Tuesday, November 30, 2010

12 Days of Christmas Quilt Top


As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I decided to whip-up a few charm pack quilt tops, just to get things rolling, since my family's Christmas craft competition is only about 3 weeks away, and I have a lot of quilts I am hoping to complete.  So, for a sister who loves Christmas more than anyone I know (she taught in high school for a while, and she would go so overboard for Christmas that one of her students seriously thought she was an elf--I kid you not), a Christmas quilt seemed appropriate (she will probably have it out from September through March).

I used 2 charm packs of Moda's "12 Days of Christmas" fabric, and added an equal number of white 5" squares, which I cut myself (with a rotary and mat, it really doesn't take long).  I like the finished top, and I bought a matching fabric for the backing online (from here, which is having a great sale on select fabrics).  I hope to add the backing and have this quilted by the end of this weekend....


I really love some of these prints--they are Christmas-y without being too Christmas-y (if that makes any sense).

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday preparations....  I am having a blast with all of my quilting!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Fun With Charm Packs



I took a break from making star quilts (I am thinking of possibly posting a tutorial on how to make star blocks, maybe later this week), and had some fun with charm packs.  For the quilt above, I used Lollipop, by Moda, which has great colorful fabrics and some really cute prints.  I posted a few days ago on the monkey fabric that isn't included in the charm pack (but that's my personal favorite), so I bought a 1/2 yard of the "monkeys in the lollipop tree" fabric and made additional 5" squares (isn't the blue square in the center adorable?).....



I also really liked the fish fabric, so I bought a 1/2 yard of the brown fish fabric and cut 5" squares from that as well (see picture below--which also shows a little of the red fish fabric).  I also bought some fabric in solids that matched the color scheme of the Lollipop fabrics, and ended up adding about 70 5" blocks to 2 charm packs. 


I am really loving the finished look to the quilt top.  I am hoping to add a backing & quilt this by the weekend (along with a couple other works in progress). 
 This might be a hard one to give as a gift.  I am really loving the colors and the fabrics.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Sneak Peek






It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....  Quilt top to come!

Saturday, November 27, 2010

A Fresh Shipment

I love when I have a package in the mail, especially when it's FABRIC!!!  I just received a glorious box from fabric.com, filled with this goodness:



I caved with a couple more charm packs (but I like to add my own additions--usually just solids, but this way, the more interesting blocks can steal the show a bit more, and it feels less busy.  At least that's what I tell myself).  I have loved Moda's Punctuation line for months, and have finally gotten around to buying some!  I think I am going to use the red flowers as backing (official name of the fabric: Garden Red), and may have to cut a few extra blocks of the Garden Red to the quilt top.


I hope to have a quilt to show you using these yummy fabrics soon!

Friday, November 26, 2010

Loving Moda's Lollipop



I confess, I had to buy some charm packs.  How else am I going to make at least 9 quilts by Christmas?  So, I will show you my completed quilt top after I cut some fabric blocks to add to it.  But, before cutting into these fabrics, I just had to share!  The monkeys in the lollipop tree are too cute!  The charm packs didn't include any of this fabric, even though the monkeys are part of the Lollipop line.  I am glad I got a 1/2 yard and I think it's going to look really cute in the quilt.



I also really like Lollipop's fish fabric (I bought a 1/2 yard with the brown background, but it comes in a couple of other colors too).  I bought mine here (if you go to the Burgundy Buttons blog, there's often a coupon code to get a percent off!!  Be careful!)

Can't wait to see what the finished quilt look like (and I think I might need more monkey fabric--wouldn't it make a cute backing?)

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Star Quilt Top #2 Done!!! And, Happy Thanksgiving!



It was a long day of quilting yesterday, but I finished my quilt top for my second (and final, that I know of) baby quilt.  I am a little worried that the fabrics are a bit too busy?  I know that the nursery has a pink/green theme, so I tried to work with that.  Anyway, here's a close-up of each block:




(sorry these pics are a little dark--it's night time and I am too excited to wait until there's bright sunlight to snap a few pictures)

I do like the fabrics individually, though.  The two floral patterns and the pink polka dots are from Moda's Breakfast at Tiffany's line, and the green flowers and polka dots are from Moda's Lollipop line (more about the Lollipop line of fabrics coming soon).  The sashing was done in Kona Butter (I think I was hungry when I went shopping for the sashing, so any food-named fabric would've been chosen; thankfully, I think the creamy butter tone suits the buttery off-white background of the floral fabrics).

Next week, I need to do some sashing on a 12-block quilt, with 3 of each: stars, pinwheels, and two other cool block designs.  Also, I want to complete a backing for the pink & green quilt pictured in this post, and I am thinking of incorporating a single star with some sashing around it?  Any suggestions?

I hope you have enjoyed your Thanksgiving!  Good luck with sale shopping tomorrow!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

31 Days



So, I am starting this blog today because I have 31 days to make as many quilts as I can to give as Christmas gifts.  While this may not sound that challenging, there is actually a minimum of at least 9 quilts: I have 4 sisters, plus my Mom, plus a niece, plus a niece on the way, a mother-in-law, and a brother.  These are just the "must make" quilts.  Also, they are for my family's craft competition (full explanation will be posted on what this entails--it's ridiculous), which will be on December 23rd.  The craft competition gets pretty heated (there will be trash talk at the Thanksgiving table), and I have already upped the ante by telling everyone how I am the one to beat this year (total number of competitors: 6).

(front of quilt)


It's almost 10am, I have cut enough blocks for baby quilt #2 (see picture above, some of the blocks), so I will continue my sewing and leave you with a couple pictures of baby quilt #1 (minus binding)--which is actually my first quilt ever!

(back of quilt #1)

Thanks for stopping by, and please stay tuned, because I have a lot of great and different quilts coming-up, and I would love your advice, feedback, and to share the insane journey the next 31 days (and beyond--I am totally hooked on quilting) has in store....