KatyQuilts

Slow Stitching Sunday

Posted on December 1, 2013 by katyquilts

I am finally starting some Christmas sewing. I got two of the dog beds finished yesterday and have two more to go. Yesterday, I showed the quilting on the front and this is the bottom:

I decided a simple meander would be fast and wouldn’t compete with the plaid.

I also got out this kit that I have been saving.

Remember these? I had one when I was a kid and I made them for my kids when they were small. Now they are hugely popular again. I thought I would make them for my upcoming grand babies. If you are squeamish, look away now!

A whole box full of monkey parts!

They are all ready for the hand sewing that I hope to do today.

I am linking up with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday. Click on over to see what others are stitching today.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Quilting on fleece

Posted on November 30, 2013 by katyquilts

I wanted to try quilting on fleece. I did not want another practice piece laying around though. So I decided to make dog beds. This is actually a forest green fleece.

First I embroidered her name and the layered with cheap muslin and poly batting and started playing with freehand quilting.

My husband picked up a couple cheap fleece blankets that I am using. I love the look so far. I think I can do one large and one small bed out of these two blankets. I will add zippers so they can be emptied and washed. My daughter said she saw on Pinterest that someone used old t shirts to fill them. Such a great idea! Makes it easy to wash.

I also finished my piecing my star blocks yesterday.

These are 8″ blocks.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Posted in Free Motion Quilting, HQ Avante, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Thankful

Posted on November 29, 2013 by katyquilts

I had such a wonderful Thanksgiving! Daughter #1 cooked her first turkey Wednesday night and hosted our Thanksgiving dinner with help from Daughter #3. It was lovely!

Yesterday, hubby and I spent the day at home with Daughter #3 and the dogs with a brief visit from Daughter #1, SIL, and the grand dog. These silly dogs know my hubby is always good for treats!

I made a small roast but most of the day was spent lounging by the fire.

We watched football, ate snacks, played games, and spent a tiny bit of time sewing.

I am using up the scraps from the 16 patch wedding quilt I recently finished. I thought this would make a nice gender neutral baby quilt to have on hand for a gift.

I did just a bit of online shopping for long arm thread. If you like Glide and Magna-glide bobbins, Fil-Tec has a great deal now through Monday. It is 10% off everything and free shipping with orders over $35. Not hard to do that! They also have thread and stabilizers for machine embroiderers.

I am working this afternoon and I am very thankful for my job. However, I admit that I wish I could have another day just like yesterday at home with my family!

I am linking up with Sarah today.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted on November 28, 2013 by katyquilts

I have so very much to be thankful for! Here are a few things:
My wonderful hubby!
My kids!

Our military men and women.

My home.

And just for fun, I have been playing with an app on my phone:

And a final thought:

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

A finish!

Posted on November 27, 2013 by katyquilts

I am happy to say that I got the QOV I was working on bound and washed yesterday. And here it is!

The credit it for this design goes to Mary at Making Stash Quilts from Stash. She had recently posted this design that she created in EQ. I tweaked it a bit for my quilt but as soon as I saw her design, I knew it was perfect for this quilt.
And just for fun, here is the matching one I made earlier.

I wanted the designs to coordinate without being the same and wanted to use the Army fabric in each.

I will finish the cases and labels this weekend. They will be presented to two brothers who both served in the Army in Iraq.

And my WIP for today?

Getting this label on.

And making green bean casserole. My daughter is cooking Thanksgiving dinner at her house to night! I can’t wait until work is over and I can get there!

We have so much to be thankful for. She and our SIL got to hear their baby’s heart beat for the first time yesterday!

God is so good.

Posted in Quilt of Valor, Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Dye running update

Posted on November 26, 2013 by katyquilts

Remember last week when I washed a finished quilt and the red dye ran? I was baffled by this as I had used the same fabrics before without trouble….or so I thought….

I went to label this QOV and decided to take a closer look in bright light.

You guessed it, the colors ran there too. Thankfully it was not NEAR as bad but I wanted it perfect.

So I washed this again with one addition to the Dawn Dish Soap and color catchers. I dissolved a few tablespoons of Oxy-Clean in some water and added that through the detergent dispenser of my front loading washer.

Success on the first time through! I wanted to add this update as I think the Oxy-Clean really helped and I would definitely do this again. I do think it was important to dissolve the powdered Oxy-Clean in water before adding it to the washer.

Hope this helps someone out there! Now I can get back to labeling this quilt. Especially since my state coordinator is going to present it to a vet on Saturday! I cannot tell you how happy I am that I am not cutting bits for a rush quilt right now.

Happy Tuesday to you!

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Nearing the QOV finish line!

Posted on November 26, 2013 by katyquilts

I got the QOV quilted yesterday and hope to get it bound before work today.

I used Glide thread in the borders, Superior’s monopoly in the center, and Superior’s Bottom Line in the bobbin. I am out of Magna Glide bobbins so I have been winding my own with Bottom Lone and so far, so good!

I did an all over teacup in the center, except for the Army seal in the center, and used my Handi Quilter Swag set to create the border design. I need to do labels and presentation cases yet this week and then I will be done with QOVs until February. I love making them but I need to make some Christmas gifts. Also, January will be reserved for me and the quilts I want to make. Sounds pretty selfish, doesn’t it?

I need to get a label on the Star QOV as my state coordinator will be presenting it this weekend. I purchased a panel of labels and this is the last one left.

I also picked up a couple flannel remnants for burp cloths and a big bit of fleece to make a dog bed for one of the grand dogs.

I am linking up with Connie for Linky Tuesday. Check out what others are up to today.

Posted in HQ Avante, Quilt of Valor, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Design Frame Monday?

Posted on November 25, 2013 by katyquilts

My designing today will happen at the frame as I try to finish this QOV.

I finished my two little UFOs for the SQT November challenge yesterday. Here is the one I can show you:

The pieces are pretty small!

I will show you the other one after my swap partner receives it. I am linking up with Judy at Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday.

Now I am off to the grocery store before the crowds descend!

Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

Slow Stitching Sunday

Posted on November 24, 2013 by katyquilts

The Small Quilt Talk yahoo group decided that our November challenge would be to finish a UFO. I have two small ones that have been bugging me. Remember this one?

In analyzing why I couldn’t bring myself to finish this, I realized that I hate the background. If you will recall, I redid the background once already. Today I came across a fabric that I could be happy with so I took it apart again.

So this afternoon I will hand appliqué this down for the third time!

I have another little hand pieced top that I machine quilted after church today. I will hand stitch the binding today.

I can’t show you the front as I have devil used this will be a gift for my Secret Santa Swap partner for the SQT group.

I am linking up with Kathy at Kathy Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday.

Posted in Civil War Repro Quilts, Doll Quilts, Hand piecing, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Good Morning Sunday!

Posted on November 24, 2013 by katyquilts

I couldn’t sleep so I got up early to have coffee with Jesus and then get a little sewing in.

Are you sick of this quilt yet?

I admit, I am getting there! I am ready to sew something that is not red, white, and blue for a while. But I will push through, add borders, and hope to get this in the frame today.