Work In Progress

I am still working on a baby quilt from my own pattern.  I am not sure that I picked the right fabric for this quilt but it will be a good test of my idea.  I finished assembling the top and glued the polka dots on.

My next step is to sew the circles onto the quilt top.  The idea is that they will be raw-edge applique and after the quilt is washed the polka dots will have raggedy edges.

I also had a plastic bin of scraps that I started cutting into standard sizes.  I use a modified version of Bonnie Hunter's scrap users system.  My method is that I throw all scraps into a plastic bin while I am working on projects and when it gets too full I dedicate some time to cutting.  I Iron all of the scraps and then cut everything into 2" and 2 1/2" inch strips.  Anything smaller than that goes into my string bin.  I will occasionally save an additional size if I have an idea or a planned quilt that needs something different than 2" and 2 1/2" pieces.  Right now I want to make a twister quilt and it needs 3 1/2" squares so while I am cutting scraps I am making those, too.  If I cut a little bit each night after work, I should have my scrap bin empty by the end of the week. 

Friday Sew Day

Since I only had to work a half day on Friday, my friend Tara and I got together in the afternoon for a sew day.  I started a new quilt, while she worked on a quilt for her niece. we worked away and I only stopped to make dinner and fix drinks.  :-)  Next thing we knew, it was 11pm!

For my project, I have a friend whose daughter wants a 'polka dot blanket'.  She asked me if that was something I could do.  Searching for polka dot fabric didn't sound appealing to me and I had an idea for a raw-edge applique quilt.  I am not sure if she will like what I have in mind so I decided to make a small version (baby quilt) to show her and she can decide if she wants me to make a bigger one for her.

The background will be simple squares; I got them all cut and sewn into 9 blocks.  They are on my design wall now:

Just a few more seams to sew and it will be a complete top.  Next I had to cut out the circles.  I raided my kitchen cupboards to find things that I could trace to make circles in the sizes I wanted.  The items that made the cut were a ramekin, a pasta jar lid, the cap to a plastic bottle (both from the recycle bin) and a K-cup from my Keurig.  I traced a ton of circles and started cutting.  Here they are all cut out:

I need to dig out a glue stick.  That is the only thing I can think of that I can use to attach the circles to the quilt top and keep them where I want them before they are sewn down.

While I was cutting circles,  I heard a strange 'whooshing' noise coming from outside.  I stepped out on the deck and this is what I saw:

They must have launched only a few blocks away, and what I heard was the burner they were firing to get up in the air.  Very cool!

It's a Flimsy!

Olymics on TV have given me tons of quilting time this week.  I have been sewing while watching and got the  granny square quilt top together.  I still need to add an outer border, since the blocks are all bias-edged, but I couldn't wait to take a pic because I love it!

I followed the Great Granny Along tutorial from the Bee in my Bonnet blog for the blocks, then did my own thing when I put them all together.  It measures 52 1/2" by 66" without borders.  The fabric is from the Twiggy line with a Kona solid for background.

Granny Squares

I have been fighting a sinus/ear infection for at least a week and it has officially won the battle.  Will be visiting urgent care today to get some antibiotics.  Even though I have not been feeling 100%, that has not stopped me from quilting!  I have seen the granny squares movement across blog-land and have had them on my wish list for a while.  Then I saw the Great Granny Along on the Bee in my Bonnet blog and knew those were the granny squares I wanted to make.  I dug out a layer cake of Twiggy fabric and ordered a cream Kona solid (I think it is champagne) and started working.

Here they are before squaring up (and I still need to add rectangles to each of the corners).  My plan is to make 20 of them.  Since the blocks will have biased edges I will not cut them into squares until I am ready to  sew the top together.  I think I am going to love this quilt!

I also made a cute little wall hanging for a friend who is moving into a new house this fall.

I made this using 3.5" squares and a pinwheel template.  It is small, about 12" x 18"  but it will be really cute once it is quilted and bound with a hanging sleeve.

Hopefully I will be feeling better by the weekend and can finish the blocks for the granny square quilt.  I also need to finish putting the top together for my niece, Sophia.  I have a couple rows left before that one is ready to put on the long arm.