Minky Texture {Quilt}

 "May you remember the texture for days..."

When I attended Quiltcon in February 2016 in Pasadena, Shannon Fabrics had a booth and they were allowing attendees a choice between a stack of charms of their cuddle or something else (that I can't remember for the life of me).  I figured I might get a baby quilt or something out of the charm pack.

.Fast forward to September 2016, the charm stack was, in some strange way, leering at me.  They started annoying me enough that I started looking at my stash. 
 

Unfortunately....I didn't have a ton of great cotton fabrics in the colors.  But I did have some seersucker and gingham from the days when I thought I would make Button some more clothes other than the one outfit for Bluebonnets.

I quickly decided on a square in a square design, with a small 1" border around the charm to offset it from the ginghams and seer-suckers. I ended up adding a few of my leftover scraps of minky cuddle (light pink and white dot and rosette pinks) to the mix to make it larger.  

Before I knew it, I had a nice size baby quilt.

I decided to do some free motion on the quilt to define each "square".

I have to say, that I am delighted!

I'm not quite sure how the seersucker is going to feel after washing...it does definitely have some serious texture.

I left the centers untouched and I love how they pop up in the middle.

I didn't have a quilting plan and just plaid around with lines, scallops, loops, and feathers.

 Following my Sew My Stash rules, I found cotton pinks for the backing. 

I contemplated using minky, but I love how the squares puff on the back too!

I chose the same dark pink for the binding.  I'm really using up some old stash!!

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 48" Square

Pattern: Square in a square

Fabrics:  Shannon Fabrics Cuddle, Joanns seersucker, gingham, cotton And  Kona Cotton solids

 Quilted: Freemotion on HandiQuilter Avante

I'm not sure where it's final home will be, but for now, I'll just pet it and wait for the right recipient!

Boy {Memory Quilt}

May always brings Mother's Day, flowers, and graduations!

This memory quilt was commissioned for a young man that attended the same high school and elementary schools of my sons.

His quilt includes items ranging from baby outfits and baby quilts, to Little League jersey and concert tshirts.

I had many, many ideas run through my head, but I finally settled on simple. 

I decided to unify all the colors with a gray sashing.

I quilted it with Omni Gray in a meandering pattern on my longarm.

I went with my standard minky backing. This time, in a gray to reflect the sashing on the front. 

I figure if the recipient isn't too sentimental about their clothing items made into a quilt, at least the soft backing will encourage to cuddle under them.

Black binding framed it out. 

Quilt Stats: 

Size: 82" x 82"

Fabrics: Kona Gray, Shannon Fabrics gray minky, Kona Black

Quilting: Free motion meandering on HQ 

Avante longarm.
 

Judge Pride Quilt {School Auction Quilt}

Ever since I made my oldest his Marquette Bound quilt, I knew I wanted to make other patterns in school colors with the logos in the futures. School auctions are the perfect moment for me to do so. Especially if it doesn't have to be a "class participation" like a lot of them I've made in the past. 

Since I have boys, I always try to think in terms of "would a boy want this quilt too?" when I choose a pattern. Missouri Star Quilt Company (MSQC) has a great Houndstooth pattern that seemed to fit the bill. 

I also purchased the four colors I needed from MSQC. 
Kona Tomato, Kona Black, Kona Corn Yellow, and Kona White. 

I had planned out in Photoshop the tartan color pattern I wanted. 

I cut my charms and strips and pieced my blocks like a mad woman. 

And it didn't look awful,

but I just didn't love the way the Houndstooth pattern didn't seem distinct for each block. 

So I reworked the math and made some mixed striped blocks and went to bed. 

The next morning, I realized I let my excitement get away from me the night before because I had cut and pieced the wrong yellow from my stash.

Oopsies.

No worries. I made some more with the correct yellow and I'm saving the oopsies for another fun project. I might even name it "Oopsie".

The extra work paid off and I loved that I made the extra effort to get it "right". 

Once I had it all laid out and pieced, I spent some time working on the logo.

 I would be a liar if I didn't tell you it took me several hours to draw on wonder under, cut and appliqué each layer. 

But it was so worth it. 

I chose the pantograph Quirky pattern

and used my old reliable off white Omni thread by Superior Threads.

I love, love, love a pantograph on Shannon Fabrics minky backing.

and the simple quilting pattern I used on the logo.

A pop of the Kona Black for the binding. 

A printed quilt label on the back.  

I love the stripe that breaks up the two minky pieces that are needed to make it wider.  I couldn't get a 90" backing in time for quilting!
 

And it was all ready for the school auction......early!!!!!

Quilt Stats

Size:  67" x 76" 

Pattern: Modified Houndstooth pattern 

From Missouri Star Quilt Company

Fabrics: Kona Tomato, Corn Yellow, White and Black, Shannon Fabrics Yellow

Batting: Warm & Natural

Quilting: Quirky Pantograph on HQ Avante longarm with Off White Omni By Superior Threads 

Rodeo Rider {Baby Quilts}

This little quilt brought back all the memories of Texas, the place we called home for 13 years.  Where our youngest, my little cowboy, was born.  The corner of the world where I fell in love with the Houston Rodeo and made a rodeo baby quilt, shirts, and my very own rodeo quilt.

Fat Quarter Shop is celebrating their Top Ten Videos of 2015.  The Joyful Jelly Roll Tree Skirt I shared yesterday was one and now this top is from the popular Bloom and Bliss Receiving Blanket pattern.

I had thought I would step out of my quilting shoes and make a flannel receiving blanket.  

But then I found myself rummaging through my minky stash and couldn't help myself and made a quilt.  This backing is an embossed minky by Shannon Fabrics and is a leftover piece from my oldest son's Marquette University quilt.

I quilted it simply with a meandering pattern.  I loved the rounded look of the flannel blankets and rounded out the corners and made bias binding in a coordinating Riley Blake Rodeo Rider.  

Oh.  And did I mention I still have a girl version too?  The great thing about the pattern is that you can grab a layer cake stack and make more than one!!!  

I'm debating over pink or Aqua minky backing. Meanwhile, I will just sit in my rocker, add some hand embroidery and dream about Texas.......

Bloom and Bliss Receiving Blanket Video

Bloom and Bliss Receiving Blanket Pattern

 If you do make a Bloom and Bliss Receiving Blanket (#fqsreceivingblanket), or any of the quilts featured in the Fat Quarter Shop's Top 10 Videos of 2015, make sure to post it on Instagram before January 31st with the hashtag #FQSTop10 to be entered to win a $100 gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop!