Friday, March 30, 2012

More Monsters

Another monster quilt for my shop.  My blanket stitching hiatus continues; I hand quilted this one in simple contrast stitching. 

 The monsters are hand appliqued in the same contrasting thread as squares their color.  I kept up the big stitch detailing.  I think the light blue guy's smile turned out nicely.
 The black and white checked binding looks great again.  I like the contrast and extra element of fun.
 So this may look totally familiar.  Remember my initial plan for the bumper was squares like the front, these are the squares that I cut before changing direction on that project.
Another pieced back.  The stitching shows the squares off well here.
This one is headed for my shop, and I'm headed for a break from these monsters.  I've now made the same design three times.  I'm usually a once and never again type; too many other quilts in my brain wanting to get made.  I'm excited about the next few.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Quilt Story

Hey, I'm being featured over at quiltstory today.  They are a great place to find some awesome new quilt ideas.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The Mom Handle

This is totally not a quilt, but it is something I've sewn lately, so here it is.
Our daughter is a runner.  As in she is one of those kids who just bolts.  Randomly.  In public places.  Like IKEA.  IKEA was pretty much the last straw for her and Dad, so we had to do something to keep her safe. 
I really hate the idea of a kid leash.  It just seems so demeaning.  Even with a cute animal backpack kinda thing it's still a leash.  Like for a dog.  My daughter shares this sense of horror.  No doubt she got it from me and my reminders to stay close or she would have to get a leash like the neighbor's dog.
Anyway, to spare her and me from the kid leash I made a Mom handle.  It's all in the name.  This child also has quiet rest time in bed during which she often sleeps.  Her baby brother takes naps. 
(that's us, me and the one called Pie)

The mom handle is basically an elastic bracelet hooked to Mom by a carabiner.  She also has a little loop she can hold on to.  It worked grand on its initial run.  And she loves it.  She got to pick the fabric and it's not a kid leash.  She is very determined to make this work; especially as she knows it's all that stands between her and a kid leash.

It's fabric tuesday over at quilt story, check it out

Thursday, March 22, 2012

TGIFF!!

It's here!  I am so excited to be hosting today!  And I am doubly excited that I have a finish to show you all. 
Here's my very appropiately named Argyle Robot.
 What is there to say about this?  It's argyle, it's got a robot.  That about covers it really.
 My husband commented that this combination was very me.  Apparently argyle and robots aren't an obvious combination to most people.  But really, they so work!  What is more geeky sophisticated than argyle?  Nothing, that's what!  And robots are equally geeky sophisticated.  Especially this one, he has a bow tie.
 I backed it in fleece, which caused a whole right side wrong side internal debate while I was laying it out.  And, Holy Lint Roller, Batman, my floor is now devoid of stray threads.
 (also, I used the June Taylor fusible batting; it was on a major clearance.  My opinion: weird.  It worked well enough on the solid piece sides, but beneath my piecing, not so hot.  I still used pins.  Who am I to tell June, but I don't expect I'll be fusing it again.  I did get a queen sized batting for six bucks though, so not a total bust.)
 This was also my first time quilting with embroidery floss.  And I loved it!  It is the perfect look for this.  It had to be something as visible as floss or a whole element would have been missing.  Argyle isn't argyle with out the crosshatch.
This little bit of me is headed to my etsy shop.  We'll see if there are any other geeky sophisticates out there.

I also finished my Princess and the Pea quilt pattern.  That request took some brain power; I made a quilt pattern but I've never used one myself!  Got a few of those in my shop as well.

Your turn.  And remember, it's nice to link back so we can all click our way through, and really we all love comments.

Monday, March 19, 2012

It's coming!

TGIFF will be here this Friday.  I know!  How fun it that?  I've got my finish ready, how 'bout you?


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Custom Order: Monsters


Ta-da! Here it is, the monsters.  She asked for dark blue, light blue, red, orange, yellow, a hint of lime green, and some black and white.  I got her crib dimensions, asked a few questions, and here's what she's getting.  I hope it's what she had hoped for.
(I am so anxious about it actually.  It's kinda intimidating making something for someone you don't know.)


I put four monsters on the blanket, on the light blue fabric.  I didn't blanket stitch around the light blue as they are the "windows."  I used two orange fabrics (one pattern, one solid) and three dark blues (two patterns, one solid).  The patterns are all a bit geometric.  (and the orange monster does have pupils, they are light blue; they didn't photograph very well.)

 I did another pieced back, using fabrics from the front.  I like how the grid of quilting shows so well, and the different colors of thread from the contrasting blanket stitch.



I kept the monsters pretty classic, I'm not reinventing the wheel here.  And really, you can never go wrong with a cyclops.


Onto the bumper.  I have a sister-in-law who is especially crafty.  Not to say the others aren't, but she really is as crafty as my sister thinks I am.  Anyway, she made a bumper for her first a couple years ago and it was pretty much a never again experience.  I was a little intimidated, but I told myself that I sew more than she does and I would be okay.  I hoped. 
Well I essentially was, but I'm not eager to repeat this anytime soon.  It's just so long and skinny; it's not that easy to get in a hoop.  I think the real thing that got to me was the blanket stitching.  I'm pretty much resolved not to blanket stitch anything for years.  Also, if anyone hears me say the words "invisible thread," just go take it from my sewing room.
But, I do love how the bumper turned out.  I totally wish I had made my kids a bumper.  So bottom line, it was a tricky quilting process, but not horrendous, I'd make one for my sister.

I had originally planned the colored squares on front and back, but then the black and white started calling me.  I didn't want to inject that much black and white into someone's nursery without checking, so I asked Mom-to-be and she said black and white.  It looks fantastic!  I totally love the mental image of the classic b&w peeking through the bars and the monster colorfest inside the crib. 
I used colored fabric for the corner ties and black and white for the center ties of the long sides.  I didn't want to draw the eye to the center ties. 
The bumper is blanket stitched just like the blanket and has monsters on the light blue.  Each crib side has its own cute little monster.


It was delivered yesterday and is officially finished.  Now I can start restocking my poor little etsy shop. 

Friday, March 9, 2012

Done and Done


(you'll get pictures next week, we know how I am about quilt surprises)

Thursday, March 8, 2012

It Still Exists

I made a purple patchwork for Pie about two years ago-ish.  Usually it is assumed to be on her bed; somewhere beneath the Lalaloopsys, Rapunzel, flashlights, books and the ever growing assortments of things she needs.  The only time I ever really get to see it is when I change the sheets.  And I always remember how much I love it.
We've got a couple sick ones today and snuggling with quilts is top on the agenda.  Which means I get to see it.  So I thought I'd share.

 This was my first patchwork and the first "big" quilt that I didn't give away.  You can totally tell which half I did first.  I have so many squares I sewed the wrong way.  My eye goes straight to the patches of darks all together.  Especially from far away.  Eventually I figured out a system, but it's fun to see the "mistakes."
 Her room is purple with butterflies so that was pretty much my fabric theory.  To give it some more longevity, I put some pink and blues in there.  The blue butterfly is the fabric I used on her drapes.  The white flower chain is from her baby quilt.  The stripes in the next shot are her valance.  And a few squares are my mom's scraps from skirts she's made my sister.
The bird fabric, coincidentally enough, my sister-in-law was using on a project around the same time.  That fact gave me some more confidence on the robots when I was having serious doubt. 
The polka dots ended up only being on the quilt about seven times.  I used at least 17 fabrics and hunting for the polka dots occupies a little miss pretty well.
Those cute little legs in the first picture?   This is what they were up to when not sitting so cutely.  Sadly, that's my teensy man trying to steal from our +1.