A new day, a new project...meet Curly Girl Fabrics!

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The hardest part about quilting for me is the beginning...finding the right fabric and lots of them! How many will look good together? How should I match them up? What fabric line do I want to use?  

Double Crossed by Amy Smart. Available at Curly Girl Fabrics

Tiffany of Curly Girl Fabric came to the rescue! When I showed her the quilt I wanted to start, she suggested that I try "sew it, quilt it, love it" fabric line. 

It had plenty of varying patterns so that my quilt would be color coordinated but have lots of interesting fabrics. I fell in love with this line and love how she already had it bundled together...no need to separately order yardage of each one! (click the collage above to order the bundle!).

The fabric from Tiffany arrived within a couple of days of our initial conversation and it is packaged so nicely! Each part of the quilt was in its own bag and her adorable store card is right on top as you open! 

Is there anything better than coming home and finding that fabric has arrived for you?

I particular love this line because the colors are not overtly bright and will match my living room, but they are still modern and fresh. The patterns aren't overly fussy but they aren't boring either. My favorite piece of this collection are the bunnies, though. My eldest daughter has loved bunnies (see "bunny's birthday" for more about this) for her whole life and this fabric will forever remind me of her, but yet, it can be used all year and not simply as an "Easter" quilt. 

Tiffany is going to bundle up the pattern and all that you need to create this quilt in one swoop! Reach out to her! Trust me, she will respond within seconds (she's really that good!).

 I want YOU to quilt along with me! 

If these aren't your colors or you are looking for something else in mind, Tiffany already has the pattern and fabric requirements...she can put together another bundle for you (she doesn't even charge for this service!). 

Etsy fabric sellers can vary widely in prices. Tiffany opened her fabric shop in 2016 and already has almost 5,000 sales. Her prices are as good as you'll find and her method of bundling fabrics into quilt-kits makes it so easy to get started and avoid the overwhelming first step of quilting. 

I'll give you a couple of weeks to get your supplies and join me! I cannot wait to see what we create!

I am getting these beautiful fabrics cut and the quilt ready to start next week. 

March 2017

All three kids have passed strep throat around the house over the last two weeks. While I hate seeing my kids not feeling their best, having the time with them at home is a little bit of a treat. It makes me excited for summer, when we will enjoy the down time of being at home with no agenda or alarm clock. The time at home has given me a little bit of sewing time in between changing linens, toothbrushes, and bleaching doorknobs.

 

For instance, I finished this quilt front. Actually, this isn't the finished top after all. After I took this picture, I saw some flaws and had to rip it apart and rebuild. Better picture to come!

I also worked on my block of the month. 

This month's skill was the orange peel. I loved learned a new technique and I certainly came away with ideas for the next time I am faced with this sort of pattern. I am also looking at light boxes for better placement...these aren't the easiest and I will welcome practice in the future. 

There have been a few swim meets over the winter months and though I can't quilt at the pool, I can look for inspiration in between events.

Look at these neat ideas...we are about to tackle redecorating the kid rooms and these ideas are on my mind.

Emma Kate's dresser is going to get repainted over Spring Break and this green makes me swoon. The closet doors with medallions under the handles SCREAMS "Caroline" to me. 

I also have high hopes that we will get the attic refinished in the next year or two (a real-life sewing space? could I ever be so lucky?!) and these steps leading up to the finished space?! Yes! Please!

It is Lent season for us, which means meat-free Friday night dinners. Though it has been warm, I still crave soup. I've made a huge batch of Ina's Roasted Tomato soup for us to pull out of the freezer for lunches and dinners.

 

Does your grocery store sell fresh herbs ? Most do, but they come in plastic clam-shell packages or perhaps you can buy the whole plant. 

My local Lowe's Foods has a cutting garden. It is so wonderful! You grab a little ziploc, cut what you want, and it is only $.99. I filled this bag up with basil and thyme. 

Look at this guy...as I was coming back from yet another swim practice, this huge hawk was chillin' on my street sign. He let me get out of the car, approach, and take a ton of pictures before he got annoyed and flew away. GORGEOUS!

As I wrap up the week of illness (I think we are ALL going back to school tomorrow) I am getting reading to start a few more quilts. I found this picture of a finished one but cannot find an actual pattern anywhere...let me know if you find one! 

Don't you love it?

Happy March!

Pizza Buns

I am sure you know what cinnamon buns are but have you heard of pizza buns?

These are THE perfect lunch if you have picky lunch-eaters...you know the type...dump the lunches in the trash, complain about yet another sandwich, and make trades at the lunch table behind your back.

These make up quickly and get individually packaged and tossed into the freezer. When you pack up the lunchbox, you toss in a serving of these and by lunch they are thawed and delicious. Even Matthew likes them. 

I am giving you the basic pizza recipe, but I've changed it several times and made many variations (ham and cheddar, peanut better and jam, roast beef and swiss...you can just put anything in this dough that you like!).

Here is the recipe that I use..her directions and pictures are easy to follow and this makes the best, fool-proof dough!

The February that felt like May

I love turtleneck sweaters, boots, pumpkin spice lattes, and scarves. Fall is my favorite season followed by Winter...Summer after that and the least of all is Spring. 

This year, February had numerous days in the 70s and that meant lots of time outside. Though I usually dislike Spring, having Spring-like temperatures in February means that you get all of the warmth and sun without the pollen!  

I love the days when my kids entertain themselves without the use of screens or technology. I love the days when my kiddos get along and spend their time outside. I love the days that they burn a ton of energy and fall into bed exhausted.

Maybe, just maybe, I am ready for Spring!

Filigree Quilt

I did it. I made a quilt (!!!). 

This pattern is a great one to jump into...and it's free!

It looked like a daunting pattern and the instructions said "intermediate" but I went for it. I followed the directions to the letter and went slowly and methodically at every step of the way. I was catching up on "Downton Abbey" and doing things the proper way seemed like the right thing to do.

This quilt is from a kit and it makes a quilt that is a throw size, about 56 x 56. 

The colors couldn't be more beautiful and the texture of the fabric is amazing...very silky and soft. 

I gathered my materials and printed the patterns and instructions in color to help me better follow along. I started this just a tad over a week ago, and I've already completed it (yep. even binding and washing!). 

Aren't these fabrics beautiful?

I love quilts with white accents and strips, but this one also has a chambray strip and it is so pretty.

 

At each step, I carefully laid the pieces out and rechecked my pattern. I also followed closely the pressing arrows (did you know that clothing gets ironed but quilt pieces get pressed? You probably did...). 

I loved this quilt already at this point and was so excited to see it finished. These "butterflies" and strips took a few hours total. I knocked them out in two afternoons after getting home from school.

 

The butterflies and strips join together to make the quilt squares.

I got excited each time that my points all came together in the way that they are supposed to.

The squares join together to make 4 wide strips.

The strips join together the make the quilt front. 

This all came together in just a couple of episodes of Downton Abby.

I took my backing fabric and sewed it so that the seam was in the middle and now was wide enough for my quilt. 

Once the quilt front is completed, you are ready to make a sandwich. This is quilt basting and it is the step that I botched in the past. I now know what did wrong in the past (too few pins when pin basting, cheap batting that was too high lofted for machine quilting, and going to too tiny of stitches). 

I began by cleaning my kitchen floor and taping it face-down with painter's tape. 

I opted to spray baste this time around. Spray basting is like a spray adhesive and comes out very fine (like hairspray). I sprayed my batting (the middle portion of the quilt) and smoothed it out over the quilt back. I then sprayed the batting again and smoothed the quilt top on. I trimmed away the excess and got to work.

I wasn't sure how I wanted to quilt this...was this the time to experiment with free motion? I love the look of line quilting. I opted with using my 1/4 inch guide and quilted on either side of the white and chambray lines in both directions which played on the design of the quilt and was still as easy as line quilting. This took about two or three episodes to complete. 

After quilting your three layers together I made the binding from the fabric in the kit, which is a really neat linen. I opted to do this by hand and used very tiny ladder stitches. 

Here it is! The finished product!
Above is before wash and below is after washing (on delicate and in cold water) and drying.


 I love the look when they are freshly washed and a bit more "crinkly". That is when they look like real quilts to me. My binding stayed together and none of my seams opened up (like they did in my dreams). The entire time I was making this, I was making it with a dear friend in mind. I need to do a little more pep-talking into actually giving it away.

I would ABSOLUTELY make this quilt again. I would likely quilt it differently next time and do more lines and just one direction. It is the softest, most delicate throw. I am so thankful for such clear, concise, and logical instructions. 

Snow Day

Happy New Year! We kicked off January with a snow ice day. It is always exciting to anticipate cold, cozy weather and the possibility of missing a few days of school. We didn't loose power and enjoyed being at home together. We played a lot of rumikub, Super Mario (I am really close to defeating Bowser. Just sayin'), and deep cleaned together.

Heard of beet flights? Where you get several flavors to try at once? Kind of a fun idea, so I made smoothie flights for the kids. They had to guess what was in the smoothie and then rate them.

Childhood seems to be rushing through my fingers lately. It kills me to know that my days at home are gone and that their years at home are numbered. I mourn every little step of the journey, though I do try to see the joy. I just miss my baby and preschool years with them. In exchange for nap-time battles, I have sibling fighting. Instead of reading books at bedtime, I have ipods to police...but when I see glimpses like this, Mario strapped to a remote control car, my heart leaps.

Bella Skill Builder

I am taking on not one, not two, but three quilts. I showed you the Layer Cake Pop Quilt kit earlier this week and I am almost done cutting it out. Yesterday my second quilt kit arrived and I promptly got the first two blocks cut and ready! Today, the mailman brought my third kit! I unpacked that box, but cannot start on it. Yet (but it is so pretty...I am getting off track. that's my personality. that's why I have three quilt kits. at the same time.).

Let me show you quilt two. It is a really neat concept that really works well for people who want to learn new quilting skills but do not want to be tied down to a large project because you only make one block a month and quilt along with quilters all over the country! There are step-by-step instructions for each block and videos to also guide you a long the way. You can choose your own fabrics, but I oped for the kit...and once it arrived I was so happy that I did (wait until you see how it was packaged!).

If you order the quilt, you get the pattern and each block is packaged in its own bag to keep this on-going project organized. I LOVED this aspect!

Here is the first block for February:

I unpacked the first block and made a template using plastic school folders (you can buy the quilting rulers for this block and I would recommend it as they are sturdier but I opted for this method).

I cut out the pieces...because you are only making 3 blocks here for the first part of the project, you don't have a lot of cutting to do and can get on to sewing quite quickly. win-win!

Here is the first block ( I will add block 2 &3 after dinner).

It isn't perfect. I am a self-taught-still-beginning-quilter and as I go, I can only get better...right?!

Please sew along with me...show me your blocks! Link up with the Fat Quarter Shop...they were so generous to send this kit to me and I can't wait to see the finished quit at the end of the year.

xoxo~ KD

psst: here is what it will look like in 10 months time...