Project Quilting 10.6: Craving Chocolate

The final week of project quilting for 2019 and the challenge is Craving Chocolate.  It took a bit to figure it out and I decided on Easter candy. 

I love those malted milk eggs, the are so yummy and colorful.  And how can you go wrong with a chocolate bunny.  So my project is two new potholders for the kitchen. 

The back of the potholders have grass fabric, perfect for Easter candy.  I used batiks for both potholders ans insulbright for the center.

My Easter Candy potholders were made in Manchester, NJ

project quilting 10.5 Abecedarius Challenge

Another week of project quilting is upon us and this weeks challenge is a little challenging for me.  10.5 is Abecedarius, which is about the alphabet.  I took a bit to decide on the project, but then I saw a great pillow at a friends house and was inspired. 

Inspiration Pillow

I used her pillow as my inspiration for my B for Bunny pillow.  I cut flowers out of a charm pack and laid them on an outline of a bunny on my Heat and Bond lite.  I cut and cut and cut until I filled the bunny's body.

Then I fused the bunny to the background and echo quilted the bunny down and then the background.  I then added my B for the bunny. 

I love my little B for Bunny pillow, perfect for Easter. 
Created in Manchester, NJ

Project Quilting 10.4 Pixel Play

This weeks Project Quilting hosted by Kim at Persimon Dreams  is all about Pixel Play.  I lovepixel quilts, especially my nautical ones.  Though, because of my surgery recovery I had to keep it small this week.  I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I decided to do my anchor quilt is super mini size.

I started by pulling out scraps from cutting my 2.5" nautical squares and cut them down to 1.25".  Pulled out my pattern and started laying out my quilt. 

I used the interfacing method for this mini quilt, where I lay my squares on the interfacing and then press as I go. 

 I sewed up all my seams then added a scrappy border.  Matchstick quilting completed the mini quilt.  I bound it in a darker gray to frame my little quilt.  Those little squares are .75" each.

My mini anchor quilt finishes at 14" x 15"
Created in Manchester, NJ

Project Quilting 10.3

Another fun week of Project Quilting is happening and this week's challenge is "Bigger than a Breadbox".  The size restriction was bigger than 16" x 8".  A little thinking and talking with my mom we came up with the perfect project, a sewing machine cover for her.

I chose some low volume and pretty colors and got started with 2.5" squares.  We measured the machine, over from the back to the front, and side to side, coming up with 18" x 32 inches and adding ties around 7" up on each side.

I did some straight line quilting on either side of the seams, enhancing the squares.  

 I love how this turned out.  So simple but perfectly functional.

Sewing Machine Cover

18"x32"

Created in Manchester, NJ

Project Quilting 10.2 Red, White, and Blue

Its the second challenge of Project Quilting, hosted by Kim Lapacek.  This week our challenge is Red, White, and Blue. 

I knew exactly what I was doing right away.  I pulled ,y fabrics and had the project completed in less than an hour. 

Every year I make a gift for my Godmother and this year this challenge gave me a great idea for an insulated wine bottle tote.  I pinterested and looked for a few tutorials and then put one together using a few techniques. 

Using the blue on the outside and the red on the inside with insulbright in between to keep the wine cold the outcome is this great little tote.  I can not wait to give it to her. 

This is why I love project quilting, great useful projects come from these prompts.

It holds a nice size bottle of wine ;)

Wine bottle tote
Created in Manchester, NJ

Project Quilting 10.1 Hope Eternal

Here we are again, another year and another season of Project Quilting with Kim Lapacek.  I love project quilting, I feel it starts my quilty year on a good note. 

The first Project Quilting prompt is Hope Eternal.  I thought about it and figured a simple yet useful project that has hope in it for me. 

I created a Kindle case for my new kindle I received for Christmas.  My last Kindle died and my tablet fell and cracked the screen, so I am hopeful this case will keep it nice and in good shape. 

I used 2.5" scrap squares left from a recent baby quilt.  These fabrics were a gift from a friend and make me smile, quilters share the best love. 

It fits my Kindle perfectly and so far so good, fingers crossed!

Kindle Case
Created in Manchester, NJ.

Project Quilting - Challenge 4 Mellow Yellow

So this is challenge 4 for project wilting and it's Mellow Yellow. I was so lost for this challenge. I had tons of ideas, but wasn't feeling well enough to make anything big. 

So yesterday I pulled out some scraps and started slicing and dicing and making sure to add in more yellow than I normally would. 

I added in my nautical touch with some yellow anchors on the inside front cover. So my little patchwork notebook cover came together nicely. 

I created my patchwork notebook cover in my home in Lanoka Harbor, NJ. 

Project Quilting season 9-3 - Bold and Brave

This weeks challenge for Project Quilting is Bold and Brave. I'll be honest, it took me a bit to think about and figure out a good idea.  It hit me on Monday when Ellie was playing with my bracelet she gave me for Christmas as usual.  It has the phrase on it "Just Keep Swimming".  It came with a great mantra... 

You see, I have an incurable condition called RSD, also CRPS (Reflexive Sympathetic Dystrophy or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome).  I struggle daily with constant chronic pain.  But through that struggle I make it to my aqua therapy twice a week (along with home exercises) to keep my body moving.  To make sure I do not loose all that I have fought to gain over these past 6 years of fighting this condition. 

What could be a better Brave and Bold statement for me than the one I look at everyday from my little niece.  I never take it off.  

I printed the saying onto freezer paper then ironed it on to fabric that I had already backed with heat and bond.  After cutting the words out I found the perfect background fabric, a nod to my nautical mini challenge for myself.  

The words and bubbles are zig-zaged on and I free motion quilted swirly water into the background.  I framed the pillow with a swirly gray that matches the words.  

This picture I feel captures perfectly what this little sweet girl pushes me to do. Sweet Ellie Rose thinks I can do it so I will try... I'll Just Keep Swimming.  

My Just Keep Swimming pillow was created in my home in Lanoka Harbor, NJ.

It is 14"x 14"

Project Quilting season 9 challenge 2 - Triangulation

So for this week of project quilting, season 9 challenge 2, our challenge was triangles. So many options but I wanted to try something different. I googled and looked and finally was inspired by a picture I found on Pinterest. I couldn't find a pattern so I made one up for the English paper pieced triangles.

I love how it is turning out, but it was taking forever. So Saturday night I decided to take 4 of the triangles and turn them into a baby rattle toy for my niece. I finished hand stitching the triangles together and stuffed it then closed up my little toy. I think Ellie Rose will love her triangle.

The sides are 3" long. I love my little pink anchors in the middle. Maybe I'll make a goal to include nautical in each challenge.

So plan A from challenge 1 is still in process and now plan A from challenge 2 is still in process. Maybe next challenge I can finish my plan A, haha!

I created my epp triangle toy in my home in Lanoka Harbor, NJ.

Project Quilting -Season 9-1 Hometown Proud

Project Quilting season 9 is here!I'm so excited to participate in another great year of challenges.  Challenge one is Hometown Proud.  We were asked to be inspired by our community.  I had such grand plans, that I will eventually finish, but this week had a bit too much going on so I switched to a smaller project.  

This project still shows my hometown.  I live on the Jersey Shore and I love all things pertaining to the water.  I love my nautical fabrics and projects.  Instead of the quilt I went with a cute nautical quilted tote bag with a starfish applique.  (This tote also holds 3 bottles of wine perfectly for those byo places, just an fyi ;) )

The front panel of the tote is made with 2.5" squares out of my nautical stash.  After I pieced them I quilted the panel directly to the batting with a free motion squiggle.  I then added the starfish applique.  The starfish is attached with the interfacing method then free motion quilted to secure it.  

I kept the back just a simple, quilting the piece to the batting so it would be the same thickness as the front. I loved the look of the lattice as the back of the bag.  

This little tote is fully lined and has has extra interfacing in the handles to keep them from stretching during use.  It is definitely perfect for my hometown pride.  I love my little town on the water and living so close to the beach.   

Nautical Tote

Created in Lanoka Harbor, NJ

My tote is around 12" x 12.5" plus the straps.  

Barnegat Lighthouse on the Barnegat Bay

Project Quilting -A Well Dressed Man

This weeks Project Quilting Challenge is A Well Dressed Man.  I was a little stumped at first, but then thought," Who needs a well dressed man when you have a well dressed bear"?  So I set to work to make my nephew's Duffy Bear a new suit.

I used Joey Bear as my model since he is just a little smaller than Duffy.  He had a little say in the design, too.

I quilted three layers of cotton together with close straight lines, using just cotton to try and keep the suit jacket from being too stiff.

Using the same pattern I drafted for his Hawaiian shit, I made the jacket, adding an extra collar for the lapel of the suit jacket.  I still HATE putting those sleeves in, but I feel it turned out super cute.  The pants were drafted from a baby legging pant pattern.  I had to add the tail hole in for Duffy's (and Joey's) tails.  The suit has a velcro closure with a button on the outside to add that dapper touch.  A little tie, attached with elastic, adds that finishing touch to his little suit.  

 

A little different than my standard Project Quilting finish, but still meets the challenge with the quilted suit coat.  And I think that my nephew will love Duffy's new suit.  

Duffy's Quilted Suit

Made with stash

Created in Lanoka Harbor, NJ