Cabin on the Water Mini Quilt

Another month is almost over and I have my Project Quilting mini quilt for our Focus Through the Prism off season challenge complete.

This months block was the log cabin. I'll be honest that I didn't start it until just 5 days before the end of the month. I mean, it is Project Quilting so why start early?  

I chose the blue this month since I would love a cabin on the water. I chose to go a scrappy route, having the cherrywood fabric spiral out.

I added strips of blues and a couple text prints until it was more than large enough. I decided to quilt it with lines meeting in the center where the heart of the home is. 

I added in some hand stitching to accent the quilting. I had a great supervisor while  I was working outside, Spooky kitty. 

Once I was ready I chose to bind it by matching the last strips around the quilt so it didn't break up the pattern. 

I seriously love the quilting on the back!

And of course Maggie had to check it out while I was taking pictures. She is such a quilt dog. I think she was contemplating grabbing it and running in this picture.  

It is called Cabin on the Water since I would love to have a cabin on the water one day.

Can't wait for next months challenge!  Maybe I will even start it earlier, haha!

A (Friendship) Star is Born

Last months Project Quilting off season block was the friendship star. I wasn't sure what color to use or what I planned to do at all until the last 2 weeks of the month. Honestly, I barely sewed anything in June. Since sitting at my machine for any length of time wasn't an option I decided that this needed to be a mostly hand stitched project. 

I decided to base my design on the star forming, coming together piece by piece.  I drew out my design and just started building the idea. Once the top was together I started the hand work. I followed the lines of some of the star sections and stitched in the outline of the missing star parts and 2 whole stars. 

 

I filled in the entire background with stitching. 

 I loved how the back looked as it was coming together. 

I was able to complete my mini quilt and post it on time, thankfully. 

There is almost an entire roll of verigated pearl cotton in this mini. 

And here it is with my May mini. Two totally different quilts. May is more my normal style of quilt, but I love June's.  wonder how July will turn out. 

I love these off season mini challenges with Cherrywood fabrics! 

Through the Monkey Wrench

So excited for the off season challenges of Project Quilting.  This year is Focus Through the Prism for the off season using Cherrywood fabrics. 

The May challenge was the monkey wrench block.  Choosing one color, we were to create a 20" mini quilt using the monkey wrench (churn dash) block.  I had a little bit of a slow start, not knowing what color I wanted to use or how I wanted my little quilt to look, but once I started it just came together so quickly. 

I chose to use the violet for this challenge.  I started with a few tiny blocks that finished at 1.5" and went up from there.  The little blocks are framed out with the larger monkey wrench block.  I added a few flying geese for fun.

The quilting is swirls, to resemble the swirls on some of the background fabrics.

The quilting is only on the background fabrics, I wanted the violet to pop.

I think it fit well in my garden next to my flower ball.  Stands out in all the green.

Maggie was helping me take pictures in the yard so I wanted one with her.  She is not as small as she looks in this photo, haha.  

Through the Monkey Wrench

20" x 20"

Cherrywood Violet fabric with assorted others from my stash

Check out the other Project Quilting quilts here.

Stash Bee 2014 Hive 4

Last year for Stash Bee I asked my hive mates to make me circle blocks.  I let them use any method that wanted with a low volume and texty print background and a fun selection of colors for the circles.  I asked for some patchwork in the background or circles.  And the blocks could be any size between 8" - 16".  I received such a great variety of blocks.  Over the past year I made a few more here and there to add to the quilt to make is a good size.  Since I am on a UFO kick, I decided this was a great time to cross this top off my list.

It took a few layouts to find the perfect fit for the blocks and lots of piecing in to fill int he gaps.  I have to say how lucky I am that my friend Peggy (from Stitchin with Peg)had recently given me a great stack of texty prints that fit perfectly with this top.  (I can't thank you enough Peggy!!!)

The layout of the hive blocks and a few of mine

Over a few days I worked on putting the circles together, adding in filler sections and extra circle blocks where I felt it needed it.  I am so excited to have the top together.  Now to figure out a backing and how to quilt it.  

Circle quilt top is 54" x 60"

And just for fun, Maggie was jumping and playing in the sun while I was taking pictures.  

Project Quilting Challenge 5 - My Favorite Fabric

This week was another week for Project Quilting.  I have managed to create something each and every challenge so far this year (I have to still blog about a couple) and I am trying to keep that trend going.

This week the challenge was My Favorite Fabric.  We had to figure out out favorite fabric and use it this week.  You have no idea how hard it is to choose my favorite fabric.  I love text prints and colors and novelty and well... every piece of fabric that I have.  I really have to love fabric to buy it.  My favorite changes daily or depending on what project I am working on.  I love text prints, but then again I love batiks.  Ya, a totally confusing time trying to choose, haha.  So I went to my sewing room and stood looking at my current favorite favorites, which live on a shelf next to my sewing machine until I decide to switch it up.

On the shelf was a bag with pieces of some of my favorite batiks.  These batiks are special, sold only here on the Jersey Shore.  This line has one printed every year and once it is gone, it is gone.  I love it and that is why I hoard each and every scrap of it.  You know if you get something with this batik fabric in it that I truly care, haha.  I used these fabrics in a quilt for my dad, All Framed Up on the Jersey Shore, in the past and I have used them in little bits along the way.  They were screaming to be used.

I knew they needed a new pattern so I sat down and drew out a new flying geese (Seagulls?) paper piecing pattern.  I pressed all the pieces and added a couple more that had the same shore vibe.  Once the pieces were together I decided they needed to be a small table runner.  I did super close quilting, following the curve of the geese.  I bound it in a blue batik, keeping it skinny to just frame the table runner.  It is backed in a pretty fern print batik.

I love this table runner and decided that it needs to be with someone else that I love.  My godmother, Aunt Carol, has a birthday next week.  She loves all things beach and shore related.  I think this is the perfect gift for her and I think that she will love it, too.  Maybe when the rebuilding is done it will live in their house in Lavalette.

Flying Seagulls Table Runner
Favorite fabrics: Assorted Jersey Shore batiks
12" x 23"

And just for fun, a photo of my "helper" as I took pictures of the table runner. She really loves the snow.

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!

Project Quilting Challenge 3 - Orphan Blocks and UFO's

This weeks Project Quilting challenge was all about Orphan Blocks and UFO's.  I knew exactly what I would be working on as soon as I saw the challenge.  A while back (2012) I created two quilts for brothers Calvin and Henry.   They were actually take 2 because my sister did not like take 1, which were reverse applique circles.

I still had take 1 sitting around and was planning on doing something with it along with the scraps from Calvin's and Henry's quilts.  In the summer the boys became big brothers to little Charlie so I figured a quilt with both sets of fabrics, combining them would be fun for the youngest.  Well, it sat for so long because I couldn't decide on a direction.  This challenge pushed me to finish it.

I took apart the quilt top that had the 6 reverse applique circles, using two of them in the quilt.  I then pulled the left over brick pieces out of the scraps and cut them into 3.5" squares.

After I put them up on the design wall I felt like it still needed something.  I dug through more scraps and found some leftover Color Weave by PB Textiles, which is what I used in the original quilts, and decided to frame the square blocks.  After then I decided to add just a touch of color to the circle blocks to finish off their edges.
 

Once the top was together I pulled the leftover backing from the brother's quilts from my stash and was ready to quilt in no time.  

I did a simple stipple all over the baby quilt using cream thread on the front and a variegated green on the back.  The variegated green looks pretty cool up close.  

I used a fun yellow print for the binding, machine stitching it on like I usually do for baby quilts.  

I know, photo overload, but I am so happy how this quick simple orphan block/ufo baby quilt came out.

I've decided to name it Spiffy Dinosaur Quilt because of the little argyle and plaid fabrics mixed with the dinosaur prints.

Spiffy Dinosaur Quilt

33" x 33"

Pellon Cotton batting

Assorted stash fabrics and ufo blocks

Made in my home in Lanoka Harbor, NJ