Think Pink {Quilt}

"Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude!"

I always seem to have a story for a quilt.

This story is about the little girl that stopped by for a bit in our lives and then flitted away from us. We held on as tightly as we as we could, but she flitted away as quickly as her nickname, Butterfly. 

I picked up two very pink and brown jelly rolls on a whim the months after she left us. Confession?  I think I have a secret love for the color pink. All these years it has been suppressed because my life had been surrounded by the male chromosome in abundance the last eighteen years. 

I thought. "This will be my pink quilt. I had a girl and by golly, I'm making a impossibly girly quilt."

But I never got around to making one or finding a pattern I loved. I actually was going to sacrifice it for someone else as a quilt gift a few months ago and even unwrapped the rolls.  Which meant that I had then made it a WIP for my #my2015quiltlist and had an urgent desire to make it. Immediately.  No reason.  No rhyme.

I challenged myself to only use the pattern books I had on hand.  Tagged four or five possibilities and then considered that there were only really three colors for the quilt and landed on the "Blue Lagoon" pattern from the e-book I purchased last year called Jelly Rolly Quilts.

I am so pleased with the results.  I used only stash fabrics.

And just enjoyed doing some free motion quilting.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 68x74"

Pattern: Blue Lagoon by Pam & Nicky Lintott

Fabrics: Pink and Blue Jelly roll purchased at Hobby Lobby

Thread: Pieced with Gutterman, Quilted with Superior Threads

Quilting: Swirls and Flowers Freemotion quilting on Avante 18"

My Think Pink Quilt will live in my studio and I reminds me that I really need to finish my white slipcovers for the chair and a half so it can be my Valentine Quilt!

 

Blizzard {Quilt}

"Baby, it's cold outside......."

In December 2011, I started cutting a quilt the week before the "big" holiday in hopes I would finally have a Christmas Quilt.  I found a tutorial at Piece N Quilt called Figgy Christmas and thought it would be simple to do.  I started cutting the blocks and had the lower "layer" cake part finished.  Then the holiday rush came and went and it just didn't seem so urgent in the scheme of things.  And I was okay with that.  I packed it up and put it back on the closet WIP shelves.

Later, the in the new year, some friends and I decided to have a Virtual Sew In on Facebook.  I cranked out a few quilt tops and then I finished the applique and pieced it on August 2012.

And then it sat again.  I pieced the backing sometime in 2013.  I was worried that I had mixed homespun with cotton, so I stalled.  Then decided to wash it before quilting.

Then it took a backseat again.  

Until this summer.  June 2014.

I actually finished quilting it and binding it by the start of the school year.  

And didn't take pictures.  I had visions of having my husband helping me out. We would take it to some amazing location and pose for our family Christmas photos in front of it.   But I didn't.

So this morning.  Yes.  This morning, January 16, 2015.....I dragged it outside.  The pictures are not the best.  However, I'm not going to apologize.  It's done.  It is loved.  That's all that matters.

Details in the trees.

Swirling snow.

Curvy quilting to possibly mimic snow drifts.

Snowflake pantograph on the bottom layer cake portion.

Moda Red Binding.

Homespun backing with leftover block pieces.   I couldn't be happier.

It's keeping me warm on my bed this kinda chilly winter here in Houston!

Quilt Stats:

Pattern: Figgy Christmas by Piece N Quilt

Fabrics: Random Christmas Prints I bought circa 2010-2012

Thread: Pieced with Guttermann, Quilted with Auriful and Superior Threads.

Quilting: Freemotion and Snowflake Pantograph by myself on my Avante 18" longarm

 I can attest...it really is not a difficult quilt to make.

  I just took forever getting it done!

Red, White, and Blue {Floor Cushions}

This project is the first one that I loved as soon as I dreamed it in my mind.  I loved it as I made all the tops.  I loved it as I was quilting it.  I loved it while I was constructing it.  I loved it when they were all finished. 

RARELY ever happens to me.  I usually hit a bump in the road at some point!  I envisioned these quilted bean bag floor cushions to complement the Stars and Stripes Quilt  I made for the boys' game room last year.  

Want to hear the BEST part?  

Entirely made of scraps and stash!!

(NOTE:  I am TOTALLY aware that I took this photo of an upside down Texas flag!  I apologize all you Texans.  I was concentrated more on lighting than the actual cushion!!)

The first cushion was in honor of our home the last 11 years.  I thought it was perfect considering the large quilt is the US quilt!

I used heavy home dec fabrics and denim from old projects.  Because the piecing was actually rather simple and boring, I tried to have fun on my longarm with the quilting.  On the red, I played with my 90 degree angle ruler and made various sized chevrons.  I wanted to play with movement.

On the white, I just free motion quilted squiggly lines.

 Meandering in the blue stripe and tiny echoes on the raw appliqué denim star.  I didn't pick up the needle and just kept spiraling into the center. 

Diamond Quilting on the denim sides.  

Do you just love the white and red ticking as the binding as much as I do?

All three cushions are constructed the same. The bottoms are heavy home dec material or denim with a zipper a few inches away from one side. I decided to treat the entire cushion like a quilt.  I quilted all the parts and washed them before sewing the sides to the top and bottom. I decided to do a binding instead of piping so I didn't have to turn a lot of bulk, inside-out.  Inside, I made an entire lining in the same size to hold the bean bags with some old sheets.  That way, I can wash the cushion shell.  Boys are dirty, after all!

The second cushion was leftover strips from other projects and stash.  I pieced a few of the strips and then cut 60 degree angles to make the triangles.  I added the gray to break up all the red, white and blue.

It seemed to beg for the solid red binding for some pop.  The cushion sides were a home dec fabric that just didn't work out for my bedroom window treatments.  Waste not, want not. 

The third cushion?  Last, but certainly not least. Actually?  My FAVORITE! This five point star was so fun to make.  I was very random with my scraps and stash and I just love how it turned out!  I love the straight line star quilting. It crinkled so beautifully!

Another home dec red stripe fabric for the sides and a solid blue binding. I did not want to take away from the top!

Perfect, right?

January 2015: A Year of Lovely Finishes

Ever KNOW that your coming new year is going to be filled with change and adventure?  

I certainly do!

2015 is a big year for our family. I made up #my2015quiltlist the other day and realize I have a lot of quilt obligations, a few quilt goals, and a lot of quilt hopes. 

In order to keep on track, I am going to do my darnedest to keep up with the gals, Melissa of Sew Bitter Designs & Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts that organized A Year of Lovey Finishes at #AYOLF. 

 They have a lot of great incentives to win from their sponsors if you need that kind of encouragement.  I'm also hoping it just gets me to blog some more again. I miss it. 

Come join us!

A Lovely Year of Finishes: January 2015

My January Project this year is my oldest son's quilt, the Argyle quilt.

I actually finished the hexes quite awhile ago (I'm pretending to misremember the date)

 I finally took some time and faced the fact that it needed to be finishes BEFORE he leaves the house for college in the fall...and actually maybe use it and enjoy it?  I spent a day making the pieced borders and then took two days appliquéing the hexes onto the background.  Adding the skinny grey border was a breeze after that.

I pinned the backing onto the leaders over the holidays while chatting with my family...however, when I went to velcro it on my rails, I realized that I put it on crooked. 

 So my task this month is to reload it and then quilt it.

The binding is also all prepped and ready to go as soon as I'm done.  A full quilt by the end of January?  I really hope this makes the linkup for a lovely finish at the end of the month.

  I'm already skating at the end of the day to post this.  

Wish me luck!  I'm wishing all others luck too!