Hurray!

This is how my machine has been sitting or the past few weeks: ready, but not doing anything.  The last time I used it I put on my darning foot so it would be ready to go.  I figured this would keep me for working on anything else until I worked on Katie's Quilt and it worked.

With my nieces arriving this weekend for a two week visit I knew I needed to get my butt in gear and get this quilt done.  So two nights ago I sat down at my machine with the quilt and vowed not to move from my seat until the quilting was finished.  Well, when you have a three year old that is pretty impossible, BUT I did finish the quilting before I went to bed!  It felt awesome!  Now I just need to make and attach the binding and finish clipping the seams so it would fray nicely in the wash (which felt never ending).

First thing yesterday morning I got started on the binding, finished that up and attached it to the quilt.  I had to take a break to watch my three month old nephew for a bit, but then back to work.  I hadn't decided if I was going to finish the binding by hand or machine, but I decided to do it by machine and I am quite happy with how it turned out!  It was awesome to see a finished quilt coming out the back of the machine!  I still had to finish clipping the seams, but I couldn't wait to get it in the wash!

Once I had it in the wash I could hardly contain my excitement!  It was done and I couldn't wait to see the results of my very first FINISHED quilt!

So with out further ado...

I LOVE the texture that was created on the back!

Over all I am happy with how this quilt turned out.  I would prefer it without the fraying, but that is what she wanted.  I'm just thrilled that it is done and I can move on.  I have felt so guilty working on anything else while this quilt was waiting to be finished!  So now I am free to work on new projects...like my Rainbow Charm Swap Quilt!

I decided on pinwheels.  I'm pretty excited about this quilt, but I must say it's a bit disappointing that two 5" squares cut up and sewn back together only come out 5.75"!  I'll get over it...

There are a few more photos of Katie's Quilt over on my Flickr if you are interested.

New and Old...

Why is it so impossible to not start a new project?!  I just can't resist.

These are the fabrics from the first quilt I started for my niece. They're already cut into triangles and they aren't cut incredibly accurate so it's a bit difficult to get things to line up, but I'm not terribly worried about it.  I'm just glad to find a way to use up all this fabric I've had packed away.  This is the tutorial I used for this block.

I also thought I would share attempt #2 of my niece's quilt.  Keep in mind that she is 16 years old, LOVES bright colors (her favorite being orange) and she almost equally loves zebra print.  So be warned, it's a bit bright and wild!

So without further ado...

The back is solid orange with the exception of the strip of zebra print and I am thinking I am going to bind it in the same print.  I really like the contrast between the bright colors and the black and white.

She loved the look of a rag quilt, but I didn't want to do a true rag quilt so I put my own twist on it.  The further I get into it the clearer it became that I was doing things backwards.  I pieced each block wrong sides together and attached the blocks right sides together, which was my intention.  The entire time I was trying to figure out how I would quilt it.  I now realise that it would have been much easier to piece the blocks right sides together and then attach the blocks blocks rag style.  Live and learn right?  Regardless, I think it is turning out just fine. 

I think the quilting works and I like the look of it.  I decided to do circles to compliment all of the dots and circles in he fabrics.

Another sign I might be crazy...deciding to free motion quilt my very first quilt, which measures 54 x 72!  I had originally planned on making it twin size!  Talk about diving in head first.

Oh well...  It's been worth it.  I've learned so much since starting this whole process and my sewing skills have improved immensely!  I have about three rows left to quilt...and I keep putting it off.  It's a pain in the butt and takes forever.  Not to mention since I nicked my strike plate the thread has broke a few times.  That alone makes me want to pull my hair out!  I just need to suck it up and finish...

Christine

P.S.  I found it amusing that as soon as I threw this quilt up on my cutting table in front of our giant living room window a humming bird was right there and hovered for a few seconds before flying away.  It sure got it's attention!

Stash and Plans

These beautiful stacks of fabric are some of my recent purchases!  Hi, my name's Christine and I'm a fabricaholic!  I have only recently slipped into this addiction so I don't have a large stash, but it growing quite steadily.

I have no plans for these wonderful Metro Living fat quarters.  I just really love the colors and print and wanted to show them off!

Some more Metro Living and some Kona Cotton.  I didn't have any concrete plans when I picked this out.  I've been wanting to do a black and white quilt for a while now, but I've been falling for grey lately and after browsing through the Metro Living Collection, decided that black, white and grey would be awesome.  So I picked up this lovely stack and after a bit of pondering I think I might do hexagons.  (I might be crazy for planning on doing another hand pieced quilt when I have barley just started my first one!)  We'll see...

I LOVE this stack and it is my first entire collection purchase.  It's Sugar and Spice from The Quilted Fish/Riley Blake Designs in two color ways: aqua and red.  I just love it!  My current plan for it is a pickle dish or double wedding ring quilt.

These are some solids I picked up from Joanne's and some Kona Cotton in Ash.  Originally I picked these up for a double hour glass quilt.

But after deciding to try my hand at English Paper Piecing I cut into it for my diamonds.  However, I think there will be enough to complete both projects...hopefully!

I also have a large stack of fat quarters in every color of the rainbow just waiting for me to start slicing them into strips for a string quilt!  

What's holding me up you ask...Well, the thing that got me into quilting was my niece wanting a quilt and I told her I would try to make her one.  If I only knew what I was getting myself into...  I had always wanted to make a quilt, I just had never done it and now I had a reason. 

My first attempt was pretty pathetic!  I didn't know anything about quilting, didn't know about this wonderful community and it didn't even cross my mind to do any research...I just jumped in.  It was a mess, nothing lined up, no consistent seam allowance...a total mess.  

So I decided to give it another try and just start over.  This time I started searching the internet for every ounce of information I could get and I found Crazy Mom Quilts!  Wow!  The doors opened up to this wonderful world of inspiration and knowledge!  I feel like I have read hundreds of quiting books with all of the information I have gotten from reading all of these blogs and tutorials.  It's just amazing. 

Anyway, the quilt still has a ton of flaws and I would do it completely different if I were to do it again (I will never!), but it is worlds better than the first attempt.  My point to this whole rambling story:  It isn't finished yet and until it is I wont let myself start a new quilt.  I've cheated a bit, but nothing too major (well, except for my EPP star quilt.) 

So that is why all of this beautiful fabric is just sitting and waiting...

Do you buy fabric with or without a plan?