Comma Quilt Top

We have a new quilt shop in town, and on its first day open, I made sure to check out her stock! I snagged a couple of charm packs of Zen Chic for Moda's line, Comma. I love the bright colors (yellow, green, orange) and how punctuation is used throughout the line to make up the majority of the designs.

I cut the charm squares in half, so they were 2.5 x 5 and sewed them into strips of 8. Then I trimmed each strip down to 4 7/8 x 15 7/8. I had some white fabric that has a subtle wood-grain pattern, and cut it into 16 inch squares. Using squares of the main star burst fabric as corner anchors, I pieced the top together, forming a colorful grid around the white squares.

Now it's hanging in my craft area, waiting for me to decide what to do with it. I contemplated putting on a border, but I think I like it the way it is. Now I need to choose a backing and binding, and quilt it.

For now, it's fun to look at while I work on other projects.

Orange and Teal Quilt

When I started planning the quilt I'm making for Micah's bed, I bought a bunch of gray, blue, green and orange fabric. Once I had it all together and had finished cutting, I didn't like the orange with the other colors.  So I set it aside and figured someday I'd use it.

In December, I got the sudden inspiration to piece together a quilt top using the orange squares I had already cut, and some extra blues I decided not to use in Micah's quilt. I also had some scraps (dots and a ___) that would coordinate alright, so I threw those in too.

This top has been sitting around in our house, waiting to be finished, as has a teal twin sized sheet that would coordinate perfectly. So, on Monday (I think... the days blur together a little bit), I sandwiched the quilt up, and I've been quilting it all week. 

I didn't have a piece of batting that was big enough for the entire quilt, so I improvised and used two separate pieces... so far I can't tell a difference, and there doesn't seem to be any lumps or anything where the seam is, but time will tell. I figured that since we were just going to use this for going to the park and around the house, I wasn't too worried about it.

I had fun with the quilting, using this as an opportunity to try some new techniques. I tried pebbling, which was pretty fun, but it sure used a lot of thread! And I also tried quilting words - I chose scriptures that are ones I really love and feel like our kids should know, and quilted them over the squares. It turned out alright. You can't read the words very well unless you spend a lot of time looking at it, but I like knowing that they're in there. From the back you can see the words a little better, but backwards.

Edited to add: Audrey started to cry and I forgot to type out the verses I put on the quilt! They are: 

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good! - Psalm 34:8

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord  - Joshua 24:15

The Lord is gracious and compassionate.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall have everlasting life.- John 3:16

Audrey made sure to try it out too. She seemed to like it!

We'll put it to use for the first time tonight at our softball game!

A Fall-Colors Table Runner

A friend had a birthday yesterday, and I wanted make her a quick gift. She's very important to our family, so I wanted to be sure to celebrate her a little on her special day!

I put together this table runner for her, after being told that her favorite colors were fall-themed.

I based it off of a block from a quilt I started in high school, but I couldn't find the pattern so I just made my own measurements. I used 5 inch squares of the flowery print for the center, 2.5 x 5 inch strips of the dark brown, and 2.5 inch squares of the tan. 

This was a fun, two hour project (in between putting the baby down for a nap and playing with Micah).

I ended up with some wavy edges - I think the culprit is that I pulled on the binding too much when I was sewing it on. I'll work on that in my next project and see if I can reduce the waviness. 

Happy birthday, Kathy! 

Baby Franklin's Gray and Yellow Quilt

Here are a few pictures of the most recent quilt I finished. It is a baby quilt (but kid-sized) for our friends' new baby, due in June. The gender is a surprise, so I wanted to make something gender neutral. Our friends chose gray and yellow for the nursery, so I used that theme and ran with it.

I used a Riley Blake line of fabrics - Maritime Modern by Marin Sutton, which I ordered online from Hawthorne Threads. I really like their website, and the more fabric you buy, the better price you get! I also used a few Free Spirit solids, Arctic White, Jade, and Lemon.

For the pattern, I ordered the 'Bizzy Kid' pattern from Allison Harris of Cluck, Cluck Sew. I frequently read her blog, and I enjoy her take on modern quilting. Her version is very bright and colorful, so this is a different take on the pattern. 

When we went to my dad's house for Easter, I took my mom's sewing machine - which used to be my grandma's machine. It's one of the first computerized sewing machines, from the 90's. It's a Pfaff, and it's amazing! Much better than the Kenmore machine that I bought a few years ago. 

I used my machine to do all the piecing, and my mom's to do the quilting. It was fun to try free motion quilting again - it took a little practice to get the circles to seem somewhat circular!

I had so much fun making this quilt! I loved working on it, knowing that it was going to go to such a special little one. And I can't wait to share more of the projects I've been working on.

A Sneak Peek

I've been working on a baby quilt for the last few months, in between naps and after bed time.

Soon I will be able to share the entire quilt, but for now, just a little peek.

I made it for my college roommate and her baby, due in June. They don't know the gender, but the nursery colors are gray and yellow. I love the fabric, which I bought online at Hawthorne Threads.

I used a pattern made by Allison Harris, of Cluck, Cluck, Sew.

I'll be giving the quilt to my friend this weekend. I can't wait to share the finished quilt after she sees it!