Finishing Touches

I admit it, I have a problem finishing projects.  Before I'm barely started with one, the next one is calling me out.  I have more ideas, fabric, drawings, patterns and tools that are waiting to be used.  

One of the reasons I like making bags, pillows, and minis is that they are projects that are finished quickly so my ADD doesn't kick into overdrive before I can get the small item finished.

One of the things I'm slow to do unless there is a deadline is the binding.  I had a quilt sit for 3 years with no binding.  Then when I added the binding it took all of about an hour (I usually machine bind).

This wall hanging just lacked the binding for 3 months, and then it was probably only finished because it was intended for my granddaughter's nursery and she was due to arrive.

I'm not one of those people who neatly roll their binding on to an old spool or something.  It just lays there in a puddle, waiting to be added

And voila it's finished, even added a label (another thing I often don't get to, but I'm trying to be better at)

And up on the nursery wall

The bed skirt matches the Elephant wall hanging

Nursery sewing I have to say, is quite rewarding.  I love to dress up the room with color

Keep Calm and Quilt On!

Mary

Minky blankets

I so love the look of baby Minky blankets, the softness the cuddliness.  I so dislike sewing with minky.  It's a mess.  Don't wear black.  Plan on wiping everything off with a swiffer when you are done.  

Minky has several names:  Minky, Shannon Cuddle, Soft and Comfy.  Those are just the names from the different manufacturers.  I have used different brands, and they seem to behave the same.

This is my go to baby blanket at the moment.  

Using flannel for one side and minky for the other.

I use a light fusing material for the baby's name and stitch on to the minky before sewing the blanket together.

I stretch and tape the piece of minky onto the floor and then lay the flannel on top (right sides together), then pin around all the edges to hold it together.  A few pins in the center, but since I won't be quilting this it doesn't need many in the center, but a lot around the edges.  I have never spray basted these, so I don't know how that would work.  

This one was a long name and it took what seemed like hours to get the letters on, and make sure I was spelling it correct.  Next time I'll go with initials for these 9 letter first names.

I used some Cloud9 flannel on the back of this one!

With right sides together I sew around the perimeter using my #1 foot, the walking foot doesn't seem to work as well, even though I keep wanting it too.  I use a 1/2" seam allowance and leave a 5" opening for turning.  The minky likes to stretch while you sew, I just work with it, sometimes there is a little extra over hang after sewing and I trim that off.  I think the sewing goes best with the minky on the bottom, hitting the feed dogs.  After turning I go around the perimeter twice for reinforcement.  

These were all done in February.  I have, I don't know, a dozen more to go.  Seems everyone is having babies these days.  

Keep Calm, and Quilt On!

Mary

Finish in '14

Let's see if I can get some of my finished tops quilted and out the door in 2014.  I'll keep a tally on a sidebar and and add as they get done.  These are finished tops and blocks that are ready to be made into tops that I'm challenging myself to complete.  I'm going to put the ones I want finished in a basket and keep it handy, to work on as I can.  To be honest, I'm a great starter, not such a great finisher.  

This is for a new family member, he's about 7 months old now.

This is not a traditional styled baby quilt with brights and child prints, but colors I am drawn to for their warmth; browns and beiges.  Nature colors in the fall and winter, I find them to be just as pretty as spring and summer colors.  

The added blue cools down the tans and browns.  I am in love with the postage stamp block that I used for this quilt.

I finished this top back in Sept 2013, but I made most of the blocks at the end of 2012 and some in 2013.  I just had to add a few in Sept and add the border.  Next time I'll go a bit bigger, this is about 52" x 52"

I quilted a grid style through the blocks, keeping it simple, and went around the border a few times with quilting lines to frame the quilt.  

This gets shipped off tomorrow for the little mischief maker.  

Finish in '14!

Keep Calm and Quilt On

Mary

Superman for Liam

The baby quilt I started here I was able to finish and deliver to the Momma at the hospital.  My dear dear DEAR hubby kept asking me 'What's the rush?' Well, the baby is coming and then he was HERE and I wanted the quilt to be given to him right after he was born.  "Because you didn't know he was coming?"  I do love this man - I need him to remind me of my time management issues - daily.  

 This was where I left off in the last post - randomized HST in the teal, orange, and gray.

The first border

The second border - the camera doesn't like the orange too well

I decided to use Minky or Shannon Cuddle for the back, I'm not sure of the brand I had.  I had almost enough in a aqua color for the back.

Pinned

I quilted diagonally on each row and then I followed the vertical rows.  This was my first time quilting on Minky, and I didn't want any surprises with bunching up or thread breaking so I kept it simple.

I used King Tut quilting thread by Superior.  I have quite a bit of this on hand, before discovering Aurifil, King Tut was my go-to thread for quilting.  There are a lot of variegated colors in the King Tut line.  

Bound and ready for the wash.  I used a decorative machine stitch for the binding.

I did not have quite enough of the aqua Minky for the back.  I improvised with a left over piece from another project - stores just aren't open at midnight.  

After the wash, I had the Gran give the quilt his seal of approval, he says 'Yes'!

The quilt was delivered at the hospital as planned and I am sure will receive much love and cuddling in the next few months.  

On to the next!

Keep Calm and Quilt On!

Superman

Time for a baby quilt - as the momma will be induced, um, this evening.  

Teal, orange, grey and Superman.  Perfect for a boy, right?

Squares cut 4 1/2" ready to pair up for HST blocks.

120 HST blocks ready for trimming.

Trimmings

Trimmed

Sufficiently randomized 12 rows of 10

Let the assembly commence.

Linking up with the fabulous Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts for 

the Lovely Year of Finishes October

You all

Keep Calm and Quilt On!

Mary

Finished a Baby Quilt

I just love baby quilts.  And I love finishing them even if the baby is six months old.  You're in my heart and mind  just need a little more time to get you your quilt!

This quilt was started last winter (before the baby was born) due to some miscalculations on my part

The borders were made using the scraps from the blocks and a Dear Stella print

I used a flannel bubble print for the backing, I think flannel is great to use on baby quilts - extra snuggly

I quilted a simple grid along the squares, keeping it simple (I used a King Tut variegated thread for the quilting)

This baby is washed and I took it for a test run on the sofa - it works! comfy on the couch, snuggly while watching TV.  I think it will fit the baby and his family well.  I hope they put it to good use.

This is a quilt on my list for the 2013 Finish A Long YAY!

I'm linking up to Fabric Tuesday on QuiltStory where they have an inspiring story about their Uncle Dean you should read.  

Keep Calm and Quilt On

my friends

Mary

WIP Wednesday

After last weekend's marathon of paper piecing (photos below) I spent a day doing some other things.  It really feels good to take care of myself a little (after tackling my stack of paperwork, which somehow has seemed to learn to procreate).  Went to a movie, met up with some girls for bunco (I won a prize, which always makes the night more fun!) Spent some time with the Gran, he's growing and doing new things every day.  

Here is what I have been working on, I had to finish another procrastination project (those require their own list)

involving these paper piece stars from Six White Horses, the star is called Star Seams and you can get the template free on her blog or on Craftsy.  I got mine from Craftsy.  

All 5 I made.  I was attempting a ROYGBIV look to go with the quilt top they are going in.

While I am pleased with the result, these took time and the centers are quite bulky, I steamed and pressed the life out of the centers.  Paper piecing one block is ok, but doing multiples begins to wear on you.  You can pull off all the paper while watching a TV show, but not Game of Thrones, because you can't be distracted by paper while that is on.

The quilt top belongs in the Strip Quilters group.  This is a stunning top, and I wish my photos were better. The rows are not sewn together so the owner can decide the order of the rows.   

Tuesday I accomplished so much on my paperwork pile (both my jobs only involve paperwork) for actual work that I felt compelled to  get some things off my WIP list - starting with another group project

I made postage stamp blocks with colors that complemented some Flea Market Fancy prints.  These blocks were added to star blocks and are now going to the next person in Traveling Quilts

Then I felt the need to check off something else that has been sitting on my WIP list for awhile - a baby quilt for a baby who is now six months old.

I added the first scrappy border which is just left over pieces from the center, and I'm adding the elephants for the second border.  I like using up the scraps on the same quilt so that everything is used up and doesn't have to go in the overflowing scrap bin.  I sure hope I am quilting on this tonight.

Linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday

Keep Calm and Quilt On!
Mary

Bloggers Quilt Festival - Baby Quilt

My second entry for Bloggers Quilt Festival, thank you to Amy of Amy's Creative Side for setting up the Quilt Festival.  This is the first year I've entered, but I have watched the last two years and am always so impressed by everyone's quilts, talents, and stories.  I'm so glad to be a part of this quilting community.

Baby Quilt

I made this quilt November / December 2012 for my first grandson.  I used a quilt that was given to my son when he was one, that had seen much love and wear; I took this apart and incorporated pieces into a new quilt for Calvin.

Original Quilt - 28 years old

I painstakingly took apart the old quilt in four patches.  This quilt had been hand pieced and hand tied, the pieces were uneven and and threadbare in many places.  This isn't a slight on the quilter!  She was a family friend who was only 14 when she put this together, it had withstood 28 years.  The thicker fabrics she used which were corduroy and velvet held up the best, the sheet materials were the thinnest.  I wanted to use some of the brighter pieces like the green in the new quilt.  

I chose fabrics that complemented the originals, I wanted a nice blend of old and new.  

I cut down the four patches from the old quilt to the same size and made the new four patches.

I tried to keep the feel of the original quilt.  All the red and green pieces are from the original.  I backed with a cozy flannel and a Kaffe Fassett was used for the binding.  I straight quilted this on my home machine.  

A nice comparison of the quilt tops of old and new!

Thank you for visiting if you are here for the Bloggers Quilt Festival!  A big thank you to Amy's Creative Side for setting up this event for all of us.  I hope you will take a look around and come back and visit another time.  You can find me on Flickr and Instagram 'FairlyMerry' I enjoy seeing my quilty friends projects and accomplishments through blogs, and photos.  

P.S. Calvin was born Christmas Day 2012 and his quilt was waiting.  

Keep Calm and Quilt On!

Mary