Under Construction: New Blog Template

It was beyond time to update my blog. I love the look....but it's messed up a lot of my pictures. So, I'll be spending time trying to get them all fixed. If you happen upon an extremely warped picture, I'm sorry. I'm working on getting them all pretty again.

Lots & Lots of Flower Petal Pillows

So, this project quickly spiraled out of control.

A few days before I was to drive to my mother-in-law's house for Christmas, I had a stroke of genius! I was going to make her a flower petal pillow. I had posted on my personal Facebook account a picture of the pillow I made, and my MIL had jokingly made the comment of wanting one in peach.

So, 48 hours before travel day I am running around town trying to find peach felt. It can't be found! I panic and buy red felt and fabric to match. As a last ditch effort, I try a local hobby store. They have peach felt--but it's the cheap felt sheets. I buy some hoping that it won't look cheap. But now, the peach doesn't match the fabric I bought. So I head back to the fabric store to buy new matching fabric.

The Pillow that started it ALL

But now I have enough to make 2 pillow!

"No Problem!" I told myself. "I'll just use the extra to make one for my sister-in-law who will be at Christmas with us." But there was a problem, because there were going to be two of my SILs there. So, back to the store I went to buy even MORE fabric and felt.

Because this was all 48 hours before I had to leave, and I still needed to work and pack, I only finished the pillow for my MIL.

"No Problem!" I told myself once again. But then I realized if I was going to make pillows for 2 of my SILs, I needed to include the other two SILs.....and my husband's step-mother.

THIS TRULY SPIRALED OUT OF CONTROL!

One of the first ones I made. 

Flower Petal Pillow 

Quickly followed by this one:

Flower Petal Pillow 

It was at this point I realized I needed to go make more, so then made this one:

Flower Petal Pillow 

 And this one:

Flower Petal Pillow

And this one:

Flower Petal Pillow 



But I liked this one so much, and it matched my living rooms so well I wanted to keep it. That meant I had to go back to the store, buy more fabrics, and make just one more.

Flower Petal Pillow 

Right now, my SILs are duking it out on Facebook about who gets which pillow. I am surprised on which ones are going first.







January Goals

After writing down my goals for 2016, I just want to run and do it ALL. But I have to pace myself, I know. I realize I can't do it all in one day. And funnily enough, the project I want to work on this month doesn't have anything to do with my goals for the year--it's a leftover Christmas project I didn't finish.

I want to make three of these Pillows for my sisters-in-law.

Babco Unlimited - Flower Petal Pillow Completed Project

I had a stroke of genius about five days before Christmas--to make this pillow for my mother-in-law. She had seen a picture of the one I had made and jokingly requested one in peach. I thought it would be a perfect Christmas gift.



Flower Petal Pillow

But as I shopped for fabric and accessories, I thought "I should do one for my sisters-in-law, too. Shouldn't take me very long." So I started to buy stuff to make three extra pillows. Only problem--it took me two days to track down peach felt, and I ran out of time.

So now I have stuff for three more pillows, and I don't want all the stuff to lay around my sewing room forever.

2016 Here I Come!

I had to laugh when I read this, because it's kinda true. Not that I didn't accomplish any of my goals from 2015, but because I looked over my goals from 2015 to help determine my goals for 2016. (And a few did make the list for 2016 again.)

Honestly, setting goals do help me focus. I review them monthly to help me determine what to work on.


GOAL #1 -- Organize: Organize my sewing room, my home, and my life.

• My Sewing Room: When I was sewing a few Christmas gifts, I needed a hand needle. Could I find one? Not to save my life. Did I own one? I know I own many, but couldn't find them. I'm tired of not being able to find and use my things. 
• My Home: I have now been in my new home for just over a year. I've gotten a feel for where I like things and how I live in this space. When we moved in, we kinda just threw things in rooms. It's time to truly organize and unpack the leftover boxes. 
• My Life: I recently realized I volunteer too much. People ask things of me, and I think to myself "Yeah, I've got time for that." With my many responsibilities, I need to organize so to be most effective.

GOAL # 2 -- Enter 3 Quilt Shows: HMQS, Springville Show, & QuiltFest

I plan on entering my "Painting the Roses Red" Quilt into the HMQS and Springville Shows. However, I need a new quilt to enter the Utah Quilt Fest. Not sure which quilt that will be, so I need to get a crack-a-lacking.


GOAL # 3 -- UFO Project Continues: Finish 6 of my current WIP Projects.

This is a carryover from last year. I only completely finished 3 UFO projects last year. I did make a lot of progress on a few others though. I have an idea of which ones I'd like to complete:

• Red & White Quilt
• A Little Bit Shorter Tall Tree Table Topper
• Pocket Full of Pinwheels Quilt
• Butterflies Quilt
• Fractured Flower Quilt
• Another Denim Project

 However, I reserve the right to finish anything on my WIP list and not specifically those listed here.

GOAL # 4 -- Enjoy Life: Find time for me each day.

For me, this can mean a lot of things. It could mean time with scripture, time exercising, time sewing, time reading a book, or time working on one of these goals. I feel more balanced and less overwhelmed when I have had some time for myself.

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year! I'm excited about 2016 will bring.

A Year in Review

What a year! It's fun to look back at 2015 and see all the wonderful things I was able to do and create. I made lofty goals--I didn't accomplish them all, but was able to achieve a lot of them. Woot! Woot!

I made this warm denim rag quilt.

MK wrapped in the Denim Rag Quilt

I still fight my daughter over this pink flower pillow.

MK Stole my Pillow!

I had a sew day with my mom and aunt where I started this "A Little Bit Shorter Tall Tree."

A Little Bit Shorter Tall Tree

I completed my Wheel of Fortune Quilt. (And it somehow ended up on my daughter's bed--sneaky little girl!)

Wheel of Fortune Quilt

I crossed "Cathedral Window Quilt" off my Quilty Bucket List by making this Cathedral Window Pillow. It sits on a bench in our front entry way.

Cathedral Window Quilt Pillow

My original quilt "Painting the Roses Red" was hung at the AQS National Quilt Show in Grand Rapids, MI. It also won 1st Place at the Utah Quilt Guild's annual quilt show.

Painting the Roses Red Quilt

I finished a Mystery Quilt for my aunt. This was my first foray into all solids. And I'm loving solids!

Blue Mystery Quilt

I FINALLY finished the top for my Fractured Flower Quilt.


Fractured Flower Quilt Top

Once again, I helped organize and plan the Utah Quilt Festival--a 4 day quilting retreat full of quilting and sewing classes, luncheons, vendors, giveaways, and more.

Off to Quilt Fest 2015

I started my Red & White quilt for the Utah State Quilt Guild's Ruby Jubilee. I just want to add boarders to it to make it a bit bigger.

Red & White Quilt

For a Christmas gift exchange at work, I made a personalized bag for my friend.

And I ended the year by making a Perry the Platypus Christmas stocking for my son's stuffed Perry.


Christmas Morning with Perry the Platypus Stocking

I find it so helpful to look over the year and see all I have accomplished. Plus, it's fun to look over all the things I've done and relive the memories. It makes me eager to set my goals for next year. 

A Perry Stocking

My 10 year-old son asked me to make a Christmas Stocking that looks like Perry the Platypus. (Have you ever watched "Phineas & Ferb?" Possibly the greatest kid's show ever!) He designed the stocking himself.

We used my Kona Cotton Color Card to find just the right colors and ordered the fabric. He was so not happy with the wait for the fabric. But, it finally came.

Perry the Platypus and S

My mother-in-law makes lots of custom Christmas stockings she sells through her Etsy site. She pointed me to an easy pattern on pintrest.

Word to the wise: Being a Quilter doesn't make you a Seamstress. This "pattern" is just a stocking shape and words that basically say "print to actual size; cut 2 lining and cut 2 outside fabrics; sew and you are done!"

I had NO idea what I was doing and made it up as I went along.  My son LOVED it, but I'm so tempted to scrap it and start all over again. I was happy with it until I made the LAST seam, but was so tired I just wanted to be done.



Christmas Morning

  

Christmas Eve, my son put out Perry's stocking with a note asking Santa for chocolate for Perry because Perry has never tasted chocolate before. He was beyond ecstatic when he saw that Santa brought Perry his very own fedora.

It turned out to be a great Christmas. 

Secret Santa Gift - Personalized Bags

We are doing a small gift exchange in our little department at work. I was struggling with what to gift my co-worker and friend who's name I pulled out of the Santa hat. Should I just buy a generic store-bought gift? Or should I try to make her something? And if I do make her something, what to make that doesn't take a huge amount of time and money?

After talking with another co-worker and my mom, I decided on a personalized bag.

Emily spent 1-1/2 years in Peru as a missionary and has a strong love and connection to Peru. So, we embroidered her name on one side of the bag and the Peru flag on the other side.

I was so surprised on how fast and easy this bag was to make. I am very afraid of zippers and avoid them whenever I can. However, it was so incredibly easy to do! I need to rethink my aversion to zippers.

My mom has made several of these bags in the past. These bags are so useful and can be made in any size you like.

• My 2 children with peanut allergies keep their medicines and epi-pens in their personalized bags that go everywhere with them. The strap on the bag makes it easy to carry on your wrist.
• One son uses his to keep all his contact items together in one place.
• We have a few large ones made out of mesh we use as clothing/lingerie bags while traveling. 
• I have one I keep all my cords and plugs for my electronics when I travel.
• I keep mine personalized bag by my bed, which holds my sleep mask, ear plugs, etc.
• A niece uses hers as her make-up bag.

I'm excited for the gift exchange. I hope she likes it. 

Linked up with Show Off Saturday here.

Updated Picture - Red & White Quilt

As promised. Here is a picture of my completed top for my Red & White Quilt. I had to get 2 little helpers to hold this one up for me.



 

Red & White Quilt

My boys are used to this request: Will you hold a quilt for me? They know the drill and are good sports about it.

I'm having moments of panic about the size. I intended this to be a Queen sized quilt. Technically, it is. However, it is on the small side of Queen size. After taking measurements of this top (76" x 96") and my Queen sized mattress, I realize it will work. But, I want it just a tad bit wider for comfort.

So, it's been decided to add a boarder. I'm thinking a red and white striped border. Well, it would actually be white, red, white stripes with a red binding. This would add another 6" (3" on each side) making the quilt 82" x 102".

My goal for December is to add a border to this quilt.

Linked up with A Lovely Year of Finishes here.
Linked up with Let's Bee Social here.

Quilt Top Done

Just in the nick of time, I completed my November Goal: Complete the top for my Red & White Quilt. And because it is 11:30 pm, I can't get a good picture of it, so I'll use this almost completed picture for now until I can get a good picture to post and still be able to link up to the linky party.



Red & White Quilt Top

I did want to have this done for my Quilt Guild's meeting a week and a half ago, but it didn't happen. Oh well! Just happy to have it done.

I do think I will add borders to it to make it just a bit bigger. We'll see.

Linked up with A Lovely Year of Finishes here.

Almost Done

I am so close to finishing the top for my Red & White Quilt. Only thing left is to sew the rows together. 

Red & White Carpenters Block

I have had so many good intentions of posting pictures of my progress, but life gets away from me and I would forget. So sorry!

I am very happy with how this is turning out. And I love having a design wall I can lay out my blocks on.

Nine more passes on my sewing machine and this is done! Yahoo!

November Goal: Finish top for Red & White Quilt

My crazy goal for November: Finish the top for my Red & White Quilt.

Babco Unlimited - Red & White Quilt in Progress

This is what I get for starting my challenge so late. I really should have the top completed by my November meeting in 2 weeks...but I'm not holding my breath on that one. I just need to be able to bring a completed top by then.

Wish me luck!

Linked up with a Lovely Year of Finishes here.

Red & White Quilt Progress

I can't believe I almost forgot to post about meeting my October goal: to have all my strip sets sewn for my Red & White Quilt. I am happy to report I accomplished my goal and surpassed it! Yahoo! I sewed all my strip sets and sewed all my mini blocks. (88 of Block A and 64 of Block B)

Babco Unlimited - Red & White Quilt in Progress

Sorry for the dark picture. It has been cloudy and rainy in Utah all week. I meant to take a picture this afternoon, but soccer and Halloween and weekend cleaning happened.

I now have all the pieces I need. It's so fun to watch this quilt come together.

Linked up with A Lovely Year of Finishes here.

WIP Wednesday # 41 - Sample of Red & White Quilt

I wanted to do a small sample block of what my quilt will ultimately look like.

Babco Unlimited - Red & White Quilt in Progress

I kept looking at that LARGE pile of fabric strips I cut previously and hoping I didn't just cut up yards and yards of fabric for something that wouldn't work.

I have to say it: I'm very excited now.

Linked up with Let's Bee Social here.
Linked up with WIP Wednesday here.

WIP Wednesday # 40 - At the Cutting Table

I've been busy at my cutting table.

Babco Unlimited - Red & White Quilt in Progress

I turned yards of fabric into the following:
Red Fabric: 109 strips (WOF x 1-1/2")
White Fabric: 50 strips (WOF x 1-1/2")
White Fabric: 5 strips (WOF x 3-1/2")
White Fabric: 8 strips (WOF x 5-1/5")

And I will still need more cut for borders and bindings....but will do that once my blocks are all done.
This will give me what I need to get my top done.

Now, I'm off to sew strips together.

Challenge Quilt--Red & White Quilt

The UVQG challenge this year is to make a Red & White Quilt. There are no size requirements, nor design restrictions. It just has to be red and white ONLY. We can work all the different shades and hues of Red, but no other color is allowed.

I've been hemming and hawing over what to make. There are so many possibilities! This is the same problem I had last year with the "I looked out the Window" Challenge. It took me so long to settle on an idea that I ended up starting only a month before the deadline. I can't complain too much because I did end up with a quilt I absolutely love and hung in the AQS Quilt Show in Grand Rapids, MI. and it won 1st Place, Art Innovative at the Utah State Quilt Fest.

(And this year, I'm starting 1-1/2 months before the deadline instead of 1 month like last year.  Giving myself so much extra time!)

Babco Unlimited - Red & White Quilt in Progress

After months of searching for the "right" pattern, I finally drew up my own pattern based on a classic Carpenter's Square. I'm sure there are patterns out there, but why bother when I can just draw it up myself? And I can make sure it's how *I* want it to be.

I even took the time to figure out exactly how much fabric I needed so I knew how much to purchase. Nothing worse than running out of fabric mid-project. And as much as I love having a fabric stash, I didn't want to end up with TOO much leftover fabric.

Babco Unlimited - Red & White Quilt in Progress

I settled on this beautiful Kona Cotton in Chinese Red and Snow.  I am really starting to get excited about this project.

My goal for the month of October is to have all my strip sets sewn for this quilt. Yikes! I've got lots and lots of cutting and sewing ahead of me.

Linked up with Lovely Year of Finishes here.

Mystery Quilt - Day 4

Mystery Solved!

Babco Unlimited - Mystery Quilt Completed Top

And I have a completed top--YAY!

I've never worked exclusively with solids before. I know I'm late to this trend, but I think I really like it. In fact, I just did a large fabric order of solid fabrics for my next project.

And just like that, I completed my September Goal.

Linked up with Lovely Year of Finishes here.

First Place Finish

My "Painting the Roses Red" quilt won 1st place, Art Innovative at the Utah Quilt Fest Show last week. The Utah Quilt Guild covers all of Utah, parts of Nevada, and parts of Idaho. Plus, many quilters from other states come with family who are part of this state guild. 

First Place Ribbon, Art Innovative, Utah Quilt Festival Quilt Show

I was so surprised when my name was announced as a winner, but so so happy.

My quilt came back from the AQS Show just in time for me to send it off to this show.  At the AQS Show, my quilt was part of a group showing. We made it to the semifinals, but didn't place. That is okay--I'm was just so excited my quilt was going to a national show.

Disclaimer: My quilt was competing in the beginner category as I had never won a blue ribbon before. From now on, I'll have to compete at the champion level. So, this might be my first and last blue ribbon. Gotta enjoy it while I can.

Off to Quilt Fest 2015

It's that time of year again--I'm off to QuiltFest 2015.

My machine and bags are packed. I've got my name badge. I've kissed my husband and kids and promised I would indeed return on Saturday.

I've got my name badge--I'm off to Quilt Fest 2015

I tired to pair down my class schedule this year. In years past I cram every hour with classes and wear myself out. Then I don't have time or energy to do any shopping, or volunteering at the hand quilting booth, or socialize.

This year I'm taking the following classes:

• Colorado National Monument--a class on landscape quilts using freezer paper patterns
• Pieced Borders
• Designing & Organizing Your Quilting Space
• Quilted Journal or Sketchbook

I'm looking forward to time with my mom, my aunt, and my quilting friends I've made, and to creative time. 

Mystery Quilt - Day 3

I made a lot of 8-pointed Stars for Day 3 of my Mystery Quilt.

Babco Unlimited - Mystery Quilt in Progress

I've always called these stars "Martha Washington Stars," but when I googled the name I found out the Martha Washington Star usually has a pinwheel center instead of a solid one. So maybe I'm wrong.

Image found at Quilt Around the World

I'm only doing a table topper sized project, so I am almost done. I have all my major blocks done, just have to wait for day 4 to see the layout.

Overall, I'm happy with the color choices. I was a little nervous at the start that the 2 lighter blues were too similar without enough contrast. Still true--not a lot of contrast--but I'm ok with it and rather like it.

Mystery Quilt - Day 2

Lots and lots of flying geese make up the majority of my sewing for Day 2 of the Mystery Quilt. 

Babco Unlimited - Mystery Quilt in Progress

Have you ever tried the Quilt in a Day Flying Geese Ruler? It is awesome! I've never been a fan of flying geese because they are so tiring to make. However, this ruler makes sewing flying geese so easy and simple. They come out perfect every time.

Flying Geese Ruler

This ruler comes in several sizes with clear and easy instructions to follow. I used this ruler to make a ton of 1-1/2" x 3" flying geese and a few 3" x 6" flying geese for this Mystery Quilt. Now, I'm even thinking of making a flying geese quilt after this--that's a huge step toward loving flying geese for me.