Practice Block: Caesar's Crown

I did a practice block for my swoon - Sorry I haven't posted anything about the non-practice, it is a gift and I haven't gifted it yet...I am not so patiently waiting.

But in the meantime, I made another practice block.  This time a paper pieced block by Sew What, Sherlock? called Caeser's Crown.

 I wanted to practice it, because  (1) it was paper piecing, (2) I needed to know how much fabric it would take, and (3) I have it in mind for something special. 
So I called my mom up and had her pick out some fabrics from my stash.  I knew that I would print the pattern a wee bit smaller to have a smaller block (they regularly finish at 24 in), so I planned on turning it into a pillow for my mom (hence her picking the fabrics). 
She chose oranges - Two from Happy Go Lucky and one Timeless Treasures print.

Then I set to work making the block...

Cute, right?  But once I made it, I wasn't sure that I wanted to use it (the pattern, not this specific block) for my original purpose anymore.
Then I quilted it and everything changed.

I am in LOVE.  I am super proud.  Apparently quilting small is easier for me.  I wondered...quilting my sister's quilt was easier, more fun, and turned out better than anything else I had ever tried. 

Now I feel a need to make and quilt more small things.  I think my mom's new office may need a mini...


And perhaps a few pillows.

- Katelyn

The Duvet is Covered

So...it's done.  About 15 or more hours later. 

There were  no y-seams...I don't know what I was thinking.  I had to take the entire thing apart.  It wasn't fun and took hours (it was sewn together and then serged together).  But it looks super cute now.  :)  A reminder of what it looked like before can be found here.

The pillow covers were even more ridiculous to get apart...but like the duvet cover, when that was done it wasn't too bad to put back together.

One before and one after - photo via Instagram

I am sure it will be well loved and well used for a long time to come!

It sure has made my sewing table look spring-y.

 - Katelyn

Pillow Talk

Well...Hello there!  It has been a while.  I seem to have lost control of my life these past few weeks.  Extra jobs, extra homework, extra tired. 
Last week was spring break and I actually got some sewing done!  So I will have some things to blog about as soon as I take some photos. 
That being said - this is a picture heavy post. 
Apparently I love making pillows.  Who wouldn't they are quick and pretty.   And who doesn't love a little instant satisfaction? 
Over the past year or so I have made several pillow covers for my couch, but none for my bed.  I decided to remedy that.

 SO much fun.  I mean I cannot tell you how much I just stared at that pillow.  I was so proud.  Took no time and I still loved it. 
But it looked super lonely sitting all by it's self up there. 
So I decided it must need friends:

Like a little pillow family! 

Well that's enough pillow talk...next week I'll show off my finished baby quilt. 

XOXO
 - Katelyn

English Paper Piecing - a small project

I got two great English Paper Piecing books for my birthday back in September: Quilting on the Go and Hexi-Go-Go.  I quickly found that Quilting on the Go was a better book for beginners, as it gave the low-down on how to begin a project - template sizes, how to cut your fabric, eep basting, and the how-tos on joining your pieces.  Whereas in Hexi-Go-Go, the projects were a bit cuter. 

So I wanted to try something out - just a test with scraps to see if I could, how hard it was, etc.  It was easy.  Different steps than I was used to, but not difficult.  So I decided to make my tester piece into something.  A pillow cover for my mother.  Super small, to fit her 9x13 pillow that she uses in her chair to prop her head up.  My scraps matched her quilt after-all. 

I thought there might be a chance that I would be able to give it to her for Christmas...that was stupid. 
Then, I decided her birthday was far enough away to allow me time to finish it up.  Whoever thought that February was far a way from Christmas was a dummy (oh, right...that would be me).
All of the sudden it was two days before her birthday and I had not finished sewing all of the hexagons! 

I added at least one row that was not needed (upper left corner).  But it was really fun to see it grow.  I started out with the green flower in the middle, and decided to continue out from there.

Back view

I have been told that my stitches are tiny (or at least smaller than some of my other guild members would have sewn them).  I tried to take a couple pictures of that, but they are a bit blurry.

You will also notice that the center hexagons got cut in an actual hexagon shape, but with 1/4 inch to fold.  I learned from Quilting on the Go that I could use a square - way easier to cut. 

My hexagons were 3/4 in.  I chose that tiny size because I have a Creative Memories hexagon punch and that was the biggest size.  Easy enough.  I'm not sure I will ever go that small for a larger project, but for this it was fine.
*To make the 3/4 in hexagons I cut 2in squares*

Of course I didn't know how to quilt it...I wanted to do something complicated, where I arched around each side - but I have never done anything like that before and I was on a deadline (who am I kidding - I was almost a week past the deadline.   So I went with little loops.

I made an envelope back - easy removal for washing - used that trusty green, of which I never seem to be out.

My momma says she likes it. So woohoo for tiny gifts that took lots of time!

I have already begun a new EEP project.  Only this time it won't be small and I won't give myself any deadlines to miss. 

If you got this far...thanks for reading my EEP novel. ;)

XOXO - Katelyn

Wonky Practice

So I mentioned several weeks ago that I wanted to make the Sparkle Punch quilt (you can read that post here).  The pattern mentions practicing the wonky stars first, if you have never done anything wonky before.  Well, I hadn't.  But I couldn't just practice. 
I got out some red and green fabrics from my stash, some cream solid I had been given, and I got to work.  It was so much fun seeing the stars come together.  I ended up chain piecing after sewing the first few stars individually and the process was so much faster.  I made it into a pillow cover to replace my cathedral window cover for the holidays.  I made the envelope back out of the green I had left over from my mother's quilt.  And let me tell you - that stuff just keeps on giving.  It's like magic, or dust - I always find more, even when I think I have gotten rid of used the last of it.

 Fabrics: Mostly Moda Oh Deer, 1 Moda Joy in green (top right), 1 Heather Bailey in Green (middle left), Riley Blake - red with apple (middle right), and Moda Basic Grey PB&J (bottom right). 

The picture of the back didn't seem to want to take without a flash.  But my favorite star uses this print too:

Looks totally different, right?  This is what the green looks like in person.
I love this star - cutting that red and white on the bias, just made it!!
It was also so nice to get to practice my free motion skills on this pillow cover.  I need all the practice I can get.  But it is so difficult for me to take the time to do that.  I always feel like I should be making something.  So I have decided I am just going to go for it.  My quilts will have my quilting on them - even if I don't like it.  lol

Looks good with my newest pillow acquisition, right?

Now I just need to finish my the Christmas quilt I have been working on...but it is not looking like that will happen before Christmas since the backing fabric has still not been shipped.  Can you believe it is only 15 days till Christmas?!?!?!  I am so excited and freaking out at the same time! 

XOXO - Katelyn

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