Foundation Pieced Ornaments

In my last American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, there were the cutest foundation pieced Christmas ornaments.  I knew they would be perfect for my sisters annual ornament exchange. :D

This is my first attempt at paper piecing.

These are 2.5" finished.

I was being SO smart and making a loop for hanging the ornament, and even hid the knot under the binding...

...but then I realized that there was NO way to remove the needle :P

I decided that they needed a cool packaging.

I looted my daughters stash and found this cute cardstock.

I looted my ribbon stash for, well, ribbon ;)

Next I found cellophane envelopes ;)

They turned out really cute :)

***Bonus funny story-  My 6 year old walked in and looked at the ornaments and asked what these little quilts were for.  It told him that they were quilts for gold fish.  He thought that was a great idea.  I told him the hanger was so that after the fish used it and it was wet, you could hang them on the Christmas tree to dry ;)  Later that day when I showed my husband them, my 6 year old was there.  When my husband asked what they were, my 6 year old answered promptly, "Gold fish quilts!"

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts :)

MaryAnne's Denim Quilts

Saturday I started to to work on the quilts I am making for my mom's friend, MaryAnne.  I have known MaryAnne pretty much my whole life :)  I love her dearly!

She has been saving her kids jeans forEVER and is having me make quilts for Christmas for her children.

She mailed me 5-1/2" squares cut out of each child's jeans and 12+ yards of the backing and sashing fabric.

I am working on one quilt at a time so I don't mix up the different jeans.

They are all going to be very much the same.  I got Emileigh's top and back finished Saturday :D

Chain piecing blocks and sashing.

Pressed blocks ready for trimming.

There are 80, 7-1/2" blocks.

Here is the top all sewn. 

MaryAnne has embroidered a special block for each of her children. 

Since I have been on an monogram kick, I decided to add one to the back of each quilt.

Aly's Shams Arrive

As soon as the shams arrived at Aly's home she started sending me pictures :)

Aren't they fun?

What order should they go?

She loves them and I am so happy that they arrived safely :)

One final shot with the new blue shams in the background :)

Patchwork Monogram Tutorial

A friend suggested I do a tutorial for how to make the applique monogram.

I learned how to make these at the Utah County Modern Quilt Group meeting at Broadbent's in November.

Anna showed us an example and told us how to do it.

Here is how you can make your own :)

You can frame the monogram, add it to the back of a quilt or to a quilt block.

See this quilt with a monogram block  HERE

Here is how to do it :)

#1 Go into your favorite word processing program.  Chose the letter you want and the font.  Make it SUPER big.  This font is 650.  (Try not to choose one that is too "skinny")

#2 Print it out.

#3  Once it is printed out, you will need to turn it over and trace it. (I use a sharpie)

#4  On the original paper, make lines where the patches will go.

Be sure to number them.

#5  Next, lay your favorite fusible web, Wonder Under, Steam a Seam, or whatever over the backwards letter.  Trace the backwards letter onto it.

#6  Trace the lines and numbers onto the fusible web.

#7  Now cut them out.

Be sure to cut around the lines, and not on the lines... except for the lines inside the letter.

#8  Remove the backing paper and iron your pieces onto the wrong side of the fabric. (Follow the manufacturers instructions for your brand of fusible web)

#9  Now it's time to cut out your pieces. 

#10  Before you peel off the paper, lay out your pieces to chose where you would like them to go.

#11  Now peel off the backing and start to place them and press them in place.

#12  Once they are all pressed in place, stitch in place with your method of choice.

I used a narrow zig zag.

This K went on the back of my daughters Katie-Bug quilt.

When I put the monogram onto a block, I wait to trim the block until after I have adhered the letter and sewed it in place first.

Happy Monogramming :)

I Know What I Am Going To-Do Today

Another GREAT totally manic sewing week!  I hope I can keep this up until I am all finished with my Christmas Chores ;D

THIS WEEKS LIST
#1 Quilt the Katie-Bug quilt DONE!!  ALL THE WAY!!!  Blogged HERE

#2 Quilt my son's birthday quilt  DONE!!!  All the WAY!!! Blogged HERE

#3 Finish the Granny Square Quilt  DONE and delivered!!!  Blogged HERE

#4 Start Denim Quilts One top and one back finished :)

  

THIS WEEK'S LIST OF TO-DO'S
#1 Paper pieced ornaments for exchange on Thursday night
#2  Denim quilts
#3 Boy baby blanket... maybe...

Projects For Hire-

3 denim quilts for MaryAnne (shipped before Christmas) One top and 1 back finished :)

Chrisann's mom's quilt

2 tops for Emily

WIP's -in some form of progress... (all bumped to 2013)

The April $29 girl quilt

The May $29 quilt

Challenge quilt for next year's quilt show
"Letters to my Daughter" block of the month

Back Burner Purgatory... lol!!! ;) (I've got the fabric for these, but no chop chop yet) {also bumped to 2013}

Baby blanket for Morgan's
Chrisann's quilt (the AWESOME kindergarten teacher)

Mandy's quilt

2 Twin Size applique quilts for my nieces

The June $29 quilt

My bed quilt

July $29 Quilt

Civil War Layer Cake quilt

Christmas Presents Completed!

Anna's Gamer Quilt (Blogged HERE)

Ashley's Weekender (Blogged HERE)
Ladybug quilt for Kate (Blogged HERE)

Need to Do for Christmas

Socks for my girls

Mario Quilt for hubby (needs quilting and binding)

Duffle Bags for the boys
8 bit pillow for Ford

So, what are you up to this week?  PLEASE share with me :)

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts :)

Will's Shore Thing

My son's birthday quilt is finished :)

Can I get a Whoop!  Whoop!?

I really need to retake these pictures, but my sister in law literally dropped off my son as I was taking these, so I had to hurry and hide the quilts :(

I did a pixilated fmq pattern

I am super happy to have this bad boy crossed off of my list!!!

You can read more about this quilts construction by clicking on the Will's Shore Thing link at the bottom of this post :)

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts :)

Katie-Bug Quilt

My daughter's Christmas quilt is finished :)

I bought the Morganson's October $29 mystery quilt kit and added a ladybug :)

The red polka dot fabric is felt.  The black is Kona Black.

I machine quilted daisies all over.  I did not fmq on the ladybug.

I big stitch quilted around the lady bug and am still working on getting all of the spots quilted around :)

The back is red and white with a super cool "K" applique ;D

The binding is vintage back gingham.

Linking up with Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts :)

Black Friday Sew Fest

After recovering from my food induced coma, I got busy sewing my little heart out.

My sister in law took home the two kids who's quilts I needed to finish :)

Pretty smart, eh?

Anyway, I FINISHED THEM BOTH!!!

I will do an official blog post on each one later, but here are some teaser pictures!

I have a little big stitch quilting to do around the ladybug dots... but we wont worry about this for now!

Vintage black gingham binding on the bias.

Semi scrappy binding for this one.

They are SO cute :) ...AND finished!!!

xoxo