Showing posts with label pillow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pillow. Show all posts

Sunday, May 31, 2015

Anna Marie Horner Mini Quilt Swap & Slow Stiching Sunday




Earlier this year, I signed up for the Anna Marie Horner Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram. Kate Basti is hostessing, and past members had such nice things to say about her swaps. I'd never been in one of any kind, but AMH! I had to! She was one of the first designers whose style attracted me back to quilting. The past minis from other swaps were gorgeous. Wow! These were some talented sewists, and I was worried I wouldn't measure up.

I ordered a fat quarter package of 'Folk Song',
and pulled out my high tech design tools--a pencil and some paper. This was the original drawing I started with, and I kept true to it. I integrated a few Missouri Star Quilt Co. templates I had purchased, but never used. I have to tell you these weren't made to be used together, and I had to do some tweaking at the corner diamonds.


I have one last line of hand quilting to stitch with my Aurifil 50#, and I feel like the teal corners need a bit of the coral and pink pearl cottons. Then it's time for binding, and I have a print in mind already.




#annamariehornerminiquiltswap 
#teamhonorroll 
#katebasti
#pinkdoxies


You might remember my cell phone and camera sling bag was made with the same fabric line, and another AMH I had in my stash.

I brought my mini home to work on thinking some slow stitching would be a nice change. It's been a busy week, and there's something theraputic about working with your project on your lap instead of zipping it through a machine. You see your work differently.

I've also wanted to link up to the Slow Sunday Stitching for some time. Kathy is a Canadian quilter after my own heart. She is also a scrapaholic, and is involved in quilting for Mennonite Central Committee



I haven't made any quilts for the auction like she has, but the women at First Mennonite Church in Sugarcreek do. They are an inspiring group. They meet every week to hand quilt on frames, while others ladies make utility quilts. These are gathered together in one location, packed, and sent to areas of the world where there is need. I machine bound two for them, and they will soon be on their way to a family in need. The scrappy ladies make sure they are colorful, cheery, and warm.




Thunderstorm pounded our area today, and I unplugged all my machines to make sure they weren't hit. We've lost small appliances before, and I've started unplugging my multi-strips when I leave for the day. It only takes a moment.

I spent the time cleaning up, and finishing some Moda Modern Building Blocks. You can see I filled the center of the largest block here, but I'm not satisfied with the inside grey. I think I'll replace it with the hanging print. 

By all rights, I should have thought through the whole project before starting blocks, but I was so excited to just make something! Now I'm hitting a wall, and have second thoughts about the palette. I'm not sure I like the colors I'm using, but I've been trying to follow the recommended solids as closely as possible. I may need to tweak it.



The last picture to share is the new/old stash on my floor. I went to a friend's house last week for a little fabric swap. Oo-la-la!
I know these don't look like my typical picks, but there are some projects in the Quilt Lovely book that beg for some vintage fabric. 

I'm interested obsessed in blending my vintage and modern stashes, and need to prove to myself it will work in projects. Jen Kingwell does it, and I am looking forward to learning how. 'Mrs. Bannister's Stars' pillow project starts today.


What's your plan for the month of June? Are you having a holiday weekend now, and enjoying some well earned family time? Do you have an idea for a project to be ready for July 4th? Are you working on your finishes for A Lovely Year of Finishes? Or, perhaps, Q2 Finish-Along for On the Windy Side?

Leave a comment to inspire your fellow sewists to get active in their creative space, and Be Makers this month! I applaud you all.

Link up with the Pink Doxies' Pet Project Show until Monday at midnight, and show off your latest make.


Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.




Linking up with~
Cooking Up Quilts
Hug-a-Bit Quilts
Show and Tell Monday
Molli Sparkles
Slow Stitching Sunday

Friday, April 17, 2015

Modern Spring Patchwork Pillow & Pet Project Show #16


Today was the perfect opportunity to make a
quickie project I've been longing for. I
wanted to try out my new Ditch Stitch
foot that Beth at Cooking Up Quilts had
recommended for the Janome machines.
I'd had it a week already, and never
even opened it up.


I started with a very simple layout of 2.5" squares.
I scoured my scraps, and also the fabric lying around
I'm using for my QST quilt. The green is a Schott
cotton that I can't keep enough of. I thought the 
colors reminded me so much of spring, but 
actually these wouldn't be what I would 
typically call spring colors. Then I looked back 
at the photos I'd been taking over the past few
days while out walking the Doxies.


Early rhubarb



This variety of daffodil almost glows.




This plain, little daffodil is my favorite 
out of all of them.

Many years ago when I was first married, I drove
far out in the country to our farm, and dug these
up beside an old foundation in a pasture. It
was a stagecoach stop at one time. The flower
may be plain compared to today's varieties,
but I think of all the people who gazed on
the flower from that bulb from the 1800's on.
I just love that!


The Ditch Stitch foot fit on my regular shank, and 
was easy to use. I wasn't sure if it would work 
equally well if the seams were pressed to one side 
or open, so I took the extra time to press them
open. I wasn't too careful while stitching, and it 
seemed to be far easier to stay in the ditch
than while just using a walking foot. 


It's always interesting to see what the tension on
the back looks like for me. I probably should have
adjusted it a little, but this was going to be
inside the pillow so no harm done.



The quilted top by itself turned out looking just a 
bit plain. I thought maybe a ruffled edging, but it
was too fru-fru. I liked the idea of a cross between
a ruffle and piping, and worked this out. I starched
my strip well before sewing, and left the cording
inside to give it body and weight.



 I think it feels modern, yet feminine. I finished it
off with a full width zipper, and a flap to hide it.




That's a true Friday finish, and now the
green grass is calling me to give it
the first cutting.


 Pan is watching over my garden,
and begging me to come weed it out.


Just as soon as I brew up some peppermint
tea, my friend. What a springtime treat!


Be sure to stop back for the link up
tomorrow with the Pet Project Show.
Each person who links up is automatically
given an extra chance for the Giveaway at 
the end of the month.

And a reminder to all, if you'd like to enter
the free drawing on May 2nd for this sweet 
pillow, the details are all in the link below.
You have until April 30th.

Variable Star within a Star Pillow


The drawing is open to everyone so
check out the details, and send me an email.
If you are a No-Reply at Blogger, be sure to
include your email so I can contact you.

Linking up today with~

Come on, Doxie Girls.
Let's enjoy the sunshine.


It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Pet Project Show

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules


Do we have to have rules? 


No worries! It's EASY.



1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left) 
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your 
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 
your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in 
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show 
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-

1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject


Either way you link up, remember it's a party 

here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 
Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until 
Monday, April 20th at midnight. 
Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.

*The first Saturday party of each month will 
feature several of the Doxies and my 
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me 
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account.