A Trail Tote

When the weather is nice we like to go letterboxing.  Most of the letterboxes we've found have been on hikes.  There are a fair amount hidden in urban areas too, but for the most part we're out in the woods and the dirt.  Carrying our stamp and book in my purse works for the urban boxes, not so much for the ones in the woods.

And so, I made myself a trail tote.  It's a free pattern by Anna of noodlehead on the robert kaufman website.  I made the small size and it fits our supplies perfectly with some room to spare for phone and keys.  I bet I could even fit a snack or two.  The small size is the perfect little bag size.  I'm 5'9" and it doesn't look like I stole it from my six year old.

The instructions were easy to follow and seriously, how proud am I of my inset zipper?  I showed my husband the zipper and the magnet clasp like a million times.  I made him ooh and aah over the gold piping, too.

Letterboxing here we come...as soon as the snow melts.

Millefiori. It's Happening.

For Christmas, my husband gave me the book and paper pieces to make la passacaglia!  I totally bought it myself and he wrapped it for me.  I didn't let myself even peek into the packaging, but he looked and asked if I knew what I was getting myself into.  Admittedly the pieces are SMALL, but I am having so much fun with this quilt!  It will take forever, but choosing the fabrics for each cog is my idea of a great time.

 Seeing as it will definitely take forever, I've hung my first rosette on the wall in my sewing room. The second cog is still growing.  It grows every night after kiddo bedtime.

I'm going about each rosette one at a time.  I have a few cogitating in my brain, but I won't commit to the fabrics until I finish this cog.  I think my next just might feature some kawaii! Why not? This quilt will have so much happening in the pattern that I think it can handle a little bit of crazy in the fabrics.

Icy Mosiac

Rachel at Stitched in Color is having another mosiac contest.  I always love seeing all the different interpretations of the given theme. I chose fabrics and colors that felt quiet and overcast like snowy days.  Not pictured are the kid boots, hats, and gloves, shorn by the back door when they come in for hot chocolate; that's not nearly as quiet as the snow.

Swaps

I fell off the Earth for awhile, I know.  I blame Instagram.  My family still looks here rather than there so I ought to get back with the blogging.
I've been swapping!  It's so fun.  I am assigned a partner to secretly make for and someone is secretly assigned me.
In my first swap, I got a cute cross stitch heart mini made by Jennifer in Australia.  She sent treats, too, which the kiddos still talk about.  The quilt went on my wall right away and looks great there.  The quilting community really is just awesome.

I just sent off the mini I made for my second swap.  It's headed to England and should arrive any day now.  I am so anxious for my partner to see it!  I had so much fun brainstorming and making it for her.

I call it a quarter medallion since it's just a quarter of a medallion style quilt.  The quilters she said she liked all had a medallion quilt and our tastes were similar enough that I thought I could come up with one she would like.
In the next couple weeks, or days, I'll receive the mini quilt made for me.  The kiddos and I have been following the group on instagram and guessing which is for me.  The kiddos are hoping for more Aussie candy, truth be told.

Mosiac

Stitched in Color is hosting another mosaic contest.  I love seeing the different takes on a theme.  this time the theme is fall.  I didn't really have much of a "fall" growing up.  We went from hot to wet. To me fall is wet dirt and overcast skies. 

One thing I really love about living where I do now, is that my kids get a "real" fall.  The leaves change color and everything!  They even get snow in the winter.  I like having four seasons.  Go Fall!

Cathedral Windows

I've always loved cathedral windows.  They just look gorgeous...and really complicated.  I thought a quilt would be getting in over my head and decided to try it out on a mini for me.

The prep was a few steps, but it wasn't too difficult.  I used Love Patchwork and Quilting issue 6 for my instructions.  I actually bought this issue specifically for the instructions.

(next to the doll quilt my great-grandmother made)

I have to say, I absolutely love my little mini.  The binding took a moment to think over the how-to, but it turned out alright in the end.  The main work was the prep, filling the windows really went pretty quickly.

(it's in a weird spot, I couldn't reach any higher and I just wanted to see it up there)

I think I could totally do a whole quilt of cathedral windows.  Once I get over just how much fabric it would take, that is.

Katie's Quilt

My bestie is about to have a baby boy and of course I made him a quilt!  I made this quilt and the undies quilt at the same time.  They couldn't be more different.  I love making quilts for people I know because I get a chance to really personalize the fabrics and style to their tastes and personalities.  Some of me always shows through, but it's clearly for the recipient.  And I love when they love it.

 I went fabric hunting looking for something cute but not too babyish and it ought to have green.  I fell in love with the alligators and went from there.  I found so many great fabrics that played so nicely together.  I think the final tally was two blues, two greens (I even used a solid!) two blacks, a gray and blue/white lattice.

 I set them out in a plus quilt pattern.  I was even on top of things enough to remember to orient the plaid blocks the same direction throughout the quilt.

I bound it in a satin blanket binding.  I've done this on a few quilts and I just like it.  My daughter's quilt is bound this way and she loves it.  She is always recommending I bind every quilt this way.

The quilt has safely made its way to Mom and Dad and big brothers and will soon get to meet the new guy.