It's Like Gold!

I've been in the mood to plan quilts lately. I've been using my journals that have lined pages, but they just don't cut it. Next time I'm at Target, graphing paper will be on my list. That stuff must be like gold. I don't know how I've gotten so far and not had any in my closet (which by the way was clean for about a millisecond).

Here is my latest creation. It's a twin for my son that will be Thomas the Train themed. I've been collecting fabrics for a while and planned on a nine patch. This pattern came to me right before bed time. It's random, which I struggle with, but kinda fun. The large squares will be 10 inches finished and the smaller squares will be 5 inches finished. I'm hoping to use most of the fabrics below and add in a lot of white.

 

 

 

I planned and assembled this other quilt over the last two days. It's a cot sized quilt for a friend of Evans. It is pirate themed. Some may say it's a little busy, but I think it's perfect for a toddler. This one needs batting and a back. I have the backing fabric, but not the batting. Guess that means this one goes back on the shelf. In the meantime I have to think of a name. I want to incorporate "argh" somehow. I'm sure this will come to me in the middle of the night.  

 



Busy Bee

I sure have been busy since my last post. Here is what has been keeping me from writing...

I finished piecing the top for the saw tooth stars. Now I just need to piece the back, send it off to the long arm quilter (this one is a king), and bind it. The project was part of a quilt along that my SIL did. We have a whole group of amazingly talented women that live worldwide. It sure is a lot of fun.

Two doll quilts for my friend's daughters. They are so sweet...the quilts and the girls!

One simple bag. This was part of the online sewing community that I belong to. We have a project every Sunday afternoon that one of the members puts together. It's been a lot of fun.

A table runner that is super cool and easy to make. Another project from the online sewing community. 

Dresden plates, which I love. They are so much easier than I thought. There will be 3 more added to this one for a wall hanging. Yet another project from the online sewing community. I joined this one late as there has been a lot going on in the Maddison household.

And, a secret santa gift. Can't post a picture on here, sorry.

I think that's about it. Until next time...

64 Sawtooth Stars

I am part of a sew along hosted by my sister-in-law. It's been a lot of fun. There are 15 gals participating and we are all at different stages. All the quilts are beautiful!

Here is a peek at my progress...all 24 stars...40 to go! I'm using 1940's reproduction fabrics. They are turning out nice. The top of the photo is washed out. i couldn't get the natural light to cooperate. There are yellow and pink blocks up there.

This one is my favorite block so far. I love the blue and orange.

Here is my Amish block. Extra points if you know what that is.

In other news...Evan starts his second year of preschool this week and soccer class is in it's second week. I've been busy with reorganizing the house. We bought a cube system for Evan's room and a new key hanger for all of our keys. My quilting stuff still hangs out on the breakfast bar. There are some things that just can't be helped...sigh!

Quilts for sisters

I finished this first quilt ("Nora's Purple Garden") at the beginning of last fall. It's for a dear friend's youngest daughter. It's a barn raising pattern. Boy, it was a tough one because I wanted all the fabrics to be just right. So, I had to cut the squares into HST's first and then sew. It was NOT a random project at all. But, it turned out beautiful.

Corner detail with heart sewn in.

The back fabric is below. The top is on top!

Top of the quilt

Back of the quilt

The next quilt ("A Little Birdie Told Me")  is for the same friend's oldest daughter. It was for her third birthday. This one is so precious...well, the quilt and the daughter! I found this pattern in a little shop during my trip to Utah with my sister-in-law. We went to the sewing summit together and had a blast!

The birdies were fun to make. Each was sewn on with my machine. The insets in the border are made up of 4 triangles. I thought it would be nice to mimic something from the sister's quilt.

Birdie detail. 

This is the only photo I have of the back. The back is made of "Ruby" and "Bliss" flannel. It's to die for!

There you have it! Two more quilts hand made by me. I'm almost done with another one. Hopefully it won't be so long to post it. Happy sewing!

All done Mommy?

I finally finished Evan's Funky Monkey quilt. I always seem to get distracted when it comes to projects for myself or my immediate family. I finished this one last night, yes, New Years Eve! I was very very sick so we stayed home. What else is there to do but hand stitching when one's butt is parked on the couch for 12 hours? I took a 3 hour nap in the late afternoon, so it put my finish time right at midnight. I was literally sweating at one point. I've been working on this project for, well, I don't want to think of how long. My original post is here.

Here it goes...

Sewing the last line. It feels so good!

Ironing the binding

This is my official binding sewing chair. I can prop my feet up and have the quilt at the right level. My eyes are getting bad! (this was before I got sick. Notice there are no more pictures after this one of me.)

Front

Back...I wanted to piece it. I love the yearbook fabric at the bottom. It's so cute with all the monkey portraits.

"Funky Monkey, My Little Monkey"
Made with all my <3
for
Evan William Maddison
by
Rebecca Marie Maddison
Greenwood Village, CO
December 2011
(the number 2 signifies that he was 2 years old when I made the quilt)

Evan loves his monkeys!

Finally where it belongs...on his bed!

I made this curtain valance a while ago. I used the actual curtains from his nursery decor. I'm hoping to reuse them for a long time! They have the insulated lining on them. My mom made them when she was here after Evan was born.

I made this a bit ago as well. I had a bunch of left over scraps. My next project is to maybe cover the lamp shades in monkeys. 

I think this turned out really nice. I'm glad I decided to do monochromatic and mixed blocks. It makes it interesting and fun. I learned a lot about making a pattern. I definitely have to measure, measure, measure and measure again.It's fun to measure and plan, but usually it just comes out how it's going to come out.

I already know my next projects. A bed runner for my mother-in-law, a king sized quilt for Marc & I and a play size quilt for my friend's daughter. I have a whole list of other smaller items. We'll see how they get finished!

Happy 2012. May it be the best yet!

Project Mania

My sewing machine has been on overtime for the last two weeks. I have made a slew of projects for the holidays... Don't mind the orientation on some of the photos. I changed it several times and they won't import correctly. If you have a tip for me, let me know!

Apron, pot holder and kitchen towel set

Little Girl Purses

Towel and pot holder set

Trivet set

Placemat Set 

Both sides of a butterfly lovey. It matches the quilt I made for the

little girl earlier this year just after her birth.

Bib

6 of these bad boys...super hero capes!

Half apron (It's double sided!)

It's been a lot of fun. I haven't really followed any patterns. Just looked at pictures for the shapes and dimensions and went for it. I love figuring things out!

First order of business is to potty train my little guy this week while simutaneously machine quilting the last lines on his Funky Monkey quilt. Geesh, this project is going on for ever! I will finish it in the first two weeks of January.

Back to Life, Back to Reality

This past weekend at the Sewing Summit in Salt Lake City was amazing! I was surrounded with women who love to create and it was breath taking. The classes were informative and everyone had a smile and project to share.

I got a lot of loot...some free, some paid. I took part in the shop hop on Friday morning. Feast your eyes...

6 samples of batting, 2 yards of bliss flannel, 2 yards of green and pink, 3 Sophia charm packs, fat eighth bundle, layer cake, pastel bundle, two pouches, charity block, 2.5 inch square pack, pastel charm pack, another fat eighth bundle, 6 Dr. Suess fat quarters, 3 fat quarters I liked, 3 dinosaur fat quarters, a pack of aurifil thread, 7 patterns (some single, some had more), a luggage tag, two rulers, one measuring tape, swag bag and a cool lanyard. Wow...that was a lot of stuff. Glad I took an extra suitcase to bring it all home!

I arrived back in Denver late on Sunday evening. My son was still awake and he was so happy to see me. I bought him a Grover at the gift shop and he can't put it down. When he woke up Monday morning he asked, "Where is Brober?"

He steals my heart!

Now it's back to diapers, dishes and projects. Last night I cut out the sashing for Evan's Funky Monkey. I will finish this thing by the end of the month!

My kitchen is almost never clean. And, on the rare occasion it is, this happens in about 10 minutes!

Till next year all you web sewers!