WIP: More "In Progress" than "No Progress"

I am excited today because not only is it WIP Wednesday, I actually don't have a lot of No Progress items this week!!  I feel bad because so much was accomplished this week and I know how frustrating it is when I see others make a lot of progress and I have made none, but I am happy that it is MY turn!!!  I can totally give credit to the Virtual Sew In I participated on Saturday!  I have a lot of great in progress photos on that post...I just grabbed a few for this post here to share!

Finishes:

Utility Aprons

I finished these aprons up on Friday!!!
I wanted them done before the Virtual Sew In, but ready to go for Monday.  This is just a sneak peek:

These were a gift for a good friend of mine!  I will elaborate on another post later this week and tell you all the details because the reason for the gift, the tutorial and fabrics deserve their own spotlight!!

In Progress:

Spiders and Webs, part deaux

Last week, I was having camera downloading problems and this is a picture of the pieced rectangles from last week. 

I was able to cut all of my triangles on Saturday.

And I have it in a sort of layout on my portable design wall waiting to be pieced.

 I have decided to do a black background and found this cute fabric for the backing.

Figgy Pudding Christmas Quilt

I finally pulled out my pieced background for the top of the quilt.  

I was able to cut out all of my trees and trunks...so all that is keeping me from a finished top is to get them appliqued and piece the large piece you see above to the lower half of the quilt!

Baby Girl Quilt

Remember how this baby girl kit has been sitting and waiting for me.  I think I have changed the recipeint in my head about a million times now?

I have a new recipient and cut out the pieces!!!!

Craftsy Quilt &  August do. Good Stitches block

My fabric arrived!  Thanks to my Kona color card, I think I chose my colors well.  When I showed the backing fabric to the boys and asked them if they were the right colors for the recipients family room, they responded with a resounding..."Ooooh, yeah mom".  Phew!

All those oranges and purples are some additions to help beef up my stash.  The do. Good Stitches block this month made me realize I need more orange and pinks to be able to pull from!

I consider fabric purchase as progress...don't you?

No Progress: 

Retro Flower Quilt

Thank You Quilt

Merry, Merry Snowman Quilt

I am tickled pink to see only 3 things on this list!!!!

New Projects:

A Secret Quilt 

I can only show you a snippet because I can't reveal all.

  I was able to complete the full top and pieces for the backing.  I hope to get this bad boy on Ole Betsy this week.  I have given myself a deadline of Friday!  You will see more of it soon!  I promise!!!

****Note:  I have A GIVEAWAY running this week until next Tuesday, September 4, 2012.  It is a thank you to all of my followers...old and new! 

Don't miss your chance to enter and win one of these fat quarter bundles of yummy Amy Butler and Kumari Garden. 

Off to link up with Freshly Pieced.  Today's guest poster is  Michelle from CityHouseStudio

I am in love with her library tote.....Go check it out!!!

More than one finish?

Stop the presses!!!

Granted, one finish is not a quilt, but hey...I take them where I can get them!

Button's Bluebonnet Romper

I won't go on and on about it in this post.  Just want to say...not to shabby for 14 years of not sewing much apparel?

If you really are interested it is all HERE!

Hartley's quilt

This quilt is so special to me!  My friend, the one who is also an amazing photographer, commissioned me to make a quilt for her cousin.  Her cousin lost her daughter after a fight in the NICU for prematurity.  She wanted a small infant quilt and also to see if I could do something with her name and prints (like I do for Butterfly Kisses HERE.   She is a darling little thing (both mom and daughter!). 

My first instructions....think girly girl!

Of course, when you are given that kind of request, it is wonderful....until you start feeling overwhelmed with ideas!  So I gave momma a few instructions.

-Check out my quilts, any speak to you?

-Any specific colors?

-Did you have a nursery set in mind for her? 

-Any specific object/nickname that you associate with her (i.e Butterfly for my Jamie)

She responded that she liked my diamond quilt HERE.  And that she was looking at this website Addison's Wonderland here for her the nursery. 

Images via Addison's Wonderland Website

Gorgeous, right?

So I checked out her nursery and asked some online friends if they recognized any of the fabric/fabric lines.  It turns out most were Amy Butler's Modern Midwest, with a few Kumari Garden.

Then, I knew I wanted a diamond design, and I remembered that Tracey had a really unique diamond quilt HERE that I wanted to base it off...

A Birdie in Bliss

 The diamonds and the shape are so unique and special!!

I love her bird and the scalloped circle!!

And her applique seemed like a perfect spot for the embroidery.

My interpretation...

 

Much smaller in size, so I had to adjust my diamond size. Mine turned out a bit boxier than I liked.  If ever I did it again, I would had more rows at the top and bottom.

Jack the seam "ripper" and I became good friends so I could get my points to meet.  I feel pretty good about them.  

My skill needs some work, but I am much further along than before!

I decided to go with an interesting shape I found on my Photoshop software.  I printed it out and appliqued the circle on top of it.  I used a blanket stitch, because I just love a blanket stitch!  I also chose a really soft yellow-cream thread for the prints and font because I wanted it to be soft like the yellow-cream of the Kumari Garden print.

I struggled to decide on a backing, but the Kumari Garden was so cut up in the diamonds, that I really wanted it to shine.  Good choice?  The binding is the same Amy Butler I used for the applique shape.

I decided on free motion loops with hearts hidden here and there.  I wanted the loops to be small and dainty, like the wee one she was!  

Overall, I am very happy with this quilt and can't wait to send it off so her mom can have it!

As for everything else...it will have to wait until next week to share.  I am leaving for my Spring Scrapbook retreat. This one is always important because only two months have gone by since the last, so there is little to update in my family album.  It allows me to  work on a "specialty" album this trip.  

Which one?  

I HAVE NO IDEA!  EEK! 

 Time to get ready!!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

I probably won't have much done for next week...but we shall see!

WIP: Wednesday...already?

First off, I love having my kids and husband home on holidays.  But, man, I pay for it the rest of the week!

This week, I am actually surprised that I have a FINISH despite Baby Button's Birthday and Party!  However, to many WIPs and UFOs I could cry...

Finished:

I only have a sneak peek because I haven't edited all the pictures yet.  It was a really fun, easy Sunday project.  Especially because I could delay laundry until Monday!!

A special project for my pugs! 

Stay tuned...I have the pictures on HERE!!

In Progress:

Butterfly Kisses

I  finished the one elaborate blanket last week and am almost finished with the second.  Unfortunately, My basket filled with THREE more this week!

Rainbow Layer Cake Swap

I finally made a decision on my layer cake assignments for my Distant Pickles swap.  Purple and Red-Purple.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the fabric I really wanted that was there before..and I can't order any online now because I have very little time since I need to mail it out.  The one thing I have learned, is that I really need to check out some of the other local quilt fabrics.  My shop doesn't have the most modern of fabric choices!

  Button was insistent on the stripe.  He kept yelling at me in baby talk and grabbing it from the shelf.  The quilt shop ladies said he was trying to tell me something!  Hopefully, everyone will like my choices?

No Progress:

Christmas quilt.  Hasn't budged.  This one makes me cry.  I think I will force myself to work on it tonight or tomorrow.
Thank you quilt. Fabrics still not cut.
Donation quilt (from Christmas time) Fabrics still not cut.
Baby Button's twin bed quilt.  Design finally decided on.  Fabrics not cut.  I am not even sure the fabrics are going to even work...


New Projects: 

Special baby girl quilt

I was commissioned to make a special quilt so I could include the embroidery prints I do over on Butterfly Kisses. 

I found a quilt on Tracey's blog again.  Hopefully she won't mind!  It just seemed to be the right quilt for this mom that wanted a "girly quilt.

 

The circle will be for the baby's name and feet prints!

 My fabric arrived last week.

Not all of it is for the quilt...I may have gone over my head in regards to my first foray into online fabric buying....

8th Grade Auction T-shirt quilt

Ever wonder what 72 middle school t-shirts look like in a pile?

This HAS to be done by the April.   I already have a plan in mind.  But first I want to scan each t-shirt into my EQ7 to see if my plan is actually a good one!!  Right now?  It looks like it will be AT LEAST a queen size.  Thank goodness for Ole Betsy!