Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Workin' It

WIP that is...

This is what my table looks like right now:

Crazy, right?  Well that's me right now.  Too many sewing projects on the left and too much homework on the right.  I have multiple things in various stages of "being made."

 Still playing with the Virtual Quilting be blocks.  You can read the previous post about them here.


My nephew's (hopefully Christmas gift) quilt is getting some blocks made for the back.  I don't know why I have to try and design backs sometimes - those blocks are 1.5 inches finished.  I'm a nut.  You can read the previous post about his quilt here.


 I am making two of my nieces scrappy doll quilts for their baby dolls.  I wanted to use every last scrap of that Oh Deer! fabric.  Good news - all I have to do to these is quilt them and bind, then I'll be done. 



I'm making myself a holiday quilt...It's gonna be huge.  Opps.


After making the Cathedral Window Pillow Cover, I just had to make a holiday pillow cover too!  It's also practice for my niece's quilt that I won't have a chance at starting on till the new year.  But...I just had to practice these blocks!

I am trying to make something small with my hexagons - but they are so low on my list right now.

And then I made a 1600 quilt top...then designed a back that I have yet to piece.  Oh well.  If I get it done by the holidays it will make a great gift for somebody.

The other day while I was supposed to be studying for a test (which I made an A on - whew) I made this list of things I want to make or need to finish:

Above the line is supposed to be before the new year, mostly before the winter holidays.  We shall see.  Lets hope God gives me the strength.  :)  The bottom half is my crazy "bucket list" for 2014.  I Just keep seeing new things or dreaming up new quilts.
Have a great day everyone! (And maybe pray for my sanity)

 - Katelyn

Monday, October 28, 2013

Boo!

I would love to decorate for all seasons, holidays, various times of the year, etc.  It looks so much fun, and so pretty.  But honestly I just have never made time to gather/make things to decorate.  I have limited space to store decorations and just have never tried.  This year I pulled out a few Halloween things (note the meager decorations - at least I'm trying, right?).




Yep.  That's pretty much it. 
I have a friend who has a huge Halloween bash every year and her decorations are AMAZING!  I should get some pictures (and pointers).  In fact at her party she has an auction, and last year I got this guy:
I think he is pretty fantastic. 

However I did make this banner:
A bit long...Probably should have just gone with "Halloween" - but it was SO much fun to make!  I had a blast using my scrapbooking skills (and the Silhouette). 

 Here are some close-up shots:




The C in "Trick" might be my favorite:


The banner is a bit long for the fire place so in case it gets cold (right now it is quite dreary out but with a 70 degree high) and the fire needs to be used it can't live on the mantle - I put it in between the living and dining room instead. 


Thanks for stopping by!  I hope y'all have a marvelous Halloween with more treats than tricks!

 - Katelyn

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Cathedral Window Pillow

 A couple of years ago I made my first quilt.  I will keep it, never give it away, love its many flaws, yada yada yada. 
I decided to make a pillow cover for this giant pillow that sits on my couch.  I had several fat quarters left over from my first quilt and thought it would be great if they matched. 

I pinned a Moda Bakeshop pillow cover tutorial, about two years ago, and knew it would be perfect.  It is a Cathedral Window tutorial, but with the "petals" filled in too.
  I really had no idea how much fabric it would take.  Just for one of the little white squares it is 10inx10in.  That is a bunch.  Especially since when you fold/iron it all down it ends up being a 4in square.  But it wasn't so difficult as it was time consuming. 

I posted my progress on instagram:

one square





All 16 squares Sewn together




first attempts...starting to look like something


Pillow top completed...just needed the envelope backing


The messurments for the envelope back of the pillow cover were a bit off.  I think I will have to find a better tutorial.  I actually may have one pinned.  Ooops. 

Please, forgive the wrinkled slip-cover






The cover is a little big, but I still love it.  Sometimes I look at it and I can't believe that I did that.  Though, I may never do this particular project again...Lol. ;)


I am always wanting to learn new things, when it comes to sewing.  I have a Quilting TO DO List a mile long.  And I am so happy that I get to mark one of my projects off the list.


Have you marked anything off your list lately?

 -Katelyn

Monday, October 21, 2013

Fabric Fun

 Last weekend I went to a "new-to-me" fabric shop.  Not a big one.  They are a small boutique and have a very limited selection.  But it is ALL Fabulous!!!  I am so glad I went.  Special thank you to Kelly over at My Quilt Infatuation and Janet from Simply Pieced for telling me about it.  The store is called Bumbletees, and I am now in love.  I purchased several fabrics from the Sale rack and a few from the regular selection.



Then I was in Mississippi picking up my quilt from the quilter and had to stop over at their JoAnn's Fabrics.  I had been hearing that they cater more to quilters, and boy do they.  The selection there makes me want to drive all the way back for more fabric!!
Also there was a huge sale, plus I got a discount, AND all of the clearance fabric (way better clearance than my JoAnn's) was 50% off clearance price!!!  I used my birthday gift card (and maybe a tiny bit extra - but SHHH!  don't tell).







I am planning to use all of these prints to make one of these quilts for my niece:

Oh Fransson! has a tutorial for this quilt called Sparkle Punch.

I posted this pic on IG and Facebook - I asked which one I should make if I was using mostly print fabrics, Random or Variegated?  I got tons of responses.  So thanks to everyone!

I cannot wait to get started (though it may not get cut or sewn till after the holidays).  She was here when I got all of this and - no lie- she, the 5 yr old, tried to steal my fabric.  She pet the fabric.  Yep, I speak the truth.  A future quilter perhaps?


I'm done after this...Promise.  I have no more money and can no longer purchase fabric.
 *Excuse me while I get a mop for my flood of tears. 

 Love Yall!
    - Katelyn




Friday, October 18, 2013

Late is Better than Never, right?

Way back when my sister was living in Korea (like 6 yrs ago), I started making her some throw pillows for her couch.  I wanted to applique on them and had NO CLUE what I was doing.  Therefore, I got frustrated and just quit.  I put them (the fabric pieces I had nearly destroyed) on the shelf and walked away.  Then a few weeks ago my sister and I were talking and she asked what ever happened to the pillows.  I, shamefully, told her that I still had the fabric...but that if she wanted them I would have to start over.  She was here for a visit last week, with her fabulous children, and after looking at the fabric and huge mess I made with it asked me if I could "whip them up."  Apparently she desperately needed some pillows.  So, here is was she got:

 I cut these flowers out of a home decor print and appliqued them on with a zigzag stitch in an aqua thread.

The back is a stripe from the same home decor fabric line.

Sure hope the colors match her stuff!!!

Have a fabulous Friday!!

- Katelyn



Wednesday, October 16, 2013

A Blue Discovery

I have a FINISH!!!  It seems like it has been so long, I have been dancing since I tied off the thread on my binding. 

Here is Blue Discovery:



up-close shot - Quilted by Clara Owen

quilt back



After piecing the front with green sashing - because I thought it would make all of my other prints pop - my father promptly told me he hated the green.  I told him it was good it wasn't for him.  However, I did choose only blues for the backing.  I purchased all of the fabrics from JoAnn's.  It was fun making my first lattice quilt.
I have always referred to this quilt as my "blue quilt"  because all of the blocks are blue, or have nice blues in them.  The name of the quilt came from both that and the book I was listening to while cutting and piecing the front.  The book is titled "A Discovery of Witches."  Not my typical read, but oh MY, it was fabulous.  This book was so good that I was sad when it was over and am too scared to read the second book since the third (and final book) has not been completed.  Sad, right?  
Anyway, Blue Discovery was born.

  
I will be linking up with Fabric Tuesday  over at Quilt Story, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

A special thanks to my photo helper - Asher (nephew), who helped me layout the quilt and take the photos. 

Can't wait to wash/dry and lay this quilt out on my bed!


Have a wonderful Wednesday!!
    - Katelyn

Friday, October 11, 2013

Quilting Bee

Some of you might not know what a quilting bee is...I certainly didn't before I participated in one.

The definition is "where people gather together to make a quilt."
Well, I recently participated in a Virtual Quilting Bee hosted by Amy Smart over at Diary of a Quilter.  So instead of gathering together to learn to make new and different blocks, I just logged onto her blog every two weeks and made a new one from there.  I used a fat quarter set that I already owned for the project, Oh, Deer!  by Moda.


You can still get the fat quarters at a few places, one that I know of is Lily Bella Fabrics.

The Bee just finished the 16th, and final block.  It has been so much fun to participate!!!  Now in a few weeks Amy is gonna come back and tell use how to put the blocks together to make a quilt.  Though I have some idea how it will look because of a previous quilt she made from a different quilt-along.
Here are my blocks:


 Busy, right??  I don't feel like this is what I am drawn to usually, but I kinda love them.  And I think that once I put a solid sashing between the blocks they will calm down a tiny bit.  All of the blocks (unfinished) are 8.5 inches and the quilt will be about 70x70. 

There are three blocks where I used a cream solid (towards the beginning of the bee), but I think I will still use the cream for a sashing - those three may just pop out more.  Then I'm thinking a red and blue for my squares and borders (if we really put it together just like the one Amy made).  Thoughts???


I decided to go back to the same color scheme for my last block that I used in my first block...tie it all in for me:

Block 1

Block 16
 And I had so much fun learning new techniques, like paper piecing (which I talked about in this post):

Block 15 - Paper Piecing

And fussy cutting:

Block 12

Block 6


I just can't believe that its almost over.  It has been so much fun!!

 - Katelyn

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Small Blog Meet

After visiting over at Quilter's Hangout, I discovered a really neat link-up called  Small Blog Linkup sponsored by Lily's Quilts.  It is a super spiffy idea where blogs with less than 50 followers can get to know other small bloggers and their blogs!  Check out the link in my right sidebar. 

                                     Lily's Quilts


 - Katelyn

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

What is a Mug Rug?

I keep seeing all of these fabulous quilters on Instagram talking about mug rugs...
Turns out a mug rug is like an oversized, quilted coaster.  I have been wanting to make one since...well since I heard of them.  But I hadn't done it.  Till now.  I was tasked to make something with a paper piecing pattern .  Now I had never done that before either, so I needed to practice before pulling out my pricy Oh Deer by moda fabric.


Good thing I did.  I messed up in at least one place and didn't match my seams in a couple others.  but after I cut it down...not so bad.
 
I just pulled from my scraps stash.  I kinda hate the binding, but I couldn't figure out anything else from my stash to use.  The quilting is an echo of the star that extends into the middle.

The back is a vintage sheet I got from a friend. 

The paper piece pattern came from the Virtual Quilting Bee (link on my sidebar) and was created by Lynne Goldsworthy of Lily's Quilts (click to get the pattern).

 I am gonna love using this!



And when I made the block with my moda fabric it turned out fabulously (picture to come)! Practice makes perfect.