Improv Flower Block

There has still been plenty of sewing and general craftiness around here this summer, just not much bloggin' about it. I think that's the case for a lot bloggers out there, especially if they have kids home on school break. Summertime is just not meant to be spent inside at a sewing machine (or a computer!).

I've got several hand piecing and embroidery projects going right now- perfect for traveling or lawn chair-sitting while the kids are in the sprinkler. But the progress on those projects is slow and I haven't felt much like sharing.

However, this weekend was rainy and a bit chilly and my sewing machine was crying out for use, so I whipped up this little improv flower to get back on the sewing wagon.



It's mostly fused appliqué, but there are a few pieced bits—the background, the yellow circle of the flower, and one of the leaves. It was fun to pull out the scrap bin and go nuts. Geez did I make a mess of my sewing room in the process!



I think those two little leaves are my favorite part. I could make a whole quilt of funky little leaves like that!

Gifts & Such

Happy New Year to all!

The gifts have all been given, so I can now share the projects I've been working on the past few weeks...

Red & White Heart Embroidery


A gift for my grandmother-in-law who turned 100 a couple of weeks before Christmas. Pattern found via Pinterest.

Hummingbird Mini Quilt


A little hummingbird mini quilt for my grandma. Grandma always had hummingbird feeders on her back deck when I was growing up. These little birds make me think of the summer afternoons spent at Grandma's pool, watching the hummingbirds flit around her backyard.



I tried something new with this little quilt-- triangles sewn into the binding to use for hanging. I really like the look and will definitely use these on future projects!

Kitty Potholders


A set of potholders for a cat lover in the family, made using this tutorial. My first time using Insul-Bright, and now that I have some on hand I see lots of potholders in my future!

Mug Rugs






Mug rugs to go along with some photo mugs I had made for the grandparents. I love them all, but I think the flower may be my favorite!

Star Wars Cover


A heavily-padded electronic gadget cover for my son. I was going for ultra-protection, but the first version I made was sooo thick with batting that the tablet wouldn't fit! Adjustments were made and eventually there was a functional case.



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Not only were gifts given, but I also received some great sewing gifts! I've got lots of inspiration to keep me busy in 2013!

Blogger's Quilt Festival: 40th Anniversary Quilt

This is my first time participating in the Blogger's Quilt Festival, and I'd like to share with you the 40th Anniversary Quilt I made for my parents!



I have three other quilts I'm working on right now, and I had considered trying to quickly finish one so I could show off a new quilt for the festival. But I decided I'd rather just take my time with them. I like to keep my sewing/crafting on the fun side, and rushing for a deadline kind of takes the joy out of it. Just ask me how much fun I'm having 2 days before Christmas when I'm trying to finish up all my handmade gifts. ;)

So instead I'm showing off the 40th Anniversary Quilt I made in celebration of my parents' wedding anniversary. I spent a lot of time finding and/or drawing blocks that are meaningful to them and their life together. Designing this quilt gave me the opportunity (or maybe the motivation?) to really think about my parents' marriage and what it means to be together for 40 years. And I think that's a wonderful way to honor an anniversary!



Pansy: Mom enjoys gardening • House: they built their house together • O: they met at the Ohio State University • Pig: they were hog farmers when I was a kid



Heart: for love! • Truck: my dad's job • Boat: boating is an activity they like doing together (this isn't the right kind of boat, but after several failed attempts at drawing a motor boat, I went with this easy-to-sew sailboat!) • Fish: fishing is another hobby they both enjoy

Not only did choosing the blocks take a lot of time, but finding just the right layout for those blocks was a big part of my design process. I wanted something more creative than a straight horizontal set. You can see some of my rejected layout ideas back in the original post.



I just love this quilt! And so did my parents, which makes all the time and effort well worth it. I even like the back:

Blogger’s Quilt Festival Stats

Finished quilt measures: 40″ x 40″

Special techniques used: paper piecing

Quilted by: Me!

Best Category: Wallhanging

More Paper Piecing- Pansy Edition

I mentioned a few days ago that I've been in a paper piecing mood so I have another pp block to show off. The pattern is designed by Regina Grewe and it can be found on My EQ Boutique (a very cool way to buy patterns and then print them at any size!).



It's always fun to see a complicated block like this come together. Putting all those paper pieced sections together can get confusing. The fact that I was using all neutral fabrics made it even more challenging! I was crossing my fingers that it all came together correctly, and that I had used neutral shades that differed enough to keep the flower visible.



This block is the start of a new quilt I have planned. It's a gift and each of the pp blocks has a meaning for the recipients. I hope they like it when it's all finished!