Love in the Middle of Winter

Hi! Yes, I am still here, admittedly it has been pretty quiet on the blog.
I hope life is treating you well. Life got pretty crazy towards the end of the year and with so much going on at work and home something had to give and that something ended up being the blog posts. But if you follow me on Instagram or on Flickr you know that I never quit sewing. Lots of fun stuff! If you have a chance stop by and take a look.  And today I wanted to introduce you to another quick and fun pattern! 

It is Snow Tires by Chrissy Lux of Sew Lux Fabrics. She asked if I wanted to test this pattern for her and I immediately said "sure!" This pattern was quick and easy to piece - there are no Y seams!  It is made up of squares and HST's. The most important part is your planning or layout. Chrissy includes a great coloring sheet in the pattern to use and very specific instructions on labeling each block so you get the placement you want. This pattern makes a great scrappy quilt or its perfect for a coordinating line of fabrics too. I used my stash of Amy Butler's Love line. I needed that wonderful saturated color to brighten up the oh so cold and snowy winter we are having here in Indiana! Now I am waiting for my backing to arrive and I will be able to turn this top into a beautiful finished quilt! It is indeed Love in the Middle of Winter...ahhh.

Head on over to Sew Lux Fabrics and pick up your copy of Snow Tires!

Happy Stitching!
Ginny
  

WIP Wednesday

It's Wednesday and that means WIP Wednesday with Lee over at Freshly Pieced

 

It has been awhile since I have linked up, and thought in the spirit of the New Year and self improvement, resolutions, and all that good stuff..... and because I have a ridiculously long list of things that I have in different stages of completion... er... some closer to beginning  vs completion that I would link up   The WIP master list can be rather intimidating. I am sure I am the only one with this issue..... ;)  

Regardless, let's jump right in as 2013 is off to an awesome start!

Here is my current - must complete- project for the week. (and actually this was on my WIP list previously) It is a commissioned baby quilt (my first commission :0 ) and it is for a beautiful little girl who is only a few days old--so sweet!

Cutting-- fabric is Animal Parade by Ana Davis

More fabric selections and blocks
.
The fabric and pattern was picked out by my client.
 Mom's request was for something with browns and greens, some pink, but not all pink!This fabric is beautiful, it has a wonderfully soft hand. It also has such fun, modern colors and prints!

The pattern is called Dancing Patchwork and can be found on Etsy here.
I am not affiliated with the maker but this was the pattern the client liked and I think it is very cute - especially for a baby quilt! It calls for a layer cake but I just cut from yardage and it works well. Easy to piece with fun results!

So  the goal is to finish it up this weekend and off to it's new owner!

Ok here is THE LIST for January:
1. Finish Baby quilt--it is going together fast and sooo cute!
2. Do. Good.Stitches Nurture Circle January Block-due end of Jan
3. Con't work on Modern Medallion- Handstitched Class
4. Modern Stash Bee Blocks for January (2)- due 2/15
5.Sugar Block BOM with StitcheryDiceryDock for January- due end of Jan
6.Paper Piecing Stars BOM with Don't Call Me Betsy for January- due end of Jan
7. Binding on Batik Flowers quilt for A Lovely Year of Finishes- due end of Jan
8. The Triple Zip Along with Debbie over on Flickr- this is going to be so Fun-starts Jan 28!
9. Finish my House Block for the Sew South group quilt for the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte NC-- such a fun and worthwhile project! It is going to be sew awesome!

Next: Solids bee block for Feb (Erin has already sent out the fabric-- she is so on it!)

Whew! My goal was to join more groups (accountability there) and learn new techniques -- looks like I have made it there!

Good thing I have a couple of days off coming up! It is bitter cold here and just the perfect weather for staying in and stitchin' up a storm!

Have a great week!
Ginny



















 

Free Motion Quilting - FMQ

 I have always sent my projects out to a longarm quilter or done some smalls with straight line quilting or traditional hand quilting.

As you know from WIP Wednesdays, I have these projects and flimsies waiting.....and waiting for a finish ;) I really would like to quilt some of them myself. So, I made some quilt sandwiches approx 12x12in with an older large floral print on one side and muslin on the other. Then I just started! Like doodling, only on fabric vs. my desk calendar at work ;)

Not as difficult as I thought!  Here is are some pics of my practice sandwiches:

Not the best, kind of jerky in the designs and my tension was off a bit, but not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to turn out....I actually like the loop to loop and stippling in the bottom photo.

And I think the hanging hearts and star have promise..... 

So....how do I learn more on this subject?

 I bought a book on sale at JoAnns - "One Line At A Time 24 Geometric Machine-Quilting Designs Made Easy" by Charlotte Warr Anderson. I liked this book because it features geometric patterns that build on each other from the begining of straight lines and grids. It include patterns like Clam Shell and Six Pointed Stars which add curves to the straight lines. Can't wait to try these! Then I signed up for a Craftsy class on "Machine Quilting: Free Motion and More" with Wendy Butler Berns. They have many quilting classes to choose from and often run them on sale. I found this one sale for $19.99. I will let you know how I like it. I already do the BOM with Amy Gibson from Stitchery Dickory Dock (she has AMH giveaway going on) and enjoy it and the video format.

 On my list to do is look into Leah and her blog The Free Motion Quilting Project, check it out, pretty amazing!

Looks like more practice in the future! Hopefully the next pics will be a bit more refined.

And hopefully those flimsies will be transformed into true Quilts!

Hope you are having a quilty kind of week :)

Hello World!

Welcome to my new adventure!

I have been lurking about in the blogosphere, reading, linking to new places, and most of all learning how many knowledgeable and talented people there are out there that I may never have the chance to meet in person but can "meet" through the world of blogging. 
So if you are here, reading this, nice to meet you!

This is a personal blog. Sometimes I may share my thoughts on my latest quilting/sewing project, a really great dish I have found, silly things, fun things, home decorating dilemma's, things that touch my life in general and hopefully a little bit of sanity on how to conquer those days when it seems to be all upstream. So if this appeals to you in the least bit, please join me.

I recently had a birthday and this is one of the gifts I received! It is in great shape, just needs cleaned up and polished. No, it does not have the Singer sewing machine, but it sure makes me wonder about what period of time it is from, who has sewn on it and what projects did they make......

Wow! The kids found it at an Estate Sale in Ohio.

And speaking of projects here is a shot of a fun one for a friend of mine. She just came home from the hospital and I thought this is quick, not too difficult and would bring a smile :)

Simple table runner with large block for center, small inside border which will surrounded by checkerboard squares made out of the fabric to the left and then finally completed by the cute border print I found on clearance Friday at a local sewing and quilt shop.

And if I am to get this finished and to her, I need to move on.

Thanks for stopping by