Wednesday, May 29, 2013

WIP Wednesday

I saw this fabric at my local quilt shop and fell in love with the panel and the backing fabric.  My brother and his wife are expecting their first baby in the fall and they were married at the beach and live in Bost.on.  I thought this fabric was perfect and scooped it right up in case they have a boy, if not, this quilt will wait for the next baby boy that comes into my family.



The fabric is Seaside Holiday by Benartex.  Thank God for Etsy because that is where I found the backing fabric.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Tuesday Finishes

I was a machine Friday night and finished up three quilt tops that have been sitting in various stages of finished for the last 2 years.  The pink, red and aqua one should have been a 5 year old's birthday present...she's going to be 7 in the fall.  Thank goodness she is patient!



 
I struggled with this pattern.  She loved the dogs, girls on swings and the scooters and requested this quilt.  I ordered the fabric and to say it drove me insane that there were girls on swings upside down was an understatement.  You make a bunch of blocks and then rotate them.  I remembered that she loves the fabric and it wouldn't matter to her if the dogs were upside down or not.  So I sewed the last 4 rows onto the quilt top and it's finished.  I am waiting to finish up 2 more quilts before I drive them to my quilter 1.5 hours away.   The fabric is Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey. 

I had this quilt kit sitting around for the last 2-ish years as well.   The fabric had been cut and sitting in the pretty bag that it came in.  My youngest has already staked her claim to this quilt.  The fabric is Dilly Dally by Me and My Sister Designs. 


My little sister from my sorority in college is having a baby boy in August and I made this quilt for Baby R.  I made the same quilt for my husband's cousin's baby earlier this year.  I love Bungle Jungle and the fun elephants.  This one will be backed in grey and bound in blue. 

 
I have some Posy by Aneela Hoey to make a doll quilt for Baby R's big sister.  Every big sister deserves a baby doll quilt too!
 

Friday, May 24, 2013

Not 1, not 2, but 3 finishes tonight!

I finished 3 quilt tops that have been sitting in unfinished purgatory for up to 2 years...some have only been a few months. It feels oh so good to have them finished. Now to decide on quilting and piecing the backings.  I even made the binding for all 3 and my mystery block o the month quilt.  More details and real camera photos next week!!






Thursday, May 23, 2013

Quilter

I have admired the longarm work at my local quilt shop and just recently got the names of the long arm quilters.  I have used one woman in the past and she has been great, but she is a good 45 minutes away.  With everything that is going on in my life with work, the house, my kids and my Dad, I needed to find someone closer.  I simply don't have the time to spend 1.5 hours in the car to drop a quilt off and another 1.5 hours to go pick it up.  One of the names from my local quilt shop is just 15 minutes from my house!

I met with her today and dropped off my Mystery Block of the Month quilt which should be back in my hands in about 3 weeks.  So excited!  I normally love quilting my own quilts, but if I am going to find balance in my life right now, quilting is the one thing that I can take off my list and give to someone else.  This allows me time to sew and piece my quilts.  I will still quilt the baby ones and other small quilts, but the big ones are heading off to the new to me long arm quilter.  Her studio is amazing and she's a Julie so she has to be wonderful!

I will post photos when I get it back!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

WIP Wednesday

Every year I make a quilt to be auctioned at the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi's annual Red Dress Gala which raises money for the Alpha Phi Foundation, an organization near and dear to my heart.  I have made red dress themed quilts the past two years and decided to change it up a bit this year.

The Alpha Chapter is located at Syracuse University so I am making a blue and orange chevron quilt and backing the quilt in the whimsical orange fabric since they are the Syracuse Orange.


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

2012-2013 Mystery Block of the Month

To say I am excited about this finish is an understatement.  From the minute I found out that the 2012-2013 Mystery Block of the Month from www.fatquartershop.com was going to use Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille I couldn't wait to begin.  I finished the quilt up last night and took the photos this morning. 
 
 






Two of my favorite blocks in the quilt.  I love, love, love the grey and red one!


 
I purchased a different fabric for the backing than the one that was offered in the program.  The grey pebble fabric in the photo above will be the backing.  I am making a phone call to a new (to me) long arm quilter who is much much closer to my house to have this one quilted.  I have been quilting my own quilts for the last 3 years and decided it was time to have one quilted by someone else.  The best thing is that this is mine, all mine.  I have never made a quilt for me, they always go to someone else.