July Goals

I hadn't heard of Sew Bitter Sweet Designs challenge, Lovely Year of Finishes before.

Mara from Secretly Stitching told me about this link-up and it's a great idea!

I usually have my 'goals' in my head but I end up pushing them back as the weeks go by.

So, without further ado, here are my goals for July:

 

1. To bind this quilt that I just finished quilting this past week.

 

 

The front is a super cute panel that the Fat Quarter Shop sent our way, and the corresponding back strip is also from the Fat Quarter Shop. (Owl Wonderful)

The rest of the backing is some fabric from my stash.

I need to figure out what I want to bind it with--possibly some of that backing fabric I have left.

 

When I finish this it'll be for the Pregnancy Care Centres yet!

 

2. Also, on my list for this month is underwear for my sons I believe I have two patterns--I just have to find them.

 

3. I was also lent an Elnita serger to borrow for long term--I'm quite excited about that. So, on my list is to learn how to use a serger!

4. And, if time allows, I have plans for some dresses for myself....

Linking up: 

Mug Rugs a Year Late

 

 

 

 

 

It's 2013. Which is fine. Except that I had said I'd make three people a handmade gift in 2012. I didn't do that. And, I didn't remember until about two weeks ago that I had to do that--last year.

But, I thought what a great opportunity to try out some more paper piecing and quilting.

And, some mug rugs are pretty neat little gifts I'd say. Perfect for the cold Canadian winters to put your mug of hot chocolate, tea, or hot apple cider on it. Or, your coffee of course. But, with a mug of drink ought to come a bite to eat. And, there is room for that too.

 

 

I started by paper piecing their initials out of some scrap Rhapsodia fabric I still had. But, it needed a border. White--the only solid I have. (Yes, I really need to stash up on solid wovens.)

 

The backing is from Michael Miller's Hall of Fame line--sage plaid.

And, the 'batting' is again some of that super cheap pink flannel I have laying around.

I again quilted stitch-in-the-ditch around the letters so they'd show up on the back as well.

 

The binding is some more from the Rhapsodia line. I had a hard time using these--I really like the colors and should try squeeze something for myself out of them...

 

They are about 7" x 7". It's kind of neat how mug rugs have no 'set' dimensions.

 

I had tried adding a column of 1" x 2" strips on one side but it looked like an 'E' (without the vertical line) so I scratched that idea and just went with this.

 

 

 

Now to think of my next project....

First Quilt

So, I made a quilt.
 

 

First time ever.
 

 

And, I am pleased.

Remember that first paper pieced block I made?

Well, I turned it into a doll quilt.
(The plan is for my daughter's birthday in June. Along with a wooden cradle I have from when I was a kid and a mattress cover and pillow yet. See if I can wait until June...)

 

So, a first paper pieced block turned into a first quilt top which I got to do some first-time quilting on and then had to do some first-time binding.

Good start to a new year--learning some new skills.

And, I learned the skills here:
A mash-up of these two tutorials for the binding:
Perfect Binding Tutorial from Jay Bird Quilts.
Tutorial: How to Attach Quilt Binding by Machine from Olive and Ollie.
I liked how to connect the loose binding ends better from Jay Bird Quilts and I liked the mitered corners better from Olive and Ollie. I used my own width of 2" and after folding the binding in half length-wise, I folded one side into the middle.

And, instead of making another quilted line on the back as Olive and Ollie suggest, I stitched-in-the-ditch to make the stitching somewhat invisible. I say somewhat because I'm not a perfect sewist and did 'drive' out of the ditch at times.
And, the quilting, I just sort of did--I think I've read enough blogs to know how to do basic quilting. Most of that was also stitch-in-the-ditch quilting. I did not want to add too much to the quilt and thereby make the handstitching not stand out so much.
I first quilted around the heart, then the individual 'boxes' around the heart until the last box. The top and bottom where there on the front to stitch-in-the-ditch, but not on the sides. So, I just made corresponding lines going down to make another box on the back.

 

Also, the actual design on the front was my own. I had sort of drawn out what I had in mind and then started cutting and sewing and measuring and cutting some more until it was about the width and length I had in mind. The total dimensions are 11.5" x 14.5".

 

I admit my 'batting' is not batting but two layers of flannel I had laying around.
And, the Linus Heart block, the info for that was on my last post here.
The fabrics I used are again those Lites and brights scraps, some more of that orange pillowcase, the white is from another pillowcase, and the backing from yet another pillowcase. The pillowcases are all thrifted.

I used my box of quilting attachments for my machine for the first time too.
The walking foot, the 1/4" foot, and the quilting guide.
Now, I'm just scared that my list of projects I want to do will increase significantly.....