Favorite Steps

Quilting has many steps, no? Some of the steps I like and some of the steps I loath. By far, my most favorite step is selecting the fabrics that will eventually be sewn together to make a quilt. I love going to the candy fabric store and looking through all of the stunningly beautiful fabrics. I have a hunch this is a favorite step of many, many quilters (especially with the amazing fabric designers who are presently gracing cottons with their innovative colors and images). I love mix matching fabrics together and noticing the relationships between values and patterns. I might call myself a quilter, but I do believe the word "quilter" is merely a disguise title for severe fabric addict.

I have a self confessed gray obsession lately

My second favorite step is the binding. It's a signal to me that quilt-completion is near. I enjoy making the binding and, of course, I love auditioning different fabrics for the role of  "quilt binding." What fabric will be cast in this significant,  framing role? In the case of my vintage floral chevron quilt, I chose to put all of the colors into this custom scrappy binding. It goes well with the colors on the front and it is surprisingly complimentary to the gray fabric on the back, it adds a splash of color.

  

The end is near! The end of this quilt, that is!

Simple, baby

Simple is a word I always choose to describe myself. Simple is a word I strive for in my life - simple living, less clutter, less drama, less stress, more simple. And now, simple is word I am starting to incorporate into my quilting, finally. I have spent the better part of 3 years quilting massively complicated projects with detailed boarders, complex quilting patterns, and intricate designs. I admit the reason was, that I was learning how to quilt and pushing my creative self to the extremes is, I guess, how I learn. It's as if I have been learning how to cook by following the recipes a fancy gourmet chef, an now I am moving towards making bar food. And because of my elite gourmet training, I can make some damn good chicken wings. In any case, I am really enjoying this new found simple quilting. My favorite part lately has been the benefit of getting one quilt almost done and being able to explore new (and beautiful) fabrics for a new quilt project. Yes, things are speeding up! I might not need another lifetime to make all of my quilt ideas. I might be able to simplify and complete all of the quilts I want in this life alone!

Sunny Morning Farmhouse Quilt ~ Complete!

For me, completion is a gentle dance between committing to a project and seeing it through, patience (especially around the basting stage) and managing that drive to finish, excitement (once the biding is made) and working carefully to create a quality quilt. That doesn't even take into account the tornado of family life swirling around me. I guess quilting is my retreat and my refuge. It's a quiet place for me to be.

And, oh the finished product! When I talk about 'drive to finish' or feeling excited, it's anticipating holding the finished quilt that sparks those feelings. The soft, warm weight of a quilt complete, the quilting design, the subtle romance of the binding...it's poetry in stitches, really.

So here is my latest completion I would like to share. I was calling it "The Sleepy Morning Farmhouse Quilt" but the bright reds and yellows lend me to believe a jazzier name is in order. How about "Sunny Morning Farmhouse Quilt?" Yes, that's it. This quilt is a Double Irish Chain design. I used a soft baby blue novelty fabric with a country design for the centered squares and slim boarder. The Irish Chain is built of bright red and yellow. The sashing is Natural Unbleached Cotton, which (I hope) contrasts the bright fabrics and gives an old fashioned feel. The binding is bright red, same as the chain. Now put your sunglasses on!

Bright huh? Certainly more sunny than sleepy.

 

 

 

 

Beautiful prose, with a 3.0 stitch length.

Happy Quilting Everyone! 

I linked up with AmandaJean and Finish it up Friday!

Yet another work in progress ~

It does feel good to have a big project in the works every week, just to keep my hands busy.

This week I am frantically patiently waiting for some fabric to be delivered. Once I get the delivery, I will be able to add the backing to this chevron quilt and then baste it. This quilt represents two things for me. First, it's my first scrappy quilt since the vintage floral fabrics used were originally purchased to make a 9"x13" dolly quilt. Second, and this is big for me, it's an exercise in simplicity. I have a tendency to over complicate things, just ask Cutie. So, I am leaving off boarders, no psycho quilting design that requires thousands of hidden knots, and a big, simple design. I might be falling in love with this new found way of doing things!

I am trying a simplified quilting method because of this one.  Nothing simple about this baby. 

But it sure is an eye popper, no? It is COMPLETE, by the way, as of Tuesday afternoon.

...And now for your viewing pleasure, some more picture of my Floral Chevron Quilt photographed in the mid-afternoon sun, for art's sake.

Simplicity is Angelic!

 Happy Quilting Everyone!

Oh and I linked up to WIP at Freshly Pieced

A work in progress - Sleepy Morning Farmhouse Quilt

Somewhere among watching toys play (Mama, watch this!), preparing snack, snack and more snack, thousands of loads of laundry, cutting up apples, cleaning for days on end, and wondering how I still function at all....I have managed to get this beauty to the last stage before completion!

This is the quilt top, which was pieced awhile ago (above).  

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These are pictures of the quilting (below). I chose criss-cross stitching on the red and yellow chain and simple straight stitching outlining the center blocks.

This quilt is an experiment with new and old. The novelty fabric is freshly modern, not to mention the eye popping red and yellow Irish Chain design. And mixed in is natural unbleached cotton, which (I hope) adds an antique or old fashioned feel. I call this quilt "The Sleepy Morning Farmhouse Quilt." My goal is to have a post announcing its completion this weekend.

I linked up to  WIP at Freshly pieced

 Happy quilting everyone!

4 Dolly Quilts, COMPLETE!

We made a quick trip to the post office yesterday to mail out 4 Dolly Quilts, which are headed for New York, I am proud to say. 

I learned a lot making these little quilts, some very valuable skills like chain piecing. 

I also learned to keep the design simple and as large as possible, without compromising intricacy and authenticity, of course. I started out making 1/2 inch triangles for the peppermint pinwheels, which proved to be difficult to work with and the small scale gave the finished quilt a bumpy bulk.

 But it all worked out in the end, because the finished product is rather lovely.

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 Here are the other three quilts: 

::: A Christmas rail fence design :::

::: A soft pink nine patch :::

::: And a vintage floral triangle design :::

 I think this last one is my favorite. 

My wish is that these pint size quilts make their way onto the beds of  4 well-loved Dollies, and eventually the quilts will become well-loved too.
Happy quilting!

Before and Afters

Since moving into our house, back in May, I have found the time to do a few makeover projects. There is something very satisfying about giving well loved furniture new life, and a new look. Here are a few before and after pictures.

Before: my humble sewing table

After: Dark stain on the legs and a crisp white top, and silver knob.

Before: a pine dresser

 With wooden knobs, boring.

 After: a whitewash stain and silver knobs

And also, a little side table redone too.

And last, and the redo I am most excited about is our wee garden path. Here is the before picture, it's a simple walkway with diamond shaped pavers.

Before:

 After: terraced steps, ooh la la.

...and also a little step path, so we can have a stable place to pick strawberries, which are vine-ing out at incredible speed!

 I wish I had more makeover projects to show you! As we settle into our home I'm sure other furniture items or areas of the house or yard will inspire me, and I will be compelled to do a re-do. One of the most satisfying things in life, I find, is making an environment my own. It serves two purposes: first, I feel more comfortable and "at home" in a space where there are lots of handmade, beautiful, crafty things. And second, seeing said beautiful and crafty things further inspires me to create. When I walk these paths, I feel a rush of earthy love as my feet touch the soft, round rocks. I can't help but daydream about other areas of the yard that would benefit from a few well-placed stones. I sure benefit from them.