Tuesday, November 30, 2010

No, you're not lost!

I have adopted a new look for the blog just to spice things up a bit. It's still your same old Frecklemama, just with a new fancy dress on ;-)

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Stay tuned for some exciting news!

Chris

Far Far Away II Bolster Pillow

I ordered a yard of Heather Ross' gorgeous Far Far Away II Rapunzel fabric. I didn't have a plan for it other than making something for my daughter. And so it sat on my quilting table for a couple of weeks.

I realized last night, stupidly, that she has an uncovered bolster pillow on her bed that keeps her from falling between the bed and the wall. Voila! I'll make a cover for her bolster!

So here it is:


Yes, my pictures are terrible! It is cold and rainy outside so the indoor dim pic is all I could get.

Here is a closeup:


It's a little too long but I was more concerned with quick than perfect. I made a tube then turned the end hems in to make a tie channel. I made a length of bias tape (although straight, not on the bias) out of the fabric scrap and then sewn into a tie. I fed the bias tie through each channel to make a tie for each end.

It took less than an hour from start to finish.

We went to see Tangled in the theater on Sunday so the timing of this is perfect! Should I hide it until Christmas or just give it to her now?...

Chris

Monday, October 25, 2010

Toe Attack via Fig Tree Fresh Cottons


Toe Attack
Originally uploaded by Frecklemama

I am making the Cherry Delight quilt by Fig Tree Quilts using her Fresh Cottons line. I am a Fig Tree Fan to almost groupie proportions! Something about Joanna Figueroa's colors and style really connects with me.

I made a twin sized quilt using her Whimsy fabric earlier this summer as a graduation gift for our favorite babysitter. I'll share that soon. For some reasons the pictures I took aren't that great.

Anyway, while pressing the quilt top, I leave it hanging from my pressing table. When I step up to pin on the next row, my feet are often attacked by the Fresh Cottons Monster.

Glace' Quilt Top


Glace' Quilt Top
Originally uploaded by Frecklemama

I can't remember if I've posted pictures of this quilt top yet or not. This is a simple squares pattern using Three Sisters' Glace' Fabric. This fabric is delicious! It feels so good and has been a pleasure to work with.

This quilt top is awaiting basting, quilting and binding. Story of my life, right?

Chris

Laptop sleeve


Laptop sleeve
Originally uploaded by Frecklemama

Beware! Now that I've discovered how to blog directly from Flickr, you're in for a treat :-) No more fussy moving the photos around in Blogger.

Ok, here is a photo of a Laptop Sleeve I made this summer using OhFransson's tutorial by Elizabeth Hartman.

I used a couple of random fat quarters, velcro, fusible fleece. Easy peasy!

Verna Quilt Basting


Verna Quilt Basting
Originally uploaded by Frecklemama

Here is an update on my beloved Verna quilt. This is a picture of the basting (which is my most dreaded step in the quilt-making process!). The quilt is quilted and I am now stitching the binding to the back. I do my binding stitching in front of the TV in the family room, so even though it's not quite finished, we're already using it as our sofa quilt LOL!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this quilt and have already received a ton of compliments on it.

Chris

Monday, May 17, 2010

Khaki Quilt, Flag Quilt, Verna Quilt - Updates!

I have lots of quilting goodies to catch up on. I've been lazy about taking pics, and really who wants to read a blog post with no pics?

First of all, I'm almost done with the Khaki quilt (can we think of a more boring name please?). Just have to hand-sew binding to the back:


Many quilt bloggers seem to have a problem with cats on their quilts while taking pictures. I've always thought that was kind of funny. Like the cats have nothing else better to do than get in the way of a photo shoot. Well, apparently it's true:


Also, while my machine was in for service, I used a friend's machine to make a simple flag wall hanging. I haven't quilted it yet, but I'll go ahead and share a picture of it. The stars are hand appliqued using an easy technique. Put cheap muslin and your feature fabric right sides together. Sew them together in your shape (ie, complete star), cut it out leaving a small seam allowance. Cut slit into the muslin (CAREFUL not to cut your feature fabric!). Turn inside out and press. Now you can applique the shape on without fiddling with that pesky turn-under seam allowance.


Here is a close-up of one star:


Next I have been working on a Verna quilt. For those of you who haven't heard me shout it from the rooftops yet, "I LOVE KATE SPAIN'S VERNA FABRIC!!!!" So I went to her blog to tell her that. Just my luck, I encountered yet another blog giveaway that I was not going to win. I entered it anyway, because, c'mon, it's KATE SPAIN's VERNA! And... I WON! I received the Layer Cake and knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I wanted to showcase the fabrics with a simple patch quilt design but then add a new technique to it by trying prairie points for the first time. I had been inspired by this Moda Bake Shop quilt.

So far I have sewn together the layer cake squares:


And pressed some of the points:


And as if that isn't enough, I have also cut the fabric for a quilt I'm making for our beloved babysitter. She is graduating from high school on Saturday! Obviously it won't be done in time, so thank goodness she lives across the street :-) I will post pics of that when I make more progress on it.

Whew! So, you see there? I have been quilting and fabric-loving since you heard from me last. I've just been lazy about posting it. To be honest, I enjoy reading everyone else's blogs more than updating my own!

If you're a quilter and/or fabric-lover like me, hop on over to Sew,Mama,Sew to check out their huge Giveaway Day.

Have a great week everyone!