Where the Fun Ends

I've been working steadily along on quilts for Scott's niece and nephew. His grandmother gave me some of her fabric stash and I promised to make quilts for her great-grandchildren. She's now no longer with us and her great-grandchildren miss her dearly.

I showed the children the unfinished quilts this weekend and the excitement in their eyes has spurred me on to finish these blankets. But I'm at the point where another friend (Jocelyn) recently told me, "the fun ends".



I'm not sure why but the binding is so hard and so not fun! I did pin the binding on today and machine sewed one side on both the quilts. I then watched two episodes of "Six Feet Under" (Scott got the entire series and we are watching it from start to finish- what fun!) while hand-sewing the binding.

Sadly I am slow and only got one side of one quilt done. I'll need to work harder this week to get these quilts done by Friday for the promised delivery date.

Officially a Quilter

I am officially a quilter now and I'm pleased as punch. No, really PLEASED as PUNCH!



I started this quilt back in January and after enlisting the help of a few quilting friends, I began working on this piece. There were times that I was stymied by fear but I worked through it with the support of my quilting friends. I'm so happy that I did because now I have a quilt that I'm proud of! Yes, there are mistakes but hey those are learning lessons.



Right now I'm just planning my next quilt because I'm addicted!

Fabric Collecting

A few weeks ago, I went down to Tacoma with a few friends. We stopped in a fun fabric shop which *gasp* was having a bit of a sale. I stocked up on some fabric for another quilt. Now I still need to finish my Stacked Coins quilt but that will come in due time, in due time. Until then, let the collecting continue!

Weekend Sewing: Toiletry Bag

I decided to tackle a project in Heather Ross's "Weekend Sewing" this weekend. I pulled out some of my ants marching fabric and gathered up my supplies to make the Toiletry Bag.



The bag was a bit fussy to make but I did learn what the zipper foot looks like for my sewing machine and how to use it.

Super Secret Squirrel Pillow Making

Last week, my friend Amanda came over to teach me all about quilted pillow making. She has some super secret techniques and I was her guinea pig for teaching them. She had a syllabus and told me about the history of log cabin quilted squares.



I learned about rotary cutting safety since as Amanda put it, I "was about to cut off a finger or something!" I had such a fun time making this pillow.

Amanda's reward for teaching me was some homemade beans. I feel as if it wasn't a fair trade but who am I to argue!?!



I can not wait to make many, many more of these pillows.

Pillows Pillows Pillows Everywhere

Yesterday afternoon, I finally finished up the fourth and final pillow for the new couch which arrived in November.



Now my sewing skills are not perfect but I am so in love with how these pillows turned out! I think they are just *perfect*!

Pillows! Pillows! Pillows!

Ever since Scott and I brought the new couch home, I've been attempting to accessorize it with pillows. After searching high and low at various stores and freaking out at the cost of pillow covers (never mind the inserts), I gave up. Then I happened into The Quilting Loft and was inspired. And in the end, even with the silk backing on this pillow, I spent less than what Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel were wanting for their pillows.



The pattern for this pillow does not necessarily exist. I cut two 20" square pieces of fabric and machine sewed three sides together with the right sides facing. I believe I sewed a 3/4" seam allowance but it might have been a 1/2" seam allowance. I then turned the pillow pieces right-side out and stuffed a 18" pillow form into the fabric.



Then the hard part came, the hand sewing. I attempted an invisible seam and it took about four times longer than the cutting and sewing of the other sides.



In the end though, I love how this pillow came out! I have two more pillows to create and I'll use be using an actual pattern from Last Minute Patchwork Gifts for those two pillows.

Bending the Rules or Day 19 of NaBloPoMo

Over the weekend, I stayed at a friend's house who has a sewing room. Since my sewing machine is buried in the back of my closet, I decided to take advantage of her room and sew up a few items from "Bend the Rules Sewing". And it was so worth it!



I made up two tea towel aprons, one zipped bag, one clutch (that I forgot to attach the elastic tie with and will now use velcro) and one knit zipped bag. I want to sew more but I ran out of fabric (not to worry, there is plenty more at home) and I definately want to make another clutch, but ummmm this time the right way.



but in the meantime, I'm busy wearing my apron!