Fat Quarter Shop Mystery BOM #8

This is the 8th block of 12.  Fat Quarter Shop has already listed the Mystery Designer BOM for 2013.  Thank God.  I might just die when we got to the 12th month otherwise.

This block is called Lime Sherbet, and is designed by Bonnie Olaveson (www.cottonway.com) and Camille Roskelley (www.Thimbleblossoms.com). 

I'm satisfied with how much points look.  It does help that the HST sizes are bigger.

Scrappy Trip Along 1-6

I couldn't help myself.  When I started to see all of the pictures surfacing on Twitter, and blogs, and Flickr and Pinterest...I had to start myself a Scrappy Trip Along (pattern from Quiltville Custom Quilting's Blog) quilt.  The best part is, I'm using left over Kate Spain Central Park pieces from two jelly rolls that I used to make another baby quilt with!

These are my first six blocks, the picture is kind of hot at the bottom, but it shows how the lighter colored blocks overall look against the darker ones.

I have to say, that I LOVE the layout of these four blocks...it will be so much fun to lay them out when I finish all sixteen!

Painfully close to TWO YEARS ago, I did a post about buying an Accuquilt machine and that I had cut the pieces for a tumbler quilt for my daughter.

Today, I actually finished the quilt top, and I'm calling it a success for two reasons.  One, is that I consider this my second finish for 2013 (because I'm not going to quilt it, someone else is) and two, because it's a UFO.  Finishing up started and abandoned projects is one of my top two goals for this year.

I got a bunch of red, black and white fat quarters while I was doing a shop hop a few years ago to match the dalmation minky that Ally picked out.  It's a nice lap size about 36" by 48".

Finishing up UFOs goes a lonnnng way in relieving my guilt when I start spur-of-the-moment projects like the scrappy trip along quilt.  I have two blocks of the 16 done so far, and two more laid out and ready to sew.  I can't wait to share that one.

Holiday In London Duffle Bag - Starting the Year off with a BANG

At first I thought this would be my final project of 2012, but I enjoyed New Year's Eve with my family and finished this off today.   I made this bag for my daughter as a new overnight bag. She's been using a backpack that's just way too small, and not nearly stylish enough.

This is the Holiday in London Duffle Bag pattern by my dear friend Bari J.  As with all of her other patterns, this was well written, with helpful pictures, and a really good amount of explanatory detail.

I used some Tammis Keefe cat print that I had been saving for just the right project, and I think it's great for a girl's bag, that not to childish looking.  I think she'll be able to use this for a long time.

With the long strap

A few things I learned while making this pattern.  First, the type and quality of fusible fleece that you buy is SERIOUSLY important.  I made the long strap with a thicker version of fleece and it made it nearly impossible to turn the sides in 1/4" to press them before folding the strap in half.  The result was a too-thin strap.  I will be re-making that for sure.

Another learning with this bag is just how important it is to trim.  With so many layers, I had to pin like crazy and still some of the seams were not as straight as I'd like.

Finally, there were so many layers in some spots that I literally had to turn my wheel by hand to get the needle through the fabric.  (This was a great tip I learned from another of Bari's patterns).  If I let the machine try to stitch through all those layers, the needle just jammed.  By hand turning, I could get through the 4-5 stitches that were just too thick for the machine.

I am very happy with the way the bag came out overall.  I didn't realize that I had bought a goldtone zipper and silver hardware.  This is my biggest beef with how the bag came out overall.  On the plus side, the zipper opens nice and wide because of how long it is, so you can easily fill the bag, and see the inside (which ALSO has pockets!).

Things I didn't take pictures of, but are important to note...the whole bag is lined.  I used a pink and white houndstooth vintage sheet that I bought from an Etsy seller that was PERFECT.  I think using a light color inside will make it easier to find things.  It also has a hard bottom insert to keep the bag looking firm and sturdy.

Overall, this pattern gets an A+.  I will be making more for the other kids to be sure.

Fat Quarter Shop Mystery Designer BOM #7

Holy cow am I late with this one!  This is the seventh block from Fat Quarter Shop's Mystery Designer of the Month BOM.  It's December 29...although I did finish the block on the 26th, that's still a lot later than my usual 15th or 16 of the month.  

This block is by Sandy Gervais (of Pieces From My Heart), and is called "Moonlight Serenade".  I absolutely love that she only chose three prints from the line.  This block is simple and very elegant looking to me.

This was the first block that when I finished, was actually the 12 1/2" size that it was supposed to be, with reasonably straight edges.  Only seven months, but I'm improving for sure!

I am working on a Holiday in London Duffle Bag now for my daughter.  I can't WAIT to show you pictures of that when it's finished.

Nite Owl Quilting Christmas Tree Skirt - It's a Christmas Miracle!

It's a Christmas miracle!! I finished the tree skirt BEFORE Christmas!  I bought this pattern months and months ago, when my aunt gave me an older fat quarter set of Chloe's Christmas from Red Rooster Fabrics.  The pattern is the Hexagon Tree Skirt by Nite Owl Quilting.

The pattern uses 6 fat quarters and a lot of solid (back, sashing and binding).  I spent a lot of time making sure that the green, red and whites alternated and I liked the way the fabrics laid next to each other.  Here is my finished skirt!

My sashing came out well, and the binding looks nice and smooth on the straight sides...

But, my OH MY, my center binding is just a mess.  The back actually looks much smoother and flatter than the front.  I tried, I swear I tried to make it neat, but this is what I came out with...not impressive at all.  If you have a tutorial for round edge (concave) binding...I would LOVE to see it!

My corner seams looked very nice, and aligned, until the last one...then, well, they sort of not so aligned.  This shape was much more difficult than it looked!

This is the back, where the quilting shows better.  Nice and simple.  This I managed to do ok.  It was a lot of binding though, for what felt like not a very big tree skirt.

My final thought, now that the skirt is at the base of our tree...The hole is only large enough for the actual tree trunk.  Not anything close to the monster of a tree stand that we have the tree in.  The pattern suggested that you either put ties on the back seam, or hooks and eyes.  I made put on ties, because the hooks and eyes would just make the whole thing too tight.

Overall, I love the way my skirt came out.  And let's be honest...I'm giving myself crazy bonus points for finishing BEFORE Christmas.  I do think the pattern is for at the least and intermediate quilter.  The sewing was easy...the shaped sashing and binding...not so much.

Upcycled Sweater Baby Blanket

A friend of mine at work is having a baby.  Yes, it's the same one I made the Seven Seas quilt for.  But every baby needs a stroller blanket right??

I made this from repurposed sweaters, both wool and cashmere.  I added some vintage trims for texture.  And this time, I added some basic quilting, stitch-in-the-ditch style, so that it would hold it's shape when it got washed.

What's your favorite baby gift to make?