Holiday Frost Finished Quilt Top

This Holiday Frost quilt top is all sewn together and it's already at the quilter!



The top came together pretty quickly, once I sat down and dedicated some time to it.  The panel squares were a bit annoying to cut out, since I had to try to center the motif within each square, but that was really the only thing that gave me trouble.



The best part is that my mom is thrilled with the way it looks!  She is getting snowflakes quilted on, and I can't wait to get it back from the quilter!



Yay for a Christmas quilt!

Currently Listening to: Amazing Grace by Sufjan Stevens

WIP Wednesday

It's been a long time since I've done a WIP Wednesday post!  I thought that since I've been working on the Holiday Frost quilt, I should snap a photo or two of where I'm at.



This quilt is made up mostly of borders, with some sashing between the panel pieces.  So I decided to piece together all the pieces to the borders before laying out the quilt top and all that.  Obviously, I haven't yet pressed any of the borders or sashing, but it is all sewn together!



I'm hoping it won't take me too long to find time to press all those seams and sew the quilt top together!

Currently Listening to: Angels We Have Heard on High by Sufjan Stevens

Holiday Frost: The Beginning

I decided, just this morning, that I have been super good at working on my WIPs.  The Halloween Plus quilt just needs binding and I'm almost halfway through binding my Fireworks Quilt - I have been diligent!  So, as a reward I am cutting up some fabric today to start a new quilt!

I'm going to bust out the Muppet's Christmas Carols with John Denver and start on Holiday Frost!  This is a free pattern from Henry Glass, which includes two quilts.  I am making the one with the stars.

This quilt will be easier than it looks because it requires a printed panel and that actually makes up most of it.  There's a bit of piecing with the stars, but it should all come together pretty quickly... which is the reason I agreed to make this quilt for my mum!  It seems as though I am always sewing something for her!  Ah well, I love her... and she is always generous with me...

Anyways!  She purchased all of the fabric to make this pretty thing, so all I need to do is get to work!

Currently Listening to: Numb by The Airborne Toxic Event

The Works in Progress

There's something about the middle of October that just seems like the right time to evaluate that long work in progress list... I woke up thinking about my own list and I've seen several posts by my friends with theirs, so it just seems right to share my list!

My oldest WIP is my Pow Wow quilt top.  I can't hardly believe that I finished the quilt top back in February!  It has mostly been waiting around for a backing, but I'm fairly certain that I have that now, so I should really just buckle down and get it finished so that I can throw it on my guest bed!



The next oldest unfinished quilt I have is my Fireworks quilt.  Gratefully, I've made progress on this quilt since I finished the top in March!  It is now quilted, with binding attached and I just need to hand stitch it down!



Also back in March I started working on the Virtual Quilting Bee.  It's understandable that this is still in the works since the last block was only posted last Friday and the finishing instructions aren't going to be posted until next week, but it's still unfinished, so it goes on the list.



Just before Sewing Summit, I decided I needed a Halloween quilt.  So I started one.  This quilt top is my most recently finished, as I only posted photos of it last Friday.  I have been kind of working on the back for this quilt... I need a bit more fabric to finish up the backing, but that is definitely on my to-do list this week.  This quilt is the priority because Halloween is so close!



Then at Sewing Summit, I started a Half Square Triangle quilt with Amy Smart.  This quilt is not a priority, and I don't have any plans with the finished quilt, but it needs to get done nonetheless.



These quilts are just my quilts, but I have a quilt to quilt for a friend and I have a commissioned quilt that is currently just a stack of fabric.  I had hopes of making a Modern Maples quilt this fall, and I have fabric picked out and everything, but in looking at this list... I don't think I should cut for another quilt just yet! I started this year with two works in progress, and I'm really hoping to start the next year with no more than that!

Currently Listening to:  Zombie by Miser

Catching Up

I have still been trying to catch up on the Virtual Quilting Bee.  It's been surprisingly difficult for me to squeeze in time to sew up these little blocks amongst all the other things that I've been trying to get finished, organized, or purchased.  I did manage to whip up two blocks, though!

Here is block 13!



I've been wanting an all purple block for awhile now... I'm glad I finally got around to it!

And... block 14!!



I really like this block in all its simplicity.  It was a quick sew!  I think it took longer for me to decide on fabric!

Mixed in with all my quilty ambitions, I have found myself in nesting mode!  I'm now at 20 weeks today, which is halfway and we have a lot to get done before our baby girl arrives!

Happy Monday, my friends!

Currently Listening to: Next Year by the Foo Fighters

Halloween Plus Quilt Top Finished

This quilt top was pretty much an impulse creation.  Some of the impulse was made up from the frustration of having the entire Boo Crew fat quarter bundle sitting on my desk for months and some of it was made up of the simple desire of wanting a holiday quilt for my own.  So, I settled on Jeni Baker's Plus Quilt fairly quickly and I started cutting squares.  With a few interruptions, I finally finished the quilt top.



This quilt is pretty quick to sew up and I'm pleased with the results.  I really enjoyed the time I spent arranging and rearranging the pluses, which did take a chunk of time because I'm so indecisive!



I also really enjoy the fabric a lot more than I did when it was a stack of fat quarters.  It will be a nice Halloween decoration without being too over the top with orange and black.



Out of all the prints, I really enjoy the little monsters!  They are so adorable and I just love their cute little expressions!



I'm hoping to whip up a backing and quilt this baby really quick so that I can enjoy it before Halloween!



Currently Listening to: Tennis Court by Lorde

Recents >>

I feel like I've had this post in the works all week and I haven't really been able to think of a cohesive thread of recents, so today will be a bit more random than perhaps most of these posts are...

First of all, it's going to be an Instagram kinda day!  I have that great thing going on in my brain where I'm like, oh yeah... I have a real camera...

1.  While I was at Sewing Summit, Jake framed and insulated our basement as a surprise!  We had chatted about putting the sewing room in the basement so that the we could still have a guest room upstairs, along with the nursery, but I had told him that I really want to be able to hang shelves.  In order to hang shelves, we just needed the framing!



2.  This caused an almost immediate upheaval in my sewing room.  There became an undeniable urgency to get everything moved downstairs so that I could a) start working again, b) clear out the newly designated guest room, and c) clear out the nursery.  So, the old sewing room became a disaster real fast.



3. I crave cookie dough.  Obviously, in my pregnant state, regular cookie dough is out.  Pinterest to the rescue!  I found this recipe for eggless edible cookie dough!  It's not meant to be cooked, it's just meant to be eaten.  It does not have the same taste as regular cookie dough, but it really is close enough and it is delicious!



4.  Although Baby Girl's room isn't all cleared out, I cleaned up her closet pretty much the day I found out I was pregnant.  So, naturally, we've been working on her little wardrobe!



5.  Once the basement sewing room was in working order, I didn't waste time.  I'm still not finished organizing it and putting things away, but I can sit down and get to work.  The first thing I did was set my mind to finishing the quilting on the Fireworks quilt with the aid of the Night Circus audiobook!  I had heard great things about this book on Instagram, and I'm so glad I checked it out! It's a good book.  I recommend it!



6.  It's getting cold here!  I frequently whip up double batches of my favorite cocoa.  I'll make a point to share that recipe in the future!



7.  I also finished the September Woodland Sampler!  The last few stitches went into this block just a day before October!  I was cutting it close!



8.  Last but not least, the latest belly photo!



I became 19 weeks last Monday and everything is looking great!  We are certainly excited for our newest little girl!

More recents >>
feeling > a bit overwhelmed with all my works in progress
craving > wild rice chicken soup
wanting > to start a quilt for baby girl (I need to get a bunch of other things finished first!!)
sewing > the 13th and 14th blocks for the Virtual Quilting Bee
current temperature > 51°

Currently Listening to: Glory and Gore by Lorde

Block #11!

I finished the eleventh block for the Virtual Quilting Bee!  I still have two more blocks to do!  Luckily, I have two weeks before the 14th block is released!



I really love this block.  But I also really love the fabrics that I used.  It was hard to cut into my yardage of Lizzy House jewels (that I got from Lizzy House herself!) and I had a hard time cutting into the Sweetwater pebble print (I fell in love with that print when I made this quilt...)  I'm glad I made those little cuts, though, because this finished block is a new favorite!



Here's all the blocks together!  I am excite to be feeling well and almost caught up with this bee!

Currently Listening to: Trembling Hands by The Temper Trap

Catching Up

I know I've said this before in my last few posts, but now I truly am convinced that I am feeling better and here's proof!



I have finally sewn something!!  This is block 9 for the Virtual Quilting Bee.  Getting terribly sick caused me to get 4 blocks behind...

Fortunately, I am now only two blocks behind!



Here is the 10th block!  I am so proud of myself for managing to even sew up this much after weeks of not sewing a single stitch!

Here are all the blocks I have finished so far, blocks 1-10.



I'm pretty pleased with how they're looking all together.  I like the color diversity.  I'm thinking about assembling them in color order when I put the quilt top together.

So... hopefully I'm getting back on track and the blog won't be so quiet any more!  I do have a small finish for tomorrow and I have some recents to catch up on next week!

Currently Listening to: Love Lost by The Temper Trap

Baby Houndstooth #2 Quilt Top

Are you tired of reading about these Houndstooth quilts yet?  Well, now that I have made the quilt top of the third one, I feel pretty done with making them.  This one is for the baby girl twin, the one for her twin brother is posted here.



The solids here are Kona White and Kona Cerise.  It will be backed in Kona Iron (to match her brother's) and bound in Kona Cerise.



This one is my favorite of the three Houndstooth quilts that I have made (the first one can be found here!).  I love the colors and I was able to apply the things I learned from making the first two the first time around and maintain my patience.



I like these quilts, but they aren't very fun to make.  I know I'll probably end up making another one (or two, or three...) by commission, but I absolutely refuse for the rest of this year!  I hope to have both of the twin's quilts entirely finished and ready to post by next Friday... and then I can be all done with Houndstooth quilts for awhile!

Currently Listening to: Wild Country by Wake Owl

Virtual Quilting Bee: Blocks 7 & 8

Since I've been traveling, I regretfully got behind on the Virtual Quilting Bee, but I'm all caught up now!

Here's the 7th block:



...and the 8th block!



Here they are, all together!



My favorite blocks are the first and the seventh ones I think... This has been a fun adventure! I hope I don't get behind again!

Currently Listening to:  Can't Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Baby Houndstooth #1 Quilt Top

I know I have mentioned these baby Houndstooth quilts a lot over the past month, but I finally have the quilt top for the baby boy finished!

I used Kona Iron and Kona White for the quilt top.  It will be backed and bound in Kona Iron.

I really feel like it's taken me forever to get this far on one of these quilts... but then I have to remember that I have been in Vegas and Dallas in the past 30 days!  This has been a mighty busy summer!

I hope to get it quilted in the next week and I also hope to finish the quilt top together for the baby girl twin!

Currently Listening to:  Something Unusual by Wolf Gang 

Virtual Quilting Bee Block #6

Yesterday I completed the sixth and latest block for the Virtual Quilting Bee.  It feels very good to be all caught up!



For this block I used Honey Honey by Kate Spain and a Birch organic fabric that I don't know the name of.  The solid is Kona Iron.



I needed a warm block to be mixed in with all these cool blocks and I'm glad I finally made it. I like the look of all six together!  I'm excited for the seventh block to be released tomorrow!

Currently Listening to: Amazing by Kanye West

Virtual Quilting Bee Block 5

I was disappointed with myself that I did not complete this fifth block for the Virtual Quilting Bee before I left for Vegas because I knew that the sixth one would be released while I was away.  But, I did sew it up this week so that I can be all caught up before the seventh block is posted.



I am very pleased with this block!  I used Urban Mod and Les Amis with Kona Iron.  It came together quickly and I think it's one of my favorites...



I am still quite enjoying this little bee and I have been pondering what fabric I want to use for the next block...  That always seems to be the hardest part for me!



Currently Listening to: From Yesterday by 30 Seconds to Mars

WIP Wednesday!

Since I've gotten back from Las Vegas, I've been trying to get things done before I leave on another trip!



As I have mentioned before, I have been working on three Houndstooth quilts for gifts.  Two of them are for a boy and girl twins.  The above photo is the progress that I've made on the quilt for the little boy!  I'm hoping to sew the quilt top together this weekend.

I'm also working on my mini quilt for the Fresh Mini Quilt Club!  I'm annoyed with myself for having put it off until the end of the month, but I'm determined to finish it before June!



I picked all the fabric for it last night and I cut it all today.  I'm also hoping to have this little quilt top by the end of this weekend so that I can quilt and bind it next week!

So, that's what I'm up to!  What are you up to?

Currently Listening to: Up in The Air by 30 Seconds to Mars

Houndstooth Quilt Top

I am so excited to have finished one of my three Houndstooth quilt tops!  I was so excited that I just took it straight outside to take photos that I didn't realize that I didn't press it all that well!

Please excuse the wrinkled quilt top!

The quilt top is made up of Kona Iron and Kona Pacific.  This quilt is for my father in law and Jake helped me pick the colors.

I am excited to get the other two Houndstooth quilts done, but they are taking a bit longer because the baby size has a ton more pieces!

Well, happy Friday, my friends!

Currently Listening to: While We Wait for the Others by Grizzly Bear