KatyQuilts

Such a good day…

Posted on May 8, 2014 by katyquilts

I got off work at 1:00 and the weather was glorious!

I didn’t even mind finding this in the yard:

Look at that green grass! This was waiting for me:

The roll I got yesterday was Hobbs 80/20. This is Hobbs Polydown.

I got this loaded into the frame (please excuse the mess in the background!):

Daughter #3 made a delicious chicken dish for dinner.

And I got to Face Time with this little man.

Now that was a darn good day!

This is the day the Lord has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it. (Psalms 118:24 NET)

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

A new project!

Posted on May 8, 2014 by katyquilts

I have had these lovely fabrics hanging around for a while now and this morning, inspiration hit!

So I dug out these dies…..

…..and started cutting.

I love precuts but hate the pinked edges so I usually cut them down. I’m okay with this bit of waste. This is what I have left after cutting charm squares into 3″ finished HSTs.

The bits on the left get pitched. The bits on the right are for tiny paper pieced log cabin blocks. Before I knew it, I had everything cut and ready to piece!

And I even got a couple blocks pieced before work.

And I played around with some ideas for setting them.

So apparently, running out of batting is inspirational!

Happily, I came home to this:

Woo hoo! Thank you, Jesus!

Linking up with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday and Gemma at Pretty Bobbins for IQuilt.

Work in Progress Wednesday

Posted on May 7, 2014 by katyquilts

My work in progress for today is another quilt for Quilts Beyond Borders.

Quilting these tops is a great way to try out different designs and techniques while creating something that will bless someone else. Here is the quilt I finished for QBB yesterday.

I quilted the bottom rows to look like grass, the next two flowers, the next two like meandering butterfly trails, and the too rows like wind. I hope the child that receives this will love it.

Sadly, I am at a standstill after the current quilt is finished because if this:

Yikes! I am out of batting! I ordered two rolls last week. I sure hope they get here today!

In the mean time, I just may have to start something new…

I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIPWednesday and Let’s Bee Sewcial at Sew Fresh Quilts

Posted in Finishes, Free Motion Quilting, Quilts Beyond Borders | 6 Comments

Finally!

Posted on May 6, 2014 by katyquilts

I finished the album quilt top yesterday!

I am SO glad to be done with this top. It is a big one! Right now, it measure about 96″ x 106.” I have batting ordered. I hope it gets here soon! I am not sure how I will quilt this. I originally thought I would custom quilt it, but now I am leaning toward using this panto from Urban Elementz.

I also had a big box of goodness delivered to my doorstep yesterday in the form of 10 kits for Quilts Beyond Borders. I got the first top loaded, quilted, and bound last night. You can learn more about Quilts Beyond Borders here.

I used another Urban Elementz panto called Yodel. The next one is loaded and ready for quilting this morning before work.

I am linking up with Connie at Free Motion by the River for Linky Tuesday and I have to Say for Show and Tell Tuesday.

Posted in Bed Quilts, Pantographs, Quilts Beyond Borders, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Design Wall Oops!

Posted on May 5, 2014 by katyquilts

The May challenge for the Small Quilt Talk group has been issued, a sweet little 6″ flower block made with snowball blocks. I wanted smaller blocks, like 4″. I failed to resize my corner triangles and got this:

Um, yeah, not at all what I was looking for. Click here to see what this is supposed to look like.

Need more coffee….

I did finish quilting this quilt.

And I had a bit of batting leftover for practice.

Then I changed thread color and started over on the same piece.

Not pretty but a good way to save on materials when practicing.

Linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday and Heather at Bobbins and Bullets for Anything Goes Monday.

Posted in Free Motion Quilting, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Fast and Slow

Posted on May 4, 2014 by katyquilts

That sums up my sewing goals for today.

I worked on my hexies last night and hope to do more today.
I also added borders and got this top loaded into the frame. Still pondering quilting designs but I want to get this quilted today also. It shouldn’t take long once I get started.

All of that has been helping me to avoid this:

I did make progress. I now have all the blocks, sashing, and cornerstones together. And I remembered a piece if Kansas Troubles fabric from another line that I had in my stash. If you remember, I realized I had not purchased enough for the borders and this is an older fabric line that is no longer available. I didn’t want to buy any more fabric for this quilt anyway. I am trying to decide if this morning glory print works.

I have plenty of this print. The colors are a good match except that this border introduces a bit of dark blue. I think I like it better with an inner border of this red.

I have to make a decision on this really soon if I am going to make my self imposed deadline. I am also thinking about how I will quilt this. It might end up with a panto.

These are words I am pondering today:
As you share your faith with others, I pray they may come to know all the blessings Christ has given us. My friend, your love has made me happy and has greatly encouraged me. It has also cheered the hearts of God’s people. (Philemon 1:6, 7 CEVDCUS06)

I want to be that person, the one others can look at and understand God’s blessings, the one that cheers the hearts of God’s people.

Linking up with Kathy Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday.

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

Beautiful Blocks!

Posted on May 3, 2014 by katyquilts

Wednesday when I got home from work, there was a special package waiting for me. Remember Jan who generously sent me the 30’s quilt? She did it again! This time she sent me 15 of the most beautiful blocks! Here are a few:

Aren’t they amazing? I cannot believe yet that she would send them to me. I want to drop all my other projects and work on these! I already have ideas for setting and quilting them. The workmanship is lovely but they do vary a bit in size.thats okay with me. I have a plan to work around that.

Thank you again, Jan!

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Finish it up Friday

Posted on May 2, 2014 by katyquilts

The weather has been pretty nasty here all week so the following pictures are the best I could get between rain showers. I finished the labyrinth quilt earlier this week.

This was made using a raw edge reverse appliqué technique. I used fusible web only for the center flower section. As I mentioned earlier, this created a mountain in the middle! It remained as a UFO for a number of years. I decided it was time to finish it or pitch it. I cut an 18″ circle of poly batting and another 30″ circle of pot batting and spray basted them to the back of the labyrinth. Then I loaded it onto the frame with a full layer of Warm and White batting. I started the quilting by outlining the black. I went back and quilted each narrow black area with a bit of a scribble.

I wanted to make sure those skinny bits didn’t fray and disappear in the wash! They did fray but not disintegrate. Then I quilted the outside background and the center section.

I didn’t manage to trim this so that the quadrants of the labyrinth are square with the edges of the quilt. I might have to go back and fix that.

It wasn’t easy quilting through the three layers of batting at the center but it did take up the fullness in that area. It is far from perfect but I am glad that I finished it. It won’t win any awards but it looks pretty good from a distance. I will probably hang it in my cubicle at work.

This is my entry in the Spring 2014 Blogger’s Quilt Festival hosted by Amy over at Amy’s Creative Side.

This piece was on my Quarter 2 Finish Along 2014 list so I will be linking up with Katy at The Littlest Thistle . My original list of goals can be found here.

I am linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday, Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I get a Whoop Whoop?, QuokkaQuilts for Thank God It’s Finished Friday, Richard and Tanya Quilts for Link a Finish Friday, and Sew Can She for the Saturday Show Off Party.

Posted in FAL 2014, Finishes, Labyrinth | 25 Comments

April Goals Revisited

Posted on May 1, 2014 by katyquilts

Time to take a look at my April goals:

1. Baby quilt to match the rest of the bedding for Baby Q. Done!

2. Finish shirting quilt. Done!

3. SQT Challenge quilt. Done!

4. Make 3 presentation cases for QOVs and label all three. Done!

5. Finish the album blocks. Done!

6. Remake the March SQT challenge quilt in vintage fabrics. Done!

I also finished three other quilts this month. Noteworthy:

Bookish Tumblers:

And the Color Bars quilt for Quilts Beyond Borders:

Now it is time to set goals for May!

1. Finish the Album block quilt. This is a big quilt so the rest of my goals will not be so big.

2. The Small Quilt Talk May challenge quilt.

3. Finish this small crib quilt:

4. I would also like to finish my DS Hexie quilt.

I may not get it all done, but setting goals really helps. Having Mr. Wonderful out of town for the last week and a half hasn’t hurt either :).

Linking up with Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday, Gemma at Pretty Bobbins for IQuilt, and Lily at Lily’s Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day.

Posted in Finishes, Goals, Uncategorized | 10 Comments

Work on Progress Wednesday

Posted on April 30, 2014 by katyquilts

I spent some time sewing album blocks together yesterday. I hope to do a few more before work today.

It is slow going. I am happy with the lighter sashing though.

Mr. Wonderful comes home from China tonight. Yay!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and Sew Fresh Quilts for Let’s Bee Sewcial.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments