Blogger's Quilt Festival

This summer I have been dabbling at a kitchen fresher-upper.  Well, I have finally gotten around to finishing up my quilted wall hanging.  Life has just been...busy.  Anyhow, I am loving the sunny yellow that I painted the walls.  However, one big blank yellow wall was almost too bright!  The quilt filled the gap, and softened the room perfectly.

I designed this quilt using a Strawberry Fields Jelly Roll to make old fashioned shoo-fly blocks.  I am loving the softness of it all!

Shoo-flies in the kitchen, subtle, quilt-y humor.  I used my decorative stitches, and soft pink contrasting thread for the quilting.

When it came time for the border, I was in a quandary.  The Strawberry Field yardage that I had purchased for the border just didn't look in real life the way I had pictured it in my head.  If stash diving were and Olympic sport, I just won gold.  I found this yardage squirreled away.  It is Simplicity by 3 Sisters for Moda.    I love having these words before me in the busiest area of my home.

Originally I had saved some of the more red jelly roll strips for the binding.  Instead I ended up buying a little more of the aqua with strawberries to make the binding.  The red against the yellow wall was a little too.....Ronald McDonald!  Not at all the calm, peaceful look I wanted!  I love the creative process and its journey!

Quilt Stats:

Measures: 29 1/2" x 29 1/2"

Fabrics:  Strawberry Fields and Simplicity from Moda

Quilted:  by KT (me) using decorative stitches on my home machine

Best Categories:

Favorite Home Machine Quilted

Favorite Wall Hanging

Be sure to use the button  to visit all the wonderful entries!

Blessings,

KT

Frazzled Friday

Finished this useful quilt yesterday. After recently painting my kitchen a cheerful yellow, I wanted new dish quilts. The old purple ones were just not working for me any longer. They no longer matched, were too small, and the binding was beginning to fray. Since I have killed two dishwashers in six years, I decided to try life without one. Now that I do more dishes, a bigger mat was in order.

I used a Moda Strawberry Fields jelly roll. Love it!

This quilted up quickly with a feather stitch on my machine.

I bought a new bath towel to use for the back-and batting. Before I used one that was too thick, and it never really dried out between uses. Hopefully I have remedied that with a lighter weight towel.

I did away with binding altogether, and just used my serving stitch for "binding".

My machine has this great stitch that I call the triple stitch. Each stitch is really three in one. Used it to reinforce the edge.

Before I had three, but two were always in use since they were too small. I figured two was enough if they were a bit bigger. Hope I am right!

Oh, and there is the basket liner I made earlier to match.

Here is a dose of reality. Yup, that is real life here. Well, at least dinner is ready!

Linking up at Sew & Tell. It has been way too long since I played along! Hope you will used the cute button to jet over to enjoy all the other finishes.

Blessings,

KT

Singer Love: Entry #3

When I saw this pattern on Flickr, I couldn't favorite it fast enough.  Then when I found the perfect fabric at an LQS, and Amy announced her Texting While Sewing contest.  Well, that just couldn't all be coincidence.  

Did it matter that I am not a paper-piecer I just play one on TV, no.  Why?  Because it is Love!!  I have a Singer 201 (Violet), and a Singer Featherweight (Pearl).  I just can't say enough about my lovely ladies.  Don't let their feminine appeal fool you.  They are built for work.

Silver bead for the needle!  The girly black and white sealed the deal for me to attempt this block.  Very fitting for my girls!

Oh, and I couldn't forget the tension knob.  We all know how important proper tension is!  I was very pleased to find three buttons in my stash that went perfectly to form the knob.

The text fabric is the background, but alas, there was no selvage on it, so I don't know what it is.

Used the eye portion of a hook and eye to be the thread guide.

A bit of Jennifer Paganelli fabric, I love her fabrics, and think she would heartily approve of my vintage-modern mess.

The block is a 12" block, but I put a border on it as it seemed to be getting a bit wavy around the edge.  Moda's Hometown by Sweetwater is the perfect border because it reminds me of all the places I would like to take my Featherweight to sew.  There are just so many of you I would like to meet!

Well, that is it, breakfast break is over.  On to the work of the day!

Blessings,

KT

Heavenly Sunlight: Entry #2

This block is also from Eleanor Burns' Egg Money Quilts, but it is named Turkey Tracks.  Somehow, that name just didn't fit with what was going on in my head.  I couldn't fit "sunshine" into my Garden Walk block. The word was just too big, what a shame...but then inspiration hit.  

Wouldn't you know another of my favorite hymns popped into my head.  "Heavenly Sunlight", another one of my favorites!

Of course, Sunshine fit perfectly!

Again, this is a 12" block that uses text fabric.  I am linking up, then heading to bed.  Hopefully there will be some Heavenly Sunlight tomorrow, because I need to get some pics of my third and final entry.

(No more old hymns, promise!)

Blessings,

KT

Garden Walk: Entry #1

This block is "Garden Walk" from Eleanor Burns' book Egg Money Quilts.  Several years ago, I took a quilting class on this book.  Even then, this was my favorite block from the book.  I did make some changes, as the original pattern called for two colors, and one background.  My garden always has more color than that!  It makes me think of the hymn "In the Garden".

The text fabric is Moda Sunkissed, by Sweetwater.  The blue fabric is Full Moon Forrest, by Tula Pink.  

Believe it or not, the background is this great gray from Connecting Threads.   No matter what I tried, the grey looks very blue in the pictures...photography is not my strong suit!

The yellow floral is from Lucien, Flower Sugar.

The text was just perfect for this block, and pretty fitting for the song too!

I just love the words.

 Okay, I know...overload.

Well, the requirement for the contest was a 12" block using text fabric.  I think this about covers it!  I am linking up with the Texting While Sewing Contest.  There are some other fabulous blocks at Amy's place to check out.

Blessings,

KT

Practical Sewing

I haven't been blogging much. I have been sewing instead! Actually, I am awaiting a battery for my camera. (That explains the iPad pictures.)

Anyhow, my sewing space was once our tiny dining room. Hence the decor. Soon however, we will be installing new flooring and I will try to ditch the wall paper.

It is starting to really get to me how cluttered it is becoming. While I work on a project, the fabric on the shelf calls to me to play with it instead. Though I enjoy seeing all the pretties, they are wrecking my focus. So, here is my solution.

I made a pretty yellow curtain with a calico print I bought over ten years ago. Stash busted. Anyhow, this room is going to go in a different direction. Just don't expect it to happen fast, nothing here ever does!

On another practical note, we are running low on cloth napkins. Some have become mildewed when wet washcloths were thrown in the laundry. (Not Me from Family Circus lives in my house!). Really, they had lived a long life, and I can't complain.  So I dove into stash and found some fabric that I love, but it was languishing with no future purpose. Last night I put it out of its misery.

;0)

The old stitch and flip with some decorative stitching, and I have four more napkins to add to the basket.

Love the mismatched reverse side. I really don't put out matching napkins anyway. They all just go into the napkin basket for a life of utility. It is fun though, because some of us have our favorites.

I have my Mondo Bag finished, and couldn't wait to use it, so I have been hauling it everywhere! Really hoping that my camera battery comes soon!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday, so you can use the button on the side bar to see some more lovelies.

Blessings,

KT

Flipping for a New Bag

Hurried to take these pictures before the battery in the camera died.  The charging cord has sprouted wings, so it might be awhile before I can take some decent pictures.  Not that my photography skills are that great anyway. 

Anyhow, I finally finished my Amy Butler Field Bag.  Looked back, and I got it finished before its year anniversary as a WIP.  Good thing I still love the fabrics!  Erin McMorris' Summersault is so cheerful.  Perfect for a travel set and purse.  I have some small scraps left, and a wallet pattern, but I am feeling the itch to move on.

I used some very bright fabrics from my stash to finish off the inside.  It has some great pockets!  I still have some hand sewing to do to tack down the lining to the outer layers, just couldn't wait to share.

On a pattern note.  I will have to wait until this bag falls apart at the seams to ever make another one.  While I love the bag, it took as much time as a quilt.  This is not a quick fix, but it will be super useful for short overnight trips.  It is much cuter than luggage!

I am wanting a new beach bag.  My book always gets damp in the family beach bag when wet towels get thrown in on top.  (To make it worse, it is usually my beach towel that someone else filched used.)  Anyhow, I am hoping a bag that is mine alone HANDS OFF! will solve this little inconvenience.  A girl can dream can't she?

EDIT-- I have finished my beach bag, but haven't gotten any pictures(love the Mondo Bag by the way!). Linking up to Sew and Tell. Be sure to use the cute button on my side bar to see all the great stuff that is finished! Blessings, KT

Quilting for Violet

Finally I have gotten in a little sewing this summer!  I have been assisting and guiding a Lovely Little on her project for 4-H.  Since I was hanging out in the sewing room, I managed to whip this sewing machine dust cover up.  Randi has a great tutorial this month for her sew-a-long.  This went together easily.

I used most of the fabric left from Joy's cover for the inside lining.

Here is Joy in her quilt.

Violet in her quilt.
I have to say that I originally thought that Violet wouldn't need a dust cover.  She would just hide away in her cabinet while not sewing.  Well, I guess I am either too lazy, or this Singer 201 is just too useful.  She is always out and I am enjoying having two machines ready at a moments notice!  (Now if I could just figure out how to use them both at the same time.)

On another note, please notice the shiny, new button at the top of my blog.  Over the couple of years that I have been blogging, I have gotten acquainted with some great people.  One such person is Amy over at During Quiet Time.  She is having this great contest, with fabulous prizes.  Come join the fun, but don't you dare beat me!  ;0)

Okay, so I will totally forgive you if you do!

Blessings,

KT

Indecisiveness...well,maybe...maybe not!

I have had this fabric laying around for over a year now thinking that I would make cushion covers for this rocker. Now I am considering chucking it in favor of quilty coverings. I didn't pay much for this fabric, clearance at Joanne's. I could find it a good home.

Then again, the colors are beautiful. Goodness me, I can't decide. Any thoughts?

Blessings,

KT

Finally a Friday Finish...

 with time to blog about it!  I actually finished this over Memorial Day Weekend.  Perfect time to finish a picnic quilt.  I drug it everywhere we went, clipping seams as I was driven to fun events by Treasure.

Finally, Monday evening I ended up out on the trampoline finishing it up.  Why the trampoline?  Well, after weeks of denim lint cleanup, I am sick of denim lint.  I am sure if I sneeze too hard, it will be blue.  (Let's not talk about all of it still in the van.)  Each square was 5" x 5" cut, then sewn with a 1/2" seam allowance, making this one massive quilt.  I have not yet been brave enough to actually measure it, but I will say my elbow is finally recovered from rotary cutting and clipping all the denim that makes up this quilt.

Me, nearly passed out from the relief of having the clipping done!

All that denim is on the back.  This, hopefully, is one heavy duty quilt.  I hurried to finish it for a picnic that was today...that I am not at.  Sickness has invaded the camp.  Oh well, it is rainy and chilly anyhow.

Treasure took me out on a date to the laundromat to wash this up in a big washer.  I had heard horror stories about repair bills and clogged pipes from denim rag quilts.  We went to Pizza King for a Royal Feast first, so it really was a date!  This picture shows how well it fluffed up after washing.

I am linking up with Sew & Tell, so have fun using that cute little button on my side bar.  There are some great projects to peek at!

Blessings,

KT

Quilting Conservation

Yesterday I stopped at an LQS to pick up some white on white fabrics, not because they were having an Easter Egg Hunt.  One of my favorites was working, and I asked her what was new that I had to have.  Boy did her face light up!  She asked me if I chain pieced.  Hello!  I have to conserve time!  She said I had to have this Cutting Gizmo.  And it was purple...BONUS!

This is the closest thing to an in action shot I could get, having only two hands and all.

I have been doing a little scrap management, trying to conserve space and resources.  Love these double hour glass blocks.  I have to buy the white though.  Been using all kinds of different white on white.  Remember, that is what I went to the LQS for.  It had nothing to do with the Easter Egg Hunt.

Finished fourteen today.  (There are two of some prints, lest you think I can't count.)  Yup, I like to chain piece.  See all that apparent clutter in the background?  It is actually pretty tidy, just cramped.  Guess that is all perspective though.  My family would probably tell you my sewing area takes up a lot of room.

Current count:  53.

The Cutting Gizmo has earned its place.  Have I mentioned its purple?

Oh, and here are the white on whites that I bought yesterday.  Because that's what I went for, it had nothing to do with the Easter Egg Hunt.  Oh, I got two free fat quarters in my egg.  They are the two on the right.

;0)

Linking up with Sew and Tell, and Finish it Friday.  Have fun checking out all the great finishes!

Blessings,

KT