Bright Plus Quilt

Do you ever just fall in love with a particular bolt of fabric and just HAVE to figure out something to do with it?  This happens to me from time to time and usually results in a project I didn't even have on my "to do" radar.  When shopping at my local quilt shop during a great sale (buy 10 yards, get 10 yards free) I came across this fantastic print from Rebecca Bischoff's first collection called Blythe. 

I quickly decided to make a plus quilt since I have been admiring them for quite sometime. I picked up all the fabric for this at the sale. I made my own pattern using 3.5" squares.  The top is mostly Kona cotton solids.  There are a few prints mixed in, they come from my scrap bin and one print from Blythe.  

I've always quilted with my machine and although I love some of the patterns long arms can do, I really prefer straight lines anyway. For this project I sewed a line on each side of the seams a quarter inch each way. I LOVE the texture it added!

 I used another print from the collection for the binding.  It is chevronish, I was thinking I would like it more than I did, but it is fine.

I didn't get a shot of the back I was completely happy with but here is something. :)  

When I took it into my local quilt shop to show off I heard a lady comment that it was a nice "kids quilt".  I admit it did turn out very bright but I really am impressed with the overall effect of the design and I am totally fine curling up with it on my couch on these colder mornings we are beginning to have.

 I have a couple of dresses to blog about later this week so hope you'll check in again soon!

10 months in the making!

My sewing style is get it done!  I am not one to have WHIPS, I just don't like things laying around undone.  I think it messes with my OCD organizational issues. :)  Never the less last May in my very first blog post I showed this quilt I was working on while my serger was getting cleaned and fixed.  At the end I even said "Hope my serger comes home soon.  I've got some major clothing sewing I want to do!"  And apparently that is exactly what happened because after a little over 10 months I still just had a quilt top.

I even had the back pieced together.  So last week I decided to finish.  I went with a quick and easy stitch in the ditch quilting pattern.  I really wish now I'd sewn a line a quarter inch on each side of the seam rather than right down the seam but I've moved on! :)  Before I started blogging I made probably 5 or so quilts a year, so in this past year I've really brought my average down.  And it did show, I spent way too much time remembering how to get my binding just right, and my seam ripper got some action than I would have liked.

I really should finish sewing projects right away.  I was really over this quilt by the time I got around to finishing it and with my rushing it has some flaws which I never like!  On the bright side the sun was shining nicely yesterday and I got some good pictures of it and like it more now that it is done.  Peyton has claimed it for now.  I really need to sew at least 4 quilts a year to keep from getting so rusty.  One of these days I'll do a post with a bunch of my past ones.  Do you quilt?

What to do without my serger?

I have been putting off getting my serger cleaned but decided it was time!  I also figured I could use a sewing break.  Well after 2 days I'd had enough of a break and really needed to work on something so I decided to start in on a new quilt.  (I've been mostly sewing clothes recently and really need my serger to do that!)  I do love to quilt but have recently discovered a major love for sewing my kids clothing.  But anyway, back to the quilt!  I bought this pattern at one of my local quilt shops The Cottage Rose it is called 'Up and Down Stair Case' and is a jelly roll pattern which I'm not always crazy about but was drawn to this one.  I used a Roof Top garden jelly roll by Moda which I bought at Burgundy Buttons .  I added the pops of white because it seemed to need it.  I love how it turned out!  It is a nice lap sized quilt and I'll post a picture of it again once I've got it quilted up.  

Hope my serger comes home soon.  I've got some major clothing sewing I want to do!