Frosting {Quilt}

"Grandmothers are moms with lots of frosting"

I adore these quilts. I actually finished them in January and was supposed to mail them off to their recipients. But I just couldn't let them go. 

Honestly, I just didn't mail them because I never got around to making their labels.
And I let a lot of other projects, and life, get in the way. 

I used jelly rolls I had that I had picked up a million moons ago at either Joanns or Hobby Lobby. The Granny Square pattern by Blue Elephant Stitches from Moda Bake Shop was well done and it came together quickly. 

Very quickly!

My big problem was that I had a matching white issue. After a long drawn out process, I discovered that there are actually, not just dye lot issues, with Kona White, but there are actually two different manufacturers for Robert Kaufmann and the whites are NOT at all the same. 

After hunting down some that matched thanks to Hayley from The Plum Bobbin, I was able to find the right white and add the sashing. 

The quilting. These were quilted at a time where I was just really discovering my "feathers" and was playing around with them. 

I may have over-feathered them. If that's possible?

One backing is flannel and one is cotton. They both washed up really nicely!

From the beginning, I had in my mind to do scalloped borders/binding. I just knew I wanted them to have a vintage feel and if scallops don't say that?  I don't know what else would!

The key to scallops is a good amount of border space, a good scallop ruler to mark, and bias binding. 

The other thing I learned was to not get too worried about mitering the corners.  The bias binding started just naturally curving into the inside turns. 

My IRun4 buddy, Reagan.

And the final touch, sweet labels.  I forgot to take pictures, but one of the recipients  took one!

These are going to two super special people that had no idea that they were coming. 

Quilt stats: 

Measures:Approx. 54" x 64"

Pattern: Granny Square by Blue Elephant Stitches at Moda Bake Shop

Fabric: Kona White, Joann Fabric jelly rolls, Joann flannel and cotton

Quilting: Free motion feathers on Ole Betsy longarm (18"Avante)

I was so excited to get messages from them when they arrived!

Joyful Jelly Roll {Tree Skirt }

It's never too late to make a holiday project for the next Christmas season NOW!

Actually, I always find this time of year is the best time to make all the things I ran out of time to do during the busy holiday season.  The guests are gone.  Santa's workshop is closed.  The kids are back to school. The decorations are getting packed away.

Stitch one up and find a wonderful surprise in 11 months! 

I realize this tree skirt is FAR from the traditional tree skirt fabric. I LOVE this pattern in the fun collection Jingle by Kate Spain and other holiday fabrics, however for this tree skirt I used Kindred Spirits by Bunny Hill Designs.

We have three Christmas trees in our house.  A large one in the family room decked out in greens, golds, burgundy, and red with a burlap tree skirt.  A kid tree in the basement, decked out in all the adorable kid projects and their favorite characters from Star Wars and the like with a ruffled tree skirt.  

And then there is our Angel Tree.

In 2009, our family started the tradition of collecting Angel Ornaments, each Christmas, in honor of Jamie Lynn, our very own angel.   We also have picked up more than one a few times for other family members that have passed on.  In particular, my beloved aunt who succumbed to breast cancer.  We were excited to finally have enough to get a slim 6 foot tree for our "formal" room.  It's interspersed with the ornament colors you see in the photos. The fabric could not be more perfect.

I can honestly say that this tree skirt did not take me very long at all.  I started it New Year's Day.  I never felt rushed.  I enjoyed the process. I was even bold and decided to cut the shape out with a 3" border instead of squaring it up like the original pattern.  I have to admit, I adore the tiny pink dot background fabric.

I quilted it with a floral free motion pattern on my longarm arm.  Made biased binding with the teal/aqua striped fabric from the line.  The backing is the one of the blue background florals.  Instead of ties, I opted for button and loop closures.   I love covered buttons because you can make them either blend in or pop out.  Can you guess which option I went with?

Have I convinced you yet to get a jelly roll and make a tree skirt right away?

Joyful Jelly Roll Tree Skirt Video

Joyful Jelly Roll Tree Skirt Pattern

If you do make a Joyful Jelly Roll Tree Skirt (#joyfuljellyrolltreeskirt), 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!

Think Pink {Quilt}

"Pink isn't just a color, it's an attitude!"

I always seem to have a story for a quilt.

This story is about the little girl that stopped by for a bit in our lives and then flitted away from us. We held on as tightly as we as we could, but she flitted away as quickly as her nickname, Butterfly. 

I picked up two very pink and brown jelly rolls on a whim the months after she left us. Confession?  I think I have a secret love for the color pink. All these years it has been suppressed because my life had been surrounded by the male chromosome in abundance the last eighteen years. 

I thought. "This will be my pink quilt. I had a girl and by golly, I'm making a impossibly girly quilt."

But I never got around to making one or finding a pattern I loved. I actually was going to sacrifice it for someone else as a quilt gift a few months ago and even unwrapped the rolls.  Which meant that I had then made it a WIP for my #my2015quiltlist and had an urgent desire to make it. Immediately.  No reason.  No rhyme.

I challenged myself to only use the pattern books I had on hand.  Tagged four or five possibilities and then considered that there were only really three colors for the quilt and landed on the "Blue Lagoon" pattern from the e-book I purchased last year called Jelly Rolly Quilts.

I am so pleased with the results.  I used only stash fabrics.

And just enjoyed doing some free motion quilting.

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 68x74"

Pattern: Blue Lagoon by Pam & Nicky Lintott

Fabrics: Pink and Blue Jelly roll purchased at Hobby Lobby

Thread: Pieced with Gutterman, Quilted with Superior Threads

Quilting: Swirls and Flowers Freemotion quilting on Avante 18"

My Think Pink Quilt will live in my studio and I reminds me that I really need to finish my white slipcovers for the chair and a half so it can be my Valentine Quilt!

 

Vote for Me?

Instead of a big heated or not so heated political debate?

Why not choose a quilt?

How 'bout you just click on the link above and vote for William's Quilt?

I saw the Jelly Roll sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and had to have it.

 Every once in awhile I have a momma that doesn't have an item for me to do a Butterfly Kisses embroidery on.  I occasionally charge...I occasionally donate. 

If I won this roll?  

I would definitely use it for up to 3-4 small infant donation quilts with my already existing stash!

So if you have a few seconds...okay about 20 seconds, could you scroll down to the bottom and click
"William's Quilt by Buttons and Butterflies"?

That's me!

WIP: Still Surviving!

I was about to just skip WIP Wednesday this week since my list looks EXACTLY like last week's.   I am still in Survival Mode.  I did go on my Scrapbook Retreat and finished 75 pages this past weekend.
  

But when I came back, arrived to a semi-happy baby Sunday, who evolved into Monday night's not-so-happy miserable baby.  We had an all night coughing/crying session which proved to be croup and a sinus infection Tuesday morning.  Needless to say, studio time has been vastly decreased to nothing.  

However, when I thought about it, I did finish something right before I left for my scrapbook retreat, a project I never shared, and not to mention I do have a new project!  Therefore, I am skipping the long laundry list...and just jumping in with those things!

Finishes:

Mini Design Boards

I am cheating.  I really finished these a few weeks ago and meant to do a whole post on it's own, but I fear I will never actually get to it.  So here it is!

Ever wish you had a small design board just to do one single block? Or you want to take a complicated block you have cut and arranged on your big design board like my big portable one...but you don't dare take it down and mess up the order of the block by the time you get to your machine? 

These boards will help you! I used the tutorial from A Bee in My Bonnet.

 She talks about cutting strips, but I cheated and used a jelly roll I had sitting around!  I will admit, this project took me several days. 
She has the tutorial in two parts because it really is best to stretch this project out!

The photo above was taken after an afternoon spent of cutting the foam and gluing the batting to the foam boards.  It IS easy, but all the glue is time consuming.  I get really cranky about hot glue stuck on my fingers!!  Anyone else?

I used my jelly roll to it's best advantage.  I only had to piece two strips together for the 12 x14 boards.

I was able to get these different sizes from several foam boards.

These boards are great and already have come in handy.   I can get all of my Merry, Merry Snowman applique pieces pre-cut and can lay them out on the boards and not have them all mushed up (yes, mushed is a technical term) in a baggie.  

They are also light, so easy to carry around.  I have one more foam board left because I was waiting to see what size I really needed.  I think I really need some 14x14 boards for my monthly do.Good Stitches blocks!

 Butterfly Kisses

I love doing my charity work, but sometimes, I am EXTREMELY happy with a finish, and this is one of them!  This quilt was special because the mom had the quilt made locally with Farmall fabric.   The quilter did all of the quilting by hand and is was done well!  I was nervous because I did not want to mess up an already great quilt, right?

  For some reason, the heavens were shining down on me and made sure my Emore was on her BEST behavior!

I did the footprints for big sister first.
Then little Dalton's feet went into the center. Sooooo very tiny!
*sigh*

I promised Dalton's mom that I saved the thread color # so I can make sure that WHEN, not IF, the future brings them a sibling, his or her block will match!

New Project:

Gone Hexagon Crazy

It has happened.  I have finally caved.  I have been trying to avoid ANOTHER handwork project, but unfortunately, I get CADD (Crafter Attention Deficit Disorder).  Sometimes I just get plain old BORED with some of my current projects.  Adding the hexagons to my busy work carrying case will definitely give me more choices.

What finally pushed me over the edge?

 

This book. 
 I have seen it being offered as a giveaway on a blog hop.  After trying to stalk it, I gave up and bought it. Now I am stalking my mailbox to see when it arrives.  They haven't even given me confirmation that they sent it yet!

This picture right below is what clinched the hexi craze for me!

 
Does it inspire you!??!?!

I found templates HERE and have the different sizes printed and cut out.   I have decided to do one inch (each side is one inch.  See? I am learning things already!) hexagons for the project I have in mind.  They were really easy to cut out.  I started cutting them out during Middle School tennis tryouts in the afternoon, cut a few while Button was playing cars before bedtime, and then the rest of the 100 (is that too many?) while watching The Big Bang Theory with Teen boy!

 It will be part of a thank you gift for a very special lady that has done a very special thing for me (more on that in the future, I promise!!).  I am hoping this bundle I picked up the other day will work!

I also picked up the Accuquilt Die Cut to have all of my fabric pre-cut.  I am going to try it on my Sizzix Westminster Pro die-cut machine.  I bought the Sissix because it seems to be more adaptable...so here is to hoping that the accuquilt die works...I will keep you posted.

Anyone else joining the hexi craze or holding are you still holding off?  
I would love to here some great tips, thoughts, and if you know of any great tutorials, please let me know!!!!!


Linking up with Lee!

~Heidi