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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

quilting, quilting and more quilting

Last Saturday night I started cutting out a new quilt! I can't remember the last time I made a stash quilt...usually it's "all scraps, all the time" around here. (Which is fun, don't get me wrong!) The original idea was to make it from low volume fabrics (light values only) and call it "Quiet Christmas". I'm sticking with the name, because I love it, but I decided to use medium values as well, so I wouldn't have to go buy a bunch of new fabric. (I'm still on my fabric fast...139 days strong!)
I've got most of it cut out and I love the mix so far. LOTS of polka dots! The squares are cut at 5", which seems HUGE to me. :) I'm finally seeing a dent in my stash, which feels fantastic! I'm not sure if I will get this done before Christmas, but like my daughter says, "it don't matter." :)
I basted my pineapple quilt over the weekend--mostly because I didn't want to have to iron the top again. Hahaha! (I'm actually completely serious.)
The quilting is going well so far, for which I'm thankful! I'm doing simple loop-de-loops and they are disappearing into the scrappy chaos. Perfectly imperfect.
And then, in my down time, I've been hand quilting my "oh my stars" quilt. Actually, my friend Nancy, who taught me how to quilt, is recovering from knee surgery. She is in short stay care, so I've been hand quilting this while I visit her. It feels so "full circle" and it makes my sappy heart so happy.

34 comments:

  1. love your pineapple quilt I couldn't tell from the photos are you doing all over quilting or lines?

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  2. Two different and wonderful quilts! How I love those 3O's style fabrics and your hand quilting!

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  3. Love the reds and greens!

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  4. Wow you've been busy! I love the low-ish volume Christmas prints, it's very festive without being over the top Christmassy, and the stars are just lovely, it must be very soothing to quilt them!

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  5. Fabric fast! That's exactly what I've been trying to do. Just wasn't sure what to call it. Thanks!

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  6. Beautiful fabrics--I love your pineapple--making one is on my bucket list.

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  7. Always fun to see your quilt projects in the works! I'm brewing some new projects too, which is SO fun! Next up, I plan to do a lot of cutting so I can just park it at the sewing machine.

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  8. Lovely, lovely, and lovely! I love it all. :) Say hello to Nancy for me, too. :)

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  9. Oh Amanda these projects are so gorgeous!! Each picture made me smile. I love the fabric pull and even with the medium tones it is still peaceful. The pineapple is divine!! I've never made these blocks but it's on my list. The oh my stars is beautiful too and hand quilting is fantastic. What a nice way to spend time with your friend! I hope she recovers quickly and well :)

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  10. Beautiful hand and machine quilting... very inspiring!

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  11. Wow, you've been busy!

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  12. What beautiful colors to make any gray day happy. Love them both!

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  13. I think I told you before but I love your blog!!! Everything you do is so pretty and it's fun to read about your projects! I look forward to everything you post!

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  14. I'm always impressed with how much you get done and now with your fabric fast too. I REALLY need to fast and use my stash. Merry Christmas

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  15. Your new quilt squares are pretty. Quiet Christmas is such a cute name! Looks like you are soon to be finished quilting the pineapple quilt. Looks fab! So do those hand quilted stars. All are lovely!

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  16. Fabric fast? Wow good for you! I've been keeping track of my scrap projects the past few months and I'm on #8 now. Not as impressive as you, but I still have a little one at home during the day and am pregnant with #4, so it's not my time yet:). The pineapple quilt is just so beautiful, but when I saw how long those blocks took I couldn't even consider making it. But it is gorgeous!

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  17. Love the fabrics for the Christmas quilt. Can't wait to see it. The pineapple quilt is looking good. All over was a great idea. Oh My Stars will be done soon! That is one of my favorites.

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  18. Each one of these projects is so appealing! I love that you are hand quilting while visiting your friend.

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  19. Love the fabrics in Quiet Christmas! I made a "loud" one : )
    Didn't think it would work well...but I am loving it too.

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  20. As usual they are all lovely and what a lovely time to hand quilt. Can't wait to see both of them finished but especially 'Oh My Stars'.

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  21. I am so deeply envious of your quilting time! I haven't seen the inside of my sewing room in two weeks and it's all I can do to take care of the "gottas" rather than chuck it all and sew up something pretty, just because. That pineapple quilt is just delicious, and I am thinking it may be just the thing to use up my bags and bags of strings after the first of the year. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  22. Fabric fasting, huh? So that is what is called what I have been doing since this summer! It feels good to only use fabrics from my stash. Beautiful quilts you are working on. I love hand quilting - it is so calming...

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  23. I'm in awe of all those pieces, Amanda Jean! And I'm glad to hear that a quilter like you may not finish a Christmas project. I've been beating myself up that my first quilt--a table runner for my daughter (it's also reversible for Hanukkah for her partner--a date I've obviously not met)--may be a squeaker date wise! Merry Christmas to all of you!

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  24. Wow, a fabric fast... I so need to do this. I think I will start January 1st. I'm such a fabric junkie it will be very, very hard. But you have inspired me! I'm not sure if I'll set a date to end, or make it end when I have no more fabric left. How did you handle that?

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  25. I love your blog. Love the Pineapple quilt so much. And really? Those "Quiet Christmas" fabrics are perfect.
    You inspire me.

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  26. Hahaha. It makes your sappy heart or scrappy heart happy? Either way, I agree!

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  27. I think your Pineapple quilt is just fantastic but not buying fabric for 139 days!!! Yahoo!! I want to try this but there are such wonderful new fabrics coming out! I will try to cut my buying next year. Thank you for your inspiration !!
    jlblvn at gmail dot com

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  28. You are surrounded by so many happy quilts at the moment! ... and you've just put that pineapple quilt on my list to do :)

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  29. That pineapple quilt!!!! Stunning! Now I'm going to have to put that on my list. And I'm totally with you on the ironing quilt tops thing.

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  30. I just love your pineapple quilt and the hand quilting you are doing on the star quilt. Just gorgeous, both of them!

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  31. Anonymous11:33 PM

    139 days!? Congrats. I'm thinking that would be a good way to start the new year. Im making a list of projects that will use up my stash.
    Looking forward to seeing your Quiet Christmas quilt come together.

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  32. Great job on all your projects. Merry Christmas :)

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  33. Anonymous5:59 AM

    I've been watching the pineapple quilt progress, and it is just stunning, and inspirational! That quilt has gone from 0 too 100 on my good things list! (I don't actually have a list, but it sounded good)! Happy Holidays!

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