Doll Quilt Swap

I joined a swap on Flickr.  It's the first one I've done on here and it has been so much fun.  I have really enjoyed seeing everyone's quilts and fabric choices.  I chose to do a churn dash and make it a bit wonky.  I just love Kona Bahama Blue and used it for the solid fabric.  The smallest block I made measured 3/4 of an inch.  I edged it in rick rack instead of a traditional binding and I thought it turned out really cute.  Hand quilted in perle cotton, it is so cute, I hated to part with it.  But my partner loved it, so everything turned out alright.

I have a new finish!

I've been stitching away on this sweet baby quilt.  It is completely hand stitched, from the yo yos to sewing the rick rack on to sewing the strips together.  I quilted it with different perle cotton to match the colors of the yo yos.  After all this hand sewing, I couldn't machine stitch the binding on, that would be wrong.  So this is another testimont to my stubborness.  After I washed it, this quilt is nice and crinkly.  And now that it is completely finished and ready for grandbaby number seven, I will soon start on another baby quilt just in case this new one is a boy!

My First Finish for 2012!

I am so excited to have my first finished quilt for 2012. I started this one a couple months ago. I don't turn them out as quickly as a lot of quilters because I normally hand quilt. I love the red and aqua color combination and this line (bliss by Bonnie and Camille) does not disappoint. Perfect for this pattern. My dd, Misty, claimed this one for her house. The older daughter, Amy, has claimed the next one already. It will be made of the red and aqua line called sugar and spice.

A Sherbet Pips Quilt

I fell in love with the sherbet pips collection.  It is so sweet.  I bought two charm packs and added some kona solids to come up with this darling lap quilt.

My five year old granddaughter, Ava, asked if she could have this quilt and I told her I already made a quilt for her.  She said, "Grandma, when you finish it, then you'll decide who to give it to?"

I think I've decided!

Another Lap Quilt

Remember when I was working on this http://sewingsandy.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-latest-quilt-in-progess.html?  Well, now it looks like this!

I love how it turned out.  This was my first real attempt quilting with pearl cotton.  It was kind of hard to sew with.  But I love the results!



I used different colors for the different color blocks.  After I quilted around each block with the pearl cotton, I used regular quilting thread to hand quilt through the solid squares.  It turned out really nice.  The quilting went pretty quickly.

It's the perfect size to snuggle under.  Now, if I can just keep my daughters from trying to claim it! :)



My Latest Quilt in Progess

I bought some charm packs from The Connecting Thread right after Christmas on clearance.  They were a real bargain.  I thought I would sew the squares together to form a large lap quilt.  I took several of the squares and cut them into fourths.  I then took strips of white Kona cotton and added it to all four sides of these to make them into five inch sqares. 

Now, I have always considered myself relatively good at math.  (My DH may disagree, when it comes to balancing the checkbook.)  But somehow, I really screwed up my math this time.  Each block I had constructed was about a half inch too big.  Each strip I had cut was two inches wide and should have been one and three quarters inches.  So I had to trim each and everyone one of these blocks that ended up five and a half inches down to five inches.  At least, I didn't make them too small!  Other than this little hiccup, I really like how this quilt is turning out.

Hand or Machine Quilted - Right or Wrong

I've been doing a lot of blog reading lately.  So many different opinions about quilting.  None right or wrong, just different.  Let it be known that I was quilting when quilting wasn't cool.  I love everything about it.  I consider myself a traditional quilter.  Most of my quilts are hand quilted.  I just think it brings more authenticity to the quilt.  Doesn't mean I don't admire the machine quilters and their quilts.  I have done some machine quilting myself.  But when I want the quilt to seem "special", or if I'm afraid I'll mess it up otherwise, I always hand quilt it.  And I am not your ordinary hand quilter.  I don't use a frame; I don't use a hoop and I don't use a thimble.  I baste my quilts on the floor with needle and thread.  I will usually thread five or six needles and go to town, basting about every six inches vertically and horizontally.  The basting is tight enough that the layers do not shift.  Then I  quilt it in my lap.  Doesn't matter what size the quilt is.  I have hand quilted anywhere from baby size to king size, all in my lap.  I've had many quilters tell me I wasn't doing it right.  But I think the finished product speaks for itself.  The largest quilt I ever made was my king size grandmother's flower garden quilt that covers my bed.  I made this one "wrong", too.  No paper piecing, I just hand stitched each hexie to within 1/4 inch of the end of the piece leaving enough of an opening so that the Y could open to accommodate the next interlocking hexie.  Every part of that quilt was completely hand sewn.  And I'm sure a lot of quilters would say I broke every rule in the quilting bible.  But I think it turned out amazing.  And apparently so did the quilters who grade quilts for the state fair, because it won a blue ribbon. 

I guess my point in all this rambling is to say, there is no right or wrong to quilting.  Whatever works for you. 

So if you get a chance, wander over to my flickr site http://www.flickr.com/photos/15989528@N06/  and take a look at some of the quilts I've made.  You will see a variety of them.  Some hand sewn and others machine sewn.  But each and everyone of them made me happy.

A Dresden Plate Pillow

I have seen so many pretty pillows on different blogs lately.  And on Flickr, too.  And the different dresden plate designs popping up all over have been inspirational.  I love them so much. 

When I decided to combine the two, my original idea was to do just the plate in the middle.  I wanted my pillow to be larger than some, a whopping 18 inches.  So, after I made the plate and placed it in the center of the fabric square, I decided it needed something else.  I made quarter plates and put them in each corner.  I had read a lot about people quilting with pearl cotton and had never tried it myself.  I ordered my pearl cotton from threadart and am really thrilled with the product.  I do most of my quilting by hand, so I was excited to try something new.  I echo quilted around the plates and love the results.  After adding jumbo rickrack around the edge and putting the pillow back together, I joined them.  I made the pillow insert with fabric that I lined with batting and stuffed with fiberfill.  What a cute pillow!  I love this one!  Hope you do to.



A Sneak Peak

I started a new project.  It has taken me longer than I expected, but I think it is going to be fabulous.  Lots of hand applique and hand quilting in this one. 

My Line Art Quilt

I saw this pattern in the Quilts and More magazine.  It looked simple and sweet and the perfect use of a jelly roll that I had in my stash.  It really was easy to make.  Just add 2 and 1/2 inch strips of white to each side of the fabric and stagger them to what looks good to you.  After I had it all put together, I just quilted it 1/4 inch on each side of the seams.  The jelly roll I used was one of Mary Engelbreit's.  I'm not sure which one but I do love this fabric.  My daughter, Amy claimed it as soon as she saw it.  I think I might make a mini one from the leftovers.

The back

More Stroller Quilts (They work great with car seats, too!)

Here are a few more stroller quilts I made.  The blue one already has a special baby boy to go to.  And as promised, I am going to donate one stroller quilt a month to the children's hospital's NICU.  These quilts are quick and easy.  No batting required since they are backed with chenille.  They are trimmed in rick rack and stitched together inside out and turned.  Then a simple cross hatch quilting and finished.  Voila! :)

Stroller Quilts for the NICU

     My sister is the vice president of the Children's Hospital here in Louisville.  I am so proud of her.  She is an amazing person and a wonderful sister.  I was trying to think of something I could do for her hospital.  Something that I thought could be a small gesture that might help a family going through a really tough time.  I decided to make a couple of stroller quilts to donate to the NICU.  The family can keep them and hopefully during the hospital stay bring a little comfort to them. 

     I decided to use flannel and chenille.  The chenille is thick enough that batting isn't necessary.  And the flannel is soft so the tiny babies can lay on them and feel comfortable.  These measure about 27" x 27".  I edged them with rick rack.  They are the perfect size for the NICU.  And later perfect for car seats or strollers.  I am happy with the way they turned out and I hope some babies love them, too. 

Baby Shower Gifts

 I've been pretty busy lately. There was a baby shower this past weekend for a dear girl who grew up across the street from us. Erin and Misty have been best friends since they were three years old. Erin has been like a daughter to me. I have loved her like my own. Well, I just had to make her a few goodies for the shower.

                                       A burp cloth

Onesies

The quilt

 

The label

Erin had a great time at her shower and got lots of baby gifts.  I made some over sized receiving blankets, too.  I used one of them as wrapping paper.  Quite practical and the perfect size for swaddling.