Aurifil Wholecloth Challenge

We just wrapped up another great challenge at Bay Area Modern. This one was sponsored by Aurifil thread and the challenge was to make a modern wholecloth quilt. Wow! I never imagined a whole cloth quilt being so hard to do. It wasn't the stitching that was difficult, that went ok (ya know, for an amateur), it was the possibilities. There were no blocks to guide me, no sashing to fill in, just a blank cloth and some thread. I was stalled by too many ideas.

I started with some pink Aurifil thread and a matching yard of Kona cotton.  

For the back I chose a beautiful soft grey from Michael Miller.  I liked the contrast of colors on the back. The grey and pink together felt like a modern baby girl color combo.

My design started with flowers in the corners and then I filled in with vertical lines. The flowers seemed a little to loose and empty so I went back in and added some more quilting in a few of the petals.  Just a touch.

It was such a bold, clean look that I wanted to soften it a little with rounded corners and a sweet little floral binding by Lecien.

It doesn't have a home yet. Maybe a baby doll blanket? She is already color coordinated!

Inch by Inch, Spinning Stars Quilt Along

Finding sewing time these days is tough. I'm learning to sew in bits and pieces, accepting that a few minutes is better than not at all.

1. Fabric for Spinning Stars Quilt, 2. Does it look like anything yet? #spinningstars, 3. Test block complete. Center points need a little work. : ( #spinningstars, 4. #2 loving this ring with the blue. Points still mushy... Might fix it at the end, might not. #spinningstars, 5. Prolly TMI but here is a close up of the center. I've tried one open and one nested. Anyone know another trick?, 6. Went on a cutting bender. Future #spinningstars blocks., 7. Block #4, 8. 4 of 12 Spinning Stars w/ Mosaicmaker, 9. Hubs offered to cook dinner so I could sew. Best! #spinningstars

• 6th - I dropped the kids off at school and picked up my fabric.
  
• 12th - The quilt along began, and I was so excited! After starting the laundry, I made a test block.
  
• 14th - A busy day, but I rode the wave of excitement and squeezed in another block.
  
• 15-16th - I took the family to the fair and had a date night with hubby. Fun, but no sewing.
  
• 17th - No time to sew, we needed clean clothes and dishes!
  
• 18th - After school, I set up crafts in the playroom for the kids, and I went on a cutting bender. I got most of my pieces cut out. Yay! Then I made dinner. We were starving.
  
• 19th - Super sour lime ring block done. Yes! Fist pump!!
  
• 20-23rd - Too busy to sew, but I'm still thinking about my blocks.
  
• 24th - Must-sew-now. I think I started twitching or something. Hubs offered to make dinner so I could sew. I happily accepted and started a few more blocks.

Inch by inch, I'm getting there.  Fourteen days and four blocks.  Progress is feeling so slow but I'll take it!

Popover Sundress by Oliver & S

I made this sundress for my daughter using a free pattern from Oliver + S. When I went to Quilt Market this spring I fell in love with the fabric line, Dress up Days by Doohikey Desgins. Shari had the cutest little dolls made from a panel she designed. I could just imagine my daughter, swinging and playing all summer with her new little buddy in a dress *I* made for her. Pretty dreamy, right?

Well the reality is, she refused to wear the dress and gave me the doll since I loved it so much.  What a stinker!!!

At least they were fun to make. All of the pieces for the doll are included in the panel. Just cut and sew. She comes with different outfits and her striped legs look adorable with all of them.

The sundress pattern was super easy. Liesl suggests adding some trim and I remembered I had some ric-rac in my stash. Oh yeah, there is nothing sweeter than a touch of ric-rac. This pattern is well written, easy to follow, and very straight forward. I especially recommend it if you want to try out garment sewing or if you need a quick and satisfying project.

Pattern: Popover Sundress pattern from Oliver + S 

Fabric: Dress Up Days by Doohikey Designs for Riley Blake

Meet my new fabric fairy... Dahlia.

Out of Hibernation with a Quilt Along

Apparently I hibernate in the Summer. Who knew?

Spinning Stars by Anna Maria Horner via ImAGingerMonkey on flickr

I am itching to start a new project!  Katy has a new quilt along starting tomorrow. Eee! We're going to make the Spinning Stars quilt pattern by Anna Maria Horner.

Spinning Stars in Chicopee

After much discussion, trial and futzing in EQ, I landed on a colored version that I loved. It's a little wild.  This is really more of a sketch. I wanted to see how the colors played together before I bought the fabric.  I'm planning on making mine one row longer to cover my feet.

Chicopee by Denyse Schmidt (plus a few others)

The fabric is Chicopee by Denyse Schmidt with a few more from my stash.

Now to make it. Wish me luck! I'm going to try paper piecing it using Ruth's template. It's only three pieces, why am I nervous?!?! You can read more about paper piecing this pattern in the Spinning Stars flickr group.

Mood Board: Cameo and Friends

Hi! I hope you're having a good summer so far. There hasn't been much free sewing time these days, but that never stops me from dreaming of new projects. I've been waiting for Cameo by Amy Butler to finally hit the stores. It was one of my favorite collections at Spring Quilt Market. 

I noticed that the sky blues and earthy greens coordinated nicely with the Birds and the Bees by Tula Pink. Add in some Art Gallery solids and you get this happy combo. I call it Cameo and Friends. Buh-dum-ching.  ; )

This is hot off the cutting table at the Intrepid Thread. I added the coral solid on top from my stash for a little zing. I think I love it!

Now, what to do with it? I'm not quite sure yet and it's going to be awhile before I get a chance to play. I have a fuzzy idea of a patchwork quilt with a twist. We'll see.

FABRIC NOTES:

1. Squirrels in Pool, The Birds and the Bees, Tula Pink
2. Forget Me Not in Sugar, Cameo, Amy Butler
3. Pressed Flowers in Cobalt, Cameo, Amy Butler
4. Forget Me Not in Olive, Cameo, Amy Butler
5. Pressed Flowers in Meadow, Cameo, Amy Butler
6. Josephine's Bouquet in Slate, Cameo, Amy Butler
7. Angelica in Clover, Cameo, Amy Butler
8. Folly in Butterscotch, Cameo, Amy Butler
9. Little Bits in Pool, The Birds and the Bees, Tula Pink
10. Forget Me Not in Midnight, Cameo, Amy Butler
11. Harriet's Kitchen in Sugar, Cameo, Amy Butler
12. Ladybugs in Storm, The Birds and the Bees, Tula Pink
13. Hopscotch in Olive, Cameo, Amy Butler
14. Swallow Skies in Storm, The Birds and the Bees, Tula Pink
15. Pure Elements in Empire Yellow, Lemonade, Mirage Blue, Persian Blue and Moonstone by Art Gallery