Sunday, January 31, 2010
Transformation!
3:01 PM | 
Posted by
Carmen
I did have a set of 4 of these t.v. trays...at one point in time...I believe I might have gotten them as a house warming present?!?!? Anyhoo...1 broke, how?!?! I can't remember...so there are 3 remaining, all of which are not in great shape as you can see from the specimen below...and for the most part, they live in the closet. So when I stumbled upon this tutorial over at Oh, Fransson! I was totally inspired...
BEFORE
AFTER
(Yes, I know there's a tree in my basement...and my pooch..."Mackie" supervised the activities!)
TA-DAH!! A new pressing board...
I used one layer of heat resistant batting and 3 layers of cotton batting...it'll be perfect to sit right beside me while sewing...especially for all those quilt blocks that have TONS of small pieces and require lots of pressing...therefore...more sewing and less 'up and down.' THANKS Oh, Fransson!
CHEERS!
Friday, January 29, 2010
My True Identity
As all of you know...I'm crazy about crafts! And I find great joy in doing all of them. I knit...I crochet...I quilt...I sew...I paint...I do just about any craft. So during a recent slow night shift, I pulled out my cross-stitch piece that I am working on (for a biscornu)...and was informed that I was an old lady stuck in a young woman's body!!! Apparently all the other crafts I do are acceptable for a woman of my age to be doing...however, CROSS-STITCH was pushing it!?!?!? Now, I'm not an expert in the area of the history of cross-stitch, but I do believe that I learned somewhere/@ sometime, it was something that was done by women/girls of all ages!!! Geesh...
Oh well, I think I look pretty damn good for an old lady...LOL
Does this ever happen to you???
CHEERS!
Oh well, I think I look pretty damn good for an old lady...LOL
Does this ever happen to you???
CHEERS!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Another pillow...the 2nd of many to come!
Here's my 2nd pillow!
Again, this one is a little roomy too...so I think the next one I do, I'll down size the cover by 1/4 on all sides...making it a total of 1/2 inch smaller...
A matching set...
Now...what's next???
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
A Pillow...the 1st of many?!?!?!
So I've had these fabrics for almost a year...with the intention of making pillows for my daughters' room...which is 'Key Lime' green...it's actually a very nice color...
This is what I came up with (with the help of a tutorial found here)! A lot easier than I imagined...and it didn't turn out too bad. The pillow form itself is a little smaller than the stated size (I think) so the case is a little 'roomy'...and I wanted it to be removable so it could be washed when the girls get it dirty (and I'm sure this will happen).
The back gapes open a little...and I'm pretty sure it has to do with the lesser quality of fabric...unfortunately, my stash lacks in good quality solids/blenders of bright colors...perhaps an excuse to go shopping...Hmmmmmm?!?!?!?
So...I have several other pillow forms...I'm talking like 5 or 6 more...in varying sizes...right up to 26" square...which I'm having a hard time deciding what to do as far as the front goes...I think I would like to quilt something??? These monsters will be floor pillows...2 for the girls...1 for the boys! If anyone has any ideas...please let me know...I'm open to all suggestions!
Cheers!
Monday, January 25, 2010
ANOTHER SWAP!!!
Well, I've joined another swap!!! Is there a support group for people like me??? LOL
Anyhoo, if you'd like to join, check out the post on Maranda Burke's blog, M&M Studios
Perhaps you'll be my partner?!?!?!
Anyhoo, if you'd like to join, check out the post on Maranda Burke's blog, M&M Studios
Perhaps you'll be my partner?!?!?!
Completed Potholders
So...during my sewing process of my potholders...I accidentally did this!!!!
THANK GOODNESS I had enough of the brown fabric to replace it...phew!
Here they are...all done. They didn't really turn out the way I hoped...but still look good I think!
I wish I had quilted the argyle one along the the white lines instead of stippling...
AND...I hate binding these little guys...to get loops just right with all the raw edges hidden!!! I think next time I will try either the loopless potholders or the bindingless (is that even a word...LOL). Despite all the obstacles (and the binding) I enjoyed trying something new, and I now know that I don't mind the tumbling block time consumption, and that matching up all those litte white lines is a pain in the rump!
CHEERS!!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Potholder Pass Potholders!
I joined another swap, the Potholder Pass
My partner doesn't have a blog or a flickr photostream, so I had to go on only her color selection.
She requested brown or white, with aqua green and aqua blue!
And this is what I came up with!
I've never done tumbling blocks before...and this was the perfect opportunity to tackle something that is time consuming. It was easier than I thought...but I dont' think I could make an entire quilt out of these...it requires some very precise piecing, so there was some seam ripping going on at times! I even mitered the corners of the borders...and that's a first too. It was also a lot easier than I thought. I followed the tutorial here.
This is my first attempt at Argyle...and I think, so far, it hasn't turned out too badly. Again...this requires some very precise seam allowances, and any stretch can cause some problems...it lined up almost perfectly...but I think once all the pieces are together, and I've cut the square, and imperfections will be less noticeable...I HOPE! And if not, it's a potholder, and, as in life, nothing/nobody is perfect. Cheers!
Monday, January 18, 2010
Monkey N Around Play Quilt
So I've had the beginnings of a play quilt started for a baby, with some of Erin Michaels Monkey Flannel...I had bought a couple of charm packs a while back, and had made the 'base'...BUT then I put it away and never got back to it!!!
Until a couple of days ago...and decided to finish it...
but before I added my borders...I added this guy!
And voila!
I think he turned out ADORABLE!!!
I haven't decided if I should put another monkey "peaking" over the edge on the upper left side??? Let me know what you think...Leave me a comment!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
MLB January Block #2
This is my improv block for quiltingbarbie.
My first ever improv...well not actually now that I think about it.
I did do one for Kat of the Live Piecefully Bee, way back when.
I love the liberated feeling I get when I can do what feels right!
I absolutely LOVE the fabrics! Especially the fishy one...all the fish have names!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Maple Leaf Bee ~ January
So I've joined a 3rd Virtual Quilting Bee, The Maple Leaf Bee.
All the members are Canadian!
January belongs to Quilting Barbie...and she sent an enormous array of fabrics in blue, aqua, and orange. And she requested that we make wonky/improv blocks for her quilt!
All the members are Canadian!
January belongs to Quilting Barbie...and she sent an enormous array of fabrics in blue, aqua, and orange. And she requested that we make wonky/improv blocks for her quilt!
This is my creation! I'm still getting used to the whole 'wonky' concept, but the more I do it, the more I like it...I still need to 'let go' a little, I think!
This is a close up of the fabric that I added...the orange pin-stripe, I also added some of the mottled blue...I LOVE all the fabric. I had to save some of her fabric for the improv block I'm doing next...which I've never done!! Wish me luck!
Time OFF!
So...after all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it's was right back to the grind for me. And I found myself feeling like I was suffocating! What I mean is that I spent the little bit of time before Christmas cleaning and getting ready for the "big night," and then had to actually work over the 25, 26, 27. I then spent the few days off before New Year's cleaning up the Christmas mess, in time for company who arrived on the 31st and departed on January 3rd. Now, I love having company, don't get me wrong, but it's still a lot of work. And then I was back to work on the 4th! So needless to say, I was feeling VERY overworked, and needed a break. So I was able to find myself replacements for 2 day shifts this week, so I could spent some time at home with the kids, and to CREATE!
I'm a part of 3 bees...so I had plenty to do...
First...I made these 4 blocks for FreckledBeauties of the Live Piecefully Quilting Bee
She sent out all these strips in various widths, and ask that we make strippy blocks. This is very liberating...I just grabbed a strip and added it, and another strip and added it, and so on. I did have to add a couple of strips of my own stash (the wavey pink and yellow, and the grey and yellow flower) to finish the one block. This quilt is going to look FAB when it's all together!
I also made these blocks for craftywaffles of the MishMash StashBash Quilting Bee
She sent out strips of white, and we (the members) were asked to create a wonky word that had something to do with going on a picnic, and 2 double hourglass blocks using summery fabrics! And "Voila!" I really enjoyed the letters, a lot easier than I first anticipated...and I got gutsy and chose a long word! I'm very interested to see how this quilt comes together. I think it's going to be great and very original!
I'm still waiting on my fabric for The Maple Leaf Bee and I'm looking forward to creating with it!
So that's it for now...I have lots of projects on the go and lots of things that I want to create! I just need TIME!! LOL...and with a full-time job and 4 kids...there isn't a whole lot left over for me...oh well...one day!
"Fiona's Apple Tree"
Here's my creation for the Fall Inspired Mini-Quilt Swap
I've named it "Fiona's Apple Tree" after my youngest daughter (3 1/2), as she thinks it looks like one!
We had to use fall colours, and let our imaginations run wild! You can see the other quilts created here. It's a very talented group of ladies. The workmanship is incredible!
The background fabric looks like a fall/winter forest, with bare trees and evergreens! I thought it was perfect for this quilt! The 'leaves' and trunk are all machine appliqued, with some machine embroidery on the one 'leaf.' The only this I wish I had done was stuff the trunk a little..up to the leaves at least...because of the thickness of the leaves, and then the quilting, the trunk sort of creases where they meet. Oh well, I still like it!
This was also my first attempt at free motion quilting on an actual quilt.
I think it turned out pretty good. And I LOVE my Janome!
AND my first ever quilt label! Can you believe I've never labelled my quilts?!?!? Not that there's many...but the few I have made are lacking one...BOO! This is made with cotton and a permanent, fine-tipped, fabric marker. The fabric is actually tone on tone cream...it has leaves that the camera isn't picking up! This was definitely a project of FIRSTS!
This quilt is heading to Washington to my secret swap partner. I hope she likes it!
I'm totally ADDICTED to swaps and bees now, and I'm thinking of signing up for the winter swap?!?! I just love the creative freedom, and the gratification of a finished project!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About Me
- Carmen
- I am young mother of 4 darling children. I'm also a full-time Labor & Delivery RN. I love to quilt, sew, knit, crochet, do just about anything crafty, in my spare time.
