Saturday, June 22, 2013

Quilty Heartbreak and Healing

My last post was about the wonderful quilt I was about to send to Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo.  I got the binding on, and was ready to send it off.  All that was required was a quick wash and dry, then Post Office here I come.

Then came the heartbreak.  Even though I used a very mild detergent, good fabrics from a quilt store, color catchers and cold water, the red from the back of the quilt faded onto a few select strips of fabric on the front.  They were bright pink.  I couldn't send this quilt ... what to do!!!!

I called my LQS asking for suggestions, washed the quilt again with cold water, tons of color catchers and straight oxi clean.  Now my bright pink strips are light pink.  Still don't feel like I can send it.  My daughter and my husband think I can ... but I won't.

I don't know if you can see the pink in the below pictures ...



The pink is on the white with the little black shapes and the keyboard looking fabric.  Oh well, I guess this one was meant to be mine.

Here is the one originally intended to go to Happy Chemo, (this is still a flimsy, I have an appointment on a long arm machine to quilt on the 28th and it will be taken care of then.)


This one is a disappearing nine-patch.  I worked very hard to have the pattern I wanted with the hearts going in a cross-hatch direction.  Before the black/white/red quilt heartbreak I promised since I was sending my quilt off, that my daughter could have this one for her 7th birthday on the 7th of June.  Can't take it back from her, she would be upset, plus I have another block that I am going to quilt so her American Girl doll will have a matching quilt!

This leads to the healing.  After the first two washes of the first quilt, when the pink was not fading at all ... I went to my LQS and got a jelly roll of Moda's Simple Marks Summer, by Malka Dubrawsky.  While I liked these prints, they just were not my usual style.  I was extremely upset and thought that maybe I should break out of my box for happy colors.  If they could help me smile, maybe they could do the same for a chemo patient.



I am VERY pleased with the way this one came out.  As Sarah from Confessions of a Fabric Addict told me, this is a great pattern to learn quilting on.  I was much more careful with my seams, ironed as I went along and before I knew it, quilty healing had happened.  I can only hope that this quilt will do the same for someone through Quilty Hugs for Happy Chemo.

This one will be quilted at the same appointment on the 28th, then off to Happy Chemo it goes.

Thank you for the WONDERFUL experience Sarah!  I promise that Happy Chemo will receive more than one quilt from me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jackie

Saturday, June 8, 2013

All but the binding

I have been working on a disappearing nine patch for a charity quilt being led by Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  I finally finished the flimsy, pics to follow, and life got in the way and I realized I wouldn't be able to finish that one in time to send.

Good thing I work on multiple projects!  I had another quilt that was half way quilted and then would be good to go once I got the binding on.



This is the very first quilt I have made.  It is a 1600 Jelly Roll race quilt that was intended to be for me.  Turns out I liked the back better than the front.  (The back is the top picture.)  You can see my little helper holding up the quilt.  Poor thing has a cough.  At least she is covering her mouth ... I promise I will wash this before I send it off!  (Sorry ... I don't know how to turn the pictures so they are right side up!)

I just did straight line quilting along the horizontal stripes of fabric.  Not so bad for a first effort!

Welcome to my #1 lifetime quilt.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jackie

Friday, May 24, 2013

I working on it!!!

I am working on  my H2H charity quilt, I promise!!!


What you see above is where I have all my 5" blocks cut and pinned together to begin my 9 patch blocks.  I finished sewing all those and pressed my seams open.  I know there is a debate on that, but I chose to press open because I didn't want to have to do the fun little issues that can come up when I am joining my blocks together.

I had planned to go to a friendly little quilt store a friend had recommended to do the quilting on their long-arm but couldn't get a reservation until the 28th of JUNE!!  I  guess this one is going to get straight line quilting so I can get it off in time.

Gotta go ... time to pin my nine-patch blocks together before I start making them disappear :o)

Thanks for visiting!
Jackie

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Inspiration Block

Since my darling hubby, light of my life, is hanging out with our precious munchkin, I got to quilt today!  I created my inspiration block for my H2H charity quilt.  Munchkin decided she liked it better than what she picked out and wants it for her :o)  I may go back and get more fabric ... she does have a birthday coming up!




I made a disappearing nine patch, and if I calculate it correctly, the blue and green will stair-step across the quilt.  At least that is the effect I am going for.  I was trying to have the hearts all go the same direction, but that didn't work.  I am going to try and continue with what I have going on, then they will form a diagonal pattern as well.  Maybe I should have taken pictures as I sewed to make sure I hit it ... oh well, too late now :o)  The back will be the solid purple tie-died flannel with the hot pink binding. 

This is the first thing that I have made that I have to keep an eye out for matching corners.  Kind of proud of myself, most of them are pretty darn close. 

I cut my fabric using a rotary cutter and ruler, but I think I am going to try and use my Silhouette Cameo.  It is supposed to be able to cut fabric, and I can have it cut my 5.5" squares for me ... they will be much more true than the ones I did. 

Thanks for visiting!
Jackie

Friday, May 3, 2013

I did it!!!!!!

I have heard quite a bit about the quilting process, to document the entire process or not to document the entire process.  I am not nearly as prolific a quilter as a bunch of you are, so I am going to choose to document.  In that vein ... here I go!

First, reading through one of my favorite blogs, (by a woman named Sarah whom I would love to be like someday) Confessions of a Fabric Addict, I discovered the disappearing nine patch.  You can see several different options for the results here on Sarah's blog.

Once I figured that out, I looked at my tiny, but growing, stash.  Didn't like what I had.  JoAnn's, here I come!  Being new to this thing, and somewhat timid with colors and patterns I started off being intimidated.  Then I saw a print I liked.  Using those colors, I chose some tie-died solids to go with it.  Very out of my comfort zone, but I like it!!!



Because it is flannel, I had to wash it first.  Now to press, and cutting here I come! 

Thanks for visiting!

Jackie





Monday, April 29, 2013

Pattern emerging?

Life gets in the way, again! 



I started quilting my very first quilt ... nothing like jumping in the deep end :o)  As you can see it is very difficult to quilt when the fabric is covering the machine. 


I've moved it, so now maybe you can see my dilema, and why it is taking so long!  When I bought this machine 5 or 6 years ago, quilting was just a dream so I didn't understand why this wasn't the machine to buy.  I am now saving my pennies, (and dimes and quarters) to buy one with a bigger throat.  That will make things much easier.

I have been working tons, and being the single mom while my dear hubby is working so I haven't progressed much.  Hopefully this Friday will change things.  I shouldn't have ANYTHING required to work on ... other than cleaning house.  And of course, that can wait for quilting breaks.

Next on the agenda, posting about my wonderful charity quilt ... I think I have my fabrics picked out ...

Talk to you soon!

Jackie

Thursday, April 4, 2013

And so we go on ...

Unfortunately, there is no real pattern to my life.  As soon as I get into a regular routine, something happens to shake things up a bit.  Maybe that is the pattern, hmmmm.  Must think on that one.

I haven't been working on my quilt much, we have had some yucky weather and it seemed like perfect napping time.  Also, my sewing machine has such a narrow throat, the straight line quilting I am doing on it is HARD!  Not my favorite part, think I like the piecing better.  I have so many other projects going, I think that I am afraid that if I start another quilt top, the current one won't ever be finished.  I promise ... pictures will come soon.

The projects I have lined up are:
    1.  Quilt top for my darling daughter, aka Monkey.  This is one that she designed and chose the fabrics for.  Did I mention she is 6?
    2.  Quilt for a FABULOUS cause, Quilty Hugs for Chemo.  This is one that I am doing with Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict.  (When I learn how to do links, I will link her here.  I was able to bring her logo over ... see top right!)  Still working on exactly what I want to do, but I think it will be a three fabric quilt, on the girly side of things.  Definitely doing it in flannel.  Needs to be soft and cuddly :o)
   3.  A quilt for my oldest grandson (5).  I crocheted a blanket for his baby sister (6 months) which I gave her for Christmas.  I have also crocheted a blanket for his little brother (3), but I didn't give it to him yet because I didn't want the oldest to feel left out.  His quilt needs to be done soon!
   4.  This is a wish quilt ... I really want to make it, but I am not sure I have the talent.  The registrar at my daughter's school passed away this week after a two year battle with cancer.  A friend and I would love to get some of her clothes and make quilts for her three children so that they could always have Mom there to hug on them.  I just don't know that I have the talent for this.  Still thinking about it.

Anyway ... I think it is time to start scheduling my quilting time.  Otherwise nothing will be completed!

Thanks for reading :o)

Jackie

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Begin as I mean to go on

I have been obsessed interested in quilting for as long as I can remember. Due to my amazing hubby and his support, I am finally in a position to start learning. Thanks for coming with me on my journey!

I am currently working on my first quilt. I have made mistakes, but that is how you learn. I chose to do a Jelly Roll 1600 quilt. Would it have been easier and more accurate to buy an actual jelly roll?  Yes!  But following my normal pattern I took the more challenging path and created my own strips. Then, silly me, I didn't count how many strips I sewed together. This resulted in a more square quilt rather than rectangular. So I added a couple of wide strips to the top and bottom. I pieced the back, being much more accurate.  Is it bad that I like the back better than the front?

As I learn more about blogger, I will add pictures of my progress.

Thanks for reading!
Jackie