Popping in for a moment

I am making a summer projects list. There are three that MUST be finished in May, but after those are finished I have June, July, and the first week in August to work on quilts. I am going to make at least one houndstooth quilt as a weeding gift. I will most likely make a total of three of those. I am also makeing a T-shirt quilt. I have made one already and it is not that difficult. On my wish list currently is this boxed-in quilt. Maybe I will make it last or as a gift for my expecting sister-in-law!

Teacher in Progress

I am a college student, and I am one class away from being able to intern. I just wanted to let you know that I am not gone. I am just working two jobs, being a devoted wife to a healing husband, and finishing up school. So, if I am not updating every week, it is not because I do not love you. I simply am trying to get everything together outside of cyberspace.

I would like to update everyone on the Syracuse quilt. It is still in progress but not very far from being completed. Also, I have added another quilt due the same day! This quilt is a Disney/ Pixar's Cars quilt. Super excited about this quilt! I already have the fabric and a pattern in mind. It will not be elaborate since it is for a four year old. I plan on finishing the Syracuse quilt top first before starting on it.

I am really worried about the quilting. I am afraid I will not get either finished on time. I may get outside help. This will be a first for me. If anyone wants the quilting job let me know. We may work something out.

Syracuse Piecing

I started piecing the Syracuse Quilt.! I wanted to make a practice block to begin with, but of course you have to make two at a time. I kind of like that. It is like getting two for one!

It is kind of like making a log cabin quilt block.

I was so worried when I cut them in quarters. I mean, what if I slip? I don't have enough of some fabric to start a block over.

I almost want to turn the final orange polka dot into an orange fabric because of the pattern: white, blue, orange, white, blue, orange. I think it would be to much orange, and I like it this way, besides as I just stated, not enough fabric to really start over. What do you think?

It will look really awesome when it is put together!!

If you are reading this in Alabama you may think this looks like an Auburn quilt. Sorry, it is not, but I am going to make an Auburn string quilt with the leftovers! Who should the luck recipient be?

Pieces of Syracuse

I am making progress on the Syracuse quilt.

I arranged my fabric in several different ways, making several changes along the way.






Beginning placement

 



Without the orange polka dot fabric, I began to arrange the fabrics, imagining some of the white fabric to be orange polka dot.

I liked this arrangement and thought I would go with it, but things always change.



Rearrange

After I realized that I did not have enough fabric for some of the larger strips, I had to rearrange again.



Final decision


And again. This time I was set. Perfect amount of fabric, and I liked the arrangement.



 Finally with the decision on fabric placement made, I began cutting them into squares and strips!



Squares and strips cut and ready for the next step

Soon I will be sewing blocks and then the quilt together! I am really beginning to like the look of this quilt.
*PS If you saw some of this post earlier this week I apologize. It was supposed to be a draft. I guess I accidentally posted it. 

Big Puppy Love

So, I have made some more puppy beds. These are going to sisters!

I imagine they will end up sharing like my babies do. As you have seen of course.

I got annoyed at the zipper for the last one and decided I was not going to look at the directions, because they were so confusing. I made my own way, and I think it was better.

So, the zipper and I are almost friends now.

I did not have a big enough zipper for the bottom gigantic puppy bed, so I used two, and although they are not the same color, it works.

Can you tell from the picture that they one is white and the other cream? Yeah, I really didn't think so.

Puppy Love

One out of three new puppy beds!

Added a zipper to this one.

New experience... lessons learned

Still not bad looking, just not AMAZING!

Yeah, I want to be amazing. Comes with practice I guess.

Getting some of that here!

* edited to say that I have not worked with zippers before this. 

Score

I went to the way after Christmas sale to see what was left over. Everything was 75% off, so, I thought what could it hurt to look. I found several bags of  "snow" aka fluff aka polyfill! I got each bag for about 60 cents a piece! SCORE

I am sewing up several dog beds for friends! I know they will love them!

Quilt Trip... I mean Trip's Quilt

I have been working on a baby quilt for a friend. Her son was born December of 2009, that wasn't too long ago to finish a baby quilt, was it? Anyways, I started the quilt awhile ago. I finally finished the top last week, hence the quilt trip.

If I put another border on it now, will I have to say I finished the top in 2011?

  

I could not decide on how to put the blocks together. I had 12, and I was going to place them on point (I have never done an on point quilt), but I was just not feeling it. So, I messed around with the blocks after Christmas, and found that I like the new placement a lot. Problem was, I now had to make another 4 blocks to complete the look. I think technically  it will nowbe called a total of 4 blocks instead of 16, but isn't it great!

I have no idea what these blocks are called or what the blocks are called put together in this placement. So, that means until I am told otherwise I will call this placement "Trip" after the future owner.

Dog Bed Snuggle and Jewlery Box Masterpiece

The dog bed snuggle! Aw, they are just too cute!

See, they all love it!

As promised (a little late, sorry) the Jewelry Box quilt. My first machine quilted masterpiece!!

Yes, that is my bedroom's bare wall, and yes, that is a window going into the garage. It has a shade to cover it. I just like the light sometimes.

1. I am poor.

2. My house is old enough to draw SS and has had many additions.

3. Who needs a pretty wall when you have a pretty quilt?

If you can see in the picture above that my wall is two different color. There was a window there that went into another room. That one had to go.

Syracuse Quilt Planning

After much preparation, fabric being pulled from my stash, and an excuse to buy fabric, I have decided on a pattern. I found inspiration from this quilt.

The tutorial/ cutting instructions is/ are found here. It is not something I would usually make, but I find that it is worth it to try new patterns, and color combinations! I plan on making it in orange, blue, and white, you know, Syracuse colors! The pattern is masculine enough, right?
*edited