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

One Million Pillowcases

I have an awesome quilting friend, Peggy, who has been sewing up a storm lately (you should go check her blog, Stitchin With Peg).  Not only has she finished a couple quilts already, but has sewn up over a dozen, I think actually two dozen pillowcases for ConKerr Cancer.  They are an organization that donates colorful pillowcases to children undergoing treatment for cancer or other childhood diseases.

I have donated a few pillowcases in the past, but decided to follow Peggy's lead and do a fabric clean out and find fabrics that would make perfect pillowcases.  I pulled fabrics that had large prints or ones I can't see using in a quilt anytime soon.

So far I have 11 pillowcases to drop off at my local quilt shop, Quilting Possibilities, on the 31.  There is a pillowcase sew in that day, info on their events page.  QP took the challenge in 2010 when American Patchwork and Quilting magazine challenged the quilting community to make and donate one million pillowcases to charity.  I know the local group has sewn thousands of pillowcases and I am glad that I can help them out.

I have to say, I love the fabrics that I used.  I mean, those dogs are too cute and the monsters are super fun.  Stars are always a good bet and why not some hot air balloons.  And a few elephants are always up for a good time.

This was such a fun quick project that I might need to do another fabrics clean out for their next sew in date.

Project Quilting Season 6 Challenge 1

Ahh it is here again!  Another season of Project Quilting hosted by Kim at Persimon Dreams.  I am not sure if you all know how much I love Project Quilting.  It is a one week challenge where we are inspired by a topic posted by Kim.  We can make any quilted item for the challenge as long at it is completed in the week and posted to her blog by 12 noon the following Sunday after it is announced.  I've made all sizes of quilts for Project Quilting, 2 have been in multiple quilt shows and one of the ones I designed has the pattern is in American Quilter!  So I really love Project Quilting!

Challenge 1 was trees.  I had to think about it for a couple days before I came up with my plan, improv whimsical trees.

I reverse appliqued the colorful tops then fused and zigzag stitched the trunks.  The white fabrics are all different white on whites.

After I made a number of trees I decided my whimsical forest needed some birds so I drew up a little curving flying geese pattern and sprinkled them through.  My mom says they remind her of kites flying.  Then came time to piece it all together.  Oh the fun of inset seams, next time I shouldn't have so many in the quilt.

I decided on some swirly free motion quilting around the trees and geese.  It gives movement to the little quilt.  

I just love the little geese.  

The back is a sketch fabric in a light blue.  I have a lot of it since it makes great backings.

It is machine bound in a fun orange that frames the little quilt nicely.  This was a fun quilt to start the year off with.  My first finish for 2015.  It had reverse applique, regular applique, and paper piecing.  Definitely a great way to start a year of quilting!

Whimsical Trees Baby Quilt
28.5" x 31.5"
Assorted cotton fabrics
Pellon 100% cotton batting
quilted with Coats and Clark machine quilting thread

Emmett Baby Quilt

I have been on a baby quilt roll lately.  Everyone keeps having babies!  This baby quilt was created in a color pallet of navy blue and gray.  That is a really hard color combo for a baby quilt.  I created a couple of quilts before I figured out the perfect quilt pattern.

I found a fun print with boat schematics and felt that it needed to be in the quilt.  But was at a loss at what to make.  Then on a trip to the fabric store I stumbled on the elephant print.  It had navy blue in it!  I decided to use that fabric as my inspiration.  I cut the print on the bias to have the elephants standing upright.  The blocks are places in an argyle pattern and quilted to emphasize that.  

If you look closely, the plaid lines in his name line up perfectly.  Ya, I am nuts like that, haha.  

I backed the quilt with white minky fabric, which shows off the quilting nicely.  

Maggie had to check out the quilt while I was taking pictures.  She loves to look at quilts...

and the she loves to hide in the bushes when the wind blows.

Emmett Baby Quilt
35" x 45"
80/20 Pellon Batting