Starting my Postcard from Sweden Quilt

Starting my Postcard from Sweden Quilt

January 16, 2016 by · 1 Comment

postcardSo I finally had time to start on my “Postcards from Sweden” quilt from Jeli Quilts.  It’s a really fun, colorful quilt, you can find the pattern on Craftsy and I believe they also have kits available.  It’s hard to find all of the Kona solids in one spot, so I was able to get mine by buying at my local quilt shop, but I also had to order online at Missouri Star Quilt Company to get a complete list of the fabrics needed.  This also marked the first time of using my AccuQuilt Go! I’ve had it for years, but never really used it as I didn’t want to invest in buying specific dies for specific shapes.  However I did buy the half square triangle die for this project which made cutting the triangles SUPER quick!

IMG_3282One of the biggest priorities to this quilt is LABELING!  There are TONS of colors and some of them are just a shade that is SLIGHTLY off from one another.  So I purchased printable return address labels and printed them out to keep my colors organized, believe me, it’s worth it!!  With 36 colors floating around it’s nice to have them each labeled, also ADD the corresponding number to the label.  I thought of this after it was too late, so I just added them to the label with a Sharpie.  But having the name and number of the fabric will be a life saver.

FullSizeRenderWhile you’re only making half square triangles and pinwheel blocks.  The time consuming part of this is matching up the colors according to the diagram and getting them all sewn together.  I purchased large paper plates, and set each set on a paper plate to be sewn, then just stacked the paper plates.  It make is REALLY easy to sew together and know what pair you have.  (Thanks Pepper Cory for that tip!)  So I am about a quarter of the way done.  Hopefully before the weekend is over I will be about half way there.

HAPPY QUILTING!

Filed Under: General, Patterns
Balancing Act!

Balancing Act!

December 3, 2015 by · 1 Comment

Hello Everyone!

Well I’m back again with an infrequent post.  I am in the midst of learning to find some balance in my life.  With the addition of Hayden, my life certainly has changed.  Gone are the days of waking up at 6 in the morning and locking myself away in my quilt room watching Anne of Green Gables, and old episodes of Designing Women or the Golden Girls while piecing together my patchwork.

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Time is now a luxury, and I have to start treating that way.  Those 2 hours in the evening when Hayden has gone to bed and I can do whatever I want is a new golden hour.  Currently I have been playing video games, which while really fun, is not very productive.  I need to change my perception that I need to have at least 5 hours at a time devoted to quilting.  I now need to have the mindset that perhaps I can get some pressing done, tomorrow, maybe cut out a few pieces of patchwork.  In other words, I have to be okay with slowing down.  I’ve always enjoyed quilting, but it was a retreat for me, a whole day or several hours of “me” time.  So now I need to take the time where I can find it.

full_8602_104345_PostcardfromSwedenQuiltpattern_2I have SO many quilts I want to make!  I did start pressing fabric the other day for the “Postcard from Sweden” it’s a free pattern from Craftsy. (Click on the picture to be taken to the FREE Craftsy pattern) It’s amazing and it’s all half square triangles, which is easy and good project to start my slow quilting on.

Next up is a beautiful quilt that I have wanted to make for a long time now, and just haven’t been able to get started.  It’s call “Shattered Dresden” it’s part template, part paper piecing.  (Click on the pattern to be taken to the order page.)  The templates are only used so you can conserve fabric on your paper piecing portion for this project, and I think it will be a good introduction to paper piecing for me.

Shattered_Dresden_QuiltSo I guess the moral of my dilemma is sometimes you have to slow down to speed up.  Currently I’m making nothing, so slowly but surely I will get some quilts created.  Maybe not as quickly as I used to, but I need to make time for a hobby I’m so passionate about.

Happy Quilting!

Filed Under: Fabric Designers, General, Patterns, Personal
Lone Star Love & Personal Updates

Lone Star Love & Personal Updates

March 1, 2015 by · 2 Comments
My strips are cut and arranged in order. Time to strip piece them.

My strips are cut and arranged in order. Time to strip piece them.

So I have always loved the Lone Star quilt pattern.  I decided to try one awhile back with a small quilt, from there I went to a very large quilt.  Now, I’m making one that will be “just right”.  It’s still in construction, but I wanted to share some of my progress with you.  I’m creating this Lone Star using 10 colors (3 of them are repeated).  I’m SO excited and happy about this color combination, I really love it!!  Two of the “burst” sections are the same multicolored fabric, that for me was moving out of my regular comfort zone.  However seeing the end result, I think it adds a bit of magic to the entire thing.

Creating the "blades" for the Lone Star

Creating the “blades” for the Lone Star

 

I start my new job this coming Tuesday, I can’t tell you wait a relief it is that.  I was laid off from my job in October of last year and was given the end date of January 1st.  So I was off and running on the job hunt, then my current job extended me until the end of February.  Luckily I found a job at my local hospital and begin there this Tuesday.  If someone would have told me this would all work out this perfectly I would never have believed them!  So now I am employed again, and will have time to focus more on my quilting once again, instead of resume editing, job searching, interviews etc.  So I’m very grateful and thankful for that.

Lone Star on the design wall after it has been blocked and pressed.

Lone Star on the design wall after it has been blocked and pressed.

On another personal note, we are one of 3 couples who are being considered to adopt a little 3 year old.  We are the only couple of the 3 who have had any interaction with him (we’ve provided respite for him the past 6 months).  So we’re really crossing our fingers on this one.  A really special little one, so we are cautiously optimistic things will turn out well for us.  (If you have any spare good vibes to send our way please do!)

So now that everything seems to be falling into place, please expect to see new projects and posts on a more regular basis.  I know I was sparartic at best for awhile.  😀

Filed Under: Patterns, Personal