Sunshine - Up From Here

60" x 72"

This is a fitting color scheme for the summer we're having! I've been participating in a casual Sew Along with Roseanne at Home Sewn By Us. This is the pattern Up From Here that I have modified from the original.  The original has 24" blocks that I changed to 12" so I could use my 2.5" strips.  I also made it scrappy and changed the block direction on every other row.  The smaller blocks gave me the opportunity to use more variety.

I even went scrappy on the back. I only found two somewhat wild prints in my stash, I wish I had more in these colors. The white strips were added to brighten up the back and to make it a tad bit longer.

I didn't stop with the back, I decided since I had all those 2.5" strips, why not make a scrappy binding too. I was wishing I had done a straight seam, but I think on this quilt it works okay. But in the future, I will use straight seams for scrappy binding!

I do love this quilt, but it goes with nothing in my house. I'm mostly a blue person, with a little green thrown in for good measure.  It was sure a fun pattern to make. Thanks, Roseanne! You bring out the best in my quilting!

Linking with Busy Hands Quilts.

Full Size Minecraft with Diamond Ore Pillow Cases

I seem to be making less and less of these minecraft quilts, but their block choices always surprise me. No TNT in this quilt. I think the red blocks really add a lot to all the black and gray. I really don't mind the long break between making these because it is a lot of sitting at the sewing machine without doing too much moving.  You can find the pattern here.  Email me for the pdf pattern. $10.99

This time I got to make these Diamond Ore pillow cases. They were fun to layout and put together. I wasn't sure how the black binding was going to look, but it really helps tie the pillow cases and the quilt.

I put it on Lindsay's bed as she is the only one with a full size. I love the quilt on there, but her pillows are so flat! Maybe I need to get her some new pillows. Maybe she likes them flat. I don't know. 

The pattern is available here if you'd like to make one for yourself. And if you're not keen on the idea of buying all those different Kona Cottons, I'd be happy to make one for you. Just send me a convo in my etsy shop.

Linking with Busy Hands Quilts.

Graduation Quilt

 58" x 74"

This quilt was made for a customer who wanted to give as a graduation gift. It's perfect for that! It's called Rah, Rah, Rally and I've made this pattern a couple times before. Here's the first one and here's the second one. 

This one is exactly like the first one I made except I used a blue thread to quilt since the back is a solid blue. I'm not sure I totally like the blue thread, but I think a white or yellow thread would look about the same. 

Linking with Myra at Busy Hands Quilts.

Up From Here Update

Here's where I started at the beginning of this week on my Up From Here quilt. I did some changing to the original pattern so that I could use a lot of scraps. I made the quilt block 12" and I decided to rotate some of the blocks.

And here she is at the end of the week. I had to get it all on the design wall so that I could take it all down for another quilt I've been working on. Now it gets to sit for a while....good thing it's a no pressure sew along!  If you want to join us you can get the details at HomeSewnByUs. 

Josie's First Quilt

31.5" x 31.5" 

This is Josie. She is child #7 and she just turned 8 not too long ago. She loves to play with my fabric scraps, but last week she asked to if I would teach her how to sew. Why yes, I'd love to!  She was so excited to pick out fabrics, I wasn't sure she was going to be able to choose. But she finally did and this pink and purple match her bedding perfectly!

She was such a fast learner. It only took a couple practice pieces before she was ready to start sewing on her own top. She laid it out on the design wall, then took in down and marked the rows. I slowed the speed down on my machine for her so all she had to do was follow the quarter inch foot. She is the best one I've taught yet. I guess that means I finally have a quilter!!!

I pieced the back for her and did the quilting, but she did all the top by herself. She was so excited her seams all matched up.  I think she did a great job!  She is ready to start her next one....I don't know how I'm gonna get anything done anymore!

Throwback Thursday - Pixilated Horse Quilt

I've only been quilting since 2010, so I can't go back too far for Throwback Thursday! In 2012 I started working on a pixilated horse quilt. The kids love to take pictures of the horses when they go out to ride. I couldn't find the original picture, but the one on the left is what the horse really looks like. The background has already been edited to remove things from the photo.  In the picture on the right, I edited the horse's head so there would be less variation when I pixilated it. 

 

I used photoshop to reduce the number of colors in the picture which then pixilated it, but there are also sites that will turn your photograph into a pixel quilt design. The one I was trying to use is not around any longer, but I did find YouPatch if you'd like to give it a go.

 

Above is my final pixel layout after doing some moving of colored squares to make it look like I wanted it to. And below it the finished quilt. I gave this quilt to a friend, who loves horses very much. I'd love to make another one, but it is made from 2" strips and it takes a while to get one finished. Maybe someday I'll get time to make one for our family.

Let me know if you design a pixel quilt pattern for yourself. I'd love to see what you come up with!

Linking with MMM Throwback Thursday.