Thursday, March 27, 2014

Texas Style Birthday!

Three and a half weeks later, I'm finally posting about his birthday, but I don't want him to say that I forgot his special day.



Seventeen.
 I cannot believe I have a child that will be an adult in less than one year.




Button can't believe it either!

The story goes.....the birthday boy wanted boots.  Bonafide, good ole, Texas boots.  If you have not ever had the honor of buying boots?  I have one word for you.
  Expensive.


It was also the type of thing that I couldn't go buy and wrap up. 
You need to make sure the boots fit perfectly.

So I decided to make him a Texas flag throw pillow to tuck in with his gift card.


  
The Marquette U. throw pillow was such a big hit last year, I thought it would be fun to do again.  Especially since I haven't finished his quilt yet. Yikes. 
 

But then I thought just the boot gift card would be boring, so why not more gift cards?  Or better yet?  A "certificate" declaring him an official Texan. 


 He was born in Virginia, but has been here for the past 11 years of his life!


I think he liked it! 

(Whataburger is a Texas thang)

And at that point the bunting I made for the fireplace made sense to him.


and the cupcake toppers.


All in all? A pretty successful birthday!
Too much for a seventeen year old...or not enough?



Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Quilt Label Fun

I think quilt labels are so important. I've been going through my blankets and quilts in our house and know that I have labels on the ones I have made. However, I also have some quilts that were handed down to us.  Especially this one from my husband's great grandmother without labels.


I know there is a story. But what story? I know bits and pieces about her, but are they true? Was this quilt actually made by her?  Don't get me wrong, I believe my in-laws, but it sure would be nice to know what year it was made. Who was it for?  


That is why I always make sure I make a quilt label. My attempts have improved over the years from pieces of muslin with sharpies to things like this to printed fabric to embroiderd labels. 


I'm always trying to find a unique quilt label because I despise a big blob on something that I've worked so hard on!


For these labels, I designed an embroidered puzzle appliqué.  I had already quilted the tops so I couldn't put them on my embroidery machine. 


Instead, I skipped the appliqué part and embroidered it out on a piece of solid fabric.

Then I cut around the puzzle leaving 1/4 inch around the satin stitching.  I did some hand stitching and needle turned them under! 

I'm pretty happy with the results and they blend into the backings pattern!  



But first, I need to add the binding on Tristan's quilt. 


Monday, March 17, 2014

Button's First Quilt

   {Quilting with Toddlers/Kids Tutorial}




 I often struggle because the boys ask me frequently to learn to quilt. We usually start a super simple patchwork quilt. Get the squares cut and start piecing....then lose all steam. Sad, really. 


Button has been cutting up little scraps with his scissors lately and keeps asking to make a dragon quilt. He cuts out a tail and a body and I'm left with the question.  Now what?



Saturday,  I had an answer. 

I printed off a coloring page of Stuffy the Dragon from the Disney show Doc McStuffins.


coloring page via Pinterest. 

 I then laid it under a scrap piece of white fabric.


He and I cut different shapes and then he glued on the pieces with some fabric glue. 


His idea to make brown dots for eyes. 


We rummaged through my scraps for backing and found the right scrap batting size.  Sprayed the layers together with quilting spray adhesive to make the proverbial quilt sandwich. 

He liked the spray adhesive.  Team effort to push the nozzle!

Then we sat down at the machine and I did raw appliqué with a freemotion foot. Nothing fancy. The idea was quick satisfaction. Appliqué and quilting at the same time. 


I trimmed all the excess down. He isn't allowed to mess with the rotary cutter yet. He still steals the water bottle and squirts everything. Not to be trusted. 

We added the binding together. He likes to help push the scissor button and the foot button. 


I think the key is to give them a job and not worry about perfect finish.



I started hand sewing the back while he played with the binding clips. 

The total time. One hour.


Not too shabby for very short attention spans.

To make it official:

Quilt Stats
Measures: 8.25" x 11"
Pattern: Button's "stuffy" Pattern
Fabrics: momma's scraps
Quilting: Freemotion on momma's machine
 
 I had other plans with the hour I had to spend in my studio on Saturday.
Normally, I would be cranky about sharing that time.  However,

I have ZERO regrets stopping and spending it with him.
Don't forget to take a picture of the back, momma!

The smile says it all!


Friday, March 7, 2014

Rainbow Starstrip Quilt

November's Imagine Circle@ Do.Good Stitches Bee quilt is all finished!!



I asked the lovely ladies if it was all right if this one time we could give to another good cause, an auction!  The luncheon is for Special People In Catholic Education (SPICE) and being a mother of two dyselexic sons, I can't thank them enough for saying yes!


I love this quilt so much and I KNOW I will do another in the future....maybe for our regular charity!!

Now to the quilt stuff.

The blocks are using the Starstrip Block Tutorial that I worked up.  Each bee member was assigned a color.


I asked them to use coordinating low volume centers for the "stars".


They pieced together easily since the blocks were a nice size.

When it came time to do a border I really debated. Just white or a lot of color. I think the postage stamp border was the best of both worlds!



I knew I needed a quilt pattern that meanders but was interesting just the same. I decided to try my hand at "ribbon" quilting.


Definitely fun!  I basically travelled a path one direction and the traveled closely back. Letting it get wide to thin and even crossing.


For the backing, a simple black and white crosshatch. Binding small black and white dots. 

Quilt stats
Measures: 60"x60"
Fabric: scraps, scraps, scraps
Backing: crosshatch from Joann's.
Binding: dots from Whindam fabrics
Quilted: by myself on Avante 18" 


All set up for the auction!  With a quilt card to the winner so they know who worked so hard on it!



 I'm not sure of the final bid, but I know it was doing well when I checked on it midway through the luncheon!!  Thanks my dear do.goodstitches friends!!!



LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...