Midweek Project Check-in (WIP)

--FINISHED!!--

Tulip Table Runner

Does anyone remember this project?  I dusted it off recently and decided to finish it up for a Mother's Day giftie -- and really had a blast re-kindling with this one!

I started by putting together a backing of strips left over from the front.  Katie will now inspect.

Then it was sandwich time.  No Katie, not that kind of sandwich.  No turkey or cheese here... just fabric and batting. 

At this point I decided I wanted to do a little something special to really make the flowers stand out. 

I decided on a little hand embroidery in the form of yellow french knots to look like the pollen in the middle of a flower.

Aren't those little knots so darling?  I really enjoyed the process and can see doing it to another quilt in the near future for sure!

A close up!

A shot of another flower!

Once I finished quilting -- I did a very simple square 1/8 in from the edge of each flower box and also a large rectangle around the border of the whole runner -- it was time for binding. 

I made up a bit of blue and scrappy binding.  Don't you just love binding all rolled up?

And here is the finished table runner.  It's about 5 feet 3 inches long.  I know... it's for a very big table!

I really enjoyed making this one!  I enjoyed gifting it too!  My MIL (that's Mother in Love) was over the moon to get it!  She had already seen the top completed, but not the whole thing together yet.  What a great project!!

--ONGOING PROJECTS--

My Quilt Needs a Name: Bottled Rainbows {ticker tape quilt-along}

I'm excited to say that this project has gotten the most attention this past week and I am loving every stitch of it!  Get it... every stitch? Ha!

I still can't get over the richness and vibrancy of these Kona solids.  Every last one is so delicious!  I was stuck between can't cut these pretty fabrics and I can't wait to dive in for weeks.

I assembled three of the blocks just to get a feel for it.  And it was easy peasy! 

I got out a big pile 'o small batting scraps to use for the quilt as you go part.

I also have my fabric scraps at the ready.  I haven't separated them out by color yet, but I am thinking it's the next logical step.

I randomly decided to start with this Kelly green block and was amazing at how many green's I have in my scraps.  It may help me to put all the Kona bottle green colors (there are three of them) next to me so that I can figure out which scraps will go with this one versus other shades.

Like those mushrooms in the top right -- so cute! -- but probably belong with the darker green shade. 

This one was watching me the whole time.  Seeing me move around with bundles of scraps and fabric always peaks her curiosity.  Golly, I love this dog!  More to come... I can see myself playing with this one on and off all week!

Crewel Spring Flowers

I'm plugging along with each stitch and flower.  I will show you again once the next flower is finished!  I am working on yellow roses -- delightful!!  Here is what it looked like last week if you want to look.

--STALLED--

Flourishing Garden (king sized)
I am still thinking about the backing to this one.  Yes, you can call that really no action.

X Marks the Spot

Still on my design wall, next step is to cut squares and then piece the top.  Just haven't picked up the rotary cutter to do this yet.

Katie Fiber Art

I have been thinking about one a lot too.  And I think I am going to restart this one.  I originally used some very thick fabrics to get the fur texture, but it has proved hard to thread paint. 

Of course, I haven't given this a try on the new machine yet.  Maybe that's my plan.  Try thread painting it on the new machine and take it from there. 

This Week's Work in Progress (WiP) Stats 

Last WiP Wednesday Total: 6
New Projects: 0 (I've been so good not to start something new!)

Finished Projects: 1
Total WiP's: 5 (down one with the finish of Tulip Table Runner!)

---Linking to W.I.P. Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced and Fabric Tuesday at Quiltstory---

日本のための多くの愛
Much love for Japan 

Tulip Table Runner or is it a Table Square?

She's done!  Ready to be admired for all her beauty. 

As we are expecting anywhere from 10 to 18 inches of snow in the next 24 hours this is a welcome breath of the spring to come and a good way to combat the winter blahs!  I have showed you progress here and here.

I give you Tulip Table runner -- or Table square?  What do you call a table runner that goes on a round table?

A closer look at the free motion quilting that I am learning to live for!  Gives that "loop, swoop, and pull" saying (to teach kids how to tie their shoe laces) a whole new quilting meaning. 

I find myself saying the phrase or mantra over and over as I free motion.  It becomes a sort of rhythm -- a meditation. 

Next up was the binding.  I had the binding picked out from the start and it turned out even more fantastic than it was in my head. 

I can see improvement in my binding each time I go through it, but I have a lot of room to improve in this area!

And here is the first look.  The corner is flipped up to show the back and front at the same time.

Oh yes, this sceams April showers bring May flowers!! 

I have a wonderful assortment of tulip bulbs in the ground patiently waiting to bloom.  I really enjoy watching them grow and then pop full of color (as long as the deer, woodchuck, rabbits, dog don't get them first)

And a quick look at the back.  This could potentially be considered double sided if you wouldn't mind the brown.  I actually quite like the look of the pin wheels!!  The whole thing is so playful!

Yes, there are many variations that could be dreamt up for this.  I am already planning another one and might instead use a single color for each tulip.   Also, this next one will in fact be a runner instead of a square.  Can't wait to see what my crazy spirit whips up in the next design!

These tulips are already happily adjusting to their new home with my amazing neighbor -- yes, the one that makes us homemade meatballs and extra sauce and always has a dog biscuit and carrot on hand when Katie visits.

Have I mentioned how lucky I am today?

Quilted Gifts, I can finally show you or not.

I made a few things as gifts this year -- and now that I can show you without the chance of ruining the surprise... I am realizing I never really took final pictures of things. 

*smacking my hand on my head*

I guess I didn't even trusted myself with pictures in fear I would ruin the surprises. 

Oh well.  Remember the purple table runner I was working on here and here?  Well, here is the almost done shot of it.  It's quilted with big loopy-doopies (very technical quilt term) and I just hadn't added the binding yet.  I went with scrappy purple binding and it sure was a hit come present opening time!!

And, yes, I failed a second time... remember that red and pink girly table runner I was working on and teased you with here? 

Well, it turned out to be so darn beautiful -- one of my favorites!!  I think I got away with only using 5 fat quarters in total for this project!  I went with a more simple quilting diagonally through the diamonds.  The binding ended up being made from that darker red color (I think).

I can see making up a few more of these in different color schemes for other holidays! 

I also finished the mug rugs I began to show you here.  And nope, I'm a dork and didn't take a finished picture of these either.  Total failure on my part x 3.
Maybe I should have called this post Invisible Finshed Quilted Gifts.  Oh well.  Just means I will have to grab a snap of these being used down the road.

And yes, my machine is humming again.  Can't wait to show you what's cookin' now!

Creative Tuesday: Curtains

Tuesday = time to put on your creative hat for Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment!

This week's theme we all explored "Curtains."  tada!  ya, I felt a little bit flat after reading the new theme, but it hasn't deterred me from jumping in and seeing what I could do with this.

[Aside: True story about curtains... I am not a fan of them.  I have the bare minimum amount of curtains in the house and would much rather plant a large tree outside my window than have window treatments.]

That said, I still gave this my all and tried to put together something I would still enjoy creating.  And I am so happy I did!!

I started with hippie bead curtains and then decided there would be a private and peaceful room within.

I think I surprised myself with the amount of detail that I included  -- that's the result of freshly sharpened pencil! 

Also, a scene like this... bare of animals, characters, and humor is a stretch for me.  But that's the point right?  Stretch that creative muscle and produce something that you didn't see coming.

As I began to fill in the colors I felt more connected to the place and could even see myself going to this restaurant or home of sorts to enjoy a quiet conversation and cup of green tea!

I also choose to work with and blend all the purples in my color pencil box -- I was stunned how many shades of purple I had.

And here is the final result: a combination of Hippie and Japanese with royal purple tones.  Would this design style be Hipanese?

A closer look at the table setting.  I tried to create a soft feel with the color pencils.  A stray from my normal bold color choices.

The bonsai tree and strange big daisy type flower.

The cushions, tea pot, and chop sticks!

Yup, I can see myself sinking right into this room and letting the day melt away.

I sure had fun with this assignment again.  Hope you will go check out my fellow artists here and see their interpretation of Curtains -- bet you didn't think they could be so fun!

Entertaining

I love to entertain.  I think I always have.  There is something so satisfying about bringing people together. 

I had a gathering recently that looked a little something like this.

Wine glass arranged thoughtfully.

Charms on the stems to lighten the mood and help you remember which glass is yours.

A small center piece of origami flowers to dress the table.

I snuck a swan in there too!

Cutlery and plates set out to to make desert all the easier to serve.

Dishes for the table to make it easier to set it for the meal when the time comes.

Potatos washed and drip drying in the sink ready to be quartered for mashed potatoes!

Aged cheddar out being warmed to room temperature for hors d'œuvres.

No matter what your gathering looks like it's the laughs and good times that are remembered.  The items that make up a gathering are merely a road taken or tool used to get to that happy place with a group of people!

When are you having your next gathering?  What special things do you use to set the mood for happy?

Paint me in love

Lately, happiness has come to me in strange forms.  Well, not strange, but different.  Which is ok since it doesn't really matter what form happiness takes, right?  Just matters that you have a whole huge gob of it in your life.  Well, and you have to stop to enjoy and appreciate it... a lot!

So, what does happiness look like?

Well, a few days ago it looked like this:

Yup. 

Paint! 

After so many years of renting and many years before that of not really being able to paint my own room I have painted my first room in my house.  It's a magical. no wonderful. even maybe a fantastical thing!

The first room ended up being the kitchen.  Which is good stuff, since that's the heart of the home. 

The color picked was Natural Wicker. 

Not very daring.  Not very out there... but man it warms up the room.  And my kitchen has very intense and saturated red tiles for the floor.... which means I couldn't do anything too crazy on the walls.  (wait till you see the art work I find! -- going to be a whole other story since I haven't found it yet.)

I may have goofed off a little...

But you can't blame me, can you? 

It's funny too... since Mr. Happy walked in while I had this on the wall and I thought for sure I was caught.  But, I don't think he noticed it.  Heeheehee.  Sneaky of me, right?  Now that wall will say I love him... forever!  Romantic!  Happy!

I am lucky to have a husband who goes along with my crazy ideas.  He's pretty cool too!  

I think the color came out nicely and now that my arms don't feel like noodles any more I am ready to paint some more.

I think the next room will be the master bedroom. 

Bet you didn't think you could find happiness in a can?

4th of July Decorations

Creating decorations for the 4th of July = happiness!

I got this idea from a Simply Living email (I think). It's just brown wrapping paper tied down with string and then I used stamps, markers, stickers, and decorative punches to create a festive table setting! The blue napkins with stars were from Target and I used a pinch of red ribbon to tie them around silverware. For extra party spirit I served homemade Sangria from Applewood's Blackberry wine (seen pictured on the table corner). Delicious!

The overall effect was a hit! Very festive and fun. Bonus... it was so easy to clean up the card table! Just cut off the strings and fold up the paper and voila... table is all cleaned up.