Monday, August 26, 2013

100 Quilts for Kids Charity Quilts

Katie over at SwimBikeQuilt runs a charity donation called 100 Quilts for Kids. I've had these two quilt tops with me since 2010. I made them both that summer, but never got around to finishing them. That changed on Saturday when I just felt like quilting rather than piecing. I also purchased the Elmer's Glue spray adhesive since it's water soluble and will thus wash out. I'm pretty pleased with it. The needle didn't get gummed up and the thread never broke. It's also cheaper than 505. 


Before I actually used the Elmer's Spray on an actual quilt, I did a test piece, and I wanted to really see how it would do with dense quilting and the needle passing through quite a bit. That means I practiced feathers. I think I'm getting decent with my travel stitching along the same path and that this feather turned out pretty well.


Saturday, August 24, 2013

Little things

I have finished the big block quilt top with the mitered corners. Last weekend at the DC Modern Quilt Guild meeting, pictures were taken of it, but they haven't made it to Flickr yet, and since I was behind the quilt holding it up, none made it onto my camera or phone. I plan to get a queen flat sheet to back it with and do straight line quilting. Although this picture is from before it was actually pieced it's laid out on the floor and gives a decent idea of what the top looks like put together: 

 Many of you have seen all the bee blocks that I make for my hive mates, but here is my collection of received blocks from the paper pieced hives. My color scheme is orange, lime green, and bright blue. For half the hives I requested white backgrounds and for the other half, I requested dark gray - I love how these have turned out. I haven't decided yet if I want to do another couple of rounds or leave it smaller like this (48"x48") and use as a wall hanging.


And lastly for this post, one of the nurses I work with commissioned me to make a pencil case for her daughter who starts the school year on Monday. Her daughter hadn't liked any of the ones that were at Staples when they went shopping. That evening, I texted several pictures of fabric, and what I thought was funny is initially her daughter chose my ironing board cover as her favorite print (it's white with pale blue polka dots), but once I figured that out and she chose from the actual fabric available (all from my scrap bin) she chose this combination and I had free reign on the design. I made it more sturdy with fusible fleece ironed to the outer pieces. The soon to be 9th grader was thrilled with it, and really that's what matters with commissioned pieces, that the recipient will love and use it.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Mug Rug Revival Round 2

The Mug Rug Revival Round 2 kicked off this weekend with partners being assigned and information regarding likes and dislikes being sent out. My partner said that she likes gray and yellows together and that she also likes birds. I was thinking about using a bird print fabric, but the only one I have has multi colored owls on it from the baby quilt I made in February. That didn't seem right. I turned to Pinterest and Google Image search for bird quilt inspiration. I found a simple, black silhouette of a bird on a branch that just called out to be used. I placed it on a checkerboard background of low volume gray and yellow. And here we have the top of the Mug Rug. I need to choose a backing for it now. I plan to bind in black, but I'm not sure what quilting motif I want to use yet. I don't have to mail until August 30th, so I have a little time to percolate on that.


This is the first time I've ever done applique. My machine has a blanket stitch which I used all the way around the birdie and branch. I hope my partner likes this when it arrives in her mailbox.