Finished Oriana Quilt Top

 Well, I never thought I would be posting about a finished

Oriana Quilt top this week.

The way I was struggling with this quilt at the beginning of the

week made me wonder if it would ever be done.

The fabric placement was quite a challenge,

but it finally came together and the

sewing part went very quickly.

 

 

This is the finished top!

(With the sides a bit cut off by the photographer!)

Oriana is a quilt pattern by Alison Glass

and measures 60x60" finished.

 

 

This quilt is made with strip sets and curved piecing.

Getting the curves to match and make a near perfect circle 

was also a challenge.

My seam ripper and I spent some quality time together!

 

 

I just love the Tula Pink Fairy Dust fabric as the background.

This one is ready to send off to my LAQ

and the fabric below will be the backing.

I had it in my stash, after purchasing it for another quilt.

It didn't go with that quilt when I put them together,

but it will look nice with Oriana.

Now I'll be sewing the binding down on my brick wall quilt.

Happy Quilting!

Oriana Quilt

 Last week an email came from a local quilt shop

listing a class for a quilt I have wanted to make for some time.

I was available both Saturdays for the class,

so I signed up to take it.

Off to the quilt shop I went to choose the fabrics for this quilt.

This past Saturday was the first class and, while

I usually don't need a class to make a quilt,

the instructions for this quilt were vague

and confusing to me.

Little did I know that would be the least of my problems!!

The class is for the Oriana Quilt by Allison Glass.

I just love this quilt and have seen it made with several different

fabric selections.

I didn't know what color palette I wanted to use

and told myself it would NOT be turquoise!

The rainbow quilt really spoke to me,

so I started picking out fabrics.

That was the easy part!

The first step of the quilt is to make strip sets with

six fabrics each.

Wow!

This was very challenging!

Where do I want the various colors?

What colors should I place together?

Do I want each strip set to be a different blend of colors

or all the same color?

Finally, this is what I ended up with for my strip sets.

This is my starting point, at least.

I normally don't have an issue with choosing fabrics

and placement, but this is hard for me!

We shall see where it ends up.

 

 

This will be my background fabric... all the background pieces will be the same.

Wish me luck!!

Happy Quilting!

Hank's Bucilla Stocking

 Do you ever have let one little thing keep you from finishing a project?

The one thing I dislike about making these Bucilla kits

is making the cording that is used in some of them.

I can never get it to look right,

so therefore put off doing it.

 

I've had the felt part of this stocking done for about a month,

all except the cording used as the reins for the reindeer.

 Yesterday I finally decided it needed to get done.

 

Before I made the cording,

I made the quilted stocking to which the

felted front would be stitched.

 

For those who may be new, here is how I make the quilted stocking.

 

 

First I make a quilt sandwich large enough for two stocking pieces.

Then I use the felt backing that comes in the kit as a pattern.

I cut about 3/8-1/2" around the felt piece.

 

 

When using the same fabric for the inside and outside

of the stocking, it doesn't matter how I lay the felt piece

on the quilt sandwich.

Once both sides are cut out, I stitch around the outside

of the stocking, leaving the top open.

 

 

Binding strips are cut on the bias and pressed in half.

(I cut my binding strips at 2 1/2", but they could be cut at 2 1/4".)

I then sew the binding strips around the body of the stocking and

turn the binding to the back and stitch it finished before binding the top.

 

 

The top is bound and finished like you would finish

the binding on a quilt.

I push the sides of the stocking toward the back

and smooth it as much as possible.

With a piece of left over binding,

I press it in quarters length-wise,

fold in the ends and top stitch around the 

entire piece for a hanger.

I stitch this to the stocking just to the back of the

side binding.

You can make this to the length of your choosing.

Once the stocking is done,

I stitch the felted piece to the front

using small applique like stitches.

 Voila!  The stocking is finished and

ready to fill to the brim!!

This stocking is for my god-grandson and will 

be delivered on Tuesday... in plenty of time for

Christmas!

Happy Quilting!

Brick Wall Quilt Top

 Happy Easter!

We were able to spend Easter day with our

whole family yesterday!

We drove up to our daughter and SIL's house

and got to hold and snuggle the grands

while enjoying the day.

 

It was the first time my husband and Doodlebug

met the Little Man and they were thrilled.

 

 

 

 

Here are the proud parents, sister and fur brother with the

Little Man. 

And Aunt Doodlebug was especially excited to be holding

her nephew.

 

They are all doing well and getting used to being a family of 4

plus the furry one.

 

 

****************************

 

After making the Lucky Stars quilt,

I had a lot of rectangle pieces left over.

I was on Pintrest one night and saw this quilt

from Must Love Quilts

and knew it would work well with the leftover pieces.

 

I had to get some more neutral Kaffe prints

and went to work once they arrived.

I used the back of most of the Kaffe prints

to soften them even more.

This went together very quickly and used up 

a fair number of the bricks.

 

 

I'm not sure if this one will be donated or

given as a baby quilt.

There may be enough parts to make another one,

but we shall see where I am led.

I am linking to Design Wall Monday today.

Happy Quilting!

New Grandson!

 I have a new grandson!

 

Miles Patrick was born 3 weeks early

on April 10th and we are thrilled to pieces.

I had been back and forth to my daughter and SIL's

to help with 15 month old Olivia for the last couple of weeks,

since my daughter was having a few complications.

All is well with her and their beautiful son.

God is good!

 

The nursery theme for Miles is Outer Space.

A few weeks ago in an email from Shabby Fabrics,

they had a kit with a space themed quilt.

I'm not one to use panels, but this kit was really cute.

 I ordered it and have been working on it when I 

was home here and there.

 

Yesterday I finished it and will be able to deliver it on Easter!

 

 

The fabrics are all space related and a lot of fun.

The panel was cut into squares and about

half were used in this quilt.

I'll have to plan something with the other squares.

 

 

A border print was included and cut into strips

for part of the design.

The other fabrics are yardage.

This awesome backing fabric was sold seperately

and was perfect for the finish.

 

It has been washed and dried and is ready for delivery.

 

Welcome to the World, Miles!!

 

Happy Quilting!

Lucky Stars and Smocked Dress

 I have been MIA for a couple of weeks for good reason.

A friend and I spent a week in Florida

celebrating a big birthday for her

and, more importantly,

the end of treatment for her breast cancer.

 We were on Anna Maria Island, which was so beautiful.

It was a wonderfully relaxing week and it was WARM!!

 

While I was in Florida, I smocked a little dress for my granddaughter.

It has been years since I've smocked and, thankfully,

it came back to me quickly.

 

 

My little Love Bug is a redhead,

so these colors will look so nice with her red hair.

 

 

 

The smocking pattern is one I made up as I went along.

I had planned on using a smocking plate pattern,

but kind of went off on my own very quickly.

This will be delivered tomorrow when we get to see her.

I did manage to get the Lucky Star quilt top finished!!

It hasn't been pressed since it was finished,

but all of the blocks are sewn together.

The batiks and Kaffe play so well together.

There are quite a few Kaffe pieces left over,

so I'm going to have to come up with something else to make with these.

I had ordered backing, but am not thrilled with it.

A solid fabric may be used instead.

Happy Quilting!

Fun With Bits and Pieces

 As I have been making the blocks for my

"Lucky Stars" quilt,

I have been saving the triangles cut from the stars.

There was no way I was going to make tiny HST's

with these bits and pieces,

but I couldn't throw them away.

Then the other day I was thinking about a

"Sew Together" bag I want to make for a gift

and got an idea.

What if I stitched all of these little triangles to a background

and used them for the outside of the bag?

Out came a glue stick, some batting and a piece of ugly fabric.

Here is what I have....

First I randomly glued these background triangles to the ugly fabric.

Then I randomly glued the batik triangles on top of the

background pieces.

I just used a little swipe of a glue stick...

just enough to hold the triangle in place.

 

 

 

After I made a quilt sandwich with another piece of ugly fabric and batting

I pulled out a bunch of different color threads

and started stitching straight lines.

I only marked the first line and then

the rest were organic.

Doesn't this look like tissue paper modge podged to something?

I love how the triangles became a little mis-shapened while sewing them down.

I had more than enough triangles to make two outside pieces

for the bag with some pieces left over!

The fun part is done!

Soon I will begin working on these bags

and am excited to see how they look when finished.

Mindless sewing is the best some days!

Happy Quilting!

Kaffe, Batiks and Polka Dots

 This fun and happy quilt is coming along nicely and quickly!

I have five more blocks to make for the twin bed size,

but may add another row on the end.

 

 

 

I love the morning light shining through the windows onto

my design wall.

These are not in any kind of final placement.

I've been putting the blocks up as I finish them

and will rearrange them once I'm finished.

 

**Edit**

Someone emailed who is a No Reply Comment and asked about the

background fabric.

It's Rainbow Sprinkles by Andover.

Doesn't it just make you smile??

 

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday.

Happy Quilting!

A New Quilt

 This past week I started a new quilt!

This one is not from my UFO or kit cabinet,

but is being made of fabrics pulled from my stash.

 

Last year at Quilt Camp we all decided to make the same

pattern with our choice of fabrics

and these quilts will be used on our beds while at quilt camp.

 

The pattern we are using is

"Lucky Stars" by Atkinson Designs.

 

I have wanted to make this quilt for some time

using Kaffe, Batiks and Polka Dots....

my three favorite things in fabric!

 

This is going together quickly and I love the blocks.

 

 

 

 

Most of the batik and polka dot star centers are pieced.

I'm waiting on more of the polka dot fabric.

 

 

I've gone through my Kaffe scraps and pulled

pieces that are large enough to cut into the strips needed.

  

 

I had to make one block to give me inspiration!

This is going to be one happy quilt!

 

 

 

 

Jelly Roll Rug

 I have wanted to make a Jelly Roll Rug for a very long time.

The batting round had been purchased long ago on sale

and the Kaffe Jelly Roll was waiting in my cabinet.

They came out next to play!

I figured this would take me a couple of weeks to make,

but it went together very quickly.

 

 

 

 

Stitching the strips together end to end

and then sewing the whole thing together with

the batting inside went quickly.

It was fun seeing this big ball ready to 

be made into a rug.

 

 

 

 

The other night I put an audio book on and just sewed away.

There are a couple of things I would do differently if I made

another rug, but I'm pleased with the results.

For now it's on the floor in my hidey hole, in front

of the cutting table.

 

 

I just love Kaffe fabrics!!

 

I'm linking to Design Wall Monday.

Happy Quilting!

Ryan's Quilt is Finished

 This past weekend we took a quick trip to Pennsylvania

to visit my brother and his family.

I had not intended on having his quilt finished before we went,

but it was finished.

 

It was delivered and he loved it.

 

 

 

 

The pattern is Windigo, but is no longer

available as a single pattern.

 

 

I quilted the long rows in the ditch and then

quilted around the border with straight lines.

I normally stitch the binding down by hand,

but I needed one more row of stitching on the front

and it stitched the binding down perfectly.

He was thrilled with it and loved the design

and colors.

It looks great in their home, too.

Guess what came out of the "to be made" cabinet next!

 The supplies have been patiently waiting for their turn.

Happy Quilting!

Dragonfly Baby Quilt

 With the arrival of 2022, my quilting mojo really returned.

It feels so good to be clearing out piles of quilt parts and kits.

The latest finished top was a pile of parts I had made

for another baby quilt last year.

For some reason I went to town cutting and sewing the various

pieces and parts and had a lot left over.

Maybe I was going to make the original quilt larger?

Who knows?!?!?

What I do know is another pile is gone and another top

is finished!!

Here is the original quilt.

It's a Robin Pickens Pattern

called Emilia.

 

I loved making this quilt for my grand niece

and then made it again as a Christmas tree skirt for

my niece and her husband.

 

My first thought was to make another quilt just like this one,

but as I was sewing parts together,

other thoughts came into my head.

 

 I sewed the large triangles together with the small ones

and started playing with these blocks.

I like this layout with the pinwheels, but kept moving the blocks around.

 

This layout was fun, too, but I kept playing.

Then I landed on this one.

This is it! 

Now what to do for borders?

At first I was going to use the lime green and 

turquoise I had used in the original quilt,

but they seemed too harsh for this one.

I had a number of HST's leftover and

started to play with those in the border.

 

 

 

Here is the finished top!

It was fun to just play and move parts around

on my design wall.

 

There are several babies coming this year,

so this will get quilted and set aside for one of them.

 

Happy Quilting!

 

 

Teddy's Quilt

 Last year a dear friend of my daughter's was expecting their first child.

My daughter asked if I would make a baby quilt for them

and you know I said "Of course!". 

She told me the nursery theme would be the National Parks

and they were having a boy who would be named Theodore and called

"Teddy". 

Elizabeth Hartman's teddy bear pattern came immediately to mind.

I searched for something to tie in the National Parks theme

and found this panel of one of their favorite parks, since they 

lived in Virginia.

The quilt was well underway when this friend went into labor.

Sadly, Teddy was stillborn.

I put the quilt aside, not being able to finish it at that point.

Recently my daughter had a conversation with her friend

about Teddy and told her I had started a quilt for him.

My daughter asked if she would like it and her friend said

she would at some point.

It would be a nice way to honor and remember Teddy.

The quilt top was finished, but the backing needed to be pieced.

I pulled fabric to enlarge the panel for the backing

and got it ready to quilt last week.

I love the simple grid quilting with this quilt.

The teddy bears didn't need much... they already shine.

My little red headed love bug was helping with the photos

while we were at my daughter's house.

 

 

"Teddy" is ready to gift to Teddy's mama

whenever she is ready.

The happy news is they are expecting again,

so another baby quilt will be made soon.

 

Today I'm linking to Design Wall Monday.

 

Happy Quilting!