Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Work in Progress: Charity Quilt

So this is the charity quilt I've been working on. It doesn't look like much but all the blocks are done and now I'm just sewing them into rows.

This quilt is for my sister who is a singer. She was invited to sing in Austria and is planning on fundraising. I offered to sew up a quilt for her silent auction. I wanted something quick and simple using a precut.

I chose the Double Sliced Layer Cake pattern and I'm using a layer cake of Sweet Serenade by Basic Grey for Moda.

This pattern is super easy and quick. If I had uninterrupted free time I'm sure it would be done within a day or two but since I don't...well, it's taking a lot longer. :) I hope to have the top done soon and then I plan on quilting it myself.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Great Granny Along: Crochet Hook

I am so far behind on this! I ended up having to put this on the back burner so I could get a quilt done for charity. I did end up getting this sewn together the week after it was due (just didn't get a photo until now!) but I haven't gotten to anything else. Once this charity quilt is done I hope to get back to this quilt.


Here are the two blocks together hanging on the wall by my sewing desk:


Monday, June 16, 2014

Pinwheel Sampler: Finished!

My pinwheel sampler is finished! There's quite a story behind it but first, the photos.

 This quilt has been a long time in the making. It all started when we lost our sweet baby to a miscarriage on April 3, 2012. It was extremely difficult, and still is, but the worst part was that I didn't have anything tangible from him. We lost him very early in the pregnancy, way before I could start nesting, and we didn't even announce it to the family. So I was very alone in my grief, aside from my husband.

About a year later I made up my mind to make a quilt in memory of him. My firstborn got a quilt and I wanted to continue the tradition. So the spring/summer of 2013 I walked into my local quilt shop and picked out 10 fat quarters in a general blue-green-orange theme. No real direction, just picked out what I liked in those colors. They sat in my stash for a long time. It took awhile to find a pattern and once I did, it took awhile to get started. When January 2014 rolled around I made a small list of just 3 quilts that I wanted to finish this year. This was one of them.

I ended up pulling 2 out of the original 10 fat quarters and went out and bought a few more quarter yards to add more orange and some navy. Once I started I tried not to stop. There were a few times where I just let unfinished blocks sit for a few weeks but I set a goal to get it done and shipped to Abby by summer. I met that goal and now I have this pretty quilt to snuggle in whenever I feel the need.
 Abby Latimer did my quilting again. She is my go-to longarm quilter. She is so wonderful to work with! After looking through all her patterns I didn't find anything I like. Last year when I finally decided on a pinwheel sampler I fell in love with the cloud panto. I've been dreaming of pinwheels and clouds ever since. Abby didn't have that pattern on her list but she was so sweet and bought it to use specifically on this quilt. I'm so grateful she did that!

 I used Spoonflower to print this tag. I ended up needing tags for 3 other quilts so I printed all 4 at the same time. Each of the tags is 3.5" square when finished (4" unfinished) and they fit perfectly on their 8" x 8" sample. I used the option of Kona for the base fabric.

The tag reads:
In memory of Joseph
April 3, 2012
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones.
Psalm 116:15
With love always, mama
 My name, 2014 ~ quilted by Abby Latimer

The quilt has already been washed to get that perfect crinkle and it's been loved on nearly every day since. This quilt has been a labor of love and I am so happy to finally have something to snuggle whenever I think of my sweet angel.

Quilt Stats

Pattern: Pinwheel Sampler by Rachel Griffith (found here)
Size: 54" x 54"
Batting: 80/20 Hobbs 
Fabrics:  Top: Mix of green, blue and orange from various designers
               Backing: Grey Crosshatch Quilter's Flannel from Joann's Fabric (similar)
Quilting: One Cloudy Day by Abby Latimer
Tag: Created by me, printed by Spoonflower