A Diaper Bag for Dad

Tags

aragonbag, bag, diaperbag

I used the Aragon Bag pattern by Sarah Lawson to make a diaper bag that Riley’s Dad wouldn’t mind carrying. I added a detachable strap that is long enough to go cross body, freeing his hands for more important things.

The back of the bag and lining fabric

I really wanted to lineup the motif on the front pocket and flap with the background. I needed four of this repeat to make it work; one for the back of the bag, one for the background on the front, one for the pocket and the last one for the flap.

The snap on the wrong side of the flap.

On the first attempt, I managed to cut and sew everything so that it matched, but then attached the snap facing the wrong way. There wasn’t another panel of this motif on the fabric yardage I had, but luckily my LQS still had it in stock. I got another yard of fabric and remade the flap with the snap on correctly. The flap didn’t line up as well the second time, but I am willing to live with it.

Everything lined up with the snap on correctly

All finished

A look at the inside

Niece #2 liked the diaper bag so much that I made one for her from the same pattern. I used this gorgeous Amanda Carona fabric on the outside and a plain navy and white stripe for the lining and accents.

Fabric and Pattern

Finished bag for Niece #2

The Last Wedding Quilt

Tags

freemotionquilting, modernquilt, quilt, weddingquilt

Nephew #4 got married in July 2015. Here is the quilt I made for him and his lovely new wife. This quilt is currently living with them in Bangkok, Thailand.

Figuring out what to do

On the design wall

Sewing the rows

Pinning the top

Experimenting with different quilting options

Anchor quilting the sashing with my walking foot

Marking the squares for free motion quilting

After echo quilting the sashing, I filled each little square with free motion quilting. I broke and buried the threads in each square. Yes, I am insane when it comes to quilting.

Free motion quilting each little square

Free motion quilting and binge watching Gilmore Girls

Colored Squares – Full View

Close up of the quilting

Label

Big Girl Quilts

Tags

contemporaryquilt, girlquilt, quilt, traditionalquilt

Nephew #2 welcomed his third daughter in April. They already have plenty of baby quilts from the first two girls, so this time I made big girl quilts for the older sisters.

I wanted the quilts to be different, but since they are sharing a room with twin beds, the quilts needed to go together. So I chose different patterns using the same fabrics.

Ali’s quilt is a traditional Rail Fence pattern with 1/2″ white sashing.

Ali’s quilt top on the design wall.

All over loops and flowers quilting

More of the quilting

The back

The label

For Avery’s quilt, I cut a bunch of 10″ squares. Then I cut them in half, making two 5″ x 10″ blocks. Then I cut one of those in half making two 5″ squares and so one, with each cut I kept one block and cut the other in half. The final cut made two 2.5″ squares. Then I mixed them up and randomly re-assembled the blocks into 10″ squares using 1/2″ sashing.

Avery’s quilt in process

Completed top on the design wall

Matchstick quilting with the walking foot

More quilting

The label

The patterns are distinctly different but by using the same fabrics and 1/2″ white sashing, they look pretty good together.

Ali’s Quilt artistically draped

Avery’s Quilt artistically draped

Happy Grandma

Tags

#baby, #babypicture

I actually have some free time on my hands today and decided to write a post. I can’t believe it has been over a year since I posted anything! A lot has happened in that time. Our family is growing rapidly with weddings and babies. I’ll post more about that later.

The best news of all is that I am finally a grandma. So, for those who haven’t meet her, here is Riley!

I’ll let the photos tell her story:

One hour old

First day home

Second day home

Some people are born cool

Introduction to Computing 101

Not doing so well

Open heart surgery – post-op day 1

Post-op three days and on the mend

Ten days post-op

Riley came home again 6 days ago and is doing remarkably well.

Tangerine

Tags

modernquilt, quilt, traditionalquilt

The June/July issue of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine should be in your e-mail boxes now. The pattern for my Tangerine quilt appears on page 72.

I found the center block in the “Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns” by Barbara Brackman. It is block #1164, called “Arrow Crown”. I added the ribbon border first, then decided it needed to be bigger and added the other borders. The quilt was completed in November of 2014 for a guild challenge. Each member drew a crayon from a paper bag and had to make something quilted using only that color plus white, grey or black.  I drew tangerine.

Close up of the front

Close up of the quilting

I quilted it on my domestic table top Juki using a low loft cotton batting. I used all white thread in the bobbin but switched the color of the top thread to match each block.

Full view of the back

Ups and Downs

Tags

modernquilt, quilt

I am calling this quilt “Ups and Downs”. It is a wedding gift for Nephew #1 and his sweet bride.

Ups and Downs (2015)

Ups and Downs – close up of the front

Ups and Downs – back

Ups and Downs – quilting from the back

Ups and Downs – label

Boston Uncommon

Tags

quilt, traditionalquilt

I finally completed another version of my Boston Uncommon quilt pattern. In exchange for me making this quilt in these colors, Dawn Williams made a generous donation to the Michigan Organ Transplant Family Assist Fund.

I started piecing this quilt at the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild retreat at the end of January. It was supposed to be a queen, but I miss-calculated and it turned into a king. I had all the blocks made by the time I realized how large it was going to be, so I decided to just go with it. The final size is 92″ x 102″.

Here is a full view of the front

A close up of the front

Here a full view of the back.

I quilted a king on my Juki once before, but it was so hard to move all that weight around. I decided to send this one out. This is the first time I have had someone else quilt one of my tops. Kathy Koch of Thread Bear Quilting did a fabulous job.

Close up of the quilting from the back

This is the label

Today is the last day of the show

Tags

modernquilt, quiltshow

Quilt Show 2014

Tags

quiltshow

The Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild is having its biennial Quilt Show in the Morris J Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College this coming Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27.

Quilt Show hours are Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 11-5. Admission is $6. There will be many pieces of high quality on display, including a special exhibit of Modern Quilts by the Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild. Some items will be for sale.

I have four quilts in the show. They are:

Modern Lily (2013) – Nephew #3 wedding quilt

Wild Geese – which appeared in Quilter’s Newsletter – Best Scrap Quilts (April 2014)

Purple Niblets (2012)

Black Niblets (2014) – This quilt will be for sale through the Silent Auction

Brad’s Quilt

Tags

traditionalquilt

It is finally done! I promised to make a quilt for Brad over three years ago.

I chose a palette in earth tones for this quilt because Brad is an outdoors loving person and his partner is an artist and avid gardener. I thought this palette would go well in their home. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Here is how it looks from the back.

I started with simple 3″ nine-patch blocks (niblets). Many of which are from a swap I did some years ago with some friends I met on-line; Lucy in Indiana, Kathy in Pennsylvania and Mary in Oregon. I placed the niblet blocks on-point by adding triangles, then arranged them in a straight grid alternating light and dark.

This close up of the quilting from the front, shows how I quilted a double line echo stitch on each side of the major seams using a walking foot. Then, I filled in the nine-patch blocks with organic cross hatching using free motion. I used Leah Day’s free motion “Tree Roots” pattern in the borders.

I used white Aurifil 50wt thread, which blended in nicely on the front and made an interesting contrast in the dark areas of the back.

Some left over blocks were useful for framing a simple hand embroidered label.

I am linking up with Finish It Up Friday on the Crazy Mom Quilts blog.