Port-hole Zoo Quilt

This is another commissioned quilt.  The purchaser wanted zoo animals.  I had pinned this card and always thought it would make a cool quilt.  I had thought of just appliqueing the circle's but I wanted some variety to the quilt. (I didn't want the whole quilt to be applique.)

Then I stumbled upon a tutorial for port-holes.  What a fun way to add depth to a quilt.  The process of making port-holes was very fun.  I enjoyed learning something new.

I drew the pattern for the applique in the middle based on the outer fabrics.

I finished the quilt of with some close stippling which really added to the depth of the quilt.

Stats:
40" x  50"
Quilted by me
 Started: November 2014
Finished: December 2014
For: Baby Kian (commissioned by Sherry. Thank you!)

Metro Rings in Mustard, Gray and Aqua

Back in June I attended a quilt retreat.  One of the vendors and trunk shows was the girls from Sew Kind of Wonderful.  And they were wonderful!!  Not only are their patterns adorable, but so are the sisters!  They are so fun, creative, and kind.  At their booth they had a bunch of their quilts.  One of them was on the floor like a rug.  Every one was intimidated to walk on it.  But they said, "Think out of the box.  Walk on it."  It was hard to walk on something so beautiful.

I was instantly sold on their ruler.  They made curves look so easy.  And guess what...with the ruler and their patterns, they are!

My favorite quilt pattern was the Metro Rings.  Lucky for me someone commissioned me to make it for their daughter for Christmas. 

This is how it turned out.  I LOVE IT!!!  This is by far the hardest quilt to give up.  But don't you worry, I will be making one for myself someday.

Stats:
57" x 76"
Started: July 2014
Finished: December 2014
Machine quilted by Barbi Mills.
For: Angela's Daughter

Tetris Quilt

Back in October my dad was scheduled to go to California for a really big surgery.  Since his birthday was coming up I decided to make him a quilt to take with him.  I had pinned this Tetris quilt with the idea to someday make it for my dad, so why not now when I'm 35 weeks pregnant and have only a week and a half to make it. :)  (I'm crazy, but when I get a notion to do something, there is no stopping me.)

I was able to find 90% of the fabrics in my stash from left over projects.

The blocks are hour-glasses and went together very quickly.  The were fun to make.  Putting the squares in rows was easy too.  In fact, this whole quilt could have came together in less than two days if I had had all the fabric and a better chunk of time than just nap time.

I was even going to attempt to quilt it myself.  But as I was pinning it, the back kept getting wrinkles in it.  So I gave up and called the wonderful, talented, and kind Barbie Mills.  She said she could quilt it in a couple of days and I could have it done in time for my dad's birthday.

 Look I actually remember to label one of my quilts!

Stats:
70" x 90"
Started: October 2014
Finished: October 2014
Machine quilted by Barbi Mills.
For: My dad

All Around the Owl

I was recently commissioned to make a baby girl quilt.  The customer wanted owls and flowers.  This is what I created.

I am in love with this quilt.  I made it right before my baby was born and if I would have had more time, I probably would have kept this quilt for my baby and made another one for the customer.  (That is how much I loved this quilt.) Fortunately for her, I didn't have time and she gets the quilt. :)

The fabric came together like magic.  I happened to find the outer stripes on clearance.  The colors were perfect, so I used them to to match the rest of the fabric.

I created a paper pieced pattern for the flowers and loved how they turned out.  (You'll see the same flowers in a future project.)

Stats:
40" x 40"
Quilted by me (can you see the cute clouds)
Started: September 2014
Finished: September 2014

Back to School Wall Hanging

 I started this last fall, but didn't finish it by the time October rolled around so it went into my UFO pile.  All the need to be done was the quilting and adding the embellishments.  So I quickly finished it up and had it hanging on the wall before school started.

The pattern comes from Kimberbell of My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe.  As always, her wall hangings turn out cute!!

My favorite part is the tire swing.

Stats:
30" x 30"
Quilted by me (can you see the cute clouds)
Started: August 2013
Finished: August 2014

Happy Harvest Fall Quilt

 Last  month I fell in love with the fabric Happy Harvest.  It's the owls.  I am still in love with owls. (And you will see more owls in my next couple of projects.)  On whim I thought, I need a snugly fall quilt.  This was a crazy thought since I had 5 other projects that needed to be finished before the "big day".  But what the heck.  Let's start a new one. (Did you know I'm expecting a baby any day! Oh how I can't wait to hold her.  This month has been the longest month ever and it is only the 11th!)

I knew that it had to be simple and here is what I cam up with:

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!  The leaves were super simple and I kept the blocks big so that it could show off the adorable fabric.  I used a layer cake and still have over half of it left. So, if anyone else wants one I'd love to make you one.  I also already had brown minki for the back and I found the perfect orange fabric in my stash for the binding.  All in all, it was a fairly inexpensive quilt.

I backed it with minki (because like I said it needed to be snugly) and quilted it with and all over stipple.

 From start to finish this one only took me about 2 weeks.  Now, bring on the baby and we will put this quilt to use snuggling all my wonderful children. :)

Stats:
51" x 66"
Started: September 2014
Finished: October 2014
Machine quilted by me
For: Me! I'm keeping this one!

Modern Millie in Pink, Gray, and Orange (For Sale)

 This summer, my mom and I attended a quilt retreat in Midway.  It was so much fun!  On of the highlights of our trip was learning about the Quick Curve Ruler from Sew Kind of Wonderful.  Not only is the ruler fabulous, but so are the sisters that came up with it.  They were so kind and fun.  It was great meeting them.  And their quilts!...Gorgeous!!  Both my mom and I had to get one of their rulers and we have had so much fun using it.

I of course have a million projects started, but about a week or so after the retreat I just couldn't wait any long to try it.  The great part about this quilt is that all the fabric came from my stash.    The curves were different and new from anything I've done before, but this quilt was also super easy and so much fun.

I even went out of my box to quilt this one.  I did some free quilting on the flowers in the shape of flowers.

 And of course I backed it with Minki (my favorite right now).

Stats:
50" x  50"
Started: July 2014
Finished: July 2014
Machine quilted by me.
For Sale!!  $100

House Quilt

 Last spring my mom and I found the book called Simply Retro with Cammille Roskelley.  We fell in love with every pattern in that book.  We immediately had to make one.  We decided on her House Quilt.  My mom and I each picked out 8 fat quarters.  From those 8 fabrics I made two houses in each color and my mom did the same.  Then we switched houses so we had 16 different houses.  I am in love with the color choices.

Hi buddy! Which one is your favorite?

This one is my favorite.

No maybe this one...

Or is this one my favorite... I think I love them all!

The lovely and talented Barbie Mills quilted it in an allover block design.  Then I bound it with my favorite color, orange.  My mom did hers in blue.

Stats:
51" x 66"
Started: Spring 2014
Finished: Summer 2014
Machine quilted by Barbi Mills.
For: Me! I'm keeping this one!

#5: Wade's Quilt

 This quilt was finished last March, but I could not post it until I gave it to it's new owners.

I found the backing for the quilt and knew exactly who I wanted to give it to.  I reminded me or my friends out in Colorado.  At the time I was one a Garden Fence Quilt kick.  If you've never made a Garden fence quilt, I suggest you do. They are so much fun!  (I have another Garden Fence quilt, but only the top is done.  It is in my pile of someday-when-I-have-extra-cash-to-quilt-them quilts. :)
 

I found this cute little paper pieced hedgehog a long time ago.  I was so excited to finally get to create him.

 

 Even though the paper piecing was small he was still pretty easy to make.  Although, one hedgehog is different than the others.  (One little mistake.  If you can find it you may win a prize. :)

I am in love with the strip on the back.  I love how the white separates it.

I quilted it with a large all over stipple and bound it with a fun striped fabric.  (I'm into striped bindings now.  I love how they look on the bias.)

Enjoy baby Wade!!

 Stats:
50" x 60"
Started: February 2014
Finished: March 2014
Machine quilted by me.
For:Wade (Flynt and Kristen's new baby boy)

#4: Cole's Quilt

 There is something very charming about a simple quilt.  In picture books like Llama, Llama Red Pajama and Bear Feel Sick their quilts are simple square patched quilts, but I love them! 

So for the next baby to be born, I wanted something simple and classic, yet modern.  I saw the truck fabric recently and fell in Love. (Yeah, what's new. I fall in love with fabric all the time.:)  I got fat quarters from three fabrics in that line.  Then I used scraps from my stash for the rest.  Yeah for scraps.

I thought it would go together so quick and easy.  Well it was pretty quick, but easy...not so much.  Remember  the Striped Giraffe Quilt where I added Minki in the blocks and it was not so fun.  Well I had a temporary term of forgetfulness and added Minki within the blocks.  Minki stretches!!!!  It is so hard to keep it even with the other blocks.  Remind me next time I want to add Minki that it ruins my mood when I quilt. :)  But...it turns out so cute!  I'm sure I'll temporally forget again.

 Of course I put Minki on the back, that is easy and for some reason doesn't stretch.  Hmmm.

Stats:
30" x 40"
Started: July 2014
Finished: July 2014 (It took me less than a week from start to finish!)
Machine quilted by me.
For: Cole, Savanah's new baby boy

Personalized Triangle Quilts

 This spring, I was commissioned to make these triangle quilts for brothers.  I had made a triangle quilt like this previously and their mom wanted the same colors. 

Like before, I love how these colors go together.  I also love the modern look of a triangle quilt, especially when there is a pop of white.

 Adding their names to the bottom was a fun touch!

The tops are done in the exact same colors, but the bindings and the backs were in different colors.  I love putting Minki on the back!  It makes the quilt so inviting to cuddle with and I love seeing the quilting pop out on the back.

Stats:
40" x 50" (I think)
Started: April 2014
Finished: June  2014
Machine quilted by me.
Made from Kona Solid fabrics
For: Mason and Carson (Parker's little brothers)

Graduation Quilt

 This spring I was commissioned to make a graduation quilt.  I love the way it turned out. 

 The parents of the graduate had an embroidery company embroider the bears, the football in the middle, and a message in the bottom corner.

I did some appliqué for the BR, LND, and Class of 2014 blocks.  Usually I do raw edge applique, but this time I did a satin stitch around the applique to make it go better with the embroidered blocks.  I must say I did a pretty good job for never doing the satin stitch before. :)

I put minky on the back and I quilted it with strait lines.  This is the biggest quilt I've ever quilted.  At first it was challenging. But then as I got the hang of the "fluff and stuff" method of quilting it became quite doable.  I might even try this big of quilt again. :)

Stats:
81" x 81"
Started: April 2014
Finished: May  2014
Machine quilted by me.
For: Parker's Graduation