Dr Who ...Who Knew!

Let me begin at the beginning. A month or so ago, my good friend, Mary, found a Dr. Who QAL on Flickr. Silly me, mentioned this on Facebook in a conversation that came up about a Tardis. Now if you are not a Dr. Who fan, you might not know the phone booth/police box thingy(technical term sorry) is called a Tardis. Of course, my DIL, Caity, thought that would be wonderful and she had to have one. The journey began. I found the paper pieced block and thought, no sweat, I do paper piecing. I can do this! Close to a month later I finally got the little stinker made into something useful I can give Caity. There was much cussing (in the privacy of my home with no one listening) and fussing before this was accomplished!Of course, I wanted HAD to use some Spoonflower fabric created for Dr. Who fans that had wavy words in it. If you have ever paper pieced, you know getting things to line up in a particular direction is challenging at times. I don't know, maybe my head was just not if the right place. I was a bit stressed at work but this little baby pushed my limits! 

Would I do it again? My first thought is hell NO, but in reality, I already purchased an even harder PP pattern I'd like to do for my hubby one day. It makes this one look like child's play...but I won't be doing it right away!

Above is the photo of the finished front of my Tardis block with borders. I went on to quilt the front and make an envelope case for a pillow form. I thought Caity would get more use out of this than a wall hanging.

Here is the finished pillow front complete with pillow form. I love how it turned out in spite of the problems it gave me! I think she will enjoy the Dr. Who fabric since she's obviously a fan of the show.

This is the fabric I chose for the back, also a Spoonflower fabric designed for Dr Who. In case you have never heard of  Spoonflower, it is a sight where you can design your own fabric or purchase fabric others have designed. They have some interesting fabrics you will not find anywhere else. Check it out!

More Diaper Clutches Ready to Go

Last week I shared a 15 minute Diaper Clutch I made for a friend's daughter's baby shower. I later decided to add a button from my stash to the front which really adds a nice finish. You can't see the texture too well. Too bad because it was quite pretty.

That one went so smoothly, I made two more for my friend's daughters who are both having babies soon. Here's one of them quilted but not yet bound. I needed to run the Joann's to get some bias binding.

Here's the process of quilting the next one. I played around with both and love how they both turned out!

Here's the quilted clutches still not bound.

And her are both of them finished, filled and just about ready to go to each of the girls.

 I used a coordinating fabric for both on the inside and used Velcro loop closures with buttons on the outside for decoration.

Here's the inside of the blue one. I bought the smallest diapers. Hope they aren't too small. They look as thought they would fit a tiny doll! I also threw in a package of diaper wipes and some bio-degradable wipes in each.

Here's a closer look at the old button I put on this clutch. I is a turquoise with silver in the center. It may have come from my Grandmother's button box.

I need to get back to work on my Tardis block. I did pick up a pillow form today. Our weather has been a bit stormy this week and I  have ended up with three days in a row of Migraines. Unlike some people, it does not accentuate my creativity. It makes me just not want to do much of anything...especially by the third day. I did go to a dinner and a movie with friends last night after a long but fun day at work filled with programs for families. And Thursday evening I went to my hubby's Retied Navy Musician's Reunion. All in all not a terribly productive week but not the worst. A little work, a little play and a little creativity...not bad for a 3 migraine week!

Where has the time gone?

I am sooo bad! No sewing and no posting in almost 2 weeks! Yikes!

Today I decided to get at least one thing done. Okay, so it's a 15 minute diaper clutch. It didn't really take 15 minutes because I actually quilted mine but it didn't take long at all. I am not and never have been good at putting on bias binding but it turned out okay. A friend's daughter is having a baby shower next week. I can't go but I can at least send a little gift.

Kelli is having a boy so I thought this fabric would work. It's not the colors of her room or anything but I think she'll like it. I'll throw in the whole package of tiny baby diapers that look like they are made for a doll and a package of wipes and another package of baby power scented bio-degradable bags to dispose of the diapers in. Here's the inside fabric. What do you think? 

It was fun to make and super quick. Here's where I got the idea: http://www.iammommahearmeroar.net/2013/05/the-15-minute-diaper-clutch.html

Check out the tutorial at "I am momma hear me roar" at the link above. Thanks, Cheri! I would never have been able to make something for this shower without this great idea. I'll be making more of these!

Now if I can just get the Tardis pattern to work for my daughter-in-laws birthday present, I will be doing good! I promise to try to post again in less than 2 weeks...

VBMQG Charity Top completed and TARDIS Fabric

I didn't sew all week but I did get this top put together last weekend. As with all such tops, there were a few problem children in the lot of blocks. Someone somehow mixed in a very stretchy fabric so I had to replace a couple of blocks. No big deal. I made 4 in all. Now it will move on to another kind soul for batting and backing. Then yet another will most likely quilt it and perhaps one more person will bind it. Lots of steps. But that's how quilts are made...

My friend, Mary of http://fairlymerry.blogspot.com, recently made a TARDIS in a QAL on Flickr. Right after that I realized my daughter-in-law would love to have one. She doesn't quilt so I think I'll make her's into a pillow, which I know she would use. Below is one of the background fabric I purchased to use in the pillow from Spoonflower http://www.spoonflower.com. The first one is called The Untempered Schism by scrummy. 

The second fabric from Spoonflower is called wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff by spacefem. I am going to try to make the pillow this weekend. Stay tuned! 

If you aren't familiar with Spoonflower, artists submit their designs often for contests. People order fabric made by the designs. You can submit anything yourself to be printed on fabric if you wish to make your own fabric but don't know how to get it in print. At least I think that's how it works. It's a great idea and they have some very cool prints. Check it out if you have never gone there.

Finishes, Re-dos and Beginnings

A week or so ago, I posted some photos of my spare bedroom/sewing overflow. It was in the midst of total chaos as I weeded down the fabrics in drawers, found places for items just thrown on the bed and straightened whatever could be straightened. It still looks cramped and full but at least it's organized.

Then I decided I didn't like the way I quilted my Pink 12 X 12. So, I took all the quilting out except the edge finish and the echo quilting around my cone flower. The color is a bit off, pardon that but until I get the photo editing program I like, I can't seem to get it better. I love  how the grid lines make the flower really stand out. Before I had sort of loop-de-loops and leaves which sound great but, in fact, really did nothing to accentuate the design. I hope this has done the job. Another reason I took it out and re-did the quilting was the tension on the back didn't satisfy me. I thought it looked great fine until I looked closer at the back and found eyelash loops around all the circles indicating the bottom tension was too loose. My photo cut the top trim off but trust me, it's there. 

The last picture is the charity quilt I'm going to put together for the VBMQG (Virginia Beach Modern Quilt Guild). I had to take a few of the blocks out because I realized someone used something very stretchy. That could become very problematic to whomever quilts it, not to mention to me when I try to make them all fit together. I try not to be too picky on charity quilts but some things just have to be right. I may move it around more when I get those blocks replaced...we'll see.

Until we meet again...

Memorial Day Weekend...No Quilting Yet

I looked out at the canal behind our house this morning and here's what I saw. This, my friends, if you've never had the pleasure, is a Nutria. He is the biggest one we've seen yet!  They are an invasive rodent that looks like a large muskrat, swims and tunnels like a beaver, has large yellow teeth and long rat-tail. They are as prolific as rabbits and take over the waterways here. They are not indigenous to our area. I am not sure how they got here but they aren't a good thing.

This guy is as big as our pug, Lowki, who weighs around 27 pounds!

After our Nutria sighting, we took Lowki for a walk on the beach. This is the walkway to the dog part of the beach.

Lowki was so stoked he wouldn't even eat breakfast until we got home. He loves the beach! See the big smile? It's there for the entire time at the beach!

Here's daddy bringing him back to the car. 

The next 4 hours we spent weeding, mowing, and trimming around the yard.We aren't done but I may  be for today.  I trimmed all of the roses in the back and weeded the blackberries. I weeded all the poison ivy out of the front I could find along with stuff in general in several other areas around the front flower beds. Rick started digging up the ornamental grass near the house that we are going to get rid of. All it does is hide the poison ivy and make it hard to keep weeded. After a nice shower, I think I'll dig into to my sewing room weeding project next. I think I'll sleep well tonight!

Have a wonderful weekend! Don't forget to honor the fallen men and women that have helped to keep our country free...the reason we're celebrating this weekend!

Catching Up and Relaxing to My Hubby's Music at the Beach

About a week or so ago, I started my fourth 12 X 12 quilt for a challenge with my quilt group, the Quiltworkers. I wanted to finish this little quilt to complete my WIP challenge for the Virginia Beach Modern Quilt Guild, and of course, I did...just not in time! I did, however, get my idea fused onto the fabric. Below is my "Pink" 12 x 12 in it's infancy.

A couple of days later, here is the finished product, quilted and bound. We were not to put a regular binding on any of these pieces but I wanted to quilt and thread paint through all layers. So after conferring with my good friend, Mary, I decided to put a different type finish on. I used a decorative stitch similar to a zigzag to finish the edges.

This is the back side...Now I only have 4 to go!! Or maybe that's 5. I think we added one more.

Saturday afternoon after the VB Modern Quilt Guild meeting and my hair appointment, I walked down to 7th Street Stage  from Norfolk Ave to watch my husband play drums with Tropical Steel. He's the tall thin, guy sitting down! 

I sat at a nearby bar and drank a beer while enjoying the vibes of the steel band and the company of my sweety from afar. 

The sun wasn't shining much but it was warm and it didn't rain...all good. Just imagine the boardwalk, the beach, then the ocean directly behind them...waves rolling in...people walking, biking, skating, laughing. Nearby others drinking, eating, enjoying the tunes...

...take a little time to smell the ocean...