A Halloween Swoon Mini Quilt

After my horrendous sewing episode last week, I thought I would attempt to redeem myself this weekend.  I created another mini swoon quilt, except this time, I made it out of one regular-sized swoon block.  I instantly fell in love this with block and toyed with the idea of turning it into a full-sized quilt, but then I realized that my background fabric was purple and I really didn't want a whole quilt with a purple background...I don't know, it just wasn't in the plans for me.  This block was actually so much fun to create, I loved watching it come together and it was actually MUCH easier than sewing these tiny pieces together for actually mini quilt.

Don't you just love this little guy? There is a heart in his web.  He is a love spider.

I snagged these candles at T.J. Maxx for $6.99 each.  That campfire candle smells like cake...and makes me want to eat cake...

I am excited to announce that this will be the first item listed in my store, however; I will be sad to part with it if it sells.... of course, that would give me an excuse to make another.  Have you started any autumn or halloween projects yet this season?

Throwback Thursday Quilting Days

This quilt was hanging over my staircase railing today and I realized how much I love it, so I thought I'd share it with you.  (Please excuse my poor picture quality, these were taken on my iPhone at night time...ugh).

This was the first quilt I ever made.  It took me 8 months to finish it.  About 5 of the months were it just sitting there, half way quilted.  I straight lined quilted this, it took FOREVER, and my attention span is REALLY short.   I'm so glad I finished it though because I'm pretty sure it will always be my favorite quilt.

I used the fabric Spring House by Stephanie Ryan and the pattern was a jelly roll quilt pattern by  Cluck Cluck Sew.    I think I'll do a throwback thursday every week until I show you all of my past quilts.  There really aren't that many...but it'll last me a good 8 weeks or so.

Do you have the first quilt you ever completed? I would love it see it.  

Christmas Mini Swoon Quilt...sort of

I don't know about you, but sewing is sort of my therapy.  It winds me down at the end of the night, it allows me to let my creative side flow and it gives me sense of complete and utter satisfaction when I finish a project.  This week,  sewing was my anti-therapy.  I used Camille Roskelley's pattern for her mini Swoon quilt.  The swoon quilt is one of my all time favorite patterns.  I have yet to make a full sized quilt but I thought I would give this mini-quilt a try last weekend for a little intro.

I think I ripped more seams on this little guy than I ever have all together in my whole sewing career...and then...I screwed up the binding.  WHAT?! I NEVER screw up binding.  It is my favorite part of the whole process generally because it is the final finishing touch.  I have made 8 quilts this year so far and all have come out with flawless binding.  I guess my mind was mush this week because I sewed the binding on with a 1/2" seam allowance for who-knows why because I never use anything but a 1/4" seam allowance for anything in a quilt. Ughhh...I don't know.  Needless to say, here it is...screwed up binding (meaning screwed up corners) and everything.  Hopefully this week will be better...

These corners make me sad :(

And this one makes me REALLY sad :(

Maybe one day, far off in the future, I will remake the binding...for now, I'm not taking any chances!

A bittersweet farewell to Children at Play...

So, here is my issue.  I keep making these quilts and each new one is my new favorite.  So far, each quilt I have made has been for a specific person to give away.  I'm usually finishing it at or past my deadline and I am shipping them off before I get any time to spend with them... is that weird? I form an emotional attachment to my quilts.  Yeah, I said it. I've spent so much time cutting and creating and piecing and quilting and binding, and then off they go.   I guess you never fully know if they get loved the way you hope they do and its really sort of sad.

Needless to say, this Children at Play quilt is my new favorite.  I love how vibrant the colors are, especially on the back.  I think the orange binding really pulled it together well.  Anyway, off it goes tomorrow.  I hope my niece will love it as much as I do...

I used my embroidery machine for the appliqué letters on the back.  I am peeking over the top here like a stage 5 creeper.

I did the quilting myself but I struggled a little bit. The quilt was pretty heavy and I think I may have thrown away my quilting gloves with a slew of fabric scraps because I can't find them anywhere.  The total quilt sized out at 43" x 43".  I think this might be the max size that my little sewing machine can handle.  I'll have to get them sent out if I make them bigger...or maybe work on a new machine? Hm...

Children at Play...

Do you remember playing dress up as a child? I'm pretty sure it was one of my favorite pastimes. In fact, in a way, it still is.  I guess in theory, most of us never stop playing dress up.  We sift through outfits trying to find that perfect one for the day.  We try on outfit after outfit in the store, checking ourselves out, attempting to "look pretty".  Dress up is just another form of us trying to look like the best version of ourselves, and I think sometimes, we forget how fun it once was.

I love this Children at Play fabric by Sarah Jane.  It gives a little sense of nostalgia.  I am making this quilt for my niece who will be 4 this month.  I am hoping that one day when she is older, she will pull this out and remember her play days and not to forget to keep playing...even as she grows older.

For the love of sewing

Hi and welcome! So I'm Andrea, I've been sewing for about a year now and I think I'm an addict.  This sewing craze that has taken over me is a little bit of an anomaly for me because I tend not to stick with things for very long before I get bored and move onto the next thing.  The weird thing about sewing is that the longer I seem to do it, the more obsessed I've become.  I am currently sewing on an Brother XR 1355, this crazy little machine cost me a whopping $169 at Costco.  At some point in the near future, I will definitely be upgrading but for now, this will have to do.  I have to say, for the price, it has treated me quite well over the past year.

My most recent treat to myself was a Janome 350e.  I am brand spanking new to embroidery and let me tell you, it is a pretty freaking cool trick.  I've only had my machine for about a week so I've just been playing around but so far I've created a doozie, a shirt for my husband with the twitter logo, and a half completed embroidered onesie for my newest nephew (due in a few weeks); I actually screwed that onesie up pretty well so I don't think he will be getting it...oops.

Anyway...let me show you what I've been working on lately.


I finally finished my blocks from the Boardwalk pattern by Fig Tree & Co.  I love how the added triangles make the pinwheels look like they are spinning, and I am in love with fabric by Stephanie Ryan called modern roses.  The colors work perfectly together.

I created my own log cabin blocks starting with a fussy cut center square.  This fabric is by Sarah Jane and is called Children at Play.  I am absolutely in love with her fabrics.  I have been hoarding these for a few months now and finally decided to cut into them.  It breaks my heart to cut into such adorable fabric, but I think it will be worth it in the end.

I just finished piecing this top with the Briar Rose fabric from Heather Ross.  I had been holding onto this fabric for quite some time and could not for the life of me figure out what to do with it.  Thank God for Pinterest because I came across this gem of a blog: Charlotte's gRACE for a Cure and fell in love with her idea.  I pretty much just mimicked what she did.  I am going to keep the boarders off mine and just go with a plain white binding. 

 Aren't those honey bees just to die for? And look how friendly they are.  Generally in the face of a bee like that, I would be screaming like a small child...

You know, when I first started sewing, I promised that I would never be one of those people who have a bunch of different unfinished projects laying around.  I wanted to finish one before I started on the next.  Clearly, I'm not a very good promise-keeper.

How many projects are you working on these days?