Project Quilting 14.4: A Novel Project

 

This week's Project Quilting challenge was to create a quilted piece that was inspired by a novel.

 Hmmm...that seems easy enough, especially when one is a retired teacher! 

My mind went all over the place.

Oh, the places we will go, says Dr. Suess!

As a young mother, one of my favorite books to read to my kids was

Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell

Then, in my final years of teaching middle school, my reading classes read

Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

Both such memorable books!

So, I looked through my patterns and found one I had purchased from a very talented Ukranian maker named Sasha. When I purchased her designs, she was donating a portion of each sale to the Ukranian refugees and others in need. 

She is on Instagram as Sashas Quilts

and also has an Etsy shop under the same name. 

Paper piecing projects are not my favorite.

I ripped out so many stitches on this one and had to sew again correctly.

Not at all meant to be a fault of the designer...it's all me, the maker!

Sasha writes very specific instructions!

Mr. Bear's muzzle was one example of my mistakes.

I had to un-pick his muzzle (sounds better than picking his nose, doesn't it?)

His ears and eyes are not aligned perfectly either, 

but I think that just adds to his charm.

Lots of FMQ went into this furry guy. 

Circle-y loops all over his fur.

Woody knots on the brown background.

Organic wavy lines on the black border.

His muzzle and ears were untouched to make them pop!

Choosing the binding fabric is so hard!

The stripes won out...again.

He is a handsome guy, isn't he?

His portrait measures 12x12".

I added two pocket corners on the back so I can hang him on the wall. 

He will go in my husband's "den" which is decorated with bears. 

Linking up with:

Persimon Dreams PQ14.4

Inquiring Quilter's Wednesday Wait Loss

Project Quilting 14.2: Pink Tint

 

It's always fun to see what the next prompt will be for Project Quilting hosted by Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams. Sometimes it takes a day or two for my mind to come up with something to create, but this week it was so simple! Any sewing project that includes patchwork, applique or 3 layers stitched together qualifies....with pink being the star of the show for this week. 

Bring on the hearts! I snatched the pinks from my various stacks and found a pattern I've had in my pinterest account for a long time. 

Unfortunately, I did not hear back from the blogger who created this tutorial when I asked for permission to provide a link to her page. If she responds at a later time, I'll update here. My version is just a bit smaller than hers, but still uses her great tutorial.

Lots of long strips were sewn together. I made my own 3.5" square template from a clear plastic sheet. 

The blocks were arranged in rows and sewn together, the I added a border. 

Followed by straight line quilting. For some crazy reason, I was getting a lot of skipped stitches using my walking foot. My regular foot did OK. 

I sewed the binding onto the front of the mini wall-hanging using visible big stitches. 

Someday, somewhere down the road---in 100 years---someone will question these stitches, I'm sure. But right now, I love the look!

This sweet mini now hangs on the side wall of my bedroom. It measures approximately 14x15".

Thanks to Kim and Trisha for another fun challenge!

Linking up with:

Project Quilting 14.2

From Bolt to Beauty Beauties Pageant

Inquiring Quilter's Wednesday Wait Loss

Project Quilting 14.1: The First One

 

I've had a love of hot, black coffee since I was a senior in high school. Working the early shift at 5:30 AM on weekends as a nursing assistant gave me no choice but to try downing the bitter liquid to get some caffeine running through my veins. It definitely took a while to get used to it, but it settled on me as my beverage of choice for first thing in the morning. 

It still does... 40+ years later!  

Nothing gets done before that first cuppa. Don't even talk to me! :)

I used Pat Sloan's free tutorial for Happy Everything Bonus Block 5 to make 2 potholders. 

Of course, they display a large coffee mug!

Pat's block is intended to be 12.5" square, but I cut mine down to 9.5", which works best for me as a potholder size. 

Insulbrite was used as the middle "batting" and will protect my hands from hot pans coming from the oven. 

My lines were marked with chalk in a grid-like fashion.

Alphabet letter fabric was my choice for binding. 

I usually read my email and news during that first cup of coffee in the morning, so I thought it was fitting.

Now I have 2 new potholders to show my love of coffee....the 1st order of the day! 

Thanks to Kim at Persimon Dreams and her partner Trish for giving us these great challenges for the 14th year! 

RSC March: Yellow and Table Scraps Challenge

 

Just in the nick of time, I'm jumping on the caboose to get this posted! 

It's been a busy month and many apologies to those who commented on my last post as I haven't responded to any of your sweet words. 

Just to let you know... Mary loved, loved, loved her new table runner! She has it spread out on her kitchen island as her table has an Easter tablecloth

 on it and the colors clash when set together. 

This month the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) color was yellow. 

My scrap bucket/basket/pile was not abundant with yellow, 

so I added part of a charm pack to make the above table topper. 

A few years back, I won a set of Twister templates from Twisted Sisters Designs.

The template I used in this project was the Lil' Twister and it has us use 5" squares.

Here, I've got my basic 6 x 4 patch laid out and ready to sew.

Now, it's sewn together with an added 3" border.

Now comes the fun part!

Cutting it up!

(Yes, it does seem to create a lot of waste, 

but that just means I have more scraps to make something else!)

And here are the squares sewn back together.

See all the pretty pinwheels?

It was a learning lesson for me, as I realized that light background fabrics

should be surrounded by darker ones to make them pop.

Next time.

I added a dark blue polka dot border and FMQd away!

A light blue binding was added and just like that, I had a new table topper!

The Twister template was super easy to use and was really fun! 

I look forward to using the other sizes I have too and make some holiday projects. 

Wondering what I did with some of those yellow bits and bobs?

I made a batch of IFAQH hearts!

Linking up with:

So Scrappy RSC March

The Joyful Quilter's Table Scraps Challenge

Quilt Fabrication's Midweek Makers

Inquiring Quilter's Wait Loss Wednesday

Project Quilting 13.6: Flying Geese

 

Oh what a fun ride this season of Project Quilting has been! 

I participated in each of the 6 challenges and loved each one.

Thank you to Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams for hosting this 

inspiring challenge for us each year. 

This final theme we were to incorporate at least 5 Flying Geese blocks into a finished project.

I've had a table runner in mind for quite a while that fits this "goose" bill. 

Switchback Trail is a free pattern from Sharon Holland Designs.

One of the elderly ladies I care for is having a birthday this coming week, so I kept her in mind as I chose fabrics. 

I also kept her in mind with prayers and loving thoughts as I stitched!

I'm hoping Mary will love her new table runner!

Most of my fabric stash is bright, colorful and on the modern side.

I had this one FQ bundle that is more subdued, so I chose 6 fabrics from it. 

Sewing the Flying Geese blocks using Sharon Holland's tutorial was fun and easy.

Trimming them is always a pain in the arse.

Making blocks with 2 Flying Geese snuggled up together.

Getting the blocks lined up just right and ready to sew together.

Sharon's instructions uses all of these blocks to make a 72" runner.

I know Mary's table isn't that long, so I used only half of the blocks.

The other half now is at the top of my WIP/UFO pile. 

Sigh.

Simple quilting in the ditch.

Decisions, decisions on binding fabrics!

Measuring 18" x 36" and complete with 24 Flying Geese blocks.

Absolutely "Handmade with love".

Linking up with:

PQ 13.6 Flying Geese

Inquiring Quilter's Wednesday Wait Loss

Project Quilting 13.5: Rhythm & Repetition

 

The PQ challenge this week was to incorporate a sense of rhythm and repetition into a project. It took a few days to let this idea simmer in me. 

I ended up going down the inspirational rabbit hole called Pinterest.

I had pinned a table runner from Bear Creek Quilting called Spring Table Runner 

that would do the trick. It uses all HST blocks and are paired with a dark/light combination.

Once the blocks are arranged, the colors line up diagonally.

The only change I made to the pattern was to cut my 

HST blocks to 3" rather than the called for 2.5".

I chose a fat eighth bundle I've had in my stash forever, 

called Grand Canal by Kate Spain.

Making the blocks was fun and easy!

Getting them sewn together was fun too! 

Not a single corner was cut off. 

For once.

Can you see the rhythm and repetition? 

Choosing a border is never easy. Love that peach color?

Yeah, me too. But I didn't have enough for the length.

Pea Green won out!

Simple straight line quilting in-the-ditch along all seams 

supplied just the right look.

Getting that binding on just right.

I added a small enamel label that says "handmade" to the corner. 

It fits perfectly on our bedroom dresser at 12" x 33.5".

I just love it! This pattern was so easy and fun to make, I know I'll be using it again. 

Thank you, Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams for creating these challenges!

Linking up:

Project Quilting 13.5

Inquiring Quilter Wednesday Wait Loss