A not-quite-successful challenge...

It is true. I did not manage to finish a single one of my three challenge projects. Heck, I didn't even manage to do any blogging! But you know what? I'm still feeling like a winner, because I made progress on each of the three projects I chose.

1. Fall Mystery Quilt:

It is now quilted (with some feathers, even!), I'm about 2/3 through the binding, and the label is made. Not done, but very close!

2. Bot Camp Disappearing 9-Patch:

All quilted up and ready for binding (I'm going to use that happy Kona Peacock pictured above). I've also designed the label, but am waiting for our friend's baby to be born so I can personalize it (he's due this week!).

3. Mod Mosaic Quilt:

Once I get the binding on the baby quilt, this one is next in the queue for quilting. But I consider this definite progress. Basting is half the battle, right?

Nothing finished, but a good amount of progress. And if it weren't for the challenge, there is no way I would have gotten this much accomplished. As far as I'm concerned, this challenge has definitely been a success. Thanks, Carrie P.!

Here's hopin' I have some finished quilts to share soon!

Setting goals: July

Back in January, the fabulous Carrie P. of A Passion for Applique issued a challenge: Nothing But UFOs in 2013! Now I'm definitely not that hard core, but I have been spending time this year working on my UFO situation some. So this month, I'm taking the big step and am actually participating in the challenge. Woo!

The idea is to pick three UFOs and show and tell what you need to do to get them finished (quilted, bound and done). At the end of the month, we all share our successes and if you finish at least one of your chosen UFOs, then you are entered into a drawing for fun prizes.

Here are my focus UFOs for the month:

1. Fall Mystery Quilt:
   
   
   
   
   This one has been basted and ready for quilting since April. It is time to get it done!
2. Bot Camp Disappearing 9-Patch:
   
   
   
   
   The top and back are ready and the next step is basting. This is a smaller quilt, so hopefully it will quilt up pretty quickly.
3. Mod Mosaic Quilt:
   
   
   
   
   Again, I have the top and back all set, so the next step is basting. This is a bigger one, but I have a plan in mind for quilting, so I'm hopeful I can get something accomplished with this one as well.

Here's hoping that setting the goals will get me on the path to some finishes!

Continuing with UFOs...

Ack! Poor, neglected blog. I just haven't been in a writing mood lately. The moments I have when I could sit down and blog have been leaning toward actually making stuff instead. So I guess I don't feel too guilty. And I have been dipping my toes into the world of microblogging via Instagram and Twitter-- which is actually a lot of fun! If you want to check it out:

My Twitter: https://twitter.com/CraftyMusings

My Instagram: http://instagram.com/furicious

So-- last time I posted, I was musing on the question of whether to start something new or work on another UFO. I decided to dig out a UFO:

The blocks are from "Grandma's Country Album II" by Robert Callaham. I started this one in 1999(!!!) when the series pattern began appearing in McCall's Quilting. I think I made the first block (the center tree) in April that year (it includes my first-ever attempts at machine applique!). The most recent block was completed in March 2009 (the heart). Looking at these blocks recently, I finally decided I am done. I'm not really feeling the project anymore, so I don't foresee myself making any more of the blocks. So I stuck them up on the wall and worked out a layout that I thought would work for the blocks that were completed, and then I started putting them together.

Not all of the seams are sewn yet, but you get the idea. I'm liking how it is coming together!

Meanwhile, a friend of ours just turned 3. I decided she needed a special pillow. Again, I used the Kimberbell Kids "Personalized Name Pillow" pattern.

Can you guess her favorite color?

Here you can get a peek of the back-- a super soft minkee with circles and dots that was perfect for this project.

She loved it!

And now I am heading back into the UFO mines...

Attacking UFOs!

Consumed by UFO guilt, I have spent the last week focusing on those unfinished projects. And I've been productive!

I got the borders on my Spring Mystery Quilt:

The backing has also been made and now it is ready for basting.

Still in the UFO spirit, I pulled out my guild block exchange from 2011. For that I had requested everyone make "Mod Mosaic" blocks following Elizabeth Hartman's tutorial. I ended up with 11 bright and happy blocks.

I started by framing each block with a white border. Then my husband helped me tape a footprint on the wall of the intended size of the quilt.

I placed my blocks in the footprint and then started filling in the background (forgive the blurry cell phone picture). Many thanks to Elizabeth Hartman for the tutorial on making a floating blocks quilt!

Woo! Another finished top! I also completed the backing for this, so it too is ready for basting.

Finally, I went ahead and cut 5" squares from the fabric remaining from that project.

I made 9-patches and then did some slicing and dicing.

And now I have a completed disappearing 9-patch baby quilt top! I've also finished the backing for this one, so it is also ready for basting.

Phew!

What to tackle next? More UFOs? Or maybe I should baste 'em up and quilt some of these? Or is my guilt assuaged enough that I can finally start something new? Hmmm....

Dreaming and deciding...

Having successfully completed a couple of projects recently, and also feeling wildly inspired by the diversity and creativity currently on display in Blogger's Quilt Festival, I'm feeling the itch to start something new. And the itch is strong. So yesterday I spent more than a little time in my crafty den perusing fabrics and patterns.

These are the patterns that kind of jumped out at me initially... I guess I'm leaning toward something scrappy and stash-busting? Hmmm...

But then I saw this pattern and thought of all those green fabrics I have from my Jane Stickle quilt. Oh, look... I managed to even put together a nice fabric grouping there too! How cool would this be in greens? You don't need to answer. I KNOW it would be awesome.

But then I remember the projects in process...

...like the the final clue of the Spring Mystery Quilt (pictured above) that I haven't yet completed; the Fall Mystery Quilt that I've finally got basted that needs to be quilted; the final two Harrington & Hannah blocks I have yet to prep; the Jane Stickle that awaits more hand quilting; the fabric I cut for a new dress; the next baby quilt in the queue to be planned; the boxes of projects; the pile of flimsies... you get the idea.

My husband saw me pulling out fabrics and such last night and asked what I was up to. I told him I was thinking about starting something new. He raised his eyebrows at me and suggested that I might be better off working on one of my existing projects.

UFO guilt. It is strong. It is mighty. It is... practical? reasonable? And I really ought to just finish what I started, right?

Sigh...

So I dream of quilts-to-be. As to what I will decide... we'll see.

Blogger's Quilt Festival, Spring 2013: Haiku Quilt

For this edition of the Blogger's Quilt Festival, I am entering my latest finish into the Bed Quilts category:

The quilt is a gift for a recently wed couple, Kevin and Colby. We went to visit them today and were finally able to give them their wedding gift. Yay!

The design is inspired by the quilts in the Judy Sisneros book, 9-Patch Pizzazz. I used her methodology to create my version. The largest blocks are 24" square. The nine-patches are 6" square. The finished quilt is about 96" square.

I had a lot of fun quilting this one too! I quilted it all with my Bernina 440QE. In the center, I imagined a breezy wind blowing and quilted a horizontal wavy design using a creamy variegated Superior Threads King Tut thread, #920, "Sands of Time." For the inner border, I used a dark brown Aurifil Mako 50/2, #1140, and quilted linked chain squares, a design I found in Angela Walters's fabulous book, Free-Moton Quilting. Finally, for the outer border, I stitched Elizabeth Hartman's dogwood quitling pattern in a 2" grid using Aurifil Mako 50/2 #2326, a taupe-y gold color.

I love how all of the various quilting designs work together in this quilt. And I am flippin' proud of the work I've done! My one regret is that I used too much pressure as I marked my gridlines in the outer border (I used a Sewline pencil), and some of the lines remain-- I just could not get them out (scrubbing; fabric eraser; multiple washes). On the bright side, they aren't really visible unless you know to look for them as they kind of blend in with all of the quilting lines. Also, after being washed for the third time, they are finally disappearing. So over time, I think they will all be gone. Eventually.

I went into this quilt not really knowing exactly how much I'd need of each fabric. So I just bought a couple of yards of each. I was able to use all of the leftovers in the back (plus a couple of others).

I've taken to calling this the "Haiku Quilt." I'm not normally very creative when it comes to naming, but in this instance, I felt inspired. I wrote a haiku which serves as the name of the quilt and that is written on the label:

Soft winds through the hills,

Petals and leaves atremble,

Cranes fly joyously.
And I have to give many thanks to my quilt photo shoot helper:

Every time we walk by that park (which is daily), he asks when can we go and do another quilt picture? Apparently, I need to get quilting!

The stats:

Quilt Measurements: 96" x 96"

Special Techniques used: none

Quilted by: Robin Zaback (me!)

I hope you are getting the chance to check out lots of other quilts in the Spring 2013 Blogger's Quilt Festival. It never fails to inspire me, and I find myself looking forward to the event each spring and fall when I can gaze at all of the shared happy eye candy and fabulous creativity.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Tiramisu: A Sweet Success!

One of the best gifts I received this Mother's Day was the gift of time. My husband entertained the boys so I could have some daylight sewing hours (a rare treat!). I used the time to sew up my Cake Patterns Tiramisu dress.

I LOVE this dress. LOVE!!!!

I used a really lovely teal blue Sophia double knit from fabric.com (which is still available! I may need to buy some more colors...).

It is drapey and has a beautiful weight to it, and is very soft. It also seems to have excellent recovery. And it twirls! (Well, as well as it can with me in 5" heels... but you get the idea.)

The instructions were straightforward-- clear and concise with some nice illustrations. Even more awesome though was the online support through Cake Patterns' Web site. Stephanie (the designer) hosted a Tiramisu sew-along when the pattern was released and the posts for that were so helpful! It takes you from cutting through construction to finishing with helpful photographs, tips, and videos. I especially appreciated Day 5 and all of the information offered about checking fit. It was a HUGE help and very effective. To wit:

No gaping!!! I had done a 1" FBA following Cake Patterns' instructions. But to get it to fit well, I ended up cutting about 1" from the bottom of the bodice, moving the center notch points out by 1" on either side, and then doing 7/8" side seams through the midriff band. (ETA: I started with the size 35D bodice and a 32.5 skirt.)

In the sew-along, Stephanie suggested that decorative stitching can add a bit of fun to understitching. I gave it a try and love this little detail. Only I know it is there, but it makes me happy.

And check out those pockets! I was afraid the pockets would drag or just make my hips look ginormous. But they are awesome.

I also braved the dreaded coverstitch machine and used it to finish the hem.

I love my Tiramisu. I love how it fits, how it feels, and how I feel in it: fabulous!!!