Goldie's Memory Quilt

I have finally completed Goldie's Memory Quilt.  I wanted to have it finished for her high school graduation which was this past Sunday, but I didn't quite make it.  I was close though!   I started cutting the 2 1/2" squares last summer and the great majority of it was pieced throughout the year as leaders and enders.  All 846 squares were cut from leftover fabric I used to make her clothing over the years.

I got the pattern from Wedding Dress Blue. I used Free Spirit Designer Solids in Nugray as the background. I thought the gray background would be a good neutralizer (Is that a word?) for the busyness of all the uncoordinating fabrics. The back is pieced somewhat randomly. Either I didn't plan for enough fabric for the backing or I cut it wrong. Since I didn't have enough, I pieced together smaller pieces using leftover squares.

I quilted it with straight diagonal lines. I like straight lines in quilts. It might just be because I am afraid of free quilting, but I really did feel straight lines worked best with this quilt.

Anyway, it's done and I love it! Hopefully, Goldie will love it too!

Linking up with:

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday

Richard and Tanya Quilts

Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Crazy Mom Quilts

SewCanShe

Stitch by Stitch
Sew Many Ways

WIP Wednesday - The end is in sight.

This is the first WIP Wednesday I've been able to post during May.  I am happy to report that I am finally getting some quilting done.  May has been a very busy month for us and it has finally slowed down.

This week I've been working on my daughter's memory quilt.  You can read more about the quilt here, here, and here.  The quilt is made of leftover scraps from the clothes I made for her over the years.  Anyway, I finally got it sandwiched and have been quilting away.  I hope to finish it completely by Friday.  My daughter has been waiting (not very patiently) for it for some time.

I will be linking up with:
Lee from Freshly Pieced
Esther from Esther's Blog
Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts
Gemma from Pretty Bobbins

May Goals

My goals for May include:

1. Finish the Giraffe Crossing Tumbler for my friend who is due to have a baby this month.

The quilt is pieced, however, I want to applique two giraffes to the front.  Then it needs to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound.

2.   Finish Goldie's Fading Charms Memory quilt.

This quilt is pieced, but it stills needs to be sandwiched, quilted, and bound.


3. Finish June baby boy quilt - this needs to be completed from start to finish.

May is a busy month (end of the school year, I'm taking a class online, and Goldie's graduation party at the end of the month).  However, I am hopeful I will be reporting all three finishes at the end of this month.  Wish me luck!

Linking up with:
Fiber of All Sorts
Fort Worth Fabric Studio

April Goals Accomplished

I had three goals I wanted to accomplish in April.

1.  Finish the April baby boy quilt. DONE!

Blogged about here, here, and here.

2. Piece and sandwich the May baby quilt. - NOT DONE
This ended being two baby quilts.  One in case they have a boy and the other in case they have a girl.  The girl quilt is complete. 

Blogged about here and here.

 However, the boy quilt is pieced and waiting for me to applique two giraffes to it.  I am kind of hung up on it because I haven't appliqued in over fifteen years.  

Blogged about here and here.

3. Finish piecing Goldie's Fading Charms quilt. DONE!

Blogged about here and here.

I only completed two of my three goals.  But, I did completely finish two quilts in April.  Even though I didn't reach all of my goals, that is something to be proud of!

April Goals

My goals for April include:

1.  Finish the April baby boy quilt

2. Piece and sandwich the May baby quilt

3. Finish piecing Goldie's Fading Charms Memory quilt

The April baby boy quilt still needs quilting and binding.

The May baby quilt needs to be completed from start to finish.

Goldie's Fading Charms Memory quilt will require a lot of sewing, but it can be done.

These seem like lofty goals for a 30-day period, but I do have a week off of work.  But then again, I'm leaving for Florida on April 27th.  I better get started!

Finally Back to Sewing/ 350 Blocks Project Update

I love to sew!!!  The beginning of this year has been so busy I hand not sewn one single stitch since before Christmas.  My classes and work kept me busy during the week and the weekends were filled with basketball tournaments, volleyball tournaments, and show choir.  All of these tend to be day long events and when you live in rural Iowa, they are hardly ever held close to home.

I was very excited to get back into sewing and quilting during March.  My current classes were finished in mid March and amazingly so was basketball, volleyball, and show choir.  I feel free!  It will not be long lived however, a new quarter starts Monday and soccer practice has officially started.  I've got to take advantage of the time while I have it.

I spent the past few weeks working on a baby quilt for a little boy that's due to arrive any day now.  I used the pattern Cowboy Baby from the book Material Obsession.  I love the colors and I think pinwheels are my new favorite block. I have it all pieced and ready to be quilted.

Pinwheel block

I have also been busy catching up on the Quilty Fun Sew Along that started last fall.  I was way behind, but am now caught up to where I should be.  This is the last week and I am excited that I have caught up with everyone else.

A few of the Quilty Fun blocks I have sewn this month.

In order to motivate myself, I joined the 2014 350 Blocks Project.  The idea is to try and piece 350 blocks this year.  Considering I didn't join until the middle of March, I feel I am off to a good start.  The baby quilt had 20 blocks.  I am counting 20 blocks for the Quilty Fun Sew Along.  I am also in the midst of piecing a quilt for my daughter that is graduating from high school at the end of May.  I can add 20 blocks to my total for that quilt as well.

Partially pieced top from Goldie's memory quilt.

That brings my grand total to 60 blocks.  WOW!  I didn't realize I had done that much sewing lately.  It feels good.

Linking up to:

WIP Wednesday

There is not much work in progress today.  It is pie baking day after all!  I only have to make three pies: a pumpkin, an apple, and an Oreo.  The Oreo is already finished (I always do the easiest one first).

This afternoon when The Musician gets off work (she works at a grocery store when she is home from school) we are going to pick out our Christmas tree.  It used to be a family tradition every year, but last year no one wanted to go with my husband and I.  I was sad.  However, with Nina being here from China this year, I am making everyone go because she has never celebrated Christmas or been to a Christmas Tree Farm.

After that I am hoping to finish up my Sewing Baskets block for the Quilty Fun Sew Along.  Here's what I have so far:

I have also been working on Goldie's quilt this week, but I am a teeny bit frustrated with matching my seams.  This section is being especially troublesome.

I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!



A Finished Quilt - Snug as Bug Super-Sized Nine Patch

I spent this past Saturday sewing.  I accomplished a lot.  I finished The Princess's costume for her upcoming performance in the school Christmas musical.  She is going to be the innkeeper.  It's not a fancy costume, but it's not supposed to be.  It was very easy to make using a Simplicity pattern.

I also spent time sewing together the 2 1/2-inch squares for Goldie's quilt.  I think I have become addicted to sewing these little squares together.

Finally, I finished the Snug as a Bug Super Sized Nine Patch for baby Leah who was born on November 9.  I was planning on having it done before she came, but she decided to come ten days before her mom's scheduled C-section on November 19. 

This is a super easy pattern from Quiltmaker.  You can find it here.  You only need three yards of fabric to make three different quilt tops.  If I were to sit down and make this quilt in one sitting it would have probably taken less than four hours (not counting hand sewing the binding). Mine measures 34 x 37.  I used the Snug as a Bug fabric collection from Riley Blake designs.  I love the way Leah's quilt turned out.  I have to admit I wasn't that crazy about it until after I quilted it.  I hope the other two turn out as nice when I finish them.

I am planning on visiting Leah tomorrow and can't wait to see if her mom likes the quilt.  I sure hope so ...

 

Linking up to: 

 


 

 

   

 



 

     

WIP Wednesday - Goldie's Quilt

I have been sewing for years.  My mom taught me when I was in 4-H.  I have sewn many dresses, Halloween costumes, etc. for my three daughters.  I saved all their fabric with plans to make them each a quilt for their 18th birthday.

Well, the musician is 20 and her quilt isn't even started.  She does love the  t-shirt quilt I recently made her though.  I went to visit her at school on Saturday.  She texted me Saturday night saying it is the warmest blanket she has ever used.  See the post about that here.

My youngest, the Princess, is only eleven.  I have time (at least I think I do).

That leaves my middle daughter, Goldie (she has a heart of gold).  She is 17 and a senior in high school.  I started cutting fabric for her quilt in July or August (I can't remember back that far!).  I need to cut 860 or so 2 1/2-inch squares.  As of last night when I went to bed, I had over 340 squares cut.  I have also been cutting 2 1/2-inch strips for the binding at the same time.

That's what I'm doing for a little while today anyway.  We are leaving in a few minutes for Cedar Rapids.  Our school is in the state volleyball tournament!  Go Crusaders!