Sea Glass Under Water - An Improv Quilt

Last year I had the fantastic oppertunity to test out a score for an upcoming book by Sherri Lynn Wood.  Her book, the Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters (available for pre-order) uses scores to guide you through creating a unique amazing quilt.  I have to say that I was so nervous when I began the journey with this quilt.  It was a no ruler, no straight lines kind of quilt.  So outside of my normal quilting work.

To begin with I chose fabrics.  I broke into my much loved batik fabrics.  They have a great texture without a set pattern and I felt that it would enhance the quilt.  After a few fabric pulls I figured out the perfect balance and set to work.

Once I started I became more comfortable and my quilt began to grow and grow.  With each piece I began to love it more and more.

Once I had all my pieces sewn I laid them out and figured out the perfect way to join them together.  

With all the curves, I decided that no straight line belonged in the quilt so each block is joined with a curved seam, too.  (I didn't even square it up before binding it!)

I love the look from the wrong side of the quilt with the seams.  It looks like stained glass.

It was at this point that it made me think of sea glass, so the quilting had to be like ripples of water.  It took days to quilt it with there being just a half inch between each quilted line.  

If you look closely, the ripples come together at points in the quilt and move away, much like the waves in the bay do as they meet from different directions.

For the photos, I went to one of my favorite little spots where I tend to find sea glass on the bay.

The back of the quilt even has some curves in it.  I couldn't help myself.

I know, photo overload.

When I went to take some photos in my backyard Maggie felt she needed to join in, too.

I am also so happy to share that Sea Glass Under Water will be at The Quiltfest of NJ March 5-8 in Somerset, NJ.  (Along with my Garden Maze Quilt).

I can't wait to see the rest of the scores in Sherri Lynn's new book.  I stepped outside my normal quilting lines and really loved the process (once I let go) and the outcome!

Flowering Lone Star and Bursting Lone Stars Pattern Review and Giveaway

The fabulous Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs has come out with two new patterns.  The can be used separately as two tops or together as a front and a back.

The first is the Flowering Lone Star.  This pattern is for a single large star.  You use 4 fabrics for the main, middle, part of the star and 6 for the outer border around it.  There are some y seams, but with how large the pieces are I did not find them difficult at all.  I chose to create both these quilts with Christmas fabrics because I needed a good excuse to play with my expanding collection of Christmas material.  Seriously, I have 2 shelves of just Christmas!

When sewing the outer diamonds together, I found a trick I learned a while back of trimming off .25" of the end of one diamond helped me to be able to line them up with the offset easily.  I also found when sewing the diamonds that pinning where the points crossed first then the rest of the seam really improved my accuracy.  Melissa talks about how to make sure your point line up nicely in her pattern, too.  She has included so many photos to make sure you can see each step, which I find very helpful in a great pattern.

This was a great pattern that came together quickly.  I love how I can feature some great larger prints in the middle.  I took my time working on this top and it came together in just a few days, but I am sure I could make it in even less time now. (I am easily distracted when I sew in front of a window overlooking the pool ;)  )

The second pattern that Melissa wrote is actually the back for the one she created.  It is called Bursting Lone Stars.  I love it too much to use it as the back, though.

This pattern shows off 5 stars of 2 different sizes.  What is great that after creating the first quilt, you already have practice with nesting the y seams.  I was able to put this entire quilt together with cutting, sewing, and lots of pressing in just a couple days of sewing here and there.  

As usual, Melissa's instructions are clear and very detailed.  Just don't go mixing up the pages like I did between the two patterns or you will totally confuse yourself, haha.   Melissa takes a lot of time and uses many photos to explain nesting the y seams so don't worry if you do not have experience with it.  I would say that if it is our first try to give the Flowering Lone Star a try (lots of busyness going on if your point aren't exactly perfect ;) )   

Although one can be used for the back of the other, I think I am keeping them as two separate quilts.  I really like how they both turned out so much.  And bonus, I have started my Christmas sewing already! 

I would say that when creating these quilts, don't be afraid of a good dose of Best Press.  I think I had a perfume of Peaches n' Cream for a few days as I worked on these.  It helps to keep the bias parts of the fabric from stretching.  And if you get a little bit of a wavy issue (like I did on one small star), a spritz of 98% water and 2% Best Press and a hot iron can flatten things right out.

I have no idea what I will be backing these with yet, but I have already planned straight line quilting and a scrappy binding for the Flowering Lone Star and I am not quite sure yet for the Bursting Lone Stars. 

Thanks Melissa for writing up two more awesome patterns!   And for giving me the excuse to play with my Christmas fabrics ;) 

Now for the giveaway!  :)

One visitor to my blog will be selected randomly to win one pdf pattern of their choice of either the Flowering Lone Star or the Bursting Lone Stars.  All you have to do to win is to head over to Melissa's blog at Sew Bittersweet Designs and follow her there.  Then come back here and comment that you did.  

And for a bonus entry you can also head over and like Melissa's Facebook page.  Leave a second comment after you like her page.  

I will close the giveaway and select the winner on Friday, August 8 at 10 pm.  

June - A Lovely Year of FInishes

I am jumping back into A Lovely Year of Finishes hosted by my friend Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs and Shanna at Fiber of All Sorts.  I know I missed the last couple of months, though they were for good reasons I am ready to jump back into sewing which makes me so very happy.

So my goal is to complete my Michael Miller Challenge for the Modern Quilt Guild.  I finally finished my top so it needs to be backed, quilted, and bound before the deadline.

I know, not the best picture, but my camera has gone mia, ugh.  The back is already pieced so I need to clean off the dining room table to baste it.  Still on restrictions; no bending, lifting, twisting, reaching... so this will be interesting.  At least I am able to be back a my machine from almost a month off.

All Framed Up...

...On the Jersey Shore.

A little while back I tested a pattern for Sweet Melissa at Sew Bittersweet Designs.  It was her All Framed Up pattern.  My goodness, this was such a nice easy pattern that was easy to read and went together so quickly.  I was able to get the cutting done so quickly (even with interruptions), I liked how it was broken down in the instructions.  And the entire quilt went together in just a day.  Score on the perfect new quilt gift pattern!

This pattern screamed for me to use some special fabrics that I have been hoarding saving for just the right project.  These fabrics are special batiks made for sale here only on the Jersey Shore.

I finished the top in early July and took a few quick pictures at the boat with help from my little nephew, such a great quilt holder.

All Framed Up top with Chis helping hold it.

In August I was able to finish the quilting and the binding.  I am in total love with this quilt, but as soon as my dad saw it he asked if it was for him.  Hmm, this is the first time he liked a quilt this much.  He really liked how the fabrics stood out in the blocks.

 I quilted my All Framed Up on the Jersey Shore quilt with free motion wavy lines and waves.

It is backed with a green batik that reminded me of sea grass, perfect for a shore quilt.  

We have clams, sea grasses, and shells in the quilt.  The purple just matched the special fabrics perfectly.

Up close you can see the lines and waves that I free motioned across the quilt.

I am loving this pattern and how it really lets the fabrics stand out.  It was so quick to come together and I can totally see another beach themed quilt done with this pattern.

Quilt Stats - 

All Framed Up on the Jersey Shore

52" x 52"

Pellon 100% cotton batting
Various batiks, including special NJ ones :)
Pieced and quilted by me on my home machines.

Linking to linky Party Tuesday at Freemotion by the River and Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story. 

Jersey Shore MQG Group Quilt

I may have mentioned a couple of times that I am a member of the Jersey Shore Mogern Quilt Guild.  It is a wonderful group of women with all levels of experience and all kinds of quilts.  I love seeing what everyone makes each month.

A few months ago we all made Scrappy Trip blocks to make a charity quilt.  When we gathered them all togerher it was decided to chop them all up, add white, and make a fun new pattern with them.

Diane worked with a couple other members and got the top pieced, I love all the different blocks that were made for the quilt.  Now I have it here, waiting to be quilted.  After I get these memory quilts done I am going to have this quilted.  My goal is to get it done before our next meeting in August.

After we all made the scrappy trip blocks we decided to make another group quilt.  I suggested the improv monochromatic log cabin blocks that I saw in the Scrappy Stash Quilt Along at Ellison Lane.  I received a bunch of blocks, three larger than the others.  I was so excited to see them up on my wall.  It was funny to see that no one made a yellow block!  I played with the layout a bit on my wall/guest bed.  I decided to fill in the gaps I would add yellow and maybe extend the color of a block it was next to.

Once I started piecing this quilt it flew together, I mean really flew, it only took about an hour and a half.  I admit I was having a really bad day and putting this together was the best distraction I could have asked for.  The members of our guild approved and that made me really happy.  I am loving the big blocks in the middle of the quilt, it just adds something to it.  Now to back it and quilt it.  I have a salmon color for the backing, I might add a strip or two to the back for fun.

I love the group at the Jersey Shore Modern Quilt Guild.  If you are visiting the Jersey Shore when we have a meeting please stop on by. :)

Circle Meets Square in Square

Project Quilting kicked off this week and I jumped at the opportunity to participate.  This weeks challenge was square in square and after a little thinking and looking through my squares I had on hand I came up with this....

It is called Circle Meets Square in Square.  I made it with a 5 inch charm pack and a 2.5 inch charm pack of Juggling Summer and a few solids I had in my stash.  (A goal that I have set is to only use from my stash for these projects)

I did pebble quilting in the larger squares and then again in the small squares in squares.  I love how the pebble quilting looks on the back.

I did a strip with a few extra 2.5 inch charms on the back to add some interest.  

This lap quilt measures 34"x 38", and I can't help but love how it turned out.  

Head on over to the flickr page to see the other great projects from this weeks challenge of Project Quilting.

Stacked Coin Baby Quilt 2

After I finished the stacked coin baby quilt for my sister (here) I realized I had just enough scraps left to make one more.  I really liked how quickly it went together and how there were no seams to match up so I whipped up another one.

I had a few less purple pieces, but it is just as cute as the first.  

I backed it with a pink with white stars that I found in my LQS sale room... $5 a yard!

It has warm and white batting and is free motion quilted with variegated pink thread.
This quilt measures about 29'x39', perfect for a little baby girl.

I decided to list this on in my Etsy shop.

I am linking up to Linky Party Tuesday at Quilting by the River and to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.

Puddle Quilt Finished!

Wohoo! I finished puddle quilt.  I stalled a little on this once I finished the top, but I quilted it up and here it is.

I started this quilt back in the beginning of May, just after I finished Cindy's Quilt.  I was nervous working with all solids, it was out of my comfort zone, but, I am very happy with how it turned out.  I did straight line quilting, echoing the triangle sections.  The solids are a variety of Kona cottons and Bela solids.  The back is Tweedy by P&B Textiles.  And I used Warm and Natural cotton batting.

Puddle Quilt measures about 66"x66".  The pattern is Curious Nature by David Butler, the same one I used for Cindy's Quilt.

This quilt will be the perfect snuggly quilt.  I have not decided what I will do with it yet, it may become a wedding gift for one of my kayaking friends.  It fits for our sport :)

And my little helper was here again.  She behaved and did not walk across my quilts as I was photographing them this morning.  

Ok... just one more in front of the hydrangea.  

I am linking up to Ellison Lane Quilts Summer Sewing Contest.  There are so many amazing projects linked up!  

I am also linking up to UFO Challenge June 2012 at Local Honey Crafts.

I am also linking up to Linky  Party Tuesday at Quilting by the river.  I love her link up every week!

A Simple Baby Quilt

My oldest sister let me know about a month ago that she wanted me to make a baby quilt for her to give someone.  I of course said sure, not a problem.  She originally said she needed it for July, but she really meant June.  She asked me about it this weekend, oops.  Luckily I had already cut out pieces for it so I just had to sit down and do some sewing.

I did the quilt in a stacked coin style, cutting each piece 2.5" by 5" for the coins and the sashings are 3" wide.

The binding is a simple purple with little squiggles in it.   I think it frames the quilt nicely.  

The backing is a pink with a light pattern that reminds me of free motion quilting that I picked up at JoAnn's on Sunday (my LQS was closed already).  

The batting is Warm and White, it gives the little quilt a nice feel.  I did a free motion loopy squiggle on it.  Not too close together though, I wanted it to stay nice and soft for the baby.  

The finished quilt measures 33" x40".  It was super simple to make and to be honest, one of the best things is the fabric for the top came almost entirely out of a bag of "you pick" scraps I got at my LQS.  $5 gets you a gallon zip top bag to fill, it must close, and it is all yours.  My bag was seriously over 5 lbs :)  

 Oh and I had this little helper under my feet when I was trying to get photos between the rain.  She is my neighbor's cat Spooky who spends her days in my backyard.  The is the most friendly, person loving cat ever.  She was nipping at my ankles because I wasn't petting her.

I am linking up to Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story and to Linky Party Tuesday at Quilting by the River.  There are great projects at both!

Puddle Quilt

So after I finished Cindy's quilt I decided I loved the pattern so much that I decided I just had to make another with solids.  I don't do much with solids, but I figured I would give it a try.  I cam up with this top.

Solid blues and purples, I am calling it puddle quilt.  I had picked out a back already but when I went to lay it out I had wet hands and the blue came off on my hands!  I was not a happy camper.  I washed it in synthrapol, but the color faded so much that I didn't like it anymore.  I guess that is why it was on sale for $2 a yard.  I went to my LQS and found an even better backing so I need to get it sandwiched so I can quilt it up.

I also recently won a giveaway at Ellison Lane Quilts.  I won a great jelly roll of Vintage Modern.

I am in love with the colors of this fabric.  I can't wait to break into it to make something for myself :)

For now I am working on some hand stitching.  Making up some more hexies and doing a fun pillow I will post up about later this coming week.  

Hope everyone has a fun weekend!