Scrappy Patchwork {Client Quilt}

"One of the greatest gifts a person can give another, 

is support."

As a longarm quilter, I consider myself somewhat of a "support" person for quilters. I often get the questions "Why do you want to finish other people's quilt tops?  That one isn't even pretty...why bother?"

My answer always is "because I would want someone to do the same for me if I needed it."

Enter in a scrappy patchwork quilt from a client.  She commissioned me to make her a Handkerchief quilt (stay tuned), However, in the box of handkerchiefs, I also found an unfinished quilt top and backing she had chosen.  She wrote in her note that she was in her 70s and realized she was never going to finish it herself, she'd love for me to finish it for her.  All the scraps are squares she cut from various projects in the past. How can you say no?

I pulled this little dotted yellow fabric from my stash, inspired by the little yellow squares in the backing and the small pops of yellows in the front. She loved it for the binding.

I chose a simple meander in Superior Thread's Natural Linen.

I had to show you my binding style since I took this picture while I was working on it!

 My small Longaberger basket, some Aurifil yellow thread (I will use anything for binding....ANYTHING), needle and scissors.  I use paper binder clips to secure my binding to the front.  I know everyone loves Clover clips, but I adore these.  They are extremely inexpensive and come in fun colors. 

 I like how they flip down and don't get caught on things while I'm working (the clips catch and fall off on me...I guess I'm rough when I bind?)

I loved how the yellow turned out. 

It framed the blues, reds, and greens beautifully.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 37" x 60"

Pattern: Scrappy patchwork

Fabrics: Client's scraps

Quilted: Meandering Free motion on Handiquilter Avante

I'm excited to send this back to her! 

All finished instead of collecting dust in a closet somewhere.

A gift for her....that ends up being a joy for me. 

WIP Wednesday: Checklist

I was feeling productive until I looked around the studio and realized that I didn't get as much as I "thought" I would this week.

Like last week, my worst enemy got in the way a bit.

I am created havoc this week by organizing my area and shredding batting. 

 However, I made a small amount of progress on my list, so I have given myself some leeway!

First "Client" Quilt

Long arm quilting finished!   

Photo shoot of the quilt later and then off to the post office to return to its home!

Rosary Bags

I was asked to make and embroider some pouches for some of the teachers at my sons' school.  

Check that off the list!

Hex on the Beach

I will be perfectly honest. The pre-cut fabric is a little bit of a disappointment.  The fabric itself is AMAZING.  But the kit's hexies are just not giving me enough seam allowance to baste them like I like here.  Instead? I am using a glue stick.

  I'm not thrilled, but as you can see, it is getting the job done!

End of the Year Teacher Gifts

Do your remember this stack from last year?

Mug Rugs!!!

I hated my quick binding job, so I have ripped them all out.  

I re-trimmed the mug rugs to re-attach them more cleanly.  Two need to be done by Thursday, the rest? By June 3rd!!

In the meantime, I will try not to get distracted.

 

By my worst enemy #2.

Linking up

Too Many Irons in the Fire?

I have been feeling like I have a lot of projects, but I actually feel like I am making significant progress and so there is little to no anxiety!  However, I am sure Mr. Boss thinks I have too many irons in the fire, anyway.   I have a ton of things in progress, but I really want to keep this short since, well, the irons are getting HOT!

 

I have five complete tops and four pieced backings in waiting in line for a turn on Ole Betsy.  You can see them on the rack in the background.  The order of quilting goes Giant Vintage Star, Primarily Sean's Quilt, Spiders and Webs, and then Blizzard.

They are all gifts or quilts for our family!!  

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My other slightly time consuming work in progress is my long arm business adventure.

My soft opening of my Buttons and Butterflies Quilting Services is underway this week!  

The great thing about having quilting friends that will be guinea pigs for you is that you don't have to be too embarrassed about layout problems or typos.  I get to have them try my links, read my instructions, and fill out forms before going "live".   I already some questions have come up and are already helpful for me to fine tune things!!

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But, I digress, you want to see quilting, right?

Rodeo Quilt

   

I am excited about this project!  I was able to piece this completely Monday night.  It went together pretty quickly.

I already picked up my backing fabric and binding fabric.

I love the nod to a bluebonnet on the brown and I am calling the rose a "Texas Rose" even if it isn't.  The cool biased stripe is Grace from 3 Sisters and I love it.  

Of course, I am having a debate. 

The top and bottoms of the quilt have a cool angle that I want to keep. 

 But it would require a continuous biased binding.  Which means I would lose the diagonal effect that I would get if I cut it WOF?

Help me decide?

Bias binding and I will get a straight boring lined up pattern?

-or-

Cut it the opposite direction and hope I get a "striped" look?

-or-

 

Cut the cool edge off and just cut WOF binding to get a diagonal stripe?

 HELP!!!!!!!

Linking up with Lee!!!!!

My Brain Hurts

The past few days, I haven't had a lot of time to sit in front of my sewing machines.  I have been spending more time in front of my iPad or computer.  

It makes my brain hurt.

I have been working on my longarm machine quilting website.  It isn't anything terribly special, but trying to gather my thoughts and plans to make it an easy and smooth transition is taxing!

I won't pretend that I am all cool and actually building a website from scratch.  I am finangling Blogger to work for me.  I don't have a ton of overhead to hire someone!  I am also hoping it is a good starting point for someone to design the website for me based on what I envision, right?

I am feeling much better about it the today and hope that Mr. Boss and I can spend some time proofread and fine tune it this weekend for my "soft opening" on Monday.   I hope my guinea pigs realize what they are in for!!

Monday??! Eeeek!!!

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I DID also do something yesterday that needed to be done for a very long time.

Home Dec fabric shopping.  Our home is now 5 years old and some of the rooms still need some decorative window dressings.

I found a great chocolate embroidered silk for our dining room windows.

 The colors couldn't match the existing upholstered furniture or the rug any better.

The butterflies?  Match made in heaven, right?

Not only was it on sale, they gave me an additional 50% off because I also ordered 32 yards of this fabric for just one room.

Yup, you heard that right.  THIRTY TWO yards.   I think Mr. Boss might be having some sticker shock too.  I have been telling him for the past 5 years that I haven't been able to focus and make a decision on such a large amount of fabric.

I even had a bit of anxiety yesterday.  What if I ordered the wrong fabric? What if my calculations are wrong?  What if I cut it wrong?

Luckily I have 7-10 days to sweat it out....