Scrappy Monogram

At the December Modern Quilt Group meeting I got a big pile of grey scraps. Kristin had used then in a Polaroid quilt so there were a lot of triangle shapes. I am a really really slow decorator, we have been here for seven months and I have put nothing on the walls. I decided I wanted something with a monogram that would look framed and hang on the wall at the top of the stairs.  I looked for fonts that I liked and decided to use the 'M' from my signature in the end, just so it would be more personalized.

Then I just put the quilt together using the basic triangle shapes of the scraps.  The project went together really fast and I am pleased with the final result.

I used a Kaffe Fasset print that I have had forever on the back, I still have quite a bit left, it's been in my stash so long I don't remember where I even bought it. Yay for using stuff I have on hand and using scraps. I still need to put a sleeve on the back and decide what I am going to hang it with (any suggestion welcome!) I think when I put up one thing I will want to start on others, the first is always the most difficult.  

Purple polka dot love

This quilt is for my nine year old daughter.  She requested a room filled with purple and we are almost ready to put it all together.  We have paint for the walls and a few decorations.  I knew I wanted to make her a new quilt, something a little more grown up.  I found the backing first and went from there.  It's a Ty Pennington print.  If you look closely you can tell where it is pieced.

 Let me tell you up front, this looks way different in person, the dots and flowers and such just aren't photographing well.

 I got this pattern from a Quilt's N' More magazine published in the fall.

 I did swirls on the polka dots and daisies on the flowers for quilting.  And a straight line across the squares.  I didn't want the quilting to really overwhelm the business that is already inherent in the fabric.  On the green I did some horizontal lines. 

 It fulfilled my need to put something together quickly and have something that will look good on her bed.  I have a plan to make some pillows or shams to go with the quilt.  I just haven't done it yet ;). 

HST quilt

I go each month to a Modern Quilt Group Meeting at Broadbents.  Each six months we have a main challenge.  So far we've done bricks, strips, and now half-square triangles.  Everyone comes up with such amazing things, I love show and tell!  This time we got a packet of 75 six inch squares of fabric.  I added another 55 to the mix to get a quilt that is just under twin sized.

  I used a very light grey for my solid, I know it looks white in photos, it's not.  I backed this quilt with a Amy Butler print that I have had for quite some time.  It was just the right size, I love using stuff I already have.  I bound it with a navy blue print by Alexander Henry, I used it in these dresses a few years ago.

  I love how it turned out.  I like to call it the maze quilt.

This has been quite a year with lots of change and movement of our family.  I was surprised to see I have only managed to blog 8 times!  I feel like I have sewn, so I must have let blogging be the thing to slip.  We have moved twice and are now settled in our home.  That alone should improve my blogging.  I have been reflecting on my sewing goals for 2013 and am excited for the year ahead!

Finish-Irish Flag Quilt

 I love how this quilt turned out.  I loved that it used up a lot of scraps and that I actually made something with scraps!  I backed it with a super soft fabric that gave me terrible fits.  It was plush and soft on both sides and made for a lot of broken needles.  I wanted to give up at one point, but I am glad I didn't.

Diaper Bag and Baby Blanket

 I don't know how many times I have made this bag, it's such a convenient diaper bag.  This one is made with Madrona Road fabric, I love the way it turned out.  I had just enough of these prints to make this bag with hardly any scraps. 

I also made a little receiving blanket.  It is flannel and cotton.  I was pleasantly surprised to find out the baby had a nursery decorated in a space theme.  The orange rockets fit right in!  It's a self-binding blanket.

Works in Progress

I have been sewing quite a bit this past month, just not blogging.  I am terrible at taking pictures, which may be the main reason for this blog.  It forces me to record the things I have made.  I give a lot of stuff away and a few times I have seen a friend with a blanket and almost asked where they got it!  I think it's outta sight outta mind.  And it's usually been quite a long time since I gifted the item when that happens.  Anyway I don't usually do a lot of WIP's, but I have a lot right now and I want some motivation to stay on task and some progress shots.

I have seen a lot of flag quilts hanging around these days.  Mostly they are Union Jacks, which I love and will try one day.  In the mean time I decided to get out a bunch of orange, white, and green scraps and put together an Irish Flag quilt.  I haven't quite decided on what to back it with quite yet.  I love the way it turned out though.  I am shocked at how many scraps I have left in these colors.  I am not great at scrappy quilts and this is really my first true attempt.  I will be making more!

My third baby turned five this past week and I made her a new coat for this winter.  The pattern is by Favorite things and I have had it for quite some time.  I made Jack a coat from the pattern seven or eight years ago.  I used the Sophie fabric by Chez Moi by Moda.  I lined it with some minky and have batting between the  layers, it is super soft and super warm.  She loved it!

 I cut the name off the selvedge and sewed it onto the front and on the inside. 

This is a Halloween quilt kit I bought years ago at Deseret Book when they had a Mormon Handicraft section and the store was inside the mall.  I finally decided to put it together and now I just need to get it ready for quilting.  I have been wanting to try basting spray and I think this is the project I am going to start with.

This quilt has been coming together slowly over a long time.  I posted about it long ago before I had the borders sewn.  Well, now it is all pinned and ready to quilt.  I just want to make sure and get the quilting right, so it's a bit slow.

The Broadbent's Modern Quilt group had a patriotic stripe swap over the past session.  For three months everyone exchanged eight inch striped fabric blocks.  I cut the blocks into two and a half inch strips then pieced them together with white.  I offset each row to get a feel that it's waving.  You can see the large striped fabric peeking out on the bottom, it's also pinned and ready to quilt.  It is what I would call a plus sized throw.  Not a full twin sized, but pretty close.

I have a lot of projects I want to start on the horizon, but I really need to finish these up first.  September was a busy month.  I have hope that October will afford me a bit more sewing time.

Brick Quilt

 

 For the Broadbent's Modern Quilt Group we had a challenge of working with bricks.  For the second session we got a packet of black and white bricks and had to choose what to do with them.  I decided to add a Kaffe Fasset fabric to them.  My inspiration was the wall in my grandmothers garden.  As a child I remember thinking how her back yard was a garden paradise full of color and life. 

This picture was taken in mid-April.  When I was a child I visited in June and July.  The pavers used for her garden wall were my inspiration.  I love how the moss creeps between them. 

I quilted this one using a side to side ripple pattern, it reminds me a bit of camouflage.