Link Up, Friends!

Hey y'all!  It's been a busy sewing week for me.  Since last week's NTT, I've started and finished two quilts- Summer Storm, and just yesterday, Daydreams.  I've been on Fall Break, and it has been so nice to have lots of uninterrupted sewing time.   And of course, to not have to worry about getting to bed at a reasonable hour.

Of course, I'm already working on something else for the upcoming Wicked Blog Hop, but that will have to stay a secret for now!

So it seems that scrappy quilts were the the name of the game last week.  Several were shared, and these three stood out!

Cynthia @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework shared this beautiful quilt, made entirely from scraps!

NW Patchwork linked up this gorgeous Arkansas Crossroads quilt.  This pattern is definitely on my to-do list!

and Adrienne @ Chezzetcook Quilts shared many WIP's, one of which is this oh-so-fabulous X-Plus!

Y'all know how to rock it every single week.  I can't wait to see what' you've got to show this time.  Party on!

Here are the party rules.  You know the drill!

1.  You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post to make it easier for others.

3. Spread the word and post my button or a text link.  Please find my new button on my sidebar!

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

Daydreams, and Awesome News!

Fall Break has been kind and has afforded me lots of great, relaxing sewing time, and I was almost able to finish this little (45 x 45in.) baby quilt yesterday.  This morning, I just had to stitch the binding on and take advantage of the gorgeous morning light with a few photos.

This is a baby quilt for a friend at work.  She brought me a few focus fabrics for the quilt and let me have creative license with the rest.  I just love this color combination.  The red is really more of a pinkish red than is showing in the pictures, and it's just the right pop of color against the dreamy aquas and grays.

Another request from my friend is that the baby's name and birthdate be monogrammed and put into the quilt on the front.  This was certainly a first for me, and although I didn't do the monogramming myself, it did dictate the design of the quilt.  I wanted it to look like it belonged in the quilt, rather than a random patch stuck in the middle of the pattern.  I chose a Double Slice pattern, since the blocks created were the perfect size for including this.  I have covered the name/date in the picture, but you can still get an idea of how it fits into the quilt (where the arrow is pointing).  Now that it's finished, I think it's a neat little addition that makes the quilt special.

I went with an all over simple meander for the quilting, although I didn't quilt through the monogramming (that's the patch on the bottom left side that's unquilted).  I just love this aqua fabric, and it keeps the backing looking soft.

The binding is a great fabric that I found in the quilter's aisle at Joann's.  It's a sketchy print, and the perfect shade of pinkish red.  It was really difficult to find fabrics that were the right shade to match the fabric she gave me (the fabric she gave me is the one with the red and pink blossoms you can see really well here).  So when I saw that binding fabric, I snatched it right up!

And now, my awesome news!  I met with the owner of my local sewing shop yesterday.  They aren't a quilt shop, but they have a great fabrics, gifts, and clothes and offer sewing classes.  Although they have a lot of gifty things with fabric, they didn't sell quilts...until yesterday!  They are going to start selling my quilts in the shop, and will also refer customers to me for custom quilts.  YAY!  I am so excited!  They have a couple of quilts right now, and I'm hoping to get a few more made before their big holiday open house coming up in November.  Somebody pinch me!

Summer Storm

Sometimes you just have to love things for what they are.  I intended for this to look like a bento box quilt, but there isn't really enough contrast in the fabrics to truly reflect that pattern. I love making quilts with lots of different, busy fabrics, and I'm just not sure that works with a bento box.

Instead, it really looks like a scrap explosion of yellows and grays, and frankly, I'm okay with that.  Even though it doesn't have the look I envisioned, I'm still pleased with how it turned out.

I know I cannot possibly be the only person who over-collects fabrics for quilts (please tell me I'm not the only one!).  In the name of fabric variety, I always end up with way too much!  I had so much fabric for this quilt, that I refused to buy more fabric for the backing, and just made it reversible with the leftovers.

I had tons of Kona Coal left over from when I made the four quilts from my grandfather's shirts, so I decided to use it (well, some of it anyway) to bind this one.  I think the solid amongst all of the busy patterns works really well.

I love those summer storms where one part of the sky is dark gray and pouring rain, and yet the sun shines brightly right through it.  It's almost magical.  The shades of gray dappled with sunshiny yellows in this quilt remind me of those times, and so Summer Storm seemed to be the perfect name.

Nope.  It's not a bento box in the traditional sense of the pattern.  But the colors and fabrics are fresh and modern, and the very angular pattern still works with them.  Well, sometimes you live and learn- and then end up loving it anyway!

The Bento Box Quilt That Wasn't

I finished the top of my bento box quilt this afternoon.

So here's the thing-  I actually really like this quilt.  That being said, despite the fact that it is technically a bento box pattern, it doesn't really look like one to me.  The cool thing about bento box quilts is the effect that is created when the contrasting parts of the box are put together.  There are some parts of it that have that neat contrast, but other parts that look more muddled.

Again, I do like the ultra modern feel of the quilt, but I think these fabrics, although they are all individually beautiful, are just a little too busy to allow the bento box pattern to really show up well.  What do you think?

The Beginnings of a Bento

Ahhhh... Fall Break...  finally.  We have been in school since August 4th, and teachers since July 29th, with only Labor Day to offer a brief respite from the craziness that comes with the start of the school year.  So after nine loooong weeks, to say I've been looking forward to this break is quite an understatement.

Since finishing Fishing at the Creek and delivering it to my principal (who loved it, by the way),  I've been working on turning this-

Into this-

A bento box quilt with shades of yellow and gray.  I've been collecting fabrics in these colors for awhile, and have finally gotten around to making it.  So far, I'm loving the way these super modern colors and graphic prints are working with the bento box pattern.  I can't wait to get these blocks mixed up and sewn back together.

I'm hosting the Memphis Area MQG meeting at my house tomorrow, and for this month, we're doing a sew-in.  Looks like I know what I'll be working on!

Tips for a Fast Finish

As I mentioned in my yesterday's NTT post, this quilt was done in a big hurry- three nights to be precise.  I know...crazy!

I will admit that there were some late nights involved in getting it finished, but since next week is Fall Break and this is for my principal, that simply could not be avoided.  There are a few tricks I have up my sleeve to finish quilts FAST when I need to.

1.  Pattern choice is key-  I pick patterns that are simple to sew and quick to cut.  Even with varying the 

    direction of the strips in this quilt, this top was quick to put together.  I could have had the strips 

    going all the same direction and it would have been even faster.

2.  Shop your stash-  Rather than choose colors that I wanted and try to make my stash fit those colors, I  

     allowed my stash to determine the colors.  I didn't have to go the the fabric store in order to get 

     down to business.  I also try to keep a well-rounded stash so that I have plenty of choices!

3.  Multitask-  I know this is easier said than done with little ones, but I sew while helping with 

     homework, between stirring dinner on the stove, while watching TV, etc.  If I have 10 extra 

     minutes, I'm sewing.

4.  Make the quilting easy-  Everybody has their favorite go-to quilting method.  Mine is 

     meandering/stippling.  I just love it (I know you can tell).  It's relaxing for me, and really quick.

Even with a fast finish, quilting should be fun!  These are four ways that I keep my sewing stress-free- even when I'm under pressure to get something done quick!

I've named this one Fishing at the Creek.  I can just see a little boy in overalls on the banks of beautiful, clear water on a summer day.  I always tend to have lots of blue and green in my stash.  I guess it's because I find these colors so happy and peaceful, that I'm just drawn to them.  

You can also see the backing fabric really well in this picture.  I really lucked out with this Denyse Schmidt fabric with the perfect shade of blue and the little green dots.  Incidentally, this is the only fabric I purchased especially for this quilt.  You probably recognize those lime dots too- that's left over from Serendipity.  And of course, no backing of mine would be complete without adding in the scraps!

The finished quilt measures 48 inches square and I hope that it is loved for years and years by that sweet little baby boy.

Needle and Thread Thursday and a Sneak Peek!

Well friends, I have officially been sewing like a crazy woman this week.  On Monday, I took Neapolitan Sundae to school to show, and my principal loved it.  As it happens, she has a nephew that will be born in the next week or so and she really wanted a baby boy quilt.  Sure, I said.  No problem at all!  I usually finish a quilt every week(ish) so I figured it would be no big deal.  Except for one little problem-  I forgot that next week is Fall Break (thank the sweet Lord above).  So, that turned a Monday quilt delivery (which would have allowed me the weekend to finish up), to a Friday deadline.  Four nights-  yikes!

I managed to pull it off y'all- and a day early to boot!  Here's a little sneaky peek!

We have a really pretty wooded area right next to our school, so I'm planning on a quick photo shoot during my lunch break tomorrow, and then I'll get to deliver it.  So, keep an eye out for the reveal post with all of the good daylight pics!

Last week, NTT had some amazing projects linked up.  I just love looking at all of the links and getting oodles of inspiration!  Here were a few that really caught my eye-

**As a courtesy to these bloggers, if you want to pin the images I'm featuring, please use the links and pin from the original source.  Thanks a bunch!

Ms. Midge's Scrappy Refractatorium just took my breath away!

The Cozy Pumpkin shared this beautiful quilt for her husband.

and Quilts With Personality shared this beauty!

I can't wait to see the stunning projects you all share this week!  Let's party!

Here are the party rules.  You know the drill!

1.  You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post to make it easier for others.

3. Spread the word and post my button or a text link.  Please find my new button on my sidebar!

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

**And once again, as a courtesy to these bloggers, if you want to pin one of the fabulous projects linked, please click on the thumbnail to go to the original source and pin from there!  Thanks!