Got It Covered

I recently got a new toy... an iPad 2.  As a new iPad comes out, the "old" one lowers in price and I dream a little harder.  I've wanted one since they were first invented but just haven't found a good enough reason to spend that kind of money.  As the iPad 3 just came out, it was again on my radar.  My husband is an iFreak, so he was more than happy to get me on board and surprised me when he came home from work one day and ordered one online.  An early (and only) birthday present for me.  This is my first idevice and I am looking forward to maybe starting up some electronic quilt magazine subscriptions as I have way too many paper magazines and no more room for storage!  I can keep it right at my sewing spot so I can view blogs and tutorials without needing to print... how handy!
I'm sure no one cares a tickle about that, but the point of this post is the cover and bag that I made this week in which to keep the goods.  I Googled and searched and found more than plenty tutorials in blog-land.  Oddly enough, not a one was just right, but I was able to incorporate a couple different tut's here and here and ended up with something that works out perfectly.  I then went a little further to make a small bag in which to stash the covered iPad... Heather Bailey's Smarty Girl Book Bag. 
I've always loved this Blue Targets (GP67) print from Kaffe Fassett and was thrilled to finally have a good excuse to use it on something I'll get to look at most of the time.

  

Tick Tock...

...it's TIME to quilt!  I didn't get to as much as I wanted to this week, but I was able to start and finish this great patchwork clock.  When I saw it online a few weeks back, I just had to make one!  I forget where I saw it first, one blog or another, but I was led once again to an inspiring ezine, Fat Quarterly.  The pattern, by Sylvie Roussel, was in the "Paper" issue #8.  I purchased the ezine, ordered a clock movement for around $7 on ebay, got a cheapy embroidery hoop at the local Hobby Lobby and I was ready to go.  A bit of color and paper piecing later, and wha-la!  I'm very happy with how it turned out.  It hangs within easy viewing distance from my sewing area.  Wouldn't this be a great gift to make for a crafy or quilty friend?  Or make some together at your next Bee meeting!  Well... this one is here to stay and we'll see if I get around to making another anytime soon.  Hop on over to FQ and check it out.  

One of 100 Days of Modern Quilts

I'm trying to make a better effort to post a blog entry at least once a week.  Not much going on this week behind the sewing machine... or at least that is ready to be blogged about. 
In other news... To my shock and surprise Alissa Haight Carlton of handmadebyalissa contacted me regarding one of my quilts.  She was asking to feature my Single Girl quilt during the 100 Days of Modern Quilts - Week of Participation at The Modern Quilt Guild.  I was so honored, of course I said Yes!  Quite some time ago I took part in my first Quilt Along for Single Girl, a pattern by Denyse Schmidt.  It was a quilt I had wanted to make and finding the Single Girl Support Group in Flickr gave me the boost I needed.  You can see my finished quilt below and read a little more about my experience here.  Please make sure you check out all the other awesome featured quilts at MQG, they are so inspiring! 

There are 16 rings total, the top row is hanging over the fence.

A close up of the bubble quilting*... yum!

One lone aqua ring... love the pop of color.

*The quilting on this quit is one of my favorite parts about it.  My best friend Monica quilted it.  I'm so lucky to have her... she did a magnificent job and it was exactly as I had imagined it.  You can see more of Monica's lovely work at her blog.

Got Gray?

Yes I do... and a Rainbow to come.  I'm super excited to finally have found a Rainbow Charm Swap to join... my first.  Seems like I was always a day late (and a dollar short) to join this swap or that.  Elena decided to host a swap on her blog and I was lucky enough to get a spot.  Finally!  My color assignment was Gray... not my usual pick, but I was up for the challenge.  I quickly found some nice modern fabrics online here, they arrived quickly and are already cut and ready to send to Elena for distribution.  Since this is a 5 yard swap, we (56 of us) each purchased 1 yard each of 5 separate fabrics, one solid and four prints.  We will each receive 280 Rainbow Charm Squares.  Weee! 

Cut and collating...

All stacked up and ready to send.

Modern Mini Challenge - Complete!

I'm always up for a challenge!  Especially if it's fabric related.  I am a very devoted blog hopper and happened upon this blog some time ago.  Every couple of months I start again at the beginning of the list (there are only around 200 or so ;o) and just wander down the list till it's time to start again.  It's so inspiring to see what all the blogger folks are up to and I just love finding new blogs, I mean... things to make, a new technique to try... you name it, I love it all. 
A couple weeks ago I was checking in on Ellison Lane Quilts again and noticed there was a challenge to make a modern miniature quilt.  I have been wanting to make another tree quilt using a pattern for Lilly Pilly by Australian designer Kellie Wulfsohn/Don't Look Now.  I already made one regular size for my mom's 60th birthday and had all of her friends attending her surprise party sign a leaf.  It turned out very neat.  So... for the last year and a half I wanted to make one for myself.  I decided to reduce it to half size and had the pattern reduced and ready to go when I came across the Modern Mini Challenge.  I decided to kick it into gear and give myself a deadline to get it done!  Of course, the Flea Market Fancy FQ's were a wonderful incentive as well.  After some careful planning and discussion with my Robert Kaufman classic and bright charm squares, I knew what color all 148 leaves wanted to be.  There are 74 colors.
The quilting inspiration came along just a few days ago when I was on yet another blog.  The leafy branches really fit with the leaves of the tree.  I practiced it with paper and pen and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  I used pebble quilting in and around the colored leaves and still need some practice on that... it's very "organic". 

So here is my Modern Mini Challenge entry...
Rainbow Tree
18.5" x 30"
74 Kona Colored leaves raw edge appliqued under white tulle
on Kona White background with Kona Black binding.

It's Been Awhile!

I want to be a better blogger, I want to be a better blogger, I want to be a better blogger...
It's been almost 6 months since I last made a post. My how time flies. Really, this blog is just my way of keeping track of my quilt-y adventures and sharing with my friends and family all in one place. Unlike the almost 150 inspiring blogs I visit and have saved on my favorites list, I am in no way here to try and inspire and teach (someday maybe) as I am still so new to blogging. What a wonderful world in blog-land... what did we ever do without the unending daily doses of inspiration, color, tutorials and fun?  Have you ever found a blog (by accident or on purpose) that you just loved and then a list of that blogger's favorite blogs, only to see one that sounds interesting and click on it?  Then on that next blog, yet another list… before you know it you are 11 blogs removed from the one you started!  Fun.  Someday I’ll post a list of some of my favorites.

Anyhoo… this is a block I made for a local art quilt bee I’m in. We were supposed to give up an orphan block to which we have no sentimental attachment. Well, not having any orphans, I needed to make one.

This is a block I first saw on quiltdad blog about a year or so ago.  I have since seen this block on quite a few blogs.  I'm not big on triangles, but triangles in a circle... I'm sold!  The fabric I used is from just one strip of one fabric.  I like all the different colors from just one fabric.  If you haven't ever tried paper piecing, I suggest you give it a try.  This block is made of four smaller blocks, and is a pretty easy if you are new to paper piecing.  Here is the link for the Colorwheel Geese pattern I used. 

That's all for now.  Till next time... not another six months!

Valentine Love Bird

A couple nights ago I realized that I wanted to make a small gift for my son's preschool teachers.  Nothing like last minute, but that is how I usually roll!  I Googled (images) "Valentine gifts to sew" and quickly came across this cute little stuffie.  Love Bird Tutorial  (Confession... that is my first blog link.  Woo Hoo, it worked!!!)  I'm new to blogging and I'll figure all this out sooner or later!
I LOVE Blog-Land!  Here is my version.  

I packed each in a clear bag with a little bit of a nest. 

Now back to what I should be focusing on... The Single Girl Quilt Along starting on Monday 2/14/11!  More on that later.  Then there is the LQS Quilt Challenge I am involved in and that is due by months end.  Better get a move on!