Happy Birthday Karen Orvin!!!

   

  Both of my boys were in Karen Orvins 1st grade class.  To this day, one of their favorite teachers is Karen Orvin.   They called her Aunt Karen, but she is really not kin to them.  She was married to their cousin who passed away when Waylon was in her class.  But she has law at looked after my boys and made sure they succeeded in school.  My boys have a love for her that I could never explain.    

     Karen approached me a few years ago about making memory quilts for her family.  I at first told her no,  I was not confident enough to do it myself.  But a little over a year ago I told her I would take the challenge on.  At that time and a few times after she told me she wanted a quilt with the most different tops in it!! As I was cutting I decided what quilt would be hers!  It took me the longest time to cut apart all the shirts and pants.  I decided as I was cutting that I would leave the front pockets in the panels and make a pocket quilt.  

     All I could think was how awesome it would be to have a quilt where she could still reach her hands in the pockets that Herbie did.  The same place I saw him reach many times.  I just think it's neat to know that she can share that connection with him.  

     So here is the pocket quilt.  I squared up all the panels.  I put all the panels in order from longest to shortest. I decided on a width and sewed the sorts together to make up that with.  If there was an extra section needed to make it equal, I  used a shirt panel without a pocket. I made 3 rows.  This made the quilt dimensions are about 54x70. 

     I backed it with the same Carolina fabric I used on the others and black.  I stipples a swirl pattern to quilt it.  I  quilted around all the pockets to leave them open.   I then bound it with Carolina fabric. 

     I placed a special message on the back of the quilt using one of his shirt sleeves.  I did not sew this on too neatly. I am hoping this unravels a little and makes soft edges.  One of the looks I like!

     I left this quilt on Karen's porch this morning for her birthday.  I take photos of my quilts in special places usually to those I am making them for.  Herbie called his home his Ponderosa.   I drive home from work in Charleston in the rain.   When I got to Karen's house it stopped raining.   It was like someone knew that I needed to take these photos.   In my family we call rain, tears from heaven.  Today is is one of those days that I think it's evidence to be true.  

     I left the quilt like this in the rocking chair.  I hope Karen loves it as much as much I did making it.  

Pinwheel Camo Table Runner

     On to another bag of scraps!   Back in July my Project Quilt finish left some Camo and matching solid triangles.  I decided that this would be my last Mini Quilt finish of the month!

     I decided on a pinwheel pattern.  I matched each camo triangle with a solid.   I needed 4 of each solid.  I made 3 pinwheels matched the camo.  I used the   EZ angle ruler to square up each sewn triangle.  I then sewed the new squares into Pinwheels!  

     I laid the pinwheels out and felt the top needed something else.  I decided to sash out the blocks.   I added camo between each block and on the outside as a border.  

    I quilted it by doing a basic stitch a 1/2 inch from each sean.  I backed it with basic black and bound it with the cordinating brown fabric.   

     Another bag of scraps done!! Here's to a year of using up my stash!!!

     

My First Finished Paper Piecing Object!

     Early this year I won a contest at my favorite fabric store,  Hillbilly Quilt Shop.  What I won was a bunch of scraps!  Not what most would see as a prize, but for me it was!!   The prize I won was prebasted paper piecing pieces.  They were made of my favorite fabric,  Jason Yenter Deco.  Tonya the owner knows I love the fabric and these were her leftovers.   I decided that they would be the perfect thing to finish as part of my Project Quilt Mini Quilt Challenge this month. 

     The triangles were already sewn together in sets of 3, to form 1/2 Hexies. I played with the pieces and thought hard about adding more and came up with putting the diamonds on the outside of the 3 Hexies sewn together.  These pieces are all hand sewn together. 

     I still wasn't sure of the design, so I sent a picture to the design Wiz, Tonya.  She came up with adding the triangles to the ends.  And between my son and Tonya, they decided on the Blue fabric.  Which after I finished it, I loved it!!!

     I was going to make a mini quilt and decided against it when Tonya gave me the suggestion of making a pillow cover.  I have never made a quilted pillow cover, so the idea excited me!!  

     I then auditioned different fabrics for the back and again, my design wiz picked the yellow!

     I made a quilt sandwich with the yellow material and batting and practiced quilting on it.  I tried another new design.  It is a peacock feather kind of look.  A loop inside of a loop.  Once I got the feeing of ot this was an easy design to do.  I only now need to figure out how I will do this on a big piece. 

     I squared the piece of quilted material to make a 16 inch square.  I hand sewned the finished paper piecing on.  Then I sewed an envelope back on too the back to finish the pillow.  For the backing I chose the same blue as the triangles!

     This is my first ever completely finished paper piecing object!   I have decided to mail it back to it's origin to go into Tonya's new quilt shop in Cameron, Missouri.  She was the person who started my love of English Paper Piecing, so it makes so much sense for me to send my first finish too her!  

Herringbone Scrap Runner

     Back in May I finished a quilt for my sister of colors that were chosen off a grid using your Birthdate, a a Project Quilt Chsllenge.  I had a bag of leftover scraps that I decided too use as my third project for the Project Quilt Challenge of a Mini Quilt this month.  My goal is 4!  Here is the original quilt. 

     Most of the scraps are the end pieces of the WOF that I made square out of.  I don't what blog I saw this tutorial on, but I saw one where you sew strips together, then turn the ruler too an angle and cut square out of the strips. 

     It did not take me long to sew the strips into one very long strip.   The next challenge was cutting the squares.  I turned the ruler too where there was 4 inches inside the strip.   I tried to make the points go straight up and down.  I then cut till I couldn't cut anymore. It made 12 squares.  

     I turned the blocks too angle where the it looked sort of like a herringbone pattern. I lined it up into 2 rows and sewed them together to make a rectangle runner.  I then added a small border to it.  

     I had a lot of leftover triangles from this.  I then sewed those into rectangles and squared the rectangles into 3 1/2 inch lengths.  I used those for the back.   I also added in an extra strip of fabric and a few leftover squares.  This made for a busy, interesting back, but all scraps. 

     I decided to quilt it by outlining all the borders and blocks with a straight line.  I then wanted to practice FMQ.  I decided to try pebbling in a few spaces.  I did it on plain fabrics in the squares.  I have never done pebbling but will try it again.  It was a process that you have to get use to, but I think turned out good for my first try!!

     I then used the last strips of the floral print to bind it.   It's a small table runner.  I am hoping to get a good collections of items together to make Christmas this year easier!

Diamond Rainbow table runner

 

   A few months ago I made my first little twister quilt.  It was this cute rainbow Wall hanging.  If you know anything about little twister quilts, you know that they create a lot of scraps.  And if you know me, I hate wasting fabric.  I saw in a blog that you can cut triangles out of all the outside leftover fabric and cut 2 inch squares out of all inside scraps.   I already used the 2 inch squares as a boarder on the original quilt.  I forgot to take during photos, but here is the before and after of the original quilt!

    I used the ruler to make inch triangles out of the outside scraps.  I then laid them out to make a diamond.  I tried to not put like colors together, but decided to let the oranges touch in the middle.  The triangles are a little different to sew together.  You have to make sure the points and angles align.   Then you have to make sure you press the right direction when you iron.   As long as you do those 2 things, the top goes together quickly. 

     

     I quilted it by stitching a 1/2 inch away from all seams forming a triangle in each triangle.  I used several colors of thread using up almost empty spools and bobbins.  I think it added to the rainbow effect!! 

     I used a rainbow material binding on it that I am still not sure if I liked.  My good friend Tonya says it looks good, so I will go with her and live with it!!

     I based both my ideas for the original quilt and this diamond off this blog;   http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/2011/07/making-twister-no-waste-project.html?m=1.  I love other peoples ideas!!! But I don't want the credit and know everyone likes the tutorials!!

     The Project Quilt Challenge on the Persimon Dreams Blog is Mini Quilts this month.  I am trying too finish one for each week this month.  Here is #2!!  

Camo Chevron Mini Quilt

     This month the Project Quilt Challenge is "Mini Quilts".  A mini quilt being defined as a quilt 24x24 inches or under.  I kind of got excited because I knew I had a lot of scraps in bags that would make perfect small quilts!!! 

     I know a lot of people will get really intracit with their mini quilts, but I knew I would not.   I decided last month that I would finish one unfinished project before starting a new.  I also decided I was going too try and use as much of my fabric stash as I could without buying more.  My stash has really grown,  I guess as many quilters have.   So I knew with this challenge I could make a few quilted table toppers and get them out of my projects to be done basket!!

     I also challenged myself too finish 4 this month!!  One for each week.   I am excited to use these also as FMQ practice pieces!!

     The first one is made out of the leftover triangles from a large strip quilt I made a while back.  I matched each camo triangle up with a colored triangle.  I then used the easy angle ruler to square them up into 3 inch squares.  I then laid the pieces out until I found a pattern to sew together.

     I decided on a chevron or zigzag pattern.  Each zigzag is a different color. With 4 short rows.  I then added a 2 inch camo boarder and binded it with black material.  I quilted it doing a continuous swirl pattern.  Finished it is 13x23.  It is made completely out of scraps even the backing which I used the leftover squares  to make a strip down the center of the quilt.  

     I am redoing my sons room and plan to use this as a runner for his dresser!!

Yenter Big Star

     Jason Yenter is my Favorite fabric Designer.  If you only knew the love I have for his fabric!!!  His fabric brings me joy just to work with.  All of the colors are soooo vibrant and the designs give you inspiration!  I have only paper pieced with his fabric so far and was so reluctant to cut into his fabric for a machine pieced quilt.  His fabric is perfect for paper piecing.  

     After my last big star quilt, I am on the big star band Wagon.  I had this intuition that was guiding me to use my new Shangri La fabric by Jason Yenter to make this big star quilt.  I found the tutorial here: http://www.incolororder.com/2011/08/giant-vintage-star-quilt-tutorial.html?m=1

     The blocks are 18 inches. I bought a lot of Yenter's Shangri La a while back from Ozark Fabric.  I was shocked when I cut the blocks to make this quilt that I was able too cut all of the pieces out of 1/2 yard pieces.  When you buy fabric from most places they short you.  I actually had enough extra to trim off each piece!  

 

     I had to make this quilt with the corner squares a different color as I did not have enough of the lighter floral to do all of the corners.  So I decided this this quilt was way out of the spectrum of my traditional quilts that I would just make the look a little more untraditional. The star pattern is a basic old fashion star blown up and with this fabric it adds a big modern twist!!

     The quilt pattern was easy to follow and went together quickly.  I sewed it together and sandwiched it using the sew 10 minutes a day principal during a very busy work week. 

     The backing that I picked and measured to need only 2 fabrics.  But of course I measured wrong and had to add a corner of a third.  I am still working on my principle of sew with what you have and not buy more.  It's not completely the back I wanted, but I have to say it worked out fine and matches the colors on the front. 

     Too quilt it I am doing the same design a the last big star quilt.   A bunch of curves straight across.  I am trying to quilt this way this time with the Supreme Slider mat. I am trying to see if it is any easier to use the Supreme Slider Mat or not.  I read about the mat on Leah Days web site.  

     The mat goes across the bed of your machine.  The only hole is where you needle goes into your bobbin case.  The mat is made of a silicone type material.  It is made for you to assist the quilt to glide over the machine easier.  That it does!  This quilt is larger then the last and more cumbersome to bring threw the machine.    The mat assists it in gliding threw.  I did 1/2 of the quilt with the mat and 1/2 off.  My recommendation is that you practice a lot with the mat.  I actually liked it without the mat better.  But I know that it is only because I am not use to the ease of moving the quilt.  My shoulders actually felt better when I used the mat and did not appear to tire as easily.  I think the mat with practice will help my posture and will in the long run help me make more precise quilts!

     I finished the quilt out with a brown Yenter that was part of the Legendary Basics collection.  I did a basic line stitch on the quilt binding to finish. 

     This quilt is out of the normal for me but I love how it turned out!!  It's going to be a wedding present next month, I am excited to share it!!!