A Quilt For Me?!

I made a quilt for me! I know, I didn't give it away.  I think I just broke the quilters' code or something.
It was kinda an experiment quilt technically, but still, it was for me.  See, I have a few gift quilts in the works or just percolating in my brain and I needed to try out what size I wanted to make them and whether I could machine quilt them. 
THAT'S RIGHT, I MACHINE QUILTED! WITH A WALKING FOOT AND EVERYTHING!
As a die hard hand quilter, I knew my quilt agenda was not gonna happen on the time table I had, so enter the walking foot.  I was so intimidated by attaching it to my machine.  I had to use a screwdriver.  I was taking things apart!  This was way out of my pop the little lever in the back and swap from presser foot to a zipper foot comfort zone.  But I did it.  And I was almost embarrassingly proud of myself. 

I made a scrappy trip and since it's pretty much all my fabric, it is so me.  I super love it.  It's on the smaller size but works for curling up on the couch.  And it's backed in flannel, which is appropriate seeing as we had our first real snow last night.  Totally messed up my picture plans, we know how much fun I have throwing a quilt around.

Now on to the details I love on this one.  First up, my polka dot block.  Not all of my polka dots made it into this block, there are plenty others in the quilt top, but this block is all polka dots.  You can't tell unless you know, but it entertains me.

I did a rollover machine binding and just sewed it up fast.  At one point, I didn't catch the quilt top at all.  I noticed when I was moving the quilt to the dryer, so of course I hauled the wet quilt over to my machine.  I zigzagged it.  It is so not beautiful but I love it anyway.  It now has personality.  And it's for me and I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth!

Next up, a teacher quilt, a brother quilt, and quilts for the nieces/nephews that are on their way in the Spring!  And some more machine quilting.

 

linking up to TGIFF

This Quilt

 I apparently have a short attention span for piecing.  I loathe making the same block twice.  But this was just the right look for my sons' quilts.  And we have two sons.  And they have bunk beds.  So I made the same quilt twice.  I stinkin' hand quilted the same quilt twice.  And my goodness, I was so ready to be done with this quilt. (and just to be clear, I so did not match up color placement from one quilt to another, I'm not that masochistic)

 The oldest's quilt has been done for a couple years.  Between not enough fabric and not enough motivation, the youngest's quilt has been stalled for a couple years.  Finally, I had to chalk it up to a motherly sacrifice and get it done. 
And he loves it.  It was worth it, but I am so glad to be done.  
I gave them different backings for quick identifying.  And because I color code my children.

The quilts look good in their room, and seeing them all snuggled up in a mom quilt is good feeling.  But just the same, the first time somebody pukes on this quilt, part of me will be satisfied.

linking up to TGIFF and Crazy Mom

My Introverted Sewing Summit

It was great!  The class offerings were a good mix.  I wanted to take sewing classes that would teach me new things and I certainly accomplished that.  I learned English paper piecing, hand printing, foundation paper piecing, smocking, and how to draft a pattern for custom leggings.  I even made a metal frame pouch.  It was fun to learn new things and see all the different fabrics people were using.

There was plenty of time for socializing during meals and open sew each night.  Somewhere on their  website they say you can be as social or unsocial as you want to be at Sewing Summit and I will say that's accurate.  I am a super unsocial person.  It takes me years to be comfortable in most situations.  I can small talk if I have to, but generally I'm used to sitting by myself.  I only went to open sew to make some adjustments on my leggings and to do a little prep work for my clutch, a total of fifteen minutes tops.  And while there were clearly a bunch of people hanging out and meeting bloggy friends, I didn't feel like I was excluded from anything by not being one of them.  So introverts, don't worry, they mean it, you can be unsocial at Sewing Summit. 

Okay, now on to some pictures.  I didn't take many; I was busy sewing and being unsocial.

 I haven't finished it yet, but here's my first foray into EPP.  I love it. (it's reading black, but that square is actually a navy, it works, don't worry)  As a hand quilter, I expected I would, for all the same reasons I like hand quilting.  We precut our fabric for this class, and if I iron something I want it to stay ironed so I made myself a little travelling case.
Poor Black Beauty, I gutted another book.  I lined this one in batting and added an elastic loop to hold it shut.  It worked out great.  I hope to do more EPP and figure this will come in handy.  I love that EPP is so portable, and sewing the pieces together is just so satisfying.

 The clutch took less than an hour, it was like forty minutes and that includes glue drying.   I want to make another of these right away to make sure it really sinks into my brain.  It is an impressive finished item and looks like more work than it was.

 In hand printing we carved our own stamp and went to town on some fabric.  We're letterboxers so the carving was right up my alley.  Since I had blue I thought I add a school of fish.  Ideally it wouldn't have the messy edges of the stamp, but in person I really like the messy edges.  I like handmade.

Sewing Summit was fun and I liked learning so many new things.  If we had unlimited money and my husband had unlimited vacation hours I might make it a regular adventure.