The Dixie Chicken Quilts

Nautical Quilt

2011-11-30T23:10:00.001-07:00

My most recent finish was this precious nautical themed quilt. This is the first quilt I've made with applique, and I don't know what took me so long! It turned out to be easy, and it makes quite an impact!

I used this method with fusible interfacing (Pellon 911FF). I secured it with top stitching. I love that there are no raw edges, so it looks very polished. I did cut away the bottom layer of fabric (navy) and interfacing from the back, which helped reduce bulk and make a softer finished product.

I used seersucker fabric for the large outer border, so it's very light and tactile.

I also embroidered right on the binding instead of attaching a separate label. I will definitely be doing more of this in the future!

Thanks for stopping by!

Texas T-Shirt Quilt

2011-11-17T16:29:00.001-07:00

I just finished a t-shirt quilt for my cousin, Danielle. I love that there are so many different colors and types of shirts. It's fun being able to look at all the things she's been involved in over the years.

I had a really hard time choosing the border colors for this quilt, but I finally settled on orange and brown. I backed it with brown fleece, so it's really soft on the back. Fleece is also great because it's wide enough to cover the back with one solid piece (I used 2 1/2 yards).

The finished quilt measures 72.5" x 56.5".

I took plenty of pictures as I was finishing the quilt, so I'll be posting Part 3 of my t-shirt quilt tutorial soon!

Modern Coin Quilt

2011-10-26T22:20:00.002-06:00

I made this quilt a few months ago for a friend's new baby boy. She and her husband are both very stylish and modern, so I tried to do my best to make a quilt to reflect their personalities.

I love coin quilts because they go together quickly and look great when they're done!

I did a pieced back with scraps from the front.

I think those tiny elephants are my favorite!

Thanks for stopping by!

Turtle Quilt

2011-09-19T17:50:00.002-06:00

I recently finished this fun quilt for a client's grandson. She asked for turtles, and I had a hard time finding something I liked. So, I decided to make my own!

I had these little turtles printed by Spoonflower.

As for the design, I was inspired by some great quilts I found on flickr, like this one and this one. It's very simple, so the fabrics really stand out.

As always, I used scraps of fabric from the front to make the back.

So today's question is...

What inspires your quilt designs? For me, flickr (this group in particular) is a huge influence and inspiration. There are so many talented people out there who post pictures of their beautiful quilts!

1 Samuel Quilt

2011-08-21T18:17:00.000-06:00

I recently had to opportunity to make a quilt for a friend to give as a gift to her cousin who finally conceived a child after years of infertility. She had seen some of the fabric I had printed on Spoonflower, and she asked if I could design something for her quilt. She wanted to include a few verses from 1 Samuel 1 - (27) I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. (28) So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.

Here's what I came up with...

I wanted to make the words script, so they would blend into the quilt until you get close to read them.

I used half-square triangles to make the diamonds. I happen to love working with half-square triangles because you can do so many things them! Not only can you make diamonds, but you can make stripes, pinwheels, stars, or you can just leave them as triangles.

I wanted to add in a section on the back that was a bit more bold with the words.

In the future, I really hope I can incorporate more Spoonflower fabric into my quilts. The possibilities really are endless! If you haven't tried Spoonflower yet, think about it! You could come up with something really special!

T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial - Part 2

2011-08-07T15:48:00.005-06:00

Materials (Part 2 only)

Rotary Cutter, Mat

Interfaced T-Shirt Pieces (Completed in Part 1)

Sewing Machine and 1/4” Presser Foot

Coordinating Thread

Step 1- Decide on a general layout.

Lay your pieces out and play with designs. Decide whether you would like to sew your shirts in rows or columns (or some of both).

For columns, try your best to make each row from shirts with similar width of printed space. For rows, they should be of a similar height. If one piece is too small, you can always go back and add scraps to make it the right width/height.

You can also add scraps to give your quilt a more random look. Play with turning thin designs 90 degrees. Decide where you need to add scraps. Interface the scraps and lay them in place. Take into account the number of seams in each row or column. You will lose about 1/2” at each seam.

Step 2- Square up all pieces and trim to size.

To make columns: Working one column at a time, measure the width of all pieces in the column. Decide on a width (exact measurement, like 14") to cut each piece so that the designs are not cut off. Leave at least 1/2” of unprinted space on each edge. Square up each piece on all sides, and cut the width to the desired measurement.

Each of the columns in this quilt is trimmed to a different width. I tried to group similar sized shirts together.

Once you have trimmed all the shirts to the correct width, lay them out again. Begin trimming the height of the blocks so that your columns come out to roughly the same length. Take into account that you will lose 1/2" in length with every seam. In the picture below, the second column has only two seams, but the rest of them have three. I just made sure to allow extra room for trimming at the bottom for the second row.

To make rows: Working one row at a time, measure the height of all pieces in the row. Decide a height to cut all the pieces so that the designs are not cut off. Leave at least 1/2” of unprinted space on each edge. Square up each piece on all sides, and cut the height to the desired measurement.

Once you have trimmed all the shirts to the correct height, lay them out again. Begin trimming the width of the blocks so that your rows come out to roughly the same length. Take into account that you will lose 1/2" in length with every seam.

For smaller pieces that will be joined together within a row or column (shown above), square them up first and sew them together. Press the seams open. Treat this as one shirt. Then trim down the rest of the shirts in the row or column to the correct size.

Step 3- Sew the rows or columns together.

If you were working in columns, sew each column together (shown above). Then, you can sew the columns together to complete the quilt top. Trim the edges so that they are straight.

If you were working in rows, sew each row together. Then, sew the rows together to complete the quilt top. Trim the edges so that they are straight.

This particular quilt is made up of columns in the middle, and rows on the top and bottom.

At the end of all the trimming and sewing, you should end up with a quilt top. You need to think about borders and if you want to add them.

I'll write about adding borders and finishing the quilt in Part 3! Thanks for reading!

Bumble Bee Quilt

2011-07-30T10:40:00.000-06:00

Hi! I'm still here, although I've been quiet here in blog land! Yesterday, I finally finished this bumble bee themed quilt for a client's granddaughter.

I used two fabrics from Spring Fling by David Walker for Free Spirit, and the rest are from my stash. My favorite 'stashed' fabric in this quilt is Girl on a Tree Swing from Aneela Hoey's Sherbet Pips line. It's just so cute!!

I quilted it in free motion loops.

I made disappearing nine patch blocks, which create a wonderful random pattern.

I know this will be the perfect quilt for a precious little girl!

I'll be posting Part 2 of my t-shirt quilt tutorial soon, so be sure to come back!

T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial - Part 1

2011-07-16T14:57:00.001-06:00

Hi there! For all of you who want to learn how to make a t-shirt quilt, I'm going to tell you my secrets. As always, I don't claim to know all there is to know about making t-shirt quilts. I have made several, and I've learned plenty by doing it. Trial by fire, if you will. So, in order to keep you out of the proverbial fire, here's what I know.

Materials (Part 1 only!)

Pellon 911FF Featherweight Fusible Interfacing (any color)*

20-25 T-Shirts

Quilting Tools

Rotary Cutter

Cutting Mat & Ruler

6.5" Quilter's Square (optional)

Iron

Ironing Board

Press Cloth (optional)

*The amount of fusible interfacing you'll need will vary depending on the number/size of the shirts you're using. I think it's always good to start with 5 or 6 yards if you don't want to buy a bolt. I got a great deal on my bolt at Overstock.com. It's nice not having to worry about running out...

Step 1- Cut.

Use your rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat to cut your t-shirts. Be very generous in cutting. You will trim and square up the shirts later. Don't throw scraps away just yet. You may need them later.

If I'm making the quilt for someone else, I ask them to designate which part(s) of each shirt they want me to use with painter's tape.

This shirt only has a design on the front, so I just cut through the whole shirt.

This shirt has designs on both sides, so I split the sides and opened the shirt before I cut my rectangles.

You should end up with a pile of rectangles like this...

For cutting pockets, I sometimes use a 6.5" quilter's square. It's easier for me if they're all the same size.

Step 2- Interface.

Lay out one t-shirt rectangle on your ironing board, right side down. Iron the back of your rectangle. Never iron the right side of a t-shirt. The design will melt!

Trim the interfacing to the proper size.

I don't usually trim all sides, but that's because I'm slightly lazy ;) I also don't mind if a little glue gets on my ironing board. It doesn't happen that often. I'm careful where I put the iron.

Fuse the interfacing in place according to the manufacturer's instructions. Don't worry about trimming the interfacing down for seam allowances.

You should use a press cloth over your interfacing if you want to keep your iron nice and clean. I had a nasty accident with fusible fleece a while back, so being clean is not a possibility for my poor iron. I do use a spray bottle to keep everything nice and cool.

I cut 6.5" squares of interfacing for the pockets. The edges won't line up perfectly, but they come pretty close. Like I said earlier, you will do lots of trimming later.

So, that should keep you busy for a while. If you've finished this part, here's Part 2!

Nathan's T-Shirt Quilt

2011-07-09T13:26:00.000-06:00

Hi there! I'm not sure how a month passed so quickly without one single post... We've been traveling quite a bit, so the blog and my sewing machine have taken a back seat. I never did show you the t-shirt quilt I finished most recently, so here goes!

I added a 1.5" border and did a machine attached binding in black.

As usual, I quilted "in the ditch."

The backing is fleece, which gives the quilt the perfect weight and softness. It was more difficult to work with than cotton or flannel, but it was definitely worth the trouble!

Random Quilt

2011-06-11T06:13:00.002-06:00

My husband told me that this quilt was really random, and I decided to take that as a compliment. I was going for strips with a twist. What do you think?

I quilted it in a large stipple pattern.

The back is pieced and beautifully wonky. ;)

My label is embroidered and hand-appliqued to the back.

Thanks for stopping by!

Fresh & Funky- May

2011-06-09T09:00:00.028-06:00

For the month of May, Kerry of Sweet Karabelle asked for mosaic blocks, featuring color blocks separated by strips of white. Oh, Fransson! has a great tutorial on how to do this. She sent some really beautiful fabrics, which makes it even more fun! :)

These blocks measure 9.5" square.

I chose to make mine wonky since I don't do that very often. It was a lot of fun!

This will be another amazing quilt! I hope you like them, Kerry!

T-Shirt Quilt Progress

2011-06-07T12:47:00.000-06:00

I've been working on this t-shirt quilt for a few weeks now, and I'm happy to say that I've finally made it through the most difficult part. It's all downhill from here! Here is the completed top...

Right now, it measures 50" x 70."

I took tons of pictures while making this quilt top. Tons. I plan on doing a series of posts on making t-shirt quilts in the near future, so be sure to check back soon!

Winnie the Pooh Quilt

2011-05-21T21:35:00.000-06:00

I just finished this baby quilt for a Winnie-the-Pooh-themed nursery.

I added some embroidery to give it a little something extra. You know Pooh can't be happy without honey bees! :)

I quilted it with diagonal straight lines, which I love with the half square triangles.

I tried a different kind of label this time. It's embroidered and hand appliqued in the bottom right corner.

I know this will be the perfect blanket for a precious baby boy!

Thanks for stopping by!

Fresh & Funky- April

2011-05-06T11:50:00.000-06:00

I'm a little late with my April block, but better late than never, right? I hope Vicky agrees! ;) She had us make the most amazing block for her book quilt. I know I say it every month, but this one is going to be really beautiful! Here's my block...

She asked me to use four titles of craft books, and I got to choose one as well. I added one called Make a Monster.

And I stitched my own little monster to go along with the title.

I hope you have a great weekend! I decided to wash ALL the fabric I own, so I'll be ironing if you need me... all weekend long.

Finished!

2011-04-27T23:50:00.000-06:00

Justin's quilt is complete! This quilt is made from shirts from his time as a student and a teacher at SSHS. I did my teaching internship at the same school, but I didn't get any shirts from it. ;)

This quilt is going to look great in his classroom!

So, that's one more t-shirt quilt down! I hope you like it, Justin!

How Do You Label?

2011-04-23T13:24:00.000-06:00

1. "Jack In the Box" Quilt Detail, 2. quilt tag, 3. Quilt label, 4. Dr Seuss label, 5. baby quilt for James, 6. BabyPinwheels: label, 7. Label Close-Up, 8. Label, 9. IMG_3551sm, 10. Etiqueta / Label, 11. Quilt label, 12. Shirting quilt label, 13. Gavin's Quilt Label, 14. Behind the Quilt, 15. Argyle Quilt of Doom - Label, 16. Quilt label

I really enjoyed hearing from you about pre-washing fabrics. Thanks to all of you who weighed in on the topic! It seems that most of the people who responded do pre-wash. I'll post more on the subject later.

So the question for today is, do you label your quilts and if so, how? What information do you include? How do you make your label? Where do you put it? Do you piece it into the quilt somewhere? Do you applique it? Do you attach it before or after quilting your quilt?

I'd love to hear about your quilt labels! If you have a post on labels or some pictures, leave a link too!

Baby Bricks Quilt

2011-04-22T17:17:00.000-06:00

This quilt is a gift for some college friends of ours who just had their first baby a few weeks ago. I'm a little late in sending it, but better late than never, right?

I'm really liking the idea of square baby quilts right now, so don't be surprised if you see more of them from me in the future. I forgot to measure it before I put it in the mail, but I think it's about 38" x 38."

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you have a great weekend. I'm doing a 5K tomorrow... I hope I don't pass out from the heat! It's already so hot in southern New Mexico! ;)

Beach Purse Tutorial

2011-04-20T19:51:00.001-06:00

I originally made this purse for my grandmother. After I finished it, I was wishing I had one for myself too. The size is perfect for carrying sunscreen, a book, and other things you may need for the beach or pool (or for running around town for that matter!). I love that it's not enormous like the other beach bags I have. Here are the instructions for making your own if you'd like.

Materials:

1/2 yd. outside fabric*

1/2 yd. lining fabric

1/2 yd interfacing

1" wide sew-in Velcro

Coordinating thread

Fabric marker or pencil

*I used quilting cotton for the outside and lining. I used Pellon 809 Decor Bond for the interfacing.

Note: I used a 1/4" inseam because that's what I'm used to as a quilter, but it would also be great using a 1/2" inseam. Just increase the fabric rectangle sizes by 1/4" on all sides to make the same size purse I made.

For all topstitching, I used a 4.0 stitch length and stitched very close to the edge.

1- Cut out all the pieces you'll need for your purse:

2 10 3/4" x 12" rectangles of outside fabric

1 3" x 42" strip outside fabric for strap (or 3" x width of fabric with selvedges trimmed for most quilting cotton)

2 10 1/2" x 12" rectangles of lining fabric

1 10 1/2" square of lining fabric for pocket

2 10 3/4" x 12" rectangles of interfacing

1 2 1/2" strip of Velcro

Outside, lining, interfacing, strap

Pocket, Velcro

2- Fuse the interfacing to each of the outside fabric panels according to manufacturer's instructions.

3- Prepare the pocket.

Fold the 10 1/2" square in half, right sides together.

Sew the open end of the long side, and turn the pocket right sides out. Press the pocket and topstitch on the folded long side.

4- Attach the pocket.

Place the pocket on one of the lining fabric pieces. Your pocket should be oriented so that the raw edges of the pocket line up with the edges of the lining fabric. Try to center the pocket on your lining fabric. I just looked at it, no measuring required. :)

The topstitching should be pointing toward what will become the top of your purse. Pin the pocket in place, and topstitch over the bottom of the pocket. Then, stitch a vertical line over the pocket, dividing it into two sections. Be sure to backstitch at the top and bottom. I made one large and one small pocket by stitching 4" from one edge.

5- Attach the Velcro.

Fold each lining piece in half lengthwise. Crease it with your finger. Do the same with both parts of Velcro. Align the folds of one lining piece and one Velcro piece, and pin the Velcro about 1" below the top of the lining fabric. Stitch around the edges of your Velcro.

6- Sew the interfaced outside pieces together.

Place the outside fabrics right sides together, and stitch down one long side, across the bottom, and up the other long side. Leave the top open.

7- Sew the lining pieces together.

Repeat step 6 with the lining fabrics.

8- Box the corners of the lining and the outside pieces.

Stand the unit upright (open side up), align the side and bottom seams, and flatten the corner, forming a triangle. Measure 1" from the tip, and draw a line from side to side.

Be sure to pin above the marked line. Stitch on top of the line.

Trim the corner to a 1/4" inseam.

Repeat with the rest of the bottom corners.

9- Make the strap.

Fold and press your strip in half lengthwise.

Open it up, and fold one side almost up to the crease. Press the new fold in place.

Repeat with the other side.

Now fold your strap along the original crease. Pin in place.

Topstitch along the open side first, and then along the folded side.

10- Attach the outside of the purse and the strap to the lining.

Leave the outside of the purse inside out. Flatten the strap and hold each end so that it doesn't twist in the middle. Place the strip inside the purse, and pin strap ends to the sides, centering each side of the strap on a side seam. The raw edge should stick over the top of the purse 1/4" - 1/2."

Turn the lining fabric right sides out and place it inside the other part of the purse (still inside out). The right sides of each part should be facing the right sides of the other part. Pin the lining in place. Be sure to remove the pins through the straps and pin through all three pieces (outside, strap and lining).

Sew around the top of the purse, leaving a 4" or 5" gap for turning. Backstitch on either side of the gap.

11- Turn the purse right sides out.

Reach through the hole and pull the purse through until the right sides are all out. Push the lining inside the purse, and press around the top. Be sure to tuck in the raw edges of the gap used for turning as you press.

12- Topstitch around the top of the purse, ensuring that you close the gap used for turning.

That's it! It's a pretty simple method that you can use for any size tote bag. I hope you enjoy your beach purse as much as I do!

More T-Shirt Quilts!

2011-04-15T11:53:00.000-06:00

Right now, I'm working on two t-shirt quilts. Every time I make one, I find it more and more enjoyable. There's something very satisfying about taking a person's old yet precious t-shirts and making them into something new and useful again. I picture all the places they went with their owner, all the memories they hold. I'm nostalgic that way.

Here is a preview of the first quilt.

The top of this one is almost complete. It needs some borders, and then it will be ready to be quilted.

I'll post progress on the second one soon. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a great weekend!!

A Clean Story

2011-04-12T17:56:00.000-06:00

There once was a girl who bought a sewing machine. She learned to sew straight lines, zigzags, and even attach a button or two.

This sewing girl then learned to quilt. She spent hours and hours with her machine, but she never bothered to read the last part of her manual. You know, the part that tells how to clean the machine.

Then one day, she decided to clean up her act...

She read and read, then brushed and picked. And what did she find?

That an enormous dust bunny was living inside her machine and messing up her stitches!

{Yikes!}

She ended up vacuuming it all up, including an unsuspecting bobbin, poor guy. Even with the casualty, she and her machine were very happy.

The moral of the story is, clean your sewing machine regularly to keep it running well. And watch out for bystanders. Poor bobbin.

The End.

{I may or may not be know the girl mentioned in the story.}

I'm Back!

2011-04-10T21:06:00.000-06:00

So, once again I've been out of town and away from the blogosphere. I'm back now, and I have begun to sew up a storm. I should have plenty to show for it here later this week.

We went to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was such a great place to relax and have fun!

Before we left, I made myself a little purse to carry my sunscreen, book and other poolside necessities. I'll post a tutorial here later if you'd like to see how I did it. I wanted to get a good picture of it in use, but then I got all awkward...

At least I can laugh at myself...

I'll just have to use the picture without me in it for the tutorial! ;)

I hope you have a great week!

Fresh & Funky- March

2011-03-29T17:42:00.000-06:00

This month, Alexandra asked us to make blocks around the theme of confetti. I can't wait to see the finished quilt!

Fabric

2011-03-29T09:23:00.001-06:00

I've been traveling a lot lately, so I haven't been doing too much sewing. I did bring my laptop and notebook, so I did plenty of designing. I also recently purchased a refurbished (which means much more affordable) Wacom tablet, so I've been learning how to use it as well. Improvement is the name of the game for me. ;)

Geo Safari

Detail

Puppy Dots

Detail

Doodle Safari

Explorer Bears

Detail

So, that's what I've been doing on the crafting front. Happy Tuesday!

Just Like Martha Quilt

2011-03-12T22:52:00.000-07:00

My friend asked me to make a quilt inspired by this seersucker quilt from Martha Stewart. She loved the simplicity of the whole thing, from the simple fabrics to the large pattern. I never would have thought to make a quilt from seersucker, but I know for a fact that it is something I will happily do again. I absolutely love this quilt, and I hope she loves it too!

I used seersucker, shirting, flannel, and quilting cotton. I pre-washed everything since each fabric was a different blend of fibers.

The seersucker has so much soft and wonderful texture to it. It's light and wonderful to hold. It was actually very easy to piece as well.

I used Kona Ash quilting cotton for the back and binding. It just might be my new favorite solid.

Instead of a spiral pattern, I opted for a square-in-square look. I think it has to do with my personality...I just like things to be symmetrical and orderly. I always have. Probably always will.

So that's my latest creation. I hope my friend likes it as much as I do!

QAYG Blocks

2011-03-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

After the earthquakes in New Zealand last month, Cat of Catalina's Cottage sent a call out for QAYG (Quilt As You Go) blocks. She's using them to make quilts to comfort those affected in Christchurch.

Here are the ones I made. These guys are on their way to NZ now. I just hope they're not too late! My heart's in the right place, but sometimes I can be slow getting things done...

Anyway, I hope these blocks can bring some comfort to someone in New Zealand. I can't imagine what they've been through, and thinking about them definitely puts my small worries into perspective.

I'm not sure how she puts them together. I even read a tutorial on the subject, and it still eluded me. I'm just glad she can use what I'm sending!

Thanks, Cat, for giving us a way to help.

Question

2011-03-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

I have a question for you. Do you pre-wash your fabrics before making a quilt?

I had to pre-wash for the quilt I'm currently working on because I used seersucker, shirting, and quilting cotton. Each fabric had a different make-up (polyester/cotton blend, for example), so I decided that I should shrink them all before sewing them together. The last thing I want is for some parts of my quilt to shrink up more than others.

I had never done it before a few days ago because it seemed like so much work. And waiting. I mean, who wants to wait for fabric to wash and dry before cutting into it, right? Not to mention the ironing...

I must say that I was extremely surprised at how much I enjoyed the whole process. I actually liked ironing all my newly cleaned fabrics. It was also nice to know what they looked like after being washed. Usually it's a throw the quilt in on the gentle cycle and pray that it comes out alright kind of thing. It was also nice to piece clean fabric. I don't know why, but there was something about it...

Anyway, I'm just thinking about making the switch to pre-washing everything. It is important not to mix pre-washed fabrics with fabrics that aren't pre-washed, so I think I'll have to commit to one way or the other. Here is a great discussion on pre-washing.

So again, the question is, do you pre-wash? Why or why not? Thanks for your help!

Happiness...

2011-03-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

...is this right here.

I still find it funny that a package full of fabric that has yet to be made into anything can bring me such joy. The fact that it was all on sale and then 20% off on top of that helps, too. If you'd told me such a package would make me so happy even a few years ago, I'd think you were off your rocker. But, thanks to a little down time and a lot of blog reading, I've arrived in the fabric-crazy place I am today.

What about you? If you're a quilter, did you learn growing up? Who taught you? If not, keep reading blogs, and you too can conquer the world of quilting! :)

Circles!

2011-02-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

I have wanted to make a quilt with circles on it...probably since the day I decided I wanted to learn to quilt. I've learned about raw edge applique. I used that technique to humiliate my mom's dachshunds. :)

However, I also wanted to know an easy way to actually piece circles into my quilts. I think I've just found my method of choice! If you are curious about circles (like me), go check out this video! Dale Fleming is the talented mind behind such an excellent trick. I'm seeing circles in my near future!!

Fresh & Funky February

2011-02-19T12:43:00.000-07:00

This month, Julie of Forest Poppy asked for blocks with a tree or leaf theme. She sent some really beautiful fabrics with bold colors and said that she was open to pretty much anything, including embroidery. As soon as I read that, the idea for my block popped into my head.

I love embroidery. I think that almost any picture can look beautiful when drawn with thread on fabric. I did most of it by hand. I decided that I wanted a very thin outline on my little fox and bird, so I used my machine and darning foot. I like the organic look of the stitches very much.

If you don't know much about embroidery, you should check out Doodle Stitching by Aimee Ray. That's what I did! :) If you don't want to get the book, she does have some tips on her blog. Or, there are about a million other videos and tutorials on the internet, so just do some digging.

Like I said before, I believe that almost any drawing looks beautiful when it's embroidered, but in case you'd like to use my drawing, I've posted it below. This is for personal use only. You should be able to click on it to enlarge it and then print or trace it from there.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Lovely Pot Holders Tutorial

2011-02-15T11:25:00.000-07:00

Lovely Potholders

Materials:

3 fat quarters of coordinating fabric (approx. 18" x 20" each)

18" x 20" piece of cotton batting or scraps to fit pattern (I used Warm & White)

18" x 20" piece of Insul~Bright or scraps to fit pattern

1 sheet of paper for pattern

Other supplies:

Walking foot and denim needle for sewing machine

Pins for basting

Quilting ruler

Fabric marker

Note: This tutorial is for two pot holders.

1. Fold paper and cut out a heart following the measurements in the picture. It's important not to make the "dip" in the middle too steep.

2. Fold the point up and crease.

3. Cut two half hearts and two full hearts from each material (TWO of the fat quarters- one for the outside and one for the lining, batting, and Insul~Bright).

Materials shown in the picture are enough to make ONE pot holder.

4. Draw lines for quilting on your outside fabric for both pot holders. I made a 1" grid pattern using my quilting ruler.

Use the lines from the front piece to mark the back piece.

5. Layer one full heart in this order: lining fabric right side down, batting, Insul~Bright, top fabric right side up.

6. Pin and quilt.

First, I quilted one line in each direction in the center to secure the pot holder.

Once you've finished quilting, trim the excess batting from the heart.

7. Layer and quilt the half heart. Trim the excess.

Repeat steps 6 & 7 with the other pot holder.

8. Prepare binding from your third fat quarter. I used 2.5" strips to make mine. If you're not a quilter, this is an excellent tutorial from Crazy Mom Quilts on how to prepare and attach binding. This is a great binding reference from Martha Stewart as well. I finished my binding with the Overlap Finish, as she calls it.

Unfortunately, this is where I stopped taking pictures. I guess I just got caught up in the excitement of finishing...

9. Bind only the straight edge of each half heart. Trim the excess binding. Do not worry about finishing the edges. We'll cover them later.

10. Place one half heart and one full heart together, lining fabrics together. Topstitch around the edges using a 1/8" inseam if you can to attach the half heart to the full heart and secure the edges. Repeat.

11. Attach your binding to each pot holder. Miter the corners at the dip and point of each heart.

And there you have it! Enjoy!

Hearts

2011-02-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

I don't usually do anything to decorate for Valentine's Day, but this year I've been feeling a little more festive. I love to bake, so I thought I'd make some heart-shaped potholders. I think I'll just leave them out on the counter so I can look at them, even when I'm not baking!

This shape is actually really great for pulling goodies out of the oven...like that cinnamon swirl bread. Yum!

Original Fabric: Young Love, XOXO, Hearts and Hexies

Year of the Rabbit Contest

2011-02-10T22:22:00.000-07:00

I decided to enter this week's Fabric of the Week contest on Spoonflower. There are some amazing designs this week, so head over and check them out if you have time! If you like my fabric, I'd love to get your vote! Thanks! :)

Burp Cloth Tutorial

2011-02-07T10:24:00.000-07:00

Burp Cloth Tutorial

Materials:

2 20" x 14" birdseye 3-ply cloth diapers*

2 20" x 5" strips of cotton fabric (pieced or whole)

coordinating all-purpose thread

*I found mine in the baby section at Walmart.

Note: You are basically going to make a tube out of your fabric and diaper and close it much like the Baby Blanket I posted the other day.

Use a 1/2" inseam.

1. Lay your fabric strip right side down on top of your diaper, and align the edges. Sew them together on the aligned edge.

2. Now line up the other two long edges, keeping the cotton fabric right side down. Sew that side together just like you did in step 1.

It should look like an open-ended tube when you hold it up (shown below).

3. Lay your tube out and center the fabric strip. You should have the same amount of white on either side.

Press your seams in toward the fabric strip.

4. Sew one side of your tube completely closed (shown below). Sew the other side the same way, but leave a 4" gap in the middle of your seam for turning. Be sure to backstitch on either side of your opening to strengthen it for turning.

5. Turn your burp cloth right sides out and tuck in the edges of your opening.

6. Topstitch around the fabric strip in the middle about 1/4" away from each seam. Be sure that your stitches close the opening you left for turning.

Note: When your needle comes 1/4" from each corner, leave it in the down position, raise your presser foot, and rotate the cloth counter clockwise. Continue stitching.

And there you have it! Super simple and super cute, too! Enjoy!

If you make some, let me know! I'd love to see pictures!

Quick Baby Blanket Tutorial

2011-02-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

Quick Baby Blanket

Finished size approx. 26.5" square

Materials needed:

3/8 yd. each of 3 coordinating fabrics (quilting cotton)

7/8 yd. minky or other soft fabric*

Coordinating all-purpose thread

Yarn or embroidery thread (I used DMC Perle 5)

Hand embroidery or upholstery needle

*I find minky to be a bit slippery to sew, so if you are in an extreme hurry you might want to try something like flannel.

**Even Faster Variations:**

-If you're really in a hurry, just use one top fabric and one back fabric (both 7/8 yd.) and trim them into matching squares. Then, begin with Step 7.

-Try using 3 9.5"x 27.5" strips for the top fabric and begin with Step 5.

-------------------------------------------------

1. Using a quilting ruler, mat, and rotary cutter, cut one strip of each cotton fabric 9.5"x width of fabric.

2. Cut 9.5" squares from each strip. You can get 4 from each fabric, but you won't need that many. You will only need 9 squares total.

I used a 9.5" quilter's square, but that's not necessary if your cutting mat has measurements on it.

I cut 3 squares of animal fabric, 4 squares of green dots, and 2 squares of stripes.

3. Sew your squares together in rows using a 1/4" inseam. As with any patchwork project, it's really important to have a 1/4" presser foot so that your seams line up perfectly.

4. Once you have 3 rows of 3 squares each sewn together, press your seams. You can either press them toward the dark fabric or press them like I did- top and bottom rows in one direction and middle row in the opposite direction.

5. Sew rows together to complete blanket top.

Here are a few tips for pinning your rows together:

Arrange two rows right sides together making sure to align the seams. Don't worry about the edges too much yet.

Starting with the bottom row, insert your pin into the seam on the wrong side of the fabric about 1/4" from the cut edge (about where your stitches will go when you begin to sew). Then insert your pin into the seam on the right side of your top row fabric. When I took my quilting class, my instructor told me to "guess at a quarter inch."

Now press your fabrics together and insert the tip if the pin back through both rows of fabric.

This method of pinning really helps you to get sharp points without pinning a million times.

Now line up the edges and sew your seam. Don't remove the pin until you have caught one of the seam allowances with your needle.

Now press those middle seams open.

And you have a perfect (or nearly perfect) point!

6. Lay your blanket top out in the wrong side of your minky and trace the edges using a ruler and fabric marker, and cut out your blanket back. I just used scissors.

7. Position your fabrics right sides together, and pin them in place. Unlike joining the seams in the top, you'll probably need a fair amount of pins because the minky is so slippery. Sew your layers together with a 1/2" inseam leaving a 4"-5" opening in one side for turning. Backstitch on either side of your opening.

A note about turning corners: When your needle is 1/2" from each corner, leave your needle down in the fabric, raise the presser foot, rotate the fabric 90 degrees counter clockwise, and continue sewing. Use your regular presser foot or a walking foot.

8. Trim your corners (but do not cut the stitches in the corner) and turn your project right sides out. Make sure your corners are crisp by using a pointed object like a capped pin, closed scissors, knitting needle, your finger, etc., to push the corners out from the inside.

9. Tuck the edges of your opening in, pin them in place, and top stitch around the edges of your blanket 1/8"-1/4" from the edge. Make sure your topstitching closes the opening.

10. You'll need to secure the blanket with ties or a nice satin stitch on your machine. I used 4 ties, but you can have as many as you like, pretty much anywhere you like. I made mine tie in the back, but once again, that's up to you.

To make your ties come out in the back, thread your needle and insert in into the back and up through the front in the spot you choose.

Secure your tie with a surgeon's knot. Trim to about 1/2" inch.

And that's it! Now you can use your scraps to make coordinating burp cloths! Enjoy!

If you make one, let me know! I'd love to see pictures!

Quick Baby Gifts

2011-02-03T21:55:00.000-07:00

As much as I love making quilts, I also love making other items that come together quickly. I was able to make this nice little blanket and burp cloths in one sitting this afternoon.

These goodies are for our friends from church who just had a baby boy. They chose not to find out the gender beforehand, so I had to wait until he was born to begin this gift!

I'll post the specifics on these projects later this week if you'd like to make your own quick baby gifts!

Lately

2011-01-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

I really haven't done much quilting lately. I'm working on some curtains for a friend, and I spend the rest of my free time on the computer. I've been learning how to use Inkscape to create vector graphics for fabric designs. It's great for me because it's free (yay!) and there are plenty of tutorials to go with it. Right up my alley.

I'm not sure what to call all these prints, but I think I like them. I think.

Maybe I'll order some of this fabric and make something. Who knows!?

Craft Table Fame

2011-01-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Last year, my dear husband made me a wonderful craft table from plans we found on this wonderful little blog called Knock-Off Wood. Since then, that little blog has exploded into quite a popular site, Ana-White.com.

The other day, my husband was looking for another DIY furniture plan by Ana White, and found (to his delight) the picture of our craft table on her Plan Catalog page!

It just amazes me how quickly my sewing room went from this...

to this...

Fresh and Funky- January

2011-01-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

This month is my month in the Fresh and Funky Bee! I made a few inspiration blocks, cut out a ton of fabric, and made the guy at the post office hate me.

No, not really. I do think that he could see me and my 14 packages coming from a mile away, but he was very nice about it. The people in line behind me might not have been so happy. I tried not to look...

I can't wait to see what everyone does with the fabric I sent!

Fresh and Funky-

2011-01-03T17:46:00.000-07:00

November?

...Yeah, these blocks are from November.

As it does from time to time, life happened, and sewing didn't. If you'd like to know more, here's what happened. If not, no worries. I'm doing well now, and I'm ready to get back to the ~~total obsession~~ pastime I enjoy so much! :)

November was Maria of Me and Ma's month, and she sent out some great fabric. She wanted Christmas blocks to make quilts for each of her kids. So sweet!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Here's to 2011 and new beginnings!

Diamond Quilt

2010-11-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

I've just completed a lovely baby quilt that happens to look very similar to a quilt I did earlier this year, Danielle's quilt, without the border.

I wanted to give it a pieced back, which makes it fully reversible, I think.

This time instead of piecing each diamond from one large printed square and four smaller white squares (in Flying Geese fashion), I simply cut squares and arranged them with strips to form a diamond pattern. It came together much quicker and used much less fabric. This picture isn't lined up perfectly, but you get the idea.

And this is the finished product, fresh and crinkly from the dryer. It's super soft and ready for snuggling! :)

Fresh and Funky- October

2010-11-01T15:24:00.000-06:00

Here are the blocks I made for Cat. She had us do some really fun blocks, and I got to work on my applique skills a little bit more!

She sent out fabrics to represent the four seasons, and I got summer (which I happen to love). She also asked that we use her owl print somewhere on each block, so I perched mine in the tree.

Since this block is all about summer, I figured I'd give her a few strawberries growing under the tree.

I also included a signature block that I forgot to photograph. Oops. I sent her some extra blocks for an earthquake quilt, as well. Cat is from New Zealand and is making quilts for children affected by the recent earthquakes there.

Thanks for such a fun block this month!

Stepping Stones Quilt

2010-10-25T22:19:00.000-06:00

This quilt is a gift for another one of my childhood friends who recently had a little boy. It uses mostly Riley Blake Wheels fabric, which is a really great line. I do happen to love all things Riley Blake!

The piecing went much quicker than I had anticipated, which was a very nice surprise.

I quilted it with wide-spaced vertical lines to make it fluffier.

The back is solid brown with a pieced strip running through it.

The finished quilt measures approximately 46" x 57."

Quilting Day!

2010-10-22T10:12:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I finished a quilt top made of fabric from Riley Blake's Wheels line (and one fabric from Michael Miller). Today I'll be doing the quilting. I think some simple straight lines will be perfect!

Earthquake Blocks

2010-10-15T13:17:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago, Deb of Works in Progress asked her readers to help her make a quilt for a family who lost their home in the recent eathquake in New Zealand. She asked for 12.5" blocks (although mine came out a bit smaller...) using red or blue. Here are the blocks I sent her today.

There's still a little bit of time if you'd like to help. There is more information here and here.

Have a nice weekend!

Back at it...

2010-10-12T11:09:00.001-06:00

I haven't made a quilt in what seems like a very long time, but now I have a few baby quilts in the works. I've decided to plan the patterns well so I can post tutorials and specifics on each quilt (fabric requirements, etc.). I've been so bad about this, bit I'm trying to get better!

Dog Towels

2010-10-05T12:39:00.000-06:00

Do your friends and/or family ever ask you to make things for them? Mine do. Sometimes they ask for some strange items, other times, simple ones. This particular one is a bit strange, but quite useful!

A few weeks ago, my mom asked me to make some towels (or robes) for her dogs to wear after she gives them a bath. She even made a prototype, if you will, out of an old dish towel, Fray Check, and Velcro.

I used terry cloth for the towel, quilting cotton and Heat n Bond for the raw-edge appliqued circles, cord for the tie around the neck and Velcro to secure the flaps underneath the belly. Here are some pictures of the finished towels in action. She took them on her phone, so please excuse the quality.

Millie

Missy

I won't lie, the girls don't look thrilled, but I know my mom is enjoying her clean bathroom! :)

What do you make for your friends or family? Have you had any interesting requests?

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-29T15:35:00.000-06:00

Wood Block Stamps

2010-09-27T12:27:00.000-06:00

Ever since the day I read this post about wood block stamps on Design*Sponge, I have wanted to buy some and try it. Yesterday, I was in Santa Fe with my husband and my in-laws, and I found these amazing wood block stamps. I like to imagine that they were used for years in some exotic land to make beautiful and elaborate textiles. I didn't get the story behind them, but maybe I'll ask the next time I go back.

I have a lot of projects going on right now, so I don't know when I'll find time to experiment with my wood blocks. I am really excited to see what I can make with them. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

Happy Monday!

Cuteness

2010-09-23T12:28:00.001-06:00

This week, there is a great contest going on at Spoonflower. The theme is Kawaii, or Japanese cuteness. There are so many great designs to choose from, and you can vote for as many designs as you'd like. Here's my entry:

Cute Mice by mandyd

I'd love your vote if you've got the time! :)

Happy Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T14:09:00.000-06:00

Checking In

2010-09-21T10:22:00.000-06:00

I'm here! I haven't blogged in a while because I just haven't had anything to say. My sewing room has been relatively quiet these past few weeks. I've stitched up a few things here and there, but no quilts. I did make a "Binding Book," as I like to call it. It is just a nice way to hold all the pieces I need for the hand work that I do to bind my quilts.

Now I just need to make a quilt...

*Let me know if you'd like to know how to make your own binding book. It's super easy.

Reverse Applique- Take One

2010-09-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

So, I am slowly but surely conquering (okay, just visiting) the world of applique. This project was a simple one, although looking back, I should have done several things differently. You live and learn, right?

These placemats measure approximately 14" x 18."

I pieced three 4" squares to make a strip and reverse appliqued it to the back of a piece of linen. This is how I did the reverse applique:

1. Mark the shape you want to leave open in the top fabric so that the bottom fabric shows through.

2. Mark cutting lines in the center. Cut, clipping any curved edges that might need it.

3. Fold the flaps under, and pin.

Right side

Wrong side
{and my nasty ironing board...I need to make a new cover for it!}Put the wrong side of the top fabric up (as shown above).

I put a little Fray Check in the corners to keep them from fraying during this step.

4. Using fusible web, fuse the bottom fabric to the wrong side of the opening, right side down.

5. Turn your fabric over and blind stitch the two layers together. You can also top stitch around the opening if you want.

That's it!

There are several variations to this technique. You can leave the edges raw instead of turning them under, especially if you are using a fabric that doesn't fray, like this one on a t-shirt from That Darn Cat.

Today I Feel...

2010-09-11T08:42:00.000-06:00

...for the many blessings I have been given that I don't deserve.

...for my country and the ones who have died to protect my freedom.

...for the chance to see my family this weekend.

...for my wonderful husband.

Fresh and Funky September

2010-09-08T19:07:00.000-06:00

I finished my September blocks for our Fresh and Funky Bee today! They are spiderweb blocks (tutorial from Quilt It) in the most lovely colors for Crystal.

I had a lot of fun making the blocks, but I can't imagine the time it must take to make enough for a full quilt! It makes me tired just thinking about it...

This one is going to be a really beautiful quilt when she puts it all together, don't you think?

Tote Bag Review

2010-09-05T14:08:00.000-06:00

My mom recently asked me to make a tote bag for her that would stand up on its own. Now, I call myself a quilter in the strictest sense of the word, i.e. I don't really sew items that aren't quilts. I knew that I was going to have to find a pattern to follow...no winging this project or designing it as I go.

Here's the result:

This bag's pattern comes from Amy Butler's book Little Stitches for Little Ones. The book is really beautiful, and I just love flipping through the pages to see the lovely projects she has in there.

However, there are lots of words in the instructions and not nearly enough pictures, which made it a difficult project for me. I had to learn a lot of things as I went along...things I would have known if I had been an experienced seamstress, no doubt. Before two years ago, I don't think I had ever even touched a sewing machine.

It took several days for me to complete, but I have finally done it! It feels good to know that I can successfully follow a pattern. My last attempt to follow a pattern for something other than a quilt resulted in a pile of fabric in my trash can, and I don't throw away fabric; that's just how mad it made me!

It doesn't stand up as well as the photographs in the book indicate, but it's not totally floppy either. I think I'll go ahead and call it a success. I think...

Nerd

2010-09-02T11:10:00.000-06:00

My husband came home the other day, took one look at what I was doing and said, "I love you, but you're such a nerd." We had a good laugh, because, well...he's right. I can't deny it. This was part of the scene that prompted his comment...

My "set"

See, I was trying to photograph some fabric I recently had printed, and I just couldn't get the right exposure. So, I had to pull out the good old gray card. I took a photography class about a year ago, and I just barely scratched the surface of the vast expanse of photography. Gray cards help you to get a proper exposure on items that do not average out to "middle gray," like white fabric {Imagine me pushing my huge taped glasses up on my nose here}. If you're interested, I can explain it to you a little better. My husband was not interested. It's okay. I know I'm a nerd!

I've got some great pictures of all of my new fabric, though. You can see them in my Etsy store if you're interested.

At least I'm a happy nerd! Happy Thursday!

Forest Friends Cheater Quilt Tutorial

2010-08-30T10:44:00.000-06:00

These are instructions for finishing my Forest Friends Cheater Quilt panel. This is not the only way to finish the quilt, but it's how I did it.

If you're not feeling up to the quilting, but still want a precious blanket with this panel, consider making a simple blanket or a tied quilt.

Materials needed: 1 Forest Friends Cheater panel (**You must order one yard, centered**)

1 1/4 yards backing fabric

1 1/4 yards Warm n White cotton batting (or a scrap approx. 40" x 46"or larger)

1/2 yard binding fabric

Step 1: Prepare the quilt sandwich.

Use a hard flat surface, like a tile/wood floor or a table. Place your fabric with the wrong side facing up and secure it with blue painter's tape or clamps.

I do this to ensure that my layers line up correctly. I make the same marks on each layer and line them up before basting my quilt.

If you'd like more info on marking your quilt sandwich, here is a good explanation from Red Pepper Quilts.

Begin in the center and work your way to the edges. Do not pin where the "blocks" meet.

Step 2: Quilt.

Here are some great resources on machine quilting if you need help:

Machine Quilting from TLC

Machine Quilting Tips and Tricks from Dummies.com

Since this cheater quilt will have a lot of short quilted lines, this step is extremely important, especially if you don't want to go back and secure each thread by hand:

To begin, turn the handwheel to lower and raise the needle to its highest point. Pull gently on the top thread to bring the bobbin thread up through the quilt. Stitch in place for several stitches. Gradually increase the length of each stitch for the first 1/2 inch of quilting until the stitches are the desired length. This will secure the ends of the threads, making it unnecessary to backstitch or knot them. Reverse these steps at the end of each line of quilting. -TLC Machine Quilting

Option: It might be nice to quilt the sky in blue thread as well.

Trim all the loose ends.

Step 3: Bind.

Now it's time to bind your quilt! I'd like to make another tutorial for how to bind a quilt, but until then, here are a few excellent resources:

Perfect Binding Tutorial from Jaybird Quilts

How to Sew a Mitered Quilt Binding from About.com: Quilting

Step 4: Enjoy your precious new quilt! :)

Free Swatch Day on Spoonflower!

2010-08-26T17:33:00.000-06:00

*Update: It's over now! :( Maybe next time...
Free swatch day is here! You have until tomorrow at noon. Go get your free swatch right now!! More information here. There are so many wonderful designs to choose from, like these:

Bitty Bots by Patty Sloniger

Yellow Flower Camper by Scrummy

Peacock by Troismiettes

But, you could also upload your own! Enjoy!

Printable Mailer

2010-08-25T23:15:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I returned my August block to Karen for our Fresh and Funky Quilting Bee. I really enjoyed the freedom in piecing this block. Thanks for a fun assignment, Karen!

I didn't have anything to mail my block in, so I decided to make a mailer myself. I traced a used mailer on card stock, cut out the pieces and stitched them together. Sounds good, right?

Then today, I thought about how great it would have looked with a little embellishment! Well, it's too late for my August block, but maybe you can make use of it!

Here is the finished product:

Paper Airplane Mailer

Paper Airplane Mailer 2

1. Print my images or your own on cardstock.

{Idea: It would be really cute to have your kids draw pictures on the cardstock instead of printing something out...if you have kids, that is.}

2. Cut out on the dotted lines, then place your cards wrong sides together, aligning the straight sides.

3. Stitch around the edges with a scant 1/4" seam allowance (if you can call it a seam allowance...). I set my stitch length at 4.0.

Ta-da! So easy!!

**If you use my images, please reserve them for private use only. Thanks!

Cheater, Cheater!

2010-08-24T10:57:00.000-06:00

It's no secret that I'm a southern girl, and I happen to love country music. The list of country songs about cheaters is quite extensive, but I'll spare you. You're welcome. This week, I finished my first cheater quilt. I won't lie, I loved how quickly it came together. I designed this panel for a Spoonflower contest, so it was extra fun seeing it come together into something really lovely.

So, here it is....

...my Forest Friends Cheater Quilt.

I will post some finishing instructions later if you'd like to made one yourself or if you have some other cheater quilt fabric to finish. If you'd like to make one, you can get the panel here.

Fabric Friday!

2010-08-20T08:41:00.000-06:00

Monaco Circle Pane in Lime, Blue, Fuchsia, and Yellow

I just love the simplicity and shape of this pattern. It might be totally obvious, but I LOVE bright, happy colors!

I'm really loving line drawing fabrics right now as well, like this precious girl with a fox.

Last but not least, I have my own fabric entered in another contest...windows and doors is the theme this time. I was inspired by a combination of Monsters Inc., Dr. Seuss, and these funny little monsters in the form of art by kudu-lah.

I drew the picture by hand, scanned it into my computer, and colored it using Photoshop Elements. If you like it, I'd love your vote before Thursday, August 26! :) It's called Monster House by mandyd (my Spoonflower profile name).

Happy Friday!!

How to Make a T-shirt Quilt: My Process and Tips

2010-08-18T08:32:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd share my process and a few tips for making a t-shirt quilt if you decide to make one yourself. Here goes...

1. Select about 20 t-shirts and cut out the design you'd like to use, leaving at least 3 or more inches on each side of the design (if you can...if not, just leave as much as you can). I used a rotary cutter.
--This is a rough estimate for a large lap-sized quilt. You may need more to make a quilt large enough for a bed.
--You can make all the blocks the same size (say, 15" squares) or use all different sizes like I did.

2. Iron a lightweight fusible interfacing to the back of your shirts according to the manufacturer's instructions.
--I chose lightweight interfacing because I didn't want the t-shirts coming out too stiff to snuggle under.
--I'm sure you would never do this, but DO NOT iron directly on the printed part of the t-shirt. It will melt! I made that mistake with one of my favorite shirts from college... So sad. :(

3. Lay out your t-shirts in a pattern you like. You will most likely need to use some t-shirt scraps backed with interfacing or some other fabric to fill in gaps in your quilt top.
--I put my largest pieces in the corners and filled in the spaces from there.

4. Trim each t-shirt to the desired size, squaring off the edges. Do not forget to allow 1/4" for each seam. *You may not have the same number of seams in each row.*
--Squaring off the edges after you've applied interfacing will help you get the best shape from your shirts, and you will secure the interfacing as you sew each seam. This means you won't have to quilt over each shirt if you don't want to.

5. Sew blocks together using a 1/4" inseam and a jeans/denim needle (100/16). You may have to sew up a crazy seam or two, so be ready for it. See instructions for this kind of seam below...

6. Add a border if you'd like one.

--I used quilting cotton for mine.

7. Baste, quilt and bind your quilt as desired.
--When basting your quilt sandwich, try not to pin the printed part of your shirts too much because it could leave holes.
--I quilted in the ditch (right on top of each seam) with a neutral thread to preserve the look of the shirts.

Good luck!

**This is just the process that I used. I do not claim to know everything there is to know about t-shirt quilts, but it worked well for me! :)

Instructions for sewing a jagged seam:

{seam 1}

A Very Special T-Shirt Quilt

2010-08-10T17:24:00.000-06:00

This is a memory quilt I made from the t-shirts of a wonderful young man who left us all too soon. I can only hope that my work does justice to his memory.

This was such a special project for me, and I feel truly honored to have been able to do this for his family.

WIP Wednesday

2010-07-28T17:50:00.000-06:00

Maybe you can relate to this. I have far too many ideas of things to make and far too little time to get any of it done. Sigh. This week, I've been away from everything quilt related. I have, however, spent some quality time with my husband's family at the beach. I also read a book...which doesn't happen often! This t-shirt memory quilt is the only project I have in progress right now, but it certainly is a special one.

More to come soon...

Fabric Friday!

2010-07-23T12:02:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love the rich colors and watercolor look of these Journeys fabrics by Kathy Davis for Free Spirit. I've already cut into them all!

From left to right: Linked Saffron, Dragonfly Dance Green, Dragonfly Dance Saffron, Flower Patch Saffron, Linked Blue, Flower Patch Blue, Sew Square Saffron, Sew Square Green

Happy Friday!

Fabric Baskets

2010-07-20T17:27:00.000-06:00

This weekend I finally decided to branch out and make something other than a quilt. I have been wanting to use this great tutorial from Pink Penguin for what seems like forever! It was easy to follow the steps, but I made my baskets a bit bigger and the handles a bit thinner. I love how they turned out, and I'm sure I'll make more in the future! I think I will use them to hold my scraps instead of the Ziploc bags I'm using now.

Here's a quick list of the measurements I changed:

Patchwork: 8 fabrics, one 3 x 9" piece of each; use them to make 3 four-patch blocks for each side

Base: 9 x 15.75"

Boxed corner: 2.5" (from seam to pointy end)

Handles: 2 1.5 x 17" rectangles

Lining: 19.5 x 15.5"

Finished length: about 10" at base, 12" at top
Finished height: 6.75" (not including handles)
Finished width: 5" at base, about 6" at top

Fabric Friday!

2010-07-16T17:56:00.000-06:00

The last time I went to Birmingham (Alabama, that is--my hometown), I had to stop by In the Making. It's actually a knit shop, but they have a small collection of amazing fabrics for us quilters! I just couldn't pass up these ivory prints with sweet little birdies...I might have a small obsession with birds. They're in the Leanika line by Dena Designs for Free Spirit. They didn't have any other prints from the line at the store, but I was able to find the pink and gray ones online from The Quilted Castle. They shipped my order super fast, which was great!

I would also like to beg for your vote in this week's Spoonflower contest. This one is called Paintbox Flowers, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out! I hope you like it too! :) The results will be announced Thursday, July 22.

Happy Friday!

Fresh and Funky- July

2010-07-15T07:31:00.000-06:00

I've finally finished and mailed my Fresh and Funky July blocks! These blocks are for Lynette of Lynette Russell Designs, and I can't wait to see the quilt she makes with all the fun blocks everyone has sent her! If you'd like to make your own house or people blocks, you can use the tutorial from Lynette or just wing it like I did. :)

The wind was blowing pretty hard (which is completely normal for southeastern New Mexico), so most of my pictures looked like this one...

I'm just glad I got a few pictures I could use! If you'd like to see blocks that the rest of the group made, visit our flickr group.

Thanks, Lynette for such a fun July assignment!

Fabric Friday!

2010-07-09T12:18:00.000-06:00

I've spent most of the morning fabric shopping from the comfort of my home. As nice as it is to be able to see and feel the fabrics before you buy them, I think it's just as nice getting those fabrics sent to my doorstep! It's also nice because I can't get most of these fabrics locally. I guess that's one of the drawbacks of small-town living. My favorite online fabric stores located here in the US are Fabric.com and Hawthorne Threads. Here is my favorite find for the day at $ 4.98/yard from Fabric.com...

Woodland Wonders Cute Deer and Shrooms Lime

If you know of any other online fabric stores I need to check out, please leave a comment here!

Happy Friday!

Spoonflower Fabric!

2010-07-05T13:28:00.000-06:00

I'm back from yet another camping trip, and I've got pictures of my first fabric printed by Spoonflower! I had so much fun designing this fabric, but it was even better seeing the finished product. Here are a few of my favorites...

...you can see more of them on Flickr.

There is a link on the right side of this page to my Spoonflower profile if you'd like to see more of my designs at any time. You can even purchase them from Spoonflower if you'd like!

I've also designed a cheater quilt for a contest they are having right now on Spoonflower, so if you like the design, I'd really appreciate your vote! :) The results will be announced on Thursday, July 8th.

This design (without the watermarks of course) is flipped on its side for printing purposes on the contest page.

Don't worry, you can vote for as many designs as you'd like. I think I end up voting for about 15 designs every time I vote!

Have a wonderful Monday!

Oh My Dog - Part Two

2010-06-25T16:40:00.000-06:00

I couldn't let my leftover Oh My Dog fabric from this quilt sit around any longer, so I made a very girly, very pink baby quilt. This is the first quilt I've made to put in my {slightly neglected} Etsy shop in quite some time. I know the shop will appreciate the new addition!

It is very simple with squares in the middle and a wide white border.

Of course, I had to piece the back as well.

I quilted this one with loops on the inside and straight lines on the border.

The binding is simple pink fabric with white dots for an extra-girly touch!

It's listed in my shop now.

Oh, my fabric finally came from Spoonflower, so I'll post more on that soon. Have a great weekend!!

Bricks Quilt

2010-06-15T17:23:00.000-06:00

This is my second post today. I've gone nuts! I am actually going out of town, and I just can't wait until I come back to share this quilt.

I was inspired by the wall behind our house.

See the resemblance?

I love, love, love this one! It was so easy to put together, and the fabrics just make me happy! Most of these are Riley Blake fabrics from the Summer Song and Rainy Days and Mondays lines. I think Riley Blake fabrics comprise 50% of my stash right now!

The back is pieced from strips of fabric used in the front. I think this quilt is fully reversible. I quilted it in horizontal straight lines to add to the linear effect of the bricks.

I hope you have a great week!

Binding Day

2010-06-15T10:46:00.000-06:00

I finished two quilt tops yesterday! Woo hoo! One of them has already been quilted, and I don't think I can bear to stay inside today to quilt the other one. I think I'll just sit outside and attach some binding...

Happy Tuesday!

Cookies, anyone?

2010-06-13T12:25:00.000-06:00

I finally finished my scrappy pot holders, so I'm ready to bake!

They are machine and hand quilted. This was my first attempt at hand quilting, and it's certainly not perfect, but I love the overall effect. I used Perle 5 Cotton, and I got the hang of it fairly quickly. I'm sure I'll get better with practice.

I've also started another quilt, so there will be more to come on that soon!

Wip Wednesday (on Thursday night...)

2010-06-03T21:55:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately, I haven't done too much in the way of sewing this week. This little block is the only thing I've done... Sigh... It will hopefully become part of an effort to spruce up my kitchen, but it will have to wait until next week.

Instead of sewing, I have been constantly checking my mailbox in hopes that a package from Spoonflower would arrive. No luck yet. If you haven't seen their website yet, go check it out! You can create your own fabric designs or buy fabric designed by others. It's one way to get something truly unique!

Oh My Dog Complete!

2010-05-28T14:43:00.000-06:00

I finally finished the Oh My Dog quilt I have been working on for the past few weeks. It didn't take too long to complete the quilt part, but my speed decreased dramatically when it came time to attach the binding. I love the look of hand attached binding, but it does take me some precious time to complete.

This quilt is much like my Pretty Patchwork quilt that I mentioned last week, except I used disappearing nine patch blocks instead of squares and a rectangle or two. I love the way it turned out!

I pieced some simple squares into the backing, which makes it very sweet.

It's quilted with loops in the center, and the borders are just finished off with some "in the ditch" straight lines.

Now, I'm going camping. No quilting for me for a few days... I think I'll survive.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Blogger's Quilt Festival Entry

2010-05-21T10:59:00.000-06:00

My entry for the Blogger's Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side is my Pretty Patchwork Quilt. It's made from Soiree by Moda, and a few scraps of fabric by Amy Butler and Michael Miller.

Although it is very simple, this quilt is special to me for many reasons....

It was one of the first quilts I posted on this blog, and I remember being very scared about putting my work out there for people to see.

It was also the first quilt I quilted with loops instead of the stipples or straight lines I had used before. I love how it turned out!

Finally, it was the first quilt I sold on Etsy, which was a huge accomplishment for me! You should have seen me dancing like a fool in my living room! :)

Do you have a quilt that you are especially fond of? Then don't waste any more time! Go enter it in the Blogger's Quilt Festival so we can all see it!

Thanks for stopping by my little ol' blog! Come back any time. ;)

Feeling Fresh and Funky?

2010-05-20T11:43:00.000-06:00

Then join the Fresh and Funky Quilting Bee over at Me and Ma and Forestpoppy like I did! We still need a few more participants in order to begin, and we want you to join! Head over there right now to read the rules and leave a comment to join! If I can do it, you can too!

Oh My Dog!

2010-05-18T20:18:00.000-06:00

This week, I have been working on yet another commissioned baby quilt. It's for another little boy, and the only request was that the fabrics would go with light blue and green. I found the cutest charm packs of Oh My Dog by Lori Gardner for Moda, and knew it was perfect for the job! I bought two and pulled out all the pinks and aquas (which I'm sure you will see later on). I decided to make the top from disappearing nine patch blocks, which I originally read about on Cluck Cluck Sew. I just love how it looks like I spent hours, but in actuality it couldn't have been quicker or easier! I need to add a border or two, and this little guy will be ready to be quilted!