A W.I.P.

It's not Wednesday but I have a W.I.P to share.  It's "kinda" a finish too, because the first step of the quilting is done.  And, I had to finish the basting step to get to the quilting step, so, ummm, yeah, it's a finish, too!
O.K.  That's a stretch, but truthfully, I am pleased with the progress and just want to link up to share!

Once my Pink Chevron quilt top got done, it sat around for a few days while I was off watching SingAndDance sing (and dance) in High School Musical, Jr.  It was a fabulous production, but WOW! does the theater life put a damper on the quilting (and cleaning) life.  There was a LOT of time put into getting her to the show, watching the show, baking HSM themed cookies to sell at the concession booth at intermission, selling raffle tickets before and after the show, attending the cast party, striking the set.  A LOT of time.

But, I finally found time to piece a back for this pretty little quilt.  The backing fabric is a pretty pink and brown dotted design that I picked up in a remnant bin and JoAnn's.  It was very reasonably priced, and there was a LOT of it, for a remnant, but still needed a little help.  I've ever pieced a back before.  I am surprised by how stressful that was.  It took a long time to decide what to do, and even to just do the math to make sure that it would come out big enough.  I am not sure I love it, but it works.

Not the best picture, but you get the idea,  I hope.

This was my first time using 505 Spray Baste.  I *Think* I love it, but the jury's still out.   It was a learning process for sure!  I am glad this was a small-ish quilt, and next time I will need to recruit a helper to get the layers rolled out smoothly.    And maybe find something else to lay the quilt on, on the garage floor, rather than a bulky blanket. But I have to say, I did manage to get a nice, smooth "quilt sandwich" that quilted up beautifully!  No major puckers or wrinkles.  And I did NOT miss removing pins!  I was pleasantly surprised that the needle didn't get "gummed" up, too.  In fact, my machine seemed to really enjoy quilting this one, and cooperated for the WHOLE quilt!  That rarely happens.

I quilted along both sides of the seems of each chevron.  It was fun, and quick, and I really like the way it looks.  It's minimal, as far as quilting goes, but I think it's enough.  I hope I feel that way after it's washed.  I am kind of afraid that it will not hold together very well with so little quilting.

I purposely left the neutral chevrons unquilted.  I am going to hand quilt (big stitch, with pearl cotton!) with pink in those areas.  That's the plan for any down time I happen to find this weekend.

Then, to decide on a binding color.  Hmmmm.  Any ideas?

Happy Sewing!

Tami

Binder Pencil Pouch

My oldest daughter, SingAndDance, starts middle school in just a few weeks.  Middle School!  She is so ready.  She's a really good kid.  Smart, funny, kind  and genuine.  I am blessed.

I hope that Middle School lives up to her expectations, and offers her lots and lots of new ways to learn and grow.  One new experience for her will be Band.  She is going to play the flute.

Every morning next week she will participate in "Band Camp" with the other new 6th Grade Band members.  She is required to have a zippered pencil pouch to put in her three ring binder.  She asked me to make one from some really cute music note fabric that she found for $1 in the scrap bin at a local fabric and framing shop.

I will admit, I'm a teeeeny bit thrilled that she asked.  I know that the days of loving what mom makes are numbered, and I will take it while I can!

I have never made a zipper pouch before.  I've never put in a zipper before.  Well, maybe once, but it would have been on a 4-H project, and I'm sure I had a LOT of help from my mom.
I found a tutorial of sorts somewhere on the interned (It was one of those generic How To pages, not someone's blog, and it wasn't very good, so I'm not going to link to it), and gave it a try.  The pink floral pouch is my practice.  I just love that fabric.  It went pretty well, despite some big gaps in the "instructions."  It's a good thing I like to putz and figure things out!  The version in the instructions didn't have any batting, but I knew I wanted this pouch to be sturdy, so I added some fusible fleece I've used when making purses.  Then, of course, I needed to add a backing/lining.  And then, naturally, some quilting was necessary.  I dropped my feed dogs and tried a tiny little bit of FMQ, just around some of the flowers.  It was fun and looked cute.  Until I turned it over.  FMQ turned into FMM...Free Motion Mess!  WOW!  What a nest of thread I created.  It was only the second time I have tried to drop my feed dogs and stitch without a presser foot.  The first time was moderately successful.  This time, not so much.  But it's OK.  It's on the inside, and this was for practice.  Putting in those eyelets for the rings was a new experience, too, but I figured it out.

Once I knew what I was doing and how it needed to go together, I came up with my own method, which is a bit more streamlined than the original - it's all one piece, so just top and bottom seams.  I quilted this one in straight lines, going horizontally, perpendicular to that awesome, chunky orange zipper.  I'm really so happy with how this turned out!  SingAndDance is, too! Yay!

I am linking to Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.  Very Excited to have TWO things to share this week!!!

Happy Sewing!

Chevron Quilt Top....Finished!

Don't zoom...it needs pressing and thread clipping!

This is a pretty quick finish for me!  I posted just last week about starting a chevron quilt using Kelly's (My Quilt Infatuation) Easy Peasy tutorial.  And today, I  put the last seam in the top!  (Really, there was just ONE seam left.  It should have been done a few days ago, but... well, you know...) What a fun time it has been!  And yes, pretty easy peasy!  It's wonderful to see a quilt come together so fast, and to accomplish so much in each sitting.  The method of making 4 HST's at once makes it feel like you're flying through, and because the squares are pretty large, a row takes no time at all to sew up.

 It's really fun to watch it grow!  I loved that I could get a significant amount done in my sewing sessions.  I felt like I really got a lot accomplished each time I went into the sewing room.  And I liked doing each of the individual steps, nothing felt too tedious or frustrating.  (Yes, that's an ABC poster in the background of the picture to the left.  My sewing space is shared by my girls, and that's the "playing school corner.")

Well, there are a lot of seams to match and points to pin (I know there are some of you who never pin...but I"m not in your camp...yet.), but even that wasn't too bad.  And I found that once the points were pinned, the squares were pretty forgiving, since they were cut across the grain, and sewing was really easy.  Most of my points even came out pretty well!  Not 100% perfect, but not bad at all.  And when put all together and viewed from a distance, well, I feel pretty good about it!

I found a pretty backing, so sometime soon that will get washed, and then it's on to basting and quilting.  I think this will be quilted along the inside of each chevron.  And, just for fun, I think I might hand quilt  inside the light colored chevrons with pink pearl cotton.  We'll see.  I really hope to finish this one before the end of August.

Here are two more pictures of my Pink and Brown Chevron Quilt.  How do you like the " model pose" in the first one? (Heeheehee.  That's my MonkeyNinja!)

Yes, those neutrals are mix and matched.  This is (mostly)  a stash buster, so I went with what I had.  It doesn't bother me, but it drives my older daughter NUTS!  She is my perfectionist!

I'm linking up with Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, and Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.  I just love these two Linky Parties.  Such great sources of inspiration, and so fun to have them to look through all weekend!

Happy Sewing!