Starting a new year with all finishes!!

I keep saying I am going to finish what I started and what I have purchased.  One of my goals is to finish all the monthly kits I purchase in this barn quilt series.  Since the Project Quilting theme was clean slate with this Hue of Pantone white…. Well I had a reason to force myself to start and finish the kit this week! 

Starting a new year with all finishes!!

I keep saying I am going to finish what I started and what I have purchased.  One of my goals is to finish all the monthly kits I purchase in this barn quilt series.  Since the Project Quilting theme was clean slate with this Hue of Pantone white…. Well I had a reason to force myself to start and finish the kit this week! 

Quiltcon pincushion

 Yep, it's a small simple project.  No time again this week as I had to work each day before I left for Quiltcon!! I figured I would sit and stitch something cute while here. Well, I found a make and take class to use!!! 

Wonderfil is amazing and offers up some free classes every year at Quiltcon. One of them this year was by Carolina Moore, a quilt notion developer. She taught this class on Pin cushions.

I added these cute little hourglass hand stitches to the ends. The Wonderfil elaganza thread stitches amazing!!! We also received some prototype needles. They let you stitch with ease. I then added these cut anywhere tabs to the edge. They cut your thread and are perfect for name badges or pin cushions!!  

More on Quiltcon later!!

The "B" bag

 

The "B" bag by Orange Dot Quilts is a pattern I recently bought and this challenge was perfect to try it out.  The inside or the outside can be used as it's reversible! 

I Used some very old Art Gallery fabric from my stash! Only had 2 pieces of the line, so the inside and the outside fabric are the same! I love the medallions! 

The pattern is the basic shape of the bag with binding around the outside and inside the handles. The 2 pieces are sewn together to create the bag! I used a layer of batting and stabilizer in this one.  My next one I will try foam. This is a little too flimsy for me. 

Rainy day Hemingway bag

 

I so knew I didn't have much time this week and knew it needed to be a small project. Went into my sewing room earlier this week and saw this rain fabric and one other matching piece. Well, it was a rainy day here, with gray skies. I knew it was perfect. Grey skies with hopes for spring colors! Still, no plan. 

As I was at work, I grabbed my Hemingway bag I keep things in and knew that I could do a few with the rain fabric! So I ironed it one night, cut double patterns to see how big I could make them with little waste. I've found if you add height to the pattern you can complete a few big bags with zero waste. 

I utilize zippers on a roll, even though I really wanted to use Grey or something, I couldn't find my grey one. These bags are huge and large enough for a laptop. I'm going To give at least one away to a new hand stitched and just maybe use one for a project bag!  Love the Project Quilting Challenges!!  

Blue Eggs in the Nest

 

As the first Project Quilting Challenge hits, do does another busy week! First up, Bird House's or the homes of birds.  I was originally going to pick a bird house. Then, I found this kit in my wool bin I bought at a store closing sale a few years ago. I didn't buy it for the project, but instead the value of the wool inside! But then again, God had another plan. 

This Kit was a wool block of the month, by I Think, "Stitch in Thyme".  I purchased in Conway, SC at least 3 years ago.

I started away on Sunday cutting the wool and putting it in place. I pulled the wrong side of the sticky off and accidentally reversed the trunk. But in true change function, I went with it! 

Slowly adding the pieces and stitching until it looked a little artsy. Messy French knits of multiple colors on the eggs. Different stitches and colors on each leaf. Chunky stitches on the tree limb. 

Woven brown strips in the nest I tacked down. Just left random and messy. Didn't iron or straighten them. Just left them a mess! 

Sandwiched And messing quilted. Going to hang it on the wall for a few, but thinking that long term, I may stuff it as a pillow! Challenge 1 of the year done and on to the next!! 

Bunnies!!

So of course I have had no time to make a quilt this season, but instead, lots of small projects!! This weeks challenge is fulfilled with bunnies.  

 Made 100% even the stuffing with recycled materials! I am a little hooked and will make a few more before Easter!  

Love You More...

So last minute and working tomorrow.  Maybe I will have a time to blog later!!! Themed on love novels that I used to love! Especially Fern Michael's!  We love the more!! 

Rough week scrap finish

Having a really hard week on the road of life. But this placemat is done. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Pincushion

This week the theme is pink.  I really wasn't motivated to do much this week, but I had to finish something.  One of the ladies in the guild made this simple pin cushions this week. So of course I found my item.  The pattern is the Sprocket pin cushion by Diary of a  Quilter.  It's made with leftover scraps of breast cancer fabric. So here is a cute Pink finish!! 

Only One Way For This Year to go!!

If you know me, you know I have a love for scraps and selvedges.  Well, that leads me to my ONE.  There is only one way I want this year to go, the one year of scraps!! So I created this bag, the front is made of selvedges, one block, that can be read one way!! 

I pulled out the one bag of scraps from my last selvedge quilt to use one focus fabric.  But then I thought it needed a little more.  Next up, came the One box of Kaffe Scraps that I knew would blend right in! 

I quilted up a panel made from scraps with the same color as the focus fabric. Then used some scrap batting to sandwich it and quilt it with straight lines.  Added a vinyl pocket to one side with a zipper. 

Then a big pocket on the other for the pattern or pricked to go in.  I kinda now regret I didn't add a closer, but now that's a lesson for the next one!  My big one project done and on to the next one!!  Made for project quilting challenge one, 2023! 

Kaleidoscope Scrap Pillow

I started this week with another quilt and what is going to turn into a big project. I had a few bins full of scraps I used the accuquilt to cut up from a quilt last year.  I knew there were pieces I could turn into flying geese.  Well, I liked what I was doing soo much that now it’s going to be a big project and I had to find a new one.  So that turned into me seeing a book I had on the counter by Lori Holt.  Kaleidoscope Quilt.  

     The Kaleidoscope block has 12 flying Geese, so it fits this weeks Project Quilting Challenge. I went to my scrap pack cabinet and saw a bag of old Lori Holt Fabric from 2011.  So I knew it would be perfect for this! 

I used the big block that came out as 16.5 inches.  Then added a 2.5 inch strip around.  After sewing it up and making a false binding, it comes out to fit a 20 inch pillow perfectly! 

Quilted it with a plain wavy line pattern.  Then backed it with a dot variety from the collection.  I think it’s called Daisy Cottage. 

Took the photo on my front porch where of course it’s covered in the spring pollen.  But it kinda matches the mustard in the center.  Now it has me wanting to finish using up this collection I held onto.

Project Quilting Challenges done for the year. Already can’t wait til next year!! 

Scrappy Repetitive Star

I had 2 goals this week and they kinda  took every moment I had.  The first was to make a quilt for a coworker who is moving and second was to use up scraps.  This weeks challenge for Project quilting is repetitive.  

The Swirling Star Quilt pattern from Fat Quarter Shop was on my bucket list of quilts to do.  Yes, to also use scraps.  The pattern is a repetitive scrappy star in 2 sizes.  So of course it was perfect.  

I decided to use the Accuquilt to cut it.  So instead of the pattern sizes, I used the 6 and 12 inch Qubes.  The only bad thing is this quilt ended up huge. 72x72, but the accuquilt made cutting fast and easy. 

The quilt is made of 18 blocks.  12 small, 6 large. Honestly a fast chain stitch quilt. I went outside my box again and used pattern fabric in a lot of my whites. 

To finish it, I pulled out my big piece fabric bin. My eyes were drawn to this black and gray checkered fabric.  Since it’s black and some of the fabric on the front is white, it gave me the perfect chance to use my black, gray and white Aurifil thread. 

I straight stitched it and put this cute sweetwater label on the back.  This quilt is going to a friend who I work with who is moving back home.  I am kinda glad it ended up big, it will be sooo useful!! 

Looking at this quilt. I love seeing all the fabric that I used in other quilt.  Add the old fabric others toss away and don’t want anymore.  The ugly ones that others don’t want. They each make a scrap quilt perfect!! 

We took these photos at the Brewington Church outside of Manning. On a little road trip with my friend Teri. Her Aunt and uncle were married there years ago. The church when we looked inside had an old buck stove.  Such an awesome part of history being kept up!! 

Charm pack Diamonds!

It’s another Project Quilting Finish!! This weeks theme is “Mining for Diamonds”.  With little time this week, I wanted to make something quick. That mixed with my joy of making true quilts. In my quick brainstorming, I saw a post in the challenge quilt group about the chandelier quilt. This would be the perfect quilt. (Chandelier by lella boutique). 

I went thru my pile of charm packs and picked out just one. I decided to do a baby quilt, since I knew I had 2 I needed to make. Then I picked out a big piece of white scrap fabric. And off to sewing I went.

I picked out a few year old fabric collection called “Serenade” by Cyndi Walker. I loved the colors and enjoyed sewing this up.  This pattern really went together fast. 

Then I quilted it with a basic meander in a light pink. The backing a light pink and grey that I pulled from my collection. 

Then I bound it in a darker pink that matched the dark pink in the quilt. Smacked a label on the back and it was done!!! The stress of finishing a quilt in a week wasn’t that bad this round!!! On to the next project!! 

Extra Large Hot Pads

With my crazy work schedule, I didn’t have time to sew up much this week.  I decided to go small and simple.  These are XLhot pads made for casserole dishes.  They measure about 13x15 and take up lots of my scrap batting.  All random stash fabric.  Tied up with a little ribbon, they are ready for gifting!! 

The Basset Bag

I started out not knowing what I wanted to do and knowing I needed something small and fast! I currently don’t have a working printer at home, so that made this challenge a little more difficult.  Well, I ended up remembering about a big basset stencil I had. So we all know I love Bassett's!! 

I found a blackish gray big scrap from a piece I used for a backing. I traced the bassett outline on a piece of Steam to seam.  Putting a large piece on the back of the material. Cutting this out carefully so I could create 2 pieces. 

Then I put the middle silhouette onto a dog material and the outline on a white pieces with silver stars.  I have sewed the edges down, then freemotion quilted around the design mimicking the silhouette.  

Then came bag construction.  It took me a few to find a scrap piece of top to Match.  But luckily I had enough of the blackish gray to also do the back.  Add a black zipper and the deer scraps to the inside, this piece is done!! I really wanted to finish the other silhouette project, but time was not on my side. But watch out!! 

Another finish of completely scraps!!! Getting excited a piece at a time!!