08-17-2013

Sample Please!

Hola Sassaritas! Hope you had a fabulous week. My internet has been el crasho, so let me catch you up on what I have been up to.

My progress on the Star Surround QAL with Melissa@Happy Quilting! All my lovely little stars. Liking the yellows, the polka dots and stripes are my favorite. I was doubting some of the fabrics, but I think they will add to the scrappines. It’s hard not to over think it, right?

Had a Friday off this week, which is awesome, because I got to pull out my Sampler quilt which I started almost 3 Years ago!!! I made this top with my Sassy Quilters Guild as we learned lots of new techniques and all about some popular traditional quilting blocks. It was a fun project and I only used scraps from my stash to make it. The colors were not my typical palette, but I took what I had and threw them in the pot, and here is what came out. I actually really like the combo. This year I am pulling out a lot of old tops I made (and then abandoned) and trying to get them done!

I am also trying to make myself continue to practice my FMQ on these tops. I am okay with all my machine quilting when it comes to straight lines or following markings, but I want to learn the “free” part of Free-Motion-Quilting:) So I went for it. No marking…just quilting what came to me. Sorry to say this felt like a flop, but since I used (mostly)matching thread, it doesn’t really show that much, except for on the dark brown, yikes! As I was contemplating why I don’t feel like I am progressing that much with this technique…I realized that if I added up my hours, it may be less than I think. I have concluded that I need some practice samples and actually go over each technique/design…A LOT! Get my muscle memory going and all. My usual M.O. is to have a quilt top sandwiched and sit down and power out a whole quilt in a day and then not do it again for a month or longer. More daily work and not making it a marathon may help….am I rambling now? Oh, well…I just want to be awesome without practicing…is that too much to ask??? Here are some pics:

Note: I am only showing the least scary pics:) This last one I knew would be rough with the dark fabric and light thread. I could have drawn it all out, but where is the fun in that…

On a super fun note :) here are some awesome fabrics I won from Lisa@InTheBoonDocks. Thanks Lisa!

Hmmmm….. what to do with these.

Keep it Sassy♥

And don’t forget to check out tomorrow’s Sunday Funday @627Handworks! Lot’s of free stuff to win:)

Links:

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Filed Under: Fabric, WIP Wednesday Tagged With: FMQ, Sampler, Star Surround QAL

07-03-2013

WIP Wednesday

Having this week off for vacation has been great! Nice to have some serious quilting time:) After having pieced all these hexies together and appliqued them to the pillow top, I am now quilting the tops(it’s a pair of pillows, actually) and made a decision to use piping around the edges….scary…I’ve never piped anything before! It doesn’t really seem too scary, it’s a pretty simple procedure, and with google power…I am unstoppable:)

I am loving the quilting on the back, too bad it is hidden inside the pillow…

I have also had some time to get ahead on the blocks for the Virtual Quilting Bee. Come back Friday to see the latest! A little simpler and cute, if I don’t say so myself.

See ya Friday, and Have a Happy, Sassy 4th!

God Bless America♥

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday Tagged With: hexies, pillows, piping

06-18-2013

WIP Wednesday

Dresden Plate…

Well, I have got my Dresden Plate top together! I thought appliqueing the Dresdens to the block would be tricky, but I used a little adhesive spray and it worked great.

First, I folded the background square into quarters and pressed it so it would leave some creases. I used these as guidelines to center the Dresdens. Just a light press was all I needed because you want to be able to iron them out afterwards. Then I used little bursts of spray adhesive(so I didn’t get the sticky stuff everywhere) and got to sewing these down.

Once the plate part of the Dresden was on I appliqued the center medallion. Pretty simple! My grey blocks are about 21″. This is going to need a whole lot of quilting. Where I got off easy during the piecing, I am going to have a lot to make up for with the quilting. Gotta sandwich first….then to the sketchbook!

I did finish up my Strawberry Jam though! Here it is:

I tried a new technique on the binding. I used a zigzag stitch to do my final seam.

For the most part is came out great. Definitely easier to catch the edge(at least at some point)! I did go off the rails in this corner, but easy enough to fix.

I am still not completely happy with the quilting and may go back and add some more, but I am pretty sure I am over thinking it and should just move on:)

See you guys on Friday!

Keep it Sassy♥

Linking up with:

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday Tagged With: dresden plate, strawberry jam

06-12-2013

WIP Wednesday

Moving right along with my UFO’s, this one not quite so old! I created a free beginner quilt pattern called Strawberry Jam when I started my blog, but (*wincing in shame*) I only made the top. It is a pretty simple pattern for beginners who want to make something bigger, but don’t need to get crazy. Actually it’s not just for beginners, but it is easy! A quick fun project with a modern feel. Here is the free pattern: Strawberry Jam.

I made this quilt from generic stash, but some of the strips are from a jelly roll, Odds and End by Julie Comstock for Moda.

I love polka dots and a big pool of fresh binding♥

Well the binding is ready to be bound, and I am going to try a “new to me” technique using a zig-zag stitch to finish the binding. We will see…

See ya Friday for the next block in the Virtual Quilting Bee!

Keep it Sassy♥

(Links: WIPWednesday@FreshlyPieced, WeDidItWednesday@SewMuchAdo, QuiltStory, NeedleandThreadThursday@MyQuiltInfatuation)

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday Tagged With: binding, strawberry jam

06-05-2013

WIP Wednesday

Dresden Plate

Today is a happy day…. a Work In Progress and a Finish! First my WIP, a Dresden Plate. I can’t tell you how long I have been waiting to try one of these!!!

My fabrics are Birds and Berries by Lauren and Jessi Jung for Moda fabrics. I’ve had these since Christmas and been itching to use ’em. They were a layer cake and I was able to cut four blades or petals from each 10″ square. I’ve got my five plates done and now I am going to design my quilt top. That’s how you do it, right? Make the blocks and then figure how they fit??? Maybe not! I’m a little backwards, but I had a general idea of what I was planning…stay tuned for my progress and I will show you how I got these Dresie’s put together:)

Now for my Finish…Sunbonnet Sue:

Sunbonnet Sue

This was a fun small quilt to make, a labor of love for a special little cousin of mine:) I wanted to use this quilt to work on some of my FMQ. Getting better, but not quite there to venture out to a super tricky design.

I used a stencil for the feathers in the border….its hard enough just following the lines. The inner border has a cathedral windows sort of design. That was a little more freestyle, as you can probably tell. Practice, practice, practice!

I loved the backing on this one too. When held to the light it shines through like a stained glass window.(no pic sorry) Hope you like it Jaycee!

Plum and June

This Friday begins the New Blogger Blog Hop, which I am sooooo excited to be a part of!!!

I will share all the wonderful new blogs with you so you can check them out and share the love♥

Links: WIPWedneday@FreshlyPieced, WeDidIt!Wednesday@SewMuchAdo, Thursday Threads@627Handworks)

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday

05-29-2013

WIP Wednesday

So what am I working on this week…

Mostly the catch up blocks for The Virtual Quilting Bee @Diary of a Quilter, finishing the FMQ on my sunbonnet sue, and binding another quilt.

Busy, busy, busy! I should have a good finish for Friday:)

This is a pic of another quilt I started about a year ago!!! Yikes. It is a baby quilt that is hand pieced and will be hand quilted. I wanted bragging rights to say I hand pieced at least one:)

If I can get it done I will enter it in the State Fair this September…who knows, it could happen.

This is a Tumbling Block pattern and was one of my Grandmother Sassy’s favorites for babies, I think because it is too difficult to do much larger!!!

I try to work on this one when I have down time or am away from the machine. Actually, I just carry this project around with me, but don’t actually work on it,Lol. It just sits in its little project bag all lonely…glaring at me! The thrill is gone(insert BB King music), but I will keep dragging it around until I get my hand-piecing mojo back. I will do at least one block today just for spite!

Happy Quilting♥ and See ya Friday!

Links: WIPWednesday@FreshlyPieced, WeDidIt!Wednesday@SewMuchAdo, ThursdayThreads@627Handworks, ShowandTellTuesday@IHaveToSay

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday Tagged With: tumbling block, WIP Wednesday

05-22-2013

WIP Wednesday

So here is the rest of my Sunbonnet Sue!

This quilt is a special request for a Sunbonnet Sue and lots of purple.

I made my center medallion first. I used fusible web to do raw edge applique with a blanket stitch on my machine to secure the edges. Next, I added a 2 patch border with pinwheels for the corner stones and some white borders to finish. I thought it needed a little something else, so I added a couple more border strips. I kind of liked the border strips just on two ends, so I left it just like that!

Now I have it all sandwiched and ready to quilt. FYI… I used spray adhesive for the basting and 100% cotton for batting.

Hmmmm, now how am I going to quilt this thing?

(Linking in with WIP Wednesday@FreshlyPieced and We Did It! Wednesday@SEWmuchado and ThursdayThreads@627handworks)

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday

05-15-2013

WIP Wednesday…

Yes, I am still finishing the binding on this quilt!

I did manage to pick out the fabric I wanted and also get the binding made last week.

Now….I just have to get it on the quilt!

I used this awesome border, backing and binding calculator to figure out exactly how many strips to cut:

I am having second thoughts on this green….I might just cave in and go back to pink!

What do you think?

We shall see!!!

Either way it will be done this week for sure.

Here is a sneak peak at something else I am working on….

a Sunbonnet Sue special request for a special little girl.

Stay on one project, stay on one project…….Oh well!

Happy Stitching♥

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday Tagged With: WIP Wednesday

05-08-2013

WIP Wednesday

Well, it is officially WIP Wednesday(work in progress)!!!

I am participating with Freshly Pieced and their WIP Wednesday link up,

check out their button to the right;)

I plan to share on Wednesdays what project I am working on and hope some of you guys will share your projects too! Maybe even post a pic!!! You can share here or on my Facebook page.

Today I am trying to finish up this machine quilted tumbler quilt. It is a UFO(un-finished object) that is about 2 years old! My goal this year is to finish all UFO’s. All I have left to do is the binding.

I am thinking a contrasting green for this one.

Happy Quilting♥

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Filed Under: WIP Wednesday Tagged With: WIP Wednesday