Quilt Story: June 2014

Friday, June 27, 2014

Picnic Worthy Patchwork from Robot Mom Sews

We love Kim from Robot Mom Sews...she's awesome in person and on her blog! :) She creates the sweetest little quilts that I want to sneak away from her :) Today we're featuring a couple of her new Picnic Quilts. Make sure to stop by her blog, see some of her finished quilts and tutorials. Thanks Kim!!

I recently bought up some Country Girls fabric and mixed in a little bit of April Showers. Just because.
The two play nice together. I was able to make up 2 patchwork baby quilts using my FQ's I got and some blue Lakehouse polka-dot print. YUMMY.

Before I got my Babylock, I was sewing on a Brother Innovis. This was my 'transitioning' machine. She worked really well, for what I needed, until I wanted to go big time. Haha - well big time in my mind.
My Brother (Penelope) did not enjoy straight line quilting. She would cause puckers everywhere and this would give me major anxiety...which led to me hating straight line quilting. Interestingly enough, she relished in the stipple.

I have been getting to know my Babylock, whom I have lovingly named Betty, after Betty Draper in Mad Men. I named her after I saw Betty sitting at her kitchen table sewing one night with a cocktail by her side. This fits me perfectly, so Betty she is! ;) That is where my similarities with Betty Draper end. Moving on...

As I have been getting to know Betty, she LOVES to straight line quilt. NO Puckers! NONE! It's amazing. I read somewhere that your walking foot could be to tight, thus causing the puckers. I never tried to fix it on my Brother, because at that point I was just annoyed and threw in the towel. Well, I can happily say, I have retrieved the towel and am back to doing SLQ!

I quilted around the border, then cross-hatched the inside. I ♥ cross-hatching.

This one I used the green duck walk print from Country Girls for the outer borders. Aren't they so sweet?

And I echoed the patchwork lines.

These quilts are ready for a picnic! Let's go!

♥

Monday, June 23, 2014

Amber's Farmers Wife quilt finish...AMAZING

We have a sweet friend Amber from A little bit Biased that Megan and I met years ago at the SLC Quilt Market. It was all or our first time (actually our only time, and I think Ambers only time so far too) Anyhow, we have been quilting friends since. Attending a few quilt retreats together as well. Anyhow, I had to feature her Farmer's Wife quilt. Love it! I like all the shades of the red. Amazing! Also, Amber has just released some new quilt patterns. LOVE them! Make sure to check them all out here....

About a month ago I finished my Farmer's Wife quilt top

and I'm excited to finally share it with you!

My trip on the Farmer's Wife Express started back in January 2012 when my bosses and I decided that we would start a Farmer's Wife Club at Just Sew (the quilt shop I work at in Highland, Utah). We taught a different technique each month, including basic piecing, paper piecing, template piecing and applique so that by the end of the year we would have all 111 blocks complete. I learned a lot from teaching and participating in the club. I learned that I like template piecing (I had never tried it before). I learned about new tools for paper piecing. I paper pieced really intricate blocks and I made dozens of new blocks! I learned new methods for making half square triangles. I tried Y-seams for the first time! And I found out that tiny stuff - is actually really fun to make! It was a great experience overall and I'm really glad I was a part of the club.

Originally I planned on making all the blocks but somewhere along the way I decided that I really didn't need another queen size quilt so I decided to stop at 83 blocks for a twin size quilt. I feel good about my decision and still feel like this was a BIG accomplishment.

I decided that I wanted bigger sashing than what the book called for so I cut my strips 2" wide. I decided to go with the off-white sashing and setting triangles because I really wanted to keep the focus on the blocks. And, to be honest, I didn't know if I could handle any more red at that point. Let's just say that although I've always wanted a red and white quilt, I may be a little tired of it and have tried to keep my distance from it ever since :)

For the inner border I used a red tone-on-tone gingham print from Sweetwater's fabric line, Wishes. I liked that it had a dark and a light red

on it - to pull in all the different shades of red from the quilt center.

Plus, who can resist gingham on the bias? :)

Mitering the outer border was a first for me. I'm just glad that the stripes were small and relatively subtle so that if I was off it wouldn't be too noticeable (and I was off - pretty much on all 4 corners :) Unfortunately I don't know the name/designer of my outer border and backing but they both have a vintage feel that I couldn't resist.

I really want this to be hand quilted, but I know myself and know that will NEVER happen. So I am going to take it to a local group of ladies that hand quilt for hire and all the proceeds go to buy materials for patients at the Utah State Hospital. I think it will be a win-win situation but it takes 6-8 months to get it back so you won't be hearing any more talk about this quilt for a long, long time!

Happy Quilting!

~ Amber

Thursday, June 12, 2014

WIP finish! YAY

I had this quilt top in my closet for several years now. ...

normally I don't get to the point of the finished top. I normally have several blocks done...

But this was done, just sitting there. My nice Mother in Law took it home and finished it.

baste. quilt. bind. She is so nice to me.

Not sure what I am going to do with it yet. But it makes me happy. A finished darling quilt just sitting there.

The back. Love pieced backs.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Fabric Tuesday Folks...

Hello friends. Heather here. I think most of you are finding yourselves as busy as I am. First day of kids home for the summer today, 2 basketball camps, water park, friends, dinner with my mom, and outing to buy new basketball shoes for two kids. Day 1 done.

I don't want to be one of those Moms who hate summer break. I look forward to it for so many reasons, relaxed schedules. Just hanging out. But to make this a nice fun relaxed summer, I need to be on the ball, which isn't my best quality. Balance right?

Anyhow, here are a few favorites from last week. Link up, look and comment on each others projects. We all love feedback...happy summer!

Awesome Curved Log Cabin quilt from Fabric fulfilling its destiny. Beautiful!

Summer Activity Basket from Robot Mom Sews, love this idea!

Diamond Delight quilt from Cross Quilt, love this. Happiness.

Rainbow over the Seven Sisters quilt from Im Working on a Project. Awesomeness!

ABC quilt from Happy Quilting Melissa. Cuteness!!!

From Lisa in Port Hope, Easy Street. Prettiness!

Cake Baking in the Sewing room, from Porch Swing Quilts. Because come on! Adorable!

Friday, June 6, 2014

First Friday Giveaway Day

Happy First Friday! Take a look at some goodies from your sponsor and just one comment and you're entered into all the giveaways. Enjoy!

Southern Fabric

Southern Fabrics is giving away a $25 gift certificate!!

You are free to choose any darling thing you'd like! So many pretties to choose from!!

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Patterns Only

Patterns Only stock a huge selection of PDF ePatterns and paper patterns by all your favourite designers and offer a fabulous rewards points system, so everytime you shop you earn points to use against future orders saving you even more money!

Patterns Only is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a $25 voucher to spend on their website.

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1 Choice 4 Quilting

Giving away a Solstice Layer Cake!

Get a head start on your Holiday Projects with this beautiful Kate Spain Layer Cake. Also in stock FQB, Jelly Rolls and Charms of Solstice as well as other holiday collections. Also until June 9th Solstice is on sale! No coupon code needed!

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There you have it!! I would LOVE to win any of these prizes! Hopefully you do too! :)

If you've got some shopping to do, please check these shops out!

What's on your summer sewing list (or winter for our friends down under!)?

Leave a comment with your answer, you'll be entered into ALL the giveaways.

Entries accepted through Monday 11:59 PM MST.

Winners announced Tuesday.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

My dad's birthday and his quilt

Monday would have been our dad's 68th birthday. We never imagined last year we would be celebrating without him. It is safe to say that the day was far more difficult than any of us would've imagined. Back in Utah all of my other 6 siblings were able to gather at my parent's home.

They served Fish and Chips, a favorite of my dad's. I have been lucky enough to go to the fish and chips shop around the corner from the home my dad grew up in Grays, England with him. Memories I'll absolutely always treasure. I was so fortunate to visit his home with him a handful of time.

We did a balloon release. Everybody wrote notes and letters to my dad on balloons. Then we released them for him to read.

My uncle Andy, my dad's best friends and younger brother, releasing balloons in England.

And here we are in Virginia, my little family timing our release at the same time as everyone in Utah.

We also celebrated with Apple Pie, my dad's favorite.

I woke up and I felt okay. I knew it was his day and thought I would be okay. And then I saw the picture from my uncle and it was over. I had a very very sad morning. Missing my dad so incredibly much. I'm so thankful for my amazing mom and siblings, we are all suffering together and that makes it better in a way. I have 7 people who know exactly what I'm feeling, the massive void I feel and know my dad completely.

I decided that afternoon I would spend making another quilt block for his memory quilt. This is the 6th block, the white is his shirt.

I really enjoy sewing and creating, it distracts me and makes me happy. Then the cherry on top is working on this special quilt of my dad. I have a large canvas picture of him in there with me and yes, I talk to him.

Another one I haven't shared. The blue is his shirt.

The first three. Only the bottom plaid gray/blue is his shirt. The other two do not have his shirts.

I look forward to adding to the collection of blocks.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Fabric Tuesday 188! Come party!

Fabric Tuesday again around here friends! Let's see your projects you're working on this summer (or winter for those friends!). I get sooooo inspired by you all each week! I saw several Economy Block quilts and it is pushing me further to the edge...?? Dang! The list is long of quilts I'd like to make.

Here are some awesome finishes and a couple WIPs from last week! Enjoy!