I'm not really sure where I'm going with these triangles, but I know I want to do something bold and graphic...so I'll keep on keeping on with this thing and hope something good comes out of it.
May 2, 2013
Superhero quilt pt 2
Superhero sneak peak!
I'm not really sure where I'm going with these triangles, but I know I want to do something bold and graphic...so I'll keep on keeping on with this thing and hope something good comes out of it.
I'm not really sure where I'm going with these triangles, but I know I want to do something bold and graphic...so I'll keep on keeping on with this thing and hope something good comes out of it.
April 24, 2013
A Quilt all for MEEEEEE!
As quilters, crafters and artists, how often do we make things just for ourselves? I sure don't very often. And I'm pretty sure that is quite common. We get so wrapped up in creating for others that we neglect ourselves.
Because of this, it feels so decadent that I made this quilt just for me. A whole quilt that I dont have to share with my husband at night. Just the right size for one on the couch snuggled up watching tv. But also the right size for sharing. (If I want to). Filling out play forts. Picnics in the grass. (which my 3 year old and I were doing before I took the photo)
Made from Chicopee and Amy Butler dots charm packs, plus a handful of stashed prints and solids (mostly Denyse Schmidt from JoAnn's, but some random konas and stuff I stashed long ago and have forgotten...)
But, my favorite part is the "back" of the quilt.
Made exclusively from my scrap bins, I went with a super improv design. If anyone ever doubts the value of crafting as therapy...just come talk to me. I started this just before a stressful time, and this was the only way I could stay sane. Somehow, being able to just create and not worry about color, pattern or layout was a super stress-reliever.
Quilted with a quick and easy cross hatch, bound in kona eggplant and a print from hope valley, this quilt is done!
Because of this, it feels so decadent that I made this quilt just for me. A whole quilt that I dont have to share with my husband at night. Just the right size for one on the couch snuggled up watching tv. But also the right size for sharing. (If I want to). Filling out play forts. Picnics in the grass. (which my 3 year old and I were doing before I took the photo)
Made from Chicopee and Amy Butler dots charm packs, plus a handful of stashed prints and solids (mostly Denyse Schmidt from JoAnn's, but some random konas and stuff I stashed long ago and have forgotten...)
But, my favorite part is the "back" of the quilt.
Made exclusively from my scrap bins, I went with a super improv design. If anyone ever doubts the value of crafting as therapy...just come talk to me. I started this just before a stressful time, and this was the only way I could stay sane. Somehow, being able to just create and not worry about color, pattern or layout was a super stress-reliever.
Quilted with a quick and easy cross hatch, bound in kona eggplant and a print from hope valley, this quilt is done!
April 22, 2013
Superhero Stack!
The quilt I am working on currently is probably the one that has given me the most headache and indecisiveness than any other project.
The only criteria I was given to create this one was that it go with a superhero theme bedroom. Thats it. no specific superhero was named.
So i got to researching fabric for superhero quilts, and found mostly quilts made from big cuts of novelty fabrics, which is so not my style. And with me not being much of a novelty fabric person, and not wanting to reference a specific hero anyways, I decided to go with "superhero inspired". but what does that mean?
After spending way too much time and money looking for the right fabric(I did end up with a small stack of fantastic stash fabric that might end up as a low-volume-ish quilt someday...) , I came up with this stack:
The only criteria I was given to create this one was that it go with a superhero theme bedroom. Thats it. no specific superhero was named.
So i got to researching fabric for superhero quilts, and found mostly quilts made from big cuts of novelty fabrics, which is so not my style. And with me not being much of a novelty fabric person, and not wanting to reference a specific hero anyways, I decided to go with "superhero inspired". but what does that mean?
After spending way too much time and money looking for the right fabric(I did end up with a small stack of fantastic stash fabric that might end up as a low-volume-ish quilt someday...) , I came up with this stack:
A little bit more superman than generic superhero colors, but I think I've finally got my stack!
I started with the bottom print - that will be the back. That one gave me the most grief, its out of print, but I had to have it! Several etsy and ebay sellers flaked out on me on that one piece of fabric, I almost gave up! I tried to mostly match up with the stripe colors, but didnt add the really dark blue/black or greens to avoid it being too rainbow-y.
The rest of the fabrics are mostly dots and solids, to reference the comic book half-tone printing...or something.
Next step: figure out what to make out this...ack! It should turn out to be a bright cheerful quilt for a special baby boy!
April 11, 2013
Where I sew
I've been slowly working on improving my sewing workspace this year, and am finally in a place I think it will work well for me.
Key things I had to work with for this: try and keep my grandmothers desk, keep the shelving in place (taking down shelves and moving fabric is a pain! and a total of $100 for new things.
My main problems was with quilting, and the drag that was created by shoving too much quilt over my tiny desktop. So I went to Ikea's As-Is section and got a piece of wood to extend the tabletop. I decided I needed more storage in my room anyways, so I also got the bookcase to support the tabletop from the As-Is.
(I may have an Ikea As-Is addiction...I've bought fabric, random knick-knacky things, wood pieces, and even that chair you see (and three others just like it!) from there.)
Anyways, I topped the extension table with a home-made pressing board, and voila. sewing space that works for me instead of against me! And total cost: $50 bucks. Score!
I tested out the extension table by pulling out my chicopee quilt to be quilted, and it works like a charm! it really cuts down on me fighting the drag of the quilt, which makes quilting a lot more enjoyable!
Next up is making an actual design wall, instead of the (too small) piece of batting thumbtacked to the wall..
(the colored bins on top are my scrap bins, scraps are sorted by color into corresponding bins. They're from Target, but that pattern isnt available anymore. also, they have yet to sell an orange or yellow one, which makes me sad. and a little ocd that I dont have the right color for my orange and yellow scraps...)
Key things I had to work with for this: try and keep my grandmothers desk, keep the shelving in place (taking down shelves and moving fabric is a pain! and a total of $100 for new things.
My main problems was with quilting, and the drag that was created by shoving too much quilt over my tiny desktop. So I went to Ikea's As-Is section and got a piece of wood to extend the tabletop. I decided I needed more storage in my room anyways, so I also got the bookcase to support the tabletop from the As-Is.
(I may have an Ikea As-Is addiction...I've bought fabric, random knick-knacky things, wood pieces, and even that chair you see (and three others just like it!) from there.)
Anyways, I topped the extension table with a home-made pressing board, and voila. sewing space that works for me instead of against me! And total cost: $50 bucks. Score!
I tested out the extension table by pulling out my chicopee quilt to be quilted, and it works like a charm! it really cuts down on me fighting the drag of the quilt, which makes quilting a lot more enjoyable!
Next up is making an actual design wall, instead of the (too small) piece of batting thumbtacked to the wall..
(the colored bins on top are my scrap bins, scraps are sorted by color into corresponding bins. They're from Target, but that pattern isnt available anymore. also, they have yet to sell an orange or yellow one, which makes me sad. and a little ocd that I dont have the right color for my orange and yellow scraps...)
April 4, 2013
Craftsy BOM March
Finally finished the March Blocks of the month...but like always, with modifications.
2012 on top 2013 on the bottom.
I'll be honest here, spiderweb blocks are not my favorite. So when I saw that they were the focus of March 2012 blocks, I was hesitant. I ended up abandoning the spiderweb block for a string block of my own making. Its paper pieced instead of foundation pieced like the instructions I liked paper piecing the small strips, it helped keep everything straight and even!
2013's block threw me for a loop this month for sure. I actually did try and draft my own block, but for whatever reason the numbers were not working out for me. So I just started with a center square (around 3 inches, I think) and figured I could always sash it to bring it to size. I rather like how it turned out, even if I didnt piece the larger triangles like the instructions said.
I've got big plans for April sewing, a couple of finishes and a sample for a demo I'm teaching the NOVAMQG in May. For now though, I am entering into the realms of soccer mom with my nearly 6 year old, so blogging may be few and far between.
Until next time.
2012 on top 2013 on the bottom.
I'll be honest here, spiderweb blocks are not my favorite. So when I saw that they were the focus of March 2012 blocks, I was hesitant. I ended up abandoning the spiderweb block for a string block of my own making. Its paper pieced instead of foundation pieced like the instructions I liked paper piecing the small strips, it helped keep everything straight and even!
2013's block threw me for a loop this month for sure. I actually did try and draft my own block, but for whatever reason the numbers were not working out for me. So I just started with a center square (around 3 inches, I think) and figured I could always sash it to bring it to size. I rather like how it turned out, even if I didnt piece the larger triangles like the instructions said.
I've got big plans for April sewing, a couple of finishes and a sample for a demo I'm teaching the NOVAMQG in May. For now though, I am entering into the realms of soccer mom with my nearly 6 year old, so blogging may be few and far between.
Until next time.
March 26, 2013
March sure has been a busy month around here. Between school, daylight savings, company and now spring break, it seems like something is always getting in the way of sewing!
Nevertheless, I have been sewing, if not blogging. I'll have a photo post later this week of some of the things I've been working on. I also added a list on the sidebar of projects I currently have in progress...some have been shown here, some have not. I'm just trying to keep a list somewhere so some poor project doesn't get lost in the giant pile of UFO's and scraps that litter my office.
I'm hoping to get the list down to 5 by the end of the year, so we will see how that goes. So far, three on the list are in the quilting stage, so that's good! (plus, I cant baste anything else because all my pins are in use..
Anyways, I'll be back later this week with March's Blocks of the Month (one very cool one too!) and a sneak peak at a really cool quilt I've been working feverishly on!
Nevertheless, I have been sewing, if not blogging. I'll have a photo post later this week of some of the things I've been working on. I also added a list on the sidebar of projects I currently have in progress...some have been shown here, some have not. I'm just trying to keep a list somewhere so some poor project doesn't get lost in the giant pile of UFO's and scraps that litter my office.
I'm hoping to get the list down to 5 by the end of the year, so we will see how that goes. So far, three on the list are in the quilting stage, so that's good! (plus, I cant baste anything else because all my pins are in use..
Anyways, I'll be back later this week with March's Blocks of the Month (one very cool one too!) and a sneak peak at a really cool quilt I've been working feverishly on!
February 20, 2013
Stars and Tiny Patchwork
So the other day I did this:
1 inch finished squares. I'm nuts. Why do I keep making these tiny patchwork? Its sort of an addiction.
These are individually cut and pieced, but for the next couple blocks, I want to try Elizabeth Hartman's stamp collection block method. For this one, I had wanted to try this technique but I also wanted to use scraps, which of course were nowhere near 3 inches in any direction.
Oh well.
There will be more of these blocks because I made this:
I plan on mounting a bunch of different sizes of these to frames and hanging them in the boy's rooms. They both love them!
It all started because Ben (three year old) told me he loves sleeping with the stars on his "star blanket" (the back of his quilt is made from one of Riley Blake's large star prints) So I thought filling his walls with stars would be a fun way to keep stars in his room after he grows out of the star blanket...and of course, after seeing one, Elliot (five) wants stars in his room too.
The pieced/applique star block is from Fat Quarterly's Shape Workshop for Quilters book, which is fabulous. I changed the sizes of it to suit myself, (and because I cannot for the life of me follow instructions as written!)
1 inch finished squares. I'm nuts. Why do I keep making these tiny patchwork? Its sort of an addiction.
These are individually cut and pieced, but for the next couple blocks, I want to try Elizabeth Hartman's stamp collection block method. For this one, I had wanted to try this technique but I also wanted to use scraps, which of course were nowhere near 3 inches in any direction.
Oh well.
There will be more of these blocks because I made this:
I plan on mounting a bunch of different sizes of these to frames and hanging them in the boy's rooms. They both love them!
It all started because Ben (three year old) told me he loves sleeping with the stars on his "star blanket" (the back of his quilt is made from one of Riley Blake's large star prints) So I thought filling his walls with stars would be a fun way to keep stars in his room after he grows out of the star blanket...and of course, after seeing one, Elliot (five) wants stars in his room too.
The pieced/applique star block is from Fat Quarterly's Shape Workshop for Quilters book, which is fabulous. I changed the sizes of it to suit myself, (and because I cannot for the life of me follow instructions as written!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)