Something small

Ok, so it's only a doll quilt.  But, it's something!  Something I finished! Celebrate the small things in life, right?

I have so many thoughts swirling around in my head lately about sewing and being over inspired and trying to "keep up." I'm hoping I can find the right words at some point to put them down.  But not right now.  I'll just start small right now.  

Currently

I’ve been quilting this stacked coins quilt off and on this past weekend. It’s going to take me all week because because I am slow and I don't have much free time, but…I am enjoying it! I think this is the first time I have truly enjoyed the actual process of quilting. So often I get a quilt top finished, sandwiched, and then I’m rushing to quilt it to get it done because of a deadline or a general desire for the finished product. But this time is different. This quilt has been sitting around, already sandwiched and pinned for well over a year. I felt so-so about this quilt top, didn’t know how I wanted to quilt it, and was unmotivated to finish it.

Until last week. I needed a break from the scrappy trip along quilt and decided to pull this out and quilt it without thinking too much (ie, straight-line quilting). Two strange things happened: First, I like this quilt again. Second, the straight-line quilting is so cathartic. I’m just enjoying every minute I have at the sewing machine, sewing line after line and watching them slowly take shape over the top.

Look what the mailman brought

Just a little stack of some Briar Rose yumminess today.  I have no idea when I'll be able to cut into this.  I have four other quilts I need to finish before I touch this stack.  I'll not have you believe that I am just disciplined like that.  The truth is I don't have space in my little (cozy?) rowhouse to accommodate another work-in-progress.  Ho hum! 

Swoon

Swoon.  She is mine and I love her.

I fell in love with this quilt pattern by the first time I saw it.  This was also around the same time that Denyse Schmidt released her flea market fancy legacy collection.  Again, love at first (or second release?) sight.

Nevermind that I had such little time to sew with a young baby and another on the way. Perhaps that's why when I finished all the blocks, I decided I didn't want to bother with the sashing; I just wanted this done already!  I actually really like the plus and diamond shapes the white background makes without the sashing.  

I cut all of the fabrics for each block at once and then just sewed one block at a time.  Sew, press, sew, press.  My points aren't perfect, but that's ok.  If I were a perfectionist, I could not be a quilter.  I would drive myself crazy.  Instead, I embrace those mistakes like designer's elements.

I backed it with kona cotton aqua.  I love this color.  It's so light and airy.  For the quilting, I did simple straight-lines about an inch apart.

I started this in the spring 2012, finished quilting it in summer 2012, and finally binded it in winter 2013.  I think this will go on the Bug's big-girl bed when she transitions out of her crib.  Apparently this may be soon as she has been requesting a pink big-girl bed for a few weeks now (and pink car, pink house, pink windows, etc etc). 

Pattern: Swoon Quilt by Thimble Blossoms

Fabrics: Mainly Flea Market Fancy Legacy by Denyse Schmidt, Backing in Kona Cotton Aqua

Everyday sewing: Bibs

Not a whole lot to say today.  My boy has a big neck and store-bought bibs are hard to get around those juicy jowls of his.  So, mama to the rescue (or sewing machine that is)!   Cotton animal prints on one side, chenille on the other.  I just traced a big bib I had already on hand.  Easy peasy.  It feels good to do some everyday sewing. 

Weekend snapshots

Just some snapshots from the weekend.

How was your weekend?

Skip Hop Jump

Skip, hop, jump.  That's how I feel when I look at this quilt.  It makes my heart happy.  This was the first quilt I completed after the bug was born.  I remember some sleepless nights when I would just go into my sewing room (which is now the bee's room) and cut and cut. Sew and sew. 

Isn't it funny how babies do things we'd like to do without any inhibitions?  Like roll around on a snuggly quilt in pure delight as their mommy tries to photograph it.

I used the Skip Hop Jump pattern from Denyse Schmidt's Quilts and fabric from Sweetwater's Hometown line, with a few other red fabrics from my stash.  I'd love to make this again someday, but might just wing it instead of using the templates. It's supposed to be a freeform quilt afterall.    

This was a wedding present for some dear friends of ours.  They had the most beautiful, intimate wedding weekend in the mountains which I feel honored to have been a part of.  I completed this quilt in July 2012 and they were married in 2010.  Luckily my friends didn't seem to mind the late present.