Blogger’s Quilt Festival Baby Love

I have a new quilt finished - and just in time to enter it in the Bloggers Quilt Festival Mini Quilts Category.  I love that Amy puts this on each year and it is so much fun and inspiration to see all the fun quilts!

If you follow me at all - you know I've been totally obsessed with the Baby Love pattern from Camille Roskelley's Simply Retro book.  This is my 3rd quilt made out of this pattern - and it won't be my last.  I love how big the block is (wouldn't a quilt of these big blocks be SOOOO cool?) I love how fast it goes together - and I love that its the perfect size for a baby quilt/gift.

I'm also obsessed with April Showers by Bonnie and Camille - so I chose this 3rd installment of this pattern to use their fabrics.  I went with the cute umbrellas for the middle, the green grass bella solid for the border and the to die for should have bought more of the navy polka dot for the corner hst.  Topped it off with the red stripe binding and I was good to go!  I love how it turned out.  

I used a new design for the quilting a basket weave which I'm still perfecting a bit!  But I really love how it all turned out - now just to decide who should get it....

Thanks Amy for a fun festival!

Client Quilts

I've quilted a few quilts for Nicole in the last few months (babydoxie on instagram - follow her you won't be sorry!)  She is one of the nicest people I've never met and I love all of her quilts!  She is also very easy to work with and patient with me beyond words!  Here are a few from her first batch I did a few weeks ago.

First up is her swoon quilt - which I LOVE the big red square in the middle.  What a great way to set apart your swoon from the next!

She chose the Baptist Fan - saying its kind of manditory for a swoon quilt.  HAHA 

Red Center Square - LOVE!

Backing with Baptist Fan

This quilt is Flower Girl by Thimble Blossoms

It was done using a Marmalade quilt kit (I think my most favorite Bonnie and Camille line if you can have favorites) I think she scored this kit from an Insta sell Camille had - cause she's lightening fast on Instagram!

Love the orange in this line!

She used CandyLand for the quilting - which was perfect for this quilt.  For her backing she pulled together 4 big squares of flannel - which I loved!  I always think I need to be more adventurous with my backings when I see these! 

I love how the quilting melts into the flannel.

Her next quilt was Vintage for the Simply Retro book.  This is one of my most favorite patterns right now - and there is a quilt along going on on Instagram right now if you want to jump on the bandwagon.  #vintagealong

She chose Starlight for the quilting which is one of my favorite patterns.  Adds such great texture without taking away from the blocks or fabrics.  

I think most the fabrics are from Bonnie and Camille's Ruby collection.  (Are you getting the sense that Nicole is a die hard Bonnie and Camille fan?  If so you'd be right! She has the greatest stash of fabrics EVER!)

Next up are a few of Thelma's quilts.  It is always so much fun to get Thelma's quilts - her packaging is perfect - her backs of the quilts are perfect - I kind of treat them like glass as her sewing is AMAZINGLY perfect!

First up is Jersey Girl - a Schnibbles pattern by the great Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilts done in Scrumptious by Bonnie and Camille.  Let me tell you something about Scrumptious - I liked it when it came out - but I thought - this is a line I don't have to buy.  And then I started seeing quilt after quilt done in this line - how could I have not thought that I didn't need it?  I mean - EVERY quilt that comes my way out of this line is my new favorite and added to my list!  Needless to say - I now have about 4 quilts in the works out of this line.  

Thelma chose CandyLand for this quilt - which fits its wonderfully.  I LOVED her solid scrappy baby bias border - added SO much to this quilt!  

Her backing was scrappy which was cute and fun - and I fell head over heels in love with this big button/flower print.  Now I'm a proud owner of a bolt - won't it be great for backing a few of my Scrumptious quilts!  haha

Her next quilt was Canasta another Schnibbles pattern.  I've wanted to make a basket quilt for awhile now - and loved this one!  She used Fig Tree fabric.  

Thelma chose Chantilly Lace for the quilting pattern.  I almost screamed when she picked this pattern.  I had sent over a few suggestions and this was my first pick.  I think it just has that timeless old fashion feel that a basket pattern needs - so I was thrilled when it was her first chose also!

The lighting was not great on this day - but hopefully you can see - this pattern adds such great texture!  

She also used a scrappy backing!  

Thelma's last quilt is Round and Round by Thimble Blossoms in Kate Spain's Christmas line from last year.  I'm thinking I need to copy this using Solstice  by Kate Spain - her Christmas line for this year.  

If you missed this quilt along last winter with round and round  on Instagram run and take a look.  #roundandroundalong

It was so much fun to see all the cute quilts that came out of this!  I started my own Christmas version last year - need to get it finished up so I can start my next one!  This is a great pattern for charm packs (you need 2) and one block is big enough to make  good sized table topper or pillow too - saw a few of those during the quilt along and have some ideas for Christmas gifts this year!  

Thelma chose Christmas Snow as her quilting pattern.  This pattern is so cool with cool textures are the snowflakes are all different shapes and sizes!

If you love this pattern - get going on your Christmas projects so you have them ready for my Christmas in July quilting sale - this one pricey so take advantage of the sale!

Her backing was this fun Christmas cookie/motif fabric - I love how it is bright and busy, such a contrast from all the white on the front.  Great pick!

If you're interested in a kit using Solstice and making your own Round and Round - let me know and I can get you the details!

Cable Quilting - and Camille's Quilts

So the last few months I have been lucky enough to quilt some amazing quilts.  I have to say - I try not to play favorites - but I think I found a favorite quilt.

The #APQquiltalong that was going around on Instagram is one of the cutest patterns I've seen in awhile.  It has been so much fun following people and see how different the quilts have turned out.  We are all huge fans of Bonnie and Camille fabric - so leave it to Camille to combine a good amount of their lines into this AMAZING quilt.  This is seriously probably my most favorite quilt to ever cross my door.  I love how its scrappy and blends - it was so much fun to work on!

These are a few of my favorite blocks - 

Camille took a poll on Instagram of which pattern to have quilted and Orange Peel won out - so that is what the quilt got - and it turned out perfectly!  See more of her amazing pics here.

In March I was lucky enough to work on a few more quilts for Camille. One of which was one of her new patterns Red Letter Day - made with Miss Kate.  I have to say - this is one of my most favorite patterns Camille has designed.  Rates up there with Swoon!

I'm a sucker for anything stars and I love this version!  

So a few people have asked about this cable design.  This design was Camille's great idea!  She was looking through my pattern boards and found this one in borders - and asked what it would look like in rows.  This is why Camille is so amazing - she thinks outside the box.  Maybe that doesn't seem outside the box, but I had never thought of throwing this cable design on as an edge to edge - and it turned out great! 

Originally we discussed altering the rows so that the bumps kind of nested - I played around with it a bit and set it up both ways.  When you lay this out in rows and bud them up to each other you get this diamond design between the rows that was pretty cool - So I sent Camille both looks and we went with the design in rows.  

It was so fun seeing a new design come together - and this may be one of my new favorites!  I've done it on another quilt (a Vintage from Camille's Simply Retro book) and it turned out SOOOOO amazing!  I'll be back later this week to show you that one.  

That same week I quilted up a Piece of Cake quilt for her using simple Clamshells.  I've said this before - but you can't go wrong with a simple clamshell.  Looks great on every quilt I've done - and this is my current go to for my own quilts - when I have time to throw them on.  

I love how this has a border at just the top and bottom. 

And this backing - Marmalade floral - one of my all time favorite fabrics - I just ordered it in red with orange flowers - 6 yards of it.  I told you it's one of my favorites! 

Come back tomorrow for a peek at a great pattern and the cutest kit I'll be offering in April Showers/Country Girls combo!

Fabricaholic

If you follow me on Instagram you will have seen these pretty fabrics were delivered last week.

 

 I have had an Etsy store for years where I sold completed quilts and table runners and some of my stash fabric.  But recently I have been in the process of building my store and inventory.  To be honest - I'm not doing this to build the biggest and best store out there.  I will never have 1000's of items for sale.  I am not in this to make a living selling fabric.  I decided to do this so I can get away with buying bolts of fabric and hiding it from my husband!  Why buy 5 yards - when I can have 15 yards?  The whole reason I got into quilting was because I LOVED the fabric. 

 

In the beginning - maybe about 10 years ago - I got into embroider - and I wasn't very good.  My sister was REALLY good and made the cutest projects we started turning into pillows.  I started buying fabric so I could help her make pillows.  When I had too much fabric - and enough pillows to fill a room from top to bottom - I decided I needed to branch out and start making something bigger then a pillow that took 4 2 1/2 inch stripes.  I was never going to use all my stash this way!  So I bought my first piece of real fabric for a quilt.  It was the 3 Sisters Gingham Rose patchwork cheater fabric.  (Gingham Rose is still one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES - I want to chant reprint to Moda)  I bought fabric for borders - and my friend Ann sewed them on - and I bound it - it was my first efforts in quilting - the binding.  But I LOVED this quilt and I still do.  One of my all time favorites.  I then got serious and bought fat quarters or Paris Flea Market and made my sister a quilt.  All squares - and 2 pink squares - same fabric, touching - didn't notice it until I was done.  Til this day it DRIVES ME CRAZY! But I love that quilt.  It is far from perfect but she loves it, and I loved the feeling of making something so special for the people I loved in my life.  And so my addiction began.  I began buying more and more fabric.  Fat Quarters were my drug of choice at the time.  I started a little 2nd job at Pine Needles.  Each week when I got paid - I took out the stash I had made for myself and cashed my check right back there in the drawer.  Never even left the building.  When we moved into a new house - finished our basement a few years later - I had closets built in my big sewing room - specifically to fit the bins of fabric.  I sometimes wish now I had hangers to hang things on instead of shelves!  But it was all about the fabric.   

 

 

Which is why I wanted to get into selling fabric.  In my shop you will only see fabric I love.  So I apologize right now if we don't have the same taste in fabric!  I have worked in Corporate America for almost 20 years - and to say I don't love my job is an understatement.  Being about to quilt for people and send pretty packages of fabric - is like a dream job for me that I'm working towards making a full time gig out of.  If I want to love my job - I have to stick with looking and cutting fabric day in and day out that I love!  That being said - I think I have a variety in taste.  Yes I'm currently drooling over anything Bonnie and Camille put out - but I'm OBSESSED with 3 Sisters and I think I always will be!  I have been loving anything Tasha Noel from Riley Blake puts out and I even ordered myself a bundle of Kansas Troubles the other day.  I love bright and cheery "Vintage Modern" looks of today - as well as traditional quilts with the warm colors.  So I hope as I grow my inventory you'll see a variety. 

 

 

I will be carrying primarily precuts - because to be honest - with a full time job, 2 little ones, a house that rarely gets cleaned, a quilting job, I don't know if I have it in me to cut yardage for hours on end each night.  So precuts are easy - and I love them.  I can't remember the last time I made a big quilt and started with yardage!  But when a line comes in that I REALLY love - you may see yardage in the shop.  April Showers is an example of that - and yardage will be showing up in the next few weeks!  YAY!!!!!  I'll also give you a little hint - that some Far Far Away  - will be showing up in a few months (THE WHOLE LINE). 

 

I hope if you're feeling the need to add some April Showers or this cute Organic Patchwork you'll think of me. 

 

Over the next few months - I'm going to start a Monthly/Weekly special and maybe incorporate backing into quilting specials or something like that.  I know this hobby of ours doesn't come cheap - and I want to find a way to make projects more affordable for everyone.  I love seeing the inspiration on blogs and instagram and I would like to do my part to help keep those projects flowing.  I am blessed to see the quilts flow through my house each day - and I have loved every minute of it!  I hope to keep them coming! 

 

 

I'm getting a big shipment of Christmas (YES CHRISTMAS ALREADY) precuts in the next week or so - and April Showers Yardage should be shipping soon - so please check back!  In the spirit of Christmas (cause I need to start early if I'm going to get anything done by December) I'm going to have these cute kits for sale when the yardage arrives.  I feel head over hills in love with Bonnie's Cabin Christmas quilt and can't wait to make my own!  If you're interested in a preorder of the kit - let me know.  They should be ready to ship out in mid March if the yardage comes as expected.  I'll keep you posted!

 

Hope you have a wonderful week - I'll be quilting and have a little Bonnie and Camille parade of quilts to show you soon.  I think I'm swimming in their fabric/patterns this last week!  Makes my job so fun!