Quilting

Quilts Have Magic Powers!

September 1, 2014 Karen 26 Comments

I started making this little quilt before Parker was even thought about, in the winter of 2011-2012. I got this far with it before we had to pack up the travel trailer and head back to Arizona. Since my surgery, I have not been able to do much sewing, until around march of this year, when I challenged myself to sew for 30 minutes a day. I quickly figured out that I was not able to tolerate 30 minutes a day at the sewing machine. So, I put the project aside again for a couple of months.

I picked it up again in June, and worked on it for a few minutes at a time until I got the whole thing put together and quilted. The only left to do was the binding.

Once all the machine sewing was completed, I did the binding by hand. It took about three nights while watching TV to get the binding on. What a relief it was to finally, after two and a half years, to be able to say that the baby quilt for Parker was finished. I mean, he’s only 18 months old now.

I quilted it by machine with a wavy line. I think it looks pretty good. I love the way the plaid fabric looks as the binding. And look at all those monkeys!

parkers baby quilt — Parker’s baby quilt

Today I was able to get over to my daughter’s house and give Parker his quilt. He has never wanted to sit with me before. He always acts shy, and comes just close enough for me to tickle his side. He has always stayed just out of reach from me. Today, Emily, my daughter, was giving me a pedicure. I still can’t reach my feet, so she took off the old nail polish and trimmed my toes. While she was doing that, Parker was playing with my feet. I guess if it was ok for Mommy to do, it was ok for him, too.

When I gave Parker his quilt, he loved it. He was patting it and wrapping it around himself, as if he knew it was something special. Then something magical happened!

Parker climbed up on the sofa next to me, and snuggled up to me with his quilt. He was loving on me, and hugging me, and even gave me sugar. That was a first!

This was one of the best grandma days, ever!

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30 Minutes A Day Sewing Challenge

March 6, 2014 Karen 5 Comments

I wasn’t kidding when I challenged myself to make an effort to spend 30 minutes a day doing something sewing related. I haven’t sewn anything much to speak of since May of 2012. It has just been too painful for me to do. But then when I was thinking about it the other day, it came to me that I was working under the assumption that I HAD to finish a project if I sat down to do it, no matter how it made me feel. And that is where my 30 minutes a day challenge came from: I challenged myself to do 30 minutes and no more. When the timer goes off, I am done for the day, no matter where I am in the project. Doing this saves me from hurting myself, but allows me to do something again that I love to do.

Days 1, 2, and 3 of my personal challenge were spent cutting out patterns. You know how when you buy new patterns, all the pieces are on one big sheet of tissue paper, and have to be cut out before you can use them. I have always cut my patterns apart as soon as I buy them, so that when I do get in a sewing mood, I can get right to it. And I bought about 15 or so patterns the other day at Joann when they were on sale, so I have a lot of that to do. On this type of sewing related activity, I can actually spend a couple of hours sitting in my recliner doing it, and so I have only got six more patterns to cut.

I pinned Parker's quilt today — I pinned Parker’s quilt today

Today was Day 4. I spent my 30 minutes pinning Parker’s quilt. This quilt was actually stitched in November and December of 2011, and circumstances caused me to put it away unfinished. I have been wanting to pick it up and finish it for him ever since I got back to Georgia in November 2012, but I have not been able to. I think with my new attitude of doing something for 30 minutes, I may just get this finished before the end of March. Only a year and 2 months late, but I will finish it. And that is what matters.

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The Diaper Bag Is Finished, Now On To The Quilt

January 29, 2012 Karen 3 Comments

diaper bag, tote bag, carry all bag — Monkies all over this bag

This diaper bag turned out really cute: it has long handles, and lots of pockets inside. It matches the nursing cover and changing pad, too.

diaper bag with lots of pockets — Lots of pockets inside

When I finished the bag, I started on a baby quilt. I began by cutting 3″ strips, and sewing them together. After they were all sewn and pressed, I cut them into 3″ pieces, and sewed those together. I now have twenty-four 7.5 inch squares. I think I need one more, so I can have a 5X5 layout instead of a 4X6.

nine patch squares — These 9 patch squares turned out pretty good.

I laid them out on the floor, and I do think I need one more square:

nine patch baby quilt — Baby quilt squares laid out on the floor

Tomorrow I’ll make one more square, and then decide what to do about sashing.

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Amelia’s Baby Quilt Pattern

July 6, 2011 Karen Leave a Comment

Baby quilt pattern, download pdf quilt pattern — Amelia’s Baby Quilt

Last year before Amelia was born, I made her an adorable baby quilt. While I was making it, I took lots of pictures so that I could make a tutorial on how to do it. I have finally gotten the whole project finished and saved in a PDF file, so that I can now offer the pattern for this cute baby quilt for sale!

baby quilt pdf pattern, downloadable pdf quilt pattern, baby quilt pattern — Amelia’s Quilt Pattern

This quilt uses half of a precut triangle pack, 1 yard of medium fabric, 1 yard of dark fabric, and 2 yards of a light fabric to make a 52″ X 43.5″ finished quilt. It is very easy to make, and the pattern is explained with lots of pictures so that even someone who is a beginning quilter will find it easy to follow.

baby quilt pattern, pdf quilt pattern, easy quilt pattern — I pieced the back to make it more interesting.

I have this pattern for sale in my store, FabGrandma’s Crafty Stuff. You can buy it and download it for $5.00. To get to the pattern in the store, click here!

baby quilt pdf, easy baby quilt pattern — Amelia with her quilt

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Blogger’s Quilt Festival

May 13, 2011 Karen 44 Comments

I missed the last Blogger’s Quilt Festival, because I didn’t find out about it until after it was over. I have had this one on my calendar for quite some time, just waiting to be able to participate.

I have been working on a lot of projects lately, from re-doing my RV bedroom, to making an elegant handbag for my sister for my niece’s wedding, to finishing up the T-Shirt quilt for Judy. I also have been trying to finish up a quilt for my son, Seth, and his wife, Sarah. The quilt I am making for them may look familiar to you, because I made one in the same pattern for Becca, which was finished last October.

I started the one for Seth at the same time I started Becca’s but since I DO sew for other people, and sew other things for sale, I have pushed his aside too many times. So, I am not allowing myself to start or work on any other projects until I get this quilt finished. (well, while it is gone to the quilter I can do something else). I have finished the top, and am working on the back. I think the next time I get a day off from work it will be ready to go out to Jorja, the lady who does quilting for me on a long arm machine. I am really excited to get it so close to finished.

This quilt, and the one I made for Becca, have not been easy quilts for me to make. As a matter of fact, if I had not already started the one for Seth, I would never have made a second one after Becca’s was finished. I would have used a different pattern. However, I have met the challenges these two quilts have presented me, and am very proud of the results.

Now, I am piecing the back, so this quilt will be very interesting on both sides. Can’t wait to get it done and show you!

To see all the beautiful quilts in the this Blogger’s Quilt Festival, click on the banner below.

Amy's Creative Side | Bloggers' Quilt Festival

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Judy’s Quilt Is Finished

May 3, 2011 Karen 4 Comments

Working hard on the binding — Here I am sewing the binding on

I finished up the binding this morning at 9:37 a.m., then took the quilt outside to take some pictures:

Judy's t-shirt quilt — Finished! T-shirt quilt

Hanging on the line — Blowing in the breeze

closeup showing quilting detail — closeup showing that mitered corner over there

another close up showing quilting detail — close up showing quilting detail

If you want to see it on the owner’s bed, check this link.

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Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 7

May 1, 2011 Karen 5 Comments

Finally, this is the last in the series on the T-Shirt Tutorial. To see parts 1-6, here are the links:

Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 1

Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 2

Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 3

Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 4

Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 5

Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 6

The finished quilt

When you get your quilt back from the quilter (or when you finish quilting it if you are doing the quilting yourself), trim all the back and batting to the same size as the front of the quilt:

how to make a t-shirt quilt — Trim the quilt after it is quilted

Next, you are going to measure the quilt. When I sent this quilt top to the quilter, it measured 96″ X 96″. The process of quilting draws the fabric layers up a bit, and makes the piece smaller. So, to determine how much binding I need, I will have to measure the quilt again.

how to make a t-shirt quilt tutorial — Measure after quilting

The finished piece now measures 93.5″ X 95.5″, so I will need 378″ of binding strips. (93.5 +93.5 +95.5+95.5) I always add at least 10″ to account for seams and turning the corners. The next thing I did was cut strips 2.5″ X width of fabric until I had enough to make a strip 388″ long.

t-shirt quilt tutorial — Cut binding strips 2 and a half inches wide X width of fabric.

Stitch these strips together end to end to make one long continuous length of binding.

Press under one half inch along the entire length of the binding strip.

Pin the binding strip to the front of the quilt, right sides together. Start pinning in the middle of any edge.

At the corners, make miters by pinning the binding at an angle along both sides of the corner.

When you get to the meet point of the binding, pin the edges together. Using a pen or marker, mark the edge where the ends meet on both sides:

Pull the ends of the binding away from the quilt, and pen together. Stitch the ends together on the marked line.

Stitch on marked line:

Trim seam to one fourth inch:

Continue to pin binding in place in quilt:

Stitch binding to quilt using a one half inch seam:

When you get to the corners, stitch to within one half inch of the edge. Stop, remove the fabric from the machine. Turn the corner, place the fabric back in the machine, begin stitching one half inch from the edge:

stitch to within one half inch of the edge. Turn, start stitching one half inch from edge

After you have stitched all the way around, remove all the pins, and turn the binding to the back of the quilt.

turn binding to the back of quilt — turn binding to the back of the quilt

Pin in place again:

Thread a needle with matching thread, hand stitch the binding to the back of the quilt using small stitches.

To make the mitered corners, fold the corner flat:

Turn the first edge over at an angle and pin in place:

how to make a mitered corner — fold the first side over at an angle

Fold the second side over and pin in place:

fold the second side down and pin — Fold the second side over and pin in place

Continue to hand stitch the binding in place all the way around the quilt.

the front showing a mitered corner — The front showing a mitered corner.

Now, I have to say here, that this makes making mitered corners look like a piece of cake. I have a hard time making mitered corners, and not all of them look this good. If anyone reading this has an easier way to make these mitered corners, please tell me.

Now that the binding is done, the quilt is finished. You may want to add a label, telling who made the quilt, and when. I put a label on this one. I’ll post pics of the finised quilt tomorrow.

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Oh, Judy! You Are Going To LOOOVVVEEE This!

April 27, 2011 Karen 8 Comments

We went down to Kanab, Utah today to buy groceries and pick up Judy’s T-Shirt quilt from the quilter. Oh, MY! is it ever beautiful! Jorja did a fabulous job on the quilting. I couldn’t wait to get home with it so I could take some pictures.

jorja hernandez did a fabulous job quilting this quilt — Jorja did a fabulous job!

hh designs did the quilting on this quilt — This quilting is just plain beautiful!

close up of quilting by jorja hernandez — Judy, you are going to love this!

more close ups of squares — I can not wait for Judy to see this quilt in person

quilted by longarm quilter — another square beautifully quilted

Now all I have to do is trim the quilt up, and put on the binding. I will do that this week, and post pics showing the last part of the t-shirt quilt tutorial.

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