One Quilt Down...More to Go!

So, I finally finished the baby quilt for my friend (photos at left), and she loves it! Whew! I actually made another top for this project, but it wasn't that great, so I made the top you see here (with the artistic advice of hubby) and like it much better. The back of the quilt is red chenille...decidedly not my favorite fabric to work with! Finally found the red chenille at www.fabric.com where they seem to have pretty much what I need when I am in a pinch for fabric. Red chenille was tough to find...which was surprising! Anyway, my kitties seem to love the chenille, so I am thinking they may get a small  "cat nap quilt" made with it.

Now on to the next project...making another baby quilt for another friend...pink and brown this time. Just got some great fabric and now I need to get a little more so I can start on it. I am seeing pinwheels in my head for this quilt...but will keep you posted!

I have been babysitting my grandbaby Lily some in the past several weeks and am loving every minute of it! At two and a half months her personality is really starting to develop and with her red hair, perhaps a bit of a temper too. She is adorable and I am a doting grandmother...so what more can I say!!

Pirate Quilt is still a work in progress and probably will be for a while yet. I just haven't had much time lately to sit and work on it. I am working on the Kraken block and since this is a block of my own design, I am excited to see how it turns out. Hubby designed the last block for me...the actual Pirate block. The pirate that was in the quilt kit was just too cartoony looking, so hubby found a much better, more realistic pirate for me...can't wait to see how that one turns out too!

As they say, Sew may quilts...sew little time!! Guess that is how it goes! Oh...BTW...the movie AVATAR is really good...you should go see it!! We are looking forward next week to the new Sherlock Holmes movie too!

Well, that's it for now. Happy Sewing and Quilting!! :)

Sewing Green

Today is really cold and yet my thoughts are on global warming and recycling, or "going green" as most people term it today. I have been reading in so many places about recycling to help the planet...grocery stores and bookstores are selling reusable "green" bags so we don't put so much plastic in the landfills.

Back in the 70s (and yes, I know I am dating myself) I often wondered why people weren't worried about trashing up the planet and endangering the environment. I'd like to think that I was just 30 years ahead of the time in my thinking! After my oldest daughter was born, I recycled aluminum cans...but then, it wasn't really to be "green" it was so I could afford diapers and formula! I suppose diapers and formula are too expensive to be able to buy then now with "can money", and they don't give much for the cans any more...but at the time it was wonderful to get money and clean up the planet at the same time!

As usual, my thoughts lead me back to sewing and trying to sew "green"...no, not green fabric! There have been several articles in quilt magazines about reusing and recycling fabric and I thought I would share some things I have learned, or done myself.

1. Use your scraps...even the smallest ones. Get creative about this and use them in applique or patchwork.
2. Recycle old clothes from your closet, your kids' closet, and hubby's closet too. Cut up clothes and put the fabric in your stash. Hubby's ties are a great source of silk and his dress shirts can be used for all types of projects!
3. Shop in thrift stores to gather crazy quilt fabric...little girls fancy dresses are a great source for velvet, satin and lace!
4. Reuse buttons, snaps, hooks, and trims from old garments
5. Chain piece to conserve thread (it's not cheap these days either!)
6. Learn to applique to use smaller pieces of scraps
7. Keep your sewing machine in good shape...don't let it end up in the landfill because you failed to maintain it properly.
8. Recycle vintage tablecloths, napkins and handkerchiefs and use them in your quilts or garments
9. Recycle worn towels and washcloths to make baby bibs or use as jacket lining.
10. Reuse things around the house for quilt or garment embellishment..get creative...look in your kitchen junk drawer or bathroom for small things such as beads, pop tops, pieces of ribbon, etc.
11. Use sustainable fabrics and batting such as cotton and bamboo

Can you think of more ways to recyle or reuse material in sewing or quilting? I would love to hear your ideas! There are books on the subject as well at www.amazon.com, so check them out! Try sewing "green" and see how you like it. Remember, the art of quilting in this country began with pioneer women reusing worn clothing to make bed quilts! Sew, let's get creative and "green" at the same time!

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!

Inspiration at the Arboretum

Photos from the Dallas Arboretum

So I hope you are having a good week! Monday was an absolutely beautiful day, so hubby, our oldest daughter and I went to the Dallas Arboretum www.dallasarboretum.org just to get outdoors and have a relaxing time. The Dallas Arboretum is just great, however, in the fall there aren't as many flowers to look at, but still beautiful nonetheless. For me, it was just very inspirational and my head was full of quilting ideas (naturally), so I just wanted to share some of the hundred or so photos that I took that day. As mentioned in a previous post, it is just amazing where inspiration and ideas come from, and nature is just full of inspiration. I can (and will) look at the photos I took time and time again, and each time something new will jump out at me, or a new idea will take root. Because I love to applique, the unique trellises and different serene scenes give me so many ideas for appliqued wallhangings. I love the different textures and colors of the trees, especially in autumn when the leaves are changing or gone all together. The trees take on such different character in autumn, like giants getting ready to do battle against the winter winds. They disrobe and seem to stand stark in the cold, unmoving and strong. Ah well...enough of that!

I have a baby quilt to finish this week, and it would seem that the week is already half over and I have thousands of stitches to go before I sleep!

Enjoy the photos! Happy sewing and quilting!!

Fabric Frenzy

Well, the baby quilt I was "finishing" for a friend of mine (photo above) is finally done and dropped off yesterday...I am so happy that she loved it! Now on to the next project, which is a baby quilt for another friend of mine. EQ 5 allowed me to design the quilt, so I spent two hours the other day cutting fabric and I still have fabric left to cut! (EQ 5 is software that helps you to design quilts...the new upgrade is EQ 6, which you can find at www.electricquilt.com) I would upgrade to EQ 6, but am running it on an older computer with Windows 98...and before you make any comments...I know...old technology, but it still works! Anyway, this particular quilt is to be backed in red chenille fabric and I finally got that in yesterday! Whew! So now the piecing can begin!

More New Fabric!!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

I am so excited that I got my fabric that I ordered from the U.K.! Yep, that's it at the top. As I posted in a previous blog, I had seen a picture of the fabric in the magazine Irish Quilting. It took me an email to Nutex and searching a bit to find a supplier, but finally found the fabric at www.britanniafabric.co.uk. I ended up ordering 3 yards of it, as I was sure that would last me a while. The fabric is really gorgeous and my idea is to use a lot of it for applique. The castle especially! I love to make small landscape wall hangings and the castle...and the house too...would go perfect on these.

Speaking of small landscape wall hangings...I learned how to do these after reading an article and following a pattern by Karen Eckmeier. She has several books out and my favorite book is "Accidental Landscapes"...which you can find at www.amazon.com. Ms. Eckmeier has a great technique and I love the way the landscapes turn out. You can make a different one every time. I have made a few of the landscapes and plan to use my new fabric to make more!!

Currently, I have finished one baby quilt and am starting to work on another one. The second one is a commission from an old friend of mine, so I have designed something that I hope she is happy with. She wants red chenille on the back of the quilt and I had the darndest time finding red chenille! I finally had to resort to ording it from www.fabric.com and it should be here early next week.

No quilting for me tonight as we will be attending my in-laws 61st wedding anniversary! That's right...61 years of marriage! The family is having a big family dinner for them, and we will get to see our little grand daughter tonight...I am so excited!!

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!

Thoughts on Inspiration

Just pondering where quilters get their inspirations. Some quilters have said they get their inspiration from their family, places where they live, places where they travel, photos and the like. I find that my quilting inspirations can come from almost anywhere or anything. Sometimes the small simple things are what inspire me the most, and sometimes it takes more. This morning hubby and I went to get the oil changed in our car and while I was waiting I could see different patterns as I looked around the waiting room...patterns that could be made into quilts! Maybe I just have quilts on the brain, but next time you are in a new place look around and find the patterns on the walls, in the rugs, wallpaper, the way things are arranged. Get in the habit of carrying around a small blank book or a small book with grid paper to jot down your pattern inspirations.

I am not much of an artist, but with the help of grid paper I can draw squares, rectangles and triangles. I don't believe you have to be an artist to design your own quilts either. Sometimes, when perusing through the latest quilt magazine I become intimidated reading about professional quilters and quilt designers because it seems they all have art degrees or fine art degrees or some other "art" credential...I don't have that. But then I think about where they get their inspiration and realize that anyone....even me...can be inspired by the beauty around us. Nature is a great place to start since our Creator is a great designer and uses cool patterns and colors. I love butterflies and I think it is because they come in so many colors and designs...just like quilts! Think about what inspires you and don't forget to jot it down next time!

Happy Sewing & Quilting!

Ramblings of a Fabriholic, Quilt Binding, etc...

We discussed what a Fabriholic was the other day and lo and behold I came across a website that has a quiz to see if you are a Fabriholic!! Take the quiz here www.quiltbug.com/articles/fabriholic.htm . Hahaha...I thought it was pretty funny and as you can imagine, I tested out to be one!

Right now I am on the hunt for red chenille to back a baby quilt for a friend of mine. Do you realize how expensive this stuff is??!! Trying to find the best price for chenille is exhausting, and of course, I find so many other delightful fabrics along the way!! I have been pretty good lately about buying fabric...seeing as how hubby and I are both unemployed right now. But, I did pick up a few remnants of fabric over at Hobby Lobby the other day...didn't spend too much money!! Fabric is like chocolate...just can't resist it!

Currently, I am finishing up a baby quilt for another friend. She had started it, but didn't have time to finish quilting it...so I finished quilting it and am in the process of binding. When I was making the binding I thought about what type of binding most quilters use on their quilts. What do you do? Do you self-bind? Make French binding? Use pre-made binding? Personally, I prefer to make my own French binding....and always make extra to use later in smaller projects.

When I first started quilting I used self-binding a lot, and then I learned how to make binding and...call me crazy...I just love making binding! This allows you to use the fabric you want and to make as much as you want. I have used the pre-made bindings, and don't get me wrong, if you are in a hurry they are genius. A good website to purchase them at is www.popsbindings.com where they call them "Lollipops".  These are designer bindings and fun to use. JoAnn Fabrics also sells pre-made bindings, but they aren't as fun as Lollipops! So, if you are in a hurry and don't have the luxury of time to make your own binding it is good to know that you can buy them already made. But, if you like making your own binding...as I do...then here are some tips!

Tips for making quilt binding:

• Always make more than you need. This comes in handy later for smaller projects like wall hangings and mini quilts.
• Press binding in half -- DON'T iron binding!
• Sew together smaller pieces of binding to make a fun binding for a child's or baby's quilt.
• When sewing binding on to quilt, get some good instructions and follow them to ensure nice corners and smooth application. I have a book by Fons & Porter that outlines a good technique.
• Use nice thread to applique the back of the binding on for durability. I use silk thread...yep...it is way more expensive, but you get a really nice durably applied binding.

Well, that's it for today...time to get back to my sewing machine!

Happy Sewing and Quilting!!