One from 2011

Looking through some pictures I found pictures of this quilt I made for my Mom in 2011 for her birthday. This was a string quilt and I used this pattern: http://www.maryquilts.com/strings/strings-heartstrings-quilt/ I changed mine a little from the pattern. I just made my heart using reds and the background with blues. This is a very heavy quilt. I used muslin for the foundation and I used batting as well. In the future I will try using a paper foundation and see if that lightens it up a bit. My Mom loves it and uses it though! I tied this one, because my longarm quilter's machine just couldn't handle all those layers. I have lots of extra strips from this quilt and I am going to have to make another one someday!

This was taken before the binding was stitched down. I don't think I ever got a completely finished picture of it! I love this pattern. Mary's Heartstrings has so many nice patterns and she does awesome charity work. Check out her site here: http://www.maryquilts.com/

Here is the back. Don't you love that tattoo Mom fabric?? I do!

 

Eventually I hope to post all of the quilts that I have made that I have pictures of on this blog. Just so I have them all in one place :)

April 2013

April is quickly coming to an end. So on the quilty front I have one finish to share. I am calling this one Home Sweet Home. I have learned to love it :) Making this one was a bit of a challenge for me. Setting blocks "on point" in general is a challenge for me. It is like a puzzle and I have so much trouble visualizing it even when I have it all laid out in front of me! Also, I had to find the time and location  to lay it all out and be able to keep it all out for several days while I pieced it. The pattern is awesome and my challenges were my own. The pattern is clear and is actually fairly easy. It is just my mind I sometimes have to work around ;) Here is the pattern I used:
http://beesquarefabrics.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-to-make-zig-zag-quilt-without.html

zig zag fun

 

My first instinct was to use this yellow for the binding, then I agonized over it! I made the binding way before the quilt was pieced and just decided to go ahead and use it. I LOVE IT! I really really like the yellow binding. It might be my favorite part. Also, just a note the pattern really does require an accurate 1/4 inch seam allowance or you will wind up with some pieces not matching too good as is evident in this picture. I don't stress over the little stuff though and I think once it is washed it will be no big deal, at least for me anyway ;)

Here is the back. I almost like the back better than the front. I just used the left over fabric and added a couple of more prints to make it big enough. So bright!!

Here is the block that helped me to name this quilt. Home Sweet Home! In case you couldn't see, all the prints are home oriented, mostly kitchen. The quilting was done by my friend and she used a pattern with kitchen untensils/pots/and pans! How cool is that?? I adore the quilted whisks and spatulas!

 

YEA for a finish in April!! I am glad to have this one completed. It only took me a year....LOL! That will probably be my only finish for this month. But I did sew the binding onto 3 quilts the other day, so my goal for May is to finish hand sewing those 3 bindings :)