Let's Bee 2012 Quilt

5 Together, a photo by bailchri on Flickr.

When my local quilt group, "The Quilt Block Ladies," went on the shop hop this year, I started collecting a batik from each shop.  Batiks are a type of fabric that I had previously not had too much feeling for, but I'm starting to love them.  When it was suddenly my turn to get fabric sent out for my online group, "Let's Bee Together", luckily I already had fabric on hand, just needed to find a perfect solid to pair the batiks with.  Each member got 2 different batiks and the solid.  I have received blocks back from members Shannon, Sara (no blog)  and Erin and they go quite nicely with the 2 that I made! I tried a photo edit when I uploaded to flickr and so it looks a bit weird, but it does show the colors of each fabric better.

Quilts and Teeth

Last post, I showed you the quilt top I made for a friend for her engagement pictures/wedding and now that she has actually seen the top, as well as the back (in person) I will share a couple of fun personalization "labels" I added to the back.

I wanted to add something with a monogram, the bride and groom names and their wedding date (which I said she cannot change now that it's on the quilt for EVER) but I wanted it to be something I would be sure would never wash away.  Thought of writing a label, but have heard even those will fade over time, heard a technique of printing on fabric with the printer, but didn't know too much about that, and I'm not good at hand embroidery type stuff so that was not an option either.  As I was chatting about my dilemma while on this year's Treasure Shop Hop (14 hours, 450 miles, 8 quilt shops, 8 women, 1 Suburban...I'd say those numbers deserve their own post, no?  Maybe someday I will get around to it).  So, anyway, a friend of mine who has her own business and own commercial grade embroidery machine suggested embroidering something on the quilt.  So, one afternoon I spent a good 5 hours with her working on the design we wanted and finally came up with something I love.  

Soon I will get around to taking pictures of the complete front and back.  As you can maybe tell from that bottom picture, I quilted around the circles on the front of the quilt, a technique I've done on 2 "circle" quilts now and I love doing it!

Now, and update on the "and the Boys" front, Hunter has lost another tooth (this makes 5 now):

For Beth

A friend asked me if I would make a quilt for her to use in her engagement pictures and then hang at her wedding.  She picked out a pattern from the few that I have and then chose the fabrics; her wedding will be in October and she's going to be having jewel tones for her colors.  I'm getting ready to head to the store to get some thread for quilting and at some point soon (after I give it to her) I will show you the back because it has something wonderful going on.

I always wonder and am asked how long different quilts take me so this time I decided to try and keep track...which has been interesting to see.  I forgot to start with cutting (which also included sewing strips together for those striped sections) and was at 15 hours and 37 minutes piecing the top, deciding on a layout for the top and piecing the back.  It's amazing how quickly it goes by, because I'm pretty sure I would have guessed 5 hours!

Here's to being back on the blog - and trying not to go another 4+ months between posts!

How Do You Do It?

My local quilt group is making some super scrappy (read: random) quilt tops to donate to the Women's and Children's Alliance.  We recently did some baby quilts so we wanted these to be bigger in size for older children.  The tops are made from 5" squares and there are 11x13.  After I pieced together 4 rows, I was wondering about doing them a different way...making larger squares (I was thinking just sewing 4 together in a 2x2, but could probably even do more).  I didn't know if this would be easier than wrangling the longer rows.  My mind has just always thought to do rows, not sure why, maybe it's based on what type of thinker/right brain/left brain thing we are so I wondered if that's how most people do it.  How do you do it?  Would one way be easier/faster and maybe even more accurate as far as where all points line up?