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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

WiP #4

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Only got a little bit of sewing done this week, despite my best intentions.  That's OK though, because we got to have some fun doing other things (touch a truck and strawberry picking!) and necessary housework was done (not so much fun, but way overdue!)

So, what did I manage to sew?  I completed blocks #1 and #2 for the Skill Builder Sampler hosted by Leila on her blog Sewn.  


More details about the blocks here, although not as many details as there will be in the future for that type of post.  If you're visiting my blog to read this then you'll notice the Process Pledge button I've added to the blog.  What that means is that I'll be writing about how I come to make the decisions I do about what I sew.  Hopefully I won't bore you all to tears!

Back on topic: What I've gotten done, or rather not gotten done.  I'm still working on the wedding gift placemats (Gift Project #3).  I think my least favorite part of the placemats I've been sewing up is putting the binding on.  Hubby, Iron Man, has been doing the hand sewing portion, so that's not a problem.  Honestly, I think it would be less work to bind a large quilt than a pile of placemats (less corners for one thing!)  Iron Man really wants to get these done, so they're going to be a priority for my sewing this week.

Coming Up: On Friday we find out what the next block is for the Skill Builder Sampler.   I really want to keep up with these, so I'm hoping that'll be done by next Wednesday.

On Hold:
My mom's jewelry keeper (Christmas gift) I'll pick this up when I'm done with the placemats
stacked coin throw quilt

WiP Recap:
Last week's total: 5
Finished this week: 2
New this week: 1
This week's total: 4

Until later!

Monday, June 27, 2011

Skill Builder - Blocks #1 & #2

BWS tips button

For our first block we were to work on the accuracy of our cutting and seam allowances.  To practice these skills we sewed a Log Cabin block.  After doing some thinking about it I decided to do a variation that would give me a square in a square. For the most part I followed Leila's instructions for the cutting and construction of the block. I varied it by only using four fabrics.


I'm really happy with how it came out, both in terms of how the fabric layout looks and the accuracy of my piecing.  Looking at all the variations in the Flickr group makes me want to makes lots more though!


Block #2 is a nine patch where we played with value (light vs. dark). Again, although I used the instructions Leila provided for the cutting and piecing I varied the layout of the fabrics within the block.


Some of my corners don't meet up as well as I'd like (I tend to be a perfectionist) but really they're not that bad, so I'm not going to let it bother me. Besides, I'm giving myself permission to enjoy the process and have less than perfect results. :)

Here are both blocks together.


Looking forward to the next block!

Until later!

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Skill Builder - Fabric

BWS tips button

I know I'm running a bit late on posting about my fabric for this quilt along, but here it is!

My family went out to Portland, Oregon for a wedding last week.  Knowing that I was going out there I held off from buying fabric so I could visit a couple shops out there.  My mom (a quilter for 16 years now) and I went to Bolt and Fabric Depot.  We got lucky at Fabric Depot, the day we were there everything was 25% off!

There was so much lovely fabric at Bolt, I really wanted to buy more than I did, but so much of what I wanted wasn't part of the vision that I had for the quilt that it stayed on the shelves...sigh.  Here's what I did come home with though:



I'm not sure the red/orange/coal looking print will be used in the quilt, no matter, I'll find a use for it eventually. :-)

Fabric Depot was fun to wander around in.  It took me a bit of strolling through to get my bearings and figure out where the fabrics I was looking for were likely to be, it was that big!  And again, so many fabrics that were calling out my name but needed be left behind.  After much deliberation, this is the fabric I bought for the quilt there:



Right now the plan is to use the Anne Kelle rainbow zigzag for the binding.  I just love it!

I also have some fabric from my stash to add in, so here's the whole lot:


 

Not sure I've got enough darks, and I really wanted a lighter yellow, but couldn't find the shade I wanted.  So other fabrics may or may not make an appearance as we work our way through the quilt blocks.  (Shhh...don't tell my husband! ;-) )

Until later!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

WiP #3

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced


Sorry for not posting last week.  My family and I were across the country attending a wedding and even though I thought I'd be able to get a post put together it just didn't happen.  


Completed Projects:
The practice items and some of the gifts I've been working on were place-mats.  Hubby, kiddo and I stayed with an incredibly kind and generous friend that we knew from the internet, but this was our first time meeting her and her family in real life.  To thank her for opening her home to us we (because it wouldn't have gotten done without hubby) made a set of eight place-mats for her and her family.  Ignore the wrinkles, they were folded on the trip across country. :)




We also made fat quarter totes using this tutorial (with some alterations, I'll post about that later).  The totes were for her little girls, the baby sitter (the daughter of another friend I'd met via the internet) with the leftovers going to other people who had traveled for the wedding. (A previous week's completion, I can show photos now though!) 




I got my mending done.  No pictures, not really exciting, but it needed to be done!


I also got shopping done for fabric!  
The first thing is the fabric for a rainbow charm square swap hosted by Jennifer of Ellison Lane Quilts.  My assigned color was red.  Hopefully my swap partners will be happy with the fabric.

Rainbow Charm Swap


Other fabric shopping was for the Skill Builder quilt-a-long.  So excited to be starting this!

BWS tips button

In Progress: 
Gift Project #3
Still working on Gift Project #3, another set of place-mats.  These are going to the newly weds from the wedding we attended last week.  Good thing they're understanding!


I'm also working on the first block for the Skill Builder quilt-a-long...trying to narrow down which fabrics I'm going to use!


Coming Soon:
Block 2 of the Skill Builder QAL. 

On Hold:
My mom's jewelry keeper (Christmas gift)
stacked coin throw quilt

WiP Recap:
Last week's total: 6
Finished this (2) week(s): 3
New this week: 2
This week's total: 5

Until later!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Busy week

Sorry about this, but I'm in the middle of a really busy week and there's no WiP post from me this week.  I'll definitely post next week and try to get another post in on Monday or Tuesday.

Until later!

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

WiP Wednesday #2

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

Still a teaser post this week.  Next week I'll show you the finished products.  Unfortunately it's been slow going because I spent a few days vegging on the couch, hoping I would feel better soon (I feel a lot better now!)  Fortunately my hubby, AKA Iron Man (guess what he does for me ;-)), has been a great help, not only with ironing, but with kid wrangling and hand sewing binding.  Even with his help it's going to be close getting everything done before the special occasions we're making the gifts for.

Finished:
Practice Project: So glad I took the time to do this.  It really helped me, and hubby, get a handle on what we are doing! I pulled the dot from my stash, it was leftovers from an outfit I made for the kiddo a while ago.

DSC_4423 edited

In Progress:
We're about 2/3 of the way done for Gift Project #2 and about 1/3 done with Gift Project #3

DSC_4458 edited





Coming Soon:
There's a little bit of mending/altering of clothing that I need to get done this week.

I also need to get ready for this -
BWS tips button


On Hold
My mom's jewelry keeper (Christmas gift)
stacked coin throw quilt

WiP Recap:
Finished this week: 1
Last week's total: 5
New this week: 2
This week's total: 6

Until later!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

WiP Wednesday

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

I'm very excited, this is my first Work in Progress Wednesday!  Unfortunately it's going to be a bit of a teaser post, as I'm making gifts and don't want the recipients to know what they are yet!

Finished:
Gift Project #1
I used the ribbon and fabric for the first set of gifts.  They were so cute that I made extra!



In Progress:
Practice project: I like to have some idea if something is going to work before I cut fabric for gifts.  So to get my method worked out I'm going to use some fat quarters from my stash and get any kinks worked out!  The good news is that I get to keep the practice pieces. :-)




Coming Soon:
Gift Project #2 is going to use this fabric combo:



Gift Project #3 is going to use this fabric combo:



On Hold
My mom's jewelry keeper (Christmas gift)
stacked coin throw quilt

WiP Recap:
Finished this week: 1
Last week's total: 2
New this week: 3
This week's total: 5

Until later!