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 - Time is Up

The final challenge of Project Quilting Season 8 is here and the topic is "Time is Up".  I struggled with this one, with the lyrics to Bruce Springsteen's Jersey Girl in my head, ""cause down the shore everything's alright."  It is always beach time here at the shore.  The beach is beautiful all year long, especially when the snow is covering the sand and the water meets the snow.  (A future beach photo shoot is in order)

So I decided a Jersey Quilt is the way to finish off this season of Project Quilting.  

Lots of nautical fabrics were used in this quilt, including some of my favorites and horded fabrics.  My lobsters are always in my nautical quilts.  But I added in my Moda nautical from my flying goose quilt, along with my sea horses and and loved Barnegat Bay fabrics, named for the bay where I live.  A blue rope print frames is perfectly as the binding.  

The back is a navy anchor print that was just perfect for this quilt.  I free motion quilted swirling waves all over this quilt.  Perfect for my Jersey Shore quilt.  

I am in love with this quilt.  I think it is the perfect quilt to finish this season of Project Quilting.  I'm sad that is it over , though.  Can't wait for next year!

'Cause Down the Shore Everything's Alright

48" x 64"

2.5" squares 

All cotton 

Created in Lanoka Harbor, NJ - On the Jersey Shore ;) 

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