on instagram...

I have not had time to read quilting blogs a lot in the last year or two.  I joined instagram to keep up with my favorites...andie johnson, crazy mom, nannette merrill, and others.  I am also posting what is going on in my sewing room.  No kids (except one furkid whose internet privacy isn't important to me!), just sewing.  It's been really fun and SIMPLE...that's big for me with all I am juggling.

Look me up on instagram if you would like to keep up with my projects and if you are on there leave me a comment on something so I know who you are!

vintage puppy love quilt

This quilt finally made it out of my head and into the real world.  I got the puppy pillow fabric for a quarter at a thrift store and used the accuquilt apple core die for the rest.  A lot of the fabric was thrifted, free, or left over.  I really wanted to make a single fabric border with the apple core die.  I didn't purchase enough fabric, so I had to put on my thinking cap.  I sewed a border row for one top and one side.  I then cut it down the middle and attached wavy edge to wavy edge.  I was tickled because it looks like ric rac.

 For the backing and binding (since I am low on stash), I got some fabric from Hancock's of Paducah for less than $3/yard after discounts.  It is a baby type print but it fits this quilt.

 Puppy is my first attempt at trapunto and was machine appliquéd.  I don't think it's all that beautifully done, but it is durable.

This quilt made me so excited to sew again.

I finished this baby quilt, too.  I have a third finished quilt I will show later and a finished top.  I am still very busy in nursing school but I actually started making even better grades when I gave myself an outlet again.  

Almost there...

Haven't been here in a while and I am honestly surprised I figured out my password again.  I am still in nursing school and I am officially halfway done.  Every time I leave the hospital I am so grateful to have this opportunity and feel like I made the right decision when I decided I wanted to become a nurse.

Since I am almost done with school I decided to almost finish this quilt.  I couldn't actually seal the deal because I can't find hand needles (yes, it's been a while).  I made it with the 4" accuquilt diamonds only.

The back is a print that looks like manuscript paper.  Choosing stripes to line up when you haven't quilted in a while was not the smartest thing to do.

It was kind of long and skinny so I chopped off part of the top and bottom.  I kind of like how the stars roll on past the edge of the quilt.

My stippling is messy but after all this time off from sewing, my seams are even messier.  I decided sturdier beat prettier.

This will go to a friend of ours who is having a baby with his wife.  He is the kind of friend who comes and helps us put toys together at Christmas, so that is definitely deserving of a hand made gift!

The last finish.

I haven't posted in a while because my quilting time is very, very limited.  I am still quilting, but just not with the regularity a blog needs to really thrive.  I have a good great excuse...I am living out a long held dream by going to nursing school.  Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise,  I will be a Registered Nurse in less than 2 years. 

Thanks to everyone who has left a kind word, made me laugh, bought a pattern, or inspired me in the last few years. I wish you the best as you continue on in your quilting!

pincushion kiss tutorial

I haven't been sewing a lot for a couple of reasons, not the leash of which was some pain in my arms caused by part sewing, part electronics. I was given the opportunity by accuquilt to try a new die and I decided it would be nice to have another odd-angled die in my collection. These are my favorite projects to do, but they are the hardest on my arms because of the cutting angles involved.

I chose the Triangle in Square die because it is teeming with potential and has a shape I really don't want to cut by hand. That is NOT an equilateral triangle. It DOES have dog ears. This is probably not the best die for someone looking to make raw edged banners, but as someone who uses this for quilting, that is a huge plus. For this tutorial I only used the triangle portion

I'm also really interested in the side pieces by themselves and using the die as intended.  It seems like a great value since each element is pretty large and can be used in a lot of combinations.

I took some crumb blocks that I had made with my best friend on our last visit.  These are her fabric scraps and I wanted to make a pincushion for her sewing area since she has bought a new house.  I cut 4 triangles with the die.  I actually took my "waste" and kept sewing back together.  That's the great part about crumb blocks...there really is no waste!  I also cut 1 4.5" square from a coordinating piece of scrap fabric from my stash.

I sewed the triangles in pairs first...narrow angle at the top.  Remember to stop your seam 1/4" from the bottom edge.  These will become y seams.  Don't worry...you got this.

Now you will put the 2 halves RSF, narrow side at the top.  Sew one side from the top to 1/4" away from the bottom.  On the second side, start at the top and sew an inch, then backstich.  Pick up your needle and skip about 2", then continue sewing until 1/4" from the bottom of that side.  If you look at the picture, you will see my fingers poking through the hole in the seam.  We will use this hole for turning our pincushion inside out and stuffing it.  You want the hole closer to the top than the side so your filling doesn't leak everywhere through a hand sewn seam.

At this point, I trimmed the excess from the top of my "pyramid" shape (geometry teacher rolling in the grave at me calling a 4 triangles over a square a pyramid).  I want my tip nice and pointy-ish.

 Now I'm no expert at explaining y seams, but I have done an entire quilt of them and it really isn't hard once you figure it out.  Above I am showing you a picture of the bottom once you're done.  Notice the thread stops 1/4" shy of every single edge. 

An angle from the top side...Line up your edges RSF (they will fit) but only sew 1/4" from the edge here, too.  Make sure you take a couple stitches THEN backstitch a couple stitches to reinforce here.  Think of a y seam as a regular seam, but just pretend you unpicked all the stitches past the point where the seams intersect.  Well, with a y seam you just never make those stitches to unpick later.

Now turn this puppy inside out and begin a ladder stitch to close the opening.  Leave yourself enough room for your funnel.

Fill your cushion with crushed walnut shells (or whatever you like...but the walnut shells supposedly help sharpen your pins).  This can get messy, so be sure to do it over a bowl or something.

 Now finish that ladder stitch and cinch it up tight!.

Now you have a really cute pincushion (about 4" square on the bottom) that reminds you of your awesome projects from the past.  Or your completely awesome best friend.  I think this would be really cute with some measuring tape themed twill tape hanging out of the top...just like a hershey's kiss. 

As for those other elements...

I'd love to use the side triangles together to make a half square rectangle.  Wouldn't that make a very cool elongated zigzag?

The triangles are not equilateral, but I'd love to figure out the angle and see if I can make octagonal blocks...or a very pointy tumbler quilt!

Any ideas for how you would use this set?

blog fatique

Looking on my post history, I seem to be cranking out blog posts at the whopping rate of one a quarter. I just haven't been interested in writing or reading blogs lately. So much felt so forced (buy this! try this! how yummy!) or repetitive (pot stirring, dramatic diatribes, navel gazing).  I do really enjoy the virtual scrapbook of my quilts, so I will probably continue to post many of my finishes, though they will probably be few and far between.  I would rather make a few really detailed quilts, I think. Sorry if this fell into the aforementioned "dramatic diatribe" category. 

 I have been working on this pattern for the bake shop since this past spring.  I feel completely irresponsible, but I really let this one intimidate me.  I hope I can get the tutorial up before the fabric goes on clearance! 

summertime blues.

Summer.

My old enemy.

I have been plugging along trying to get through the summer.  With 3 kids home all day, a new puppy for my husband (that of course *I* get to potty train during the day), and the blazing heat/humidity of south Texas, I felt very overwhelmed.  Zero energy.  Zero sewing.  And that's ok.  HOW do people do it?

 My last project was this lattice quilts made of scraps and a $2/yard solid I got when the quilt shop closed.  I didn't even take a finished picture, that's how rushed I was!

  I also taught a beginner quilting class to a group of ladies at my church (5 total, 3 pictured) along with the help of a dear friend/fellow quilter.  They were great and I looked forward to seeing them every week.  I am considering a 2nd class but if we have new people come I don't want to start from scratch.  Ideas welcome.

 

My sister flew in and transformed into Auntie McPhee and made my kids pick up after themselves and generally helped me get back on track.  It was good for my soul, and so I have been able to work on a baby quilt some.  Hopefully I can share that next time with you all, whenever that is!

Finish: Seamstress Stars

I feel I am always apologizing for bad pictures. My sisters visited me this weekend and since the quilt was made for one of them, it went home. I had planned on taking some pics while we were at a strawberry patch, but we never made it there due to extenuating circumstances. I'm sharing what pictures I do have.

This quilt reminded me of my mama the whole way through.  It was probably the reason I lingered just a little longer.  I raided the scrap bins for fabric that was big enough to go through my accuquilt diamond die.  I used my $2/yard Benartex houndstooth for the background and I decided to add a border only to the top and bottom.  It just felt right to me for some reason.  I bound the quilt in the same lime green I used as my stop borders.  The triangles for the background were cut from a paper template I made.  That was definitely the scariest part!

 I didn't really plan on a color scheme, but I've noticed I use a lot of the same colors over and over, so I think everything worked out ok.  It's mostly American Jane stuff with Denyse Schmidt here and solids there.  It reminds me of the quilts of a real seamstress...someone who everything for her family- not just a quilter who buys coordinated fabrics.  I like that look.

 

 I added a hand pieced mini version of the block for a label.  I put that it was by me, for my sis, in honor of my mom.  This sister has the rattiest scrap quilt on her bed.  Batting is literally falling out right now.  I knew she would not only appreciate it, but might need it, as well.  She has another quilt by me with lots of white in it, but she has a dog and is afraid to put the quilt out because of the white fabric and the dog.  I hope this one will make her feel a little more at ease.

 

I got a sweet new fridge, too.  It's not magnetic which, if I'm being honest, is a total blessing.  I keep their art and they can still use the fridge in the garage.  I just don't have 50 pieces of art to manouever to open the doors or constantly pick off the floor. 

I have another scrap quilt in the works.  I cut everything into half square triangles with my accuquilt (no, not getting paid for this...just loving the convenience) and the rest I put away for another crumby stars quilt.  Lots of scrappiness coming to the blog!  It's kind of addictive.

Drugs are bad, y'all.

I was digging through my camera from February and saw this little gem I just had to share...it's a project my twins did for President's Day.

  I was so glad to have two kids in the class, because for a minute there I was freaking out.   They had to copy a little mini bio from a sheet the teacher had given them.  I read the one on the right first and my eyes bugged out when I saw that George Washington apparently liked mEth.  My brain was racing...did they even have meth back then?  I don't remember hearing about this when we toured his house...  I ran for the other twins backpack and found that George Washington actually just loved MATH...huge relief, guys!  Please notice that the meth free George Washington looks loads happier with his choices in life.  Further proof drugs are bad!

I have a finish to post about soon, but I couldn't resist sharing a little glimpse into what keeps our household lively.

Peter..not the cottontail variety

I have been enjoying reading the Bible passages about the Resurrection this week. We should think about it all year long but the flesh is weak so it's nice to have the reminder on the calendar to think about Jesus, his love for us, and his sacrifice...and of course his victory over sin & death! Every time I read the scripture about the crucifixion and resurrection I come away with something new. It's just so rich and filled with goodness.

 This year, I thought a lot about Peter. You know...St. Peter? Peter said that Jesus was son of the living God and Jesus said the church would be built on that kind of faith (Matthew 16:17).

But ya know what...Peter wasn't perfect!

He fell asleep on Jesus when Jesus said he needed him the most (Matthew 26:40).

He denied even knowing Jesus three times (John 18:15-27).

His faith shook even as he walked on water toward him (Matthew 14:31).

And yet this is the Peter who Jesus loved dearly and even gave the keys to the kingdom of Heaven to! (Matthew 16:19). This is the same Peter who went on to tell many others about Jesus and even perform miracles in the name of God (Acts 9:6-43). God used imperfect Peter to do so many wonderful things.

I know that just like Peter, I screw up. I make mistakes. I have moments of weakness. Heck, I had one even this morning within 10 minutes of getting out of church. My comfort is knowing that just like Peter, God can love me if I'm imperfect. He can use me to do His will even in my weakness and imperfection.  You know what else... I don't have to be perfect to be FORGIVEN. I just need faith in the One who was.

 Happy Easter to you all!