Tuesday, August 6, 2013

This Week's Sewing : :

Good morning! Today I'm feeling pretty good after a productive night of sewing! I finally found the time and energy to add the binding to my newest quilt finish. This Loulouthi Hugs & Kisses print by Anna Maria Horner made for some gorgeous binding making, along with some matching Aurifil thread. I do love both the dark, wine color against the bright, white border of my quilt and the contrast of the deep burgundy against that lime & aqua Coreopsis floral print I used to back it. I'm excited!! Although, I still can't decide where to go to take my pictures?!

Bound in Hugs & Kisses!

Over the weekend I received a lovely package from Cloud9 Fabrics including a preview bundle of Up, Up, and Away, the upcoming second collection for Cloud9 by the awesomely talented Skinny laMinx. I am such a fan! I'm playing around with some quilt block ideas for an Up, Up, and Away quilt pattern. All those soaring birds throughout the Up In the Air and the Free As a Bird prints insisted that some flying geese must me made, and now I think I have a solid quilt idea that will be perfect for this modern collection! Stay tuned..

Up, Up, & Away!

Up next I'm piecing together a quilt back for my Indie Quilt to send off to Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting! I've been a fan of her work from following Amy Diary of a Quilter, and after seeing Amy's gorgeous Giant Indie Star Quilt the other day, I had to reach out to Melissa! I can't wait to see our Indie quilt finally finished and on our bed, I've been slowly planning our bedroom decor around this quilt, so it feels pretty wonderful to finally be sending it out!

My Indie Quilt Top

After that I'm beginning my nephew Owen's Ant Farm quilt! Deciding on a pattern for this quilt is what's taken me so long to begin, any recommendations? I could use some ideas, otherwise I think a log cabin style quilt might be perfect. What do you think?

Quilt Plan for Owen

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and thanks in advance for the help!!  Maureen

39 comments:

  1. Maureen, I am not a quilter but a garment sewist BUT I love your idea for your nephew's quilt! The fabrics are just great!I just may have to get some of those fabrics and create something for my new grandson.....♥

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    1. Thank you! The Ant Farm idea was his request and I love it, too. The insect prints are from a line called Backyard Baby. It's adorable!!

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  2. Lovely additions to your stash :) When I think of ants, I think of ant hills, ant paths, ant farms & what they are seem to share in common: straight lines. Neat lines built for a purpose. So, if not Log Cabin, then perhaps something geometric, like the following. http://sewlux.blogspot.com/2011/02/red-aqua-mini-mod-pod-quilt.html

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    1. I was also thinking of doing something similar to the descending Zig Zag quilt I just made? It would almost look like an ant farm without being too complicated. Almost all of the Christmas quilts I'm making are for kiddos under 10, so they don't need to be very complex. Plus I have 9 to make!! :)

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    2. I just had a look at the link and I love that!! I'm definitely going to consider that pattern, thanks so much!!

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    3. Ohmigosh - that pod quilt idea is a great one for the ant farm!

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    4. The first thing I thought for the ant quilt is the zigzag you recently made. That would be really cute!

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    5. Great idea, petoskystone. These straight-line ideas (including the log cabin) are excellent representations of an ant farm, but, Maureen, have you considered googling ant farm images and basing your design on the real/natural angles of an ant farm? It would add that organic touch.

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  3. Maureen- what fabrics are in the quilt? It's such a gorgeous combination!

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    1. All Anna Maria Horner fabric from almost all of her collections, plus some of Art Gallery Fabric's Pure Element solids -- the white and a few grey tones. When I share the finished quilt, I'll be sure to share all the details!

      Thanks Kristen!

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  4. Log cabin is my favorite kind if quilt. The first quilt I ever made was a log cabin "quilt in a day" or something like that was the book that I used to make it and I fell in love with it. I think it will look fabulous

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    1. Yes, my favorite quilts are Log Cabin style quilts. They never disappoint!

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  5. I think camille roskelley's "coming soon" pattern would be a great one for a little boy that highlights the fabric. Such a fun idea for an ant farm quilt!

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    1. Thanks so much for sharing! So many of you have referenced different quilt patterns that are all so similar. This is definitely the direction I think I'm going to try out for my Ant Farm quilt! Thanks again for the help!

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  6. Maureen, I belong to a bee called "Get Your Hex On" through flickr. This month our host wanted to the hexagon log cabin. We fussy cut the center which would be awesome with your bug jars. Take a look at this tutorial, it's what we used.
    http://www.thesewingchick.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-tutorial-log-cabin-hexagon-block.html

    Would be so great and wouldn't be the usual log cabin. She also has a tutorial on how she finished the quilt.

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  7. Looks like a great week to me with some great projects to come! Have fun and good luck with all those quilts, I hope you pull it off!

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    1. Thanks, Cheryl! I think I will but I really do need to get a move on them or it's going to become stressful and not the fun, enjoyable quilt gift making that I had envisioned!! Haha

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  8. Wow, where do you find the time and energy to do all these fabulous quilts?

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  9. Could you base the quilt design on the ant farm fabric? I like its maze feel.

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  10. http://zingsnap.typepad.com/.a/6a0115712c455f970c0168eb5b8dfa970c-pi a bit like this!

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    1. Wow, I LOVE this!! I would definitely need to add in more neutrals and I'm not sure if I'd get that great value contrast the way you do in the image. I might have to save this as inspiration for something else. It's such a great design! Thank you!!

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    2. I spotted it earlier I the day whilst trawling the Internet for a quilt fix, and the ant fabric brought it back to mind! I can't wait to see what you come up with. :-D

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  11. every thing you do is beautiful. hugs

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  12. Looking forward to seeing the results of the photo shoot :o)

    Maybe you could go picture wall style with the ant farm to highlight the jars and things?

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  13. I think Id take photos of the quilt over wine barrels or a winery with the grapes on the vine. And the ant farm I think Id opt for the book style block, that would show of the print of the fabric and could have fun doing the spine part,am sure anything you come up with will be stunning :)

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  14. Hi Maureen!

    I am popping in and out but don't often find the time to comment....or blog much myself! But I am here and keeping up with you!

    I have the insects in jars fabric for my daughters quilt...love it!

    Take care x

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  15. Oh this looks lovely. Your quilt looks awesome up close.

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  16. What about this one? You can build "tunnels" that mirror the ant farm fabric. http://www.modabakeshop.com/2012/10/urban-shades-quilt.html

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    1. Well, I'm trying this one and the fabrics I pulled just aren't working, not enough light and dark contrast. Darn! I think it's time to start chopping and improv log cabin piecing? In the end, it will look like my LillyBelle Quilt, without the border and with bug and polka dot fabrics. :) I think it will work?!

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  17. Everything looks so lovely, I love your choice in fabrics!

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  18. What about Rail Fence? http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/quilt/msg092055474242.html

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  19. I get all excited seeing your pics and reading about your plans! The log cabin is one of my favorites but whatever you decide will be fabulous!

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  20. It's all so lovely! Can't wait to see you bedroom done! I've been scheming for mine too!

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  21. I'm getting ready to make a quilt for my nephew and am using an assortment of some fat quarters. I think I'm going to use Carla's Green Plus quilt found at http://coraquilts.blogspot.com/2012/06/curious-nature-for-boys.html. Pat Sloan posted it on facebook today and it really looks nice!

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  22. I think you should keep the ant fabric in large pieces or the effect will be lost. Why not mimic the tunnel effect by making a patch work that moves across and down the quilt. I think a log cabin would chop the fabric up too much.

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  23. I think Log Cabin for the quilt is a perfect pattern. That block almost reminds me of a maze like the ant make. :) Thank you for a wonderful blog. I have gotten a lot of great ideas. I have started my own blog to show off some of the things I make too. You can find me at theturquoisebutton dot blogspot dot com.
    Blessings
    Amy

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  24. How about something like three-ring circus? http://materialobsession.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/12/04/pict0011.jpg

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  25. Can't wait to see that Indie quilt! ;)

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