Productive Sewing Week

This week has been extremely productive. I've finished so many projects and it feels great to be getting stuff marked off my to do list.
Saturday night the kids went down early after a busy day, so I got lots of time to sew. I made this beach bag for our camping/swimming trip we are taking in July. It's a free pattern from our Club Sew group.

I lined it with vinyl, but since it is clear with the flip flops, I put a dotted lining with it. This worked out really well and using the walking foot, I didn't even baste. It went together so fast!

I had this lefover vinyl, so a bag for swim suits with a zipper. It's about 10"x14"
.
Then I had black thread on the machine, so I put on the borders of my star quilt. I had it appliqued to the background already.

I started these little mini sewing bags since the black was on the machine and got them almost done Sat. night. I just had to zig zag and cut the corners on Sunday and they were done! They turned out super cute and with no pattern, just leftover fabric scraps, they turned out pretty good. I plan to put my sewing stuff in mine since my other one is over flowing.

Sunday night I went in the crawl space (where my not used real often quilting supplies are) and found the 1 piece of black batting I own. I knew it was craft size and would work great for this quilt. I spray basted it and quilted around the star Sunday night. I needed some inspiration on how to quilt it, so I left it until Monday night after the kids went to bed. I used the Bernina 730 with a walking foot and quilted around the star background with 1/2" marks. The dark star points are echo quilted at 1/4". and the dark point is a circle around.

A close up of the background and star quilting.

The center star quilting is echoed.

The border is quilted at 1" I'm thinking I may go and add in 1/2" increments to it. What would you do? The quilt is about 22"x24". The border is 3". I have the binding and hanging sleeve sewn on and am working on the hand sewing. I plan to have this done on Sat. to show at "The Party" aka our shop preview party.

Since I'm almost done with the star quilt, I really need another paper piecing project to work on, since I only have 4 others to work on right now. Note the sarcasm.... I went and bought fabric to do an EPP quilt along. It uses a background and three different colors families. I chose the background and blue, green, & purple to go with it. I can't wait to start this quilt along with my friends. Time to finish up a few other projects so I can start on it.

May Hexie Project

It all started at quilt retreat when Cindy, Nicole and I went for a little retail therapy. I picked up a package of diamonds. I planned to make a lone star quilt. I was too excited and didn't read the package. I picked up a couple 1/4 yard cuts on Monday the 6th and got started. I basted like they were going out of style. Diamonds are MUCH quicker than hexies.

I put my first diamond together in less than a day. I soon realized I had picked up a package for a 6 point star, not an 8 point! Oh no, but there was no turning back, the fabric was cut, the hexies were basted and I plugged along.

I was easily able to do about 2 diamonds a week.

On Friday I finished the top of the star. It actually turned out pretty good. I'm going to have to take out one diamond and re-do the stitching. I used dark thread and it just shows too much. I love how it turned out and can't wait to d a lone star with the same fabric.

I put it on my purple cutting mat just to see what it would look like, but I do have a purple/dark navy fabric I am going to use for the backing. I just have to find the steam a seam to attach it all down. It's turning out amazing and I am really hopeful I can finish it time for the mini quilt challenge.

I have ordered 8 point diamond pieces and will start that when I get them. I love how quickly this pieced together.

Friendship Blocks

My Friendship Swap blocks have been coming in like hot cakes! I've so enjoyed seeing what everyone uses for the different purple batiks, since I know there are lots to choose from!
Jenn Boerger made this one for me.

Linda Stitchnoch made this one for me.

Cindy Gardiner made this one for me. I just LOVE the daisy fabric. It's one of my favorites.

Sara Fridley made this one for me. She's not in the swap, but a blogging buddy who offered to make one for me. Thanks so much Sara! It was so great to meet you at Quilts and Vines.

Regina Smith and Patti July made these next two for me. I'm not sure who made which one, but love them both.



In the package from Regina was this spool of Grape thread. I just love the vibrant purple color. Can't wait to use it! Thanks Girls for the blocks and thread!!

I still have two blocks to get, then I'll figure out what I'm going to do with them. If anyone would like to make a block, just leave me a comment and I'll give you the specifics. Thanks!

60* Tablerunners

I absolutely fell in love with my 4.5" double strip 60* ruler when I made the French Braid tablerunner for a class I'm teaching in October. I needed to make two wedding gifts for weddings I'm going to next weekend and I couldn't help but pull out my purple wedding scraps and make tablerunners using the 60* ruler. I cut out 8 WOF strips by 4.5" and then cut the 60* triangles. I had way too many cut out! I used a cream rock candy for the background and made these 8 rows instead of 12. I could have mixed up my colors a bit more, but in the interest of time I decided to follow a pattern. Saturday night I was able to finish up the first one I had started.

I made a second one too. I mixed up the order of pieces a little different for this one.

I put them together to see which one I like better and I think I like the second one better.

Sunday afternoon it was 100+ outside, the first time in 3 years!  I stayed downstairs with the AC and started quilting the tablerunners. I did a loopy loop pattern on one for my co-worker. I also put the binding on and got it handsewn down during Big Brother last night.

I added labels to both, using leftover triangles. I love how they turned out.

The other one I did I meandered on it. I used a dark purple King Tut and Bottomline. I got the binding put on it too, but still have a bit of handsewing to do. This one is for a 2nd cousins wedding that I'm going to next weekend. I'm not sure how I lucked out that both weddings were purple and I still have a ton of scraps left over! Some day I will use all the purple scraps, but for now I am just loving that I could totally make both of these from my stash without buying anything. I have enough 60* triangles cut out to do another one, but I think I'll move on and work on some other projects first.

Merry's Cat Quilt

Last night after I quilted the Baby Sign Language quilt, I had the cat's quilt out and the leftover batting was the perfect size. I had the backing and just chose a verigated pink/purple/blue/green/yellow King Tut and pink Bottomline to go with it.  I quilted a very large meander all over it. It's probably the biggest one I've done, but it doesn't need to be super close, it's for the cat!

My stitches are becoming more and more consistant with every quilt I do. I'm pleased with how this turned out.

I even had enough time to put the binding on. I cut it at 2.25" and sewed it to the front, turned it to the back and sewed it down by stitch in the ditch. All the fabric is leftover or sale fabrics I picked up, except the cat print, which I specifically picked up for her. It's all LQS fabric, so it's a nice quilt. I just hope Merry likes it and will sleep on it, since she hates fleece blankets, but seems to love my quilts. I love a cat with good taste!

This was my 90th quilt on my frame! Oh how I've learned so much since that first quilt. I'm still learning, but I can see vast improvement over the previous ones I've done. My MIL was so excited about Merry's quilt she took it to work to show her co-workers today. I'm just glad to have another UFO completed!

Purple Jewel Box Baby Quilt Top

Friday night was Girls Night Out at TSC. Several ladies were busy working on various projects throughout the evening. I finished the final two blocks for the Jewel Box quilt and was able to get all the blocks sewn together and the border on it. I love how it turned out and am really happy I stuck with it and finished all 12 blocks. After I put the dark purple border on it, I liked it even more. All the fabric is from my stash, namely wedding fabrics. I still have a lot left, but I think I know a friend who could use some more purple variety in her project, so when I get them all pulled out, I'm going to send them to her. Even the backing is a purple I pulled from stash. I just need to get this quilted up so I can have lunch with my friend and her girls and give the new baby her quilt.

Here's a close up of the purples. The colors don't show nearly as true as they are, but this gives a better idea of how they look. The dark purple border has medium black flowers in it.

I'm getting closer to finishing one of my June goals. I won't get much done tonight as it's our 2 year anniversary and I'm looking forward to celebrating with my husband.

Jewel Box

I've been busily working on the Jewel box quilt this week. They are taking a lot longer than I expected. I still have about 16, 4 patches left to make before I can finish the last two blocks. I put it away as I just didn't feel like finishing it. I have 10 of the 12 blocks done that I need.

I tried to get a close up picture for better color quality, but it didn't help. The purple is actually more of a raspberry purple rather than the blue purple that this showes.

After I finished up the 10th Jewel box block, I decided to get busy on the next baby quilt out of the Wanna Be a Cowboy fabric line. I completely finished the twin size, so now I'm going to make the baby quilt size like it was supposed to be made. As I was cutting it out, I realized I probably have enough to make a 2nd baby quilt. I guess we'll just have to see after I get this one done.

Purple Batiks and presents

Anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE the color purple. You could get me anything (well almost) that is purple and I'll be happy. Did you know there is even an online purple store? This was my first Christmas Gift - 8 of the new batiks we just got in the store - all purple! I absolutely love them and I couldn't think Lu enough for them. She also got me Moonlight path lotion and shower gel which I love too (they are also purple)!

My other purple gifts included a new winter coat, a sweatshirt, and a sweater. My husband and MIL know me well. We're celebrating with my family on Thurs. There still may be more purple gifts in my future.