Independence Dresden {Quilt}

“Independence is loyalty to one’s best self and principles.” ~Mark Twain

Meet my latest finish!!!

A very good friend sent me these vintage placemats she picked up at an antique store awhile back. I went back and forth on using them as placemats or making them into a quilt. 

After rediscovering them reorganizing the studio, I realized I have had them for about six years. I decided to just finish it and make it a quilt!

I found some leftover Navy Essex Linen to use as a background and plenty of the blue Simply Color fabric.  The blue had been designated for a winter quilt project that I abandoned earlier this year. 

It didn't take very long to applique the dresden plates after spending what seemed for ever planning the layout and pinning to the linen! The linen was about 44' wide and not my typically favorite size, but I knew going in that it would be more of a display quilt than a cuddle quilt.

 It definitely was a nice movie watching project along with some Needlepoint projects.

I decided to do some freemotion quilting on my longarm. 

Meandering seemed best for the linen background and I didn't want to take away from the original handquilting on the dresden plates, so I did some curved stitching on the insides.

I was so pleased that the backing colors and how they married with the original fabrics at the front. 

Because of the longarm, I did have to add a strip of scraps at the back to make a pieced backing strip. I can't express how important it is to have the extra fabric on the sides while quilting. 

My advice is to always upcycle old things into something more functional for you.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 44" x 62”

Pattern: Placemats are Vintage Dresden Placemats appliqued.

Fabrics: Vintage for the Dresdens, Navy Essex Linen Background

Quilted: Freemotion Meandering and curves on HQ Avante Longarm

Because of the colors, this quilt will definitely get pulled out for the patriotic holidays and not live in a bin anymore. I am so happy with how it turned out!

Red, White, and Blue Fun {Needlepoint Finish Projects}

"Done is better than perfect"

When I was reorganizing my studio at the beginning of the month, I found three needlework projects completed, but not finished. Long ago, I was making pillows with them, but they never were as big as I wanted or practical. 

The first two seemed pretty easy decisions. 

A rustic white frame for my kitchen display area and a small red frame for our family room end table.

The lighthouse needlepoint wasn't exactly "patriotic", but it had a vibe to it that could work, but knew that a frame wasn't going to be the finish I wanted. 

I searched around for ideas and settled on using some yarn I had for Christmas Stockings to make a binding edge. I wasn't sure about it at first....

...but it really turned out better than I thought. I used some blue heavy home dec fabric I had in my stash and stuffed and closed it.

It's tucked up in this cute basket filled with quilts and my Mount Vernon Shell Cushion Seat Kit I finished. 

 

I am REALLY energized this summer to get things done, both projects and blogging. It's kinda like finding "me" all over again......

Happy Flag Day {Quilted Pillows Covers}

 "The flag is not just one of many political points of view. Rather, the flag is a symbol of our national unity" ~Adrian Cronauer

I love to start decorating with my red, white and blue decorations and quilts at Memorial Day, but this year we had graduation, so I decided Flag Day would be my jump point this year.

My goal for awhile is to make pillows for our front porch and felt a simple flag block like the New Old Glory Pillows I made previously would work great.

The pillows are made of entirely scraps and stash. 

Some denim from my stash for the backside with a simple invisible zipper.  

Quilt Pillow Stats:

Measures:  16x24"

Pattern:  Adapted from several. An easy one by Diary of a Quilter here

Fabric: Various cotton scraps and heavy denim

Quilted: Diagonal crosshatch on domestic Babylock Symphony

I definitely think they pack a punch from a distance. 

Shall We? {Quilt Showcase Scrapbook}

 Are you in the mood to be reintroduced to some older projects?

In 2018, our family made a big move back to Texas and we had a lot of changes. Two boys graduating simultaneously, my husband opening his own business, and my reentry into the workforce were just a few distractions. The first thing to go to the wayside was keeping up with my blog. Some projects did make it on the blog, but I depending what was going on in our very full and busy life, it was often a time issue.

I love my blog because it's a journal of all of my projects, so I decided to have what I am calling a Summer Showcase of the quilts.

I actually spent some time and noted that I may have shared small glimpses or only a single photo of on Instagram, but didn't always share fabric choices and the design/pattern details...and the story. The story is always important to me.

It won't be a daily post, but my goal it to get five years of quilts and projects up on the blog this summer. I'm also hoping it puts a fire on me to clean up the website as well. So stay tuned for my #quiltshowcasescrapbook over the next several weeks with some new 2023 summer projects!!!

PS Fair warning. Overtime I will backlog the blog date to the date that the quilt projects are finished. This is in hopes that whenever I DO have time to print the blogposts with Blog2Print they are in chronological order...but let me get the blog posts done first....mmmkay??!!!??!

Sew Patchwork {Sew Scrappy Spools Quilt Along}

Hello June!!!

For the details of the quilt along, including pattern, supplies, and dates, see my earlier post announcement HERE.

This Month’s Blocks 

Sew Patchwork Blocks

This school nurse is in heaven since it's SUMMER BREAK! What better way to celebrate than making some patchwork blocks!

I was drawn to the yellow fabrics in the Bee Plaids this month. 

Maybe it's because yellow gives me sunshine and happy vibes?

 Stay tuned for next month’s block on Thursday, July 13th!

Previous Blocks:
Month One: Sew Four Patch & Sew Cabin Blocks

Month Two: Sew Checkers & Sew Dash Blocks

Month Three: Sew Flag Blocks

Month Four: Sew Flower & Sew Geese Blocks

Month Five: Sew Heart Blocks

Meet the other Quilters

• Heather Valentine, The Sewing Loft, (@thesewingloft)
• Jeresther Page, (@Sew_Sweet_SeeBee)
• Jessica Dayon, Skein and Hook, (@jessicadayon)
• Kimberly Bennefield, NW Pepper, (@nwpepper)
• Monica Walser, (@monica.walser)
• Rika King, House of Stitch & Stash, (@houseofstitchandstash)

Keep up with us by following @fatquartershop on Instagram to see and share work from your fellow quilters. Don’t forget to use #SewScrappySpoolsQAL to share your progress on social media on the second Thursday of each month, so we don’t miss seeing your scrappy quilts!

You can find Lori Holt on her blog, YouTube Channel, and Instagram (@beelori1).

 

Finish It {Studio Organization}

This is my FINISH IT pile for the week.

I’m going to be honest. I’m obsessed with finishes.

Projects at work, at home, and in my studio. I think about things I haven’t finished…a lot. I sometimes even torture myself.  But ooooh man. When a quilty or hand stitched project is finished? I feel like I’m on top of the world. The ultimate to do box checked is so satisfying!

But the reality is that life gets in the way. New pretty sparkly shiny projects become a MUST DO. I put projects in bins. I forget about them.

This summer I decided to take a real hard look at my UFOs and WiPs. I didn’t think I had a lot, but was curious about some of my “leftover quilt” bins.

 This weekend, I found a bunch of projects all jammed in several individuals bins. I made lists. Boy, I made lists. I separated into some empty shoe bins the ones I know I will make into projects before the meet the scrap bins. And new labels were made…no confusion on what’s in them.

Then I pulled these two projects that just had a patriotic feel and I had a great desire to work on finishing them this week since Flag Day and 4th of July are right around the corner.

A friend had sent me the vintage placemats a long while back. We never use placemats, so I thought I would applique them. I already have three completely stitched on and am loving it already!!

This needlepoint was tucked up with two other very patriotic needlepoints. Frames are on their way for the other two, but I really wanted to make this bigger one into a pillow. I figured it would be cute in in my large quilt basket.   I couldn’t resist starting the finished binding edge today. 

How am I going to manage my giant bin collection? 

I’ve made some deadlines, hard and soft. I’m not going to get stressed. I used my project planning sheets to make the long laundry list, but I am only going to go month by month in my planning calendar so it’s not too overwhelming for me.

But I can feel the excitement already of getting some finishes done!!!