Looking Back at 2014's Goal

At the start of each new year I like to make goals.  I often don't follow through with them, or they may change.  But I enjoy making them and am not too disappoint if they aren't accomplished.  Maybe I'm too easy on myself, but at least I'm happy.

I like making quilting goals.  I feel like at the first of the year I have a fresh start and a whole year to accomplish things!

Last year my goal was to make a queen sized quilt for my bed.  Did it happen...almost.  I proud to say that it is started, but then life happened. :)  In my defence it did take almost half a year to find a pattern that my husband and I both agreed on.  (Personally, husbands shouldn't be so opinionated when it comes to decorating, but mine is....sigh.  Still love him to the moon and back though!) 

Fortunately finding the fabric was a breeze; Happy-Go-Lucky.  I love that fabric and oddly enough so did the hubby.

The pattern that I am making is Tone It Down.  Love the pattern, but it takes a while.  For me, each block is taking about 1 hour to finish (and that doesn't count the cutting time).  I am making it queen sized so I need 25 blocks.  25 hours!  Wow.  And that is just the blocks, not the stashing, quilting and binding.  But you know what,  I am loving the process! Making the blocks is very enjoyable.  Each step has enough variation it keeps my mind from getting board.

Currently I have 9 blocks done.  And every one is my favorite.  I can't wait to see them all put together.

So my 2014 goal will move on to be a 2015 goal.  But this year it will get done.  (I hope ;)

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!