Client Quilts - Donna's

I have an awesome customer Donna.  She sends me the biggest boxes of quilts one has ever seen.  She is a perfectionist and once the quilt is sewn - she has them all nicely hung up with backs and batting in closets.

When she ships them to me - you'd link they were still hanging perfectly in the closet.  The boxes are long so the quilts can just lay in them as if they were still on hangers.  They are wrapped in clear packing material and so pretty I'm always worried about opening the package!

Its like Christmas in my house when I get a box of Donna's quilts come.  This is the last box she sent me with 12 quilts in it - so lots of pictures to follow!

First up is this cute quilt made out of Nine Dots by Carrie Nelson of Ms Rosie.  The pattern was Sweet Menagerie from the Moda Bake Shop.  I love the bright springy colors of this quilt!  (This is on my to do list to make out of Verna!)

Donna picked Rose Leaves for this quilt - which fit it perfectly.

 

Her backing was this limey green rose which is to die for!  

This quilt quilt was made out of Tapestry by Fig Tree.

 

 Donna chose Trailing Vine for the quilting pattern.

 

 I love the pattern she sewed this in - and thing this one (Tapestry) and the below one (Strawberry Fields) used the same pattern yet look so different with the fabric placement.  

This Strawberry Fields on is more scrappy - and this is one of my top 2 favorite Fig Tree lines ever!

 

We chose a new pattern called Strawberries - fitting for this line of fabric!

 

Love the green polka dot.

 This is another Sweet Menagerie quilt using fun fabrics.

She chose the Posies pattern which looks good on everything!

I love this backing fabric - pulls it all together!

This next pattern is Confetti by Pattern Basket.  I love this pattern and have added it to my to do list!  

Donna used Buttercream and roses?  Is that what its called?  From Fig Tree - another great line.  She chose Paisley Playtime.  This is a great pattern with great texture!

 California Girl was such a fun different line from Fig Tree.  I love the bright colors and they stand out so well with the pattern Donna sewed.

 

 

  She chose Floral Wave for this quilt and looks great on every quilt I've seen it on.

 

I LOVE this backing - the coral just pops.  Great colors in this line!

This next quilt is called Imagine by Ms Rosie's Quilts. Not sure what the fabric line is called. 

Donna chose Camelias for the quilting pattern.  I hadn't ever used this pattern before I loved how it turned out!  This will be added to my list of one of my favorite floral patterns.   

This next quilt - Jewel box?  Is that the pattern?  Either way - LOVE THIS pattern - and it is now on my to do list as well!  The fabrics are Sweetwater - Sunshine maybe?  love the pops of pink. 

 

Donna chose CandyLand - a very popular floral pattern looks good on everything! 

This next quilt may have been my favorite in the box.  I loved this line when it came out - one of the Collection for A Cause lines - I think Legacy.  I love the dark brown border with the pink flowers.  It just gets me.  She used Confetti again for the pattern - stunning!

She chose Feathered Garden for this quilt - and it fit it perfectly!  I love this pattern - a great looking feather with a little rose flower - perfect combo.  worked great on this quilt.  I love the aqua too in it!  Donna is lucky this one made its way back in the box!

This next pattern was a free pattern on Henry Glass - she used Carrie Nelson's other fabric line Fresh Palette.  I loved the pastels in this line - especially the aqua border.  I have to go on a search for this fabric! 

Donna chose Floral Wave for this quilt - I love how she used all the white dots for the sashing!

 

This next quilt is a stunner!  Pattern is Sweetwater Mama's Garden - they used black on the cover which was stunning - but RED WOW!  I loved working on this quilt - it was so much fun I didn't want it to end! 

 

She used Feathered Garden again on this one - PERFECT with the quilt pattern. For the backing she used their pinwheel print from Sew Mama Sew - I love that print.  I need to pick me some up!  Donna said, she procrastinated this quilt cause she thought it would be harder to do the blocks - but once she started going it was easy and went quickly.  I love quilts like that - that look harder then they really are.  Deciding which color to do it in is the hard part now!

 

This next quilt - Wild Things by Thimbleblossoms is one of my favorite patterns.  I have never seen this done up and not loved it.  Looks good in every fabric way imaginable! 

She chose Splat which is a big bold pattern and worked wonderfully with this quilt.  I love this pattern as it is so much fun.  These fabrics were bright and cheery - and this pattern complimented that perfectly!

She has a white/orange polka dot back - look how cool the quilting looks on the back...  Almost like another quilt!

I always have so much fun with Donna's quilts - and such a hard time sending them home.  Thanks for sticking with me through all the pictures - but totally worth it, right?!?

 

Linking up to Finish it Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts!

First Finish of 2014

I love this new Country Girls line from Tasha Noel for Riley Blake.  The green and navy in this line just kill me!  I bought a few fat quarter bundles - and they flew out the door like hot cakes!  So I bought some more - and again - out the door.  I now have 2 bundles left (go here if you're interested) but I HAD to make something out of this line.

I wanted a little project I could actually finish - from start to finish (ok I haven't bound it yet - but hopefully that will be done by this weekend).  So I threw together this little baby quilt.  

I bought a few bolts of the yardage - the blue main print with all the cute little girls and trees, barns and picnic scenes.  Some white with blueberries  and the green w/navy flowers (which might be my favorite!) I also got a bolt of the navy small gingham which I'm also going to bind it in.  I think I want to make this same quilt again - a tiny bit bigger and do the gingham on the bias and see if I like that.  I did some fun but simple quilting.  Crosshatch through the center, stitch in the ditch around the small gingham borders, some leaves and flowers in the bigger borders.  I was so happy with how it turned out!  I just can't get enough of this line!  

For the back I used the cheater patchwork fabric which I LOVE (Have you seen the cute pillow on instagram out of this fabric?) but I used FLANNEL!  Perfect for something super soft for a cute little babe.  

The only question left is - what should I make next?  I'm not a fussy cut kind of girl - but I'm thinking this fabric needs that!  I have a few charm packs too, so wondering what I could do with those.  Some kind of stripe/patchwork quilt....ummmmmm...I lay awake at night trying to think of these things!  Let me know if you have any ideas of me!

I've been mulling over kitting this little quilt up - let me know if you'd be interested in one if I get ambitious this weekend!

WIP Wednesdays

So - I said I wasn't making goals for this year - but I have SO MANY quilts I want to get to - I decided I needed to make a list to keep me on track. 

My biggest goal for this year is to finish some of the projects I have started.  I've told myself - each month, even if I'm working on a new project - I need to have an UFO out and getting done as well. 

Here is a list of UFO's for this year - these are projects I have actually started - as in have completed blocks. 
- Route 44
- Swoon
- Christmas Granny Square
- Lincoln
- Vintage
- Round and Round
- Halloween Little Lollies
- HST - Marmalade (LOVING THIS QUILT)
- Scrumptious Squares

On my list of quilts I want to make - I've been looking through my Quilts I Love pinterest page and my goal this year is to get some of these quilts - or types of quilts made.  Starting with an Irish Chain.  I'm loving Irish Chains lately - just debating on a 2 color way or scrappy fun like this one.  I'm leaning this way using Happy Go Lucky....

So my list of new projects
- Irish Chain
- On a Whim (have fabrics out of High Streets)
- Christmas Round and Round (cut - just need to start it)
- April Showers blue/green quilt
- Cotton way - Cabin Christmas
- Plan C - JUST LIKE THIS (I also have it out of 12 days of Christmas and martinque  maybe I'll get them all done together)
- Scrap Jar Star out of my Florence fat quarters
- Jacob's Ladder quilt - something like this
- Button Box - like this one!
- Snow Blossoms  - out of Scrumptious

If you've made it this far down my list thanks!  Here is what I started working on in December.  I had big goals to be done by January - now I'm being a little more realistic and say - by the end of February. 

- Saw this on Instagram and had to have my own.  I've got everything cut out and working through my blocks.

- HST in Marmalade - I started these blocks a year ago after taking Camille's first Craftsy class.  During Christmas break - Carrie and Thelma worked their way through a HST quilt which got me motivated to get mine out again.  I am LOVING working on this quilt and am so excited to get it done.  5 blocks down - making more HST and going to try Sherri's method - I'm thinking it will cut down some time in the trimming process for me.

- Route 44 - I took a class from Carrie of the Ms Rosie fame a few years back and I LOVE these blocks - no idea why it got pushed aside .... ok maybe I do - I think I had a 2 month old at the time of the class.  But - I dug it out - and had a few blocks to finish - they are all finished and trimmed and I just need to lay it out!  I've been working on cleaning my sewing room - from the tornado of 2013 and will have plenty of space to start this project back up in the next few days. 

- Lincoln - I have 2 of these quilts in the work - one for me and one for a bday present someone ordered in july..... I'm slow - but my goal is to have it finished by the end of February.  Loving the low volume prints from French General.  This is going to be a beautiful, classy looking quilt!    Its twin sized - so I'm figuring out how to enlarge the pattern without ruining its perfection.  I think that is why I've procrastinated - seems like so many more blocks have to be done! 

These are my main projects I'm working on - REALLY trying to finish them before starting another one - but I can't make any promises.  I feel like my April Showers fabric is calling my name!  I may need to start on a small project in the meantime so I have it finished by the time yardage arrives.  I'm hoping to have a few kits of a quilt in store for you all!  I'll keep you posted. 

Thanks for sticking with my lengthy post!  I think I'm getting my mojo back!

Client Quilts

I feel like I haven't done a post of quilts forever!  So I'm going through my pictures trying to get caught up.  These ones are older quilts - like from last summer old!  Moving forward I'm going to try to post a weekly Client Quilts post with all the quilts I finished that week - so I stay on top of things a little better.  I throw in the old ones here and there until I'm caught up with everything. 

This Rainbow Pinwheel quilt was done by Holly and was so bright and fun and happy to work on. 

 

Surf was the pattern that was quilted on it.  I think it worked perfectly!

 

The backing was this fun bright polka dot - perfect for the colors on the front.  Holly bound it with a black and white stripe - PERECT choice!

 

This next quilt was also Holly's that she made for a friend. 

Bubbles was the pattern she chose.  Bubbles is one of my most popular pattern requests and looks great on all quilts!  I like how the circles mix up all the straight lines.  I'm loving the blueish hues all together - and I still love a good chevron quilt!  Can't get enough of them. 

 This next one is a pattern Jodi from Pleasant Home put out around Christmas.  You can read more about it here - and get a free block tutorial. 

I fell in love with this fabric - Holiday Bouquet by Amanda Murphy.  I promptly bought me a bundle and am contemplating designs so I have my own quilt next year!

Jodi picked Christmas Bells for the pattern which went along with this perfectly!  I love the paisley loops and holly all mixed in.  Great pattern!

Another one of Jodi's quilt is Water Lily she used the pattern by the same name from Sherri McConnell's book. 

She chose Asian Vines for the pattern.  I hadn't used this pattern before, so I'm always a little nervous - but I LOVED how it turned out.  It fit the pattern/fabric/design perfectly. 

Her backing was white and showcased the quilting so well.  It turned out great!

This last quilt was I think the first quilt Jodi sent my way.  It was love at first sight for me with this quilt!  I love the pinwheels, the red, green, grey, and white fabrics.  Everything about this quilt was perfect.  She almost didn't get it back! 

It looks like I took these pictures at night!  They are so dark and hard to see the quilting.  Run over here to see a better picture. 

She chose 30's Flower and used this Bonnie and Camille grey floral fabric on backing!  It pulled all the fabrics together perfectly! 

I loved this quilt so much -  a few weeks after I gave it up to Jodi I got a package from her with a table running using some left over blocks!  I was so excited.  I now have a piece of this quilt all the time!

Menu Mondays

I try to create a menu each Monday to help in my efforts of my mad dash to figure out what to do for dinner.  Some weeks I follow religiously - some weeks not at all.  This year in an effort to save money, be healthier, and to help us manager our nights better I am really going to try hard to stick with it!

I need some help and some good recipes!  Send links me way - I'd love to try some new fresh ideas!

Last week, I cleaned out my fridge in an effort to figure out what I have at home.  Trying to go through what I have.  Who knew I had SO MANY FROZEN VEGGIES in my freezer! 

I also tried this delicious crockpot breakfast casserole last week - try it - you won't regret it!  I mixed all different kinds of peppers with my sausage and added a white onion there - and used egg beaters.  Worked out great.

Monday - Tuna Fish Sandwiches w/ homemade applesauce
Tuesday - Honey Balsamic chicken w/steamed broccoli and cheese
Wednesday - Meatball Casserole
Thursday - Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Friday - Parent Survival night - eat out!
Saturday - Turkey lettuce tacos

I'm hoping trying some of these new recipes gets me going and excited!

Happy New Balanced Year

WOW - I feel like last year flew by and can't believe we are half way through January already!  After the Christmas rush I kind of went into a comma.  Between Christmas, quilting, kids out of school, burn out from life - I just wanted to lay in bed and do nothing for a few days.

Just as I was getting my mojo back - we got hit with a horrible LINGERING head cold/flu thing that we just can't seem to shake!  Needless to say I have had a very slow start to getting my New Year started out right!

I have had a lot of time to reflect on last year.  I am amazed at all of you and the creativity you sent my way.  I am so grateful for all the support you have shown me over the last year.  This little "hobby" of mine has turned into an actual "business" and I'm so excited for what the new year has in store for us and for you!  It has been a busy wild ride that I have loved!  I'm so tired - but so inspired! I am in awe over the quilts that continue to come through my door each and every day.  My to do list is getting longer and longer because I want to make all these quilts for myself.  Its getting harder and harder to send them back!

With this new business - my point of starting it was to eventually be able to quit my day job and stay home with my kids.  To spend more time with them.  I knew it would be hard to do both - but I never realized my goal of staying home with them - would actually make me a ghost to them in the meantime.  I've struggled with balancing work/kids/work-at-home/husband/cleaning life to say the least.  So this year - my first goal and maybe my "word" of the year needs to be balance.  I know most women struggle with this - the balance of trying to do it all.  I've learned this year - that I can't do it all.  I am SO lucky to have such a supporting husband who helps me all the time.  He is Disneyland dad - and my kids count down the seconds til he gets home each day.

This new year I have already implemented an earlier bedtime (bedtime?  whats that?  is how we lived our lives last year).  My kids will be happier with more sleep - it structures our nights a little better and I don't feel as guilty quilting the nights away when they are sound asleep!  So I'm working towards scheduling our home life a little better.  I feel like I'm running around with my head cut off 99% of the time - and I hope to calm things down a bit this year.

More fun time, more active time (I've even snuck in a short workout between the comma and sickness!) bike rides in the cold, bowling family time, dinners at home with real food.  Healthier, happier home life - Jodi from Pleasant Home mentioned in a post that she decided to put her family first last year and was amazed at how everything else fell into place.  I read this when I was having a down day - and it was exactly what I needed to hear.  Jodi has been such a support and sounding board to me already - and then to read such profound words - I felt they were directed to me - even though I'm sure they helped others as well.

So this year - I'm not making a list of goals - I usually do and I always fall short.  So I'm just going to say I'm going to balance things a little better.  I'm sure some days will be better than others.  But I'm going to try.  My goal for this week is to just get back into the swing of things!  Blogging being one of them.  I know everyone does Instagram now, including me!  I'm kind of obsessed.  But I still check my favorite blogs each day.  I love seeing more detail and pictures and stories behind the quilts and family goings on.  So I hope you do too! 

Come back soon - I even have my first finish of 2014 to show you along with some cute quilts I worked on this last week! 

Here's to a start to 2014!