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.

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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.

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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.