Scrappy Hedgerow Christmas Blocks Redo

I wasn't thrilled with the blocks I made and then I came across some fantastic inspiration! Michael Miller's "Holiday Hostess". I made three of each for the block exchange and then, yes, a few more for me. I cannot wait to see how this quilt comes together!

More photos to come!

- k

Scrappy Hedgerow Christmas Blocks

I'm not sure if I like the blocks or not.

Christmas Fabric

It's a start!

Most of my Christmas fabric stash is at my mom's but I had itchy fingers today and paid a trip to one of my local quilting stores to supplement the small stash I had at home...

I'll be honest -- I'm going back and forth on whether I like the fabrics. I love a scrappy look, but this is the first time I've ever done a Christmas block so I feel a little unsure about mixing fabrics from various lines and different Christmas patterns. Maybe I'm too conservative for my own good.

So, I'm going to do a little experiment and see how all the reds and greens work with the candy cane focal fabric. I'm visiting my mom this week, so if I hate the look, I know I have a lot more Christmas fabric I can add to new blocks.

Wish me luck!

Hurrah!

It's official! I'm participating in modernjax's Scrappy Christmas Block swap! I'm delighted. We're using this pattern from Elizabeth at Oh, Fransson! I've been itching to try it and now this is the perfect excuse (as if one ever needs an excuse to quilt!).

This is my first block swap and now the pressure is on. Must create something beautiful that my recipients will like.

I have some Christmas fabric in my stash, but oh darn... I'll just have to go buy some more. Rats. ;-)

Summer Delight!

The photos are poor quality but the quilt is finished! This is the disappearing nine-patch lapsize quilt made from white and Moda "Sanctuary" charm squares.

I'm calling it "Summer Delight" and giving it to my favorite aunt and uncle. It just so happens their twenty-eighth anniversary is next week, but I also made this as part of my 101 mission (101 things in a 1001 days).

Inspired by Amanda Jean's work over at Crazy Mom Quilts, I pieced the back using a plain white muslin and more Sanctuary charm squares. I think I like the back better than the front! The fabric is so soft and cuddly. I loved working with the muslin so much (and the low price doesn't hurt either), that it's become my new favorite. In fact, I love it so much, I used the muslin for the front of my other disappearing nine-patch.

I quilted using "in the ditch" and just went around all the squares. Even though I took a free-motion quilt class a couple of months ago, I'm too chicken to try stippling on a big quilt. Guess it's time for me to get over it - but I'll probably start off with a baby quilt as my experiment and not something bigger until I'm proficient.

The quilt is labelled and ready to be delivered. I haven't washed it yet, though, and I'm debating whether I should before I give it to my aunt and uncle.

I love the crinkly look of a washed quilt, but is that the protocol? To wash the quilt before you gift it?

What do you do?

-k

Sweet Peek!

I finished my Moda "Sweet" disappearing nine-patch top! I cannot wait to baste and quilt this baby, then snuggle under it some lazy afternoon. I love the look of a scrappy quilt with lots of white. The photo is from my i-Phone, so definitely not the best quality picture, but you get the idea.

Work has been crazy busy, but I finished the Sanctuary disappearing nine-patch for my aunt and will post photos of it too. I'm really happy with how it turned out, especially the pieced backing. I'm hoping to have time this weekend to at least baste this quilt. And, if I'm really ambitious and energetic, I'll finish the top on my double wedding ring (I only have the borders to sew), and baste it too.

Hope you're having a good week!

Ah... To Be A Quilter...

I guess I must be one when I have a pile of WIPs needing my attention WHILE I am making a list of the projects I would like to start (and finish) this summer!

Here's an inventory of what I have on the go:

Double Wedding Ring (lapsize)
Status: need to sew borders, sew backing, sandwich, quilt, and bind. Needs a proper name.

This one I want to keep for myself. In some ways, it's too special to give to anyone - hello! It's my first double wedding ring quilt. Also, because it's my first double wedding ring quilt, there are far too many mistakes in it to give as a gift!

Pretty & Prep (Lapsize)
Status: need to finish the top - I'm 2/3 done, sandwich, quilt, and bind. Needs a proper name.

This one I may give to my mom or I might auction it off for breast cancer research if I do the End Breast Cancer 2-day Walk again this year. I know for sure that one of my quilts this year will be donated to charity.

Santuary Disappearing Nine Patch (Lapsize) DONE!!!! (as of June 2009)
Status: top is done, need to sew backing, sandwich, quilt, and bind. Needs a proper name.

I wanted to keep this one for myself, I really did. But I found out this week that my fav aunt was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer, so it now has a new home. I know my aunt is going to pull through and beat the cancer, I'm not worried about that. But I wanted to make her a quilt and the colours are so summery, I think it'll give her the extra zing to put the cancer behind her.

Santuary Pinwheels (crib size)
Status: squares are cut, need to piece together for the top.

I think I may give this to my cousin and his wife to celebrate the birth of their second child, a daughter.


Project Wish List

Now! Here's a list of the projects I would love to start and finish this year! It's crazy ambitious given my work schedule and my desire to have a social life, oh and also enjoy being outdoors while the weather is nice!

Christmas Quilt

I need one!! I'm inspired by Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts, and may do a Candy Bar lapsize quilt or a stacked coins quilt, mostly because hers look so pretty and also because they look like a fairly easy and quick top to put together. Right now, I'm all about speed and wanting to get something done!

In an ideal world, I would also make one for my mom and another for my dad to give as gifts at Christmas (well, for my Dad, I would give him a neutral, year-round quilt because he doesn't decorate for the holidays the way my mother does).

Sweet Disappearing Nine Patch

I LOVE Moda's "Sweet" fabric line, just love it! And I also love how easy this pattern is. I mean, it is stupid easy. I was so delighted by how simple the Sanctuary quilt was to put together and by how it shows off the fabrics. So I just might splurge on another two charm packs or fat quarters, and make one of these for me. A girl can't have too many quilts, can she?

Quilt for My Aunt Mary

I am participating in 101 in 1001 days, and on my list of things to do, I have included making a homemade gift for my aunts and uncles, and delivering it in person to them (well the ones who live within driving distance). So if I give my other aunt the Sanctuary Disappearing Nine Patch, I would like to make something for Mary and give it to her before the year is over so she knows that I haven't forgottten about her. I need to repair my relationship with her - it's fallen by the wayside, but not because of any bad blood. We're just not close.

Fresh Cut Flowers Queen Size

I have two sample packages of Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut Flowers line and I think I know what I want to do with them! I am so inspired by the many quilt blogs I read, and when I saw this scrappy patchwork square (or rectangle) Ashley of Film In The Fridge made - I thought "Aha!"

I love the look of white accented by colour! This would be a fantastic design to show off my favorite fabrics. The pattern reminds me, too, of Denyse Schmidt's Single Girl Ring quilt, but will be so much easier to do with straight lines and no curves. Whew!

Aprons & Placemat gifts

I really want to make some home-made gifts for Christmas this year, and I'm thinking that aprons and placemats will be my signature present for the people near and dear to me (who aren't getting quilts). So I better start cracking on this because I am also moving this fall too, which will mean all my sewing will be in a disarray come holiday-prep time.

That's quite a to-do list!

Wish me luck.

-k

Disappearing Nine Patch

Photo to go here of Moda "Sanctuary" Disappearing Nine Patch quilt.

It's a lapsize quilt and I finished the top in record time. Started Monday evening and finished the top tonight. Just need to decide on fabric for the backing, then baste, quilt and bind. I could have this sucker finished before the end of the month if I am diligent.