Blogger's Quilt Festival - Modern

me again.

two posts in one day.  don't pass out.  its all ok.

in looking at my previous entries for the Blogger's Quilt Festival i discovered that i had yet to enter one of my favorite quilts.

my Cartwheels quilt

pattern by Tula Pink

i have done blog posts about this quilt before but never for the Festival.  i am entering this in the 'modern' category of the Festival.  

i started this quilt in a class at Sisters taught by Tula.  the class was a blast i took it with a friend of mine.  i used Tula's Prince Charming line for the quilt and a background fabric that reminded me of water.  truth be told i had a whole other background fabric in mind when i started picking fabric.  it was a directional print and matching the repeat would have never happened.  so the night (yes, i said the night) before i was to leave for Sisters i went and found the blue background fabric.

of course i had to include a pic of that day.

i absolutely love how the 'cartwheels' look against the background fabric.  i have had several people tell me they look like life preservers floating in water.  its such a bright and fun quilt.

i fussy cut the frogs in the blocks that i used that fabric in.  i try and do this with other projects.  it so fun seeing them all in a circle.

like most of my quilts i pieced the back of it.  no set plan just get the back big enough for the quilt top.  i quilted it myself on my home machine.  i did a variety of quilting patterns in each Cartwheel.  it was a good quilt to work on for improving my quilting techniques because i was not giving the quilt away.  that whole favorite fabric thing again.  i also used the same color of thread in the top and the bobbin so the quilting almost creates another pattern on the back of the quilt.  at least that is what i tell myself.

 i am very happy with this quilt and i love it.  i pushed myself outside of my comfort zone and i am pleased with the results.  this quilt brings back happy memories of that trip and the class.  when i look at it i can't help but smile.

thanks for stopping by to check out my Cartwheels quilt.  please hop over to Amy's Creative Side and check out all of the quilts in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

happy sewing

Bloggers Quilt Festival - Mini

i know its been forever since i have written a blog post.  lots and lots of life going on over here.  selling my house which took 100+ days but is finally done.  packing and putting things in storage with no idea as to how long they will be there.  settling into my new space which is much smaller then my house was.  also dealing will multiple family/life issues and work.  whew.  so that is my story and i hope to be here more often now that things/life are starting to slow a tiny bit.

so when i was reminded about Blogger's Quilt Festival i knew i wanted to enter a quilt or two into it.  i went and checked out Amy's website and saw that there is a Mini Quilt Category.  i knew right away which quilt i wanted to enter into that category.

my Mini Northern Lights quilt

measures 13" x 16 1/2"

i picked up Jaybirds Mini Hex N More ruler and this pattern when i was on a recent trip to North Carolina.

i knew i wanted to use my Tula Pink stash for this quilt.  so i went digging and came up with some Neptune, Salt Water and Nightshade.  i am so funny about my Tula fabrics.  i both love and hate to use them.  silly i know.  i want to keep them forever but i also want to make things with them.  do you all have fabric that you feel that way about?

i reasoned with myself that if i make a mini quilt with it that i can hang it on my wall and enjoy it and not worry (as much) about it wearing out with use.  i know total dork.  quilts are meant to be used and mine do get used.  blah. blah. blah.

i had fun putting the fabrics together and sewing up this quilt.  it was a quick fun mini quilt to make.  now i can see why mini quilts are becoming so popular.

funny story.  my brother and his family were home for a visit while i was working on this quilt and my brother asked me if i bought the rows of the 8 fabrics already sewn together.  when i told him no and that i cut each piece out using the Mini Hex N More ruler and sewed them together my brother told me i was nuts.  LOL

i did single fold binding on this quilt which is something that i have never done before.  i also hand stitched it down which i normally don't do but since there was only 59" to bind i thought i could handle it.  

i even used some Neptune on the back of the quilt.  i quilted this by just following the jagged lines of the seams that the pattern makes.  i really am happy with it.  it shows off the pattern well.

thanks for stopping by to check out my Mini Northern Lights quilt.  please hop over to Amy's Creative Side and check out all of the quilts in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

happy sewing