A little commission

My neighbor asked me, a while ago, if I could make a few small quilts for gifts for relatives she is visiting later this summer.  At first, I was pretty excited, so I got to work to make a sample of something I thought would be fun.  She didn't like it, at all.  She wanted something more traditional, and more puffy, like the old quilts with high loft poly batting.  She pulled a piece she had purchased years before and asked if I could make something smaller, but with a similar design and loft.  Reluctantly, I agreed.  Then I put it off, until this week.

After looking at the sample for quite a while, I pulled some fabrics that I felt were representative of what she liked.  I simplified the design, and created six little quilts (13" x 15").  I have the backings all cut, as well as the bindings.  I have finished one, including the binding.  Now I have five left to finish. 

I have done a couple of commissions before, and each time I have learned that I have trouble getting past the "customer is always right."  In each case, however, I have done exactly what the customer has asked for.  I guess that builds character and stretches my personal growth.  All good things.

Joyful quilting, everyone, and Happy 4th!  



Rasberry Lemonade finished

I stitched the last stitch on the binding this evening, before all the light faded, so I went outside to take some photos.  I quilted this with FMQ loopy hearts, then I added the dark pink hearts in the corner.  I just wanted to add more of the dark pink.  I am happy to have finished it on time, and that it turned out so cute and feminine.

I am also very excited that I won some fabric!  Hollie over at The Undercover Crafter picked me to win fat quarters of these lovelies.

I can't wait to see them in person.  I saw a quilt the other day that had grays with brights, and I really liked the look.  This is going to be fun.   Thanks, Hollie.
 
Joyful quilting, everyone!

Progress on the baby quilt - Rasberry Lemonade

Today, I got all the blocks pieced, the hearts stitched, and the top put together for the commission due on Saturday.  I sewed the borders on, cut the backing and sewed a strip of the medium pink up the middle, cut the backing, and put everything on the frame ready to quilt first thing tomorrow. 

I was very pleased with my fabric calculations for this quilt.  We bought just the right amount of fabric, and that is always nice.  No extra trips to the fabric store.   That is really good since I bought the last on the bolt of one of the fabrics.  I was pretty organized for this quilt.  I cut all the shapes I needed before I got started on the sewing.  Then, I sewed all the smaller units, like the flying geese and the center blocks.  This may seem like a no brainer to most of you, but it is a new practice for me since I do so much without patterns, just asking myself "what if I . . .?"  I am getting more comfortable making quilts with repeat blocks so I can now use chain stitching to its fullest extent.  What used to take me way too much time is now taking a reasonable amount of time.  I am still a slow stitcher, but I find the process so enjoyable, I don't feel a need to speed it up completely.  Even the process of putting the quilt on the frame went smoothly today.  The good thing about all this is that I will get the quilt done on time.  I will have plenty of time tomorrow afternoon and evening to stitch down the binding by hand and put the label in its proper place.  I will post a photo tomorrow when it is all finished.  I plan on using the darkest pink for the binding. 
In other news, look what arrived at my doorstep today!

 

Green Fairy Quilts had a sale on the fat eighth bundle of Perennial by Kansas Troubles for Moda.  I really like the Kansas Trouble Quilters designs, so I spent some of the money I am making with the commission quilt on these yummy fabrics.  I am not sure what I am going to do with them yet, but I have some ideas.  Right now, I am just going to enjoy petting them and enjoying all the great colors.

Productive Studio Day

After a very busy Sunday shooting a wedding with Tom, I finally got into the studio the 6" heart onto the SteamASeam paper, folded it in half, and cut about 3/4" in from the outside line.  That gave me a good rim around the heart, and the center is still soft and pliable.  After cutting out the 8 I needed, I took them to the pressing board and got them firmly adhered.  I was very pleased that my idea worked.  Now, I have 8 small SteamASeam hearts for another project.  This quilt has 16 8" blocks, 8 stars and 8 hearts.  I got all the parts cut and the flying geese and square units sewed together, so now I just need to stitch the hearts, and put the star blocks together.  I did get two of them together so you could see where I am going with this.

I noticed that the dark pink square is a bit wonky in this.  I think I can steam it straight.  For the hearts, I have decided to use different decorative stitches for them.  I may use four or eight, depending on my mood.  After I took this photo, I did another one and used a heart motif.  This one has a blanket stitch.  One of my readers suggested that this color combination reminds her of pink lemonade, so I am calling this one Rasberry Lemonade. 
Tomorrow and Wednesday, I am with my granddaughter.  Tomorrow night is guild.  I will get back to this quilt on Thursday.  I need to get it pieced on Thursday and on the frame Friday morning.  I haven't decided how I am going to quilt it yet, but I am sure it will be an all over pattern.  Maybe swirls and hearts.
Joyful quilting, all.

More flying geese and a commission

I had a most interesting day in the studio today.  I decided to start working on the circle of flying geese for Hokule'a.  I pressed the deconstructed shirt parts in prep for cutting.  I then cut them in pieces the right size for piecing.  I got a slow start after ripping out the same seam twice.  Can't say I am a fan of ripping out those tiny stitches, but I finally got it right.  After cutting, sewing, cutting, and pressing over and over again, I got half the circle done.  It may have to go on the back burner for a week or so.  I got my first quilt commission, and it is due next Saturday.

Yes, I accepted a commission to make a baby quilt by next Saturday morning.  I am pretty excited about doing this.  My client came over this afternoon and we looked at some of the patterns I have designed that I can get done in that amount of time.  It sounds like a long time, but I will actually only have three days in the studio to work on it.  We selected a design with stars and hearts for a little baby girl that is due in June.  The mother-to-be wants yellow and pink and white.  We went to the fabric store and picked up these beauties.  The pink with yellow dots is the flannel backing.  I put them all in the wash this afternoon, then got them pressed. Tomorrow morning, I am going to get the fabric cut, but then we have a wedding to shoot all afternoon, so I don't think I will get much sewn together.
Enjoy your Sunday.
Miki