Challenge Quilt Revealed!

I have a Challenge quilt finish to show today!

Our modern guild partnered with a Canadian on-line fabric company, Warp and Weft, who put together a bundle of fat quarters for us. Our challenge was to make whatever we wanted with the fabrics. No other rules or restrictions, just go for it!

When I received my bundle, it took me quite a while to come up with an idea. I was in the midst of working on the two quilts (shown below), and the colour choices in this bundle left me puzzled. I searched the internet for inspiration, and then my Pinterest board to peruse my quilty pins, and found this one and I knew I could make it work.

I don't have quilt design software, so I re-created the pattern using Word shapes and changed the colour placement so I could work with the colour palette we were given. I added in the orange, lime green, and purple/pink burst fabric, along with a tan, cream, grey and black.

Did I mention I have helpers?

Rather than strip piecing, I cut individual pieces and then pieced the blocks, using just the picture to guide me. I liked the process of 'puzzling' my way through the maze. There are 392 pieces in this little quilt, finished size 1.25" x 2.5" each and the quilt, with a 2" finished border, is 38" square. I plan to hang it at the end of the hallway so we can enjoy the full effect of the design.

I quilted the coloured bricks close to the seams, even Lizzie thought I should take a break on this one!

 

 

On the back, I used a piece of (I believe) Indonesian batik. These batiks come in lengths of about five feet. I bought several of these when I was at Quilt Canada...in 2004!

 

 I am very happy with the results!

Sunday Afternoon Makeover: Re-upholstering a Footstool

Sunday afternoon, hubs and I re-upholstered this old footstool that belonged to my granddad. It was covered in a rust-coloured 60's tweed, obviously very dated. We do use the footstool, as do the furry ones, so we thought it was time to give it a makeover.

 

It really wasn't that difficult, we watched a Youtube video (which wasn't very helpful) so we just kind of winged it. It didn't take long either, about an hour, and in the end, we think it turned out great!

Measuring

Trimming to size

Figuring out the corners

A tuck here, a tuck there

Three more corners to go!

Details!

We decided not to re-finish the legs. For one, we wanted it done today, and two, because we wanted to keep some of the original character. Something from Gramps!

Ta-da!

Scrap Bags and Kitty Beds

It's been a while since I posted. I have been sewing and quilting, though. I'll start off with just a few little projects I've worked on recently! I'll post some quilts in the next day or so.

A cherry pit heating bag I whipped up as a door prize for our local modern quilt guild meeting. Last year, I bought three boxes of cherry pits online from Norton's Okanagan Harvest. The boxes were bigger than I expected, so I was really happy about that! I've made quite a few of these bags. They make great gifts, and sold very well at our guild quilt show boutique. Here is the tutorial I used. Sorry for the crappy picture, but I snapped the pic just before I ran out the door.

A kitty bed made using Cluck Cluck Sew's Sprocket Pillow tutorial. I used flannel scraps and made the 16" pillow size. I stuffed it (not too full) with fabric scraps and batting bits that guild members have been giving me for the beds. This one received Lizzie's seal of approval immediately!

I had enough scraps to stuff another bed. This one I made a bit larger and more oval. I used the same construction method as the sprocket pillow, except I made a pillow insert (check out this snake fabric...what was I thinking when I bought this?!) and then made a removable cover, with a zipper!

I haven't sewn a zipper into something for years, so the cat bed was good practice. I have had the pink checked fabric for way too long, easily 20+ years, but I guess you get around to using it eventually, right?

All the cat beds I make receive the seal of approval from my capable testers! We actually have three cats, but our smallest one, Monty, is such a Chicken Little, he's afraid of his own shadow. I gave this bed to a co-worker who has a heart of gold, and cares for several stray cats in her neighbourhood. She tells me her kitties love it!