Another Top

I finished up another quilt top.



The pattern was created by Andrea at Millions of Thoughts.  It's been in the works for a long time.  I finally forced myself to finish it.  I used Dick & Jane fabric and a shade of blue from Moda.  Hopefully I can get it quilted this week when I take a couple days off for Spring Break.

Huge...Scrappy

I finished my king sized scrappy top. It's 2 1/2 inch strips, many of which were from binding. I added quite a few strips from fat quarters in an attempt to use up some fabric.

It's 120" wide by 110" long. It will have to be quilted by someone other than me since my quilting machine frame is too small. Can't wait to get it on the bed. It will definitely add a lot of color to the room.

 Next on the list is the scrappy spider web I've been working on.

 Have a great day!

 

Jelly Roll 1600

I love Jelly Rolls, so when I saw this video over the weekend, I was rather intrigued. Tonight I grabbed a jelly roll and started sewing. Since I'm miter challenged, I just sewed straight seams. After 20 minutes my jelly roll was in one long strip. Tomorrow night I'm hoping to try to beat the 35 minute record in the video.



I will be sure to share pictures when I'm done.

This project reminds me of one of the quilt projects that Bonnie has on Quiltville. She used 3 1/2" strips though.

Have a great night.

Projects

No pictures to share this morning. I have been sewing like a crazy person though. Hopefully tonight or tomorrow I will have something for show and tell. Over the weekend I managed to get a quilt quilted for my mother in law. What a relief. I have been sitting on it since January, so I'm sure she was convinced it was lost in the depths of the "cave". Grace and I will deliver it to her this evening.


Last night I got the wild hair to pull out a couple simple jelly roll projects. Have I shared how much I LOVE JELLY ROLLS. I know some people think they are a waste of money, but I love them. I love have a whole line of fabric in my hands. I love not having to cut 2 1/2 inch strips. I love that the 2 1/2 inch strips are straight and don't have an L in them like mine normally do. I just LOVE jelly rolls. I also love that with a yard or 2 of extra fabric, I can get 2 good size lap quilts from one jelly roll.



So, I found a pattern (above) by M'Liss Rae Hawley in my new 2009 Quilt calendar that I just picked up. It caught my eye because I knew it would go together fairly quick, which truly is the case. I can hardly wait to get it finished up tonight.

Well, I better get busy. Have a great day.

Finish 5 Challenge - Part 2

The subtitle to this post should be Woman on a Mission or maybe Woman Who Has Lost Mind.

I don't think I will be able to keep up at this pace, but I'm going to try for awhile since I have 28 tops to finish.

This is the top I put on the frame last night. It's Moda's Spring Fling Jelly Roll. No really, me use a Jelly Roll - tee hee hee. I figured out that I can make 2 relatively large baby quilts out of 1 jelly roll and some extra fabric for the borders. If this quilt looks familiar it's because it has a twin that I used my Pajama Quilter knowledge on.

Anyhow - Finish #3 for the Finish 5 Challenge.

I think tonight I finally had my break through moment with my machine. Let me introduce you to Bessie. Tonight I think she finally decided that it's OK to work with me instead of against me. Tension was beautiful. At one point I think Bessie was sending me vibes telling me to use a net on the thread cone I had on the machine. Once I did that, not a single break and great tension through and through. I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but Bessie is a Hobby Quilter made by Nolting and she sits on a Hinterberg Stretch frame that is 120" (10' long), taking up one side of the basement.

As I was pulling the quilt off the frame, I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. EEEKKK, a very much unwelcome visitor. Needless to say, it's a big spot on the floor that needs to be cleaned up.

Have a good night!!! I'm off to bed.

Special Delivery

SPECIAL DELIVERY for Becky from ....


I love going to mailbox when there is a special package in there just for me and especially when it's from Kimberly Jolly.

I saw a book on Stella Bellas blog and it caught my eye. Anything to do with the infamous Jelly Roll will catch my eye. Doesn't take much to capture and addicts attention, you know!

So here's the booty I got in the mail.

17 projects. I'm in Heaven. Here's page 1 to tease you into purchasing the book too.


I had to do a little more shopping while online because I didn't want the book to lonesome all by itself in the mail. Another cool Jelly Roll pattern...

And a pattern for charm squares since I think I'm just as addicted to those as I am Jelly Rolls.


Hopefully with the upcoming holiday I will be able to spend a little time in the "Girl Cave" as it's so fondly referred to by the opposite sex.

UFO #7 (Quilted)

This week got away from me. Seems like there was a lot going on, but there really wasn't. I did finish UFO #7. YIPPEE. The fabric is Spring Fling from Moda. In typical Becky fashion, I bought a jelly roll and made 2 tops from it. I quilted a free hand flower on it in pink thread. I thought the quilting would stand out more. Again, pleased with my efforts. My friend Pam is going to help me with some quilting lessons next weekend. Hopefully her efforts will help me get a few quilt tops completed.

This morning I spent some time perusing magazines. I'm addicted to quilt magazines. Actually that addiction is almost as bad as the fabric one. The magazine aisle at the grocery store, Target, Walmart, Lowes is a must. I think I'm going to try to put a couple quick tops together, so that I have some more practice tops for next Saturday. I think the Simply Strippy (Easy Quilts Magazine, Fons & Porter) will help me use up some stash and will allow me to have lines follow.

Next weekend is the the Quilt Shop Hop here in Kansas City. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to hit some of the stores or lay low. It's also Charm School at Harper's, so I might just have to get out for a little bit. Oh the dilemmas that I face.
Edit: I'm a week ahead. Shop Hop is April 3-6, not this next weekend. Oops

Happy Easter to Everyone!!!

Another Finish

UFO #6 finished.

What I thought would be an easy finished, wasn't so easy after all. I put the top on the frame and started it. All was going well and then the thread breaks started. I adjusted, threaded the machine again and even took a break. While on break, I thought that chocolate might be order. Chocolate definitely helped change the frame of mind I was in. Finally after entering the chocolate induced haze, I headed down to finish.

I put another quilt on the frame. Hopefully I can get to it later tonight (or tomorrow). I don't normally float the top, but I was feeling daring when I loaded it. Hopefully I won't regret that decision. I made 2 quilt tops from this jelly roll (Moda Celebrate Spring).

Busy Busy

We had crazy weather here today. When I left the house for work it was 52*. By the time I made it to work and was heading in, I heard the DJ say the temp was 21*. I was only in the car for 1/2 an hour. Then on top of the cold front that moved in, we had Chicago type wind and blowing snow. Would have been a GREAT day to stay in and sew.

Tonight I was busy busy busy. I finished UFO #3 (top) Jelly Roll (Moda - Celebrate Spring) baby quilt. It's very similar to one I posted previously. I must have something for wrinkles. Seems that there is one in almost every picture - oh well.

I also made a bag for my 4 year old. She saw the exact purse and pattern when we went to Quiltfest in Chicago in November. Quiltsmart was the booth we got the pattern at. Very slick. The idea was to take the thinking and measuring out of making the bag and they succeeded. They provided printed interfacing and all you do is fuse the chosen fat quarters, cut and sew. Very very simple. I think it took me all of 1/2 an hour to make the complete bag. The worst part was trying to turn the handles right side out. I'm always challenged by that though.

Modeled by the Bag Model (acting goofy)

Tomorrow night I'm going to try and get the other 2 bags done that I committed to.

Thoughtful Thursday

Tonight I'm sitting at the kitchen working on the bags that I make for my photographer friend, Brandi. Each bag has a machine embroidered logo on it and is designed to fit specific wall collection frames that she sells to her customers. It's days like these that I sometimes wish I had an industrial machine. It takes 22 minutes to stitch out the designs. A painfully long process.

I'm hearing lots of giggling from the other room. I'm either the butt of a good joke between my husband and daughter or I'm about to be buzzed by the miniature helicopter my husband bought himself for Christmas.

There really is a point to my blathering. I picked up the copy of Quilter's Home magazine that I brought home. Two articles on the cover really caught my attention - McQuilting: Are we Taking the Creativity out of Patchwork? and When to Declare a UFO DOA (which may have to wait until tomorrow).

McQuilting is such a derogatory term that the cover definitely caught my attention. That word just brings to mind fast and quick, while not the best quality - good enough until I can get some real sustenance. The article starts off by painting a picture of a quilter going to her local quilt shop and ordering one fat quarter bundle, a charm pack and 2 inch strips on the side. Oh and don't forget the free pattern. The question then turns to: Is creativity being choked because this type of "quilting diet" is fast, fun and easy? Hmmm, something to ponder now isn't it???? The article talks about the designer lines of fabric and how some quilt shops buy lines sight unseen because an artist has sold well for them in the past. Some shop owners were interviewed and provided their commentary on the various lines of fabric coming out and how they buy. All of which was very interesting.

After I read the whole article, I really started thinking about the amount of things going on in my day or week and how much spare time I have and can really devote to piecing and quilting. I think I do fit into the McQuilter category due to my new obsession for charm squares and jelly rolls. I guess I shouldn't be so sensitive since being a McQuilter isn't such a bad thing, at least at the present. My next question was why do I like the charm packs and jelly rolls so much? I think it's because I get a whole line of fabric and I don't have to buy crazy amounts that I might not ever use (although having a stash isn't bad). When I pick my own fabric for projects, it seems like I continually get stuck in the same color rut. I like what I like and I really don't branch out. When I do force myself to branch out, it sometimes seems very painful or not very fun. The charm pack or jelly roll helps me step out and try things that I might not otherwise. There are always fabrics in those sets that I don't like and would NEVER pick myself.

Don't get me wrong, there are times that I'm by no means a McQuilter and very willing to step out and "wing it" on my very own creation. Those are normally the projects where I am trying to really stretch my abilities. There haven't been a lot of projects like this, but the ones I have completed, have made me very happy and pleased with my efforts.

Are you a McQuilter? What's your opinion of the term? What's your opinion of the article?

One last thing for this post - Rock Chalk Jayhawk, GO KU!!!

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping

I did a little reckless fabric shopping this weekend. Managed to take in Urban Arts & Crafts in Kansas City, Missouri. This store has a wonderful selection of Amy Butler fabric. Instead I purchased a piece of Michael Miller kids fabric.



After I got home, it dawned on me why I liked it so much. I made a quilt for a friend's new baby out of the same line.



Quilter's Station in Lee's Summit, Missouri, was on the list also. Taking a 3 year old was entertaining to everyone in the store, especially since there is an incredible fondness for fabric. The current obsession is with horses, so all I could hear her screaming from one rack of fabric was "Mommy, I MUST have this fabric." How could I refuse? I will use it to make a pillowcase for her bed. Everyone was laughing when this discovery was made.



The last stop was Prairie Point in Shawnee, Kansas, for the end of year sale. This is where some serious damage was done. Jelly rolls are my new favorite thing, which I would say is bordering on an obsession. I really like the Moda Oak & Reel fabric line and since it was on sale, how could I not take it home? Then there was the whole display of Valentine's fabric. Again, I couldn't pass it up. More cheater cloth that I can't seem to live without.

20 Minutes

This morning I needed 20 minutes of me time so I headed down to my lair. I manged to put the borders on a baby quilt. I don't know why, but it makes me think of Green Eggs & Ham every time I look at it. I'm a jelly roll addict and have discovered that I can make 2 baby quilts from one roll. Makes me feel like I'm being really productive. The second quilt from this particular jelly roll (Celebrate Spring by Moda) is still sitting in a shoe box on the sewing table. Maybe this week I can spend some time with it.


I finished the names for the Christmas name tags yesterday. That was time well spent for me. It required getting the manual out for the embroidery machine, but I did finally learn how to do something that I was struggling with.


This afternoon we are going on a family outing to Union Station to see the Christmas train that came to town. I think Grandma and Papa are going with us, so it should be a fun family event. We are hoping to check out the Christmas lights on the Plaza and some of the brightly decorated neighborhoods on the way home.