x and + quilt

I'm back.  I finished up my x and + quilt a while ago, but it was a christmas gift,  so I am just now able to share it here.  This was one of those quilt alongs that I started last year.  

I really love this quilt, I loved making it and love the finish.  It's so very scrappy, but there's still some order!

for the backing I used a large solid piece (I think it's kona putty) and then added strips of fabric I had in my stash

It's pretty hard to see the quilting, but I did swirls (I love quilting swirls) on the x sections and zigzags on the +.   I like how it turned out.  There's a few things I will do differently next time, but it turned out just how I pictured it.

I went back and forth on the binding...almost settled on a navy blue, but ended up with a black and white stripe (a la Red Pepper Quilts).  It just works so well on scrappy quilts.

princess quilt

It's the end of the year, and I have about 4 quilts that I finished this year and have still not shown on this blog.  Two of them were Christmas gifts, so that's my excuse there, but mostly I just haven't made the time to blog them or even take pictures.  This quilt was finished this SUMMER!  It went straight to my daughters bed before I even had a chance to admire it.

My daughter needed/wanted a new quilt for her bed, and I had collected princess fabric that she loved, so we used them.

It took me a while to decide on a pattern.  I think I cut into the fabric 2 or 3 times before finally deciding on this pattern.  I believe I first spotted it on pinterest.

It's a generous twin size and my daughter loves it.  I like it too.  The one thing I wish I had done differently would have been to use a background fabric(black dot on cream) that was whiter rather than creamy.  But I had that fabric on hand and I really wanted dots.  I guess it gives it an antique-y feel.  

I used this older blue Heather Bailey print that I have had for a while (found it on sale for $6/yard).  This print is one of my favorites for backing.  I've used it several times, but this is the only one I can specifically remember.

bound in pink scallops.  (I love this print so much)

quilted in an egg shell pattern, this was the perfect quilt to use this pattern.  I didn't have to mark at all, and it almost turned out perfect.  The two inch squares were the perfect guide.

Here's a fun little tid-bit.  These cute fabrics are by Ann Kelle, called Girl Friends, and they make an appearance often in different fabric.  My daughters think they are so cute.  

This one particular friend looks EXACTLY like one of my daughters friends (from Colorado).  I mean, exactly.  The glasses, the dark hair, bobbed, the short bangs.  Exactly. When I first saw it I asked my daughter who this princess looks like and she knew immediately.  KATIE.  So we like to try to find Katie in the princess quilt.

Briar Rose Quilt

I have a finished quilt to show!  I actually finished this a while ago and forgot to share!  I gave it away and I guess it slipped my mind.  

I love Heather Ross, so when she released her Briar Rose line (first in a LONG time), I couldn't wait to put it to use.  

Pattern found in this book.  (as a sidenote, I can't buy EVERY quilt book out there.  There are so many now, and most are good.  I usually check them out from my local library first and if I love it, then I consider buying it.)

The pattern is a modern take on the log cabin.  If you look closely, you can see each block is made up of small log cabin blocks.

I quilted it in circles, first seen here, except I tried to do it free-motion, and it's kind of sloppy.  I feel a little bad about that, but not bad enough to not give it away.

 Bound in a pretty orange, (looks like mac and cheese), which worked perfectly with the other prints. 

 The strawberries from this line are my favorite, so I used the pink ones on the back.

Love Patchwork and Quilting, a new magazine

 I recently received a new (brand new, first issue released in October) magazine in the mail to review and share with you.  It's called Love Patchwork and Quilting and it's truly a gem. 

I try to be genuine and forthright about my opinions of products on this little blog, and I can truly say that I am very happy and impressed with this publication.   I feel like this one has it all.  Not only does it have quilt patterns, but it has ideas for making pillows and ornaments.  This issue even has some darling fabric shoelaces!

It was fun to see and read about some familiar faces from the blogging community,

and seeing close ups of new fabric lines, and to be honest, fabric is my favorite part about quilting.

One of my very favorite parts is the block of the month.  Detailed directions and different color combos included.  I love making one block at a time.  These blocks can be used in one quilt, or you can make a sampler quilt and create a really fun quilt by the end of the year.  I had hopes of showing you my first block, but I got hit with a horrible cold this week and it just didn't happen.  I hope to do that soon, and I'll show it to you when it's finished.

All right, the folks with Love Patchwork and Quilting are offering a special trial offer of 3 issues for $10 (there's also a UK trial offer of 3 issues £5).

Also, I ended up with  2 copies of this issue and would love to share it with one of you.  Leave a comment and I'll pick a winner on Tuesday, November 19, 2013.  Good luck!

Shabby Apple Giveaway--giveaway closed

update:  giveaway closed.  Winner is Brittany, I have sent you an email....

I have another giveaway for you today from Shabby Apple, best known for their beautiful vintage clothing.  The dresses are my favorite, but they have some beautiful tops and shoes.

 Shabby Apple is offering one of my readers a dress or skirt of their choice (from the list below).  Isn't that great?!  To enter, leave a comment and follow Shabby Apple on Instagram or Facebook.  

 contest will run through Tuesday, October 22nd, when I will randomly pick a winner.

casablanca  my vow to you  cherish you  cockeyed-optimist  dahlia  daisy  dressing gong  bouquet toss  admiral  amaryllis  at last  bernini  beach comber  big easy  bianca  guinea a minute  half dome  kanani  lighthouse  orange sherbet  papillon  pina colada  racquet club  shazam  seven seas in seer sucker  study hall  too darn hot  tie the knot  the movies  truman  truly madly deeply  tulip  zinger  snapdragon  starboard bow  curiouser and curiouser  ivory tower  marigold  magnolia 

this little piggy

For years I have in my mind that I will always have a couple baby boy quilts and a couple baby girl quilts ready to give away.  Baby quilts are my favorite thing to make...but I have never been able to make it happen, until recently.  I finally have a stack of quilts that are ready when a friend has a baby.  Yay!

The quilts in this pile are simple, quick and easy to make.  They tend to be my favorite baby quilts anyway...

 This strip quilt came about because I wanted to use these cute Heather Ross pigs (finally).  I wanted it to be suitable for a boy, and it is, but I am going to admit outloud, officially, that I stink at putting together fabric for a boy.  I tried so many different fabrics, and nothing really stood out to me.  I finally settled on this, and it's fine, but I feel like it is missing something and I CANNOT figure out what.  

It's frustrating.  I feel defeated?  (It's a little ridiculous--it's just a quilt).

then it spills over into all my quilts.  

I have struggled for a while now, feeling totally uninspired.  Everything I make feels like a copy (which I am totally okay with), but it takes me so long to finally finish a quilt, that everyone else has already made one just like mine that is way cuter than mine anyway. 

 It's all silly really, it doesn't cause me to lose any sleep, I don't type this because I want or need anyone to buoy me up.  That's not my intent... 

I have come to realize though that I quilt because it is an outlet, it is therapeutic.  Raising children is hard, and raising them to be good people is even harder.  Being a mom is the greatest and most frustrating thing I do.  And so I need something that is my own...my husband tells me (in a very loving and understanding way) that when I quilt, I plug my headphones in and everything else disappears.  And it's kinda true.  I have those noise cancelling headphones that enable me to not hear the whirrrrr of my machine or the noise of my kids...

I quilt away sometimes for 20 minutes and sometimes for an hour.  But it helps me to be more patient, it gives me something to look forward to, it is exciting to me, even if it's nothing 'new'.

High Five

This quilt is from Amanda Jean and Cheryl's book, Sunday Morning Quilts.  This is one of those quilts that sometimes I love and sometimes I don't love.  I love the pattern and I love the original in the book, I just don't love mine.  I wish I would've used another color with the pink and blue, so the blocks would stand out a little better.  

But then, other times I look at it up close and LOVE all the little pieces of fabric (they are little, this block finishes at 4.5 inches).   

I started making these blocks at least a year ago, probably more, just so I could use up my overflowing pink and blue scraps.  I thought it would end up bigger, but as other projects started piling up, this one got pushed to the back burner.  

 Eventually I settled on baby size (a good friend had a baby girl), and I was pretty much done with all the blocks.  All I had to do was sew them together.  I love a quick finish.

 I did add some color on the binding...a pretty yellow stripe.  I think this helps it out a lot.

I quilted it in loops going across the quilt.  I love this quilting, it's fast and easy.

Then as I was getting ready to package this quilt up, I noticed a tiny hole (looked like scissors had snipped it) on of the small scraps.  I was frustrated.  Part of me wished I hadn't even seen it.  What to do???  The quilt was totally finished.  I HATE starting over or unpicking.  

I ended up making a small patch out of the same fabric, and hand stitching it to the top.  I think it worked out pretty well.  I'm don't know that anyone will ever notice.  I hope it holds up...

 I backed it in pink dots and grey presents. 

 Hopefully I can get this shipped off to that sweet new baby who is already 6 months old....