Friday Finish: Flowering Snowball Quilt

I bought binding fabric for this quilt. I swear I did. But in the black hole that sometimes is my sewing room, it has been sucked into another dimension. (Okay, sci fi is not my specialty, so if that sounded dumb, I apologize.)

And since I'm not really skilled at diving into that black hole, I ordered some more. Fortunately for me, I found a yard of what I needed for just $2.99. Seriously. For some Moda, out-of-print fabric. Jumped on that deal!

This gorgeous girl is now bound and happily stored away. I've got plans for her, so she needs to stay safe until then.

I loved the flowering snowball block from the get-go, and I ordered a set of plastic templates to make the cutting process that much easier.

A whole lot of curves later, I've got this big, probably queen-sized quilt.

I backed it in the pink and orange hydrangea print. I had blue hydrangeas in my bouquet when I got married, so I thought it made sense. Maybe only to me . . .

Checking this one off the 1QFAL list. Hope you have a happy weekend!

Friday Finish: Flower Maxi!

I finally, finally, quilted up the maxi version of my very popular Flower pattern. I don't do solid quilts very often, and if you look really closely, it's not "technically" completely solid, but it's a stretch for me still.

I have two reputations at my local quilting spot. The first is that I'm a speed demon. It happens when you've got only so much time to quilt, and so many quilts to finish, and five kids to homeschool. I haven't attempted anything very fancy, and I'm okay with that for now.

My second rep is that I pretty much only ever use off-white thread. My "usual" is what they call it. I sound like I go to a bar! But with this one, I stepped WAY out of my comfort zone and went with this awesome King Tut variegated thread. SO glad I did.

Backed with yellow brushed cotton and bound with brown gingham and now it's on my couch.

Checking this one off the 1QFAL. Four more finishes and I'm halfway through my list!

Friday Finish: Happy-Go-Lucky Nines and Snowballs

Finishes feel so great, don't they?

But this isn't a magical place where that's all the happens. Lest you think I'm some sort of quilty godmother, know that I've got a billion WIPs, all in many stages of production. But when I get a quilting day, I take it!

Here's my first finish from that quilting day last week: My Happy-Go-Lucky Nines and Snowballs quilt.

I quilted happy words into this one: friend, cheerful, joy, kindred spirit, laugh, smile. I was having fun with it.

Bound with the red check from the line and ready for snuggling.

Checking this one off the 1QFAL list. Have a wonderful weekend!

Fabric Tuesday: Posy Jewel Box

I do love getting quilts finished. So do my kids, come to think of it.

And my little girlie really loves this one.

Made using the Jewel Box tutorial on Moda Bake Shop (I probably made it bigger though) and the Posy fabric. Backed in purple brushed cotton, and bound with pink stripes.

I quilted it allover with loops and swirls and some flowers. I used a variegated purple and pink thread and I'm so glad I did.

Checking this one off the 1QFAL list. Working my way through that list.

Friday Finish: Mama Said Sew Disappearing Four Patch

It's confessional time.

I finished this flimsy 3 years ago. True story. Made it with some Mama Said Sew charm packs and really enjoyed the whole disappearing four patch process.

But let's not dwell on the fact that this languished for three years. Let's just celebrate that it's done!

Backed in grey brushed cotton, and quilted all over in loopy swirls. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. And, as always, I LOVE the gingham binding!

Checking her off the 1QFAL list.

Friday Finish: Scripture Totes

I can never make just one of anything. Especially cute little small things like this scripture tote. I made several years ago for my daughter and her friends. Well, I needed one. Or two (as the seasons change!). And now I'm taking commissions from friends for new bags of their own!

I used this darling tutorial, but I had to change the dimensions a smidge so that my big fat scriptures would fit inside. And I think I'd change them a bit more next time - it's a tight fit, but I'm okay with that.

Choosing fabric is hard! I wanted it to be pretty, but classy. Not too loud, but definitely ME. Since the bag is gathered (I gathered it instead of pleating it), I didn't want the print to look weird.

Here's my winter bag:

And here's my summer bag:

Checking these off the 1QFAL list. Wishing I could get some big things finished!

Pleated Zipper Pouches

Friends, beware. These are my new go-to gift. You have been warned!

I pinned this darling little pleated pouch tutorial ages ago. When I signed up for a pouch swap on Instagram, I knew I wanted to make this one.

The inside pleats just HAD to be gingham, right? And polka dots for the top band of course!

It's a snap to put together. The directions are clear, and it comes together beautifully.

So very happy with how these turned out, and now I'll make the real thing for my swap partner!

Checking this one off my 1QFAL list for 2016!

Friday Finish: Temple Bag

A temple bag? What's a temple bag?

Okay, here's a story . . .

I'm LDS. A Mormon. And we have temples. Lots of them.

This is my husband and I, the day we were sealed in the Portland Oregon temple.

This is the Portland temple.

And probably the most famous temple, the one in Salt Lake City.

And my very favorite temple, the San Diego temple. It has the most amazing spiral staircase inside!

Temples aren't just extra special pretty churches for us though. We do important work there. Temples are all about families, and we wear special clothing in the temple. Symbolic, ceremonial clothing.

Which is why I need a temple bag! My old one, I'm ashamed to say, was an old diaper bag. Not nearly big enough for what I need, and it was about time. I mean, I make bags all the time!

So here she is, my beautiful new temple bag! (Please excuse the less than wonderful pictures - I'm stuck using my phone right now!)

I kind of love it a lot. Who's surprised?

Checking this one off the 1QFAL list - first one done of the quarter!

Edited to add: the pattern is Amy Butler's Sophia Carry-All, but I took it to the FedEx store and enlarged it to 129%. It's a pretty tough pattern to find, but best of luck!

1QFAL: My Scraptastic Year begins!

If you know me at all, you know I don't do scrappy. Well, I do very controlled scrappy. I'm too OCD or something to venture into the crazy postage stamp, random world of Red Pepper Quilts and Crazy Mom Quilts. Love their work. But I've always been worried my poor little brain will fritz out if I try.

Well, I'm risking the fritzing. This girl is going scrappy this year. The ginormous bins of random scraps might have been a big motivator for me.

With that in mind, here is my list of what I'd like to accomplish this quarter:

Four Patch Star

Dark and Twisty

Flowering Snowball (after I fix all those dark orange pieces that are too close together!):

Ruby Grannies

Mama Said Sew D4

Posy Jewel Box

Capri Blossoms

HGL Nines and Snowballs

I Love Lucy Churn Dash

Quite Contrary Kaleidoscope

Flower Maxi

Double Eights

Flying Four

Kaleidoscope Flower

Silk Tie Pillow covers

Pleated Zipper Pouches

Feed Co. Weekender

Hobbes Softies (because we will have a Calvin and Hobbes party on Leap Day this year!):

And my almost finished temple bag. Just have to put in the lining (needed a smidgen more fabric for that!).

And my scripture bag. My husband bought me new scriptures this past fall, and they need their own pretty bag.

And a Valentine's Mini, because my walls look so very sad after Christmas comes down.

And two cute little Valentine's Pillows, because, well, just because! I can't wait to show you what I plan on embroidering on them - we don't do traditional love stuff around here!

And that's all. Ha. All. A whole lot of busy, but it's winter and what else is there to do but stay warm and sew?!