Project Quilting 13.4: Mining for Diamonds

This week's challenge for Project Quilting was Mining for Diamonds. 

Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams always allows participants to interpret the challenge in their own personal way, as long as it's explained or obvious to the theme. 

I started out with a completely different project that is now in my WIP/UFO/WhenTheHellWillItGetDone pile. Photo later. 

So it was Saturday at 3:00 PM and I was nervous, anxiety-ridden, and a bit mad at myself. 

I pulled the RSC colors from my stash...February is teal/aqua/turqoise...

whatever you fancy calling this color, 

along with some coordinating low volume fabrics.

Then I went on a search for directions on how to make half-square rectangles. 

In my haste, I fudged following the full set of steps.

With only me to blame, I ended up with no seam allowance on the sides of my diamonds. 

I've never been known to name my quilting projects, 

but this one is not-so-affectionately being called

Kissing Diamonds. (Can you hear me sobbing?)

By 4:00, I was in quilting mode and doing my favorite, quick, simple stippling.

No time for anything fancy!

A break was needed to clear my head and fill my tummy.

By 6:00, I was ready to bind. 

Kissing Diamonds was complete!

I placed the hand-carved Humpback Whale we bought in Hawaii up next to the bird. 

The little bird makes me smile. At least something does about this piece! 

Measuring 8.5" by 15.5", it's just the right size for something! 😍

Still curious about the project I started with? 

It's a big ol' table runner made with batik scraps in a log-cabin-ish diamond. 

Sigh. 

Linking up with:

Project Quilting: Mining for Diamonds

Project Quilting 13.3: Kitchen Influence

 

I don't usually sew when on vacation, but when I do, it's for Project Quilting!

The latest challenge was posted by Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams just hours before we left for our Hawaiian vacation.

Those few hours gave me just enough time to scrape together an idea and gather the necessary bits and bobs to get the job done.

I love strawberries and this sweet fruit is found in the kitchen. The strawberry fabric has been in my stash for-eeeever and I found just enough of a scrap of matching red, along with some stiff fusible batting to accomplish the idea rolling around in my head.  I added thread, needles, pins, seam ripper and my sharp snippers. 

I don't always iron fusible batting to my fabric atop a bed, but when I do, I am sure to cover the bedspread with a double folded blanket for insulation. Worked like a charm.

I don't always eyeball my shapes when cutting, but when I do, I try my best to cut straight lines. In this case, the shape is the first letter of my name. 

Red fabric was cut to match for the backing. 

I should've cut all layers at the same time, but my plan had changed mid-stream. 

Down to the poolside we go! 

I don't always sew with a mixed drink at my side, but when I do, it's a Mai Tai served with fresh fruit on a stick!

All 3 layers were whip-stitched together using 2 strands of DMC embroidery floss. 

A second Mai Tai may or may not have been consumed during this process.

K hanging above Waikiki Beach in Oahu. 

The stitched K! 

K is for Kathy. 

Kathy is the sole manager, executive cook, sous chef, pastry chef, prep chef, line cook, steward, porter and dishwasher of her kitchen back home in Iowa.

She deserves her initial to stand among other fancy little doodads on a shelf above her cooktop. 

K measures approximately 6" x 7".

3 layers including batting.

Completely hand-stitched in Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii!

And that is where K will park herself in another week when she gets home!

Aloha!

K sitting afoot the statue of Prince Kuhio, the Prince of the People,
which stands along Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Oahu. 

Linking up to: 

Project Quilting 13.3

Project Quilting 13.2 – In Silhouette

I love these challenges from Project Quilting! 

Even though I was stumped as to what I'd make until early Wednesday morning,

the project came together fairly quickly. 

Good thing since we have only one week to get it finished!

So, this week, the challenge was to include a silhouette focused on contrast and design. 

I kept thinking of a dark figure, like a shadow or something with a light behind it.

Then the thought of a white bunny came in! 

There's still plenty of contrast and who can resist a sweet white bunny?

I pulled from my scrap strips and started sewing the more pastel-colored ones together. 

I was going for a mini wall-hanging size.

These 3 long strips were sewn together, 

then quilted on batting with randomly spaced straight lines. 

I sized up my sweet bunny that I had cut from fleece and left enough room

 at the bottom for a tail and binding. 

A blanket stitch was used to keep him (her?) in place.

I added a bunny-shaped piece of white fabric underneath to 

prevent the colored fabrics from peeking through the fleece.

Yes, there is a pin on his butt!

Choosing a binding fabric is always soooo hard!

The yellow won.

A close-up of his fuzzy tail. 

The pocket added to the back for easy hanging on a rod. 

A bit of left-over binding was worth hanging onto!

The finished project measures 11" x 15".

I'm now ready for spring! Bring it on!!!

#pqSeason13

#projectquilting

Linking up to: 

Persimon Dreams: PQ 13.2

 

Project Quilting 13.1: All The Colors!

 

I really enjoy participating in the annual Project Quilting challenge 

hosted by Kim Lapacek at Persimon Dreams.

This first challenge of Season 13 is called All the Colors.

Each project must contain at least 5 colors. 

Easy peasy!

I chose to keep this week's sewing simple. I've got something bigger cooking

in the sewing room for a blog hop coming up in a few weeks. 

I started with 60-degree triangles in lots of colors!

Sewing them together into rows.

Practice makes (nearly) perfect.

I needed the rows long enough to cover the width of a tea towel.

The triangle rows were sewn together and edged with a skinny binding.

Simple top-stitching to mimic the triangles.

The final step was to embroider my initial in a pretty turquoise thread.

This is just what my kitchen needed

to brighten up some cold, dreary 

January days!