Friday, April 24, 2009

wee play

thanks so much for the kind words on my boys' quilts. i have to laugh at all of you who think that their bedroom is always that clean. that is CERTAINLY not the case. i had to do a bit (ha!) of cleaning before snapping the photos. ahem.

i finished my wee play quilt top last night and i made the backing. you know how "they" recommend cutting your backing and your batting at least 4" larger than your quilt top? my thoughts are: why waste that much batting/backing? well, it certainly works better than my method of (inadvertently) making the backing smaller that the quilt top. um, yeah, don't do that. that's what happened on this quilt. i still don't know how it happened, but i basted it anyway and i'm going to try to squeak by. i'll let you know how it goes. i have my seam ripper standing by.


one more thing...i haven't bought ANY fabric for 58 days. i don't know how much longer i can make it. (i mean, have you seen this fabric? it comes in brown, too! and these dots in any color are so very fantastic!)

51 comments:

KateKwiltz said...

Having just come off a fabric embargo, let me tell you, it ain't pretty when it's over. Better to buy a little every once in a while than unleash it all at once! I think the same amount of damage is done either way!

Oh, and thanks. That's just what I needed -- ANOTHER cool website for fabric purchases! :)

rachel griffith said...

oh may...i have done these quite a few times.
you'd think i would learn my lesson.
good luck.
the top looks SUPER cute!!!

and 58 days...
watch out everybody aj's gonna spend some dough.
hahahaha.

Jessica said...

OMG!! That was so RUDE!!! I'm on a fabric diet and you had to go show those cute, adorable rings?!?!? How could you???? (hehe). Even though I'm in a stash challenge with a friend, I have been able to squeak in two small (approved purchases). But I'm going to JoAnn's tonight because I need thread and yarn. I fear it may just be too much for my will power to handle!!!
Awesome quilt top too, btw.

Crafts a la Mode said...

I think I did it the way Kate(her comment is above) said not to do it. I hadn't bought fabric in 5 whole months and then I went to my sister's, saw some of her new fabric from The Quilted Castle, and went berzerk-ordering over $100. worth and since then I've ordered another $150. worth. Yep, not the way to do it. Of course, I haven't used any of it yet either...

Teodo said...

This quilt is fantastic and about the previous post
can I be your third son?
ciao ciao

Jess said...

i'm so in love with this quilt!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

You should not have lead me to that fabric website...it is dangerous and I am going to have no control.
Love your work.

Needled Mom said...

You are doing awesome. I do not think I could resist those beater blades. I may need to check out that site more thoroughly.

Sarah said...

Wow...58 days!?!?!?!? I know I have never been able to do that. I know I have not even made a month. :)

Malissa said...

Congratulations on the moratorium. I predict it will make finally buying something just that much more fun!

ilovebabyquilts said...

Well no, now that you mention it, I HADN'T seen that fabric! So having just ended a fabric spree, thanks a lot! Now I have fabric envy again. I love the mingle green and pink ovals.

Ginger said...

Those fabrics are cute. I would love to have an apron with the red. It is so hard not to buy fabric you like when you see it. I am always trying to look for sales so I can buy more.

Jessica Christensen said...

Oh, I'm impressed with your 58 days, girl. I'm only at like 21. The problem when I don't buy fabric is that I then spend money on stamps or ink or scrapbook paper. I just substitute one for the other. (Sigh) I am loving your disappearing 9-patch. I admit. I'm starting to like orange, thanks to you.

And I'm right there with you -- I have ended up with too small of backs on numerous occasions. =(

L. jane E. said...

Wow 58 days! I'm truly amazed. I think I'd able to buy a new car if I went that long without buying fabric...hmmm...there's an idea.

Loralynn said...

Don't you know diets are bad for you? There's alway the yo-yo dieting, you know starving then binging. Lately I have decided to stop dieting...it's better for my healthy state of mind to just buy when I fall in love. Otherwise the fabric haunts me...

Nichole said...

those dots are fabulous! it makes me want to buy them too!

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

wish I could say the same about NOT BUYING ANYMORE FABRIC... I try to just delete those emails with SALE etc...but gosh darn sometimes you just need the right print...

58 days... wow!! good for you!

silversmith said...

i LOVE the metro beater fabric too. i have refrained from buying any but i don't think i can hold out. kudos to you for going 58 days!! i certainly haven't done that... some last year, but this year - i'm buying up so much fabric for Quilts of Valor that i need a sponsor. and my local places keep having sales and i got gift certificates that have expiration dates....

Jodi Nelson said...

I had that beater fabric in my hands at fabric depot last time i was there. i contemplated and debated and debated. i put it back. it is so very cute!

Jocelyn said...

AmandaJean, I have two boys, so I know the truth in that statement! And I have committed the same crime myself, having to ekkk out the backing because it was a tad too small. Sometimes frustrating, but always a challenge.

Jocelyn

Lynn said...

Ooh - is this an anti-fabric buying throwdown? I need to stop buying fabric. EVEN IF IT"S ON SALE. Tommorrow will be day #1 - let's see how I do. But that might not be fair of you to post pictures of fabrics that beg me to buy them. I think that might be vicariously buying fabric through other quilters.

jess said...

I'm widja on the cutting issue, lol... I am SO with you...

Sarah said...

Love this peek! I had done so well not buying fabric but I had to order some Kaufman's solid for a quilt back (commissioned, so it gets the good stuff!) and I couldn't resist a few others, since I was paying shipping anyway....

Anna said...

Well, I didn't know the four inches rule, last night I started basting my first big quilt and I knew I had to make it bigger, turns out the backing is wider but not too much longer than the quilt. I took my inspiration for it from you by the way. I am in love with the Lizzy Dish line by Elizabeth House. Those beaters would go really well with Lizzy Dish too. Go two more days without and then go shopping! Haha.

Anna

Tara said...

I love the wee play line. I've got the zippity doo dah charm packs waiting for a disappearing nine patch. I'm so with you on not wasting the backing and batting, but I also feel your frustration when it's not big enough--how to win?

Judy said...

A few quilts ago I goofed and trimmed the batting to miss a corner. I cut a piece, stuck it in and quilted right over it with success!! I usually go about 1.5 to 2 inches over for the back...I agree with wasting 4 inches. No way too much!

heather said...

I can't wait to see the quilt in person. Looks good!!! And I did look at those sights and wasn't even tempted!:) I'm dead to that.;)

Stefanie said...

The thing that cracks me up, is that you actually count the days you have gone without a fabric fix. I was thinking- could she possibly have something up after that awesome set of orange quilts, and you amaze again. I'm just getting the binding finished on the first quilt a long. Maybe you could save up some energy for another quilt a long starting in the fall???? Please??

dotti white said...

AmandaJean...Your new piece of handiwork is lovely! I have been wanting to get some of that fabric to make something but with the projects I have to do I am going to try and refrain! It's hard! Have a wonderful weekend. Check out the peek at the baby quilt I have been working on.

Molly said...

When I do a quilt for a client, I am always a little irritated if their back isn't generously bigger, but if I am doing a quilt for myself, I admit I cut it closer because I am stingy. :)

carolyn said...

fun quilt! I always recommend 2 inches larger on each side and 4 inches larger on top & Bottom if your getting it long arm quilted. Maybe if you quilt it at home it could be 2 inches larger on top and bottom.

Jodie said...

oh those beaters.....how will you resist?

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOD! Here in Brazil we just don't have that kind of fabrics!!!!

How can you be in a diet of fabrics?

I wish I could buy some yards of those...

Patricia (Rio de Janeiro/Brazil)

Anina said...

Making backings to small can result in very nice happy accidents when you have to patch them bigger. Trust me, I know.

Sherri said...

58 days...I seriously don't know if I could do that!!! What is your goal?

Danielle said...

How can it be 58 days??? I can't make it 5 to 8 days :) Love the orange boys' quilts. Great job!

larissa said...

i love how happy and spring-y this quilt is! the kiddos are going to fight over this one!

Red Pepper Quilts - Rita Hodge said...

It seems every time I baste and quilt a quilt I learn from my own mistakes too! This morning I learned that you must ensure that there are no basting pins stuck inside the quilt sandwich (I don't know how it got there!) as you will stitch over it and then taking it out becomes a bit of a problem!

No fabric for 58 days! I just couldn't bear it!

Sherry said...

Wow 58 days! I love the Wee Play fabrics (have several charm packs of it) Proud of you for staying away from buying fabric & sticking to your stash! My husband would be proud of me for doing the same, I'm sure! LOL We discuss my spending on fabric versus his spending on building a street rod, well, I won't bore you with the details. LOL

Cheryl Arkison said...

I've done that too! And of course I was out of the fabric that I wanted for it... I put on strips of something else, then made a very wide binding to cover it on the back.

Shari said...

You wee play quilt is so cute. Hope it works out! (or you could always trim it back a little).

Congratulations of 58 days of not buying fabric! Wish I could go that long...

Betty said...

Long arm quilting seems to need more backing fabric. When I do my own quilting on my own small machine, I don't need much extra. I think it makes a difference too if you only quilt it lightly. If you do have wide strips left over, it's still new fabric and can be saved for binding on another quilt. Betty

Angela Nash said...

Perhaps 58 hours....that's about how long I last. But 58 days is something to strive for! I have new crayon syndrome.

Susan J Barker said...

I too am trying to reduce the stash before buying more... But gee, those beaters are enticing - since I am planning kitchen sets for christmas gifts this year, they would be ideal! hmmmm...
Maybe I will 'passively' look for it next time I "happen" to step into a local quilt shop...

pam said...

I just made a tote bag with the tape measure wee play fabric.
Love the quilt and hope it turns out for you.
I just went to Paducah to the quilt show and bought fabric. Oy, I didn't need any but I couldn't help myself.

pam

Jen Petersen said...

I love when you post links to fabric sites. I'm fairly new to quilting and love the resource for fabric. Thanks for making us all as addicted to the habit of fabric buying as you are!

Contented Caroline said...

I have those fabrics too, it's lovely to see how other people are using them. I haven't decided what to do with mine yet but no doubt it will include some applique - my favourite technique!

Katherine said...

Squeal!!!! I love this fabric line.
It certainly made a gorgeous quilt.

58 days of fabric dieting? oh, the willpower ;o)

Rebekah said...

oh, I've totally done that before in an effort to save money :)

V and Co. said...

wee play is my favorite...still well and shangrila...
i totally cut my back and batting just right to save fabric. makes my quilty friend really miffed but when i do it myself it doesn't really matter!

Noëlle Hettlinger said...

Hi Quilters! I don't know if this is the right venue to be asking about this but I am trying to find someone who could help me... I received an amazing quilt for my baby as a baby gift and it was lost by a friend. I'm heartbroken to say the least. Is there anyone out there who I can hire to recreate this quilt? It used the Wee Play Sandy Klop design fabrics. I have pictures of it that we could use to try to recreate it. Please let me know! My email is nchettlinger@gmail.com
Thank you!
Noelle