Sunday's fabric

We got our carpet cleaned this week.

In trying to get the floor cleared, I sorted through some fabric, and decided to audition some options for my month of the VIBees (not until March).

I started with this recent acquisition (Alexander Henry's Amelie)



Added in some other florals

And went with the whole "green, beige, blue, mustard, brown" color scheme (Don't ask me what the relationship of that is on the color wheel).

What do you all think of this pile?  Think it will make a good modified wedding ring?

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Thank you for all the love on the Urban Lattice quilt! (from Cara's Urban Lattice Quilt along)

Krista Poppyprint pointed out that I'm fulfilling my own prediction of mixed neutrals... but they do go together so nicely.

Here are twenty-eight of the required forty-eight blocks done.

These are not in their final lay-out, I just wanted to see them together on my (clean) floor.

WIP Wednesday - someone else's quilt along

It's true -- I have my own quilt along to finish... and I will (Christmas sewing was a major derailment!)

But in the mean time...

I've started my "manly quilt" from Cara's Urban Lattice Quilt Along.



For Christmas, my darling husband let me get got me Electric Quilt 7.

I haven't figured out most of it, but I did manage to mock this one up, to make sure my idea of multiple neutrals...


...would look good somewhere other than in my own head.

And it did.



I've got much of my cutting, and eight of the forty-eight blocks done.

This thing is massive!  (You can see my thread spools down in the corner)



Much to my friend E's chagrin, I don't have any scrapbook paper in my house (my mother-in-law meets all my scrapbooking needs)... and I really can't stand tearing the paper off when I'm done (really -- I can't stand it).

I do though have a large 12 1/2" square ruler.  So with a few tape marks on it, and careful sewing, I think it's going to turn out fine without any paper piecing (*phew*).  The other change I made was to add a small inner border around the inner colored scraps.  Jay likes it that way -- and I figure since this is "his" manly quilt, I'd better give him at least a little say.

I'm linking this to Lee's WIP Wednesday!



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I just discovered most of the people linking to Lee's linky party are including stats.  *gulp*  Here I go... (in no particular order).

To be quilted:

1. Nicey Jane Fat Quarterly quilt along
2. Blissful surprise
3. Breakfast at Tiffany's Rob Peter to pay Paul (already basted)
4. Christmas quilt top
5. Rouenneries couch quilt

In various stages of piecing:

6. French General Schnibbles (just needs borders)
7. My Chubby Stars (this is the next to be pieced!)
8. Pure Surprise (oh yea -- this one too). ;)

You don't even want to know all the rest -- these are the ones at the top of my list.

You can see it was a good decision to sit out of swaps for a bit. ;)

(one more angle)

getting started

After my review of finished projects, and realizing that I kept almost nothing, I decided to get started right away on changing that.

I had started this quilt back in June(ish) 2010, after Carrie Nelson's Schnibbles times two  book came out.

Using a mix of the French General fabric I had (Rural Jardin and Rouenneries), I started cutting and organizing my blocks.  And then I stopped.

Enter La Petite Ecole.  I loved it from the time I saw Natalia post a glimpse of the quilt she designed using the line.

I've almost got the top pieced, and went and picked out some border fabric, along with some gorgeous trim from my local quilt shop yesterday.









Let the indulgent sewing go on!

2010 in review

My finished quilts from 2010

1. I dance in circles, 2. Krista's doll quilt all finished, 3. bricks in bloom copy, 4. lawn hunky copy, 5. A little elephant for Everett, 6. title fruitcake copy, 7. "80's rock star" for dqs9, 8. Surfer circle around, 9. title garden copy, 10. scrappy mug rug - with father and son, 11. tula pink for Olivia Violet, 12. Scrappy mug rug, 13. Washed and crinkly baby quilt, 14. DSC_0186, 15. Not available, 16. 12 Days tree skirt, 17. for my nephew, 18. back of wool rag quilt, 19. MIL's quilt turned table cloth, 20. FIL's Christmas gift, 21. plume mini quilt, 22. Cherish Nature Easter table runner, 23. DSC_0246, 24. DSC_0055, 25. DSC_0205, 26. nine-patch?, 27. Frolic baby quilt, 28. DSC_0426

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

And Bags and pillows. :)



1. color wheel dresdie, 2. Modern Swappers pillow, 3. verna dresden garden, 4. pretty petal clutch - Explored, 5. Pillow Talk Swap 4 pillow, 6. little folks dresden - Explored, 7. a little improv pillow, 8. DSC_0354, 9. pretty little pillow, 10. pillow talk swap finished, 11. a pillow in neutrals, 12. Modern Swapper pincushion/thread catcher

Wanna know how many of these I still have in my possession?

Three.

The Nicey Jane bag, one of the Americana table runners, and the Fruitcake tree-skirt (oh, and Steiger still has his quilt too of course).

My resolution for next year --

Make stuff to keep for us!

I have learned my style much better though... so hopefully I'll know what I want to make to keep for myself. :) ;)

See you in 2011!

I've got some blog cleaning up to do (you like the new design?)

reflections and predictions

Sew Mama Sew asked for our Reflections and Predictions -- and here are mine!

Looking back on the sewing scene of 2010, what trends stand out in your mind?

Gray.  It's becoming the "new" neutral.

From Cara's (Me? A Mom?) Urban Lattice "manly" quilt, to the purl bee's New Year's coasters, to my pillow talk pillows, to Krista (Poppyprint's) cute mug rug, to Izzy Inspired's quilt for her son (that I'm dying to shamelessly copy), to Aneela Hooey's much anticipated Sherbet Pips -- gray is everywhere.

1. Urban Lattice quilt (aka manly quilt), 2. New Year's Coasters, 3. Poppyprint - mugrug pears 3, 4. Sherbet pips!!!!!, 5. trenton's quilt, 6. Pillow Talk Swap 4 pillow


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Linen paired with prints was also really popular (and I'm sure will continue to be)


Here were some of my personal creations using linen.

What were some of your favorite things? (Trends, fabric collections, patterns, blogs? Whatever you really loved.)


My personal favorite fabric collection of this year was Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey.  


I've got two quilts going in it -- 
My top from the Fat Quarterly Quilt Along, 

and
My chubby stars (that I will finish even though it's going to be gigantic).





You can see my blog roll for some of the blogs I love. :)

What was your very favorite fabric collection or print? (If not listed above.)


My favorite prints became blenders -- I love 'em.


Like these from the Bliss line





and these for my Urban Lattice quilt





and voile (also love it)

What was the best thing you made in 2010? (Be sure to share a photo!)


My "best thing" -- I think would be my Chubby Stars (photo above and in the header)... when it's finished. :)  But to be honest, my best thing is what I'm making next. 


On second thought -- maybe my Christmas quilt top was my "best thing" -- even though it was mostly made by my friends. :)

What is one of the best things you saw that was made by someone else?


I saw so many things I loved... so here's a mini collage.






1. Fussy Flowers, 2. Pillow Swap Outside, 3. Triple Irish Chain with flowers 2, 4. DSCN0752, 5. munki starburst quilt, 6. Nicey Jane hexies

What do you think 2011 has in store? (Again, trends, fabric, patterns, etc.)

2011 undoubtedly has in store too many wonderful things.  I'm really hoping Heather Bailey comes out with a new line. :)


As a trend in neutrals, I think there will be a shift from gray and white to mixing creams.  I plan on doing it with my Urban Lattice Quilt, and I've seen it in quite a few places in flickr lately.





1. Untitled, 2. scrappy - done!, 3. modern argyle pillow, 4. IMG_0047


I think there's also going to be even more of a shift to using more plain fabrics to make your design, with fussy-cut accents.  I think big prints will be down-played, unless they are a large focal area, and make a very big statement on their own.


In piecing -- I think these are some design inspirations we'll see more of this year.





1. October star block for Shelley, 2. String Knot, 3. November Hexagon Block for Lynne, 4. 3x6 Mini Bee Block, 5. Block 1 for Kristy/Handmade Retro, 6. Three by Six - for hanies, 7. Quilting Divas--Tracey, 8. 3x6 Bee 3rd Quarter Beehive 8 chez - j, 9. Oregon Star, 10. Sew New to Me VQB--July, 11. Doll Quilt Swap 9, 12. 3x6 Mini Bee 3rd Quarter


I think diamonds and curves will replace hexagons.


In color -- I think monochromatic, or clashing will be the thing.  I don't know what the relationship on the color wheel is exactly, 

Anything you’re ready for the sewing world to get over?


Not really.  I'm not wild about the crosses look, but I know a lot of other people like it.  


The whole point of sewing and crafting is to do what you like... so if someone else likes it, I'm fine with that.


Me personally - I'm pretty much getting over using a single collection for a quilt; I've got to mix things up, and that makes me happy, and I think makes the quilt less dated by the fabric line.

What’s on your sewing agenda for 2011? What are you excited about? What would you like to learn more about?

tomorrow I hope to post my personal year in review... 

In the mean time, on my list is:

- The quilting of four quilt tops

- My Chubby Stars quilt
- My Urban Lattice quilt
- A Schnibble in French General
- A couple Bakeshop quilts (so far)
- A baby boy and a baby girl quilt for the baby I hope we make soon... (but I'll need both because I'm really hoping to give my husband his wish of not finding out the gender early!)
- A big girl quilt for my niece
- A baby quilt for my niece due March 1
- A baby girl quilt for a good friend
- A couple baby boy quilts for other good friends
- the blocks for three bees

I really want to start writing some patterns, and I'm excited that I'll probably be going to Quilt Market in the Spring!

For learning -- my piecing got pretty good over the past year, so I would like to learn about quilting, now that I have a bigger and better machine!  I'd also like to figure out paper piecing.

Last but not least -- I'm excited to see what happens with Quilt Hope In!
  Because I want it to be successful, I'm still working out the details of getting items listed, getting funding to the right spot (so that it doesn't go through my personal checking account), and organizing sponsors! :)

Four quilts in four weeks

Each of these quilts is a derivation from my typical choices and style, as they were all gifts...
Because gifts are about the recipient, and not the giver, I hope they are all loved.

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The first was finished the weekend after Thanksgiving, so I could give it to my mother-in-law early... so she could enjoy it throughout the Holiday season. :)  Her favorite Christmas decoration motif is the snowman... so snowmen it was for her. :)



Looked pretty cute as the tablecloth methinks.

For the design, I chopped up a panel (kind of hard to see in this picture), and interspersed it with a nine-patch/daisy chain... kind of like with this quilt.

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The second quilt I finished was for my nephew.



Poor kid -- he's 2 1/2 years old, and has yet to get his own quilt from Aunt Tracey (In my defense, I started quilting when he was already a little over a year old).

I actually had deliberated, and deliberated over his quilt design for months... hoping to have it finished by his second birthday.  And even though there were designs I "could" have done, none seemed right.

I remembered my sister-in-law mentioning though that they wanted minky... and my brother really likes camo... so when I found the camo minky (by Robert Kaufman... I found mine here), my design dilemma was solved.  Some Kona and Moda Grunge solids, the Fat Quarterly quilt along pattern, and voila.



I did "cheat," and didn't do a regular binding (was trying to save time), and just turned the thing inside out -- it worked well everywhere except where I left the top open for turning.  But I don't think I'll do it again -- because even though I was trying to save time, I don't think I really did.

The minky was fine to work with (though I was a bit chicken to free-motion with it)... and it is so soft and nappable.



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Quilt number three is the most challenging quilt I've ever made.

Sometime last year, my mom saw a wool rag quilt for sale, and told me she loved it.  Having never made a rag quilt, and having never seen it myself, I wasn't exactly sure how to translate what she loved in to a surprise quilt for her, so I did my best guessing.

And it is a good thing I didn't know how much trouble this was going to give me, or else I don't know if I would have started (or I at least would have done things differently).

But here is my mom's really heavy wool rag quilt.

Since I like the back better than the front... I'll show it to you first...



And the front.



There is a lot I would have changed for this if I did it again (definitely a learning experience)...
- used either no flannel for the "batting," or one that didn't contrast
- Used a smaller seam allowance (I was using the Go! cutter rag quilt die)
- Undecided if I would have ragged the edges first with the die, or done it after???
- Got the strongest needle I could find BEFORE attempting to sew those rows together (I broke 3 needles while making this quilt)

But my mom likes it... so that makes me happy. (Rag quilts are so not my thing).

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The last quilt I finished was for my father-in-law.

Last year, I had bought one of Holly Taylor's flannel jelly rolls on sale, because he's a fisherman, and I thought the woodsy flannels would suit him.



This one almost didn't get done in time, because my backing fabric was late in the mail!  But thanks to my husband watching Steiger, it was done on the 22nd (then I wrapped on the 23rd, and we were traveling the 24th).

I followed a free pattern from Lauren and Jessi Jung (they designed Botany), and even though all those blocks have set-in seams... they were fun to construct.



The back was more flannel (can I say that Moda's flannel is incredibly soft), and it was quilted with simple diagonal lines.



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 Now for the disclaimer:
If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you realize that none of these quilts are done in colors I would choose myself... so can I say I am very much looking forward to sewing whatever I want for a while! But I'm glad those are done, and I hope their recipient's love them. :)

almost there.

The Wise Men have almost made it to Bethlehem.





Where they will pick up Baby Jesus and Mary.



(you can see a tiny peek of my tree skirt in the corner of that picture too)

I've still got boxes to trim and wrap, but we are absolutely enjoying this season...



...I've even read the first book I've finished in... a year??? (Can you believe I was an English teacher before?)

And even though this gift quilt is finished, I've got one to quilt and bind (please show up Monday backing fabric!), and another to finish up.

But my niecey (and her parents) are here, and we've got brunch to enjoy later this morning (that I stayed up late preparing.

Overall -- we are having the most wonderful Christmastime.



Even if it is a little crazy.



So Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays) to all of you.

And Peace and Joy to you.




P.S.  Quilt Hope In will be having its Grand Opening in early January... please stay tuned!  (I have all the funding to sort through, as well as the form that will be filled out when an item is submitted for sale)