polka dot attack pinwheel!

I've noticed this trend for some quilters to name their quilts. They always seem to have serious names, like Serenity or Still Waters or even formal names like Isabella. I mean, that's nice and all, but I'm thinking, if I ever were to name my quilt, I would want the name to jump out and attack you. (Rather like my quilts, I suppose.) So, I humbly present the almost finished quilt top for Polka Dot Attack Pinwheel!

Yes, the exclamation point is a mandatory portion of the name. And as always, if I ever did gift this to a baby, it would be more of a "stimulating" quilt than a relaxing slumber quilt.

I still need to add the border, but I'm officially in love. I like to think that when this quilt is finished, and I'm snuggling in it, if anyone tries to mess with me, I can sic my attack pinwheels on them. Smart idea, right? Attractive, AND functional. Sometimes my brilliance startles even me.

Most importantly, there are FIFTEEN sets of four corners where the blocks come together. FIFTEEN. And would you like to know something that I am especially proud of? ALL FIFTEEN of those corners are perfection. I spent plenty of time pinning those puppies into place with not one, not two, but THREE pins each, then meticulously sewed just over that intersection, before examining it to make sure it was perfect, and was all ready to bust out my seam ripper if it wasn't. But apparently three is the magic number because when I carefully examined each set of corners, expecting mistakes and an utter lack of perfection, in its stead was a perfect meeting of the four. That was pure bliss, folks.

I also spent last night cutting fabric and prepping squares for more HSTs. Surprising to me, the design for my glider pillow will feature eight of them. (I figure, for as good of enemies as we are, why work with them when I don't have to?) But it's good practice, and I am determined they will meet up too. And I will rip them apart and re-sew until they do. I need to figure out if I want to use plain black fabric for the envelope closure or go with something else. The decisions, people! And yes, I think I've officially decided to set the other project that I hate (for now) aside. I think this is a healthy decision.

Now please excuse me while I try to educate Banzo on why it's not cool to throw an ice cream scooper around the house.

quilt #2. final.

My friend called me this morning to let me know she'd received her quilt. I knew by the sound of her voice, but I needed verbal confirmation, so I asked the dreaded question, "Did you like it?"

And, she did! In fact, she loved it! (Fist pump!)

 
And so did my son, so I felt really bad about tugging it out from underneath him and mailing it off. But he'll get over it. I think he was simply excited that I finally let him touch it since I'd been kind of freaky and refused to let his germy sticky hands touch the fabric at all during the process because, well, the main fabric has a white background and I didn't need granola bar smears marring the perfection of it!

Chain-piecing.

Finished blocks

Vertical sashing sewed on, horizontal sashing pinned in place.

Waiting for a border

12"x12" matching pillowcase

Super fierce backing fabric and my signature

Monkeys sliding down rainbows=My favorite part of the fabric

 

The finished product

A few more notes: I still haven't found a way I want to sign my name, so a heart and the letter "A" will have to do for now. Because my batting had an allowance of 2"-4", I quilted a square within the white square (I think 1.5" in?) and also quilted both around the entire block and just inside the white square, about 1/8" away from the seam. I used white thread on the white square quilting and lime green thread on the outside portion, meaning the quilting showed up nice and bright against the turquoise of the backing fabric. I think it looked awesome, but it is my quilt, so take that with a grain of salt. I couldn't get a good photo of it inside my house (stupid lack of natural light!) so I slung it over the fence and shot a few photos before running from the cold. I'd like to say this is why it's not centered and hanging crooked in the photo, but that's probably because I didn't notice.

I really really really enjoyed making this quilt, and I was sad to part with it, but since its final home is with a super cool friend and her super cool baby, I suppose I'll sacrifice.

quilt #3.

Saturday was fabric shopping day, and it was a DOOZY of a fabric shopping day. As always, the lovely K was invaluable, and while I did make some changes to the idea in my head that I had for quilt #3, there weren't as many changes as I thought there might be. And in fact, I'm so excited about these changes that I think it's going to be a super more awesomer quilt.

And since this quilt isn't a secret, would you like to see my fabric? Of course you would! Here, in all their glory, the SEVENTEEN different types of fabric:

(Yes, that's my favorite Paperchase Christmas Tree plate.) 

Yesterday, I spent three (four?) hours soaking them for excess dye, washing, and pressing this stack of fabric. Now, they are all draped over a chair, waiting for me to cut into them. You are probably wondering how all of these fabrics are going to come together, and I'm not going to tell you that. You'll just have to stick around and see. I will tell you that the very bottom fabric (that awesomely fierce white and black print) will be the backing fabric, so don't have a heart attack thinking I'm going to sick this overly stimulating quilt on someone. I read a blog entry recently where a woman used this pale butter yellow to back a quilt, and sure, it was pretty and all, but I kept thinking, a little boring, don't you think? There's a place in this world for pale butter yellow backing fabric, sure, but not in an Audrey quilt. (I reserve the right to change my mind on that at any time.) For now, BAM! Black and white bold designs!

We survived our first no-daddy day, and it went fairly well. The boy is definitely missing his papa, but we're keeping it together. I'm trying not think about how much it would suck if my husband's flight home crashed and I became a widow with two little ones. (Overactive imagination, much?) I've got bread dough rising for raisin bread, and I've got fresh hummus in my fridge and a tasty avocado to finish off. I had NO idea that avocado would be so tasty in quesadillas. The warm tortilla and cheese, mixed with spinach and topped with aforementioned hummus? All made EVEN BETTER with the addition of the smooth sliced avocado? Quesadillas would definitely be my desert island food. Tonight's dinner plans include soba noodles in a peanut sauce with sauteed chicken and veggies. (I heart soba.) Lunch...will probably be a repeat of last night's dinner. I'm craving pumpkin cookies, so I'll probably whip up some of those in the near future. Today is certainly shaping up to be a good food day, but with teams of men with chain saws attacking trees up and down my street, I'm not sure how well Banzo's nap is going to roll. Every time they slug into a tree, he yelps and comes running to sit on my lap.

HST BOM. February.

Oh, half-square triangles. I don't like you. Your points still didn't come together. And I cut you so carefully! I pinned you so delicately! I spent SO MUCH TIME cutting those squares to perfect 3.5" squares and even made sure your hypotenuse was perfectly aligned at a 45 degree angle while I was at it! You and I might never be friends. I'm going to give you this year to grow on me, but if January rolls around and you still aren't behaving, don't expect to be on my invite list for 2013. Just saying.

January

February

To be honest, that second block looks better in the photo than in real life. But I'm trying to be cool with the imperfections and remind myself that this is my quilt, and no one else's will have those same mistakes. It's special. Also, I'm still fairly new to this, so I get a pass for a while longer, right? 

My question: when does that pass expire?

- - - - - - - - -

 

HST BOM. January.

I thought my reading addiction was bad. 5-10 books from the library each week, devouring most of the stack by the next week, and the occasional abuse of the occasional book by chucking it across the room in fury? There are worse addicts, certainly, but my numbers don't look pretty. Thank goodness for the amazing library within walking distance of my casa.

But I've formed another addiction, and it's a doozy! I feel like I've moved from cigarettes to heroin, especially since EVERY NIGHT FOR A WEEK, my dreams have been filled with fabric and quilting patterns. It's sick, folks. Sick. I woke up Saturday and had to run to my computer and dash out a pattern idea I had. Monday, I had dreams about fabric bombs exploding because of course I was a fabric spy because that makes a ton of sense. Last night, I was awake from 2:45-4:15, all because I was thinking about fabric and my latest quilt idea and would I really like it and how would I quilt it and would I really find 17 fabrics that I liked that coordinated. (Yes, 17. Remember? Sick?)

And when I used to spend Banzo's naptime reading or *gasp* writing or maybe even cleaning my house, I now pull out Agatha (I've named my sewing machine Agatha. Have we covered this yet?) and go to town. Or, more likely, I pull out my rotary cutter and fabric and cut into scrap stacks to put together materials for projects so that I can put that sharp bad boy safely away for when my kid wakes up. Last night, 9pm, I'm cutting and sewing squares for half-square triangles, explaining to my husband why making HSTs from squares is better for fabric stability. (That poor, poor man. He does not deserve this torture.) Nathan comes home, and I'm hopped up on pretty new quilts I saw on blogs or progress I made on a project, and if he doesn't properly ooh and ahh, I punch him and threaten not to feed him pout.

I'm even checking out quilting books from the library because combining two addictions sounds healthy, right?

And now, because working on one quilt is so last year, I've decided to start a block of the month challenge featuring my good ol' nemesis, the half square triangle.

 

January was the first block with the final pattern coming in December of this year. Twelve blocks at twelve inches (each) finished, and I'll have a quilt sometime next year. With Lito's arrival looming on the horizon, I'm trying to finish up all of my outstanding projects and start and finish as many new as I possibly can, knowing that it will be difficult to get much sewing in for at least the first few months. (And possibly years, if he's like his big brother, or if taking care of TWO kids demands it.) But this project seemed simple enough. I can do small portions of the blocks over the entire month, or I can even hold off and work on the outstanding blocks later in the summer/fall/winter/next year. The biggest reason for choosing to join this (besides the fun factor) is that I think I'll NEED the creative outlet with a new baby and a toddler.

Good idea, right? Even better, I'm pretty sure I have enough fabric left over from my recent pillowcase project to supply the patterned fabric aspect of the quilt. I'll pick up more background fabric this weekend, and once the whole puppy is complete, I'll pick out border, binding, backing, and sashing fabrics.  And then, the quilt will even match. Speaking of pillowcases, would you like to see the finished product? Of course you would!

I took inspiration from Amy Smart's Chain Linked, which is interesting because she took her inspiration from a pillow. They have a simple envelope enclosure, and I pretty much love them, especially on my black couches. Nathan loves them too because he says they are comfy. (I'm excited to eventually have a quilt that matches!)

And since I finished quilt #2, this Saturday, I'm going fabric shopping (with my friend K, thank goodness) for the next quilt. I don't have anyone in mind for it, but I really liked the pattern and thought it would be fun to put together. This means I'll actually be able to post photos as I go along! I would post photos of quilt #2, but not until it's been received, you know? Especially not this one. I like making this particular friend squirm with excitement and anticipation. Quilt #3 will feature 15-17 different types of fabrics (yowzers!) and a lot a lot a lot of piecing. I'm excited to start! I have a color palette and rough idea in my brain, but we'll see if my brain translates to the actual fabric.

I'll leave you with a rough sketch of the block where I made notes about fabric measurements.

I couldn't find any graph paper, so I made do with the reams of college ruled we still have lying around the house. (I should find some kid and donate those, shouldn't I?) Now, my math isn't always fantastic, so if you see mistakes, I don't care, and you'll get over it.

binding. again.

The time has come for me to once again pick up the needle and get to work hand-sewing. Thankfully, I'm not shrieking in terror this go-around, though there is something still intimidating to seeing those thin strips ready to be attached. I've decided my corners are going to look hot this time, and no one (or bit of fabric) can stop me!

The quilt keeps tossing me around and making me change my mind from the idea in my head. It's a great thing--I like the emerging product better than I like the idea in my head--but sometimes it's frustrating, like when I cut enough black binding to finish off the quilt, then discover that maybe the black looks too stark against the top. Granted, the little over an inch of black that frames it now will be reduced to about 1/4" when the whole thing is said and done, and maybe it'll look fierce, but I worry that I won't know for sure until I finish the hand-sewing, and then, I'm not ripping it out to satisfy anyone. Also, the backing fabric, which I liked and thought was bold and fun and different from the front, but still in a way that coordinated, really needs a black binding to polish it off. My initial thoughts were to go with a green or purple, but when I decided on that backing, it had to be black. Which in the store, seemed like an awesome idea. And now I'm learning that things don't always work out as I plan. That's okay, but I'm hoping everything comes together in the end. Also, is it bad that I'm consoling myself with the knowledge this won't be staying in my home, staring at me?

I had planned to start cutting fabric for my next project earlier this month, and while the fabric has sat washed and pressed for some time, I just haven't mustered up the motivation. I think that's because I'm really hoping to have this quilt done by end of January, and starting another project, even just the fabric cutting, takes away from it.

My next sewing project is much much smaller and won't require any quilting or binding. When looking for fabric for quilt #2, I fell in love with a gray and white print that I tried to convince myself could work as backing, but ultimately came to my senses and picked another fabric instead. Then, when I had to go back to the store to buy an extra bit of fabric since I was THREE INCHES SHY, I couldn't find the gray and white print, and I wanted to weep. But that settled that. I would just have to find another fabric I loved.

When I slipped into the store another time to pick out fabrics for this project, I happened to peek around a corner and look up, and there was the fabric I loved, hidden on a shelf! There were almost tears. And when I discovered it was from Lotta Jansdotter, and she had an entire collection, I decided I loved her a little bit too. I also purchased her choma goldenrod fabric, and a handful of other gray and white fabrics (both print and solid) to cut up for pillowcases for my couch! (I may have "accidentally" purchased too much, just in case I want some later for other projects.) Both prints are large, but they're going into big 14" blocks for the pillows, so I'm hoping that they'll showcase well. If they don't turn out, there will be sniffling.

Speaking of amazing fabric, I kind of also love this collection. But then, how could I not love the work of someone named Tula Pink? Do I see ideas for my next next project emerging? (Alright, hold on there, killer.)

quilt numero dos.

Yesterday, my house was full of quilting and football. You might not think those two go together, but in my casa, they equate to a fantastic day.

Work has begun on quilt #2. Quilt #1 was super fun and awesome, but it was also an exploratory quilt. Would I continue the hobby? Perhaps more importantly, could I even make a quilt? The answer to both questions is yes, but I wasn’t freaking out about achieving perfection because hey! It was only my first quilt. And not that I’m expecting perfection with #2 either, but I’m working more on my skillz.

I chose an “attic window” design with sashing in between the “window panes”. There were many many factors that went into this design decision, including the fact that evil triangles were kept to a minimum, and my friend K promised to show me a handy dandy way of silencing their dastardly voices and keeping them from stretching out. I could sew the quilt more in an assembly line fashion, meaning I could even chain piece if my heart so desired. (At first, I was anti-chain piecing because it was new, and I don't like change, but when I realized how easy it was and how much time it saved, well, I caved.) With my brain becoming more forgetful, and the very real fact that my belly is going to continue expanding for the next three months, it seemed smart to choose simple block construction over trickier work, especially since the distance between me and the sewing machine will grow with my uterus.

And yesterday, while we watched the Taxslayer.com Bowl, then part of the Outback Bowl, then the Rose Bowl, finally topping off our football day with the Fiesta Bowl, I somehow managed to pin, sew, and iron my way through most of my block construction. There is still quite a bit of work to be done before I’m finished piecing it together--blocks need to be finished, sashing fabric needs to be cut and attached, then rows sewn together, THEN the border--but I finished four times the amount of work I was expecting or even hoping to complete. And in record time!

I'm particularly working on making sure my sewing is even and my cuts are lined up perfectly. With one quilt under my belt, I understand the importance of making everything as close to perfect as possible as early on as possible as it only makes things easier. Can we say that together? EASIER. And the end result looks prettier, or so I've been told since I don't have any practical experience in *that* particular arena. 

With both quilts, there was a cringe moment before the rotary cutter actually hit the first piece of fabric. Would the combination of fabrics go together well? Would it lay out the way I saw it in my head? But now that I'm actually sewing this puppy together, I think it's looking great, and I'm excited. I had originally envisioned something else entirely to go around my focal fabric. I was thinking greens in various colors, but when we got to the fabric store and put fabrics side by side, the plan shifted dramatically. The greens have been replaced with other colors, and now that the blocks are coming together, I'm getting impatient to start work on the sashing to see if it looks as smokin' fierce as the blocks do. 

When I mentioned to my friend V the time it takes to put into a quilt, she balked and couldn't understand why anyone would pick up the hobby. And yes, they DO take quite a bit of time, even if it's just a crib size quilt! But I enjoy it all so much. Okay, the binding was not as enjoyable, but it's a part of the process, and it really does make the quilt look so much sharper. And while I enjoy all of the hobbies I've picked up over the years, I may just like it the most!

the quilt.

So, a very very good friend of mine is having a baby boy this spring. (We'll call him Dude Baby.) Since she is a very very good friend, I wanted to do something fantastic and magical for the little Dude, and I knew I wanted to make something for him, and preferably something that would be lasting, you know? 

Switch to quilting--I've been wanting to learn to quilt for YEARS. However, whenever I researched it, it sounded like an expensive hobby to get into, and one that would require personal instruction and the acquisition of a whole new jargon. It was intimidating. Also, for most of those years, I didn't have a sewing machine. 

After having a lengthy discussion with my friend K, I decided to give quilting a go, and just in time to make a quilt for the Dude Baby. Awesome, right? Forty plus hours later, the quilt is done, the Dude Baby's awesome mama has received it, and I'm posting photos for your viewing pleasure.

1. Laying out the squares; figuring out the order of the squares.
2. Yep. Barnyard awesomeness! (No monkeys allowed!)
3. To keep my rows in order, I made number signs.
4. Pinning the blue sashing onto individual squares.
5. Sewing said sashing.
6. Nine rows ready to be sewn with more sashing.
7. My excellent quilting sensei, K. See! She's smiling! That means she likes my quilt!
8. Layering the top piece with the batting and the backing. Nearly there!
9. Close-up!
10. Binding! Purple! Awesomeness!
11. Completed quilt in full.
12. Close-up of the corner. I used green and purple thread while performing the actual quilting. It looked super cool on the yellow squares, but the severe contrast made any mistakes noticeable.

Not shown is the yellow corner on the back fabric where I embroidered a heart and the year 2012. I would've embroidered Dude Baby's birth name, but just in case, you know? So, a heart so he knows his Auntie Audrey loves him.