Rag tee shirt quilt

Here are the stages of my rag quilt.

Cutting squares

My first round done

I loved it! But I realized I messed up on the math! I still had blocks to add, that HAD to be added to the side.  So cue some seam ripping.

All done sewing!! This was after ripping out the side row, then add the side row, and a row to the bottom.

Snip snip snip! Took two movies to get it all done!

All cut!!!

All done!!! after being washed!! I love, love love it!! I would definitely do another one like this.

Tote bag swap

 I found a secret tote bag swap and of course I had to sign up!!

 My partner asked for brights, I think the first is more bright than the second, but I love both of them!

They both have lining and can be reversed :)

 It's actually a fairly easy pattern.  I found it a few years ago, HERE, I definitely need to make it a little longer, I might make the handles a little thinner.

Finished stockings

I made some stockings last year, and I had another friend that was interested, so I made her some.

I did these differently, I used 2.5" squares.  Since I made my Jacobs ladder quilt last fall I have had a lot of 2.5" squares, So I chose to do 2.5" squares for this (not as much cutting!)  I am just SO in love with these! now I just need to make some for my husband & me.

Heart blocks

 

When I go through my stash I have found I have a lot of blues.  So I have decided I am going to use them to make some heart blocks.  And since I don't have a lot of white, I am going use black as the background.

 

This block was foundation pieced, I just made some strips as I worked on other string projects.  Then I sewed some sqaures on to the top and bottom.  I used the left overs to make some HSTs, I was enough to get a little pinwheel out of the top (I didn't take a picture of it).

Three color hour glass block

I am starting a quilt that called for hourglass blocks, which I quite enjoy, they are like half square triangles :) But I needed a specfic hourglass block, I needed the colors to go in the correct spot.  But I couldn't find a good tutorial online, so I thought as I was making them (I think I need like 80 of them total for the quilt I am working on) I would make a tutorial.

 

Start with two HST (half square triangles).  You can make them however you like, I personally take two squares and draw a line between them and sew on both sides of it.  (If you are doing your HST that way you need to start with a square that is 1.5" bigger than your FINISHED size you want.  If you are not, your HST needs to be 7/8" bigger than your finished size.

 

You put the two HSTs together, I pinned it, and then opened it, just to make sure my colors were correct.  For my greens to be opposite I needed to put them opposite each other when I sewed them.

 

 

If you have them in the correct spot, then I put them together "locking" the two seams, then draw a line from corner to corner, perpendicular to seams.

 

 

Then sew a 1/4" on both sides of the line.  I usually have a long chain of these.

 

 

Then cut them apart on the line

 

 

Once it's ironed you have a beautiful hour glass block, with your colors where you want, and you don't have to mess with triangles!



Log cabin

I finished the log cabin top!!!

I'm so excited. But I'm not sure if I'm done done with it. Because right now it would fit on a twin size bed with no hang over or anything. I auditioned a few layouts, but this is on the one I liked, of course the funny thing is, it's the same as the log cabin quilt I made myself!! how crazy is that! (pictures here)

I don't normally make my quilts as bed quilts, more lap quilts. So I'm trying to decide if I add a border (small white, large black) or just leave it as is. Any suggestions?

Tee shirt quilt

I think I started this about four years ago. And I'm 80% done!!

16 of the tee shirts I wore in high school (well technically 14 since two are backs)

I love the back!!

Except while I was putting it together, I forgot I have two longer shirts (the design was bigger), and if I add them to the side they will make the quilt wider than taller, and I don't have enough shirts to add another row to the bottom. So I think I'm going to rip out a side row, add my big shirts and put the ones I took off on the bottom. I'm not looking forward to ripping those stitches! 

I'm hoping to have this done by the end of the month!

Selvedges winner

It's time to draw the selvedges winner!!

It was Kathy from Kathy's Quilting Blog!

congratulations! I will get the selvedges sent to you soon!

June goals

 Well here it is June, and almost time for school to be out. I plan on doing a lot of sewing. I do have some friends visiting, one who wants to sew, and my friend Christine who does sew. So I shall have plenty of time. And I'm quite excited about it!

My goals

1. Finish Christmas stockings - I have 5 to make.

2. I found an adorable Halloween table topper I want to try

3. Finish my black & white log cabin top, maybe the string top

4. Finish test lorax blocks so I can start the real one!

5. Start making some pinwheel & 16 patch blocks. (From here)

Those should be good goals. I have time to do them, and I will hopefully get some things finished!  I would really like to rent the long arm at the end of June.


Do not forget! tomorrow is your last day to enter to win some strings! (Link here)

Block swap adventure - may

My May block partner was Laurrie, she asked if I would want to swap two blocks.  Her pattern was On the Oregon Trail. 

She asked for blues on whites.

 I accidentally did the block slightly different than the directions, for the flying geese pieces, I had actually sewn the two "bricks" together, then I added the squares to make flying geese, I was worried it wouldn't fit together, but they did!!  I love how this block looks! I can add another block to my "I want to make a quilt out of this some day".  That's one of the things I love about Block Swap adventure, I am able to try out blocks I might not have tried out.  I am also able to meet some other lovely ladies!

Here are the two lovely little kitties I got from her!  I love their purply goodness!

It's never too late to join the block swap!!

Goals check in

This is kind of pointless this month, since I didn't get much done in May.  But I will keep it up to remind me what I need to do ;)

1. 56 posts.  Like I said I didn't get much done in May, only 5 posts!

2. As I said before I finished two quilts.  I am not really near finishing others, but still working on some. Plus I had a friend ask me to make her two quilt/wall hangings.  So I will definitely hit 7 this year!

3. The quilts my friend asked me to make are a new pattern to me!  Woohoo! Plus I still have my tumblers quilt to start, and I bought a new ruler to try out.  Now I just need to start the quilts :)

School is out soon, so I will be spending more time in my sewing room.  I love my routine in the summer.  I sleep in (til 8) go to the gym, then go home and sew.  I can't wait!