Teal Squares: Done!!!

The Teal Squares quilt was delivered to its recipient yesterday, and I can finally publish all of my posts from the last 6 months! 

I used the Goose's bed to model the quilt...

Here are some close-ups that show the quilting...

...and here it is in its new home!

YAY!!!!!

***UPDATE***

The new home got a makeover to match the Teal Squares!! Look how gorgeous it is!!!

Teal Squares: Quilted!!

January, 2014 (published later because the deign is a surprise)

I can't believe it, but I finished quilting the Teal Squares quilt!!! And it wasn't as tough to wrangle as I expected. I also decided that I really love my machine! Here is a picture of me quilting....excuse the blurry shot, my photographer is a first grader who is learning to sew and likes to watch me!

I am so happy with how the quilting design turned out. Here is a picture to show the quilting details better...

I stippled the black background with black thread, and I used a variegated teal thread in the diamond patterns on the squares. 

Teal Squares: Binding

January, 2014 (published later because the design is a surprise!)

Last Friday we had a snow day (after only one day back at school), and I finished up the quilting on the Teal Squares quilt! After looking at both of the backing fabrics as options, I decided to bind the quilt with the solid teal. This quilt is huge and took 10 strips to make the binding! By the end of the weekend, I had the binding sewn to the front, and I've spent evenings this week hand-sewing the binding to the back. I am so happy it's done!! 

I'm really happy with the way the sold teal color looks. I think it gives a nice finishing touch. Now I just need to add the backs to the pillow shams, and the whole set will be ready for its new owners!

Teal Squares: Quilting Design

December, 2013 (published later because the design is a surprise)

I have finally settled on a quilting design for the Teal Squares quilt! I'm doing a stipple design in the black background areas with black thread. 

For the squares, I found Aurifil in a variegated teal at one of my local quilt shops. I was so excited. I wasn't sure how to quilt the squares, but I settled on a diamond design that I learned in a Craftsy class- Dot to Dot quilting with Angela Walters. I'm really thrilled with how it looks. I did the two shams first because I wanted to try it out before wrangling the whole huge quilt in my sewing machine. I love it. Here are some pictures of the pillow shams. 

Now that they are done, I'm excited to get started on the quilt itself!

Christmas Sewing Wrap-Up

I finished the table runner for my sister-in-law in time for Christmas Day. I quilted loops in the border, stippled the white background/setting triangles, and straight lines on the patchwork. 

Here is a picture of by brother and new sister-in-law's stockings hanging in their house. 

And I also finally made a table runner for my mom. It fits perfectly on her coffee table. 

Last-minute Holiday Sewing

We drew names for our sibling Pollyanna later than usual this year, and now I have a last minute deadline. My sister-in-law has been saying for months that she hopes I get her for the Pollyanna because she wants a holiday table runner. (I made her an everyday table runner last year.) I didn't draw her name, but I switched with the person who did as a surprise for her. 

So...that meant I got to make a trip to Olde City Quilts this week for some Christmas fabric. I could get lost in there; it's huge and just so well-kept and beautiful inside. Plus, they have a whole WALL of Aurifil. So pretty. I found some variegated teal for another project, which I didn't even know they made. 

I ended up choosing In From the Cold along with some coordinating prints and a white on white for the background. 

Moda Bake Shop had a pretty easy table runner pattern on their site the other day, so I went with it. Here is the layout of the top (minus borders). 

Hopefully I will get the top finished up tomorrow, and be able to quilt and bind it before Christmas. Fingers crossed. 

Holiday Housewarming

My youngest brother got married and bought a house this year, so I made them holiday placemats and stockings as their housewarming gift. The placemats are reversible, since my new sister-in-law is Jewish and my brother is Catholic. I got the two sides to line up, though, so the quilting (x's through each square, and a rectangle around the name box) looks right on both sides.

You can see the backs and fronts in this photo, but once again I forgot to take a picture of the final product...  I bound them with white and it looked really nice. 

I had a little help picking out the stocking fabric...

...and settled on these coordinating prints, with Kona emerald for the cuffs and lining. 

My cousin Diane helped me out with the embroidery, and here they are!

Hopefully I will get a picture of them hanging up for Christmas. I'm just glad they're done in time for Santa to fill them up!