The Dresden Colorwheel Flimsy

I usually don't post pictures of quilt tops, but I am posting this for two reasons:


1) Usually it doesn't take me almost 3 months to make a quilt top.

2) This is my first hand applique...once the washing machine gets a hold of this thing it may never look this good again!


I decided to start destashing a little this spring in anticipation of a trip to Mississippi where I had been told of a quilting store that held designer bolts THREE DEEP and up to the ceiling. I've since been and yeah...it was ALL TRUE. Anyway, my stash was pretty small (the way I like it) but I had a bunch of random fabrics I had purchased quarter yard cuts of "just because" whenever I first started quilting. I added those to my scraps and decided it looked like a rainbow. That's where the colorwheel dresden got started.

This quilt was super economical. Some of the fabric isn't the best quality...it's just what I bought when I was getting started and not wanting to invest an arm and a leg into something I had no idea would become such a passion. I hand appliqued each plate onto inexpensive Hobby Lobby white cotton fabric (no sense gettin' fancy now) and in keeping with the cheapy theme I purchased a full size vintage sheet for $1.49 for the backing.

I think the sheet goes pretty well. Now I'm waiting on a 40 percent off coupon from Hobby Lobby for my batting because it would feel just wrong to spend $10/yard on warm and white for one of the thriftiest quilts I've ever made!

My next quilt on the horizon is a birthday quilt for my husband. At Christmas he complained that I had just started getting stuff off his legendarily specific Wish Lists...I was no longer giving thoughtfully. Well, I hope he enjoys this thoughtful gift when he realizes he isn't getting the new, cheaper Amazon Kindle to go with it! I have been trying to keep it a big secret, but I think my three year old blew it yesterday at dinner when he said: "Daddy, we got you Dukes of Hazzard for your birfday." Anyway, the Dukes of Hazzard top is also complete and here is an awesome vintage cotton I found for the binding...$1 for about 2 yards!



I can't wait to finish the Colorwheel quilt and Dukes of Hazzard quilt. After I do those it's on to my new (to me) Sandy Klop stash. She's my fave!

Creative Space.

A couple of weeks ago, my clan embarked on a 2 week tour of family and friends. First up, we stayed with Erik's grandmother. This woman is 80 years old and she can make Martha Stewart look ghetto. I was so inspired by her beautiful home that I decided I MUST do something to update mine. On to my sister's home. It was there I picked up my childhood chifferobe (pictured at right) and some thrift store goodies to round out my sewing space. The chifferobe is perfect for neatly storing my fabric- bolt of white in the bottom, folded fabric in small drawers, and WIPS in the larger section. I even took Erik's family farm table out of our shed and had it repaired so I can use it as a sewing table. It extends a foot on either side if I need the extra space!




I also made some curtains to go in my kitchen that adjoins the sewing nook. I used my favorite American Jane print and the coordinating red gingham. I've decided I'm a gingham girl. It always makes me swoon. Some girls go for dots. Some girls love their stripes. I'm gingham ALL THE WAY.



Here is a cute little cow creamer I picked up about 10 years ago in an Antique Mall. It was about $1 because of a nick in the tail but I just had to have it. I never really had a use for it, but I discovered creamers are great for pouring a little water into your steam iron! Beside the cow is a trio of tins I have collected in the last few months at various thrift stores. I think all 3 cost $1 TOTAL. They are resting on a 25 cent piece of feedsack which I may have to take out of my etsy shop if I get too attached to this setup.



Finally, here is the quilt ladder mentioned in my last post. I'd been searching for a wooden ladder for months (and willing to pay!) so you can imagine my surprise when one magically appeared on trash day when a neighbor was moving out. My husband took off the support part and I used painted the remaining part a shade of green I really like. I realize the quilts are askew on the ladder, but we use quilts in this house...even if it is one of the hottest, most humid cities in the country in the dead of summer!

It's really nice to have a place to display a few girly things. I live in a house full of males and I have never had the opportunity to do a girl room or feminine space.

If you'll excuse me, I'm outta here...I have a perfectly clean sewing space to go get MESSY!

Christmas in July

I recently found an old wooden ladder my neighbor was throwing out. I ripped off the support half and painted the main portion depression-era green. It is now serving as quilt storage. I've made about 40+ quilts to date so I figured it would no be no biggie to fill that sucker up. WRONG. I realized out of all the quilts I have made, I've only kept 2 for myself. My kids are using 4 and the rest have found home with family, friends, or as donations. I had to whip out the first quilt I ever kept for myself to fill the ladder: The Christmas Tree Quilt. I apologize for the wrinkles...6 months in storage will do that to you.



The Christmas Tree Quilt pattern was found on the internet for free. It is made of 5.5" squares and some half square triangle blocks. This was my first attempt at an HST block and it was actually very fun to make. I did purchase the Perfect Half Square Triangle thingie by June Tailor. It's a good block to have in your repertoire. I picked all stash fabrics and scraps for the front.



The back is a fun print of the Peanuts gang. My kids love Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang. Of course this is their favorite side of the quilt...not the side mama pieced together. I am so fortunate that my kids enjoy Peanuts and things I think are fun to watch, too. A couple of weeks ago we went to Cedar Point, an amusement park in Ohio featuring the Peanuts gang as the theme characters. It was wonderful seeing them meeting Snoopy and Charlie Brown...they went back for hug after hug. If you ever have a chance to go there, DO. It's just lovely.