Coast to Coast Traveling Quilt Bee

I've mentioned the Coast to Coast Traveling Quilt Bee a couple of times, and today I'm excited to share more about this project with you. Earlier this year, my quilting sensei, K, and I were discussing how fun traveling bees are, and that turned into some discussion about starting one, and before I knew it, C2C was born, six ladies (myself included) were excited to be a part of it, and we'll commence January 1!

If you're unfamiliar with the concept of a traveling quilt bee, the long and short of it is, we'll each start our own quilt, then mail it off to the next person in line. Each person in the bee adds on to it and mails it to the person after them, and in the end, each quilt will be worked on by six individuals and return to the person who started it. Fun, right?

I had the hardest time settling on a fabric pull for this quilt. I originally used Katarina Roccella's Avant Garde collection as a starting off point--specifically her Steps Above Print in Prism--and had planned to do a super bright bit of fun. But it was never quite right. I subtracted prints, I added prints, I shopped around for other prints, but nothing was right. And then, the my pull-in-progress was sitting next to a Tula Pink print from her Acacia line--the raccoons on tan fabric--and that looked divine, and I added fabrics that finally felt right, but then I had no idea what to do! Finally, I axed the raccoons and started cutting strips of my fabrics.

There was a lot of weird cutting, and when I got to this point, I pretty much knew I'd either love the finished result or hate it. There was not going to be any middle ground. I was all kinds of nervous.

Here's where I landed. Friends, I'm in LOVE with this. Like, wanna go to the chapel and get married kind of LOVE. Y'all may know I'm a super huge fan of Rebecca Bryan's Modern Rainbow book, and I'm slowly working on making every quilt from that book. Well, this is my go at her Wavelength quilt. I ADORE that quilt. I seriously want a super big version too, but I felt that starting off with a smaller version was a smart idea as I wanted to make sure I had grasped the improv piecing properly.

I need to write up some notes and whatnot, but after that, I'll be sending this off to Chelsea. And come January 1, I'll start work on Alison's. I am ALL SORTS of excited for this bee, as I know it's going to be splendid and amazing and awesome all packed into six quilts.

Have you ever been in a traveling quilt bee?

2017 Planning.

I love lists. I do, I do, I do. Aren't they magnificent? And to-do/goal/planning lists?? Oh, friends! They make my heart leap with delight! I am already stoked for 2017 in a very real way. I know so many people that had terrible 2016s, and mine wasn't, not really. It was a full year--a move from the midwest to the northeast, a new baby, homeschooling two kiddos instead of one. Next year, well! I'll still be homeschooling, but there are no plans to move or have new babies.

2017...LOOK OUT. I've got my eye on you.

Quilting/Sewing/Crafting

1. Finish Some Stuff.
   I have grand plans to knock out my Q4 2016 FAL list. Some of those projects have rolled over far too many times.
2. Design More Original Quilts.
   I pushed myself with the #30daysofquiltdesign challenge from Stitched in Color this year, and it was such a good thing for me.
3. Rock My Current Commitments.
   I've got the Coast to Coast Traveling Bee, The Honey Pot Bee, and The Happily Ever After SAL from Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery. More on Coast to Coast soon!
4. Get Back to Giving.
   I'd like to make a couple of quilts for Project Linus. It's been too long since my last one!

Life

1. Love My Family
   They are the most important, and I want them to know that.
2. Be a Boss at Homeschooling
   Our school year so far is going really well, but I want to get into the habit of having a read-aloud time every school day. I'm going to have my boys participate in the Read Aloud Revival 31-Day Challenge. I'd also like to find some new review games to play.
3. Finish My Book
   I published my first book in 2015, and I'd like to get the sequel published in 2017. I have feedback from beta readers, and I just need to implement some changes, and then it's off to the copyeditor. I don't actually imagine this will take super long, but I do think getting started after this break will be difficult.
4. Simplify
   I would like to declutter my home a bit more. I've done Forty Bags in Forty Days the last couple of years, and that's definitely on the plan for this year too, but I'd like to get started before then. We have boxes of stuff still packed away, which leads me to question, do we even need that stuff? I also want to be intentional about the stuff that I do. 
5. Take Care of Myself
   I'm excited to start exercising again--when the midwife gives the okay--and I'm eager to start cooking more complicated and healthier fare now that I'm not longer pregnant. 

That's my list, friends. Hooray for a new year!

The Honey Pot Bee

Friends, I love the start of a new year. I always feel like there's promise looming ahead--the idea that I could have 365(ish) days to make a difference, change my life, become a better person...and it doesn't hurt that so many fun things start on January 1st!

Cue: The Honey Pot Bee. This is a totally non-stress quilting "bee" that is open to anyone, and as it's hosted by the fabulous Molli Sparkles, you know it's going to be a fun--dare I say, sparkly?--time.

Here are the quick details: every month, January through December, two peeps will choose a block. The participants will make one or both out of their own fabrics for themselves. At the end of the year, they'll have 24(ish) blocks for a super fun quilt. There's no shipping, no requirements, no fuss. If you get behind, there's no pressure. For a girl that just had a baby, it's like the dream bee.

And if that doesn't sell you, here's the list of twelve super fab quilters who will be serving as queen bees:

January – Angie – http://gnomeangel.com

February – Adrianne – http://onthewindyside.co.nz

March – Amy – http://www.13spools.com

April – Audrey – http://hotpinkquilts.blogspot.com.au

May – Julie – http://intrepidthread.com

June – Alyce – http://blossomheartquilts.com

July – Leanne – http://shecanquilt.ca

August – Sam – https://huntersdesignstudio.com

September – Sarah – http://www.nohatsinthehouse.com

October – Kelly – http://jeliquilts.blogspot.com.au

November – Kristy – http://quietplay.blogspot.com.au

December – Yvonne – http://quiltingjetgirl.com

And we'll be joined with another twelve awesome, TBA quilters, woo! (Why yes, that is my name scheduled for April, and I am all sorts of excited.) Will you join me?

Say yes!

FF: Lito's Big Boy Quilt

My son's Epic 1001 Peeps big boy bed quilt is done. Hallelujah, amen! I managed to crank out the binding yesterday, and after a wash and dry, my son slept under it for the first time last night. And he was so pleased and satisfied, and his little four-year-old voice telling me he loved it made every single cut and stitch worth it.

The blocks are based off the Fussy Framed Block tutorial from Kate Conklin designs and feature Lizzy House's 1001 Peeps collection, which I started hoarding over four years ago when my son was just a baby, all with the idea that one day I would use it for his big boy bed quilt.

The blocks were a cinch to piece, and I tried to do them in sets of four. My son actually helped me to pick out which fabrics would go with what and what area to fussy cut and what solid to choose for the window frame. I needed thirty-five blocks, and I managed to get them done in about a week and a half. The sashing is Kona indigo. I had planned to do a scrappy border, but when I threw the sashed top on his bed, I realized a border would make the quilt much bigger than I'd intended, and I scrapped the idea and left it simple.

The back is a hodge-podge of randomness. I like to think of it as an exercise in throwing a bunch of random blue fabrics together so that I didn't have to buy more fabric. 

For the quilting, I knew that I wanted a square meander, and I considered quilting this one myself, but the thought of basting it made me want to cry--I was very, very pregnant--so I opted to take this one to my LQS and have them do it for me. It was sooooo the right call. The meander is maybe larger than I'd intended, but I like the effect. I'm super happy with how it turned out.

I bound it in a lime Kona solid--can't remember which one, oops!--and used a zigzag stitch to machine bind it to the front. I don't do a lot of machine binding, but since I know this quilt will be seeing a lot of use, it seemed like a good call.

And here it is on his bed! This is finish #4 from my FAL list, and if I'm honest, it was definitely one of the more important finishes to accomplish this quarter, so I'm super pleased. I'm not sure if I'll finish anything else up before the end of the year, but with this and Vanilla's quilt done, I feel like it's okay if I don't!

Ramona Flowers Bag.

Earlier this fall, a box showed up in my mailbox from my friend L. I knew it was my birthday present, and I knew she had spent a complicated and lengthy time concocting it, but I had no idea what the contents would be. When I opened it, I pulled out a bag and immediately started crying.

Pretty sweet bag, right? And it's definitely something I would rock, but that's not the reason I started crying. I started crying because I had wanted to cosplay as Ramona Flowers for Free Comic Book Day back in May, but after doing some quick research, I realized I would absolutely have to have Ramona's magical bag of magical bagness, and there was no way I was going to pay a kajillion dollars for one that someone else had made, and there was no way I was going to make one in the very limited time I had, so Ramona Flowers was off the table, and I figured I'd have plenty of time to figure out the bag before next May.

Except L did that for me. Cue crying.

Did I mention the bag is reversible? I don't even know how she figured it all out, but she did. This is her creation, and it probably took her a million years to make, and how do you say thank you and worse, what do you make/get her for her birthday next month? Eep! (I have some ideas....)

And while it's only December, I need to start working on my Ramona dress. Because if I have a bag this year, I better make sure my outfit it totally epic. (AND IT WILL BE.)

So thank you, L, for my awesome bag of magical Ramona bagness. And thank you for being such an awesome friend. I heart you mucho.

Vanilla's Baby Quilt

Those of you who follow me on instagram are probably already aware, but Vanilla arrived last week! My strategy was to eat so much food on Thanksgiving that she was pushed out of the womb. I am thrilled to report that it worked! And lucky for me, I (mostly) finished her quilt, just in time.

The adjustment from a family of five to a family of six has been relatively painless, and the challenges have been expected ones. I look forward to seeing how Vanilla continues to fit into our family.

As you can see, I didn't get around to handstitching the friendship stars. I may revisit that at a later point. Or not. I think I'm going to wait and see how different my life is with four kidlets before making a firm call on that.

This is A LOT of quilting for me. I know this is like regular quilting for many people, but for me, oh man. This is crazy town. And I have to say, for the first time maybe ever, I really enjoyed all of that quilting. I really enjoyed the thought process. Maybe it's an instance of finally feeling like I kinda know what I'm doing? Or maybe it's just that I cherished every part of the making of this quilt?

This quilt is scrappy down to its core, but I made sure it had some cherished favorites. OOP Tula and AMH, shot cottons, even some batik scraps. The backing is a Heather Ross strawberry print with a couple of scrappy strips to bring it up to size. Not gonna lie, I was pretty pleased to use up some of the gypsy wife strip scraps that have been sitting in my scrap bin for ages. I hoarded this HR print for ages, originally planning to make myself a skirt, but it's a much better fit for this baby.

Has this quilt made my top five quilts of all time list? Um, yes. For sure! I adore how this quilt turned out. A wild explosion of pattern and color and randomness with a hint of order--even that description doesn't quite make sense! But these are the best sort of quilts for me.

This is finish #3 from my FAL list. Admittedly, I'm a wee bit behind where I wanted to be, and I can't see myself making much progress over the next month, but I also kinda expected that. Vanilla will be my big finish for the quarter.

FIP (Friday in Progress?)

I'm calling this Friday in Progress, and sadly, Friends, I have little to report. Vanilla is apparently quite snug in my stomach and wants to stay put, a fact with which I am finally coming to terms--but I have been busy with lots of baby prep and even some resting. My freezer is full of ready-to-cook crockpot meals, everything for baby is laundered and put away, our homeschool is planned through the end of the year, and I've knocked a few other annoying tasks off my to-do list. I haven't felt a huge rush to nest this pregnancy--with Fava, I decided one weekend that our dining room table had to be completely sanded and repainted because there was no way I could bring a child into a home that featured a table that chipped--so I've been taking it slow. Which is good. Because walking slowly seems to absolutely wind me at this point.

And for some reason, my motivation to sew has been zapped. I picked up my middle son's big boy bed quilt from the long-armer, and I love the way it turned out. The boxy design is maybe larger than I expected, but I actually like that about it. I've yet to trim this bad boy or even start work on piecing the binding, but I do know I'm planning to bind it in the lime solid we used. My son is sooooooo excited for it to be done, and he's asked if he can sleep under it every night once I've finished. That does a mama's heart good.

I attached the binding to Vanilla's baby quilt, but I've gotten little done on the handsewing front. (I'm one side down as of this morning!) I really need to step on this, especially since I'm still planning to handquilt those friendship stars, but even as I type this, I'm yawning. Maybe something about that quilt just makes me sleepy?

I have been making some knitting progress on my mama's shawl. I went up a size in needles after my other shawl turned out too small, but even still, I think this is going to run on the small size if I just stick with the pattern. Thankfully, this one looks like it will be a breeze to just add rows until I'm content with the length. I'm enjoying the pattern and the look, and I'm thinking I might knit up a second one after I finish this one, but with much larger needles.

That's what's going on around these parts. How are you? 

Stash Bee 2016 Blocks

Friends, I had the honor of hive mama-ing for Stash Bee Hive 5 this year. This was my third year being a hive mama, and while I won't be doing it next year due to increasing home school commitments and the fact that I will have a very new baby, it has been a lovely experience. I'm a big fan of Stash Bee.

Sign-ups for the 2017 year opened up yesterday, and if you've been considering joining, I thought you might like to take a look at some examples of blocks you might be asked to make. I asked for the Five Crosses block in the center of the collage, and I received a lovely batch of blocks that I turned into a quilt for my friend K.

One of my favorite parts of the bee is that it allows me to make blocks I wouldn't normally make, often using color palettes that are outside of my 'usual'. I had a super fun year with a super fun hive, but I'm pretty sure the collage gives that away!  

Vanilla's Quilt in Progress

After what I think was a successful spray basting session--or at the very least, what I hope was successful--I've commenced the quilting on Vanilla's baby quilt. So far, it's involved seven different types of thread, three different sewing machine feet, and by-the-seat-of-my-pants creativity.

I cannot get over echo quilting. I just can't. So that's what I spent a lot of my start doing, and let me tell you, it involved a lot of quilt turning around those NY Beauty wedges! I would do a bit at a time to make sure my back and shoulders didn't punish me later. (And even then, I spent some time with a heat pad and/or ice pack, but that could also be the whole, eight months pregnant thing.)

The straight line machine quilting came along really nicely, and I love this shot from the back. I didn't think to snag a picture after I added the FMQ in two of the corners, but I added a triangular meander to two opposite corners.

And then I jumped right into handquilting the center, as I haven't completely decided what to do with the friendship stars just yet. I'm using perl cottons, which I adore--I love the chunky texture and uneven stitches up against the machine stitched bits.

The center portion of the medallion is now complete, and you can see I did some infinity loops in the first border. I need to figure out a plan for the other borders, then attack!

I may not finish the quilt until after Vanilla arrives. I had an appointment a couple of days ago, and Vanilla is doing well. Oh, and she's locked and loaded and sitting really, really low. While I could still make it to my due date (later in November), it's highly likely she'll come before then. Given my history, and the fact that my three sons all came long before their due dates, it seems prudent to make sure everything else is ready to go. So we've been doing a lot of prepping around here. Laundry, carseat installation, laundry, hospital bag packing, trying to figure out a name, and MORE laundry. I keep thinking we're almost done--minus the tiny matter of not having a name picked out thing--but then I think of more stuff I need to do!

I'll keep you posted!

Mustard Landing Shawlette

I had cast off my first shawl...ahem, shawlette, more on that in a minute...a few nights ago, and I decided last night was finally the time to block this bad boy and get 'er ready for this fall. Though the temps have been in the 80s for the past few days, apparently tomorrow is supposed to dawn with chillier weather full of wind gusts.

I used the Indigo Landing Shawlette pattern, which, for a first shawl attempt, was awesome. It had some fun detail, but it wasn't like a kajillion different types of lace. Definitely the right pattern for me!

This was only my second attempt at blocking anything. I did kinda sorta block my knit socks, which mostly consisted of letting them soak, trying to get as much of the hot pink dye out as possible. This time, I looked up a tutorial, let me shawl soak for thirty minutes, then carefully dried it as much as possible and actually blocked it. I had grand hopes that blocking it would shape it decently enough for me to wear it.

I woke up this morning, and my first thought was--shawl! I raced--okay, waddled--downstairs and removed the blocking pins. It had shaped well! And...

...it was still way too small.

My first problem is that I picked a shawlette pattern, which I didn't notice until I was about to cast off. (Go me! Super observant!) 

As for problem number two, well, I knit tightly. I always have. I don't know why. I even tried to be extra relaxed with this shawl, but nope. It still turned out too tight. And even though I added a TON of rows in an attempt to lengthen the shawl, it won't wrap around my shoulders, which is just SAD. I even knitted a gauge in an attempt to be responsible, which I NEVER DO. In the past, I've always gone up a size in needles, which hasn't been a terrible thing as I was usually making stuff that didn't require shape. Next time, I'll just trust my gut and use the bigger needles.

But, that doesn't mean it's not a super cute tiny scarf thingie. And if I manage to procure a shawl pin instead of using a hair clip, I bet it would look EVEN CUTER. So I'll definitely wear it, and the yarn washed up so soft and comfy, and it's warm. My husband even thought it was supposed to look like this, so it rings of intent. But I still want a shawl! And a shawl I shall (eventually) have. (If you know of a good shawl pattern, hook a girl up, will you? Keep in mind I am not a super advanced knitter.)

This is my second finish from my Q4 FAL list. Woo!

Boo's Sew Together Bag

I made another Sew Together Bag! And it was way easier! Yay!

My sister has a November birthday. Since I might feasibly be having a baby on her birthday, it seemed prudent to finish up her gift early. My sister has a serious love for gray and yellow, so I cut into my cherished Echo fabric to make her a Sew Together Bag. (You know you love a person if you're willing to cut into your Echo.) When I first started quilting, Echo was one of the first collections to catch my eye, and working with it reminded me of my early days of quilting.

And this is the finished bag. I changed a few things from my first sew together bag, and I don't think I'll repeat any of them. Good experiment, but not what I wanted, you know? On the one I made for my husband, I used home dec scraps and duck cloth for the exterior, which already gave it support. The added batting further stabilized it. For this one, I used quilting cotton and batting for the main panel, but I also used batting to support the side pieces, hoping it would be enough. It works, but they are a little floppy--not the crisp edges that my husband's show.

I chose not to interface the pockets because interfacing and I are involved in a major feud at the moment, and I was using a light yellow fabric that I didn't want to scorch like the fabric I scorched the last time I tried to use interfacing. The outer zipper and batting give it enough structure to keep the bag from flopping over, but it is floppier than my first. Apparently forgetting the interfacing isn't an option for me, at least not when using quilting cottons.

My last change was how I attached the binding to the bag. On my first, I sewed it first to the interior, then onto the front. For this one, I sewed it first to the exterior, then onto the inside. I will definitely sew it first to the interior next time as I really appreciated how much cleaner the binding looked on the exterior of the bag.

The inside is lined with a yellow polka dot that was from my grandmother's stash. I thought my sister would appreciate the family touch, and she had better as I used up all of it on this bag! But it's such a happy fabric too, and I think it gives a nice touch to the interior. And I purposefully used a hot pink zipper so that every time she opens it, she'll think of me! (But I left it on the inside as I know it's not her favoritest color in the entire universe, which seems a bit crazy to me--who doesn't love hot pink as much as I do??? Honest answer: pretty much everyone.)

This is my first finish from my Q4 FAL list. At least I managed to knock one thing off before Vanilla makes her appearance!

Vanilla's Quilt Top

Friends, hopefully by the time you're reading this, I'll have finished basting this bad boy using my latest acquisition--505 basting spray. Hopefully, the spray is good to me, and it revolutionizes my basting experience. We shall see. But first! Details on this lovely, which is finally done!

This was my original sketch for Vanilla's quilt, aka, #10 from the #30daysofquiltdesign challenge, and I'm not gonna lie, I still really love this design. Three-quarter dresdens in two corners? Fun blocks of color? Yowzas! This was going to be epic and just right.

Except, when I finished my friendship star border, I started to get worried. I really liked the dark navy of the quilt and the feel it gave to the top. I loved my original drawing, but I hadn't bothered to color anything in, just assuming I'd go navy/LV/navy/LV/etc. as I worked. And the more I looked at the quilt top, the more I started to think a thick low volume final border would significantly change the feel of the quilt, and in a way I wouldn't like. I didn't want to do it. I wanted my navy!

I stuck with my gut, and I didn't make the final border a low volume pièce de résistance. I split it into two thinner borders, one a thin low volume, and one a slightly thicker navy solid border--Kona Indigo, I think? And when I finished sewing that second border, I knew it was the right call. While not as flashy and skill-challenging as the dresdens certainly would have been, it finishes off this quilt top properly, at least in my opinion.

Besides, there is already kinda a lot going on with this top. A New York Beauty center...

...a round of friendship stars, two of which intentionally rotate in a different direction...

...and a backing pieced from Heather Ross' Briar Rose collection, the ever delicious strawberry fabric that I have been hoarding for just a wee bit.

So while I didn't follow my original plan exactly, I let this quilt take me where it would, and it was the right call. I have no idea how I'm going to quilt it. I love the idea of a mix of hand and machine quilting, but I may just machine quilt it for now and add in the perle cotton elements later. I do know I intend a scrappy binding using the warm colors in the top because while this quilt has a lot going on, I'm sure to pack in more. It's the Audrey way.

Vanilla's Symphony of Pink.

(I have meant to write this post for days. DAYS, friends.) Isn't this the sweetest little pink quilt ever? And given my love of pink, you might be inclined to think this beauty came from my own hands, but no! She's the clever work of my lovely Stash Bee 2016 hive. This is my third year hive mama-ing, and this year I almost feel unnecessary as my hive is mostly self-sufficient and awesome and stuff. And then they're super lovely and make a gorgeous quilt for my little Vanilla bean. The back is a soft flannel, and it has the most gorgeous embroidered label with everyone's name. When I received it in the mail, I totally cried, right in front of my houseguests, and when my husband saw it, he loved it too! I promise I'll get a shot of baby snuggled in her quilt when she arrives and send it on to you hive mates!

This quilt is so special to me, and I am so grateful to my awesome hive. I had grand plans to photograph it, but I'm hoping y'all will forgive me when I plead a giant belly and third trimester pregnancy and stuff. I promise, I'll only use that excuse for another few weeks. Then I'll start in on the new baby excuses! Just kidding.

Q4 2016 FAL List.

The first six are items that I didn't finish last quarter. (I finished eight and scrapped two, so I'm calling Q3 a success.) And then some new ones, woo!

1. Negroni shirt for husband 

I completed a muslin that was waaaaaay too big. 

I need to make another before proceeding.

2. Midnight Mystery Quilt

Top needs to be sent to the long armer

3. Baby Quilt for Vanilla

Medallion Quilt--top is done
DONE

4. Big Boy Quilt for Lito

This bad boy is at the long-armer. 
DONE 

5. Dress for E
Geranium Dress pattern - pulled fabric; I'm going to be attempting a knit version.

6. Dress for Vanilla
Geranium Dress pattern - pulled fabric

7 & 8. Costumes for Banzo and Lito

 Pulled fabric--I'm planning to modify a pair of maxaloones and make a knit shirt

9. Indigo Landing Shawlette

almost done with this one--then need to figure out how to block it, eep!
DONE

10-13. Secret Sewing for Holiday Gifts

 pulled fabric, have pattern and plan of attack 
Boo's DONE

14. Quilt for Baby P
I'll be using one of my own designs and color palettes from the #30daysofquiltdesign challenge.

15. Quilt for Baby K
I'll be using one of my own designs and color palettes from the #30daysofquiltdesign challenge.

16. Quilt for Baby S
Here goes another Northern Lights pattern featuring solids!

This list is a big stack of dreams as Vanilla arrives next month and who knows what my sewing time will look like then! But Audreys are known for their dreaming prowess, and I am a girl who lives up to my name. If you're joining in the 2016 Q4 FAL, I wish you the best of luck on your finishes!

I'm linking up!