Monday, January 26, 2009

I really like this pink flowery girly stuff








Seriously, this Quilt Gate set of fat quarters is so beautiful, I'm head over heels in love. I have a history of making ugly quilts because I hoard all my favorite fabric and can't stand the thought of cutting into it or worse... what if I can't find it in the future to use it again??? This is a serious issue.
I have heaps and heaps of Amy Butler and Heather Bailey and other amazing designers' fabric but it is so darn hard to USE IT!

Anyway, these WILL be used for my daughter's twin size quilt. I think I'm ok using them since I can still see them everyday. They won't be going far. (She better not take the crayons or markers to it one day or I will lose it.) I'm just doing a million patchwork squares and when I have enough, I'm going to sew them all together and go from there.
Since she was my first daughter, I went all out and painted the room pink and bought every single floral thing I could find while I was pregnant. Now she is almost 3 years old and I am still prettying up her room in a shabby chic design. I'm the most non-pink person EVAH, but when I found out it was a girl - watch out! Something (estrogen?) came out in huge quantities and now look what makes me all gooey... pink roses! Funny thing, those baby girls!
Here's the pile of patchwork I've been slowly working on here and there between other projects:





I'm thinking I'm about half-way there? I'm just guessing. I've used mostly scraps from other projects but can't resist when I see perfect pieces of shabby chic fabric. I've never made a twin-size quilt before, so I'm not sure exactly how much fabric this will involve. It sure is fun having a baby girl to get all girly about!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Blue squares quilt



Yay! The first quilt of the year is done! I'm quite bad at naming quilts, so here is the "Blue Squares Quilt". Almost as creative as the Dave Matthews Band! Anyway, unless someone else gives me a better name (not hard to do, I'm sure), it shall be known as such.

Looking at the picture, I'm kinda not liking the clumps of white on the bottom. I never saw this the eleventy million times I rearranged the blocks before sewing them together. I heard a tip once that we should take a picture of the proposed layout, upload it to fancy-schmancy computer program (like Picasa), turn it black and white to see the color deal. I'm sure there is a real word for this, but I am suffering from MMB -- Mushy Mommy Brain -- and cannot think of anything more articulate. Although articulate isn't bad, I'm kind of impressed I came up with that one...
I really like the back. It was my first pieced backing and it was so much fun to make! I'm totally in love with making free style random log cabin blocks. It's an incredible creative outlet for me.


On another note, I have no idea how so many crafty bloggers out there juggle a marrige, home, kids, quilts, and buying fabric. All of these things take a lot of time on their own!! I guess that's why my laundry takes 4 days to get put away and I only Swiffer the floors when I know people are coming over. AND I guess I should be honest and admit that sometimes my teeth don't get brushed until like 15 minutes before hubby comes home. So woo hoo to all my favorite quilting bloggies. You continue to be an inspiration.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

2008 Quilts


Oh, fooey... I forgot to add my favorite one to the collage. Ok, I'll have to try that again. But in the meantime, these were what kept me busy and neglecting housework for 2008. Maybe next post I'll do one of those fancy collages with all my creations from the past year.

Admitting a problem is the first step

I wanted to start a blog after being inspired from several other crafty blogs. I've learned so much and hopefully it shows in my work. I've been sewing for over 20 years - yikes, that makes me old - and only recently have I realized how much I truly love it. I consider it an art, and reading these blogs has made me want to be an artist.



The problem with a lot of experience comes my stubbornness. I tend to think I have all the answers or don't want to admit my weaknesses. So hopefully this blog will also help me put it out there that I make mistakes. A TON of mistakes, in fact. I burn bread in the oven. I bond with my seam ripper for hours on end. I put the kids in front of the TV for some time so I can sew "just one more block".



If I'm the only one who ever reads this blog, fine. I think it's the therapy I need. I love making quilts and other useful things. I have some sort of gene mutation where I don't follow directions, am really bad at patterns, get all impatient and do my own thing. Only to have something in front of me with a bajillion mistakes and ... where's my seam ripper? So happy new year, happy new blog. Here's to being honest about my abilities and non-abilities in 2009. I realize for most people, this came with adult hood. But it takes me a long time to learn things since I don't follow directions!



Here is the current quilt I'm working on. I've added the borders and am almost done piecing the back. I've made several mistakes piecing the little squares on the back, have ripped it apart a few times and I think I'm ready to rock now.