Tag Archives: quilt

WIP: What’s in progress?

Posted on February 19, 2014 by | Comments Off on WIP: What’s in progress?
What's in progress?  Let me show you!  Here's what I've been working on...

In Hand Knits:
On my double pointed needles, there's currently a second mitten!


This is the second mitten of red/white pair using my Rosita Mittens pattern from Knitscene Accessories, 2013.  I think I managed to make a larger size by mistake.  Oh well.

In Machine Knits:
I'm working on a cardigan design I'm temporarily calling "Mitered Detail Cardigan".  I was doing all the calculations using the old-school methods you see below (tape measure, calculator, and pencil).


Here's the first mitered square done on the machine.  It took a LOT of hand manipulation using a garter bar to move each row of stitches toward the center to create the centered double decrease, but it looks good.


Here's the completed back piece of the cardigan.

In Sewing:
I made my first overlocked zip-pouch.  This is one of three that's in progress.  It's my test piece, and it will likely be the subject of a giveaway very soon.  Who knew that boxed corners had to be so accurate?!



I used the Liberty Lifestyle fabric I wrote about earlier along with some other quilting cottons, fusible fleece, and a zipper from my zippers-on-a-roll.  Can't wait to master the boxing of corners.  What are you working on?

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2013, A Year in Review

Posted on January 1, 2014 by | Comments Off on 2013, A Year in Review
This past year's work collage:


So, what *did* I do last year?  And, did I meet my resolutions from 2013? Let me revisit my resolutions, and let's see how faithful I was to them...
"And, my 2013 New Years Resolutions...knitting- publish a few more patterns, learn brioche knitting. Crochet - do a bit more of it. Sewing- sew a pair of perfectly fitting jeans/trousers, drape 1 dress or outfit. Quilting- finish quilting the 2 quilts from last year and make 1 quilt. Design - learn more about WordPress to create an online shop"
Knitting - I definitely published more patterns than I was expecting: Lustig Hat and Gloves, Squishy Cabled Vest, Easy Lace Loop/Cowl, Rosita Hat and Mittens, Bow Slouch, Columbina Camisole, Tyrian Loop, and Laren Fingerless Mitts... phew!  And, two projects still aren't published... more about that in the near future.

Rosita Hat & Mittens, photo copyright Knitscene/ Harper Point
Brioche knitting - I signed up for a class, and started learning, but then forgot to finish the online course!  Oops.  Let's give that one a try again this year.

Crochet - I used it more frequently this year, and I made a few amigurumi gifts and used crochet as a border in some of my own projects.


Sewing - I did manage to create a pair of jeans that fit me really, really well!  BUT... then I grew out of them, and more on that in the near future.  I loved participating in Me Made May, and hope to do it again next year if possible.
((Confession.)) I still haven't draped anything!! I failed here.  I did start drafting skirt and bodice slopers, but definitely no draping!  ((Ugh.  Guilty feelings here.))

Quilting - I did way more quilting than I thought I could!  I learned to free-motion quilt and I finished a bed-sized brown quilt, a mini lap version,  the blue sampler quilt, a baby quilt, and a double-wedding ring quilt for a friend.




Design-  I finally got my portfolio site transferred to WordPress, but I still haven't created an online shop.  Anyone have advice on easy PDF distribution systems with templates on WP?  Also, I redesigned my crochet font StitchinCrochet(PRO), and released it!



2014...  Truth be told, I don't know what resolutions I should make.  I am anticipating some big changes in my life, and the only things I can hold onto at the moment seem very vague...

1) make some art:  get back into pen and ink, finish digital illustration commissions
2) make some things with yarn: finish hand-knit projects, use machine to stash bust
3) make some things with fabric: continue on the quilting and sewing goodness track
4) blog more efficiently and step away from the internet traps (facebook and cheesy news sites)

Happy New Year!
Cheers to the new year!

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Craftsy BOM 2012 – Blue Quilt Done!

Posted on December 3, 2013 by | Comments Off on Craftsy BOM 2012 – Blue Quilt Done!
Finished binding this rather large quilt yesterday evening, and took some photos of the finished blue quilt on the ironing board.  Maybe I can get someone to hold it up over their heads so I can take a photo of the full quilt front and back.  In the meantime, here's my too-excited-to-wait photos...


The quilt is bound using DIY binding made from backing fabric scraps.  Since the blocks were medallion-style quilted, then sewn together, this made for a LOT of scraps.




I'm really pleased with how the blocks came together. Doing the free-motion quilting in smaller chunks really let me explore different motifs and techniques.  For new FMQ-ers like me, I found Leah Day's motifs, tips, and tricks to be invaluable.  Her main website is free, and her first Craftsy course focuses specifically on this quilt as well as generally handy techniques for free-motion quilting on a regular home sewing machine.  Those Machinger's gloves that she recommends are not a gimmick.  If you have perpetually dry hands like I do in winter, those gloves saved me a lot of muscle aches. They helped me grip the quilt-sandwich open-handed - letting the machine do it's job without fighting the weight of the fabric.  I'm now using the gloves for all kinds of sewing, not just quilting.


I bought this binding foot off of e-bay to sew on the binding, but I couldn't figure out how to turn corners with it.  So, it's great for straight binding, or continuous binding, but not so much for corners.  Maybe there's some kind of trick I don't know. (?)


 I don't like it when my blankets have a lip or any edge that can snag a toenail.  So, I ended up doing a second pass on the binding with a zig-zag stitch.


Next up... finish the twins knitted blankets and a whole host of  holiday projects!  I think I'm going to wear this quilt over my shoulders while I work on the knitting machine.  It's cold today!

Happy crafting, everyone!

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Craftsy BOM Blue Sampler Quilt: Nearly at the finish line

Posted on November 25, 2013 by | Comments Off on Craftsy BOM Blue Sampler Quilt: Nearly at the finish line
Medallion style quilting definitely has its advantages.  I was able to comfortably FMQ (free-motion quilt) each medallion which is something I can't do easily with a full quilt sandwich.  But, it also is quite tedious.  Putting together each block in order gets a bit tiresome.  I guess I'm ready for this project to be d-o-n-e!

I show you... progress!


A wild, sampler quilt made with scraps of fabric from all over the place.

So close!  I'm almost there!  What's left?  I've got to sew together 4 strips of the blue stand-in fabric (ran out of the original) and random scraps for the back and then even up the edges.  Somehow even though I measured my blocks and I thought they were all the same, one row of medallions is slightly larger than all the rest.  Dunno what I did differntly, but I just need that last gust of energy to finish this up!

Also, some advice.  Keep your fancy yarns away from enthusiastic FMQ'ing.  Tee hee!
Still not sure how I did that.



Also, don't forget to enter this week's giveaway which ends Wednesday, November 27th.  I'm giving away a lovely silk/mohair scarf!  See giveaway post here.

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Blue Quilt Progress!

Posted on November 11, 2013 by | Comments Off on Blue Quilt Progress!
Ack, I thought I had finished more blocks than I really had.  It turns out, I ran out of backing fabric, and I had left some with batting ready to go, but no backing fabric.  I had been using up all of my green fabric as backing for the blue quilt, but I've run out!  So, I'm improvising.  Time to stash bust...



But, I did make some progress.  Even with a bit of the "shaky hands" at the beginning, I got through free-motion quilting six more blocks from the quilt.  Hopefully, I can get all the medallions done this week and get started sewing them together.  There's still binding and washing, too!
little bit of the shaky-hands, but oh well!




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Double Wedding Ring Quilt, Autumn Colors

Posted on August 28, 2013 by | Comments Off on Double Wedding Ring Quilt, Autumn Colors


Today, I'm showing a double wedding ring quilt I made for a friend who was married earlier in August.  I was stumped as to what to make for this sewing buddy and when the double wedding ring quilt challenge came along I thought it was kismet.  I rolled with it.

the pieced top, not yet quilted
She tends to like colors found in fall leaves: coppers, golds, and rich, warm reds, so I dug into my stash and came up with silk fabric I had been holding onto until a special project came along.  I have to admit I was daunted by the curved piecing and the multiple seams.  And the plaid silk, while being lovely to touch, feels like paper to sew, and it shows every mistake you make.  I tried to match the plaid too!  That was a fun challenge since I was using leftover fabric, but I think it worked reasonably well considering!




I am not actually sure how I completed the piecing for this quilt, but somehow I did it.  I should read up on how others have completed the task so I can get a bit better at it for next time.  ((This is really the year of the wedding in my world!! Six weddings?!  And I'm just counting the ones I'm attending.))


I was really proud of  how nice the binding came out!  Hurray! For successful research and applying skills learned from YouTube!




Pattern (free!): Double Wedding Ring From the Girlfriends collection by Jennifer Paganelli of Sis Boom for FreeSpirit
Fabric: silks from stash, quilting cotton from stash, orange bias binding from Stoff & Co.

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WIP’s quilting, knitting, and sketching

Posted on July 25, 2013 by | Comments Off on WIP’s quilting, knitting, and sketching
What am I working on?  Ah, I always have lots of stuff going on, don't I?
Time to share.

Firstly, Blue quilt is still in progress, but I now have 6 of 20 squares FMQed.
In the quilting world, I've finished the quilt top for this NYC Mod Quilters Challenge.


The challenge is to do a double wedding ring and I'll be entering this li'l beauty once it's quilted and bound...

I'm really excited about it!
In the knitting design world, I'm currently testing this lovely camisole.


And finally, I wanted to share with you all some of the rough drawings I did for a recent open call to submit illustrations.  Before I settled down and entered in my own pen and ink style, I experimented with some digital illustration.  Sometimes when I go digital I get all crazy and can't work my way out.  With these tests, I loved the palette and the main horse, but I couldn't find a way to adhere to all the guidelines which were really focusing on the "playground" theme in general.  Limiting it to the spring horse left me a bit wanting.  Love the form, but couldn't get past the limitations I had placed on myself.  Ah well, I seem to work best in graphite first, then digitally.  Here are some of my digital experiments...



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WIP Blue Quilt and Google Reader Reminder

Posted on July 1, 2013 by | Comments Off on WIP Blue Quilt and Google Reader Reminder

Just in case you're still using Google Reader to subscribe to my blog, today is the final day it will exist.  If you'd like to continue to read my blog, you can follow me on my facebook page here, check out alternative RSS feeds, or you can easily follow using Bloglovin' and this button below:

Follow on Bloglovin

In other news, I'm FMQ'ing like a fiend!  It's really addictive.  And last year, I snagged a box full of thread from a quilt designer who was clearing out her stores and getting into knitting.  So, what a treat to use all the threads I bought from her!  I love the look of the variegated threads on solid fabric.  With each block I feel like I'm getting better at controlling/coordinating the motion between my hand and the foot pedal.  It's a bit like driving manual (stick shift / standard).

Details from the latest blocks...







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Finally Free-Motion

Posted on June 26, 2013 by | Comments Off on Finally Free-Motion
FMQ= free-motion quilt(ing)
After walking around the blue quilt blocks, starching, prepping, observing... procrastinating... avoiding...

front of block 1
back of block 1
I took the plunge.  I finally said, "Adri, get it together and just free-motion quilt.  Just do it!"  So, I revved up my FMQ mojo by watching Leah Day on her Craftsy class and her blog videos.  I finally bent back the pin of my FMQ foot, wrapped it with a rubber band, and then, I did it.  I free-motion quilted.  The mods to the quilting foot work well by the way.  I had tested it before - I've been practicing on a quilt sandwich for a while - and working with the modifications afterward make a difference.  It's worth giving it a try if you have a generic foot at home like mine.

front of block 2

back of block 2

 And, I think my first two quilt blocks are a really good effort!  Whadya think?  I feel like I have more control when my hands are further apart, so I'm going to try and rig up a stand or something to keep the blocks at the same height as the sewing machine.

The sensation of FMQing is a lot like drawing or doodling, but with a whole new kind of stylus!

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WIP: Blue Quilt Progress

Posted on June 6, 2013 by | Comments Off on WIP: Blue Quilt Progress
Just a quick note on the blue quilt.  I finished attaching the blue borders to all 20 squares... next up is the free motion quilting!


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