Dec
29
Handmade Holiday — A long overdue quilt
Filed Under Giving, Parenting, Quilting, Sewing | 10 Comments
It seems like I’ve made a thousand and one posts (ok, maybe only four) about this particular quilt, but I’ve finally come to the last post about it.
Alexis is nine and a half, and has never been the recipient of one of my quilts. They are always gifted (usually baby gifts) to other people’s kids. So this summer I finally swore to her that the next quilt would be hers. Well, the next big quilt anyway (as I snuck in several mini’s and a tree skirt).
So she picked some colors and I headed to the LQS for some solids. At the store, somehow a Moda Sugar Pop charm pack snuck in.
I thought I was only going to tie this quilt, which is something I’ve never done, but in the end it is partly machine quilted (4 horizontal lines on the ditch between each row of blocks) and hand quilted using the “big stitch” technique and 3 different shades of variegated cotton perle floss.
When I started the hand quilting, I thought I would only do every other “row” of white squares, but ended up hating that and didn’t really think it was enough quilting anyway, so all the other white squares were outlined as well. Unfortunately that still didn’t seem adequate as the centers of each windmill block were still completely unquilted, so I added small “x”s to the center of each block.
The back is also from the Moda Sugar Pop line. I had considered adding a border to the finished top, but there was just enough of the backing fabric to cover it as is, so no border. Which means this quilt is a little shy of a twin size at about 80 x 60ish. But that’s ok as Alexis’ bed is a loft style bed, and it doesn’t need to hang over the edges when made.
The binding is yet another Sugar Pop print. I love the binding. It’s not quite polka dotted, but close enough to make me smile when I see it. And the turquoise is Alexis’ favorite color at the moment.
This is also the first time I’ve added a hand embroidered label to a quilt, but I knew that the occasion screamed for it. So I included a simple message to remind us how long she actually waited for this quilt. She loves the label more than you could imagine. Go figure.
Originally I had hoped to give it to her for her birthday at the end of the summer, but that didn’t happen, obviously. Around Thanksgiving I decided that come hell or high water, she would get it for Christmas. I know she thought it would never get done because the squares would sit untouched for weeks on end. I know she was really surprised when she went up to watch TV in the loft one day and found a basted quilt folded in my spot.
I was wondering how I was going to pull off “surprising” her when she already knew what state the quilt was in at any given moment. On the 23rd of December I took the finished quilt down to our room and wrapped it up. I thought for sure she was going to notice it missing from my chair upstairs before we left for my aunt’s the next day.
I gave it to her Christmas Eve night, and as you can see, she was so excited when she finally figured out what it was. She was fighting with the tape on the box so hard for so long trying to get it out.
I’m so glad it was so well received. I know she will treasure for years to come… even when she hits those teenage years and wants a room entirely shrouded in black.
Linking up with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.
Dec
18
Thanks to everyone who entered! I am slowly working my way through all of your favorite blogs, and also trying to implement some of the tips you all gave. Thanks for all of the constructive criticism… and Thanks to those who like the blog just the way it is.
And now… the winners.
#38 – Kim says: “I love karencheng.com.au. She’s inspiring and funny! I didn’t even know about those Wendy patterns by Simplicity. How awesome!”
Kim chose the Built by Wendy pattern.
#16 – Taryn says: “I love the Sew4Home blog. There has been so many great projects I want to try.”
Taryn chose the Emma pattern.
#36 – Erin, chose to pass since the two remaining patterns would not have been something she could use.
#20 – Ashley says: “I love adventuresindressmaking. She posts awesome tutorials and always makes cute stuff!”
She chose the Maddie Bee pattern.
#39 – Kim says: “To improve your blog I would perhaps have a page of Tutorials cos I always go to that page on every blog I find. It’s either that or Recipes, lol.”
Yes, that’s the same Kim as the first prize winner, so she will also receive the Giraffic Park pattern. And Kim, you’ll notice that I already added the tutorials link up there. That was a much requested item. Thanks!
I hope all of you enjoy the patterns. I’d love to see what you make!
Dec
11
Giveaway Day!
Filed Under Giving, Quilting, Sewing | 109 Comments
Twice per year SewMamaSew.com hosts a Giveaway Day. A whole bunch of bloggers get giveaways together, and SewMamaSew compiles a big list. Or in this case, there are multiple lists for different categories. And this giveaway day is actually a giveaway week! You’ll want to head over there to find all the other give aways! But not yet….
Today, I have 4 patterns to give away. All of them are uncut. Some are extras that I won’t use, some are from Sewing Summit swag, and one is a pattern I bought forever ago and have never managed to make. But it’s so cute I think someone should try it out.
The first is a much sought after copy of Simplicity 3835 Built By Wendy top. I bought it as an extra ages ago when I had a very lucky day! It’s the smaller size range from size 4-12. I have hunted high and low for a second copy in the larger size, but have not found it.
Next up are two patterns left from my Sewing Summit swag. I know that I will not have occasion to make either of these, so I’m offering them up to someone with a little girl of their own to sew for.
One is an The Maddie Bee apron style top from Brassy Apple. So cute. (Sizes 2 – 7)
And the other is a modkid pattern… emma. An adorable dress with lots of layers that reminds me of a butterfly costume for some reason. (Sizes 2T – 7)
And finally, The old quilting pattern that I never got to, but someone should! It would be an adorable wall hanging in a newborn’s nursery. It’s the first block from the Giraffic Park series quilt by McKenna Ryan called “Tippy Top“. And in my humble opinion the cutest block from the series… but I have a thing for giraffes.
I’m going to give away each pattern as a separate prize, so I will randomly draw 4 winners after December 16 (Friday), 2011 at 7pm CST. All you have to do to enter is leave me a comment telling me what one of your favorite blogs is and why. (For a second entry, leave another comment telling me one way I can improve my blog.)
First name drawn will get to choose which pattern they want, then the 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Feel free to leave your first choice in your comment. And this one is open to everyone. Even overseas.
I hope you are all as excited about this as I am!
Dec
9
Another short update on Alexis’ new quilt. Quilting has commenced. When I started this project I thought for sure I would just tie it (which I had never done before), then after Sewing Summit, I thought I might try free-motion quilting it. But as you can see, I opted for the current trend of big-stitch quilting with perle cotton.
I think I like it, but I’m not sure.
What do you think?
PS — stay tuned for Monday’s Giveaway Day! I’ve got a surprise for someone!
Dec
4
It’s raining! After such a drought, I’m not about to complain about a rainy weekend. So instead, I’ll baste Alexis’ quilt. Yeah, that’s the batting. I have a hair brained idea about the top. I’ll let you know how it works out.