Work in Progress

I have started this quilt in hopes that I would finish it and use it as a wall decoration in my living room.  But...I have yet to finish it and need to inspire myself on how to do the quilting on it.  I found this at the Sewing Expo, 2 years ago,  that they hold here in Puyallup,WA.. I fell in love with it and bought the kit.  The pattern is called..It's Good to Be Square by A Quilter's Dream.  Love how the squares float on the background fabrics.  



Till Next Time...

TOO much Licorice and way to many Lattes..

These quilts are are proof that I can become addicted to a particular pattern.  I fell in love with a quilt I saw in a magazine a couple years ago (2008 to be exact)....and couldn't get it out of my head.  It's called "Licorice and Latte" by Thimble Creek.... I made just a few of these. haha..and I am sure I will probably make a few more.. haha 

This first picture is the quilt I made for my Dad.  I used approx 20 fat quarters (that's an 18x22 piece of fabric for my non-quilting friends) I love how scrappy it turned out.   I then had a horse print fabric that I couldn't resist using for the backing, but then I couldn't bare to cut it, so I framed it in.  This began a little variation that I try to do on the back of most of my quilts now. :) 

This next quilt I made for my Grandpa...I again used fat quarters, and loved how it turned out scrappy too.  He sent me a pix via text message of him using the quilt.. I have to share..  :)

This time for the quilt I used just 4 colors and I made this one for my Aunt, in Michigan.. She lives up in a snowbelt..So I thought she'd like this to keep her warm  :)  I like how it turned out.

I made these for my neice and nephew, down in Utah....Caity and Derrick.  I called Caity's Bubble gum...its just reminds me of a pack of bazooka gum.. hehe.... I used only 3 colors..and the effect is different.    I have to get Derrick's in the mail.. I am a total smuck for still having it... Now that I have posted it here!  I will mail it by the end of the week.. hehe (which is tomorrow)  hahaha...

And my last Licorice and Latte...before I decided to ween myself off...(as you know we can all get...when we have had too much sugar and coffee)... is a gift I made for my good friend Karen that has moved to Virginia.  We bowl together and I couldn't resist making her a gift to take with her so she could remember all of her bowling friends here in Wa State.  This has a bowling fabric for the border...I used fat quarters again but did an organized scrappy look.  :)     

I made these quilts between 2008 and 2010.   I have recently received an old copy of EQ5 (a quilt design program) and I have started a variation to this quilt and we'll have to see how it turns out.   I really enjoyed how easy and fun it was to make this quilt and how many fun different ways you can make it look.  I am sure I will enjoy Licorice and Latte again and again.:) 

Till Next Time....

Spring is Bringin' Babies...

My goodness..lots of people in my life are expecting children this spring and summer.   So I made up a bunch of Baby quilts just this past month for three new chitlin's that are due either this month or in June.

My cousin Rebecca is expecting her first this June... She is having a little girl that will get spoiled so very much.  :)  I had this fun little quilt ready to go...it's a miniature version of a big quilt that I have yet to finish.  The Big quilt is called a "Venetian Dream"  I snagged the pattern from Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts Magazine. Fall 2008... It was very easy to put together.

A couple friends from work are also expecting.  After finding out that Adam had a baby on the way.. I couldn't resist making him a quilt as a big THANK YOU for taking pictures at our wedding.  He was telling me he was painting the baby's room. My Sneaky alarm when off and I started to ask random questions to find out what colors and theme he was using in the nursery....Then off to the fabric shop I went...I found the Monkey fabric...it was a perfect fit.  I saw the pattern in a very old magazine a long time and wrote out the design...sorry I don't have a name for it, but they are 6 inch blocks (2 1/2 strips) and the center is 30 1/2  border is also 6 inches.. Very easy pattern and quick to go together...
I was able to practice some free motion on it...I am getting my confidence level up doing so much free motion...I am starting to crave a quilting machine....

The last Baby quilt to make was for my fellow apprentice classmate.   I loved the concept of the Monkey quilt and did my own redesign to create Ebon's baby quilt  When Ebon told me a few months ago they were expecting their 4th..and they were looking for a new house..... I thought Oh my..you are going to have your hands full.... His Baby is due on the 26th of March.. (hehe a great birthday to have by the way..hehe)  I love primary colors and couldn't resist when I saw the train/firetruck fabric.   This has a slightly bigger block.. these are 8 1/2 inch blocks...traditional four patch within a four patch.  The center on this is 24 1/2.  I used 6 inch borders with corner stones to help with the directional print. 

Couple of my friends teased me a bit about making all the baby quilts....quick to say "So, when are you going to have a baby of your own?"  I am happy to say that I love being a favorite Auntie and love my Animals as my children just fine.

Till Next Time...

Hook & Eye Challenge

 So I decided to challenge myself...not a real crazy challenge...but try something a little different.. The challenge was to just pick up a strip and go.   Don't worry so much about adding light and dark at the appropriate place....Just sew and not think about it.   I have seen the Balipop fabric packs...enjoyed the colors they have in them and I decided that I would use one of those fabric packs.  I found a neutral background that went nicely with the pack.  My goal in the beginning was to try and not have any of blocks the same, but as it accidentally happened... I said "Oh Well"...I think I did very good with my letting it go and going with the flow.  A challenge I am trying to implement on a daily basis now :)

This was a very easy pattern called "Hook and Eye" by the Teacher's Pet  and the Mocha Mint Balipop fabric pack.  I did a big stipple stitch for quilting the background color squares so I could get more practice on my free motion quilting.  I think it helped make the Bali fabrics "Pop" off the quilt.

I have to Say that I LOVE how it turned out. I normally would have bought two packs and did a light version and a dark version, but I am very happy with the way this turned out instead. The challenge was good for me.   I finished this on March 7, 2011.  

When I was taking pictures of the top... Jasmine couldn't resist taking a photo op.  So I had to use this pix..hehe....till next time

Twisted Rail Fences a plenty

Here are pictures... These are called twisted rail fence quilts...This first quilt pictured I put together back in the late 90's and quilted sometime in the early 2000's...I love how 1 1/2 inch strips can take on such cool designs.  If I remember right there could have been some borders added, but I liked it without instead. :)

Here is another Twisted Rail fence in different colors, I finished in spring of 2009, for my Mom.  She loved it.  Lexie couldn't resist jumping into the picture and taking part.   

Both of these quilts were quilted in the ditch and around the darkest fabric only.  In the ditch for my friends that are new to quilting means I just quilted in between the fabric seams.  One of the easiest ways to quilt (I think).    

I know I will probably make another in the future and who knows maybe I will step out of the box or jump the fence and quilt freemotion across the top... but I have to say that 1 1/2 inch strips are fun to use.  It was a great time taking the traditional rail fence and giving it a little twist.  

How do I start... Guess I'll just type..

Welcome to my blog.  I wanted a place to explain my quilts, express how each makes me feel and of course show them to others online.....so I decided to start a blog.  I have been quilting for almost 15 years and love it.  I know some people like to think that people who quilt are in some crazy old age group that sits in rockers...or something odd like that, but 15 years ago I was 25..and love it as much now at 40 as I did then..maybe even a little bit more since all the new yummy fabrics and techniques have come about.  I admit I did take a few years off in the middle...and I named my blog after a comment I made to my wonderful sis in law.  She asked me a couple years back if I wanted to start getting together and quilt..(she use to quilt too)...and I said "Definitely...but I am a little scared to let "that" monster out of the closet" haha...I had instant flashbacks to allnight sews...you know the nights...you can't stop... because you have just one more block you want to get done..OR....driving to every quilt store in the South Sound area because you know there is a better accent fabric out there..and finding it is a must for the quilt to be perfect.   All the creative financing to hide the habit. I definitely couldn't wait to start sewing with her again!  The feeling that rushes over you when you walk into a new quilt shop and take everything in...drool started to form on my chin just thinking about it all.  
  I have taken over a corner in the living room and a couple of closets. The sewing machine hasn't been completely put away since... Once I got the smell of new fabric and quilt patterns in my head...it was all over... Like an addict getting a fix they haven't had in a long time....I knew I was in trouble.   I am so very glad that she asked me.. I seemed to have found a bit of myself that I had lost awhile ago.  I look forward to sharing and figuring out how all this works.  I will hopefully get pictures posted online soon.  Till next time.