2015 Quilting Goals: Drunkard's Wife QAL

I decided to do a quilt along to force myself to work on my quilting skills.  That and I happened to stumble onto Sew Scatterbrained's blog (via IG).  She's doing the work of setting the QAL up so all I have to do is play along (no signing up or any of that, which is just my style).

I got all caught up (there were only two blocks to do) this weekend.

The fun twist with these is you're supposed to make an error (because you're drunk, right?  yeah, that's too dangerous for me to mix alcohol and fast moving needles, thankyouverymuch.  that and alcohol makes me sleepy, again, not good to be drowsy when playing with fast moving needles and rolling cutting implements).

This was a churn dash (I believe that's the correct term) block and I deliberately put one corner and one of the "two bar" pieces on wrong.  You really notice teh corner error but the bar takes longer to notice.

OH and double challenge for this, I'm trying to use up three scrap packs I bought on a lark from Pink Castle Fabrics.  They had a bundle sale (they do that a lot) so I grabbed a cool, a warm, and a neutral.

And the other block.  I don't remember if this has a "real" name (I know all of the blocks are standard patterns, nothing too outrageous though the next block looks complicated and I'm worried I'll really cock it up good just due to incompetence).

That block is supposed to have all the points the same so it makes a starburst in the middle.  But I deliberately turned the two side ones to make stripes instead.  I really like the starburst way and this alternative version.

My only problem is these are supposed to finish at 12.5 inches (pre-trim) and mine simply do not.  I know I cut everything accurately so it has to be my seam allowance.  I consistently used the same for each seam and I did check it before I started BUT (now that I'm thinking about it and given my general fail at math and mathy related things) I could have messed that up.  I really did measure it with a ruler and all that but I could have measured wrong.  I'm just going to keep making them all the wrong size and then trim them all the same when I go to put them together.  No harm, no foul I suppose.

See, I can't even pull this off when SOBER.  Maybe I should have a little nip of gin before I try the next one.

Pets on Quilts 2015: The Ollie Memorial Quilt

Getting this post up now while I have a few minutes (even though the link up isn't available yet).

2015 Pets on Quilts show is my second time participating and it's bittersweet.

Last year, I entered under the "cats on quilts" category (see it here) with a mini quilt that was much loved by my two cats, Eugene and Olive.  I was thrilled when I won a batik jelly roll from one of the random drawings.  That was the sweet.  Then came the bitter.  Olive died.  We only had her for one year and a week when FiP, a horrible disease, took her.

After she died, Eugene was just not enjoying life as an only cat so we checked the Humane Society (where we got Gene and Ollie) to find him a new companion.  Enter, Murray.  They were a great fit from moment one and things are very good now, though we still miss Ollie.

And I still had that jelly roll.  Months ago I discovered the jelly roll race "pattern" (in quotes because it's not so much a pattern as an event!) and decided it would be perfect for the Ollie jelly roll.  Hey, I needed to start actually making "real" quilts (not just small wall hangings) and that would be the easiest way to start that process.  So I made the top and it just hung out in my craft room.  Until the announcement for the 2015 Pets on Quilts show rolled around.  It was time to get that top made into a quilt.

But not without some feline supervision!

This was back when I had first finished the top.  I draped it all pretty like over the couch to get a pic and BAM, cat-ttaked.  No blanket in this house shall be without hair (their motto).

Fast forward to about a week ago when I finally got my butt in gear to finish the quilt.

(oh, by the way, I'm entering under the "cat on a quilt" category, or whatever category is close to that. . .any of these pics of my cats HAIRassing the quilt can be my entry since I couldn't get both of them to sit on the finished quilt for anything. . .that shouldn't surprise me, they're cats and they will do as they please and no they don't care what you think about it)

Ever so helpful, Eugene.  Just plop down on the quilt sandwich and have a bath why don't you.

"What?  Were you trying to do something?"

Could you get up so I can flip it over and get the backing fabric layered on?

*sigh*  "If I must. . .but there will be a price to pay for disturbing my beauty rest."

No joke.  You folks with cats can't be surprised by this at all.  I had to flip the top and batting over to get the backing all smoothed out on it and didn't Gene get right up on it and just go insane.  He was rolling around on it, squeaking and even pulling off a very odd backflip.  Then, to make sure there was plenty of hair on it he had a good scratch.  It was hilarious.  And I just couldn't care.  The quilt was for the family (which is me, my hubby and the cats) so why freak if there's hair on it while I'm making it.  It's going to get good and haired up over its life.  And Gene was having such a high old time (really, it was like there was nip in that fabric. . .I think he really likes batiks) I just had to enjoy it.  He was having so much fun with the Ollie quilt it was like she was there in spirit (showing us her bewbies!).

Eventually I did have to chase him off it so I could get to the sewing.  I went with a very easy straight quilting and it went really well.  Got the binding machine stitched on one side and then it was time to hand stitch the binding to the back.  Enter Murray.

"What are these, mom?  Cat toys?"

*crunch*

Murray really likes the binding clips.  He was particularly taken by the ones holding the corners all neat (of course).  I did have to fish one out of his mouth after he pulled it off and did start to crunch on it like it was a treat.  No, we shant be destroying my super cool clips (they are so wonderful for binding).

"Mom, you're no fun.  I just wanted to try and break off a tooth and ruin a clip or two.  Party pooper!"

I say it all the time and I'll say it again.  Good thing they are both so dang cute because they sure aren't well behaved (ok, they're not really "bad" but they do get into everything and Murray in particular sheds like it's his life's goal to coat the entire planet in a thin layer of white hair, and the hair is super soft so it's like trying to wipe off spider webs. . .tons and tons of spider webs).

Don't fret, I'm not going to forget to show off the quilt sans cat.

The front (it's a bit longer than pictured, I had it draped over the edge of the wall a bit to hold it down since my spouse was all "meh" when I asked him to come outside and hold it up. . .ha ha, he was replaced by a brick wall, you know I told him as much, too, and he still didn't care in fact he was pleased to hand the task off to a truly inanimate object).

The back (with its minor flaws. . .I was not going to point them out because to be honest they don't bother me, I really kind of like them because this quilt is about so much more than being "perfect" but I didn't want anyone to think I didn't know there were flaws.  They are there and I love each and every one of them).

I wanted the back to be all cat fabric.  I've been wanting to make a totally cat quilt but I keep putting it off (what? me procrastinate? well, maybe later) so this was the perfect opportunity to make the back all cats.  I was going to make it a totally pieced back but then I happened upon this cat batik fabric and I just had to have it.  It was SO PERFECT.  Batik to match the batik front but also cat so I could tie in some of the cat fabric I already have in my stash.

From a distance you can't really see the cats but up close they are fabulous!  This pic is washed out a bit, the fabric is a nice dark charcoal color which matched pretty well to the black in the Moda Prisma Cats fabric from my stash.  I love that fabric so much I went and found a shop that still has some so I can hoard a bit more of it (when it comes to cat fabrics, I allow buying just to stash).

The Prisma Cats fabric is super bright colors and so dang cute!  Oh, and even the binding is cat.  I had some light gray fabric with polka dots (and some of the dots were cat faces) and it worked so well for the binding.  It's light colored but still works with the kind of haphazard feel of the entire quilt.  (I forget what line it's from, but it's a fairly recent line that was cat themed)

If I could change only ONE things, I'd have used a darker thread for the quilting.  I used the natural color I tend to use for all my sewing and against the dark backing fabric it looks bright white.  I didn't want it to pop that much but I don't hate it or anything.  It just stands out more than I really wanted (and because of that you can see the flaws in the stitching. . .I was using a basic Singer sewing machine with a walking foot and the weight of the quilt sometimes pulled a bit and you can see it in the stitching--the stitching isn't "bad" but if you're really looking at it you can see it's uneven and I know that's why).

I'm really surprised how much emotion is in this simple quilt.  When it was done I was almost giddy.  I gathered it up and just hugged it.  So silly, but I was just so happy to have it done.  The sense of accomplishment was huge and it's just such a special quilt for me.  It's the first "real" quilt (meaning bigger sized--the only other size I've made was a lap sized but I traded that away) I've ever made JUST for me (well, and the family) and it's so freaking special and I just love it.  But now I'm worried it will just fall apart when I wash it (I know it won't, but I love it so much I have to find something to worry about so that has become the thing I'll worry about).

Thanks for checking out my crazy quilt and even crazier cats.  I can't wait to see what everyone else shares for the Pets on Quilts contest.  It's such a fun and great event!

NOW, go back to the linky party and check out what everyone else has been up to.  CLICK HERE, YOU NOSEY THING YOU!

For a Swap: QUILT (yes, a freaking quilt!)

*trumpets*

I finally finished an entire quilt.  A REAL quilt, not some little decorative wall hanging dealie (made one of those before for a swap).  This is a real cover-yo-ass-sized quilt.

Ok, it's lap sized but still that's a "real" functional quilt and I'm pleased with my fancy self, oh yes I am.

Then I made my long suffering spouse go outside (in his pajamas--he was acting like going outside in a state of frumpy dress was out of character for him, the man who went out to help catch a neighbor's cat wearing only his underwear and a pair of shoes OR the time he was on the roof in just underwear and a t-shirt, cleaning the gutters in the rain. . .yeah, going outside in his pj bottoms and a t-shirt was a chore *eyeroll*) and hold the quilt so I could get all paparazzi on it

Did I mention I use my craptacular phone (and lack of skills) to take pics?  Can't you tell?

(look at hubs holding the quilt all dainty with just his fingertips--he knows I'm all crazy and have and will check the cleanliness of hands before they handle things, I've done it to him before, not that I think he's dirty but. . .well, sometimes he's dirty)

See, see!  That is a real sized quilt right there, folks.  A real sized quilt that I'M GOING TO TRADE.  Yes, my first "official" quilt isn't even going to be kept.  That's how I roll!

(oh and it looks super crooked in the photo but it's not that crooked at all--the wind was blowing it that's why it's really warped on the bottom edge)

I used this quilt as a bit of an excuse to buy some fabric.  I didn't have yardage to make long enough strips (we had to use the quilt as you go method demonstrated in one of the Missouri Quilt Co tutorials and our finished product had to be 36 x 48 before binding or if you did a border) so I had to get some.  So I decided to get some of the Cotton and Steel prints I liked so I could have the scraps for later.

Let me tell you, I didn't end up with much scrappage on the backing fabric.  And I thought I was rounding up a lot when I bought it but it was JUST enough (I had about an inch or so of usable scrap after I used some for the binding.

Then, after I had my fabric all purchased I realized the batting I was planning to use was too small.  It was the "craft" sized warm and natural pre-packaged stuff and I needed the "baby quilt" size.  *headdesk*  So I had to hit the ole amazon to get that (and I got a twin sized package and a pack of the super awesome clover clips which made binding this bad boy so much easier).

Speaking of binding, I failed at trying to totally bind it by machine.  Putting the first side on with machine was a breeze (did machine on the front side so it would look super crisp and tidy) but when I tried to machine the binding on the back. . .*sadtrombone*.  I had only done a little bit so I ripped it out and did the back binding by hand.  Which I kind of failed at again because I didn't realize you should use a ladder stitch for it (to make it neater) and I did a whip stitch.  It's a neat and clean whip stitch but in using a whip stitch I did get a tiny bit of a seam ridge.  Not ugly, but still there.  Personally I don't mind it (it's not distracting since I used neutral thread and did small stitches) but I guess technically it's "wrong".  BUT. . .I'm not being graded on right and wrong and technical skill.  The swap was just to make a quilt using the tutorial (in the size listed).  And I think my quilt turned out very well.  If someone sent me this quilt, I'd be super happy (especially with all the cotton and steel fabric).

Now I'm all excited to make another quilt.  I have two tops finished and padding big enough to use on either of them.  I think I'm going to hustle my butt to take this top:

and finish it.

I want to finish it in time to put it in the "pets on quilts" show over at Lily Pad Quilting.  The jelly roll I used for it I won in last year's contest (when Eugene and Ollie were on that little wall hanging cat themed quilt) and since Ollie died it would be super sweet to submit a pic of Eugene and Murray sitting on the quilt I made from the fabric Ollie helped me win.  I've already started referring to this quilt top as the Olive Green Memorial Quilt.  I think I want to make the back out of miscellaneous cat fabrics from my cat fabric stash.  Just need to get moving on it!

What else am I up to?

I have a ninni doll I'm finishing up for a swap (have it sewn, just need to stuff and embellish) and I need to finish up the "craft the fandom" swap (I have two items done, one in progress, and another in the wings) and make a patch (but that swap hasn't assigned yet so it's at the bottom of the to do list).

Fluff Project: May/June DONE!

Guess what?

I didn't make mermaids for May/June (like I thought I was going to).  So I've pushed them back to July.

BUT. . .I did get May/June done.

Bacon and eggs!

That's one big breakfast right there.

We need some portion control!   (sing that to the tune of Prince's "Pussy Control". ..aaah, portion con-trol!)

Cute little sets!

Or, if you're watching the waistline, a small breakfast?

Though who really eats only ONE strip of bacon?  I guess if it was as big as this bacon one would be plenty.  (bacon is roughly 12 inches long or so)

Both bacon and eggs are original patterns.  Super simple, too.

The eggs are just a circle (used a drinking glass to get a good circle) cut from yellow fleece.  Add a face (eyes are felt, mouth is embroidery).  Using the circle as a guide, free hand draw the egg white portion onto the back of the white fleece and cut out leaving a seam allowance around the drawn line.  Sew the yellow circle to the cut out white part (lightly stuffing as you go).  Then sew the cut white part down to another piece of fleece (right sides together).  Trim and turn the whole egg right side out.  Then top stitch the around the yellow circle and hand stitch the opening closed.

The bacon I had to make a template for (after I made one free hand and the fat stripes didn't line up like I wanted them too--but it still looked good but not how I wanted it to look).  From cardboard I cut a wavy line.  Then I used the cut off bit to make the same wave on the other side of the bacon.  Then I used the cut bit of cardboard to make a fat template (so the wave on the fat would match the wave on the meat).  Cut out two meat (red) and four fat (white) paying attention that you're cutting mirror images (so the waves line up properly).  Top stitch two fat stripes to each meat piece.  I did one side completely and then the other (so I could make sure the fats would line up as best I could).  When spacing the fats, make sure you don't put them too close to the edge of the meat (don't want the fats getting caught in the seam).  Pin a lot so the fats don't shift on you as you top stitch.  Cut out two felt eyes and sew them to one of the two meat/fat pieces (I just pick the nicest of the pair), making sure the eyes won't get caught in the side seams.  Add the mouth.  Put a face side and a blank side together (right sides together) and sew leaving an opening to turn (I left the opening at either the top or bottom between the fat lines).  Trim and turn right side out (making sure to roll the seams really well to get them as flat as possible so the wave shows).  Pin along the fats so they line up as best as possible then top stitch down both sides of each fat wave.  There will be a lot of bulk at the  ends, so you can stop before the thick seam bulk if you want.  Hand stitch the opening shut.

Fleece works GREAT for these.  Felt would be a bit too rough and stiff.  Fleece is also good price wise.  You can find decent pieces in the remnant bin but even if you have to buy it it's not expensive.  Felt (I like wool blend) would get pricey.  I'm sure fleece has a right and wrong side but for these I like having the fuzzier side of the fleece as the "right" side.  That light fuzziness adds to the cuteness a LOT.

The eggs are super fast to make.  The bacon takes a bit more time (to get the fats all lined up nicely) but they're not time consuming either.

I had a first making these, too.  I broke a needle.  Scared the crap out of me but didn't cause any issues (just turned my machine upside down and shook the piece out).

I'd love to make more kawaii food for the Fluff Project.  My sister says, "TOAST!".  That would be cute (with a little pat of butter on it that has the wee face!).  But toast would involve so odd sewing (sewing "walls" where you have to attach a long strip to a flat piece) which I'm not keen on fussing with right now.

I'll mail these out before I go on vacation and then I can get down to making the mermaids I said I'd make!

Fluff Project: April Items DONE

Ok, technically I finished them a few days ago (in May) but I'm not going to lose any sleep over that small fact.

For April, I made teddy bears.

Six teddy bears, to be exact.

They're all from the same fabric which was about a yard of brown flannel (with a slight mottling to it) I scored at the Salvation Army fabric sale.  It's a special event the sal army has where they sell JUST fabric and notions.  It's just this side of crazy (they only let so many folks into the building at a time and there was a big ass line) but an organized kind of crazy that works for me.

Did I mention I got the fabric for about a buck (or maybe a buck and a half).  So, say, $1.50 for enough fabric to make six stuffed toys.  The felt on their faces was cut mostly from scraps and the stuffing, thread, and embroidery floss I always have on hand (so I never really factor it into charity stuff).

These six bears are joining all the other stuffies I've made so far this year.  I put them all in one box (a box from the big ass bags of stuffing I buy!) and hope to get them mailed on Saturday.

"Hey, mom, what's this?"

*sigh*  Murray, you're not supposed to be on any of the tables let alone the one I'm sitting at trying to work.

"Well, what is that?"

It's a brush to get your hair off everything.  You shed like it's your life's work.  Just being this close to the toys will have them sprinkled with hairs.

"You mean THOSE?  Yeah, I got my hair on those.  You'll need to use the brush on them again.  Probably twice before you put them in the box.  Oh, and Eugene chewed part of the box."

Yes, I noticed that.  You are both ever so helpful.

YES, I have to lint roller every toy I finish because Murray's hairs are everywhere.  Even after a good rollering I'm sure they still end up with at least a few hairs on them.  Hey, I'm a crazy cat lady.  That's the price you pay when you have cat children.

And Eugene really did chew the box I'm mailing them in.  There were handle holes (with little flaps that can get pushed in to make the handle holes) and Gene chewed the crap out of one of the flaps.  Or maybe it was Murray?  Safe money is on Eugene for that one.  He loves to chew cardboard (the thought of that makes my teeth want to crawl out of my head).

So, what's on the Fluff list for May?  I have no freaking clue.  I'm tempted to revisit one of the baby friendly patterns I have (like the little horses or dinosaurs) because I can churn out a lot of those really easily.  I just need to go up to my craft room and thumb through all the patterns and see what strikes my fancy (but I really think a super simple one is going to win).

March Fluff Project: DONE

Yesterday was a sew-cation from work (I routinely have to use a random vacay day or risk not accruing more vacay--can't be missing out on paid time off work now can I?)

So yesterday was earmarked to finish up the March Fluff Project sewing I'd been lingering over for some time (I swear, I cut these out at the beginning of the month and there they sat on my table until yesterday).

There they are, the catch of the day.

Three whales and three sharks.  I'm such a good fisherwoman!

Well, Jodie from Ric Rac (or jodiericrac on instagram--I'm all about the instagram lately) is the awesome fisherwoman.

She gave me a free copy of her latest (still not yet released) pattern.

She was showing it off over on instagram and I commented (to Kristy of Hopeful Threads) about how it looked like a great Fluff idea and didn't Jodie go and hook me up with a freebie when she heard what the Fluff project is.

How's that for being a super great person, huh?  Big giant THANK YOU to Jodie for a great pattern.

Since I'm talking about it I'll do a bit of a review of it.  First, it's definitely beginner friendly.  It explains how to the do the embroidery on the faces and all that (which you might not get on non-beginner patterns, they'd assume you knew how to do that).  The pattern is nice and big which is great for a beginner but it also works well if you shrink it a bit (print it scaled to the page instead of spread out over the page).  I showed off a shark I made using the smaller size and it turned out great (didn't do a smaller whale).

The only problem a beginner might have (and this would only be if they were a super "never sewed anything before" beginner) is with easing the curves.  The curves aren't severe, but there is a nice wavy one on the sharks side that you have to ease a bit so you don't get folded puckers.  And sewing the bottom of the whale to the top takes a bit of easing, too.  Again, not that big of a deal but if you were a totally raw beginner it could be frustrating.  I know I'm not a raw beginner and I find easing to be bothersome until I get the feel for it again (I have to do a practice one to get the feel then I'm good).

All easing aside, all my water loving friends turned out GREAT.

Whale PILE!

You can see these really are a good size.  Not huge but definitely a nice big size which makes them not only easier to sew but also super huggable.

I loved picking out the fabrics for these.  This is where having a decent stash paid off.  The only thing I had to buy for this project was some more safety eyes.  And that was only to make sure I didn't run out (so I bought extras to re-stock my eye stash).

This one is totally batik.  I didn't do a contrasting belly/under fins for this one and it looks really good.  I'm still not a huge batik fan but they have turned out to be very nice for stuffie projects.  Maybe someday I'll really love them but that day is not today.

Bad photo (dark) but this blue is lighter than it looks and the paisleys are dark.  On its own, this fabric was heinously ugly.  But used for a stuffie it works well.

This fabric is brighter than it looks here.  I had to do a pink mouth so it would show up!

Next, the sharks!

I stuck with gray/dark colors for all of them but I think for the next round (I do think I'm going to do another set of these for April for the Sew Mama Sew toy drive) I'll get more colorful.

Composition book cover fabric.  I really love that fabric.  I had a half yard of it and between this shark and the kitty I made with it, it's getting used down really well.  Who you gonna call?  Stash busters!

I did something weird when sewing this one (not sure what) so he has a bit of a pronounced nose.  I kind of like it.  It makes him look even cuter.

Stripes and polka dots, together at last!

I was bored of plain white for the bottoms so I had to mix it up a bit.  I used solid white on the composition book cover shark because it's a dingier shade (off white) so the polka dots didn't look right against it.  But the dots look great on the lighter gray sharks.

This fabric was MADE for sea loving critters.  This shark just looks so proud of himself.

SO. . .now I have a garbage bag full of fluff I need to mail off to Kristy.  I think I'll do that in the next week or so.  It makes sense to mail every three months or so, so critter aren't hanging out in my house tempting my cats to get hair on them.  (for the record, I use a lint roller on every toy before I pack it up and I store them in a sealed bag while they wait--but my white cat Murray sheds like he's getting paid by the hair to lose it, so hair does get on them a bit despite my best efforts).

What's next for Fluff?  Well, I need to pick out a pattern for April.  Hmm, I wonder what I haven't used yet. . .

February Let's Book It: Project Completed!

Over the weekend I got my Let's Book It Challenge item done.

Holy crap, I've been sitting on this forever and the project was so stinking simple. . .yeah, I'm embarrassed by my procrastination.

I scored the Sock it to Me book at the discount book store for only $3.99.  WOOT!

It's full of funky stuff and I want to make every item in it but I decided to go with one of the easier projects (some required really long socks which I don't have and one really cool project requires fabric paint which I also don't have so. . .)

EEEK!!

Creepy clown ALERT!

Oh, I wasn't kidding, he's creepy.

SUPER CREEPY!!

But also cute.

Though I'm not thrilled with the lack of arms.  I was tempted to poach the arm pattern from one of the other projects to make this goofy fella some arms but I wanted to do the project as it's described in the book before I went altering it (though I did alter by using yarn for the hair instead of a nappy ass clown wig--though the clippings from the clown wig looked super cool).

This project was so damn easy and fun.  I was tempted to make a few more and to have a car full but I wanted to make sure I completed the challenge so I only made the one.

The problem I have with this book is not with the book but with me.  I love the projects but they're not the type of things I can give away to something like the Fluff Project once I make them.  I can only keep so many of the funky things I make so I might not get back to playing with this book for a while (well, maybe I'll dip back into it for a swap I'm hosting, but you get my point).

Funky clown is now hanging out on the shelves in my craft room.  He seems happy enough.

February Sewing Goals: Accomplishments (and my cats!)

Wow, February went fast.

So, time to round up some of my sewing/quilting goals for the month.

(oh and warning, I'm bombing my blog today, lots of posts).

First up are a few things that were technically for swaps but since they are quilting related I'm filing them under "quilting goals" as well as swaps.

There was a run of basic 9 patch swaps. You made two blocks per swap and they had to be opposite patterns.  So these count as generic quilty practice.  (I also learned I need to get a bit more white/white fabrics, most of my white based fabrics were a bit strong in color for this swap and we couldn't use solid white).

Next up is an actual goal completion.

For February I wanted to complete another flimsy.  I wanted to use the fabric I won from the Pets on Quilts contest (over at Lilly Pad Quilting) last year to make a kind of in memorium quilt for Olive (she was featured on the mini quilt I used for my submission and sadly she died only one year after we adopted her and I miss the hell out her rat tailed ass. . .but I digress).

I won a jelly roll of Bali Pops batiks in the Lorikeet color variety.  Which was perfect to do a jelly roll race quilt top.  It seemed super easy and fast which is what I need since I'm still a beginner (and February was coming to a close so I needed to get my butt in gear).

I give you the Olive Green jelly roll race in memorium quilt top!

It's actually really pretty.  As I was stitching it up I was worried I was creating the world's fugliest flimsy but the colors really do go well with one another (it's a big brighter than the pic shows--it looks kind of pastel there but it's bright batiks).

Of course, the minute I stretched it over the couch. . .

Aww, Gene, sitting on you sissy's memorial quilt top.  *sigh*

But that beautiful moment was short lived when THIS happened.

THIS meaning Murray (the white blur in the foreground).  He burrowed up under the fabric and was proceeding to grab at it with his claws.  No, thou shall not claw the quilt top.  Hell, I almost destroyed a few of the strips when I was making it because I was having a mental breakdown and just COULD NOT figure out how to properly join the strips so the made the angle.  I kept getting a mitered style corner to my join and I had to go back and check the tutorial (Missouri Quilt youtube for the win!).  That was after I had a not so dignified hissy fit that was *this close* to ending in tears.  I blame it on the shitty weather lately (and my not wanting to fail at such an easy project).

I let the cats enjoy the quilt top (no claw!) for a bit before folding it up to store in the craft room.  One of my yearly goals is to complete a full quilt and this top is going to be my sacrificial lamb.  Since it's so basic in design, I should be able to do some basic free motion quilting (I'm thinking squiggly lines in the middle of each strip) and have it look ok.  But for now I'm sitting it aside.  I need to measure it and trim it up a bit then decide what fabric to use for the back.  But I have time to get that done.

For the record, the jelly roll race quilt top is easy if you're not being dumb as a rock and get the angled join figured out immediately (it was easy once I got it right, it was just figuring out what I was doing wrong that about made me crazy).  Just make sure to wind a few bobbins before hand.  I went through two full ones (almost three).

2015 Quilty Goals: New block practice

There's some debate (in my own mind) as to whether I did this block correctly.  I re-watched the tutorial and I swear I did it right BUT I looked at another tutorial (provided on the swap I thought I was going to do but then dropped because I wasn't sure I did the blocks correctly) and it looked different.

Eh, here's what I got:

I made them in the colors the swap specified (thinking I was going to use them, before I chickened out).

Clearly one is a bit crooked.  I'm not sure if that's a sewing error or pressing error or a bit of both.  (that's the block there on the right)

Closer look to examine.

See, the debate is over that wee little four patch in the middle.  On the Missouri Quilt Co tutorial, they only give the middle bit one quarter turn so you get the white going diagonal down the whole patch and the color diagonal in the other direction.  But on one of the other tutorials (that I'm too lazy to look up now) they have it turned more.  I think they said 180 degrees which would be two quarter turns (if my math is right, which it frequently is NOT).  So in the example block above, that would mean you don't have color flowing diagonally.  For the center you'd have the grape print next to the two other purples and the whites as a band.  But in the one tutorial they also did the flipping differently so maybe that's the problem?

I really think the Missouri Quilt Co tutorial was the easiest and made sense for the seams, too.  The way they have you turn the middle bit, your seams fit nicely together.

Either way, I didn't feel like making more because they are a bit fussy.  Not hard, exactly, but fussy.  They remind me just a bit of paper piecing which isn't my bag (there are a lot of seams on the back so it's kind of bulky).

I did do well in matching my points on both.  The one just has that crookedy part to it.

I didn't bother to trim them down at all.  I think I'll just add them to my miscellaneous block pile and use them to practice free motion quilting.

Speaking of, I got a bit more of that done this weekend, too.  You'll see that in the next post when I show off the patches I made.

Ok, off to the next post, shall we?

2015 Quilty Goal: Half Square Triangles

Making some progress on practicing other types of blocks.

Buoyed by the success of my first stab at playing with half square triangles (that patch I made), I decided to give pinwheels a try.

Missouri Star Quilt Company's youtube channel is great for all the learnings.  They had a "cheater" way to make pinwheels and damn it all, it was SUPER EASY.

These are super scrappy.  I just grabbed up some charms from my big pile of 5 inchers.  I kind of tried to make them play nicely with each other but as you can see some definitely look more "pinwheel" than others.  Higher contrast between fabrics is better.

This one isn't very pinwheel.  The fabrics are both too low volume-ish for the blades to stand out.  But I was able to use up a charm that had a big ole cross on it so that was good.  I'm not a fan of super religious fabric (like with crosses and that).

This one is definitely very pinwheel.  My shitty lighting doesn't do the color justice (of course).  The purples are really deep and pretty.

I thought this one would be cuter since it was chipmunks and some tree print but it's a bit too choppy to really stand out as a classic pinwheel.

My favorite.  It's super patterned but there's good light/dark contrast so it looks very pinwheel.

If I may brag, my points all meet up damn well, too.

While the tutorial is super simple, I did find I had to pay super close attention when I was pressing the seams on each piece.  Had to make sure they went in opposite directions so the diagonal seams would nest when I joined them.

Now I want to hack up all my 5" charms and make a super fugly pinwheel quilt top.  I also kind of what to try making super tiny pinwheels using some of my 2.5" charms.  That might not work out, but I think I will try it once just for shits and giggles.