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Monday, April 18, 2011

This Single Girl is FINISHED

Remember this Single Girl Mini Quilt I started here and here? Well, this single Girl is FINISHED!


It is even hand quilted! So yummy! I used these tutorials here and here to get me started.

This quilt was marked using Golden Threads Quilting Paper and Quilt Pounce...I'll definitely be using this technique (video here)to mark my quilting patterns in the future. I used yellow Gutermann hand quilting thread (color 758), a John James Big Eye number 11 quilting needle (its really short and easy to rock back and forth), a leather thimble, and a 17" Q Snap frame (in place of a hoop).


It was a bit tough getting the hang of it at first, but after completing the first two sections I was able to feel pretty confident in my stitching. I love the texture that the hand quilting brings to this quilt. I think I am a bit addicted to the hand quilting actually ;D


For the back, I used my favorite Japanese fabric for the middle strip and found a beautiful tea stained muslin at my LQS to use for the top and bottom pieces. I love how the hand stitches are so subtle on the back!

Now I just need to get it hung up in our bedroom so it can be admired often :D

This is a really fun quilt little quilt to make and I in fact I do have a Single Girl baby quilt in the works (in some very different fabrics) for someone very special!

Happy quilting,
Colette

Saturday, April 16, 2011

A Rainbow Ocean!

I am so excited to share with you the "Rainbow Ocean" quilt I made for my longtime childhood friend Jen! She just had two precious twin girls and of course I had to make a quilt to celebrate their "birth"day!


The pattern is "Baby, I Do" by Cherry House Quilts and the fabrics are a mix of Ann Kelle and Kona cotton solids.


Now Jen is obsessed with all things sea related (we've been besties since I was 12 and we shared an apartment steps from the ocean when I was in college) and when I saw this Ann Kelle Urban Zoologie Whales in Garden fabric I thought it had Jen's name written all over it.


And how perfect is the "Baby, I DO" pattern with it's circles that look like ship portholes? I picked up this pattern from Pink Chalk Fabrics.


I finished the quilt top a while ago but was lacking in inspiration on how to actually quilt it. I came across this post HERE over at "Film in the Fridge" and knew when I saw it that it would be perfect for this "Rainbow Ocean" quilt. I ended up marking every single line with a green fabric pencil before quilting ~ phew was that ever A LOT of work!


I wanted to go a little more simple on the back and ended up using this lovely Ann Kelle fabric from her Remix line, zigzag stripe in bright. Both Ann Kelle fabrics were purchased from Hawthorne Threads.


I love this very happy rainbow and "sunshine" (yellow) pieced backing ... as bright and sweet as Jen herself :D

Well I have to rush off to the post before it closes so I can send it on it's way to the sunny and warm California coast. Hope she loves it as much as I do!

Happy quilting,
Colette