Building My Stash #7

I have been searching for the perfect ladybug quilt to make for my husband's cousin.  Surprisingly, ladybugs are pretty hard to find.  I have so many quilt books and magazines, so I pulled them all out and began my search.  I searched and searched....nothing.  Then one day, laying on my coffee table (more like buried under other quilt supplies), I found a magazine with a ladybug quilt on the cover!!  YAY!!!

I didn't really like the design of the quilt, but it inspired me to come up with my own.  I am going to use the ladybug designs from this quilt and add a different, more interesting (at least to me) pattern on the back.

I am using a pattern from "Growing Up Modern" by Allison Harris for the main part of the quilt.  If you don't have this book I strongly encourage you to get it!  It is awesome.  I have made probably four of the quilts in this book and they always turn out great!

After I decided on a pattern I began looking for cute ladybug fabric.  This was also harder than I imagined it would be.  After ordering the wrong thing and having to cancel that order I finally found the perfect fabric.

I found this fabric on Etsy.  I ordered it from The Wild Raccoon.  Everything with the order was great and the fabric was just what I needed!

Ladybugs!

Flowers!

Both of these come from the Riley Blake Designs line, Ladybug Garden.  I can't wait to cut in to these!

Abby

Building My Stash #6

There is no doubt that I love fabric.  More specifically I love to get beautiful fabric for really cheap prices.  When I have a project in mind I will usually buy nicer, more expensive fabric.  Usually I just buy fabric on impulse...so, I try to get all of this fabric for as cheap as possible.

One of the best ways to find awesome, cheap fabric is going to yard sales.  My whole family loves yard sales.  Honestly, I've never really been a huge fan of them.  But, when they have fabric I can't help myself.  This weekend was the Glendale city wide yard sale.  I knew that there was going to be quilting stuff at one because I received an email early in the week.  So, I rode over with my mom and dad to see what I could find.

We really didn't have very much luck.  I think we saw maybe 15 different yard sales, and my mom only bought two things.  She got my sister a pair of overalls (she has been begging for overalls...). 

Don't they just look too cute!  (Love ya LJ!)

I found some great fabric.  Since Moma had gotten the overalls for Lois Jean she got me the fabric.  So, technically I got this fabric entirely FREE!!!!

It all looks so cute and vintagey (I don't think that is really a word...).  Here are some close-ups of each of the four fabrics.

Love the ABCs and apples!

Scarecrows

My favorite!  Schoolhouse

Snowmen?  That's what my mom said they were.  I'm not sure.

I'm so excited about this find, and can't wait to find something awesome to make with these beauties!

Until next time,

Abby 

My Quilt Label!

I spend lots of time on Pinterest looking for quilt ideas.  One day I found a pin about quilt labels.  I had never heard of this and didn't really know what it was.  I researched more and found that they are really pretty interesting.  There are so many different ways to label your quilts.

First question you probably have.  I know it was my first question.  Why label a quilt?
Labeling your quilt helps you remember when you made it and who you made it for.  This is the cool part (I think so at least...you will probably just think I'm weird)...labeling your quilt helps people know who made the quilt.  Years from now people will know that I was the one who made this quilt because I labeled it.  I think that is pretty neat.  So, here is the label I just finished for my current quilt.

I think it turned out pretty good!  I'm not really great at embroidering, but hopefully I will get better.  This is something I've just recently started doing...I labeled one other quilt, but honestly I usually get so excited about finishing it that I don't take the time to make a label.  My goal is to label all of my quilts from now on....we will see how that goes. 

Now I get to start quilting!  My favorite part!!!

Abby

Happy Father's Day!

I would like to wish everyone a very happy Father's Day, especially my amazing Daddy!  I am so thankful for everything he does for me.  Even though I'm married and have moved out of the house, he still spoils me and gives me everything I want.  I think the saying is true.  I will always be his little girl.   

My dad is an amazing carpenter...the best in the whole world in my opinion.  When I started quilting Daddy made me a beautiful quilt rack to display my quilts.  I absolutely love it! 

The front and back quilts were made by my Grandma, and the one in the middle was made by my Mama Jean.

I told you that my dad always gives me what I want.  That is true with my quilting as well.  On my Urban baby quilt I decided I wanted to quilt it in this straight line grid design.  I knew that I needed to draw all of the lines on the quilt in order for them to come out straight.  Daddy went out to his wood shop and made a template for me and then proceeded to draw all of the lines for me.  He loved every minute of it...yeah right.  Don't worry...I'm going to get him hooked on quilting just like I did my mom and sister. ;)

A close up of the quilting on my Urban baby quilt. 

The quilting turned out amazing.  I definitely couldn't have done it without him.  Thanks for your help Daddy!

Abby

Building My Stash! #5

Today my sister called and asked if I wanted to go to Joann's with her....ummm, duh!  I didn't plan on buying anything.  I was just going along for the ride and to get to look at pretty fabric.  I should have known better.  Of course I can't go to Joann's without buying fabric.  What was I thinking???

The first thing we see when we walked through the doors were racks of fabric that was 50% off of an already discounted price.  We chose the perfect day to go to Joann's!!!  (I'm so glad you needed that extra backing fabric Lois Jean.) 

I was able to get all of this fabric for only $16.  That's right, 16.  You just can't pass up a sale like that. 

I mean, look at all of that fabric!  About 10 yards for only $16.  It probably seems silly to everyone else, but I feel like this was a major accomplishment.  ;)

Here are close ups of the beautiful and sometimes strange fabric I chose.  I hope you enjoy.

I mean, how cute are these little bugs?  Don't ask me what I'm going to do with them.  Something about it just grabbed my eye and I had to have it.

 Mushrooms!!  I have been looking at this fabric every time I go to Joann's, but I never got it.  I finally broke down and got the mushrooms today.  Lois Jean said it reminded her of the Mario game we used to play when we were kids.  Maybe that's why I like it...I loved that game!

 This last one is probably my favorite.  It looks like wood.  I am going to have to find a really cool quilt to make for my dad so I can use this fabric. 

Did anyone else notice how much blue I got?  Lois Jean, why didn't you stop me?  I have so much blue fabric.  I told myself, no more blue fabric until I use some of what I have.  Blue must subconsciously be my favorite color.  Oh well...I'm super excited to add these to my stash and find something amazing to make with them! 

Now its time to relax for the night.  I'm going to start watching Grey's Anatomy (for like the third time) and hopefully finish piecing a quilt.  Have a great night!

Abby

I'm Back!!

It seems like it has been forever since my last post.  I work in an elementary school, so things got very busy as we approached the end of the school year.  School has finally ended.  That means more time for quilting, right?

WRONG!  I am now working at a summer program and loving every minute of it.  This program will last until the second week of July, so I'm not really going to get much of a break.  It's all worth it though because I love getting to be able to work with these wonderful kiddos!

Although I haven't been doing much quilting I have been doing some crafts.  My husband and I are going to Disney World this summer, so I had to make some super cool shirts to wear.

Here are all of my shirts!

I found images I liked and then traced then onto freezer paper.  Then I took an Exacto knife and cut them out (this was the hard part).  Then I used some Tulip Puffy Paint (made for t-shirts) and painted it on over the stencil.  It was so easy and fun!

Minnie Mouse (I think this is my favorite!) 

Another Minnie!

Ariel

Snow White

Mickey and Minnie

I also tried to make a bleached shirt.  I used the same technique, but replaced the paint with bleach.  This was more difficult.  When I threw it in the wash the bleach apparently touched other parts of the shirt.  I think it still turned out ok, but I didn't try anymore after this one.

Cinderella's Castle

I had so much fun making all of these shirts.  I know I'll having even more fun getting to wear them at Disney!  Now, if only Alex would let me make some for him.  ;)

Abby