattern using different fabrics. I pieced both tops at my last guild retreat in February. I got the binding already sewn to the back on the other one.

On Saturday night and Sunday morning, I made lots of units for my Scrap Jar Star quilt.

I didn't do any sewing on Saturday because I was out with friends all day. We drove up to Buena Vista, CO for a luncheon. It was the Spring Luncheon for the P.E.O. chapters in our area. After the wonderful luncheon, we went to a yarn store in Buena Vista, Serendipity Yarn, and then over to Salida, CO to a relatively new quilt store, Fringe. It is a fairly small store but loaded with style and modern fabrics.

I purchased this hilarious print.

The name on the selvedge says "We Come In Peace" and it is a Michael Miller print. I have no idea what I will do with this fabric. I bought a yard of it.

This store had modern fabrics! Some of the designers names I recall are Tula Pink, Kaffe Fassett, Valorie Wells, Jennifer Paganelli, and Sweetwater, but I'm sure there were more I don't remember. They also had a small selection of some of the modern style Moda fabrics, some batiks, solids and kid prints. In addition, they had some nice yarn and gift items. If you are ever in the Salida, CO area, I recommend making a stop at this store. It is located in downtown Salida. The block it is on has several other really nice shops.

The yarn store in Buena Vista is also worth a stop. They had a large selection of beautiful yarns and gift items. I got a small skein of some silk yarn that I plan to couch onto something. I'm not sure exactly what but some kind of art project type something.

I always feel like I didn't get as much done as I should have, but I had a great time which is more important. Spooky also behaved. The weather has been pretty nice so she has been spending more time outside than in lately. She did hang out with me in the sewing room some, but she mostly slept.

Girls Weekend

My Boy Scouts just left for the first camping trip of the season.

Spooky and I are excited about our Girls Weekend! I'm planning to sew. I don't know what she is planning. Hopefully she isn't planning to sew too.

Another Pin Cushion

I learned a new method for making the base of these pin cushions.

I tried it out in making the one above. I made it pretty early this morning, too early for a brighter photograph, but you get the idea.

The tutorial is on the Riley Blake Designs website. They have a whole page of pin cushion tutorials. I used this tutorial to make the one shown above.

Spooky helped.

She wasn't much help. She supervised me hand sewing the button on. I had to physically remove her from my sewing table to sew the back onto the pin cushion. Good thing she is so cute!