April NewFO

It has been a very long month for the family. A new  granddaughter born one Friday and the next Friday the father gets in a very bad car accident. Thankfully he survived to tell about it. He is home recovering with his family.

 

SO I can say that I did a lot of therapeutic sewing.

First off  I cleaned my sewing room. There just is no way I can create in a mess. Once the process has started, that is a whole other story. LOL

I had put my "All About Me" wall hanging on hold to produce some lovely goodies for my new grandbaby girl. It was time to finish Grandma and Louie in the sewing room! Louie is my constant companion. I didn't want this wall hanging to turn into the eternal UFO.

 

I cut and sewed more 9 patches and Scrappy trip blocks and spools. I needed to keep the leaders and enders flowing! After all life gives you opportunities to show your love through handmade gifts all year round.

Next, I had a deadline for a Think Spring Quilt for the Forum. I made a background then I was stymied. I just could not leave it all 9 patches. To Blah. Then I had to redefine what spring is to me. In West Florida spring begins with it the Strawberry Festival. After drawing the most sick looking strawberries, I realize that the fruits and vegetables in the grocery store really catch your eye this time of year! The smell pulls you over to the produce department every time!


I have been into fusible everything of late. With a pair of sharp scissors, I started to cut out veggies and a basket.  My final creation is Spring Harvest. If the quilt requirements had been bigger, I would have just kept on going.  I hope Chris likes it as much as I do.

I made a little quilt for AAQI as I do every month. I think I had super burn out because it did not turn out how I saw it in my head. I sent it in anyway because I promise myself that I would make one every month and have since February 2011.  I will do better for May! I guess they all can't be winners.

 Time is running out. August 1 is not that far away. It will be the last time I can send a mini quilt in. I am hoping that Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative goes out having reached the One Million dollar goal and exceeding it as well . I may be one of the people that benefits from the research done today.



#14057

Ribbit!

Way back, I don't remember when, I made a e-book stand for my middle daughter. Her friends flipped and wanted one. The holidays came and went. Then the marathon baby sewing happen.
I needed to sew but still take a breather from quilts.  So for the last few days I have been making them. Since I had frogs on the brain from the AAQI quilt, I decided to make one for my friend Maggie. She is a good neighbor and friend. I have been meaning to make her something with frogs since I doggie sat for her and notice all the little frogs laying about her house. I made the stand and the e-book bag as well.
RIBBIT!!!

She is the hand model in the picture!

May promises to be a happy month! I am determined to go back to my Easy Street Quilt. I am the only one that does not have a full size quilt on my bed. It is my turn.

Also on my list is to make enough Scrappy Trip blocks to put together a lap quilt for the living room. I still have the Christmas one out. It is just the right size for the arm chair snooze grandma needs once in a while. ;o)

Happy Sewing  and Happy Mother's Day!!!

Aileen in FL

March FO and other stuff

Well, that was a very fast March. I sewed and sewed and was able to get all the baby stuff (60+ items) out to my Daughter. I am a Grandma for the 3rd time. 1st little girl. Raina  was born March 29th. 8 lbs 14 oz , 21 in.

Here she is sporting one of Grandmas receiving blankets!

 

 

I was so wiped out from sewing that I cleaned my machine and didn't touch it for a week. Instead of sewing, I found a Rubbermaid tote with about 15 pounds of fabric from 1999 and washed and assorted the fabric. Since I only have a few things on the burner, I decided to make some 9 patches from this fabric as leaders and enders. Also cut a bunch more spool leaders and enders.

From the 9 patches I made on small quilt for a Forum friend. Just have to make the label and in the mail it will go.

 

I was aiming for a Spring look but it also looks like it could be used during Christmas Holidays. She favors red so I used red as an accent instead of pink. I hope she likes it!

Still have many strips to piece together. I want to have many units of 4 patches, 9 patches & 1/2 squares etc , to work with.

I am still working on my Scrappy Trips and it is coming along nicely. Have about 6 blocks made and a total of 32 cut out and ready to sew. This will be my throw for in the living room so I can put away the Christmas throw. It is just to snuggly to put away!


My goal for April is to finish my Easy Street quilt and have it on my bed by the end of the month! Hey I can dream!!!

Aileen in Florida

Baby Stuff & A Review

Well the race is on. I have been making little things for the new baby coming March 29th. My daughter still has yet to pick a name. She says she wants a neutral name but has not found one she likes. Right now the baby is called Spike since it kicks the heck out of her!

I saved the hardest for last. The all important Diaper Bag. I had a pattern but it was too small. I searched the internet to purchase one but the prices were ridiculous! $60 to $260 + and still not enough pockets. I finally stumbled onto warehouse fabrics inc. They have a blog with a diaper pattern. Lots of pockets, lots of potential! at 20 x 13 it was big enough. Lots of pictures! That is what I like. Visual aids!

I used the ultra firm fuse on stabilizer. This was a good idea at the time but if you have arthritis this is not for you. My hands hurts for days after turning the outer part inside out.

 

So stiff it stands by itself!  Then came making the inside.  Since the outside was so firm, the inside seemed flimsy. I added fusible web to all the inside fabric enough though the pattern did not call for it. I added a pocket to the inside divider as well. Now for assembly. I kept having nightmares about having to pull that stiff outer shell through the side of the inside piece. Oh my, was I going to be able to do this without ripping the fabric?

This sandwich was so thick that I broke a needle on it! I had to move the machine away from the wall too. The whole thing kept getting stuck on the wall. Turning this inside out was 10 x harder than the outer shell. My hands were throbbing for hours. Now we have an awesome bag with lots of pockets inside and out.

Another issue I was dealing with was how to close the bag. It was so thick that I knew the magnetic snap was a waste of time. I couldn't figure out how to insert a zipper, so Velcro was the next best idea. I added a Flap!

I ended up putting 2 strips of Velcro on the flap in white and 2 strips of Velcro on the bag in black. This way it is secure if she over stuffs the bag.

4 days and 30 hours of labor...the bag is done! Yes you do see skulls on the fabric. My daughter has quite a different taste in fabric than her mother!

This is Carri modeling the bag for her sister who lives in Upstate New York!
 

Finishing touch

 

 UPDATE :Added the button today and off in the mail it went!

Hope you like it!

 

 

 

 

I also finished the baby blanket. This is in soft pastels on the front using the Arrow pattern by Anita Grossman Solomon and a skull pink hounds tooth fabric on the back.

 

 

 

Now onto the crib sheets!

The Modern Quilt. What is it??

I asked myself that question several times as I come across some beautiful quilts on the internet. What am I looking at? The quilts are very appealing. What makes them modern?

Editor in Chief of McCall Quilting, Beth Hayes says it best. “

“Modern quilts are notable for their minimalist aesthetic, use of bright, bold colors with large doses of white and other neutral solids, asymmetrical designs, and free-form piecing.”

They are many things, especially Fun! A new twist on an old idea, and everything in between. Quilting has evolved from utilitarian to 5,000 + pieced beauties with quilting that can literally make a quilt stand up on it’s owe.  The simplicity of many of the “Modern Quilts” reminds me of the abstract artist of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

McCall Quilting has provided this free link to 3 beautiful Modern Quilt Patterns. I especially like the Lemon Squeezy designed by Sherri Driver. I have made a few Quilt as You Go quilts but never thought of making them in this scale. You can make a whole baby quilt in to time flat, using this method and it is already quilted!

Happy Quilting

Aileen in FL

 

Giveaway, AAQI and Stuff

NewFOs

Morning Everyone!

Welcome to March. It is  suppose to be heading for spring but it is only 41 degrees today here in FL. Sweat shirt hoodies being worn all over the house.

Giveaway winner is Linda W. from Ohio!
Winner was selected at random. I hope Linda likes the fabrics!

I want to thank everyone that left a comment on my blog for "It's All About Me"! I so appreciate the great comments. Sometimes you just have to hear it from someone else, that you are heading in the right direction.
I came in as one of the top 3 for February 21 in the ALL ABOUT ME blog hop challenge! What fun!!!
Louie just loves this wall hanging and is still putting his nose on the sewing table! Click HERE for full story!



February AAQI Quilt

 

Sprint to Spring

#13329

by

Aileen Kline

 

 



I continue with my commitment to Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. They will stop collecting quilts August 1, 2013. I am determined to make at least one a month to the very end.

Someday I may be a recipient of the leaps forward made in Alzheimer's research do to this worthy cause. The goal is $1 million dollars by the December 31, 2013. I don't see why that can't be achieved if everyone pitches in. I make all my little quilts from scraps. The hardest part is sending them off in the mail!

 

 

 

and Stuff - NewFO

 

 

My oldest daughter is expecting her second child. It's a girl. With the help of her sister, I have been able to make a lot of little things for her. I wish that I had time to make them for myself when I was younger. It has been a lot of fun. I am by no means near finished but the pile is growing daily and the baby is due at the end of March. Time is really flying.

 

Her taste in fabric is not my taste. Not even in the same ballpark, but these are made with love from both of us.

 

 

 

 

Receiving Blanket



 

3 Receiving blankets, 12 burp rags, changing mat. I also made about a dozen breast covers since she will be nursing.

 

The oddest thing I made was a Nursing cover. It is kinda like a apron but does not tie in the back. You just put it on for privacy while nursing in public, etc. The fabric is skulls, which by the pink receiving blanket. gives away her fabric preference! LOL

 

 

I added a pocket in an angle with a key ring and carabener, so she can have easy access to her cellphone and keys. I did make it reversible, with a more sedate fabric on the back.

 

 

 

 

 



 

Happy Quilt to All !

 

Aileen