Thursday, February 26, 2015

Under the Sea: Economy Blocks


I had lots of help quilting this one!  Louie loves to sit in the middle of the quilt as I am pushing it around under my walking foot.  He seems to want to be right in the middle of whatever I'm doing!


Last April when I started it, I had a nice pile of Economy blocks, the 8.6 inch variety.  I used the colors from the Mermaid print to figure out a color scheme.  I put a dark turquoise binding on it.  I like how a dark binding keeps a quilt contained and grounds it.


We had a patch of sun this afternoon, so I hung the quilt over my deck, and laid it out on the deck.  You can't see the assorted leaves. . . under the quilt!


Here's the back that I put together with bits and pieces: some from the quilt, some from other backs.  I quilted this with the giant spiral and filled it with wool batting.  I love the wool, but this time the spiral quilting gave me fits.  I kept getting gathers in the quilting in the back.  I had to un-sew a large part of one corner to smooth it out.  There are a few little catches still in the back, but I'm not looking too closely!  They won't show much when the quilt is washed.


Spirals:

This quilt is for Miss C and coordinates with the star quilt for her sister.   

Quilt stats:
Twin bed size: 65" X 90"
Economy Blocks from Crazy Mom Quilts finishing at 8.6"
Quilted in a giant spiral by my on my DSM
Assorted fabrics, including Extraordinary World from In the Beginning fabrics



Friday, February 20, 2015

Batik Table Runner

A good friend celebrated her birthday, this week, (one of the big ones) so we took her out for dinner and I made a table runner for her.


I have made at least 10 of these, and I enjoy the process every time.  I'm getting pretty speedy!  This one was whipped up last weekend.  L has beautiful sunsets over Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains from her condo, and this looked like a sunset to me.


The back is some houses from Ikea that I have had for a long time, and I wish I could get more!


Friday, February 13, 2015

Valentine's Day Gifts

I love Valentine's Day!  Love is what's important in life, so let's celebrate it.  The love of my life died 15 years ago, but I still feel his presence and his love.  I wish he had lived to meet his granddaughters.  We talk about him often.  

I made a couple little gifts for those beloveds who are here, Miss E and Miss C:


This bag for Miss E will hold the things she loves to carry around.  I used the heart block tutorial from Cluck, Cluck Sew.  I love how the bag looks, but I wished I had quilted it to give it more shape.  



I did quilt this little pencil case for Miss C who is a first grader.  I don't know if she will take it to school or use it at home.  I used the same heart block as above, but this was my trial and I cut the center too small. . . it makes the heart just a little squatter.  I used it anyway.  Perfect for a pencil case.



The inside is a dark print so the marks from pens or pencils won't matter.

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Linking up to crazymomquilts

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Square in a Square For Miss C

This quilt top has been finished for a while, even the back, just waiting to be quilted.  I had a day last weekend to crawl around on my hands and knees to do the basting:  


My two grand daughters will have similar quilts for their beds when they move in to share a bedroom.  The colors are a little bright, but the quilting will calm it down a bit, I hope.


I plan to start the quilting today.  A giant spiral.  Wish me luck!