and we're off!

but not quite running full steam with Angela's quilt.  Now that I have fully decided what pattern to work with, and actually have all the fabric...

I did get some cutting done yesterday!  See...proof...scrap pile is starting to develop!

Won't say what the quilt will look like, or include the link to the pattern just yet, my sister did say she wanted to be surprised!  Anywho...fighting a bit of a head cold today (and Girl just told me...oh...I forgot...I have a concert today for choir) and we'll be out running around...not my favorite to do when I'm sick...but hey...that's what Mom's do!

good intentions...

So...the end tales of the road to mom's quilt (each quilt I have made is essentially referred to using the name of the person for whom it was made...i.e. Girl's quilt, Guy's quilt, and now Mom's quilt)...I had TRULY good intentions once I got all of the strip sets sewn together...got everything cut (which went very quickly!) and sorted like this:

well then after reading the next step in the PS I Quilt Postage Stamp Quilt Tutorial, I started gathering my sets for each block...and had it all laid out...

and got to sewing!  and then i realized...I was off somewhere in my layout of sets...everything was going to be off!  So then I picked through the yummy sets and well...it started to look way less organized:

eventually I had to just condense it all back down to the original stacks and keep going from there. as I got the blocks done and then the rows completed, I was really falling in love with how the color story played out:

it was yummy looking (to me at least!)...and then came time to assemble to full quilt top...and I had all of this to put together...and panic set in!  This quilt was going to be much larger than I had realized...and I figured there was NO WAY I was going to get it done!  (I am really not ready to quilt something that large...I haven't even put together a HST yet!!!).

So...it was decision time...and I decided to go with a lap size quilt (which will actually become two lap size quilts when I get around to finishing the other one, the quilt top is just about done for it already...)  And since I was going with the lap size...I added a border to increase the overall size just a bit...got it basted, quilted, and bound...and here it is (modeled by Mom!):

and the back:

I LOVE this quilt!  I think it's my most favorite yet!  and now...time to change my fabric on deck stats on the side and move Patisserie (by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda) (red fabric for binding and strip in backing is from Martinique by 3 Sisters for Moda, the white solid is a muslin I picked up from my local store, no idea manufacturer) to the finished column!

best laid plans...

I want to start by saying that I did indeed finish the quilt for my Mom in time to deliver to her for Easter...however all did not go as planned.  Lots of pics about the journey to completion...some funny (well at least in hindsight) stories about how planning is sometimes the dumbest thing to do...and the pics of the completed quilt...all to come later!  After spending the weekend out of town...lots to catch up on before I can get to the fun bloggy stuff!! 

success!

AHA!    those mocking fabric strips met their match!  finally got all 16 sets done!  and then I dove straight into cutting!  I laid out the sets in an easy to reach spot (well...the ironing board has to have some purpose...right?)

checked the instructions at PS I Quilt (who's Postage Stamp Tutorial I am using for this quilt)...again...so happy to have my iPad...and got to cutting! (and cutting...and cutting some more)

Before too long I ended up with this:

which meant success with this:

WOOOHOOO!  Now...off to start piecing the strips into blocks!

ever get the feeling you are being mocked?

Still working on getting my strip sets completed...the past two days have been crazy!  I'd get to work in the morning and once there was a lull...this was all that popped into my head:

it's like they were mocking me!  ha ha ...you'll never get us done...that's what I was hearing in my head!  I can say that the stack has been shrunk in half...only three more sets to get done, and then it's time to get cutting!  we are looking at a nasty weather day...so hopefully all we really end up with is some rain...and I can sit and sew and cut all day!  oh wait...now hearing thunder...maybe the mocking will continue....

a work in progress...

I've been slowly, but surely, working my way through the PS I Quilt Postage Stamp Tutorial.  This quilt is for my Mom...so I've been taking my time, trying not to rush myself...however, I intended it to originally be a gift for her for Easter...so I'm working on 1 week left to get it done...so it may end up a Mom's Day present!  LOL!

I started out separating my Fig Tree Patisserie (from Moda fabrics) Jelly Roll into color groups and trying to find a nice "flow" between the colors...here is what I ended up with:

Working on this particular project, I am very thankful to have my iPad!  It's fantastic to have the directions right in front of me without fiddling with a stack of paper! (and the iPad is getting use as something other than a place to play games or hit twitter with)

No idea how the colors will really work when the piecing is complete...but I'm excited to see!  I've been working my way through the 16 strip sets:

I absolutely love these fabrics!  I'm using a plain muslin I picked up at the fabric store as my solid pieces and I think it's working out pretty well.  Again...I'm excited to see how it all turns out...just gotta get through the legwork!  I have these sets left to put together

and then it's cutting time!  Hope to have the final 6 sets done by tomorrow, so I can get to cutting the pieces.  Off to stitch!

oh how wrong I was...

and so glad of it!  Guy's quilt...definitely NOT simple...definitely NOT too easy...but it is done...and I LOVE it!  wasn't sure for a little bit...but the finished product, IMHO, is FABULOUS!  Here is the front:

and now...the piece that kept me up late at night...and had me up early in the morning to get it done...only to find I was much shorter on fabric than my original estimate was...so there was some extra piecing done...and let me tell you...LOVE LOVE LOVE how this quilt back came out!  Take a look:

and because I rarely post pics of myself...here is a little proof that it was actually me doing the work (Thank you to my photographer Girl):

I straight line quilted this one slightly differently than the previous two...I didn't cover the whole quilt...did it on either side of the horizontal seams...you can see how it came out looking at the pic of the back...well...if you squint and tilt your head you can....

last but not least...who can pass up the opportunity for a pic like this:

She really was just chilling out laid out on the quilt top while I was working on the backing yesterday morning...

and now...off to get started on the next quilt!

a tad bit frustrated...but in a good way?

so...a funny thing happened on the way to a finished quilt...ran into yet ANOTHER problem with the backing...urgh...here are some pics to help tell the story (this is a slightly lengthy post...but hang in there!)...

so got the borders added to Guy's quilt today...went with a double border because Guy is much taller than I...so the previous two quilts I have made...while great...weren't quite "big enough" for him.  So once I got the "body" of the quilt all together...had to get creative with some borders to make the quilt top a smidge larger...and here is what I ended up with:

personally I love it...and Guy says it's great...so all is good...right?  WRONG!!  See...I got a little anxious cutting into the yardage (Bella Solid Black) I had purchased for the backing...I had purchased a little more than I thought I would need (intending to use a small amount for strips in the quilt top body...well I cut too many...so when I went to lay out the top and backing today...I was a bit short...like quite a bit short.  I had planned on piecing one extra section to the backing...had some fabulous fabric that was perfect...and it still is...but it wasn't enough...so I have spent a good chunk of today trying to figure out how to fix this little problem without going back to the store (more on the store in a bit)...so here is where we are at with the backing:

I think it's going to be great...but I'm tired and needed to walk away from it for the night...so tomorrow I'll finish up the backing...and pray that it's large enough!

At some point in time I'll understand the sizing needs for fabric for different quilts...until then...pretty sure I may have to fight the same fight with each quilt back.  Anywho...got to do a little local fabric shopping today...I purchased (well..Guy purchased) my Goldie (Baby Lock Quest Plus) from Creative Sewing Machine Center here in Columbia, SC.  And they have the most fabulous collection of fabrics...so my plan all week was to head in and pick up some goodies!  I had previously purchased the Patisserie Jelly Roll from there, and wanted some extra yardage in the same prints to get a quilt knocked out for my Mom.  I was staring at fabric for at least an hour...it was LOVELY!  and now we hit the truly frustrating part of my day...

I want to play with this:

and this:

So I want Guy's quilt done NOW!  However I'm tired, and I know that sewing while sleepy leads to really crooked and no where close to 1/4 inch seams!  (and believe me...I've learned how important that whole seam thing is!).  

In my mind, I have the next quilt pattern already picked out and am doing a tad bit of prep so that I can get started on it as soon as Guy's blankie is done.  I'm going to be following the Postage Stamp "tutorial"/quilt along that Rachel Griffith of PS I Quilt ran earlier this year...I'm very excited to be trying something a little different, and the quilt is for my Mom...for Easter...so I REALLY need to get cracking on it!

And I sort of kind of have the ideas in my head for the next two quilts after that one...just gotta figure out of the two people...who would prefer which style??

anyways..enough for tonight...hopefully will be back tomorrow to show of the FINISHED quilt for Guy!  And to show you some progress in Mom's quilt!

love it...but...

I almost feel I'm taking the "easy" way out with this quilt...I personally LOVE it!  (as does Guy, or so he says, whose quilt this is BTW)...but it almost seems to be going together too easily...it's like I'm waiting for the evil shoe to drop!  Anywho...to catch you up from the last post...using this tutorial from the blog Film in the Fridge, as the base of the quilt...I got the different sections sewn together (well, in chunks):

thankfully I had actually printed out a pic from the original photo layouts of the quilt (while in raw strip/cut form) to keep me straight as I pieced the sections together...

and TAHDAH!  here is how it's looking right now:

(isn't Girl on a Chair just plain ADORABLE!)...I greatly appreciate her response to my..."get on the chair and hold this" demands...anyways...

I plan on adding two borders, one of the black and white, one in orange (to give the quilt some added length and width for Guy who needs no chair)...so...I'm happy with it...but still torn...have I gone easy...is this a quilt...did I give it my all...it came together so fast...am I still trying enough????

oh well...enough deep thought for tonight...I think the quilt top looks fabulous so far, and Guy likes it...and it has polka dots...so...maybe it's just ALL GOOD!  WOOOHOOO!

the story...and the beginning of the next

ok...so I finished up the quilt for Girl on a Chair...and awhile ago I promised the story on the pieced backing from the last quilt...hence the title of this blog post...so let me show you Girl's quilt...then on with the story!  Here is the Daisy Chain quilt (again from Jelly Roll Quilts by Pam and Nicky Lintott) using Top Drawer fabrics and some Wendover Cotton in Cocoa:

(displayed by Guy without a Chair)

and the back:

And now...THE STORY...

So as I was putting together my quilt sandwich (first quilt) and trying to figure out the whole backing thing...all I kept saying to myself is next time...you will do a pieced backing (I had seen this quilt and was DROOLING!).  I was sure it was so difficult I would never figure it out...and then BAM...necessity arrived...I didn't have the right size piece for the backing of the quilt...I needed a few more inches...so I figured...no problem...I'll add a section of a different fabric...and voila!  Pieced backing (very very simple one, I will not claim that all pieced backings are simple).  So I thought I had it all figured out...until...Girl's quilt.  WOW!  I cut the backing all kinds of wrong (the Cocoa part)...and was sure there was no way I was going to get the backing right...thankfully with some creative cutting (and MANY curse words and evil glares...and hubby snickering)...and JUST enough fabric...I was able to piece the back!  Anywho...just goes to show...something that may seem difficult...may be easier than you think...and way more complicated than your ego can manage!

and now...on to the next quilt...Guy has been sniffling and snuffling about wanting his OWN quilt (his size)...so last week I had him pick out some fabrics from Fat Quarter Shop (SUPER fast shipping and amazing customer service BTW!)  I knew exactly the style of quilt I wanted to make for him (had to be "manly") because I had seen many fab strip quilts at Film in the Fridge (and thankfully she posted an OH so fab tutorial)...and well...here it is so far:

I started with these fabrics:

and just got to cutting and laying it out!  Thankfully Girl was here with me and helped me decide the best looking order of the strips...shouldn't take too long to get this one done!

a love/hate relationship

Ok...love quilting...really enjoy the whole process...however, there are certain aspects of quilting that I have a serious love/hate relationship with...

First...the iron...I am NOT a fan of ironing...I LOVE how a freshly ironed piece of clothing (or quilt square) looks...but HATE the iron...I think the iron is evil...I can't begin to tell you how many times I have burned myself with the iron (going back to Navy Boot Camp many years ago)...but it is a necessity...takes this pile:

and makes it all smooth and pretty into this:

in quilting ironing is MUST...so maybe I will eventually learn to love the whole ironing thing...even though I seriously doubt it!  I try to make the whole ironing process a little more fun...watching some Les Miserables (LOVE) while ironing definitely makes the work more enjoyable!

Second...the seam ripper...

the first day I sat down to work on a quilt (just over a month ago now...) first thing hubby really said was "here is the seam ripper...it is your FRIEND."  I'm glad I have one...glad it works well....HATE having to use it!  Not that my seams will ever be perfect...or that I won't ever sew the wrong pieces together (or going in the wrong direction...or upside down...or twist up the back of a quilt and stitch it all together, like I did last weekend)...just wish I didn't have to!

Last...well...no hate in this relationship...meet Goldie:

I LOVE her!  She's just perfect!

Now off to put the borders on this quilt top (now displayed by Guy who needs no chair):

and get it all layered, basted, quilted and bound for Girl on the Chair!