Sewvivor - Quarter Mile Quilts - Kate Gunther

Hello, All! I've decided to audition for Sewvivor hosted by Family Ever After!  As many of you can imagine, it was hard to pick a project for my audition. Drumroll, please :)

My Happy-Go-Lucky Baby Quilt:

I decided to choose one that highlights a few of my favorite things:

1. The Color BLUE.

I am hopelessly addicted to the color blue.  I joke that even my husband's eyes are blue!

(See full post dedicated to the 12 Step Program for Color Addicts - QMQ style!)

2. Favorite Fabrics. 

Highlights one of my favorite fabric collections: Happy Go Lucky from Bonnie & Camille with Moda. 

3. Hand-quilting

I love hand quilting and the effect it gives a quilt.  To help the "beads" shine, I choose to keep the hand-quilting simple and outline each of the beads in a simple straight stitch.  The pieced border also has a bit of hand-quilting along the edge.

4. Giving Away Quilts

I love giving away my quilts and this was no exception.  I was thrilled to hear my best friend was expecting and so a beautiful baby girl named Grace is the happy recipient of this quilt.

Pattern: Squares and hour-glass blocks created this beaded design.  The piano key / squares border was a late addition after seeing: Pixels to Patchwork's project here. She did a fabulous job! 

Machined pieced and hand quilted by yours truly.  Binding was hand sewn using the backing folded over and hand-sewn.  Finished quilt measures roughly 38" x 46".

Interested in auditioning, too?  Jump over to Family Ever After for all the information! 

Drawstring Bag - Jeni Baker's Tutorial

Anyone else loving all things Jeni Baker of In Color Order? I will admit, I am slightly obsessed. Her latest fabric line, Nordika, is on my wish (aka drool) list.

Last weekend I whipped up an adorable lined drawstring bag using her tutorial and some left over Happy Go Lucky fabric.  Have you tried her tutorial yet?  You should!  It's very straight forward and takes very little time to complete.

In an effort to use my stash, I sorted through all of my ribbons/drawstring material.  After some debate, I chose the Potterybarn ribbon I've been hoarding saving for the past five years. 

Fabric: Moda Happy Go Lucky Pom print, Happy Penny print in blue and a Moda blue for the lining.

And yes, now I have something handmade to bring to the Sewing Summit in SLC!  Are you going, too?  I am hoping to meet Jeni Baker and be/act "cool" and not like a crazed/obsessed fan.  Wish me luck!

Awkward Moment & A Finish!

So, a big question for everyone to answer please.  When you make a baby quilt for a friend when do you give it to them?  At a shower, in private, or ding-dong ditch style?

I think I'm learning the hard way, and by hard, I mean the awkward way...

Recently I was ecstatic to find out my best friend was coming into town for her baby shower.  We have similar personalities and I knew the perfect fabric and pattern I wanted to use.  I put all of my WIPs aside and focused on putting my love and time into the project.

On the day of the shower, I wrapped up the quilt in tissue paper, using a few of the leftover fabric strips to tie it up.  The party was wonderful and she was surrounded by lots of friends and loved-ones.  The best part of the shower was to catch up (in person!) with such an amazing friend.

Her wonderful Sister-in-Law came in late and brought some un-wrapped, cute receiving blankets she handmade using two pieces of flannel sewn together.  Adorable flannel and a job well done.  I panicked (on the inside) as I witnessed my friend open the gift from this Sister-in-Law first.  Then I cringed as my gift was handed to her to open next!  (insert imaginary face-palm).  All of the guests praised the quilt as I avoided eye-contact with the sister-in-law I just upstaged.  I felt awful and awkward. 

While, I know I did not intend do this, I still feel guilty over the situation.  Luckily my friend was a gracious receiver and openly praised both gifts.  However, I think in the future I'll give quilts in a less public setting.  What do you think?  Honesty is appreciated.

So if you're still reading, here are pictures of the finished Happy Go Lucky quilt!  (Thought I would end on a happy note)  It's off to its new home where it will be loved and well-used.  I chose to use white "bold" quilting thread to hand quilt in between all of the hourglasses.  Don't you just love the effect?

The backing fabric is Hop in Navy from the Happy Go Lucky collection. I just enjoy the effect of the multi colored hops along the edge.

Thank you all for reading my little blog.  Any advice and feedback is always, ALWAYS, appreciated.

 

Linking up to Sew Cute Tuesday at Better Off Thread!

Happy Go Lucky - Finished Top

Presenting my HappyGoLucky quilt top!

Squares and hour-glass blocks created this beaded design.  The piano key/squares border was a late addition after seeing Pixels to Patchwork's project here.  She did a fabulous job!  Again, my wonderful husband helped pick out the border (which required an additional trip to the LQS - no complaining here) and he was right!

 

After some discussion with myself (do you do that, too?), I've decided to hand-quilt this one.  It will take some time, but I think it will be right thing for the "character" of the quilt.  Ok, now back to the needle and thread!

Happy Go Lucky - Bead Quilt WIP

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!  

We've been enjoying some unusual weather here in Arizona.  Monsoon season hit early and today we hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit with 30 percent humidity and tomorrow we'll drop to 93 degrees (typically we're at 118-120).

In happier news, I cut into a bit of Bonnie & Camille's Happy Go Lucky yesterday!  The collection totally describes my preferred color scheme.  I don't like all of the patterns, but most of them speak right to my soul.  I grabbed five fat quarters of my favorites and two yards of my absolute favorite for the border and backing.  It will be the perfect amount for a nice baby quilt :)

I'm assembling squares and hour-glass blocks to create a "beaded" look.  I'm sure there is a name for this pattern, but it escapes me now.  It kind of reminds me of a necklace I had when I was girl!

To help keep track of pinning the correct fabric together, I pinned one set and put it on the wall where it "belonged."  I repeated until I had all of the hour glass blocks accounted for and in the correct direction.  Worked like a charm :)

Wish you all a wonderful and safe weekend!