The Liebster Blog Award

Hi Friends!

Way back in March, I received the Liebster Blog Award from Jill at Cre8fMomQuilts (she is a mom to twins - a boy and a girl in college)!  How cool, huh?  At the time I was getting ready to go back to work with two little babies and I guess I got a busy and forgot all about it.  Well, I remembered last night and I think it is past time for me to pay it forward, don't you think?

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award (THANKS JILL!).
2. Link back to their blog.
3. Copy and paste the Liebster award to your profile.
4. Pick 5 blogs that you feel deserve to be in the spotlight (they must have under 200 followers).
5. Blog about it and leave a comment for your nominations to let them know that you have chosen their blog. 

Here 5 blogs that I love and have chosen to highlight (hopefully none of them have already received the award):

First up is A Maiden Hair Fern.  I just found her blog recently - she has a super awesome raggy binding tutorial that I can't wait to try!  Plus, she is pretty much redoing her whole house using Reunion Fabrics and it looks amazing! 

Bethany at Make Me a Quilt is a relatively new blogger, but she is so much fun to follow!  She has great style and is a great blogger.

I found Melissa at Classy Quilts through a linky party when she mentioned that she had passed the PE.  My husband is a civil engineer and he had just taken the PE (Professional Engineer) exam as well (HE PASSED!!!  It is a very hard/strenuous test).  That was exciting.  Plus, Melissa makes a lot of really cool stuff and she has a great eye for fabric.

Becky at {My Domestic Design} is a wonderful, long time friend.  She and I went to high school together, but now she lives far away and I have to keep up with her through her blogs.  She has an adorable little girl and she is always making adorable things for her, amongst other stuff.  Last I checked, she was taking a blog break (for summer), but maybe she will be back soon!  Hi Becky! :)

And lastly, I found Colby of Sew.Quilt.Explore through the Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop, and decided I really liked her style, so I became a follower.  Go check her out and the cute things she is making!

WIP: Sewing Machine Cover

I've been working with HSTs!  It's kind of a new thing for me.  I kind of like it.

I even tried something new - pressing to the side. :)  I've always been a big fan of pressing all my seams open, but since I had a lot of neutral fabrics and such, I tried the whole "pressing to the side" method. 

My seams weren't as flat as usual, but I think I like the way it works with HSTs.  It was also kind of nice having my seams butt together when I sewed the squares together.  I think next time I will press my rows open, though.  Good times.

I've been wanting to make one of these diamond designs forever.  At first, I wasn't a big fan of anything made with HSTs, but then I saw THIS and THIS and changed my mind.  I used a bunch of scraps and some fabric the Hubby picked out for me for Christmas.

It's going to become my new sewing machine cover.  If I don't decide to just hang it on the wall...  Which I probably won't since our walls are pretty much already full.

I'm going to make the sewing machine cover reversible, since I wanted to try two different designs.  Why not?  This is going to be part of the other side:

I like working on small projects!  I've got a few more small projects in mind before I tackle my next big quilt.  This is fun!

A Rummy Royal Mat

Have you ever played Rummy Royal?  It's a poker/rummy game played with cards, a mat, and poker chips (we like to use pennies reserved specifically for this game). 

Every year my husband's family goes to their cabin in Island Park (Idaho), which is stocked with a bunch of old games.  I think the cabin Rummy Royal game dates back to our grandparents' time.  :)  Either way, we love it and we play it every year (probably because we don't have a game mat of our own back home).  This is what the mat looks like.

This year I joked that I really needed to make us a Rummy Royal mat so we could play more than once a year.  My in-laws joked that they used to have a homemade mat - made from a pizza box!  But the hubby followed up on the idea and suggested that I should seriously make one.  So I did!  It seems like a silly thing to make in quilt form, but I can't wait to play now!

I designed everything myself - apparently there are absolutely no online tutorials for something like this.  Weird.  Although I did use the method explained in the book We Love Color for making the octagon shape (which is genius, by the way).
I quilted the whole thing with closely spaced straight lines and used flannel instead of batting for the inside so that it would lie thinner and flatter.  I appliqued the hearts and letters, which was fun since I've pretty much never done applique. 

For the back I used this print that I bought a long time ago but have never been able to actually use because it doesn't match ANYTHING.  I think it looks a little like cards, don't you?

I tried something a little crazy for the binding.  I decided I wanted each edge of the octagon to be a different color (matching the center) rather than all one color or just random scrappy, so I did some measuring and I think I got it close enough.  I used single fold binding again and sewed it down by hand this time so that it would be less bulky.

Now all I need to do is get someone to play with me!

Working on a quick project was a lot of fun.  However, I have a hard time staying in limbo (it's like finishing a book without having another one lined up to read next) - so my next project is already underway:

ETA:  I've created a listing for Rummy Royal mats on Etsy!  You can get your own mat HERE.
Also, I've been following the "Let's Get Acquainted" Blog Hop for awhile and have decided it's time to link up.  If you're visiting, WELCOME!  Have a look around - I've been busy lately!

Finished Fandango Quilt!

This quilt is definitely my favorite one yet!  And it's been a long time coming!

After I finished my first big quilt in April 2011, I decided I needed to make another big quilt.  Something functional that someone could use on their bed.  Unfortunately, I didn't have any siblings getting married anytime soon, and a big bed sized quilt needed a big event.  So I decided to make something for my in-laws, since their 30 year anniversary was coming up.  That's a pretty big event, right?  Besides, my in-laws are pretty much the awesomest people ever and they deserve something special.
And now - two weddings and three babies later, I have finally finished their quilt, and just in the nick of time!

I had found a picture of this quilt block somewhere online - although this was before I had even heard of Pinterest, so I have NO IDEA where the image came from!  If anyone knows who designed this block, let me know and I will credit them.
***EDIT***  I FOUND IT!  This pattern is from the book "Modern Quilt Workshop"  by Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle.

I spent weeks and weeks trying to find the perfect fabric.  The in-laws' bedroom has a lot of blue and white in it and I wanted something pretty but not old fashioned.  I finally settled on this Fandango fabric by Kate Spain.  Hence the creative name of the quilt.

You can read more about the process of creating this quilt HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE. 

I quilted this using a "Quilt-as-you-go" (QAYG) method.  Basically, I divided the quilt into 5 sections, quilted each section, and then attached the sections.  I used a wider sashing than is normal for QAYG, because I wanted the front to look more cohesive.  I think it worked, but the QAYG sashing on the back is really obvious.  Ah well.  I still think this is be best quilting I have ever done!  I never could have done it with the drag of an entire queen size quilt!

I quilted straight lines in all the solid spots, spirals in the border boxes, and I outlined the design of the fabric in the full boxes.  I LOVE how it looks on the back!!

Here you can see my QAYG sashing (where I attached the quilted sections).  I sewed them together by machine on the top and on one side of the back peices, then I packed the quilt with us in the car on our way to our cabin and sewed the sashing down on the back the same way you would sew binding down by hand.  If that doesn't make sense, THIS tutorial matches what I did the closest (I just attached larger sections, rather than individual blocks). 

I added my four extra blocks to the back, as well as a strip of the light fabric, since I didn't have enough of the darker backing.  Hubby thinks it looks funny.  I think it looks modern. :)

Before putting on the binding, I tried out the quilt on our bed to see if it was big enough.  It was pretty big, but I wish it was just a little wider.

This is what happens when you flip it the other way.  Too short.  It was a dilemma.  I had worked so hard on this quilt that I didn't want it to be unable to fulfill its purpose.  Since the quilt was already quilted, I didn't want to try adding another border or anything.  I decided to try adding a wide ruffle to the sides to give it more width.

But then I ended up hating it.  This picture shows the back, because the front was too embarrassing to show.  It was puffy from trying to turn the top of the quilt over the thick seam created by sewing the ruffle on.
Long story short, I bagged the ruffle.  I convinced my husband to admit that the ruffle looked silly anyway.  So instead I have a quilt that just might not be quite wide enough.  Oh well - we'll see what my in-laws decide to do with it. :)

For the binding, I grabbed every scrap of Fandango fabric I had and pieced it together to make a scrappy, yet matching binding.  The only problem was that most of my scraps were just under two inches wide.  So I went ahead and cut them all to a measly 1 3/4 inches (as opposed to my usual comfortable 2 1/2 inches) and sewed them together.  I figured I would just make it work, or else sew the binding on by hand like I did with my twin rainbow quilts.  But then I realized that was absolutely crazy.  So I turned my binding into single fold binding and sewed it all on by machine.  MUCH better than attempting skinny binding, although I hope it holds up!

And there you have it!  This baby is finally finished and living with its new owners!  (Of course, I finished the binding about an hour before I planned to give it to them, so there wasn't much of a chance to get good pictures - hence the funny shadows under the tree.  I know it makes it hard to see, but that's the best I could get...).  Anyway - the in-laws loved it and I got a very sweet thank you card two days later.  I'm so glad they liked it!
Now.  What's next? 

Quilt stats:

Started: July, 2011

Finished: August 4, 2012

Fabrics: Fandango by Kate Spain

Finished size:  91x76 (smaller than expected - by about 5 inches)

Recipient:  Hubby's parents - for their 30 year wedding anniversary on August 5, 2012

Previous posts can be found HERE and HERE and HERE.

I'm pretty proud of this quilt - it's definitely one I would hang "at the end of the hallway" and stare at for awhile if I could.  So I'm going linking up to Kati's link party.

I am also adding this quilt to the Kate Spain Blog Hop linky going on over at Blossom Heart Quilts.  Thanks Alyce!

 

Another Puff Quilt!

My Sister-in-law is having a baby in a few weeks, so of course I had to make him something!  He will be my first nephew... no nieces yet.  We are so excited for him to come.  He and my boys will be about 8-9 months apart.   I have to admit that for one teensy second I was sad that they aren't having a girl, because I have lots of cute girly fabric, but oh well.  I got over it quickly.  I will keep saving that girly fabric, though...

 I asked the hubby if I should make a real quilt, a rag quilt, or a puff quilt, like THIS one I made awhile ago.

He told me to make the puff quilt.  We use ours all the time and it is really cute.  I feel better about putting my boys on it now that they are sitting up.  That way when they tip over, they have a softer landing. :)

Luckily, I had just enough charm squares left over from the last puff quilt to make one more (I only had to cut two extras from my stash).  Everything was all cut and ready to go since I originally planned to make another one of these for my twins.  But I decided we don't really need two, so this will be for their cousin!  It looks really similar, although not exactly the same. 

I used THIS pattern from Honey Bear Lane.  Compared to my last puff quilt, I think I stuffed the puffs a little fuller this time and I like it.  I also decided to sew the binding on completely by machine.  The last one was bound by hand and I think I like the hand binding better for this type of quilt, because the edges are so puffy, but the machine binding still works.

I hope the new Mama (and baby) likes it!

Finished Sunburst Quilt

I finished my sister-in-law's quilt just in time!  I sewed the binding on late the night before the wedding, and took the quilt out of the drier right before we left for the reception the next day.
I didn't really have a chance to take pictures before I left, so I tried to get some outside the reception center once we got there.  The parents of the groom were so kind to offer to hold the quilt up for me!  I didn't get the greatest pictures because the light was weird and I didn't want to keep my helpers out in the hot sun for too long...

I went ahead and quilted it the same as Jacquie's quilt.  (See my other posts about the quilt top HERE, my inspiration for the quilt HERE, and the beginning/fabric selection HERE.)

I didn't want the quilt to be too stiff, so I quilted the lines farther apart than I normally would have.  I don't have a walking foot, but the lines were too far apart to use the presser foot as a guide anyway.  So I got out my blue water soluble marker and my big ruler and drew all the lines on the quilt beforehand.  Then I quilted the whole thing with my free motion foot.  Yep, all those straight lines were quilted free hand.  No feed dogs or anything to regulate my stitch length or keep things straight.  I figured the inevitable waviness would give the quilt an "organic" or "homemade" look.  Of course, once you step away from the quilt and look at the whole thing, you can't really see the waviness.  Thank goodness.

I think the back looks kinda cool.  I used a queen size sheet for backing because it was slightly cheaper and I didn't want to worry about piecing a back this time around.  I was super frustrated for awhile when I was quilting it, though.  To the point where Hubby had to drag me away from the machine and force me to go to bed.  My sewing machine was having all kinds of issues.
For future reference, this is what I learned (skip this part if you want - I had a lot to learn):
-For a huge quilt like this one, spray basting was definitely easiest.  Luckily, the boys took a 2 1/2 hour nap one day and I was able to get the whole thing done.  I took the top and back outside to spray them, then brought them inside to sandwich them.  I even ironed the quilt sandwich after basting.  I got the ironing idea from a blog somewhere one time...  I think it helped prevent the back from getting too many puckers.  The ironing was hard work (lots of pulling and repositioning to get rid of wrinkles), but I *think* it helped and it didn't seem to affect the basting.  HOWEVER, the sticky spray basting may have been part of why my machine kept skipping stitches or breaking thread...
-NEVER buy polyester thread again.  Who knows if that was the issue.  I bought polyester on accident but when I finally switched to cotton/poly, my thread seemed to go longer without breaking.
-My sewing machine doesn't like to sew sideways.  The thread gets wound around the eye of the needle and causes all sorts of problems.  It took almost an entire section of diagonal lines to figure that one out.
-Constant vigilance is required when quilting a huge quilt - DO NOT ALLOW ANY PART OF THE QUILT TO DRAG!!!  This includes the part of the quilt that is in front of the machine.  When I let my attention slip, I think it was the drag that caused some of my problems.
-In the end, everything turns out just fine.

For the binding, I thought this more colorful print would look nice framing a basically solid quilt.  I like it. 

And one more shot.  Not the best one, since I took this at 10:30 pm right after I finished sewing the binding, BEFORE I put it in the washer (you can still see the blue lines from my marking).  I really like how the binding pops.  Oops.  I should go fold those other quilts in the corner.  Doing that right now.

Sister-in-law (as well as her new hubby) loved it!  I'm so glad.  This was a fun quilt to make.  Different.  Fresh.  Modern.  I would love to make another one... someday.

Quilt stats:

Started: Early May, 2012

Finished: June 22, 2012

Fabrics: Timeless Treasure Sketch Basics

Finished size:  About 86" x 98"

Recipient:  Sister-in-Law L - for her wedding to J, June 2012

For those visiting from Lee's, welcome and thanks for stopping by!

Next up:  Baby puff quilt, Fandango quilting, and something to cover my sewing machine with.

Tag Toys

Lately, my boys seemed to be obsessed with the tags on all of their toys.  We have a little giraffe that a dear friend made me with ribbon tags all over it.  I decided we needed more toys like that.
So I did a little pinning, and saw THESE cute alphabet tag toys.  I had to give it a try.

I put together a rainbow of fabric scraps, since I don't have a lot of super cute boy fabrics that are big enough...

I didn't notice that stray yellow ribbon until after I took this picture.  Oops!  I love the multicolored tags, though!

I backed them with a soft blue flannel. 

I copied THIS tutorial by stuffing the toys with shredded shopping bags so they would be crinkly.  Jaxson loves things that crinkle (like papers or M&M packages).  It sort of worked.

I just sewed the two pieces together with the tags in the middle.  I didn't want to worry about turning them inside out, so I left the edges raw.  I will keep an eye on them to see if they fray too much.  Just to be safe, I stitched the edges down with a tight zig-zag stitch using some rainbow thread (note to self: Mom's machine is AMAZING for this stitch.  Mine - disaster.  This was done on Mom's machine). 

J for Jaxson, B for Bronx.  I hope they like them!