Completed Project! – Page 12 – Artquiltmaker Blog

Finished: Batik Chubby Charmer

I finally finished the Chubby Charmer I started making for myself a few weeks ago. I am really pleased with how it turned out. I started filling it with supplies for the Jelly Roll Rug class almost as soon as I had finished with it.

I used a violet batik for the handles and I am pleased with the choice.

I also did a few different things with the inside pockets. I didn’t make smaller pockets or slip zipper pockets. I even forgot to add Shapeflex to the pockets, but I did add a lobster clasp and a special pen holder.

All Rolled Up Tote - pouches (back) — All Rolled Up Tote – pouches (back)

My idea for the pockets had to do with the pouches I discussed when I made the All Rolled Up Tote. Yes, there is no D-ring like I discussed, but I didn’t have a D-ring that would fit with the lobster clip. I have a lot of those lobster clips. I will need to get some D-rings to go with them, but at this point I thought a lobster clip could still be clipped to a lobster clip.

Looking at the pictures now, I might just make a pouch to go with this Chubby Charmer as well.

Finished: City Sampler

Finally! After, what seems like, years, I finally finished the City Sampler.

This is the product of the Tula Pink’s City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks.

I started it in 2014 with high hopes of having a fun joint experience with Julie. Of course, it was fun to work on it at the same time, but the whole experience was not that great. I had problems with my seam allowance. Coupled with the small pieces in a lot of the blocks, many of the blocks came out the wrong sizes. I think of myself as a competent piecer, so this problem was extremely frustrating especially when I couldn’t diagnose the cause of the problem.

Also, I do not like log cabin blocks. I don’t know what it is about them, but I don’t like them. This book had a ton of log cabin-like patterns. They just felt like torture to me.

I finally decided to suck up the suffering and get this off of my list. As you know, I worked on it at the CQFA Retreat and that event provided the hours I needed to get over the hump.

What makes this quilt is the quilting. Colleen outdid herself with masterful work. We have a true collaboration and it shows in this quilt.

You can find more posts about the making of this quilt by clicking on the City Sampler tag.

Finished: Scarf

Last year, during or after the Sisters trip, I started knitting a scarf. I had my usual ups and downs with the knitting, ripping out quite a bit, not knitting on it, etc.

Lately, when DH is out at a meeting on a Wednesday evening, I go to a knitting circle at a local shop in order to see people and have some human contact. I have been 3-4 times. I just sit there, knit and listen. This activity has helped to get this scarf finished. I still have to weave in the ends, but I am calling it done. This project is for me and I will wear it as a summer scarf, for those foggy days in August.

Finished: Mod Lights

This tablerunner (buffet runner) is finished and I couldn’t be more pleased.

The photo, left, shows where it will go in my house during Christmas. I am pleased because I had to adjust the pattern slightly and it worked! The runner fits perfectly on top of my buffet.

As mentioned, this is a quick curve mini-ruler pattern from Sew Kind of Wonderful called Mod Lights. The pattern has 3-4 patterns, so you wouldn’t just be getting this one.

I used some Free Spirit solids bought at QuiltCon in 2018. They were lovely to work with-not much fraying and great colors. The green is a Pointillist Palette ombre I have had for awhile and the background is the same background I used for Metroscape.

I also did the quilting myself. I don’t do much quilting, but I decided it was too small to take to Colleen and I could do it. Also, I wanted it done, so I spent a Saturday quilting it very slowly. My body is still complaining a bit from the exertion.

Mod Lights Table Runner - back — Mod Lights Table Runner – back

I had some tension issues, but learned a bit about my machine in working them out. I didn’t see the computer display change as I adjusted the tension, but I did see a difference in the stitching, so I guess it worked.

Finished: Aqua-Red Sampler

Shortly after I finished the binding on Metroscape, I started and finished the binding on this sampler. I am pleased to have another finish! With this finish, I am crossing something off the list that has been on it for a long time. That feels great.

I showed it at BAM last Saturday and I was gratified at the response. I don’t think this sampler looks fuddy-duddyish, but I wasn’t sure how that more modern audience would take it. They liked it and it makes me want to pull out the Handbag Sampler and get back to it. I do think I would like to make some smaller blocks to go in a new sampler I might start, like the Star Sampler.

Aqua-Red Sampler back - finished — Aqua-Red Sampler back – finished

Finished: Metroscape

Metroscape - finished — Metroscape – finished

I finished Metroscape a few weeks ago. I didn’t post it sooner because I just had the chance to snap a photo before I took it to guild last week.

I am still pleased with it and was encouraged to enter it into the fair, which means adding a rod pocket. I don’t have much else to add so I just might. It will, at least, impress a few people because of the curves. The machine quilted category is a tough one, but with the curves and the bold fabrics, this one might have a chance to win.

Metroscape back - finished — Metroscape back – finished

What this quilt makes me think about now is what to do next with the Quick Curve Rulers.

My Flapper Apron – Finished

Every time I type ‘apron’ it comes out as aprong. I am not sure why, but it may mean that I need to stop making aprons.

Flapper apron - Chrysanthemum side — Flapper apron – Chrysanthemum side

Flapper apron - Butterfly side — Flapper apron – Butterfly side

I finally finished my Flapper apron. I have been using the Church Ladies apron I made awhile ago, though it is not perfect. I don’t like the interfacing in the handles, because it makes them hard to tie. I also don’t like the construction.

I made a Flapper apron for myself awhile ago. The neckline was too long and gaped, so I didn’t like it for myself. It was the one I put in the Fair last year and was well sewn. It couldn’t compete against the tailored blazer in the same category (ERGH!!!), but I still did my best. I never wore it so I sent it off to a friend who admired it. Why not? She loves it.

I adjusted the pattern a little bit on this newest version and the neckline is much better. Not as long, so it doesn’t gape.

Flapper apron - pocket detail — Flapper apron – pocket detail

When I put the pockets on, I was pleased to see that I had matched up one of the Chrysanthemums! I didn’t do it on purpose, but am so pleased. I know the pocket blends into the fabric, so enlarge the photo to see my triumph. 🙂

I haven’t tried it out, but will soon.

Drawstring Gift Bags

I finally finished all of the gift bags I started at Gerre’s house a few weeks ago. I know I showed one of them previously. Sometimes I just have to show progress in order to make it seem real. The gifts are in them and ready for Christmas.

Crazy, I know, but those gifts arrived late for Christmas 2018, so I’ll just save them.

I am not sure I will make more of these bags for gift bags as they take quite a bit of time. Still, I bought some twill tape so I wouldn’t have to suffer through making drawstrings and I want to use that up. We’ll have to see.

As mentioned previously, Jeni Baker sells the pattern, which includes multiple sizes including a laundry bag size which is good for those of you sending kids off to college.

Gift Bag Done

The other week I went and had a sew day with Gerre.

I started to sew some drawstring bags to use as gift bags on the day I sewed with Gerre. I am trying to get the small gifts I purchase throughout the year wrapped as I buy them. As you know, I don’t like wrapping gifts and wrapping 30+ small gifts right before I went to Portland was my own special kind of torture. These bags, using Jeni Baker’s Drawstring bag pattern, are a start.

They have been laying around since the Sew Day with Gerre while I worked on other projects. The other day, I stitched a bit and finally finished one!!!! It turns out that I didn’t have much left to sew and doing several in a row really helped the process.

The size I chose (pattern includes multiple sizes) is a tiny bit small for the gift on which I planned to use them, but it will be fine. I can’t remember what I did with the drawstrings on the Juggling Balls bag, but I need to figure that out as the strings on this bag are definitely not acting like drawstrings.

Stepping Stones n.2 Finished

I meant to drum both of my quilt hangers into service for this huge monster, but, sadly, the YM left to go back to school before I could do it. Regardless, the Stepping Stones n.2 is finished.

Some guild pals helped me take the photos by holding it for me.

There are things I don’t like about it, mostly concerning value (or maybe contrast– I haven’t delved into the differences yet), but the overall look is good. I may not be done with this design yet, but we will see. I am not sure what I would do differently aside from changing placement of some of the fabrics or create a different border.

The quilting shows up really well from the back.

I will send it off to its new home soon.

Maureen’s Pincushion

In order to add a gift to Maureen’s bag, I made her a pincushion. Unlike the bag, the pincushion went together very smoothly. I had some of the pieces and parts from my last round of pincushion making on the cutting table. They weren’t crappy, just unused.

I picked out some other scraps from the unsorted pile on my cutting table and came up with a great selection. I am pleased with how it looks and don’t think it looks thrown together or disjointed at all.

Maureen's pincushion-with clips — Maureen’s pincushion-with clips

I saved time by not using selvages for the back. I just used a piece of the batik. As usual, I filled it with a combination of wool roving and Beanie Baby pellets.

I hope she likes it.

Sew Day with Gerre

The other day, I went to visit my friend and sew. DH was out until the evening and it was a good day to go and hang with a friend. One thing we do together is eat cornbread. My family doesn’t like it and Gerre loves it. Every chance we get she and I enjoy it together. We also took a nice walk around her neighborhood, which is filled with lovely Victorians.

We didn’t skimp on the sewing, however.

I followed up on Jan’s idea from the retreat of a textured cube. Jan works at a local museum as an Exhibits Coordinator, so she is always doing interesting things with fabric for the museum. This time she had found some 6 inch squares at FabMo. For the kinesthetic aspects of an upcoming exhibit she decided to make fabric cubes. I thought the YM would like something like this for stress relief. I took Jan up on her kind offer of squares and and made this cube on Gerre’s second machine. Since the squares were already cut, it was pretty quick to put together

I also started working on some fabric bags. Before I went to Portland I had about 30 small gifts to wrap. I didn’t have small bags so I was forced to use paper, which, for me, is a special kind of hell. I decided that I would make a bunch of small bags. In this case, some gifts arrived too late for Christmas and I decided to use the In Color Order drawstring bag pattern.

I spent most of the time we had together making the drawstrings. You’d think I would have gotten them right, but I think they are too long for the size of the bag. We’ll have to see. The bags will look nice, but this endeavor is turning out to be more complicated than I want so I will go back to my regular gift bag tutorial once I finish these.

All in all, it was a great day. I didn’t get as much done as I would have liked, but we had some nice conversation and the most important thing to me is that Gerre is getting back to sewing.

Undercover Maker Mat Finished

Hooray! The Undercover Maker Mat is complete!

My plan is to use this mat at Retreats and Sew Days. I tend to put the tools I am using on the right side of the machine so they are easily at hand and don’t interfere with the fabric ‘products’ on the left. This works relatively well, but at Retreats, things can get knocked off the table or I don’t really have space to put tools in their usual location. It won’t really work at home because I have a cabinet even though I could use it since I don’t have a lot of space on the right side of my cabinet.

Undercover Maker Mat with portable table finished

I didn’t adjust the size at all, though I thought about it. The size of the mat, as you can see, fits my machine pretty exactly. I decided that my portable table didn’t need a mat underneath it. I also didn’t want a giant thing. It is usually better for me to make adjustments after I have made the project according to the pattern at least once.

I think that this item will be a good gift as well.

Finished: Thanksgiving Tablemat

Last week was a week of finishes and I am just getting around to reporting on them. I am finally finished with the Thanksgiving tablemat. I bought the fabric in August of 2015 as I came back from dropping the YM off for his freshman year at college. I started working on it sometime around the end of 2016, worked on it at the retreat in 2017 and finally finished it a few days ago. It is 23 x 24 inches and fits perfectly (whew!) on my coffee table.

This is the final piece in Thanksgiving decorations. I may make more, but for now I am finished and I am glad to cross this project off my To Do list.

Finished BAM Color Round Robin

Yes, the second finish I am reporting this week. The BAM (BAMaQG) Color Round Robin is now also finished.

It is definitely cheerful and fun, but I am not a fan of the overall piece. It has nothing to do with anyone’s contribution. Everyone did a fantastic job.

I am not sure what I don’t like about it. I certainly don’t hate it.

It will go off to it’s new home as soon as I finish the Sealife quilt-let and can find someone heading to the EU.