Big Bed Quilt Check In

So I am checking in on the last day of February to share my big bed quilt progress with you. Here is what we have so far:

 Last fall I started to piece my queen size quilt. I had fabric I loved and found a pattern that would really show it off.

I figured out a layout that would work for all the prints in this quilt and photographed it so I could refer back to it as I went, and I drew a map of the placement as well.

And I ended up with this lovely quilt top. At which point I hit a wall and folded it up and put it away. I knew I would eventually return to it, but when?

And then Rachel rescued it. She proposed a Big Bed Quilt Along. So I decided to join her and get this thing done. Since I had the top finished, I needed a back and I really didn't want to piece it, but all the wide backing I had seen was awful.

Rachel to the rescue again. She has a sponsor called Pineapple Quilts that has LOTS of 108 inch backing fabrics and they are great! So I found one I loved that would go well with this top and ordered a 3 yard chunk.

My goal for February was to get the backing and get this beast pin basted and ready to quilt. I finally did that last week and a wee bit ahead of schedule, I found a thread  and began quilting.

    This green cross weave is the backing I selected and it is perfect for this quilt.

 Here is the top all pinned and ready to go. It took about 3 hours to pin the whole thing and there was furniture moving to accommodate it on the living room floor.

And now here are the first bits of quilting. I chose a variegated thread to quilt with, just for fun. I emailed Rachel to ask advice on the quilting motif and we agreed on this one. It took me most of a day to do the first two rows from top to bottom. I broke a needle and I can't believe how much thread it took for just these two passes.

So if I only do two rows each day I work on it, I have ten days of quilting left. Yeesh that sounds awful, but I am hoping it gets better.  It is very heavy as well and my shoulders can only take so much. So, wish me luck. I know I can get it done.

Talk to you soon.

A Flimsy Finish

I have been crushing hard on this fabric:

 It is all over the internet and Instagram. If you haven't seen it, well I don't know why not.

 And with my jelly roll, I found a way to really show it off. I couldn't wait to cut and sew. I found a Rail Fence from a jelly roll on Material Girl Quilts that was the perfect stage for this.

See? Isn't this wonderful? I think it took me two days of sewing and cutting and sewing, but I am in love!!! I am now working on a backing for it. I am thinking of quilting with a variegated thread, and am going to try and find one this weekend a a local quilt shop. Have a lovely weekend.
Linking up with Amanda Jean.

Sunday Stash

It has been forever since I used to post on Sunday Stash. I really haven't felt like I had anything really worth sharing...until now. I bought a couple of yards of this fabric this week, and a jelly roll. I hardly ever buy jelly rolls anymore, but I felt the need to have a bit of every color of this line. When you see it you'll understand. Here we go:

I laid them all out on my ironing board and they were just so beautiful, I had to share pictures.

The colors... oh man, the colors. This, in case you weren't aware, is V and Company's newest line, Ombre Confetti Metallic. I read on instagram that this stuff is going so fast, they are already reprinting it and will even be shipping more precuts. That is unprecedented to make more precuts. Find some if you can, because this is one of those I think you will regret not having. Have a peaceful Sunday. I think I am just going to stare at my fabric.

Ombre Confetti Dress

I am being very good not buying fabric this year. I know it's only February, but still. The only fabric on my list of must have some was V and Company's Ombre Confetti Metallic. I never am attracted to fabric with metallic in it, but for some reason this just spoke to me.

As soon as Fat Quarter Shop notified me it was in, I place an order. I bought one yard of three different colors. It was so hard to decide which to buy, and I couldn't afford them all, so I also bought a jelly roll so I could have a bit of everything. And I was not disappointed.

So here is what I made first:

This is the fabric I selected for my first project. This picture doesn't even do it justice. It's much prettier.

I made a new spring dress for Miss N. When I saw that fabric I knew this would be one thing I would make with it. I really finagled with the cutting to get the ombre the way I wanted it.

And I was so happy to be able to get a section of the darker part for the collar. This is the first dress I have added a collar to. This is in the expansion pack for the Geranium dress by Rae. The collar was super easy to add and it really makes the dress, I think.

So one more shot of the finished dress. I am so thrilled and am now working on what to make from the jelly roll with all those beautiful colors. I'll keep you posted.
Linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.

A Three Year Finish

I know we all have them. Those quilts we start, we love and then they get lost along the way. Back in the winter of 2015, while I was at home going through chemotherapy, Rachel, from Stitched In Color had a Clambake quilt along. I had always wanted to make one, but it seemed too difficult to me. Rachel's method was a quilt as you go method. That I could do, I thought. This was before the fatigue got really bad, so I started the process.

I cut out all the clam shells I would need. It was to be a neutral row and then a colorful row. I went completely scrappy. I did get all the clam shells traced and cut. I think it took about a week. Then I chose my backing and started sewing. I think I got 3 rows done out of 34 rows needed. I tried to keep going, but I just didn't want to do it. I didn't want to do anything.

Fast forward to 2018. I decided to make this the year that quilt got finished. I pressed the edges with starch and then pinned each row and sewed them on. It took 3-4 weeks but now I am proud to say it's done.

 I was able to use so many fun and favorite pieces of fabric. I used some 5 inch charm squares.

 Here is the whole thing. It is a nice lap size quilt. I made the binding from the leftover pieces of the backing that I trimmed off when it was done.

 And this is the back. I don't remember the name of this fabric, but I love the shade of blue.

Not the most perfect stitching lines, but who cares, it's just for me. This makes me feel so happy to see it done. It reminds me that I came through to the other side.

Now my next project to quilt is a queen size bed quilt. I am trying to decide how I want to quilt it, so I hung it on the design wall to look at for awhile. I bought an extra wide backing fabric from Pineapple quilts. They have the biggest selection of wide backing fabrics I have seen yet. It arrived today, so now I can pin baste it as soon as I decide how to quilt it.

This is the top, on my bed. It is the free Cobblestone pattern I got from Fat Quarter Shop. So, linear quilting or curves? I think not too dense, to keep it soft and because I want to get it done this year. I am willing to entertain any ideas you have.
Talk to you soon.

Happy Birdie Quilt

And now the happy birdie quilt for Miss N is finished! I love how this turned out.

 Twenty five blocks in the No Point stars free pattern from Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew.

 Quilted on the machine with a variegated pink thread in an uneven straight line grid. Love the way it looks on this section of the backing.

The entire back, all from my stash and the binding is leftover bright pink from a recent quilt make as well. Can't wait to give this to her in a couple of months when I go for my visit. Lots of snuggles ahead. Talk to you soon.