Tag Archive | Bucket List

Bucket List Item – Kim Diehl quilts

I have long admired the patterns and books and fabric selections by Kim Diehl. I have yet to make one of her quilts though.

Through some easy persuasion (enabler is Nicole from Sister’s Choice Quilts blog), I decided to sign up for the 4th Annual Simple Whatnots Club with Fat Quarter Shop. I would provide a link to the club offering on the FQS website, but as of today – it is no longer there. Guess they are now sold out.

Here is a picture I grabbed from their blog post awhile back…

Fourth Annual SWC

Month 1 delivery of the club came to my mailbox on Friday. It is the one pictured in the middle of the top row. To use my daughter’s favorite word right now … Adorable!

Now, I love my Fig Tree Quilts and I am still excited about getting my hands into the Strawberry Fields Revisited … but this bundle of fabric, delicious saturated colors, all neatly folded in the envelope above … I just couldn’t put it off. Plus, a 19 1/2″ square table topper should be quick and easy to knock out in a long holiday weekend.

First – I had to move Violet out of her favorite sunning spot…

Then I got to starching, pressing, cutting and sewing…

Because it is such a small scale block with small pieces, I made sure to check each unit as I made them and get them perfectly squared up before moving to the next steps.

I got the center of the quilt done early enough on Monday to get a good outdoor picture taken:

ADORABLE!

I kept working on it last night, adding the next round of inner borders and then starting on the final sets of flying geese units. This was the last updated picture I took (inside photo, at night – that design wall is an off-white color instead of pink).

You would not believe how much fabric is left over in this kit. I sent an email to FQS just to make sure I wasn’t suppose to hold the extra fabric for future months. The kits are pricey, but you certainly get a good value for the amount of fabric that you get to add to your stash. Included in the price is the backing fabric as well.

I hope to get the remaining borders done tonight or tomorrow. By Friday, I hope to share the final quilt top and I’ll post a picture of the remaining fabric, in case you were on the fence about signing up for one of these clubs in the future.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Jennifer

Change up in Design

Mar13

After playing with my growing stack of blocks and browsing Pinterest and other blogsites, I have settled on the Arkansas Crossroads pattern instead for my school gift quilt.

I have a perfect layout in mind that will give me just the right number of signature blocks for every child and faculty/staff member. Total number is 156, if I remember correctly.

The kids are on Spring Break next week, so I’ll work to have all the blocks ready to take up to the school when they get back. I’ll also work on putting together the 16-patch blocks during the break.

I am adding in some cuts from my layer cake of Prairie Gathering by Pam Buda, which really enhances the red variety with some deep saturated colors. It mixes great with the Crazy for Red collection by Minick & Simpson.

I didn’t even realize I had recently seen this same pattern done up in “Halloween” colors. You can check out the latest blog entry from Ms Carrie Nelson to see a really great example. I remember reading her post and loving that quilt too! I so want to make one like it.

Lori Holt did a post on doing up a Scrappy Crossroads block also. Very detailed tutorial when did she a sew along back in July 2014. Check it out here.

But the one that got me started down this path was a post by Cathy (aka Mrs Main Street). She does a border treatment that I plan to copy shamelessly. Take a look at her wonderful blog too! Click here to see her post about the Go Four It quilt along.

I know I have seen them on other blogs, but some of them don’t have search boxes for me to look them up again.

Anyway – I’m off to get home and do a little more sewing time. My layer cake of Bella Snow came in yesterday – so I should be all set now.

Be well and have a great weekend!

Jennifer

I WANT TO QUILT!

Feb11

I’m stuck at my office, sitting at a desk and thinking about how much I wish I could just have a week to sleep late and work on quilts. In the massive amount of time since my last post, all I have accomplished is creating the binding for my prior year Valentine quilt. I really wanted to get it done by Saturday.

I have really fallen off my fabric wagon now as well. I have been wanting to make a queen size quick quilt for my son and a new collection was just released on FQS called “Military Max”. I think my 8 yr old will like it. I’m not crazy about the skulls and crossbones though. Still deciding how many of those squares I will leave in the mix. I bought 5 of these layers cakes (only 18 squares per cake) and some coordinated yardage:

I came across the latest shortcut quilt pattern from the ladies at Fat Quarter Shop and I think I could put this one together in a weekend!

Used with Permission from Fat Quarter Shop

They have a blog post and online YouTube video tutorial about this quickie. The pattern is free or you can also get the kit with the adorable Mistletoe Lane by Bunny Hill Designs. Click here to open a window to their blog post.

I also splurged on four quilt magazines this week too. I hadn’t bought any magazines in awhile and let my subscriptions run out. I saw a couple of other options for an easy layer cake quilt, so it will be fun to decide.

My eBay activity is ramping up too. I just received two charm packs of Aloha Girl! – the newest collection coming out in March for Fig Tree Quilts. I have a fat quarter bundle that will arrive by Friday. I don’t know where these people get the early releases, but I love to get my hands on them.

Hope you are finding time to quilt this week!

Jennifer

2014 Quilt Show Pictures

Nov8

PICTURE HEAVY POST

I know you have probably seen pictures from the quilt show by now on a few or more other blog sites. Certainly more professional than my own, but perhaps you will see something new here anyway.

I had gone primarily for the Red & White exhibit and although I live in Houston, I have only been to the show twice since we moved here over 4 years ago. I don’t remember the huge display of quilts from my first trip. There were 25 rows of quilts (based on the banners hanging down from the rafters) and at least 100 or more in each row?? Maybe?? It took several hours to walk through it all. When I was done, my friend and I were pooped and we didn’t even go through the merchant booths.

Next year, I’m buying the weekend pass and going to it all for sure. Just wish I knew how to get into the trade weekend that is blogged about so wonderfully.

Here are some of the red and white quilts on display from the center attraction area:

Beautiful – yes? Then there were many mini/wall hanging size quilts that were so impressive:

I left there so wanting to get right on my Univ of Houston quilt and see it take shape (colors are red/white/navy).

Then, we moved along the rows and there was a section just for animal themes. I had to take a snap of these artistic quilts:

Now, to be sure – there were lots of beautiful quilts. Applique, trapunto, thread painting, piecework, 3-D and layered effects, etc… But I found myself so pleasantly surprised when I came upon a special exhibit area for Australian artists. I found myself seeing quilts I had in books and magazines but you can’t believe how wonderful they are in person and close up.

The three main quilters, if I remember correctly were Di Ford, Michelle Yeo and another one (Carolyn someone?)…

O.M.G. … they were stunning.

Now, I’m going to get back to my ironing board and sewing machine and try not to think about how much I would love to slow stitch one of those masterpieces… maybe in my retirement years.

Hope all is well with you! Have a restful weekend.

All my best,

Jennifer

A Post for March 30th

Mar30

I can’t think of a witty title for today. It is now Sunday evening, and I’m about to prepare dinner. I have done a little sewing, specifically on my Great Granny Squared quilt. The friend whom I intend to be the recipient of this house warming quilt just closed on her home a couple of days ago. I hope to get this one done in the next month to be timely in the delivery to her.

9 Blocks done! Laid out on the driveway. You can see Nora’s little foot in the picture – she was helping when the wind started to blow:

I never did find my Birds & Berries fabric – but I KNOW I have it. I couldn’t wait though and found a layer cake on Etsy and got it Saturday in the mail. Here’s a close-up of the first block using some of those vibrant colors (especially love the purple!):

I have 11 blocks left to make. And even though I didn’t find my Birds & Berries fabric, I did come back across a box that had 4 charm packs of Wee Play by Sandy Klop (American Jane). I really, really want to make something with her collections. I also have some precuts of Potluck that is more recent. I had purchased 4 yards of the Moda Weave Black to possibly go along with it (inspired by a quilt done by Ms Cupcakes ‘n Daisies. She named it “I’ll Take Mine Black“).

I have also decided on a quilt to make for my upcoming grand-daughter. Well, step grand-daughter. I really struggle to think of myself as a grandmother yet since I have a 5 and 7 year old at home. Denial, denial, denial. I’m in my early 40s, so it isn’t impossible .. but… denial, denial, denial.

Sunbeams Quilt Kit offered by Fat Quarter Shop… fabrics in Mirabelle collection by Fig Tree Quilts.

The backing fabric is shown closer up here:

The mommy-to-be said she was doing her room in yellow, so this felt really perfect. I hope it goes together fast though – she’s due in June!

I hope you had a great weekend and was able to enjoy some sunshine today. We are feeling the spring weather finally coming around.

Next time – the next block in Reach for the Stars!!

All my best,

Jennifer

Midnight Caller

Mar5

I use to have midnight callers, believe it or not. Hard to remember now – it’s been so long… My midnight callers now usually entails either cats or my kids. Notice I didn’t mention husband. We’re too tired. lol

However, one night earlier in the week I got up around midnight and my fabric was calling out. I have several projects laid out on the cutting table and I can’t wait to have time to work on them. I decided to respond to the call!

I have my next Great Granny Squared block laid out, ready for stitching:

I worked this morning a bit as well, connecting the pieces to form my strips. I’ll have this block done before dinner tonight!

It is also no secret that I love Fig Tree stuff. I tend to hoard and not actually use my precuts for some reason. Stupid really, since I love it so much – why not make it into something I can enjoy every day -right? I was inspired by a post from Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life blog who also does a lot of stitching for Joanna Figueroa and she had made a wall hanging from her Canned Pears pattern. You can (click here) to visit that blog post.

I really loved seeing it done that way, and I decided that I could adapt it to be a nice window valance hanging for my kitchen window, perhaps with a roman shade layered behind it.

Anyway … I wanted 5 pears to go across the valance, in a staggered fashion like the quilt pattern. But the pears are too big, so I had to draw out my own dimensions for the pieces to make it fit.

My challenge was to make my initial pear block out of charm squares from the new Mirabelle fabric collection from Fig Tree. Therefore, I have two different fabrics for the pear body, but I think I will like it when it is all done. Right now, it might may it look a little more like a vase or jar, instead of a pear, but I have high hopes! I reduced the size down by about a third.

In closing, here are a few midnight callers of my own. Aurora staring out of two different windows, within about a minute of each other…

She’s my Christmas Eve rescue baby. She looks very healthy and all adapted to her purrever home now though!

And two more of my rescue babies, … Sparkle and Jewelry (taking a bath, so she’s a bit blurry). Having their morning naps. Always close by.

See that quilt they are on? It is the backside of a 2011 FQS Designer Mystery quilt. Quilt police confession – I start using my quilts even before I have the binding on. I just make sure there is a stay stitch around the edge. I procrastinate really bad on bindings!

Have a great day!

Jennifer

Another Clover? Am I crazy??

Feb25

First up, is my completed Block 5 for Reach for the Stars. It went together great. I ignored the directions for the most part and made my HSTs with 2 1/2″ squares sewn together on both sides of the diagonal, trimmed down to be 2″ unfinished HSTs. Not much waste at all. The large, focus HSTs (four of them) – I still cut as directed because of the fussy cutting and I wanted as much of the floral motif to be in the block as possible. I changed up the fabric choice a little in the center. It was originally all the same light background.

I brought my block to work today, so I could take a picture on our conference table and do my post during the lunch break. Black print is from American Gothic, the light background is from Little Black Dress II (ordered me some more of that one!), floral is from the Palm Court panel (really looking like swiss cheese now!), and the center swirly black/white is from Downton Abbey. I didn’t have enough of the sashing fabric, so I’ll have to add it later this week when it comes in.

Reach for the Stars – Block 5
12 1/2″ Unfinished

I also decided on my backing fabric. I wanted to make sure I would be able to get enough when it was time, so I placed my order with Rossville Quilts for multiple yards of this SKU from the Palm Court collection by Benartex:

Black with the same floral motif as the panel and a hint of gold metallic tones. I have a fat quarter of this one already, so I know it will go just perfectly.

BUT ALSO!

Look at what else I got in the mail yesterday! Lori Holt’s new booklet!!

She is showcasing her upcoming collection called “Vintage Happy” and I am definitely going to make the feature quilt in it. Fat Quarter Shop is kitting the quilt, and they say you will have enough leftover to “start” the bonus quilt also (the one with the dark navy background on the cover photo above). I think this fabric will play nicely with my other Lori Holt hoard of fabrics, and even with Happy Go Lucky or Avalon (which I may have a few bits of as well).

Here is picture of the inside cover, giving you another look at Vintage Happy:

Did anyone else pre-order the book – or also planning on getting this? You may recall my participation in the AYOS sew along this year, where we did the CLOVER pattern by Miss Rosie’s Quilt Company. It is also based on an album block.

The difference here is that Lori has you square off each block in her method, and add sashing, etc… She also adds another round of squares. I struggled a lot with Clover because of the long diagonal row piecing you had to do. However, I loved the result!

Well, back to work work work work work. I hate how it interferes with my play time!

All the best,

Jennifer

Love for Nora Quilt

Feb17

Anything pink, dark pink, violet-red pink, light pink, etc… has already received claim by my daughter. She’s probably like most little girls, although I don’t particularly remember having such a taste for the color myself.

I decided to jump in and make this quilt about 10 days ago. I had the Kissing Booth fat 8th bundle for over a year and really wanted to put it together fast. I combined some ideas from the Temecula Quilt Co blog site that gave instructions for their wall hanging on Jan 29th, and the Layer Cake Lemonade pattern from Fat Quarter Shop. Instead of a layer cake, I made 9″ squares from my fat 8th bundle.

Started with One Heart:

Then Three Hearts…

Then a Row of Hearts…

And finally – a finished quilt top! I called it “I Heart Nora”

I plan to FMQ it myself, and at the same time, do some quick and easy heart applique shapes in a couple of corners. I also have in my stash, a pink minky type fabric for the backing that I bought and never used that will be great. Just trying to decide on a binding.

Sorry I have been away, if you are a follower! My husband upgraded my blog to it’s own domain site and then it took a little while to reorganize the content. I think we are very close now! You can bookmark www.seamscrazyquilts.com if you would like! Please follow along if you enjoy seeing quilts, cats, and an occassional family post.

Work is hell right now, so as soon as this week is over – I will be able to get back to my projects. Really looking forward to the next block in Reach for the Stars, and maybe another one in my General’s Wives BOM.

See you soon!! Thanks for visiting!!

Jennifer

2013 Wrap Up!

Dec31

Last day of 2013! It was a big year for my family, on different levels. My children started 1st grade and Kindergarten, which are two big milestones. We bought our house, which we had been living as renters for over 3 years (thank goodness we don’t have to move!). My grandmother moved from my hometown to live with my aunt in Dallas, but she is doing well. We became pet owners again (from zero to 5 cats is extreme – anyone need to adopt a cat??). We all got another year older, but no health concerns.

Our Christmas rotation is now complete, with a visit this past weekend to Dallas to continue our family tradition with my grandmother and extended family. Every first cousin, Aunt and Uncle were present. We were only missing two second cousins, and the step cousins. Actually, it was a pretty successful turnout for shifting the location after 42 years from four hours away.

I asked for quilty things from my family and they took my wish list to the store for me. Couple of great books, a magnetic pin cushion, 3 yards of Kona White solid fabric (plan to work on the Lori Holt quilt along) and a FQS gift certificate!:

I also tried to put together a last minute gift, but didn’t make it. I did finish the table topper and pieced backing, but I ran out of time for the quilting part. This is a pattern called “Winter Seeds” and it was on my bucket list all year.

I used the fabric collection “Winter’s Lane” by Kate & Birdie Co for Moda. Beautiful ice blues, grays and saturated reds. The pattern was from The Crafty Quilter and her blog … click here to go to her post.

Here are some more pictures. I machine appliqued the ‘orange peel’ shapes with a tight top stitching and matching thread.

I pieced the back, but had to ‘make do’ with one small rectangle due to my shortage of that fabric. I should have used a primarily white alternate piece. I may replace it before I quilt it:

And here’s the top and bottom in one picture:

There will be some waste of the backing, but if you look at the Crafty Quilter’s blog pictures, you will see how it all comes out. It’s perfect!

Now that Nantucket was completed, I am moving on to my other BOM projects. I am three months behind on the FQS DM BOM 2013 quilt. I started on Block 4 yesterday and have gotten the pieces cut out. Like the other months, I am cutting out two blocks from the one set of fabric. I was able to get everything I needed, but I had to add the smallest amount of background fabric, which I had from an earlier month.

This morning I finished the center star portions with the surrounding strips. Next is the red/striped flying geese units. I want to get this block done tonight!

I’m so thankful for my family and friends and I look forward to all our new adventures in 2014. I hope you have a great evening tonight and I look forward to visiting with you again next year!

All the best,

Jennifer

Fell hard, fell fast!

Oct21

I don’t subscribe, or even normally buy a copy, of Quilters Newsletter. But the latest issue had a quilt on the cover that I couldn’t pass up. I found my copy at Joanns Fabric, but I know FQS is carrying it right now as well. It comes packaged with a bonus CD with other quilt patterns.

The cover photo is a quilt made by Terri Krysan and is called REACH for the STARS (picture from October/November 2013 issue):

The fabric collection she mentions is unfamiliar to me .. Paisley by Maywood I think? I couldn’t find much on my internet search. It is a georgeous group of fabrics and patterns. But that was no matter, because I knew which collection I was going to use … American Gothic by Pam Buda for Marcus Fabrics! The link takes you to the Marcus Fabrics page for this collection.

I grabbed the picture below from Pam Buda’s blog entry where she announces the arrival of the collection last month in our local quilt shops. Click here to go to her blog post.

I loved her neutral/black/white color scheme but I had not settled on a pattern yet. I love how these colors work together in varying tones and contrast and the fussy cutting opportunities in the Reach for the Stars pattern will make it extra special.

Close up picture also from Quilters Newsletter website.

I grabbed the two photos of Reach for the Stars directly from the Quilters Newsletter website. This is also being presented in a monthly quilt series of which this is Part 1 of 7. Guess I have 6 more issues to buy now! Perhaps a subscription would make sense at this point. Those crafty marketing people!!

So… what to do? I went through and meticulously assigned the fabric requirements for the entire quilt to the individual fabric SKUs for American Gothic and placed my order with FQS for delivery early this week. I really needed another light fabric to coordinate (the most outer border fabric) … and I decided on ‘Perfect Pairings – Cream Paisley” by Kim Diehl. I just hope it goes as well and I think it will, based on the pictures on FQS.

Has anyone else fallen for this pattern yet and plan to make it? There was no kit available in the magazine – it was strictly up to you to pick your pallete and your fabric and get to it. I hope to do the first block this week. Keep you posted!

Thanks and hope you are having a great Monday!

Jennifer

Seams Crazy

Quilting and Family – both crazy!

Tag Archive | Bucket List

Bucket List Item – Kim Diehl quilts

Change up in Design

I WANT TO QUILT!

2014 Quilt Show Pictures

A Post for March 30th

Midnight Caller

Another Clover? Am I crazy??

Love for Nora Quilt

2013 Wrap Up!

Fell hard, fell fast!

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