Tag Archives: quilting

Color Inspiration Thursday {52}

June 25, 2015 kittywilkin 6 Comments

Fifty-two weeks of color inspiration! I’ve officially provided a year’s worth of color inspiration, and hopefully you enjoy it as much as ever! Today’s inspiration comes from tiny baby feet and gorgeous lupine, since I couldn’t resist creating a lupine palette! Color palettes are created using Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1 and my photographs, matched with Kona cottons & Moda Bella solids and Aurifil thread.

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Bella Hyacinth, Kona Geranium, Kona Mulberry, Kona Lavender, Kona Laurel, Kona Limelight

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
2566 – Wisteria
4030 – Plum
4225 – Eggplant
2520 – Violet
2890 – Dk Grass Green
1147 – Lt Leaf Green

I couldn’t resist making a palette out of at least one of my lupine photos from earlier this week. A gorgeous range of purples, a splash of pink, contrasting with shades of green, this palette captures the essence of a lupine field.

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Kona Delft, Kona Blue, Bella Robin’s Egg, Bella American Blue, Kona Salmon, Bella Bunny Hill Pink

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
4140 – Wedgewood
2710 – Lt Robins Egg
6720 – Slate
1310 – Med Blue Grey
2220 – Lt Salmon
2314 – Beige

Baby toes! Back when my sister was in grammar school, I remember hearing about she and my mom going to some fashion event with the Girl Scouts, where “professionals” helped the scouts determine what colors look best with each girl’s complexion. The reason this particular outing sticks in my mind is that they came back with the news that the color turquoise looks great with EVERY complexion and skin tone. In the decade since learning this fact, turquoise has become my favorite color and therefore graces the family wardrobe numerous times. While the colors in this palette don’t read as straight turquoise, the pairing of the range of blues with the salmony pink baby toes makes me happy. I would most definitely use this palette in a quilt, either for a baby, or perhaps for a breezy summer beach house.

Just for fun, here are some more photos from my baby Finn photo shoot. It’s wild to think that three weeks ago, this big baby boy was still in my belly!

colo coordinated baby snuggles — Color coordinated baby snuggles. Three weeks ago today, he was still growing on the inside. Babies grow fast!

For those of you who have been following my Color Inspiration posts for a while, or even if you haven’t, what is your favorite color palette from the past year? Is there one photo or palette that sticks out in your mind? Certain colors that call to you? I’d love to know! Here’s a quick link to all of my color inspiration posts for reference: Night Quilter’s Color Inspiration Thursday: The First Year

Life, Why I Quilt

Missing June {Why I Quilt}

June 12, 2015 kittywilkin 16 Comments

Over the past week, little reminders of why I love to quilt have been popping up here and there. First, the birth of my son. There’s nothing like new life to inspire an overflowing heart and endless inspiration. I just want to stitch my love into a million timeless quilts so that my family can be wrapped in a tangible sign of my love, always. Family, babies, love–what beautiful things!

Then, days later, Amy from Stitchery Dickory Dock announced her new book, For Keeps. In her words, here’s what For Keeps is all about:

What is it all about? Well, quilting, yes, but so much more than that. It’s about building relationships, about preserving priceless memories, and sparking unforgettable family time. It’s about making beautiful things, and infusing our patchwork with even more meaning and functionality. After all, isn’t that what quilts are all about? They’re a joy to make, a joy to give, and a joy to use.

It’s about making beautiful things.

This line gets me every time. I’ll tell you why in a minute… but first, the next sign: yesterday, Moda Fabrics posted a graphic on Instagram sharing that it was National Making Life Beautiful Day.

Create beautiful things.

All of these little signs, popping up here and there all within the first weeks of June remind me strongly of the one who first inspired me to quilt: Grammy June.

On one of the last days before she died, while she and I were looking through her photo album of finished quilts, I kept saying, “Wow, that’s beautiful!”… “Oooh, beautiful!”… “That’s so beautiful!”. Finally, in her matter of fact way, she turned to me and said, “Well I only make beautiful things.” I wish you could hear her say it. It was just so… true. And so very much like her. She told it like it was like no one else I know, both the good and the bad.

I remember one time, shortly after my second child was born and I was over at a family gathering, just feeling soooo tired and sleep deprived and needed to the brink of my capabilities. I said, “I just need a break,” and Grammy June, in all her tactful truthfulness, replied, “Well you don’t get one.” She was right, but her matter of fact manner stopped me in my tracks. I think I actually laughed. After all, at times like that you can either laugh or you can cry.

Grammy June was an extremely talented traditional quilter. She pieced and quilted by hand, piecing with her Singer featherweight during her final years. I still find myself thinking things like, “I wonder what needle Grammy June would use for this” and for a split second feeling excitement at showing her a new skill or completed quilt. I am sure she would be proud, and I like to think she’s smiling down from heaven, saying “Of course you did” whenever I successfully complete a new quilting technique or create a new pattern. I do know she provides inspiration daily, through her creations and simple advice, which still echoes in my mind regularly. Her one simple statement, “I only make beautiful things” has become my mantra.

I aim to make beautiful things, daily. To create just a little bit each day: an act of love, a creative outlet, and a little stitch into the quilts of time. I’m missing June, but Finn was born the day before her birthday and within a week I’ve been reminded of her multiple times through her very own words:

…make beautiful things.

I quilt. I make beautiful things. I am continuing her legacy, building relationships, preserving memories, and sparking unforgettable family time. This is just one of the many reasons why I quilt, but it’s a big one.

A few months before her death, I completed a quilted wall hanging for Grammy June. She had made countless quilts for every family member, but I had never heard of her receiving a quilt. I knew that had to change, but I also knew I didn’t have much time. A wall hanging it was, in her favorite color purple, with my first-ever paper pieced Irises, my first-ever flanged binding, and my first-ever free motion quilting. It seemed fitting, and Grammy June loved it. It was far from perfect, but she saw the love and the effort and that’s what matters. That’s why quilts matter.

grammy june iris quilt — Grammy June opening her quilt.

In sum of this reflective post, I will echo Amy’s words and invite you to refocus your heart when it comes to your sewing. Take a moment to pause, amidst your busy lives, bursting sewing rooms, and piles of unfinished projects, to take a quick look at why it is that you sew, and for whom you sew. If you feel so inclined, take the #ForKeepsPledge and spread the quilty love.

At the very least, go ahead and make something beautiful! xoxo

Color Inspiration, Life

Color Inspiration Thursday {49}

June 4, 2015 kittywilkin 6 Comments

Since I don’t have any tiny pink baby toes to share yet (Go ahead, ask: Have you had that baby yet?), today I’m sharing more color inspiration from my garden. While the days have gotten pretty chilly lately, the flowers continue to bloom in earnest. Color palettes are made using Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1 and my photographs. Matching solids and Aurifil thread are all care of the awesome Palette Builder!

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Bella Etchings Charcoal, Bella Thistle, Bella Orchid, Bella Violet, Kona Pewter, Kona Rose

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
5013 – Asphalt
2566 – Wisteria
4030 – Plum
2479 – Med Orchid
2606 – Mist
2445 – Victorian Rose

This beautiful Columbine was photographed last week during the last light before dusk. I love the varied shape of this flower, and how it looks so different depending on perspective. Here it is again, during a darker rainy day, from the top:

Over the past few days of rain, the peonies began to bloom. Peonies are among my favorite flowers because of the vivid, voluptuous flowers and bold color. The jewel-drops just add to the luxuriousness! (For the record, forget-me-nots are my favorite flower in terms of color, peonies are my favorite in terms of voluptuousness, and dahlias are my favorite in terms of geometry and perfect symmetry).

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Kona Magenta, Bella Boysenberry, Bella Violet, Kona Bordeaux, Kona Garnet, Kona Crocus

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
2545 – Med Purple
4030 – Plum
2540 – Med Lavender
1103 – Burgundy
2345 – Raisin
2566 – Wisteria

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Kona Plum, Kona Cerise, Kona Bordeaux, Kona Violet, Bella Betty’s Teal, Kona Grasshopper

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
2479 – Med Orchid
1100 – Red Plum
1103 – Burgundy
5003 – Wine
2850 – Med Juniper
5018 – Grass Green

I wonder what gorgeously colorful flower will bloom next! Are there any turquoise flowers? I’m thinking how wonderful it would be to have a turquoise flower right next to these peonies–my two favorite colors!

Quilting

Pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog Baby Quilt Finish

May 29, 2015 kittywilkin 21 Comments

No, I have not yet had my baby. I know I’m getting into the window where I should just automatically say, “Here, visit this site: http://haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com” and be done with it. He will come when he’s ready. I’m thinking I’m ready now, so whenever he’s ready, I’m game!

In the meantime, I can share some of my finishes with you! In these past few weeks, I have been nesting in all sorts of ways, trying to wrap up big projects before our home is graced with the presence of a newborn. One of my big finishes was the Pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog Baby Quilt I made for my sister-in-law’s first baby, Reagan. She’s due June 14th but is actually showing more progress toward that end than I am! I am excited that I finished her quilt before baby time.

As you’ve seen in a previous post, I used matchstick quilting to relief quilt the baby’s name into the heart. I used Aurifil 50wt variegated Bubblegum-3660 to match the background fabric, since I wanted the name to be subtle.

I opted for an all-over flower and swirl free motion quilting (FMQ) pattern in the background, using 50 wt Aurifil 2600 – Dove. I used matching 40wt thread (Aurifil 1100 – Red Plum) to quilt a similar but more linear flower/daisy chain type pattern in her hair. For Hazel’s face and body, I used 40 wt Aurifil 2423 – Baby Pink with a more subtle, outlining features approach with my walking foot. I’m super happy with how all of the quilting turned out!

I love the look of this quilt folded, since turquoise and magenta trimmed with black is SO aesthetically appealing to me. (One day, I really will finish this quilt for myself so that I can enjoy this color combination daily.)

I bound the quilt with Architextures Words in Black (Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman Fabrics). My thought is that the black frames the quilt really well, and the white words will help it hide dust and dirt much better than a solid black would.

I bound the quilt using Cluck Cluck Sew’s Machine Binding method, since I’m hoping that this quilt sees a LOT of action and washes in its lifetime. I love how neatly the machine binding squares up the front of the quilt, and you really can’t beat its ease.

I hand stitched the label onto the back using my first attempt at blanket stitch. Admittedly, it was a lot tougher to keep even and secure than I anticipated, but I’m hoping that with practice, that will all improve. I realized while writing this label that I will be an Aunt for the first time once baby Reagan is born! So exciting!

Pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog Baby Quilt

Completed May 2015
Pattern: Giant Hazel Hedgehog pattern by Elizabeth Hartman, speech bubble heart and layout is of my own design.
Size: 48″ x 52″
Fabric:
Front: Background: Michael Miller Stitch Circles in Aqua; Heart: Pink Star fabric, Starlet by Blank Quilting; Speech bubble: Cotton + Steel Basics by Rashida Coleman Hale; Hazel’s Face & Body: two shades of Kona pinks–I didn’t write down the names back when I bought them!; Hazel’s hair:
Back: Calypso by Ro Gregg for Paintbrush Studio
Binding: Architextures Words in Black by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman Fabrics
Batting: 100% cotton Soft n’ Crafty batting
Thread: Aurifil 50wt 2600 – Dove for piecing, quilting background and speech bubble, and sewing down binding; Aurifil 50wt variegated 3660 – Bubblegum for matchstick quilting the heart; Aurifil 40 wt 1100 – Red Plum for quilting Hazel’s hair; and, Aurifil 50 wt 2423 – Baby Pink for quilting Hazel’s face and body.

Time:
Planning: 1 hr 30 min (includes designing speech bubble heart)
Cutting & Pressing: 3 hours
Piecing the top: 5 hours 30 min
Piecing the back: 30 minutes
Squaring, layering, and basting: 40 min
Quilting: 6 hours 20 min
Finishing (making binding, squaring quilt, burying threads): 45 min
Binding: 1 hour 45 min
Total: Approx. 20 hours

I’m linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday, and hoping that another little bundle decides he’s finished and ready to make his way to the outside world before next Friday!

Color Inspiration, Life

Color Inspiration Thursday {48}

May 28, 2015 kittywilkin 5 Comments

The garden continues to burst forth with flowers of every size, shape, and color, and I continue to draw inspiration and excitement from the abundant beauty. Today’s inspiration includes more photographs from my garden, transformed into color palettes using Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1.

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Bella Lt Blue, Bella Glacier, Kona Ballerina, Kona Silver, Bella Home Town Sky, Kona Grasshopper

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
2560 – Iris
1126 – Blue Grey
2562 – Lilac
2405 – Oyster
5014 – Marine Water
1114 – Grass Green

This tree smells divine. It’s called Pink Silver Bells (Halesia monticola) and certainly lives up to its name. It’s tough to see the bell-like shape of the flowers from this palette photo, but here’s another look:

The flowers feel so dainty and delicate, and the pale baby pink compliments them perfectly.

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Kona Pewter, Bella Etchings Charcoal, Bella Boysenberry, Kona Plum, Bella Berrylicious, Kona Bright Pink

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
2610 – Lt Blue Grey
1140 – Bark
2345 – Raisin
4030 – Plum
2479 – Med Orchid
2450 – Rose

If you look down after photographing the Pink Silver Bells, you immediately kick the pink up a notch to one of my favorites: bright, bold, sassy fuchsia. I was anti-pink for a long, long time, but especially lately, I’ve embraced it in both quilting and wardrobe. It’s just so bright and cheerful, how can you resist!? Not to mention the fact that it pairs swimmingly with turquoise, my tip top favorite color. I definitely would use this color palette in a quilt, but if you had told me 10 years ago that I would consider making an entirely pink quilt, I would have laughed and said you were crazy.

Corresponding solids from left to right:
Bella Steel, Bella Mauve, Bella Amelia Lavender, Bella Betty’s Brown, Bella Baby Blue, Kona Geranium

Corresponding Aurifil thread from left to right:
2610 – Lt Blue Grey
2566 – Wisteria
2524 – Grey Violet
5013 – Asphalt
2562 – Lilac
4030 – Plum

Lilacs are an annual reminder to enjoy every minute and always take time to stop and smell the flowers. If you don’t, you will miss them! As soon as the lilacs begin to flower, I cut some for our table so that we all can enjoy them to the fullest. I love that this year, my 5 yr old daughter has made it a daily routine to go out and smell the lilacs upon returning home from school. Like mommy, like daughter!

Our house smells divine, thanks to one bouquet of lilacs on the kitchen table. Can you smell them from there?

Quilting, Tutorials

Relief Quilting Words in Negative Space {Tutorial}

May 19, 2015 kittywilkin 25 Comments

I don’t write on my quilts. I have yet to find a pen or pencil that I trust enough, so I just avoid it as much as possible. I use a Clover Hera Marker* for marking straight lines, which is fabulous since it creases the fabric without actually leaving a mark. (*Affiliate link) But when it comes to complex designs or words, I either have to eye it or just wing it.

When I thought of the idea to write baby Reagan’s name in the heart speech bubble of her Pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog quilt, I knew there must be a way to get her name to show up accurately but subtly among the matchstick quilting I had planned within the heart. Enter: Freezer Paper. I’ve had freezer paper in my sewing space for over a year, since Grammy June told me it was a must have for paper piecing back when I was first learning. Since I really enjoy foundation paper piecing using plain old copy paper, I have yet to touch the freezer paper. Until today.

Here’s a quick little tutorial on how I used freezer paper to help quilt words in negative space.

Relief Quilting Words in Negative Space

Step 1

Gather your materials. You will need:

Freezer Paper (I’ve read high quality brands like Reynolds work better than Costo-type brands)
Pencil
Scissors
Iron
Thread for quilting (I used 50wt Aurifil variegated thread)
Your quilt!
Optional: printer paper and printer

Step 2

Print a sample of the word you want to quilt, scaled to fit in the proper space. Trace onto the dull side of the freezer paper (shiny side away from you). Alternately, you could just draw the letters onto the dull side of the freezer paper–entirely up to your desired look.

Step 3:

Cut out the letters carefully, using paper-cutting scissors (not your special fabric ones!)

Arrange on your quilt as desired.

Step 4

(Note: before ironing your letters to your actual quilt, always test the freezer paper on a scrap of the same fabric. The freezer paper should stick to the fabric, and after cooling should be easily peeled off without leaving any mark or residue.) Iron your letters to your quilt. The shiny side of the freezer paper will stick to the fabric.

Step 5

Matchstick quilt around the letters. I used Aurifil 50wt variegated Bubblegum-3660 to match the background fabric, since I wanted the name to be subtle. Use contrasting thread to make the name stand out more.

Here is a *rough* sketch of the path I took while quilting. I used my walking foot to matchstick quilt the entire background, stitching two stitches in the ditch along the outsides of the heart to travel from line to line, rather than having a *million* thread ends to bury. I actually stitched every other line backwards, holding down the “sew in reverse” button for the entire line of quilting. This was easier to me than maneuvering my entire quilt back and forth, and worked just as effectively.

Note: After using your walking foot to matchstick quilt the background (around the periphery of the letters), some of the freezer paper letters may have come unstuck.

Iron them on again, using the little indents (if your letters had any) as a guide.

Next, free motion quilt the matchstick quilting within and between the letters, since the space is so small and back and forth quilting is much easier free motion style (you don’t have to twist and turn your entire quilt like you would using a walking foot!). Be sure not to quilt onto the freezer paper.

Step 6

Peel off the freezer paper letters. Bury any threads.

Step 7

Admire your relief quilted name!

I’m linking up with Late Night Quilter’s Tips & Tutorials Tuesday. I hope you found this helpful, and let me know if you try it!

Life, Quilting

The Big Push

May 13, 2015 kittywilkin 15 Comments

As much of the quilting world prepares for Quilt Market, urgently pushing to complete those finishing touches on booths, accessories, new bags, business cards, etc., I share that energy as I try to get a few last projects from my work in progress pile into the “finished” pile. My deadline is not the impending Market, however. I am entering the final week(s) before having a baby. Amazingly, I’m feeling pretty hopeful that I will be able to complete the quilting projects that need to be finished before baby arrives (let’s not even talk about the projects around the house, though–priorities, right?), and I’m trying hard not to take on more projects in the meantime.

Two of the big quilting projects are no strangers to you loyal readers, so prepare yourselves for yet another look at the Pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog baby quilt I’m working on for my sister-in-law, and the Alison Glass Prismatic Medallion mini quilt I’m finishing up for my partner in the Alison Glass Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram.

Thankfully, I’m on the final binding phase for the Prismatic Medallion mini quilt. I’m binding it with my new favorite: Robert Kaufman Essex Yarn Dyed Linen blend in Charcoal, with coordinating 50wt Aurifil 1246 – Grey. I used straight-grain binding and next time will use bias binding, since I’m finding that the backs of the corners are a bit off kilter. Since the front corners line up perfectly and look nice and crisp, I’m not worrying about it, but I’m still searching for that secret tip to making perfect corners on the front and back when binding a hexagon. I’m in the process of setting up a skype date with Carla from Granny Maud’s Girl way over in Perth, Australia, since she says she knows the secret to binding hexagons–how awesome is this technological world and the quilting community within it!?

I’m hoping to have a mini finish to share soon!

I also need to finish quilting Hazel. I ordered the coordinating Aurifil from Hawthorne Threads, and now that it’s here, that can go back into my project circulation. I’m planning to do simple outline echo quilting on Hazel’s face and body with Aurifil 2423 – Baby Pink, since it is just a *little* bit pinker than her face and will add the texture without detracting from her features. The lighter pink color will be a fun addition to her bright pink legs and body. I ordered 40wt this time, since I love the added thickness that helps the quilting pop.

I’ve decided to try my very first matchstick quilting in the heart, since it’s a small enough space I don’t think it will be too crazy to complete before baby. Plus, I am going to try to quilt the baby’s name–Reagan–into the heart via negative space. For this, I’m going to use Freezer Paper for the very first time! I bought a big roll over a year ago when my late quilting Grammy said that it was an absolute must for paper piecing. I’ve never used it for paper piecing since I strongly prefer the foundation paper method, but I’m hoping to cut out freezer paper letters spelling Reagan, iron them onto the heart, and then matchstick quilt within the heart, but NOT on the letters. Is that as clear as mud? I promise I’ll take photos of the process, and fingers crossed that it works the way I envision!

I ordered my very first spool of variegated thread for the heart matchstick quilting, and I think the color is perfect–it’s Bubblegum variegated 3660! I ordered 50wt this time and very well might keep my panacea Dove thread color in the bobbin since with matchstick quilting, I’m afraid of running out of thread before I’m finished.

I also have another project, a pattern I’m developing, which I’m trying to finish before baby comes. For now, I can’t show you much, and the progress is not nearly as close to complete as these first two projects. Getting Hazel and the Prismatic Medallion into the finished pile will certainly help me focus on the new pattern, though, so little steps it is!

Finally, I thought I’d share my last and greatest work in progress, heading to the “finished” pile at an unknown impending date.

Here I am between 38 and 39 weeks pregnant with my third baby, a boy. He’s still in progress, but should be joining us on the outside world (aka finished cooking) in the coming weeks. Makers gotta make!

I’m linking up with Freshly Pieced’s Work in Progress Wednesday, and Molli Sparkles’ Sunday Stash, since I added some more Aurifil thread to my stash to finish these projects.

Design, Giveaway, Life

Inspiration is Everywhere {Giveaway Winner}

May 11, 2015 kittywilkin 1 Comment

Inspiration is everywhere. It is clearly decided that we creative folks pull our inspiration from just about anywhere.

There were 478 comments on my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day post, and I truly wanted to respond to them all. I asked you to share what inspires you to create, and the answers were inspiring in and of themselves! Thank you so much for sharing your inspiration. Many of the inspiration sources resonated deeply with me, since I, too, seem to find inspiration just about anywhere. I’ve decided to share some of the top sources of inspiration, as shared by you, my readers.

But first, a winner! Mr. Random chose comment 362 as the winner of the fabric bundle and two patterns of choice from Quilting Jetgirl. Congratulations Amanda! Please check your email and get back to me with your mailing address and patterns of choice!

Here are some of the top sources of inspiration pulled from your comments:

Blogs, Instagram, Pinterest, and other online inspiration

Many of you find inspiration in the beautiful things that others have made. Our extensive online community of creative souls makes it possible for us to draw inspiration from such a wide world of creativity!

Color and Texture

Color and texture is literally EVERYwhere, and you creative folks can see it! Many of you said that color, either in nature or in general, and texture were top sources of inspiration for you.

dahlia color palette — A palette created for my Color Inspiration {22} post. Color in nature!

Patterns in Life

Whether a gorgeous miracle found in nature, or a man made structure, patterns in life inspire many of you to create. Some of the top sources are:

Nature
Geometry
Tiles
Architecture
Art

People

People in our lives inspire much creativity. Some create for charity, so the knowledge that someone in need will be gifted a quilt filled with love drives the sewist’s inspiration. Some create for their family and friends. Children, especially, seem to be a big source of inspiration. Sometimes, it’s the people in our lives who have passed, or the one who taught us how to quilt who inspires us most.

Learning New Techniques

Some of you are inspired by the desire to learn new techniques, or experiment with different mediums.

Peace & Quiet

The ability to escape to a place of silence and peace is inspiration for some. I can certainly relate to this as a mom of two-soon-to-be-three rambunctious and spirited children. Life is busy, loud, and often chaotic. Moments of silence and peace are inspiring indeed!

Photograph by Xisco Bibiloni from Flickr; Quote taken from comment by Angela from Lil' Angel Stitches. — Photograph by Xisco Bibiloni from Flickr; Quote taken from comment by Angela from Lil’ Angel Stitches.

History

The amazing quilters of the past, and the creativity of the ones who first began to sew scraps of fabric together to create quilts are inspiration.

Materials

The materials themselves are a source of inspiration for many. “A lovely hand-dyed yarn or fetching pattern on fabric are my starting points and then I go from there to find a pattern to use them with.” shared Laura aka aprilshowers.

The NEED to Create

This is my favorite, and also a strong source of inspiration for you creative folks. Many of you mentioned that the root of your inspiration is simply a need to create. Afton from Quilting Mod nailed it with her comment:

“I am inspired by an innate desire to create and make beautiful things.” – Afton from Quilting Mod

I’ve discussed this feeling before, and agree that for me, while inspiration truly comes from everywhere–family, friends, nature, texture, color, blog and IG posts, people who need or request quilts, architecture, pattern, fabulous fabrics and threads–my sewing is driven by an innate desire to create.

Thank you for sharing your sources of inspiration, and most of all, thank you for creating. Each of you makes the world a bit more beautiful with every stitch!

Life, Quilting

April Finish: {ALYoF} Pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog Quilt Top, Plus Some!

April 27, 2015 kittywilkin 19 Comments

I went easy on myself this month for A Lovely Year of Finishes (ALYoF) and set my April goal at finishing the quilt top for my sister-in-law’s baby shower yesterday. I made a totally pinkalicious Hazel Hedgehog quilt featuring a giant sized hazel and a fun heart speech bubble I created just for this project. Did I meet my goal? Yes!

hazel hedgehog flimsy finish — Hazel Hedgehog “Hello, Love” baby quilt flimsy finish.

Even with the heart speech bubble addition, I was able to finish the flimsy (quilt top) before the baby shower. Since I finished this flimsy in the midst of a rare “full mommy sew day” when my mother-in-law took the kids for a play day, I decided to forge ahead and start basting and quilting little (giant) Hazel.

After a particularly late night and early morning quilting/binding session, I managed to quilt the entire background and speech bubble, AND make and attach the binding. Normally, I would complete all of the quilting before binding, but since I really wanted a presentable quilt for my sister-in-law Stephanie’s baby shower, and since the unquilted portion is completely enclosed in quilted background, I decided to get a little cheeky and bind the quilt before completely quilting.

quilt wrapped nicely — The purple bag with pink tissue and ribbon on the left contains the quilt.

With the quilt bound, I was able to roll it, wrap it nicely in tissue paper and a ribbon-bound bag, and gift the quilt with no worries of fray.

gorgeous spring baby shower gifts — Spring baby shower gift table decor–so alive!

My sister-in-law LOVED it, so mission accomplished! Even with a few basting pins still in Hazel and the heart, which will be quilted as soon as the color matched Aurifil thread arrives, it was fun to get to give this gift. Just think: hidden behind this quilt are two big baby bumps–cousins destined to be rolling around on top of this fun quilt (Stephanie is due a couple weeks after I am).

I will share more detail photos of the quilting and finishing in a later finish post once the quilt is completely finished (this will help keep the fire lit under my bum so that I actually finish it before baby time!) But for now, here’s a closer look at the speech bubble heart I’m calling “Hello, Love”. I’m planning on writing up a pattern for this block, since it’s such a perfect block to add to any of Elizabeth Hartman’s giant creatures, and I could definitely go for a speech bubble heart pillow!

I’m linking up with the ALYoF April Finishes Party, as well as Monday Makers and Design Wall.

Free Motion Quilting (FMQ), Patterns, Quilting

Twirling Star Mini Quilt Finish {Pattern Testing for Devoted Quilter}

April 24, 2015 kittywilkin 14 Comments

Visitors entering our home will now be greeted by a bright and colorful quilt (of course we will also greet any visitors in person… but, you know what I mean!). I’ve finished the Twirling Star mini quilt I was testing for Leanne at Devoted Quilter, and I’m loving it in its new home.

It was really fun to make Leanne’s pattern with a modern aesthetic. Here’s Leanne’s version:

I love how different choices of fabric and colors can completely change the look of a quilt. The mini quilt finishes at 19 1/2″ x 19 1/2″ and features both traditional piecing (the hourglass blocks) and paper piecing (the pinwheel blocks). The pattern also includes a coloring page, where you can test out different color arrangements before starting. I tried out a lot of different color possibilities before deciding on this one, and the coloring page is KEY (and so much fun). Leanne’s pattern is now available in her Etsy and Payhip shops, so if this looks like a mini you’d like hanging in your home, too, head on over and buy the pattern!

I decided to quilt this mini with one big radiating spiral, and I’m quite happy with how it turned out. I followed the tutorial on Crazy Mom Quilts and began the spiral with free motion quilting (FMQ) in the center and then switched to my walking foot for the outer spirals. Since I have yet to find an actual pen/chalk/pencil that I trust for writing ON my quilts, so I decided to just wing it and do it by eye. I’m quite happy with how it turned out, and it was a lot easier than I anticipated.

Once I quilted past the center, I switched to my walking foot, which proved to be a lot more difficult than I anticipated. Keeping a steady curve with the walking foot was tough, although I can see that I did improve as I moved outward, either the result of more practice or the less severe angle. As with any quilting, I found that I was more consistent with spacing and more accurate with the curve when I went slowly.

quilting "jump" — A little quilting “jump” as a result of less-than-smooth maneuvering with the walking foot.

There were quite a few “jumps” where I had stopped sewing to reposition the quilt under my machine and must have restarted sewing with too much torque on the quilt. Either that, or perhaps I tried to turn the curve while my machine was stopped. (You can see one of the “jumps” in the bottom of the blue triangle. Just a little wiggle.) If I were planning to submit this quilt to shows or give it to someone who would noticed the imperfections (are there such gift-quilt recipients?), I might have ripped out the quilting and tried again. But for this, a quilt meant to hang in our own entryway, I opted to just let them be. When you step back and view the quilt as a whole, the imperfections are lost.

I didn’t keep track of the time I spent making this quilt, but here are the other quilt finish stats:

Twirling Star Mini Quilt

Completed April 2015
Pattern: Twirling Star Mini Quilt pattern by Leanne at Devoted Quilter
Size: 19.5″x19.5″
Fabric: Pinwheels are pieced using rainbow fabric from Alison Glass’s 2015 Sun Prints, Mercury and Grove (Andover Fabrics), with a background of Modern Floral in Charcoal from the Botanics fabric line by Carolyn Friedlander (Robert Kaufman Fabrics).
Hourglass blocks are pieced using Scribble Notes in Black from the Architextures fabric line by Carolyn Friedlander (Robert Kaufman Fabrics) and Make and Pin fabric from the Makers fabric line (Art Gallery Fabrics).
Border is Ink in Charcoal from Alison Glass’s 2015 Sun Prints (Andover Fabrics).
Binding is Black Kona cotton (Robert Kaufman Fabrics).
Quilting: Spiral quilting using free motion quilting in the center and a walking foot for the outer spirals
Thread: Aurifil 50wt 2600 – Dove for piecing and quilting
Related blog posts: Embrace the Rainbow, Twirling Star Flimsy Finish