Wonky Rainbow Burst Mini Quilt

I could not be any further behind with my blogging!! I'm here and sewing... although sewing lots of things that I've already shared here before. I am finally caught up with custom order requests and even managed to squeak in a Caribbean vacation this month with the hubby. Back in December I mentioned joining a rainbow mini quilt swap on Instagram. It was my first swap and so much fun! This quilt was featured at Richard and Tanya Quilts!

I made this mini quilt over winter break. My partner mentioned that she liked Heather Bailey and low volume fabrics. I had a jelly roll of Up Parasol by Heather Bailey and a bunch of prints from my stash that played really well together.

Thankfully my partner also likes wonky and since I've been head over heels in love with Greenleaf Goods wonky pinwheel tutorial for awhile it was a chance to try the pattern on a mini scale and a fresh layout similar to Wavelengths by Lee at Freshly Pieced. If anyone is wanting to see detailed construction on this mini let me know I'd be happy to put a tutorial!!

Capturing the rainbow was the trickiest part of the mini but this layout finally won me over! I had the perfect backing for a quilting enthusiast. The swap required a label, which is something I never do, but it does make it special doesn't it?! Plus I got to use my 'fancy stitches' on my Pfaff to attach the label, something I almost never get to do while quilting. I should make more labels I think...

 I quilted the mini in one big concentric circle. I started at the teal center and did a free motion circle until I reached the edge of the quilt and then I switched over to my regular walking foot to quilt the rest, restarting at the end of each arch. I changed thread colors with the rainbow.

On the theme of rainbows I added a rainbow binding too

I sent my mini to Australia several weeks ago and recently received my swap package; head on over to instagram to check out the amazing mini package I received!  Can't wait to join a new swap now that I'm finally caught up with almost everything.... except blogging!

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to Sew Fresh Quilts crazy mom quilts LAF and Whoop Whoop Friday 

Star of the Show Rainbow Mini Quilt

It is no secret that I’m pretty much in love with V and Co Simply Color line – her first line ever, by the way. It would be okay with me if she just did that line over and over… The fabrics are so bright and colorful. I used it on my rainbow herringbone quilt and rainbow quilted pillow cover last year. I came across a bunch of Simply Color fabrics just before the New Year and bought them up! The first item to be made from my coveted stash is this rainbow mini quilt, a special request from a client who needed a ‘star of the show’ for her mini quilt wall! This mini quilt was featured at Richard and Tanya's Link a Finish Friday!!

Yum! This mini is a redo of the rainbow pillow cover although this one needed to be a little larger as the pillow was an 18 inch square and the client was needing a 20x20 for her mini quilt wall. The adding of one more row going across and down proved to be a challenge! I did use a few scraps from my stash and a number of fabrics from V and Co Simply Style line which has many of the same colors.

I decided on a rainbow binding, although any of the colors probably would have worked out well and if it were for me I would have done teal or mustard… or maybe the plum because it is gorgeous! For me to say that about a purple is really something; I have almost no purple to speak of in my stash, it just isn't something I’m drawn to, but these purples are amazing!

Since I machine stitch my bindings to the front and back – first I stitch the binding to the back and then flip and machine stitch to the front – I had a rough time deciding on the color of thread to use on the front binding with the rainbow colored binding; I didn't want the thread to be overly obvious against some of the fabrics and blend right in with others… I nearly went with white which would have stood out on most but decided on grey at the last minute and was really happy with how it turned out. Last fall I attended Madison Quilt Expo and listened to Weeks Ringle speak and recall her saying that if she could only have a few colors of thread she would choose grey, tan and white… and maybe a few others but those are the ones I can remember! Good call on the grey Weeks, good call!

My first go hanging a quilt with washi tape; works! Well, just long enough to take photos and then it promptly fell down… that’s ok, I work fast! 

Just for fun I did a pieced backing with fabrics from the front. I even tried to place them so the straight line quilting would line up same as the front. It was very close. Close enough!

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to crazy mom quilts Quilt Matters Richard and Tanya Quilts Whoop Whoop Friday Show Off Saturday and My Quilt Infatuation 

What's In a Name

I had a tiny handful of WIPs unfinished in 2014 and my name tag for my guild meetings was one of them. I did manage to finish it up just in time for our January meeting!

I didn't have much of a plan in creating this. I started with a small white rectangle of Kona white, apx 3.5x5, and just added my favorite scraps until I was happy with how they looked. I moved the whole mess onto a piece of scrap batting and backing. I free motion quilted the little scraps in place starting with those closest to the back. There was a little deconstructing and reconstructing involved with that. I free motion embroidered my name to the dark teal solid with a piece of stabilizer behind it and then attached it to the top of all the other scraps using the special stitch, which reminds me of bird footsteps, along the bottom and straight stitch around the top and sides. That was my second attempt at my name... the first attempt had a better R at the end but messier is other places. Hope its legible! Or close enough! I mean really, its the fun colors and prints that matters the most isn't it!?

And look, there's that design wall I was yacking about awhile back. Seems like a good place to hang it up so I don't forget to take it along... we'll see if that works anyways! Sort of brightens up the space too!

I don't think the Kona white was entirely necessary but it forced me to stay within my limitations otherwise I would have just making it bigger and bigger - I had lots of other 'favorite' scraps waiting in the wings. As it is I'm already going to need a bigger chest to display this beauty! I didn't think to measure that...

I backed it with more little birds and attached a scrap piece of teal binding... always love a teal binding!

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to crazy mom quilts, Richard and Tanya Quilts Quilt Matters My Quilt Infatuation and Whoop Whoop Friday 

Welcome 2015

Happy New Year! 2014 was a great quilty year for me!

I sold my first quilt,

wrote my first blog post,

tried tons of new techniques (quilting with minky, improv piecing, installing an invisible zipper, free motion quilting),

finished 25 quilts, the year of the dog quilt

finished 15 pillows, a couple not pictured

finished 19 mini quilts,

made curtains,

joined a modern quilt guild,

and beefed up my marketing and photography skills too! Whew, that's a lot! And there is tons more to learn in 2015! I'm not crazy about resolutions but a few of the quilty things I would like to do this year include 1) learn to paper piece, 2) learn to make a pouch with a zipper, not an invisible zipper I can do that! 3) make a quilt with different sized blocks and 4) conquer Y-seams (eek, can't believe I put that in writing - they are scary). Seems doable!

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to Whoop Whoop Friday i have to say and Sew Cute Tuesday 

Quilty Christmas Haul and Finishes

Whew Christmas is over - we survived again! Although it was a busy time I did have some sewing time that allowed me to finish three quilts, two minis and another dog quilt!

This little pup was an orphan block from a past dog quilt; it's been on my design wall long enough so I just bound it in Dear Stella peony confetti dot and did tiny loopy loo quilting. In all honesty I wanted to practice the tiny loopy loos on this block before using it for the dog quilt I finished this week. The backing of the mini has teal polka dot bursts on white.

I'm calling this a throw back version as I have made this quilt using these exact fabrics earlier this year. Well almost, this time I used Kona Bone instead of a bright white on white print for the background fabric. I think it softened up the look a little. The rest of the fabrics were all from Coquette by Chez Moi from Moda. I'm nearly out of these great fabrics - I will miss them when they are gone. Over Christmas we had nothing but cloudy days and rain, no snow for Christmas... hardly ever happens in Wisconsin, we always have snow! The rain and clouds are no good for picture taking.

I also turned the little heart balloon block into a mini quilt- another orphan. I love this tiny quilt, I did put it in my etsy shop but I might have to keep it all for me! The backing is hot pink with great big white polka dots. Heart was appliqued and free motion embroidered. I love this technique and hope to do it again soon.

Aside from these finishes this week I also have a couple of WIPs that have my attention, my mini for the rainbow mini swap on IG and my wonky pinwheel quilt in navy and teal. As if that wasn't enough to work on my hubby gave me several quilty gifts this Christmas that are really tugging at my attention!

Pretty threads and much wanted Swoon patterns in mini and full size! Yay! These really aren't the best gifts of all; he also made me a thread holder. It's so amazing and it's deserving of its own post... another day, after it gets put up in my sewing room!

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to Sew Many Ways Sew Fresh Quilts Sew Cute Tuesday and Show off Saturday 

Holiday Mini Improv Quilts and Dog Progress

Lots of catching up this week after the holiday last week! I've made quite a bit of progress on one of my dog quilts. The grass and sky have been pieced. I've cut all of the applique pieces using Wonder Under 805 which I have used since Steam a Seam II disappeared earlier this year although it looks to be back now; if anyone has given the new stuff a try I'd love to hear about it. I have just a few applique pieces left to attach including the eyes which are the most difficult to place. Temporarily I'm using scotch tape to attach them... and hoping I don't run over the tape with the iron!

This gal had some pretty floppy ears with the left one laying flat and the right one flipping out a little. I decided to give the right one a little dimension and added some fluff between the layers. I had worried about the batik dog fabric as I don't use a lot of batik but I think it really works here.

I do my applique with my Pfaff (love her!). It can be a slow process especially on rounded corners where the fabric needs turned every couple of stitches. Maybe I won't do such round-y letters next time!?! I'm using both Mettler and Aurifil threads to do the applique.

This will be my third time making this quilt. So far I'm really liking the 'Hildy' version!

Holiday Mini Improv Quilts

Just before Halloween I did a custom set of mini Ghastlies quilts for a client. Now there is a matching set of Christmas Ghastlies mini quilts! 

I love doing improv with the Ghastlies; you don't really know where you're going until you've arrived. They are all different but coordinate well together. They have been shipped off just in time for the holidays! I can't get over the gold polka dot fabric by Dear Stella; I lucked out and had a few large scraps of the gold and red snowflake fabric that went really well the the gold polka dots too.

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to crazy mom quilts Quokka Quilts Whoop Whoop Friday Freshly Pieced and Richard and Tanya Quilts 

Two Finishes and a Viewers Choice Nod

It has been quite a day! I finished Limeade and the bonus project I made to go along with it. It's 16 inch square using a few of the bonus pieces I shared in my last post and a little butterfly from my scrap bin. It will make a good doll quilt or wall hanging for a special little girl who is set to graduate from a crib to a toddler bed!

I love how the grey blocks almost disappear; I must be thinking of my upcoming low volume quilt. I did some free motion swirling since its been awhile since I've used that pattern. I love the texture it give the mini quilt. Is it ok to say that I like the bonus project just as much as the actual quilt!?!

Gosh I love this pink polka dot binding. The fabrics are by Dear Stella from the Confetti Dots selection, the pink is really called peony. Rounded out with Confetti Dots in white, lime and stone. Whatever it will be used for it will go great with the toddler bed quilt I just finished.

Limeade 

I used a similar quilting pattern using great big swirls so the quilt wasn't overly dense. There was some serious crinkly-ness going on with this quilt after it was washed and dried. Amazing!

Lime green polka dots was the requested backing; doesn't it look awesome right up against the hot pink?!

I have made this quilt several times before and I can say for sure that it shrinks big time! Before washing it was 47.5 x 66; after washing it is just the right size for a toddler bed, 44 x 61. Whew, I always worry if I make a quilt too big it might not shrink, it did! life. is. good.

Viewer's Choice

Today the Blogger's Quilt Festival Viewers Choice selections were announced. I'm really proud to be a part of the crowd for my scattered rainbow Herringbone quilt. You can vote for your favorite at Viewer's Choice

Link Parti's 

Take a look at the linki parti's I get down with here or by clicking on the Linki Parti's link above. Linking up to Show Off Saturday Till We Quilt Again Quilt Story Blossom Heart Quilts Sew Fresh Quilts Richard and Tanya Quilts crazy mom quilts and Sew Many Ways