pin cushions

Welcome to finish it up Friday! Anyone else utterly exhausted? ;0)

Because I am stubborn to the end, I actually eeked out a finish for today. I had these pin cushions almost done, so I hand stitched them closed this morning. Hurray for finishing something! I have 3 more like it to finish-just as soon as I find my big bag of walnut shells. I bet it'll be a few weeks before that happens! :)

(there is a tutorial here for making a mini whirlygiggle block if you'd like to make something similar.)

A few more BIG finishes that are happening today. It's my kids' last day of school AND we are selling our old house today. HUGE finishes, wouldn't you say? Both very good things! I'm excited for summer!

How about you? Any finishes to share today? If so, please link up! Happy Friday to you!

catching up

Oh, mylanta! So much has been going on, I think a catch up post is in order.

Last week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we packed up our house in Wisconsin. We had movers (thanks to the company relo) to help us out, but it is still a ton of work! It was a little bit sad to see the contents of our house disassembled. On the other hand, it was kind of exciting to finally be at this point. It's been a long time coming!

There were plenty of quilts to move. It was fun to see so many piled up in one spot! Usually they are spread out here, there and everywhere. I had a hard time entrusting the quilts to the movers, so we opted to move them ourselves. They filled the trunk of the car. And that was just a portion of them. Yikes! 

After a few days (and very little sleep) we had the house completely empty. That requires much celebrating by the short people in the house. Lots of shouting, running in circles and twirling. It was fun to watch the kids enjoy the empty rooms and I made sure I let them. I was certain to take it all in. They've been through a lot with this move, too!

It was hard to say good bye to our house. I get so sentimental sometimes! After 4 houses you'd think I'd kind of be used to it. So many memories there and so many friends to say good bye to! It has been a great place to live.

 

EARLY Sunday morning, a day and a half later, I flew out to Pittsburgh. I had the opportunity to speak and teach at a guild there. Yes, right smack dab in the middle of the move. Why not?!?!? 

Actually, the timing was wonderful and I enjoyed my trip very much. It was a break from the reality of the move. Pittsburgh is a lovely city, the guild was wonderful and I was in good hands the entire time I was there! Many thanks to Sally and Diane for showing me around and keeping me company in the down times. It was a delight.

I did a trunk show on Monday night and a scrap management workshop on Tuesday for the guild. During class one of my students snuck an apple on my (borrowed) sewing machine...an apple for the teacher. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever? Thanks Elizabeth! I'm so very thankful that I get to travel, speak and teach about quilting. It's pretty incredible that I am able to work doing something that I love to do!

For the trip I finally broke down and started using my scrap happy purse. It's been sitting around unused for months and this was the perfect opportunity to break it in. I loved the size of it. Great for everyday use AND for traveling. My iPad fit in it well, along with my normal purse contents and I still had room for a snack. My purse also made me recognizable at the airport. Can't ask for more than that! :)

I got home at 2am on Wednesday. At 10 am the moving truck arrived and they unloaded all of our stuff. We are now surrounded in a sea of boxes. Sheesh! We are glad to have all our things in one place again. Speaking of that, I best get unpacking. I've got lots to do! Gotta get it done so I can sew!

mini high five

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

It's amazing that I even have a finish to share today. Earlier in the week I was restless. I started at least 4 new projects. I couldn't seem to settle into one particular project-but I did manage to start and finish this mini high five quilt. (The original high five quilt can be found in Sunday Morning Quilts.) It was fun to revisit this pattern. Like all quilts, it took a few unintended turns-mostly with the color selection and placement-and I absolutely LOVE how it turned out.

For the back I used this sweet Alexander Henry print that my friend Brianne shared with me. The stripey binding is something that my friend Terri designed herself and had printed by Spoonflower. She shared some with me last summer and this was the perfect project to use it on! I have limited supplies here at the house (not my complete stash), so the fact that this came together so beautifully feels like a bonus. I am so thankful for the generosity of my sewing friends! This mini makes me happy!

Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

bohemian garden quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

My bohemian garden quilt is done! I put the last few stitches in the binding yesterday afternoon. It was quite a journey from the first fabric pull to completion, but that's the fun part of quilting-watching it all come together. I had a lot of contributions and input from friends along the way. Might be part of the reason that it doesn't look like a typical Amanda quilt. :)

I used a moody olive green fabric on the back that changes color quite a bit in the light. Thanks to my friend (and former boss) Ellen for the backing fabric! It matches this quilt perfectly. You can get a tiny peek at one of my wonderful quilt holders in this photo, too. :)

I absolutely LOVE how the loopy quilting turned out. I was worried it would be too busy, but it adds so much! Cheryl picked out the green thread color during a Skype sew date we had a few weeks ago. Thanks Cheryl! It was the perfect choice!

My friend Brianne picked out (and gave me!) the binding fabric. Thanks Brianne! It's a wonderful finishing touch to this quilt. This fabric is from the Central Park line by Kate Spain. It's nice to have a geometric print on the edging. It kind of reminds me of a cobblestone path. I hand stitched down the binding on this one, and I think I enjoyed every second of it. It felt good to just sit and bind!

There were times during the process when I wasn't so fond of this quilt, (a lot of stitch ripping might have had SOMETHING to do with it. ha!) but I am quite pleased with the finished product. Many thanks to my friends who helped with and contributed to this quilt. It sure makes it special! It measures 60" x 80".

 

How about you? Do you have a finish to share? If so, please link up! Thanks a bunch for joining me for finish it up Friday!

diamond pillow cover



First off, thanks for all the kind comments on our move and our new house! It's exciting and nervewracking all at once.

This pillow cover has been on my to-do list for a long time! I'm excited to finally have it finished. It will be headed to a friend who could use some cheering up. (Too bad I don't have a pillow form here to stuff inside for the photos!) I love the mix of springy solids-I used bits of a Robert Kaufman Kona pastel jelly roll-and ash grey solid from Connecting Threads. The design is my diamond pillow pattern.

An aside....I think the brick patio is going to make a regular appearance in the background of my photos. I LOVE it!

For the envelope back, I used scraps that Anna so generously shared with me. Thanks Anna! Yes, those were some pretty large scraps! I took a fair amount of time fiddling with the back pieces so they would look harmonious next to each other. They don't line up EXACTLY, but at least they don't jar the eye. That's all I can really ask for! I love that chevron print...so excited that I have still have more scraps to play with.

I love straight line quilting small projects like this! Thankfully the Juki behaved for this straight line quilting stint. It's fun to have so much texture in a little space. And it's really fun to have a finish!

we're doing it!

We started moving over the weekend! This is the view from my new sewing space. I can't believe it!

Our phase of the weekend was "we're doing it!" Every time the reality of our situation sunk in, that was the phrase that came out of our mouths. It kept us chuckling, which is a good thing. Moving is a lot like work!

It was the kids' first day at their new school today. Lots of nerves for them this morning, but we left them in good hands. All went well, which is a huge relief!

My sewing space is pretty much a blank slate. I brought a limited amount of sewing stuff up here (so far), which means I have a limited amount of projects to tackle. It keeps that overwhelming feeling at bay. I'll take it!

At one point my husband said, "home is where the sewing machines are." It's true!!! He's smart, that guy! And funny, too!

I'm so glad I brought my bohemian garden quilt along. It was a last minute decision, but it was a good one. It's been wonderful to sit down and quilt something! I'm anxious for a finish.

The loops are looking so much better than the straight lines did. And the good news is, I didn't have to re-baste. Bonus!!!

We spent lots of time over the weekend exploring the yard and enjoying our new lake view. I have a feeling that we are going to love it here!

 

Happy Monday to you!

Pam's quilt

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

Not a lot of sewing time here this week...but I DID manage to stipple this quilt for my friend Pam. Isn't it beautiful???

I can not stress to you enough just how great she is at piecing. (And picking fabric!) So very inspiring! She did an amazing job and it was a delight to quilt this for her. Flat quilts are much easier to quilt. (Who knew? Ha!) Also, it would be nice if all quilts came pre-basted. What a treat!

Here's the back. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite side. It's so bright, happy and springy!

 

We could use some spring around here! This was my view from my front window yesterday.

My kids actually had a snow day-in May! And it's snowing again today. Oh, the fun never ends! :)

 

Ok, enough complaining about the weather. Please link up your finishes! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

and then there were three

My daughter turned 7 yesterday. I can hardly believe it! Since this was the year of the HUGE pillow at our house, I just had to make one for her, too. These things take longer to make than you would think (about a week!) but they are totally worth it.

My girl just LOVES purple. (Figures, doesn't it? It sure isn't my favorite.) Thankfully, I had this stack of Kona sitting around waiting for the perfect project. It wasn't too hard to cut into it because I knew it was just right for her pillow. I must confess, I felt like such a good mama picking her favorites rather than skewing things to my taste. Although working with solids isn't much of a stretch for me. :)

I cut the fat quarters into 4 1/2" squares and basically made 2 36" quilts (without binding). Then I added a zipper to the bottom of the panels and I turned it into a pillow. I made a huge 36" pillow form to stuff inside, so the stuffing wouldn't get caught in the zipper.

It was SO GREAT to see her blankey next to it this morning. I LOVE it that she loves it so much. (I do, too!) Yes, it takes up half her bed! Good thing she's still little. :)

For the quilting I stippled it, just to make each pillow a little more unique. That's more important to the kiddos than to me. Trust me, we've had many conversations about it!

And for scale...a photo of all three of the pillows on the couch. My kids just love them! And I sure love that they do!

tote bag

Welcome to finish it up Friday!

This is a VERY new finish...less than an hour since I sewed the final stitch. My LQS is holding a tote bag challenge and I was happy to join in. I'm excited to have a cute new (BIG) bag for all the quilt toting I do on a weekly basis. The fabric is Odds and Ends by Julie Comstock. I used a layer cake for the front and back panels, which yielded a lot of leftovers for the scrap bins! I used a few pieces from my stash for the handles and sides. I lined it with canvas to add stability and body to the bag. The weight turned out JUST right. I love it when that happens! It measures 20" square, approximately and it's about 6" deep. It's large enough to fit a few lap quilts inside. I'm excited to use it! It feels so good to have a finish to share today!

A bit of exciting news! It's been pretty quiet here on the blog, but that's because we are busy finalizing our moving plans. We have an offer on our house AND we found a house to buy in our new community! We are so thankful to God for answering our many prayers! He is so faithful! The transition is going to be fast and furious, but we are looking forward to finally moving and getting settled into a new place. So, my new project will holding down the fort during our final days here. It's going to be lots of fun! Lots to do, but lots to look forward to, too. I'm reminding myself to breathe. :)

Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. And thank you so much for joining me for finish it up Friday! Have a good one!

bohemian garden quilt top

Welcome to finish it up Friday! Last week I had a great finishing week. This one has been quite the opposite! Not a finish in sight...just a whole lot of messes. I guess that's the way it goes. :)



I finished my bohemian garden quilt top last week, but never got around to sharing it yet. Many thanks to my friend Pam for naming this one. And many thanks to my friend Brianne for being my quilt holder and for pulling the fabric. The pieces are cut 4 1/2" x 12 1/2". I thought it was a nice size to showcase some of the larger prints.

I was intending to make a rail fence quilt, but when I was working on the lay out I just wasn't feeling it. When I placed them in columns, I liked it much better! So....columns it is. It's not uncommon for my quilts to change direction mid-stream. That's what keeps quilting interesting!

Hopefully you've had a better finishing week than I had. :) Please link up your finishes and thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

sewing machine rundown

My main machine is my Juki TL-98Q. If you've read my blog for awhile, you probably already know this, but I LOVE MY JUKI! I'd become a spokesperson for them in a heartbeat if I had the chance. I've sewn on this machine for 6 1/2 years and it's like my right arm. There is so much to like about it. I like to sew fast and this machine does just that! At top speed it sews 1500 stitches per minute. The machine is mostly metal, so it's sturdy and a true work horse. Actually, it's kind of like the Energizer bunny. It keeps going and going and going. It weighs about 23 pounds, so it's not the most portable, but it's still manageable. I've flown with it and put it in an overhead compartment of an aircraft (several times). It took some upper body strength to wrestle it up and down, but I managed to do it without harming myself or any small children. (ha!) It's a straight stitch only-there is no zig zag. That's the one drawback, but definitely not a deal breaker. The auto cut feature is something that I turned up my nose at when I bought it, but now it's one of my favorite features. I MAY be a little spoiled by it. :) The first time I sat down to my machine I did some free motion quilting and it held the tension on both sides right out of the gate...no adjusting needed. Seriously impressive! I've free motion quilted MANY a quilt, and I rarely have tension issues. I can quilt FAST without the machine feeling like it's going to rattle off the table or rattle apart. It's not picky about the kind of thread I use, which is a huge plus, and it's got adapters for cone holders. All around, it's a simple, dependable machine.

In the past few years I have found it to be less dependable at straight line quilting. Layers shift more than they used to when doing straight line quilting. I haven't been able to get down to the bottom of WHY this happens...nor has my repair man. It's subtle at times and more pronounced at others. It bugs me! I have replaced my walking foot and it hasn't helped the problem. Maybe the machine is just tired? I don't blame it one bit. :) All that being said, I still use this machine with my walking foot to attach all my bindings to my quilts and it works well then. ????? I don't know what to think of all of that.

The TL-98Q model has been discontinued but has been replaced by a similar machine, which is the TL-2000QI.

Last November I bought a Janome Horizon Memory Craft 7700 QCP. It was kind of an extravagant purchase...but I broke down and bought it anyway. It's huge and a little bit flashy and I must confess that I love that red panel. This thing has more features than I could ever hope to use. It has a zig zag stitch, so I can piece batting to my heart's content. (My husband made a comment about how much batting I could buy at the price of this machine, but that's not really fair now, is it?) To be honest with you, I have just started to learn the ins and outs of this one. One of my favorite features so far is the built in even feed foot. This thing straight line quilts like a dream. (One instance aside.) I have used it to do a lot of honeycomb quilting, too, which is a nice alternative to straight line quilting or stippling. I'm planning to sew more clothes for my daughter (and hopefully me, too) so the zig zag and over lock stitches will come in handy for finishing seams when that time comes.

A few weekends ago I tried to free motion quilt on this machine and it didn't hold the tension on the back very well at all (think ladder stitches) so rather than mess with the settings, I just jumped on over to my Juki. Someday I plan to devote some time to figure out that piece.

I've found that I am using both machines for different purposes, but both with enough regularity that I "need" them both set up at the same time. And I think that's a good thing! Also, my husband was in full support of me buying my Janome, but he did reserve the right to give me a hard time about it. Typical!

thread catcher winners and some stitch ripping

Thanks SO MUCH to everyone who entered my little giveaway and thank you so much to those of you who ordered the pattern. I can't wait to see what you guys make! The five winners are:
Lisa
Sherryl
Kathleen
Stitches
Diane
Please email me so I can send you a copy of the pattern!

Ironically enough, I've needed a thread catcher at my side today.....for not one, but two projects. Yes, two. Today.

After piecing this patchwork panel, I just slapped it on some batting and started quilting away. I SHOULD have known better. I jumped in with no basting and more importantly, no marking! I usually know better than to attempt to quilt a straight line on a 4" square by eyeballing it. A 2" square...maybe. It wasn't great. I hate ruining pretty fabric, so I ripped! Thankfully it's not a big piece.

I took a break from ripping the project above and started quilting this one. Somehow the combination of the batting (Hobbs 80/20) and the straight line stitching did NOT work out so well. I hate to ruin a quilt with crappy quilting, so I will rip. Then, rebaste. I can't decide which is worse....ripping or re-basting. I think it's a toss up. Don't you?

Here's to a better day of quilting tomorrow!