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Bret's Quilt

 Saturday, September 29, 2012

Yesterday, I went and visited one of my very good friends who just had her 3rd baby at the beginning of August.  Well new baby, always means another baby quilt to make.  My friend was doing a "western" theme in the room which will eventually house both of her boys once Bret is big enough to sleep in the crib.  She already had the bedding for her oldest son, so I wanted to make something that would compliment what she already had.  I purchased "Lil Cowpokes" by Michael Miller from the The Fat Quarter Shop.  When I got it, I couldn't believe how perfect it was going to match her current son's bedspread.  I couldn't have gotten more perfect if I had made both quilts myself!

This time, I also wanted to try something different pattern wise, so I purchased the book, Little Quilts 4 Little Kids by Anka's Treasures.  The quilt pattern I used was "Oh Baby" because I like to be able to embroider the child's name onto the quilt and add a few "embroidery touches" if I can.  I must say the pattern was a very easy pattern to do and really showcases' the fabric and quilting nicely.  I highly recommend the book because Heather's directions were great and I had no trouble at all piecing the top together.  The pattern is also really nice if you have a child with a really long name.  I wish that I had purchased the book when I was making a quilt for one of my nieces.  Here is a picture of the quilt top before being quilted.

I decided to quilt it with a double loop quilting pattern which I thought would resemnble a little cowboy trying to lasso something.  I am very happy with how it turned out.  The only unfortunate part is that I haven't been able to master taking good pictures of a quilt on my quilting machine.  I can't seem to get the lighting right in my studio, which just so happens to be in the basement, so very little natural light.  
 
The finished quilt all quilted up.
 
Close up pictures of the double loop quilting.
 

I also included a couple of pictures of Bret "enjoying" the quilt.  Isn't he cute! 

I also made Bret a couple of personalized burp clothes using the cowboy hat and boot that I used in the quilt. 

The only bad part is that I had this quilt finished before I had started up my "Hustle" list, so nothing is coming off my list just yet, but I am slowly working on that and will show you my progress as I complete.  Goodbye September, hello October.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

 Melissa  

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The 100 Day Hustle

 Thursday, September 20, 2012

Kelsey of Kelsey Sews is hosting The 100 Day Hustle, which I think is a brilliant idea.


I don't know about any of you, but my "To Do List" sure has grown over the past couple of months since my new long arm quilting machine purchase.  I have a goal of quilting for customers in January 2013, but to achieve that goal there is so much that I need to do to get ready for it.  I also am doing a local craft show on October 20, 2012 with my aunt and mother in law as well as Christmas being around the corner once again, which means "homemade gifts" to make!  So here it goes.

MY TO DO LIST:
  1. Make 15 to 20 quilted bibs for craft show, which are excellent practice pieces for trying new design on the long arm 
  2. Make 15 to 20 burp clothes for craft show.
  3. Make baby girl quilt for craft show.  
  4. Make baby boy quilt for craft show.
  5. Make a quilt for my sister in law to photograph for me to use as "new banner" pic to update my website.  
  6. Make myself a Halloween table runner.  
  7. Finish my mother in law's quilt that she started.  How did this get on my list?  LOL.  
  8. A Craftsy Class called Machine Quilting Negative Space by Angela Walters
  9. Make a "Family Tree Quilt" for my mother in law for Christmas with my sister in law.  
  10. Make my husband a coffee quilt per his request because my youngest daughter got a hold of the ink pen and inked his current deer quilt I made him before we were married, so now he wants a new one that is coffee themed and has flannel on the back.  Talk about picky!  
  11. Christmas stockings for my daycare lady's family as Christmas gifts this year.  
  12. Christmas stockings for my parents to hold their Christmas gifts.  
  13. Christmas stocking for my daughter's kindergarten teacher.  (I am going with a sort of theme this year, so hopefully these are easy to make.  I intend on purchasing Camille Roskelly's pattern to make these. 
  14. Melia's petal pocket pillow
  15. Maelyn's petal pocket pillow
  16. A baby quilt for my new niece or nephew after it arrives in late November.  
  17. Long arm quilting samples to show customers.  I want 3 samples of 3 different allover designs.
  18. Christmas table runner for me and my mom.
  19. Baby girl quilt for a family friend. 
Well I guess that is it.  Pretty long list, but thankfully my oldest is in school and I still plan on sending my youngest to daycare on Fridays, so I can try to accomplish the majority of this.  Thanks again Kelsey for putting this Quilt along or whatever you want to call it together!  I am definitely in!

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Kaelan's Quilt

 Tuesday, September 11, 2012

I am proud to say that I am catching up and another baby quilt is completed.  At the time that I got pregnant with Mae over a year ago now, two of my sister in law's were pregnant as well.  All 3 girls are no more than 5 months apart.  My daughter Mae was first, 2.5 months later my neice Cate was born, and another 2.5 months later, Kaelan was born.  I finished up Cate's quilt a couple of months ago, which was my very first blog post.  Now I have Kaelan's quilt completed and it happens to be a very special quilt to me as well.  It is my very first completed quilt on my new long arm.  After a month of practice on muslin pieces, I finally got the courage to quilt on an actual quilt.  I must say that quilting on a quilt is very different.  It is harder navigating the seams at times, but it still was a lot of fun.  I free motion quilted an allover Loopy D Loo pattern. 

 
I did machine applique on the 4 corners of a monkey, giraffe, elephant, and a lion.  I personalized the quilt with Kaelan's name in the middle square.  It definitely was a fun quilt to make. 




Here are some pics of baby Kaelan testing out her quilt. 
 

 
I think she likes it.  My daughter, Mae had to even test it out with her.  Aren't they just so cute together? 
 
 
Well I am definitely very happy with how it turned out.  I know that I still have a lot more to learn, but seeing people enjoy the final product makes it all worth while.  Especially when they are under 2 feet tall!

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