Quilt Top: Pinafore Print

I ran out of time and steam, but as promised, here it is almost complete.

The design is from (surprise, surprise) a Kaffe Fassett book, "Glorious Patchwork".   He calls it "Pinafore Print" quilt, as his fabrics are reminiscent of grandma's aprons.  I guess the prints I chose would qualify.

I gathered mostly medium prints from various places, and fussed with the arrangement of the patterns and colors for days, before and during cutting.

Flowers just thrill me, and this diamond pattern shows them off beautifully in their soft blues and pinks.

{side view}

This is a preliminary quilt to the next one, which I wanted to be sure I was able to do correctly.  I've been collecting the fabrics for it for months, and plan to begin the cutting sometime next week. {Squeal!}

Cool Pix

We've had our old faithful Sony Cybershot for alotta years ~ takes super photos, but a few months ago I noticed the battery door refused to close completely.  

 

Even more notably (and costly), it began zapping batteries after only a few uses.  But I was making do.

Last month I turned 50something, and was elated when Mr. T surprised me with a camera for my birthday! 

This is the Nikon CoolPix L810, 26x zoom.

 

I love that it's blue!  And also easily held, thanks to the bulky battery compartment.  

Enjoy a reminisce with the music of my youth, while viewing these photos shot with my Nikon:

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Zoom shot from 15 paces.

Zoom-shot through a dirty window.

I named this one "Cardinal Cyn".

  

Another zoom through the same dirt.

See him eating!?  The Carolina Chickadee with his cute little black cap.

I didn't know we had this one (@right), Purple Finch.

Queen Missy on her throne or the resident yard guardian.  Speaking of kitties, the most recent addition at left.

Front and back of bead.

Come back tomorrow ~ I'll have a finished quilt top to show you!

Friday Night Sew In ~ August Edition

I joined the Friday Night Sew In once again, hosted this month by

 Bobbi at CraftyVegasMom.  

Last I checked, the signup count was at 95!

Ya'll know brand new ripped jeans are available for purchase these days (I've never understood that one), but my friend Angela prefers to wear out the canvas on her own.  

The hole in the pair she gave me to mend was so big, I decided to cover it with a nice round patch using leftovers from making her quilt.

First I patched the hole from the inside using this:

Mending fabric is more flexible than iron-on patches.

I recalled seeing round applique technique in one of my quilt books.  Turned out to be perfect advice.

Now I needed something round for cutting both the decorative patch and the cardboard template.  Remembering my scrapbooking days, I dug out the perfect solution for template making:

Creative Memories has some sweet cutting tools.  Choose sizes by blue, red, or gray lines.

The orange button is the cutting tool.  There are grooves outside and inside the blue acrylic for the button to ride in as it cuts a large or small circle.

 

The paper template:

 for cutting the fabric:

 

Using a different size acrylic cutting guide, I cut a smaller paper circle to assist with ironing down the seam allowance.

Then removed the paper, placed stitch witchery between the patch and the jeans, and pressed with a steam iron.  That held the patch in place nicely for sewing down.

I'm pretty sure these were my mama's needles...still sharp!  I hand stitched it in place.

I patched a second pair, same method tho I didn't need the cutting tools for it, as it was square.  This time, an iron-on patch for the inside:

Again, using scraps from the 'Reflecting Pool' quilt.

Well, that sews up another FSNI !

Jacob's [extension] Ladder

Hee-hee...

After many months (I'm not telling), the very first quilt I ever started.....is complete!
I actually finished about a week ago, woohoo!!!

 

Recap:  Having never made a quilt, last year I joined a cyber-quilt-along (QAL) to create the "Jacob's Ladder" design. 

Thankfully, I was offered a private lesson in cutting and piecing techniques, which proved invaluable...but I still managed to make plenty of mistakes.

 

 Fast forward to last week, putting the finishing touches on...

stitching in the ditch at the border.

 

Then I meandered the borders to match the quilting by Gail.

The backside

I will add a label at some point, but this rosy-cozy flower garden is ready to wrap me in warmth and beauty come winter!

***With heartfelt gratitude to my quilting guru, the Empress of the Universe, for her time and talents spent on tutoring me in the art of machine piecing.

A Tale of Two Kitties

"It was the best of felines, it was the worst of felines..."

Speaking of books, lately I can't seem to keep my nose out of quilty ones, and looky!  Ain't they sweet?!

 

"Quilt Road" by Kaffe Fassett

(btw, these are the 'best' of felines...scroll to see 'worst'.)

The patterns are to be enlarged at 200%.  I made the first kitty using just an enlarged paper cut out.  Following directions, I made a patchwork rectangle, hand-embroidered the face, and THEN cut him out.

Now he's all ready for his back side and a tail.

After the sewing and stuffing was done, it was obvious something needed tweaking.

This first one I did is a rough draft...kind of a scary-cat, huh?

 

I cut out cardboard templates to make kitty #2.  

I might have to name her "Henrietta Pussycat", in memory of my brother, and Mr. Rogers.  

Noel and I loved to imitate Henrietta in our everyday conversations....and laaauuggghhh!!!

"Meow-meow want some fruit salad, meow?"

The backsides of #2 and #1, l to r.

The tail tip is cleverly attached to the body, for toddler to use as a handle. 

 

(the worst of felines)

Liking the tail shape better, but still a problem with the ears:  Too tall?  Too pointy?  

Yup.  Back to the scratching post...