quilt top for my boy

For some reason I decided to try not to buy any new fabric in January.
I just about broke down and bought some about half of the days this month so far. Seriously. I am weak.

But now that this month is half over (already) I am determined to make it through. I could make several quilt tops from my scrap bucket alone. And then several more from my stash.

The quilt top shown above is made up of all scraps, excluding the white borders, which I had in my stash. It is going to be for my little guy whose birthday is in February. He informed me that he would like a new quilt for when he turns 5, because then he will be too big for his current quilt. I couldn't deny that request, even though it is completely untrue. :)

combating blogger guilt

I received a lot of fabulous (blogger) mail lately and for some reason I have a hard time posting it on my blog. Don't get me wrong, I am extremely grateful to each person who sends me a package and I love the contents, but for some reason when it comes time to blog about it, I hesitate. We all know how much I like bragging, so I don't know where this issue stems from. :) It must come down to the fact I have a hard time expressing my gratitude in words. The guilt that I have been feeling about this finally got to me, so here is all my gratitude wrapped up in one post.

My thanks goes out to each of these extremely generous and talented ladies.

Lera

Carolyn

Roxanne



Anina

Linda

Veronica (no blog)

Kristen

Amy Jo

Thank you to my real life friends and to the friends that I have never met.

quilt-a-long week 9

Folks, we have made it to week 9 in our quilt-a-long, can you believe it?

I chose another fairly easy block for this week.
And it's only 2 colors, just for you, Amy Jo. :)

cut 2 squares 4 7/8" from the colored fabric
cut 4 rectangles 2.5" x 4.5" from the colored fabric

cut 2 squares 4 7/8" from the background fabric
cut 1 square 4.5" from the background fabric
cut 4 rectangles 2.5" x 4.5" from the background fabric

use the 4 7/8" squares to make triangles
(use the same method as shown in the previous blocks)

layout as shown

sew together

and your block is complete

it should measure 12.5" at this point

any questions will be answered in the comments, as always.

ragged squares quilt top

is done!

It was a challenge because I was working outside my normal color palette. I ended up editing out the peach because it just wasn't working for me. I like how it turned out.

I will be gone from the blog for a few days. My father in law's wake is tonight, the funeral is tomorrow. My mother in law turns 70 on Sunday and my husband's birthday is on Monday. I think I will be posting week 9 of the quilt a long on Tuesday. I'm tired just thinking of it all.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

a quilt for Spot

Spot came to live at our house last September. He is well loved, and he needed his own little quilt, so my sweet boy and I worked on making one together.
We designed it together and he even got to help with the sewing. I guided the fabric, he pressed the foot pedal. That is very exciting stuff for a little guy. There was lots and lots of stick-your-tongue-out concentration going on...it was adorable. My sewing machine will sew 1500 stitches per minute - luckily he didn't find that out. :)

Anyway, I finished hand stitching the binding last night, so he could see it before he went to school this morning. He told me that he really likes it a lot, the only thing he didn't care for is the fact that you really can't see the star quilted in the center of it so well.

My son had definite ideas for this quilt-right down to the quilting. Normally, I am not the most patient person when it comes to crafting with kids (terrible, I know), but it was very enjoyable to work on this project with him.

ragged squares

I started a new quilt project yesterday.

It's really out of my comfort zone, as far as colors are concerned, but I am enjoying the challenge.

What I did was take 3 squares (cut 9", 6" and 3"), layered them all on top of each other and sewed around the edges of the smaller two squares with about a quarter inch seam. The edges will fray over time. I did not cut out the backs of the squares (to reduce bulk) because I think I will like the thickness that the multiple layers of fabric will add. Once it is quilted and washed the texture will be fabulous. I got the idea from a sample in a quilt shop that was done in katie jump rope fabrics. It was gorgeous.

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On a side note, it is roxanne's birthday today, so if you have a minute, go wish her a happy birthday!

spectrum quilt

I finished the top of my spectrum quilt.*
I didn't expect it to be a king size.
what I was thinking?!?

*no new fabric was purchased for the making of this quilt.
all pieces were from my stash or my scrap bucket.

quilt-a-long week 8

Thank you all so much for your condolences and prayers for our family during this difficult time. We are doing as good as can be expected and are so thankful for each and everyone who took time to leave a comment.
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Here is the block for week 8. Again, I tried to keep it fairly simple. Do you find as you make more blocks that they are going together easier?


cut 2 squares 4 7/8" from the background fabric
cut 2 squares 4 7/8" from the colored fabric

cut 10 squares 2.5" from the background fabric
cut 10 squares 2.5" from the colored fabric

sew your 4 7/8" squares together to make 4 sets of triangles

layout as shown

sew together using a 1/4" seam allowance

and you have another completed block.

As always, any questions will be answered in the comments.

Just out of curiosity, how many of you are caught up?

our weekend

my husband lost his dad this morning.
please keep my husband and his family in your prayers.

his dad had a heart attack on saturday morning.
we had one last chance to visit him for a bit yesterday.
for that we are thankful.

sewing room friday

it all looks innocent enough.....


.....until you look at the floor.


My husband walked by and said "oh, my!"
It's not my fault he came home early. :)

I'm working on this quilt right now. I am enjoying it immensely.
As if you couldn't tell from the mess.

quilt-a-long week 7

Welcome to week 7 of the quilt-a-long!

This block goes together pretty quickly.
For this one, I pressed my triangle seams open to reduce bulk.

Cut 8 squares 3.5" from the background fabric
Cut 4 squares 3.5" from the colored fabric

Cut 2 squares 3 7/8" from the background fabric
Cut 2 squares 3 7/8" from the colored fabric
(these 4 will be used for making the triangles)

Use the same method for making the triangles here that we used in the previous weeks.

layout as shown

sew together

and you have your completed block.

Any questions will be answered in the comments.


For those of you who are interested, I am already thinking about the next quilt a long. I am planning on making another sampler type quilt in all different star blocks. I'm gonna have to get over my triangle phobia once and for all. :)

thanks for quilting-a-long with me!

2007 in review

2007 has been a good quilting year for me. :)

I had a few quilt goals for 2007...

1. Make no quilts containing just plain squares.

I made this quilt, so I didn't make this goal. Considering I have had the fabric for 5 years, I was just happy to complete it.

2. Make a 2 color quilt.

Finished just under the wire.

3. Make a quilt with squares on point.

Here.

4. Finish 12 quilts.

My total was 17. That doesn't count doll quilts.

5. Do more improvisational piecing.

I made 8. A great plenty.

6. Use new patterns.

yep.

7. Make a sampler quilt.

I started one for the quilt a long.

8. Complete at least one scrap quilt.

I made 4.

2 of them were completely scraps, no extras.

2 were scraps with borders or stash added.

Out of 17 quilts completed, I gave 9 away.

All in all, I think I did pretty well with my goals.

Now, looking ahead...

I made some quilt goals for 2008.

Make more charity quilts.

I have a few friends that I have known for a long, long time that don't have an Amanda-made quilt, so that needs to be remedied.

Finish the 4 quilts that I currently have in progress.

Make more quilts with triangles in them.

Make another 2 color quilt.

Beyond that, I just plan to do more of the same quilting that I have been doing...scrap quilts, improvisational piecing and pretty much quilting like crazy. And working on my list.

Happy New Year!