OMG March - a mix of projects

 Time to define my goals for this month.

1) Finish my project for my secret swap #tqsspringswap

This month I need to finalize my "object" for the spring cushion swap. I am in the group where we make different things and not necessary the cushion. I have the design worked out, the colours chosen and off I go.

2) Catch up with the Sewcialites SAL

The Fat Quarter Shop is organizing a QAL running over 35 weeks. I am a few blocks behind now, so  the aim of this month is to, at least, make all March blocks. I was pretty side tracked with work and swaps, now need to catch up and at least not get further behind.

 

3) Finish the geesey quilt

In November and December work was crazy. I needed lots of extra sewing to keep up with the stress at work. I decided to participate in the Geesey Geesy QAL organized by Stitched in Color. I finished the top early December and then had no idea how to quilt the top. I have the backing ... so what is stopping me ... afraid to mess this top. So I might send this to a long arm quilter and finish the binding towards the end of the month.

 

4) Harmony quilt

Elm Street Quilts and Simple Handmade Everyday are organizing a QAL, sewing by hand. I bought the pattern, and am already behind. I am not good at hand sewing and this would be a good opportunity to learn.  The idea is to make at least the first two steps

So quite some projects here. So for my March OMG I need to do at least 2 out of 4 projects. Doable? Well yes if I work less.

Deconstructed pinwheel finish

 The first quilt of the year that is fully finished.

Last year I made the top of the deconstructed pinwheel. I had a pack of 39 10" squares waiting for a project. I combined the pack with unbleached cotton bought at the market and sew and cut, and sew and cut some more.

For the backing I ended up buying terry cloth fabric. I wanted to give this a try and for three months kept on pushing the project aside.

For February no more stalling, I made the project my February OMG so I had to finish.

In the end, quilting the two layers was not as difficult as I thought. I pinned and started quilting circles using Patty's method explained at Elm Street quilts. I have used this several times now and the actual starting becomes easier. The first few times I felt overwhelmed with all that fabric. This no longer bothers me.

I used my walking foot and in two evenings managed to do the quilting. A separate binding session this week and my quilt was ready.

I took her outside today to take some pictures.

 Now off to find a box to pack and mail.

OMG February - Quilting the deconstructed pinwheel top

A new month, an new goal

 

This is one project I have been turning around and around ... not sure how to tackle the quilting. The top was finished in October last year. I enjoyed making this one. But the backing ....

 

This is going to be a gift for some one very special. A quilt to keep her warm, to cuddle up with. So instead of buying batting I decided to go for a terry cloth backing ..... which I bought in November .... only to get side-tracked ... and not sure how to go about tackling this one .... 

I washed the terry cloth, and since ... no progress ... so this month no more delaying .. this month will be the month that I conquer my "fear", stop avoiding and do it ...

Linking with Patty's OMG for February over at Elm Street Quilts.

 

Pink pink skull top

The very pink pink skull top is finished.

I had (more or less) followed the pattern from the magazine Make Modern, however gave it my own twist. The lower part had too much grey so I ended up undoing this, removing 52 squares of grey replacing with black squares. The result was much better.I enjoyed making this pixel quilt and will definitely make another one.

 

Now need to decide on how to do the backing as there are several options: 

1) buy some pink fabric and quilt with cotton batting

2) buy some fleece in pink or black

3) look for fabric with skulls

As the quilt needs to be ready early April I have some time to decide on how to finish.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts for the January OMG. Happy to have achieved my first goal of the year.

January creations

 January was a busy month workwise. As have all months been since March 2020. Working from home is not always easy and there are days I just want to go to the office, start working at 7 and be done by 5 ... Helas, when working from home the days continue until late, sometimes very late ... 

So to sweeten my time at home I have been participating in a few swaps.

1) fresh start swap

I enrolled in this swap organized by Sparklestash. I made two cards, sent them off and am hoping they reach their destiny.

2) tqs loot bag 2021

This was a fun swap. We were to make a little loot bag and fill it up with a minimum of 1 yard of fabric. I choose an African theme. Our first goal was to post a picture on IG with the fabric we wanted to swap. Fro all the posts we were asked to indicate which ones we really liked. That was not easy as there were soo many choices. Our host Janelle at tinyquiltswaps links us up with a secret partner and off we went making our little pouches. And my pouch with loot is on its way, of course I added some more fabric from my African stash. Looking forward to my loot.

3) scarf for Slava

Slava wanted to learn how to knit a scarf, I started knitting so he could learn and take over. What he actually wanted was me knitting the scarf and him watching me knit or read while I knit. He often does that, while I do creative things he is close to me reading a book. Next thing he wants to make is a cushion using a sewing machine.

January OMG Pink, pink and more pink

 A new year, a new month and a new OMG.

 

 

 

Last year I cut many three inch squares, mostly in pink some grey and black. The daughter of a friend of mine loves pink and skulls. So when I saw the pattern for a bright pink skull in Make Modern magazine issue #35 I knew I just had to make this quilt.

The quilt pattern made by Velda Roy was inspired by a quilt made by Paul Leger. I decided to make a combination of both colour ways. Bright pink for the skull set in a grey setting and a black background. Velda used pink in a white setting with a grey scale background, Paul's is bright colours against an all over black background.

This is the first time I make a pixel quilt and like the idea. Of course my kids want one too ... Let's see first how this one turns out.

Linking up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.

Christmas in July quilt finished - OMG December

 And a new OMG finish just before the year ends; my Christmas in July quilt is finished and claimed.

Our new kitten Chataigne (Chestnut) joined our cat family end October and is the sweetest little kitten. Sindbad and Glacon are used to her being around now and they started playing together.

I enjoyed making this quilt earlier in the year and am thinking of making a second one in white and blues. The pattern is from the Fat Quarter Shop and instructions are clear.

I had twelve OMG projects this year:

1) Dear Dottie quilt

2) Table runner in spring colours

3) Baby quilt

4) Confinement quilt top from Tula Pink fabric

5) Scrap dance quilt table topper in red

6) Confinement quilt backing and Red scrap dance table topper backing

7) Green twist table topper 

8) 6 postcards, 5 sent in August and 1 sent in December

9) Christmas in July quilt top

10) Deconstructed pinwheel top

11) Quilt by the Sea - made all 12 blocks

12) Christmas in July quilt finished 

Linking my December OMG with Patty at Elm Street Quilts

Christmas in July quilt top

 December has arrived and our garden is covered in snow. There is something special about December and the snow brings me in to an early Christmas mood. Early because St Nicolas comes first. This time around we usually fly to the Netherlands to celebrate Sinterklaas. This year, helas, not possible. The snow made up for the canceled trip. We will celebrate this evening - the traditional cheese fondue, a few gifts and lots of chocolate, speculaas, pepernoten, ......

The last few months I participated in a few QALs, more than I would normally do. The cutting and sewing and sharing through FB and IG gave me a sense of coping. Work is very busy and the vaccine development goes way faster than I could imagine a few months ago. This is good news of course, the implications are just a lot of work to organize our work around this. The playing with fabrics added balance and the working with colours made the stress fade away.

 My December goal is to finish my Christmas in July quilt. The top is finished, the fabric for the backing is bought as is the batting. At first I thought to make a quilt for the sofa, but too much white fabric will not work with my now three cats. A tablecloth works, so either with or without batting. I had made a table-runner earlier this year and do miss a bit of batting in it. 

So my December OMG is to purchase thin batting and finalize the quilt. I better hurry as this quilt will be part of our Christmas decoration.

Linking with Patty at Elm Street Quilts