WIP: Missing in Action

I have been terrible about sharing my in progress projects lately!  I have been jumping in with finishes, which isn't really what I like to do around here.  However, two separate Spring breaks spanning the month of March about dug me in a grave!  I love my boys being home.  I love a break from homework.

  But the house gets slightly VERY chaotic around here!!

Finishes (since my last visit to WIP Wednesday)

Tumbleweed Quilt

Going from recent to oldest.  I just finished my Rodeo quilt this past weekend!  

The quilt that is a nod to our Houston Rodeo that I love and adore every year.  

This quilt has been stolen from me.  You HAVE to go see by whom.

Primarily Sean's Quilt

Finished this right in time for an Easter visit from my sister and her gang!

Whether I would finish it WELL was a shaky at one point, but I am pretty darn happy with the finish and I still loved his name foundation pieced on the back HERE.

Spiders and Webs, part deux

My second go round with my Spiders and Webs tutorial.  

It is staying home.  Two of the three quilts in March are mine, mine, mine....or *cough* "ours".

Snowflake Row

 I have to admit, I was asked if I'd like to join the Winter Wonderland Round Robin when I was under the influence of pain killers in December.

When I came back to my normal lucid? 
I was thinking, "What did I sign up for?  A tutorial?  For a whole ROW!?!?? Not a block?"

But it all worked out.  It even got me to finish fixing my EPP tutorial from last November.
 I am pretty excited about finishing the other rows in the Round Robin.

  Not too late to join in!!!

In Progress

Do. Good Stitches 

Scrappy Feather Block

I'm late.  March blocks.

One down, one to go

Cat in the Hat

My other nephew's quilt is in the cutting stage. 
He is my godson, so I have to do this one perfectly this time! 

When I started cutting, I started to get concerned about the massive EXCESSIVE amounts of fabric I had ordered. (pssst..do not order fabric under the influence either, okay?) I was a bit intimidated at the thought of making a bunch of Dr. Seuss quilts for my Etsy shop.  I REALLY didn't want to do that many quilts with this fabric.  Luckily, a good friend has given me an idea...but it is top secret since my sister already knows about the quilt.  Some things must remain sacred around here!

Blush Quilt

I have finally had some time to dive in on the quilt I am making for my aunt that was diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer.  She is still fighting, so I want to send this too her ASAP.

I have made my block fabric choices and am still auditioning background fabrics.

 From Left to Right:  Stone, Pale Flesh (ewww for the name, right?), Snow
 Getting ready to cut out.  Which one do you like?

Stars and Stripes

This hexie quilt is clipping along at a decent pace.  I have almost all of my blue/white rows sewn together.  Not only the rows themselves, but rows together.  Just three more left to make the rectangle. 

Layout phase

I have had to take out the cardstock as I have been working because it was getting so large and difficult to take along with me.

Action shot.  Watching a movie.  My lap is fully covered!

  I am also getting excited because I now have a plan on what I am going to do with it and now can go back to the original design with the borders from the pattern (I was leaving them out before).  

New Project

Look what came in the mail two weeks ago.  

Hex on the Beach with Tula Pink!

Can you say?
Mmmmmmmmm..... 

However, I have laid down the law.  I am not allowed to start basting those sweet little hexies until Stars and Stripes is done.  There.  I said it.  It's in writing.  

Linking up with Lee

Did I tire you out after this post? 

I tired myself out!

Spiders and Webs Quilt (part deux)

It's finally finished!

I am not sure why it excites me because it is the same Spider and Web pattern I have already have done before, which usually bores me.   However, I wonder if it is more the fact that I love getting things done that are "hanging over my head" like this quilt.  It certainly isn't needed right now since it is for Halloween, but it was a quilt top that was haunting me (pun intended?) for awhile and just getting in the way!  

  I am super happy with the choice of a black background and love the scrappy black and white binding.

The quilting was fun and easy on my brain this time.  I stitched in the ditch along each triangle to emphasize the "web" and then did squiggly lines all around each stripe.

And I tried my hand again at meandering/stippling. It just is strange to me and very amoeba-like, but I wanted to practice in case a client asked me to do so on theirs.  Never hurts to practice.  And I am really pleased with the way it flowed to the outer borders.

I am still in love with the enlarged web on the back.  I had a completely different pieced plan, but as I was laying it out, my eyes started crossing at all the strips I had laid out.  The choice to make it a big "web" in the middle of a sea of black ended up giving me the "rest" I needed.   

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Now, by now, I am sure you all know that I can't let all the oopsies not be shouted to the rooftops.  

First, how 'bout that crazy shadowed photo shot of the back above?  Way to make an effort, Heidi!

Second,  I had a few big oopsies when I was trying to create the web on the back!!

I was short because some of my strips were 42" and some were 44".  Instead cutting a new stack of 2" strips to make two more triangles, I just pieced in some scraps as needed.  

Two of the triangles have them.  Gives them character, right?

However, the biggest foible with this quilt?

Natural and Warm batting. 

Showing through at the bottom.  The white specks are not my dandruff, swear!  They are bits of batting. *insert hummph face*  I noticed it a bit at the top when I was quilting, but I was shocked when I looked at the back.  It is pretty horrendous.

  I will be honest, I have never run across any advice about black quilts.  Why?  Probably because I have never actually made a predominately black quilt before.  

Irony? I happened to come across some advice during my research while creating my longarm quiting service website after this bad boy was already started.

Purchase black/dark batting for black quilts.  

Couldn't I have read this sooner?!?!?!?

 

Anyone know how to fix this?  It looks a bit better after washing, not worse. I am really bummed because isn't the pattern on the back pretty cool above?  The tufts really ruin the look.

Photo taken before attaching

I also went back to attaching my labels after quilting.  With the last few quilts, I haven't  been completely happy about how the quilting from the front looked on the back with the labels pieced into the back.   Sometimes it is just best to admit defeat!

But hey.  It's a quilt. Just for us.  It will do the trick! 

WIP: Last minute post

I was about to type up my WIP post earlier, but was distracted by white smoke!

 I don't expect everyone to understand all the hype about the Pope, but it is a very exciting thing for us in our home! I am not one to wave my Catholic flag because I respect that so many others have other religious organizations they belong to or not at all!  I am just super glad that the boys were home from Spring Break to see it live! 

 Now that I just gushed my excitement...back to quilting!!!  

Things are relatively quiet since we had company in town taking advantage of the fact that the boys are home from school this week!  

I had a finish RIGHT before they arrived and did some hand sewing late in the evenings!

Finishes:

The Giant Star

Still love this quilt today as much as I did Monday!!!  I highly recommend this quilt to anyone looking to use their large motif prints, especially if you have Fat Quarter bundles waiting for a good project.

In Progress:

Spiders and Webs, part deux Quilt

I have been working on the binding the last few days.

Actually...it is done, but I haven't done a quilt label yet.  I am determined to do a quilt label before I call it a full finish.

Stars and Stripes

35 white hexies basted

15 to go.  Not to mention that I still have to address the blue stars.  I am still thinking hand embroidered stars.  I still have 3 more months to get it done, right?

No Progress:

I was going to list all of my quilts, but decided that I would list the quilt that is next in line and needs my attention.

Rodeo Quilt

It is waiting for me to get quilted.  The Houston Rodeo is almost over.  My goal is to have it all done by the Championships on Saturday.  Why?  Just because.

 I am also actually chuckling...as if a quilt has the ability to beg and whine for me to quilt it!

  I must be a quilter if I think my quilts can *speak* to me!

 Hope everyone is doing well this week!

Since it is on my mind...do other religions have interesting traditions for the "passing of the baton" of leadership like the Catholic Church?  I have learned a bit through the years about other religions, but do not pretend to know them well!

 I am really truly interested!!!

Linkin up!

Stunned

 I honestly don't think I have ever made such progress in one week, like I have this past week!  I will try to be short and sweet with my comments because this is going to be a full post!

Finishes:

Teen Boy's Throw Pillows

His Marquette U. logo pillow that came with a big surprise on his birthday.

And the other boring *yawn* pillows.  

I have to admit...I like the four quadrant striped one!

Turtle Quilt

Finally done! 

The process took much longer than I wanted, but you can see all the details HERE finally made me happy.

In Progress:

Giant Vintage Star

Quilted it this weekend.

Binding is attached and on to hand sewing!

Rodeo Quilt

Cut my binding!

I opted for WOF cuts so that I could keep the diagonal stripe.  I just have to finish piecing the back and it is next on my list.

Primarily Sean's Quilt

Quilted swirls.

 However, a debacle.

Me.  Doubting my original measurements when I loaded it.

  Do you see that I am 4 inches short on my backing?!?!?  I now have to piece more backing to my already pieced backing.  I am a bit frustrated...so it sits and waits for me to gird my loins, as they say.

Spiders and Webs

On Ole Betsy as we speak.

Opted to make sure I remembered how to meander in case someone asks me to do it for them.  It isn't my favorite style, but it was a welcome and brainless after the debacle on the one above!

No Progress:

Who cares?!?! Did you see all that stuff up above??

Linking up

The Itsy Bitsy Spider {Wicked Blog Hop} and {Block Tutorial}

It's
October 31st....   Halloween!!!!!    

   My turn to be WICKED for the Wicked Blog Hop!   A big thank you to Mdm Samm at !Sew We Quilt! and Wendy at Why Knot? for dreaming up, organizing, and hosting this great blog hop!

If you are new here?  Welcome!!!
An Itsy Bitsy Spider Block for you!

She measures 12.5 inches...but can be made ANY size or style you would like.  I decided to showcase her on this 16 inch pillow, so I had to add a few things!

First off, I chose this block because I have been meaning to do a spin off of my Moda Bake Shop  quilt tutorial.

TUTORIAL HERE

The boys are in high Wicked decorating mode! Spiders galore!

Ever since I surprised them last year with My Haunted Mansion decorations

And they decided to scare the neighborhood as best they could

Halloween has become a new family affair.

I made Throw pillows last year,

  but a few chairs have mentioned that they feel much neglected this year. (yes, my furniture and house talk to me). I can't stand to disappoint them, so new throw pillows!!

I took the block (tutorial below) and added large sashing on only two sides so it was juxtaposed in the corner.

A bit of spider web quilting.

I simply stitched in the ditch, and then echoed the hexagon pattern a few times around to the edge. I then used the pieced seams as my guide out to the perimeter. I then added some more in between. I recommend starting in the center each time so it stays smooth in the center. 

And to be a wee bit wicked, a fly with button eyes, button body, and felt wings. Poor thing is trapped in the web.

A cheeky spider made up of buttons and hand embroidery making an appearance to see if he might have caught his next meal.

He is hanging from a double threaded back stitch.

I had to pull out this fabric from my stash for the backing.

And binding.  It reminded me of bug eyes!

 It was the first time I have ever used a binding on the edge of a pillow.
  I really like how it creates a combination of piping and flange. I definitely will keep this idea in my back pocket for future pillows.

Oh?
Why am I in love with this fabric?

It made its first appearance as the binding for my Trick or Treat Charm quilt I made this month for an auction.

Oh. And guess who won it? My sister! I have a sneaky feeling she was very Wicked herself to get it!

Overall, I think this block is fun and has a limitedness of potential!

Want to make one yourself?

_________________________

The Itsy Bitsy Spider Web Block {Tutorial}

Cut several strips in various sizes, I recommend smaller ones for the "webs". I marked on the photo the sizes I used to so this particular 12.5 inch block. I cut the strips from WOF and pulled leftover strips from my long arm machine ventures.

Just remember that you need to make sure the width of the long strip rectangle measures half the size of the finished block you want. In this instance, I made mine 7 inches high because I wanted to trim mine down to a 12.5 inch block. I like to have that leeway!

Sew them together!

Next check your ruler out! Many of your rulers will already have a 60 degree angle on it. Go look!

You simply line the 60 degree line up with the top of your strip and cut the angles.

I have a very detailed demonstration of this cut at the Moda Bake Shop tutorial. You will see that the angle is the same for any size strip. It makes a perfect equilateral triangle by turning your ruler both directions.

Because I made the choice to go larger with my triangle for wiggle room, I did have to make a second shorter striped rectangle to make one more triangle!

 But if you plan to make an exact 12.5 inch block or smaller you should only need a pieced strip the length of your WOF (width of fabric)!

Time to layout the triangles.
 You will have some that match in the center and some that match on the outside. For the purpose of this pillow, I used the one that had the purple toward the center. I plan saving the other triangles for some other ideas I have!

Now split your hexagon in half.

Piece each triangle together by making sure you match up those strings with pins.

 Or just be Wicked and just go for it!
 

After you have pieced both sides. You will have two halves

Simply piece them together and you will have a hexagon.

Next cut a rectangle the height of your other stripped rectangles and double the width of that same measurement. In this case I wanted to play it safe and cut mine 7.5 inches by 14 inches.

I then started cutting 60 degree angles again. This time saving the half triangle ends and cutting the center if the equilateral triangle.

Piece the four triangles to the corners of the hexagon.

At this point you simply trim to make your 12.5 inch block.

 
 I was VERY Wicked and didn't take a picture of the block all alone at this point because I was anxious to get it ready for the pillow!

  Now that you have checked out my Wicked post....Go make sure you check out the rest of the blog hop participants  today!!  It has to be pretty wicked scary today considering it is HALLOWEEN!!!!   

Wicked Wednesday,

October 31st

Beaquilter
Fun Thread Designs 

Stitch, Stitch, Stitch

Made By A Brunnette

Buttons And Butterflies

The Recipe Bunny

Quilted Delights

Sunshine Reflections

Louzeekreativ

Mice In The Mix

Rosemary - That Other Blog
The Fuzzy Hat Quilter
Sew We Quilt


And if you missed the other days...just click on the Wicked Image at the top of this post or in my sidebar.  There are AMAZING projects going on out there!