My Picnic With Fiona on WIP Wednesday

I finally have a finish to share with you!  This quilt was a long time WIP that I finally got back from the quilter and got the binding on!

This fabric is "Fiona" by Anna Griffith, and I found it at the cutest little shop in Battle Creek called Sew Unique Threads.  They had a couple 5" design rolls on display, and I couldn't pass one up!  I had no idea what I was going to do with the fabric, but it was calling to me (I'm sure we all know how that goes).  Anyway, it sat in my stash for a long time because I didn't know what to do with 5" strips.  Eventually it hit me that if I cut the strips in half (length-wise) that I would essentially have a jelly roll.  Eureka!

The pattern I used is "Picnic" from the book Scrap Basket Sensations by Kim Brackett.  It was super fun to make, and almost worked like instant gratification.  This top waited a long time to get finished due to a lot life changes getting in the way.  Finally I found a shop in Okemos, MI that has amazing quilting prices (Cutom Quilts).  They had a long turn around time, but you can't beat the price!

I finally bound this quilt a few weekends ago when I was in Charlevoix, MI.  These pictures were taken right outside our family condo downtown, isn't it beautiful!  It is truly one of my favorite places on Earth.  I am excited because I will be able to make another trip in the very near future!!! :)

Because I was so happy with the quilting, I decided to charge them with the quilting for a very special quilt that will hopefully be revealed soon! :)



Cheers!

Cristina

My recent fabric favorites.

Hey there everyone. 

Recently I kinda gave up on buying fabric for a few reasons.  The first being that I don't really have the budget for it, and the second being that I have SO MUCH to begin with.  Also I expect to move in the near future, and I didn't really want to add anything to the collection that would just have to be hauled around some more.  HOWEVER, there are a few lines out this fall that I am completely in love with.  I'm sure you've all seen them since they're not exactly new news, but it's fun for me to share anyway.

The first collection is "Field Study" by Anna Maria Horner.  I have always loved her use of color, but I love the animal prints and feathers that she uses in this collection.  It feels a little edgier this time around.

The second collection that I am in love with is "Chicopee" by Denise Schmidt.  Again it's a color thing.  She's always been one of my favorite quilters, but often her color usage is not what I personally would put in my home (don't hate me.  I really do love her).  The colors in this are richer than usual and like "Field Study" they are bright, but still warm.  Actually, these collections might work well together.

Neither of these collections are currently in the budget unfortunately.  I'm still going to keep my eyes open for them though, and see if I find any good deals.  In the meantime I'm going to try to use up some of my other fabric so that fabric purchases won't make me feel so guilty.  Part of the reason I have so much fabric right now is that my wonderful grandmother gave me a TON of it that she wanted to get rid of.  I nearly doubled my stash in one day, and my stash was HUGE to begin with.

Well...I guess I'd better get sewing!

Cristina



Should I live in a Postcard?

Recently I've been faced with the choice between staying in Kalamazoo, moving to Lansing, or moving to Charlevoix.  I think I finally decided that I don't want to stay in Kalamazoo, but I'm torn between the other two places.  Right now I'm leaning towards Charlevoix because I could really use the quiet life that such a beautiful place can provide.  Living there would be like living in a post card.

Here is the view from the place I would live if I move north:

What do you guys think?  Should I move to a place that inspires me with lower living expenses, or to a place that is familiar with a higher potential for income?

Cristina

Yikes!

So I did the math.  If I pay someone else to quilt all the large tops I have sitting around, it amounts to $7000 in quilting.  I could buy my own machine for that price, and then I'd never have to pay a quilter again.  I'm thinking it might be time to take the plunge, especially considering some other projects I have in mind.

Tell me, would you buy a longarm machine?

It's a Giant Star on WIP Wednesday!

Giant Star, a set on Flickr.

This was one of the easiest quilts I've ever made. I absolutely LOVE it (no pun intended)! The background is from Amy Butler's Love line, and the star points are all amy butler as well.

I purchased the amy butler sheets that match the background a few years ago, but I didn't know what quilt I wanted to make. When I saw the tutorial for this quilt on "In Color Order" I knew that this would be perfect, and that it would go quickly. I finally finished it a few weeks ago, and now I can use my beautiful sheets!

The backing is pieced with a stripe of amy butler, and two other floral pieces I found on sale. I thought they were valori wells, but I think that might be a lie. :/

There has been little progress on other projects this week.  I have been trying to finish a wedding quilt, and I did finally get the borders on that last night.  Hopefully I'll be able to post on that soon.  The wedding is August 25th, so I should be able to share after that.

Happy Wednesday everyone!!

WIP Wednesday!!!

I haven't completely finished anything this week, although I have done A LOT of sewing.  I have nearly completed my quilt top for my "Garden Party" quilt, and I have put the borders on the wedding quilt I need to finish by next month (eek!).

The quilt I have been piecing is the Shadowbox pattern (found here), which makes great use of the fabrics I'm using (Garden Party by Anna Maria Horner).  However, I have found that it is not very well written.  Thankfully the diagrams are easy to follow, and the piecing is fairly simple.

Projects that are being pieced:
Civil War Sampler (still needs it's last border)

Classic Strippy Quilt

Kaffe Fassett Postcard Quilt

Scrappy Friendship Braid

Gabe and Renee's Wedding Quilt
Garden Party Shadowbox



Tops awaiting quilting:

Plume Quilt

Kaffe Fassett Wall hanging

1974 Quilt

Meadowsweet 2 Quilt

Amy Butler Picnic Quilt

Happy Hour Quilts (x2) (Hanging in the store)

Patches and Pinwheels (scrappy)

Stack and Whack (Parrots)

Vintage Floral Quilt

Make it You! Log Cabin

Batik Scrap Quilt
Deer Valley Girls Best Friend

Picnic Quilt (Scrap Basket Sensations)

Sparkle Quilt-Along

Christmas Wall Hanging

Charlevoix

Mom's Quilt



Projects that I have not started (but have the fabric):
Neptune quilt
Parisville quilt (still not sure what pattern)
Solid flying geese
Bella Medallion Quilt
Grinchmas Quilt

DS Quilts
Total Projects: 29

New Projects this week: 0
Total finished this week: 0


I am still waiting to get my picnic quilt back from the quilter.  They've had it for over a month, so I am hoping I get a call on it soon. :/

One exciting thing that happened this week, is that I get to pick up LOTS of free quilting fabric from my grandmother.  She has decided that she is downsizing all of her quilting fabric (and there is a lot of it), and she wants me to come claim it.  Lord knows I don't need any more fabric, but I can't let her throw it away.  At the very least I'll donate it if I can't use it.  I'm excited to see what goodies she has!  Wish me luck!

It's a Picnic!

This is another long time WIP that is finally on the road to being finished.  This quilt is the "Picnic" quilt from Scrap Basket Sensations.  I picked up a 5" design roll of Anna Griffith fabric a few years ago from this AMAZING shop in Battle Creek called Sew Unique Threads.  Something about the fabric spoke to me, and I couldn't leave it behind.  That being said, I had NO IDEA what I wanted to do with it. 

I have always love the Scrap Basket book, so when I saw the pattern for this quilt I knew that my design roll would work.  All I needed to do was cut the strips in half and I'd have a jelly roll!

It is currently being quilted, so hopefully I'll have a finish to report soon.  I got super lucky when shopping for the backing fabric.  I found more Anna Griffith fabric at Fields Fabrics for only $5 a yard!!!