One Little Word (Four months later)

My guild (Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild) participated in the One Little Word Challenge in January.  The idea was to choose a word to inspire you for the year and make a quilt that you can look at and be inspired all year.  The other members of my guild made quilts ranging in size from a mug rug to a twin size quilt.  They were all great!  Click the link above to see them!

 I picked the word "Grow."  I want to grow as a quilter and as a person this year.  I tried to use some of my new skills in this little wall quilt.  I made some wonky free pieced letters, some raw edge applique leaves, and quilted FMQ, echo quilting, a spiral, some straight quilting and some wavy line quilting.  I used a variety of solids to bind it (just finished it!... I did everything except the binding back in January!)

 Here it is hanging across from my sewing machine in my new little sewing room!  (I stapled it up this morning! hehe).

I am linking up to:

Everything is coming up Roses!

 The Baltimore Quilt Guild participated in the challenge issued by Hoffman fabrics to create quilts from the beautiful (free!!!) solid charm packs they sent us.  We shared our quilts at one of our meetings and I brought my sadly unfinished quilt.  Well, now it is complete!  I love rose quilts and this was so fun to make!  Playing with all the colors and sewing and chopping to make the roses was my kind of sewing!

I used solid lines in the sashings for the quilting using my walking foot.   The borders got extra lines.   I like how it crosses in the intersections.

 I pieced the back, too.  I used every color in the charm pack! I think I spend almost as much time making the backs of my quilts as I do the fronts!  I like thinking they are reversible.  This side has a few shades of gray, which I love.  I used gray polka dots to bind it (I have used up most of this fabric and I am on the lookout for more!)

I am going to hang it at the top of the stairs so we can enjoy it each time we go up!

Welcome to new followers (and visitors!)

I am linking up to:

And RichardQuilts and  Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Friday!  

So go check out all the great finishes this week!

My New Sewing Room!

My son moved out (again) this weekend.  I threw the rest of his things (that he left behind) into the closet and slammed the door!  I vacuumed, moved some furniture, and stapled some batting to the wall for my new design wall!

Most of my quilting stuff was in our dining room.  Every time we wanted to use the dining room table, I had to clear off the iron, sewing machine, cutting mat, etc.  Now it is sitting pretty!

My granddaughter is almost 18 months old and she is into everything!  This way, all the sharp and pointy things can be behind a closed door.

I shoved the desk and dresser together to make a big table.  I moved another table into the room.  I feel like I need an new ironing board and maybe another shelf.

Here is my new sewing machine!  I have only had it for a few weeks.  It is a Elna and so far I am loving it.  

This is part of my stash.  Doesn't it look pretty?  I have wrapped the fabric around comic book boards.  I love being able to see all the beautiful fabric!  (Confession: I have more in other closets...some dating back 25 years.  I am a fabric collector, I guess.  Does it gain in value? )

My fatquarters are sorted by color and stashed in these plastic containers.  Not sure how but I would like them to be more accessible and attractive.

I stapled these mini quilts on the wall!!  It works!  We'll see how long they stay up!

I sewed in there today.  No TV but I brought up the laptop and watched Hulu.  Fun!  Now I have some hand-sewing to finish up a few projects.  

I am linking up to Someday Crafts and

Winter friends

Look at this fun quilt!  You can click on the pictures to see them in more detail.

My teaching friend, Janet,  brought in a top today that makes me so happy.  She created it using a block of the month and some great batiks.  I love the black and white polka dot borders.  She graciously let me snap a few pictures to share with you.

 If you want to leave a comment, I will forward them to Janet.  She doesn't have a blog but I know she would be thrilled to hear what you think.

I am off to bed!  I have to get up early to go to the Lancaster AQS Quilt show tomorrow with some friends from my guild.  I am excited to see some new fabrics and some stunning quilts!

Sherbet baby bento boxes

I made this quilt for my coworker's daughter. She is having her first baby in a few weeks.

It was so much fun to make!  I used some of the strips from my Kona jelly roll along with a mix of polka dots from my stash.  The centers were from a charm pack.  I liked it but I didn't love it until I put on the border and binding.  Then it was suddenly much more attractive to me!

I had fun quilting it, too.  I just used a meander with white thread but it felt easier than it has before.  I guess I am learning how to pace my hands and feet better.

The cute hippo backing was from IKEA last summer.

Hope Mom and Baby both enjoy it!

Linking up to Sew Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge, Manic Monday at Sew Happy Geek, Fabric Friday at Pat Sloan, Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Fabric Tuesday at Quiltstory.  So many inspiring projects!  Go take a look!

If you are visiting me from those websites, welcome!

December sewing (a little late!)

Here are a few glimpses of my Christmas sewing.  I made lots of ornaments this year, including 12 of these little owls (one of them was an Angry Bird!).

Overexposed Owl!

 I sewed these little ornaments for my daughter and son in law's tree.  They have a puppy and a one year old who took turns grabbing the ornaments off the tree.  Eventually, all the ornaments were on the top of the tree.

I made these pillows for my sister in law.    She asked me in August if I would make them for her.  I cut out 10" squares of batting and sewed the strips to the batting, trimmed them down and then quilted lines in the spaces.  I practiced my FMQ on the backs.  

Don't they look great in her family room?  I decided I needed some, too, so I am making some for my house (they won't match our family room but oh well!)

This pillow was my Christmas gift to my wonderful mother in law last year.  I never got a picture of it so I snapped a few this year.  It felt like visiting an old friend!

I have a few more projects to post (and mail).  Hopefully, they will be ready soon!

PS. I linked up to Sew Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations and Freshly Pieced.  Go see the lovely projects!