I am so in love with this quilt!!!  The pattern is so easy, I and am loving it.  It simply uses a layer cake plus yardage, and since I’m always looking for patterns to use with layer cakes, this one is definitely a keeper.

The post wash measurement is 52 x 63.

For the label I incorporated it into the backing design.  I used a Sharpie and wrote on the white fabric.

I don’t often get pictures of my finished quilts with their recipients, but I am hand delivering this quilt to the recipients tomorrow, so hopefully when I get back from vacation I’ll post some pictures of the hopefully delighted recipients with their quilt.

I started a new project (I really shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t resist).  I’m using a layer cake of A Breath of Avignon by American Jane for Moda.  I so love the colors of this line, and this fabric line definitely brings me back to France…love it!

I’m using the Sweet Garden pattern by Carolina Patchworks.  This pattern requires a good bit of organization and planning, so I organized my layer cake and then cut all the pieces.  I then laid out the pieces to my liking.  Now I just need to find the time to piece the top, but something tells me that this project is going to have to wait until July when I get back from vacation.  Before vacation I have so much work to do (you know for my part time job that actually pays me to do work), and I have to finish the binding on the 30’s Squared quilt.  Oh, and I also have to finish the binding for the Black, White, & Red Allover quilt.  I think a baby quilt for a friend may also sneek in the to do list.  Sheesh I have a lot to do!

I managed to hammer out the quilt top using the Snippets layer cake 2 weeks ago.

The quilt top stayed nicely folded for some time, because I couldn’t find the time to actually quilt it.  When I quilt I like to have a big block of time to just sit down and quilt.  Sometimes those big blocks of time are few and far between.  Most of the time I quilt when Steve is out of town on business.  He had a series of canceled trips, so no quilting time for me.  But now he’s on a trip, so after my kiddos were in bed last night I decided to quilt.

Today’s project is binding.

I stocked up on Snippets layer cakes when they were in closeout at Cotton Patch Quilting.  I knew I would eventually put them to good use.  I broke into one of those layer cakes this weekend and can’t wait to to get the quilt top together.  I’ve got the blocks done, but I still have to lay them out.  I’m excited about this quilt.  For starters, I love the fabric…the 30’s reproduction that reminds me of feed sacks.  And secondly, it’s a super easy pattern that uses 1 layer cake plus some yardage of a neutral, and the pattern is all mine!

Hopefully I’ll make good progress in the coming days, that is of course as long as my 4 year old gets over the virus she has.

Rachel of PS I Quilt had a tutorial for raw edge applique at the Moda Bake Shop.  Then when The Quilt Shoppe had a coupon, I used the coupon to buy the Scuffily kit in the Snippets line.

The kit came with a layer cake, charm pack, and a jelly roll.

The concept is simple: layer cake, top with charm, top with 2.5″ square (cut from jelly roll strip), and this is an easy quilt to piece.  This was my first attempt at raw edge applique and I really like the fuzzy raw edges.  It’s so darn soft!!!

The backing fabric is from my stash, but it certainly looks like it’s part of the line.  I decided to straight line quilt this one, and straight line quilting was not nearly as enjoyable as an all over meander or stipple, but it did get the job done relatively quickly, and after washing it, I really really like it.

The binding is scrappy…I chose 7 strips from the jelly roll.  This was my first scrappy binding, and I love how it goes with the scrappy feel of the quilt.

Note: the kit calls for using 36 layer cake squares, but I went ahead and used all 42–making the quilt longer.  Since the charm pack came with 40 charms, I ended up using 2 5 x 5 squares from my stash and I also threw in some of that stash fabric for the 2.5 x 2.5 squares for good measure.

Post wash measurement is 54 x 64.

Here’s another finished quilt that I will be gifting later in the year.  (wink, wink)

I love the reds and aquas.

I love the pieced back of reds and greens.

I quilted this one with white thread, and the unwashed, and unlabeled quilt measures a 57″ square.

Front

Pieced back

Up close

Fabric is It’s Snowing by Deb Strain for Moda

ps: best to view in firefox.

Linda kindly asked me to reveal my Merry & Bright quilt, and since I’m 99.999% positive the recipient of this quilt does not read this website I figured it would be just fine to share it with all of you.

If you remember I started with a layer cake, and because sometimes I think simple is best, I decided to just sew the 10×10 squares together.  You really get to appreciate the entire line this way, and I really do love the simple squares.

I absolutely love this quilt, and I’m so glad I bought 2 layer cakes, because this way I can make one for us too…but that will have to wait because I have so many projects I want to do!

So here is the unwashed and unlabeled “finished project.”  It measures as a 57″ square (prewashed).

Front

Back

Up close

Folded

ps: my website is best viewed in firefox…apparently ie doesn’t like my photos

I’ve got my Merry & Bright quilt top and backing sandwiched together and pin basted.  I went to my local quilt shop today and got a cool gold toned (but it’s not shiny or anything like that) thread for the quilting.

Here’s a peak:

Front

Pieced back

Now I just need to find the time to quilt this baby.

We are back from vacation, and my sewing machine is back from getting a good cleaning and tune up…yay!  I managed to finish quilting the Ellie Fun quiltop, and now it’s on to the binding.  I’ve got the binding sewed on to to the front and now am in the beginning stages of hand sewing the binding to the back of the quilt.

I usually like to finish a project before starting a new one, but I was feeling the need to be creative a few nights ago, so I broke out my Merry & Bright layer cake and got started.  I’ve got the quilt top done, and last night I finished piecing the back.  It’s a gift, so you’ll have to wait until December to see the completed project, but I may give some sneak peaks!   I just love this line…so much so that I bought a layer cake for myself to someday turn it into something fabulous, but my quilt will have to wait for another day.

Merry & Bright by Sandy Gervais for Moda

Here’s the first of my winter quilts, and it’s a gift for this upcoming holiday season.  The fabric is It’s Snowing by Deb Strain for Moda.  The quilt top and back are pieced, basted, and quilted, and I am now working on hand sewing the binding to the back of the quilt.  Since this is a gift here’s a sneak peak, but I probably won’t post much about the finished quilt until after the quilt is sent to its new home!