Inspiring Monday

This week I am showing my school pride with your monday inspiration!

UT Quilt by Stephanie who blogs here.

Not only does this quilt celebrate my alma mater (why yes, I do bleed orange) but it also showcases so much of what I love about quilting!  The irregular shaped squares and rectangles, the varying shades of orange, grey (the binding!!), and black, plus the straight line quilting (and of course Bevo down in the corner there!) are all some of my favorite aspects of quilts being made today.

A Color Frenzy

DSQ10 is proving to be an emotional experience!

I get one idea and I feel brilliant!

I start to work on the idea then feel completely unsure.

I change ideas and feel empowered!

I start to work on the idea then feel like an idiot.

Good idea...great idea...horrible idea...they will love this...they will hate this...they will be so disappointed...

Finally though I think I came up with an idea that I love and think my partner will love too.

This is my upteenth sketch but I do love it. It took forever to narrow down my color choices, but in the end there are 27 different Kona colors not including white and possibly 2 grey (although those might still be cut).

This is what I have so far. The color squares are 2.25 inches square and the whole piece so far is 11 inches square. At this point I have about 10 different borders in mind, but I am trying to narrow them down by making a bit of it and auditioning it.  Any suggestions though would be appreciated!

Hopefully now my brain will settle down and stop yo-yo-ing like crazy over this swap!

Covet

 

Stargaze

 

 Land of Ampersand

 ABCs

Katie Daisy is an amazing illustrator whose work is fun, colorful, personal, and just simply gorgeous!  And I want like *all* of her prints and greeting cards!

Website   |    Blog   |   Flickr   |   Etsy

Sewing Obligations...

Wait...obligations is too strong of a word.

Especially when I enjoy it this much!

So lets call it Happy Sewing for February instead!

This month I worked on Beth's Row Robin for the HMQG!



Her original row is on the left and my addition to it on the right!I adored her fabric choices and it was so easy to pull matching colors for this!

I also made blocks for do. Good Stitches! This month we made Starburst blocks using the amazing Ashley's (from Film in the Fridge) tutorial.



Working on that block on the right was when I managed to have my blond moment of the year. Oops.

Can't wait to get to next month's Happy Sewing! 

Inspiring Monday

I did have something different to show you today, but it is now coming next monday as I could not wait to share this video I found!

If this is not inspiring I don't know what is!



Quilt by Gayle Thomas

From her page: A tribute to the unique and long-established art form of patchwork quilting, this abstract animated film uses computer and experimental techniques to choreograph quilt motifs and designs to music.

More from the National Film Board of Canada's blog.

This is so beautiful, pretty funky and psychedelic, and has some great music. I totally want to sew after watching this even though my finger is still sore from yesterday's blond moment.

Needles are...uh...sharp

Yeah...sharp.

In one side and out the other.



So much for a nice leisurely day of sewing.



ouch.

Although I should have taken a picture of it in my finger. Actually kind of cool. Like a piercing!

(And please ignore my horrid cuticles. Thank you.)

Hit the Road Again

Dear sweet baby Daniel entered the world on October 5th.  I finished this blanket in early January, and gifted it for his birth Christmas just because in February.  Better late than never right?



The pattern I just created as I went. Fabrics are Riley Blake, Kona Cotton, and the blue stripe is from Hancocks.



The backing is a super soft red flannel and I made a tag for it using TLC Stitches tutorial which was very easy and yielded nice results.  Although after washing it did fray slightly on the ends so next time I will be sure to spray them first. 



His mom, one of my best friends Meagan, snapped a pic with her cell, and all in all I think it was a success!




*****

And I was featured yesterday on Modern Day Quilts!



Yay! Go check out this blog! Every day is total inspirational eye candy!

Inspiring Monday

Well this past week has been pretty busy at work and the next 2 weeks are going to be the same for me so I don't see much sewing in my near future unfortunately, but that doesn't mean I am not still continuously inspired.  So now I am just stocking up the inspiration until the next time I have a day off and am not sick.

This week I want to share this mini quilt made from selvages!



Selvage Star by Twinfibers

I love that selvages have become so versatile in sewing today. Waste not want not! And the tiny green flange around the binding - too cute!  Plus the hand stitched accents around the star!  I mean geeze!  My heart is fluttering over here!

Anyone in the Club?

So I found out about this awesome new Solids Club at Pink Chalk Fabrics and I am totally excited!

I usually buy my solids at my LQS or Hobby Lobby but they always have the same colors, so this will greatly expand my solids stash!  I can't wait for my first package!

Also the super sweet Lynne over at Lily's Quilts has a new project on Moda Bake Shop today!  You must all go check it out!  She is also doing a giveaway on her blog for an oh so coveted Sherbet Pips layer cake to help you start making this quilt!



I know I will be making one of these quilts if not more! Congrats Lynne on an awesome quilt!

I Dream of Triangles

This quilt was so wonderful to work on.  I am officially in love with half square triangles.  Granted this quilt didn't go all well, but still I love it!



This quilt is going to be a gift for my great grandmother on her 91st birthday. She is the person who inspired and taught me to quilt in the first place.  I have 2 quilts made by her and I treasure them.   One day I shall have to get them out, photograph them and share them with you all.  She pieces and quilts by hand and each and every stitch is perfect. 



I made it using Moda's Dream On line which I didn't much like at first as I am not a fan of vintage sheets, but as I was working with it really grew on me and now I quite like it!



I backed it in one of the large floral prints from the line and binded it with the green stripe which is one of my favorite prints. I straight line quilted it and now just can't wait to give it to her!

Inspiring Monday

This week I am sharing a quilt that I simply adore.  I think in this case it is the color pallet that calls to me.  Usually we are all so caught up in the brights, the bolds, the patterns and prints - but these neutrals, simple shapes, and echo quilting are all just so subtle yet compelling.



Sun and Moon by Square One Studio

2 Tops Done?!

This weekend I go so much sewing done - it was so relaxing and so much fun.  I did a lot of sewing obligations for the Houston Modern Quilt Guild but more on that later.  This weekend I got 2 sewing tops done!

To be fair this top was already done - just needed some tweaking and squaring up.  I did also get it basted though! 



Pattern: Amy Butlers EQ program
Fabric: Kona Solids in White, Pomegranate, Bubble Gum, and Coral

I also finished my Innocent Crush lattice top. I loved this quilt so much when it was on the design wall but now I am not so sure. I am hoping the love will return though once I get it quilted.



Pattern: Started as a charm square quilt, then turned on point, then decided to narrow sash it - so yeah no pattern just constant tweaking!
Fabrics: Anna Maria Horner Innocent Crush, Kona Sky

Farwell My Mini Penny

This is Penelope Elizabeth Cooper - my Mini Cooper - my Penny. 



Only now I have to say goodbye to her.
She was my first new car.
She was a beautiful car, and I loved her.



But sadly even brand new she was always pretty sickly and no matter how many times I took her to the doctors at the dealership she was never completely healed.



So I have to move on - and it is heartbreaking.
I cried.  She is a car, but I cried.



But will be better in the long run I think.

Less stress, less money, less worry.

But still sad.

Thanks for allowing me this short diversion from crafting.