JDRF Silent Auction Donation

I volunteered to help my girlfriend Julie for a cause very close to her heart, Juvenile Diabetes.  Her little girl has JD and they started fundraising for the JDRF walk last year.  This year, they are moving full force and needed items for a silent auction fundraiser to help the team meet their goal of $5,000, so I offered up my services.  At first, Julie asked for a cupcake apron similar to the ones I made for the Spring Boutique earlier this year.  I offered to do one better... a matching mother/daughter apron set.  I wasn't crazy about the cupcake fabrics I found but love the final product.  It will be paired with other kitchen items for a Mother/Daughter Baking Basket. I hope it brings in a nice bit of change toward a great cause.

August Goal: One Last Crack @ It

For my August goal, I am going to take one more crack at finishing Dyson's Rocket Quilt (see previous months goals).  I need to square it up after quilting and bind it.

Sad... I always buy, cut and iron binding when I buy the fabric for a quilt.  I normally use double fold french binding cut on straight of grain then iron it in half and roll it over a toilet paper roll for storage.  Unfortunately, I can't find any binding that was dedicated to this project nor can I find fabric so I guess it's time to go shopping. Who ever complains about fabric shopping, right?! Okay, maybe my husband :D



 

July Goal DONE!

Woo HOO! It's been a few months since I "finished" something and with good reason but this month I did it! I finished the Patriotic Rag Quilt that I promised for a fundraiser with plenty of time to spare. Here it is!

It will be sold via silent auction at the Liz Lykowski Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser on Saturday, July 27th in Toledo, Ohio.  Liz was my sister-in-law (husband's sister) who passed away at 21 years old from a undiagnosed heart defect while attending Indiana Tech. She was a defensive specialist on the Tech volleyball team and had been a part of the team for since it's inception 3 years prior to her death.  Monies raised at this fundraiser will fund the memorial scholarships in her name at Whiteford High and Indiana Tech for college bound and/or collegiate volleyball players.  

June Goal Fail, July Goal Hope

So I didn't finish my June Goal :(  It was also my goal for April and May.  There was so much going on with planning the Birthday party, the move and my mom's visit that I didn't finish.  I sat up the night before the party wondering if I should work though the night to finish and decided against it as I needed all the energy I could muster to deal with 13 kids under 6 and parents.  I was heart broken that I couldn't give my son his rocket quilt but all in all, I am the only one who cared.  Ironically, it's still not finished!  I got it quilted and it needs to be trimmed and bound but I have to put it aside for the month of July to do a quilt I promised for the end of the month.

That brings me to my July goal... A patriotic rag quilt for auction that will benefit my late sister-in-law's scholarship fund, Elizabeth A. Lykowski Memorial Scholarship, at Indiana Tech.  The fundraiser is July 27th and I have to figure in mailing time from CA to MI so I need to make quick work of this project.  Honestly, I think my husband will shoot me if I don't finish it because he wants the supplies to fall on this years tax deductions.

Third Time's a Charm-June Goal

That's right quilters, I am trying again this month to finish the goal I set two months ago.  No more fooling around... the b-day party is June 22 and I am determined to have my son's quilt done in time for the party. It is my June goal to baste, quilt and bind my son's rocket quilt. Here goes nothing.... again!

Linking up with:

May Goal-Rocket Quilt

I totally failed on my April Goal so I am taking a second shot at it again this month... May.  My plan is sandwich, baste, machine quilt and bind Dyson's Rocket Quilt.  The birthday party is June 22, so I HAVE to get it done this month.

Backing Fabric

April Goal

Last month I finished up a rocket themed quilt top for Dyson.  My trick for this month is to turn it into a quilt.  I plan to  piece the backing of the fabrics I have left, baste, quilt and bind it.  Pretty ambitious considering how many other things I have on my plate this month.

What else might you ask?  1) We are buying a house, due to close on May 10th so I will have a ton to do this month to make this happen. 2) Dyson will be starting all three therapies this month (Speech, OT and PCIT).  3) I have a few projects to make for sale... a kiddy apron and two Guinea pig pin liners, not to mention the four donation quilts I've committed to making. 4) Fun Day, a fun filled day of quilting with girls from my guild.  All day on a Saturday.  5) I am doing two runs (one mud and one regular), which will be an all day affair both days because I am volunteering at the races. 6) All my other current obligations (Mom's group, Catholic Mom's group, Breast Cancer Quilt Committee and Guild Newsletter).

Linking up to:

March Finish

Down to the wire but here it is!  Dyson's Rocket quilt top with four appliquéd rockets (one at the bottom, out of sight).

I hate that I didn't have time to add more details about this finished project but will over the coming days.  I was in such a hurry to check in for "A Lovely Year of Finishes" that I didn't post with my usual flair.

I decided to do mitered borders (on the larger boarder) because part of quilting is to learn/perfect new skills with each quilt.  It was quite an adventure.  I've done them before on a smaller project but it's been years and was much easier to manage.  On this larger quilt, I had too much fabric to handle and some of my corners ended up pinched or puckered.  I will speak with my LQS about getting help on this particular skill for my next quilt.

INSERT PICTURE OF PUCKERS HERE

I had planned to do two appliquéd rockets in my sketch.  I then talked myself into 4 when I realized how big the quilt was going to be... the darn thing just kept growing.  So I cut out 4 and after doing the first rocket, I decided that I should stick to two.  When I stood back to admire the one I'd finished, I realized that I put it on the short side of the quilt and felt that it would not look right with only two on the shortest sides.  SO, I decided to do the four again.  I will try to avoid smaller appliqués in the future...they were not easy to machine stitch!  

INSERT PICTURE OF ROCKETS HERE

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Edited 4/1/13 to add more information.

March Goal: Mid-month Check-in

My quilting room has been BUSY!  After finishing up some crafties for the Spring Boutique Craft Fair put on by my Mom's group, I have focused my attention on Dyson's Rocket Quilt.  I got all the 4-patch and 9.5 inch squares cut in a night.  Okay, so I worked from 10 PM to about 4 AM but it's done.  I have yet to cut out the inner or outer borders as well as the binding because I forgot which fabrics I bought for which section.  After I finish off the blocks and can have access to my table space, I will measure them out and see what I've got.

Shannon trying to sell Julie a rag quilt at the Spring Boutique.

First set of two rows with reversed block.

Started putting the blocks together the other night and was so proud of myself that I finished the first and second two rows that I posted a picture of one of the sections onto Facebook.  My darling "beginning quilter" friend, Amy, quickly pointed out that one 4-patch block was reversed.  Well darn!  Then I started looking at the second set of two rows that I put together and you wouldn't believe it.... yep, one block was reversed as well.  Unfortunately, it wasn't the same block or I would have claimed it was part of my plan.  I have put the project down for a few days out of frustration.  But I am now armed with a seam ripper and ready to get it done.

Second set of two rows with reversed block.

Linking up to:

March Goal: D's Quilt

I have chosen to complete (piece and appliqué) Dyson's quilt top as my March Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes.  

Currently, I have purchased all the fabric and washed some of it but have not made any cuts.  I do have a pattern and a plan (which includes a appliqué border) but just need to bite the bullet and get started.

Left:  Pattern from Quick Quilts.

Right:  Plan with appliqué border.











I hope to have the finished quilt completed for Dyson's birthday in June.  It's long overdue and as we will be moving to a new house in May, this will give me the perfect opportunity to redecorate his room to complement his new quilt.

I WILL complete Dyson's rocket quilt top this month.

Linking up to:

Lily's Bday Gift

This month, I took a small break to work on Mariska's Quilt for A Lovely Year of Finishes and gifts for our dear friend Lily.  She turned two this year.  Here's what she got!

February Finish: M's Quilt

Believe it or not... I actually finished Mariska's Quilt!  I know it's really hard to believe but I did finish something.  

This quilt started off as a tutorial on Pinwheels for my dear friend Becky (June 2011) and morphed into a baby girl quilt just in case I had a girl.  Surprisingly, just a few weeks after finishing the tutorial, I birthed a beautiful baby girl.  It moved from Wisconsin to California in as a UFO and sat in my organizers until my new quilting friend, Shannon, motivated me to finish the top and backing in May 2012.  Again, it sat around until I came across A Lovely Year of Finishes in January 2013.  I decided to pick this quilt for my February project because I'd love to give it to my sweet girl for her birthday in July.  I sandwiched, quilted and bound it as my "finish."  The only thing I forgot is a label, which will happen closer to her birthday.  I think I will call it "Tiptoe Through Tulips." I really hope she "loves" it to death.

As with any quilt, I learned a LOT!

1.  Buy more than just a 1/2 yard extra of your backing fabric.  I didn't have enough fabric for the back so I had to piece it.  I was still a bit short so I called every Joann Fabric's store in the San Jose area looking for it, and had my friends in Wisconsin check the Joann Fabrics store where I initially bought the fabric to no avail.  I even posted a desperate call to my blog friends through a blog post, Help Me Find This Fabric.  Still nothing.  I eventually decided to add a appliqué with the fabric scraps I had left.  It didn't turn out too bad but I won't make that mistake again.  

2.  Seriously over estimate the length of binding you'll need.  I ALWAYS make my binding when I cut the fabric at the beginning of a project.  I wind it around a toilet paper roll to keep it undamaged and ironed correctly.  I then don't look at it again until I am ready to use it.  For this project, I don't know if I didn't make enough initially or if my quilt grew during construction (beyond my plan) but I ran out.  Luckily I found a small scrap that was the perfect size to finish off the binding.

3.  Lastly, don't use pencil to make a quilting pattern.  My marking pen was out of ink so I decided to use a pencil thinking it would wash out.  Well it didn't... at least not all of it.  There are some faint and slightly darker pencil marks under the green thread I used to quilt around the appliqué.  I have tried an eraser, regular detergent (Gain), goats milk washing soap, OxyClean Stain Remover and lastly a load with just OxyClean Versatile.  I have finally given up and decided just to live with it.  I think it will fade as the quilt gets washed again or gets older.

 

I found the below picture in a previous post that I never finished.  Here is Mariska helping me piece the back.

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Patch Abilities Class-Feb

I attended my first PatchAbilities class at Quilts and Things.  Most ladies who attend the class don't come to quilt but to socialize... since I don't have a whole lot of time to quilt at home, I brought my machine and started working.  Due to it being the first class and a lot of people not showing up, we were late starting the class.  I was able to get the background sewn together and the appliqué pieces cut out during the class.  If the next class starts on time then I can get more done during class time and that is my hope.

After the class, I came home and positioned my appliqué pieces and fused them.  I have not yet started the button hole stitch around the appliqués yet because the teacher told us to quilt it with just the top and batting.  I have never done that before so I am going in on Saturday for more instruction.  Below is a photo of what I have thus far.

We work on the piece for a few months ahead of the current month so that maybe it will get finished in time to use.  In February, we are working on April's hanging.

Spring Arts and Crafts Boutique

I mentioned in a previous post that I will be a vendor at a craft fair hosted by my wonderful Mom's Group, Morgan Hill Mom's Meetup.  Advertisements have been purchased and it is being called the "Spring Arts and Crafts Boutique."  It falls March 9th and I have been working to sew items to sale.  

• I have the 4 full aprons and 1 half apron I posted in a previous post.
• I have also completed two other half aprons, 1 toddler size and 1 kids size. 

• 8 coloring book holders: 4 boy and 4 girl

• 1 of 4 (set of 4) picnic roll.  Plans for two more sets of 4 in different fabric.

• 1 baby quilt (photo not available)
• 2 sets of 10 colored beanbags (unfinished)

Other things in the works is some quilted bookmarks, coffee cup snuggies and two small tote bags.  If I have the time, I should have enough fabric for two doll quilts.  Then I think I will be done.  Hopefully what I have will be sufficient to turn a profit.

Mid-Month Check-in: M's Quilt

It's the 15th of February and time for my mid-month check-in for the "Lovely Year of Finishes" Challenge.

I have basted and begun machine quilting M's Quilt.  I stitched in the ditch around the pinwheels in a dark purple.   I am not crazy about how it looks on the back of the quilt and wish I would have used white in the bobbin but it's done and I don't think it looks bad enough to rip out so it stays.  I have stitched around all pinwheels but one.  That one lines up with the appliqué on the pieced back.  I will probably stitch around the appliqué on the back so that my stitching from the front does not obscure my lovely appliqué on the back.  

My plan was to stitch a vine like pattern on the green nine-patch blocks in a similar green color.  I  couldn't figure out how to make it work considering my limited quilting experience so the *new* plan is to stitch around the center green block of the nine-patch and a second larger square around the center square approximately 1 inch from the first stitch.

Lastly, I think I am going to stitch a large zigzag in the border, but I have been known to change my mind :)  I very much wish I had more machine quilting experience because I'd like this quilt to be perfect for my little girl.

Stay tuned for the finished project at the end of the month.

M's Quilt-UFO Challenge

M's Quilt top

So I have decided to join The Lovely Year of Finishes hosted by Melissa of Sew Bitter Sweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts to help deal with this UFO problem I have.  I am coming in a month late, so February is my first month.

For February, I choose to finish the quilt I started for my baby girl just before she was born, almost two years ago.  It is a completed top and a pieced back but needs to be sandwiched, quilted and bound.  These steps are the hardest for me because I haven't actually finished many quilts.  Check back around the 15th for progress.

 

Pieced quilt back for M's Quilt

I digress

I started this blog as a quilter, now I find myself not only quilting but making other projects as seen in the last two posts.  Well my girlfriend and fellow mom's group organizer is putting on a craft show.  All crafty mom's in the group have been invited to participate by purchasing a table ($25) and donating two items for a raffle.  I have next to nothing finished but want to participate.  Heck, it kind of sounds like fun.  So I asked my quilting friend, Shannon, to go in on a table with me.  Surely between the two of us we can fill a booth?!  Not only does it cut the table fee in half for me thereby making my profits easier to come by, I also only have to submit one item for the raffle again making my money making potential higher.

So what to make... I have gotten pretty good about aprons so off to the internet for free patterns.  I found a ton for both kids and adults.  I didn't find exactly what I wanted so I modified and I've put together (2) reversible kids full aprons, (2) kids full aprons (not reversible), (1) kids half apron and (2) sets of kids bean bag tossers (7 of 10 done).  I plan to make one more kids full apron to donate to the raffle and haven't decided on that fabric yet.  I didn't like the kids half apron I tried so I found another pattern and have two cut out and ready to sew for tomorrow.  I also would like to use the (2) kids quilt panels that I have been hoarding for no reason since I now have all the fabric and batting for them; some adult aprons (pattern and fabric undecided); some doll quilts (seriously, how hard can they be?), mini coloring tote, a few quilted clutches and some smocked bibs (I love these).  The craft fair is March 9th and I am sewing my fingers to the bone to get a good deal of stuff done.  I was thinking a few of many different items but the apron photos I have been posting on FB are getting such great response that I may choose to do more if I have time.

Here's what I've got so far: