I hope you are having a great start to your sewing year! I got a lot accomplished in 2013, but I felt like I wasn't sewing for me. Meaning, I think I over-committed myself to bees, swaps and the like, and I didn't have anything physical to show that I had made. So, this year, 2014 will be the Year of Selfish Sewing. For me, that means working on the projects I want to do and sewing some personal projects for me along the way. I've dropped all swaps and bees, except do.good.stitches. I'm staying in that bee to have an outlet to practice free-motion quilting and not be intimidated by it "not being good enough". Don't get me wrong, I do good work, but the quilting is by no means perfect, and this give me a place to practice, knowing the recipient will love the quilt, no matter what.
So, here's some stuff I've been working on in 2014:
My first 2 finishes were commissioned quilts for one of my college friend's little girl. They are giving her bunk beds for her 5th birthday, and she wanted quilts for the beds. I bought a boat load of fabric from Sew Lux and with the help of Chrissy, Sarah and Lee, we picked a palette that my friend requested and loved. Green, pink and purple. I used Stitched in Color Rachel's Penny Patch pattern for both quilts. Both use the same fabrics, but the placement of the square is not identical.
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| Quilt 1 front |
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| Quilt 1 back |
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| Quilt 2 front |
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| Quilt 2 back |
To give them a little more size, I used the same chevrons as in the quilt, as a border. I quilted them with straight lines on the diagonals. I binded them both in Simply Style Eyelet in Purple.
My friend and her daughter were thrilled with the end result! Now they have to get the bunk beds finished!
Last weekend, I went to my sewing besties' mountain home for a Mother-Daughter Sew Down. I got a few things sewn up, and my mom made her first quilt blocks! We picked out Churn Dash, Sawtooth Star, Shoofly and Turnstile blocks to work on. She did a fantastic job and now wants to work on more quilt blocks to make a whole quilt! Go Mom!
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| Sweet Vic's first blocks (photo by Sarah @stitchingandbacon on IG) |
I put together the June 2013 blocks and October 2013 blocks for the Believe circle of do.good.stitches. For June, I had my beemates use Katy's (I'm A Ginger Monkey) Wonky Bullseye pattern, in yellow, gray and black. This was a challenging (curves) but fun block and I think they all did a great job!
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| June Blocks from Believe Circle of do.good.stitches |
For October, I sent my beemates leftover fabric from my nephew's quilt and had them supplement from their stash to make disappearing 9 patch blocks. I love this block and how it makes a great scrappy quilt top.
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| October Blocks from Believe Circle of do.good. stitches |
Now, to finish these two off and send them out to My Very Own Blanket.
I also brought fabric to cut into clams with Lee's Accuquilt. I got some of them cut and will just have to make an appointment with Lee to cut the rest! I'm loving the fabrics I choose: Oh Deer!, Mama Said Sew, Lush and Collage to name a few!
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| Clammin'! (photo by Lee @maychappell on IG) |
Not a bad start to the New Selfish Sewing year! I pulled fabrics last night for Sew Lux's Lazy Sunday Quilt-Along (my friend Lee's pattern) that starts this week! I'm going to make a Valentine's Day quilt for me! Yeah!
Linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced for W.I.P. Wednesday!
Happy Sewing, Friends!
Nicole
