life is a beautiful ride...

i couldn't wait to finish this project.  it was my first commissioned project and i was totally nervous.  i made it for a friend of mine who loves biking, obviously!  i saw this material and immediately thought of her. the back fabric couldn't have been any better!  the pattern is chain link by amy smart.

darth tyrinis...

what can i say?  i let my husband name this quilt.  it is, however, his!  he needed a replacement (desperately) for the blanket he sleeps with at night.  he has used the same ratty blanket for probably 25 years.  it's nasty polyester and itchy.  the new one had to have specific requirements.  couldn't be too hot, couldn't be too short, had to be big enough...he sleeps really hot, so i had to figure out what i could use to not keep him too warm.  at someone's suggestion (can't remember who!), i used a piece of flannel instead of traditional quilt batting.  i wanted to make more of a quilt type creation that just a blanket, so this is what i chose!  good news is he loves it.  it has great weight to it, but isn't too hot.

the first...

finally!  i started this quilt in april.  it was my first quilt top ever.  i probably bit off a little more than i could chew, but i'm glad i did.  i learned a ton from this quilt!!  it's been sitting in my craft room, starting at me for a couple of months.  mostly because i fell out of love with the colors, and didn't know what to bind it with.  finally i got some fabric and finished it.  i like the colors again, now, which is a bonus!

the sweetpea...

i wasn't really quite sure what i had gotten myself into when i started these quilting shenanigans...four quilt tops (more posts to come!) and two completed quilts later, i'm still not quite sure.  all i know is that right now i am loving it so much!!  it's a combination of finding the right combos of colors, a big puzzle of  block making, and therapy as i sew, sew, sew.  

this was my mother's day present to my cute mom.  i didn't get it finished quite in time for mother's day, but i think she forgives me!  with this quilt, i went a little bit more than just straight lines on the machine quilting.  i also quilted around certain blocks.  i love the pattern it ended up making.  random but cool!

my first finished quilt...

i know, i know...this isn't really my first quilt.  it's actually my third.  but my first quilt isn't finished yet.  i was afraid of binding it.  so that still needs to happen.  and my second quilt, is only really a quilt top at this point. both of those will be posted later.  but here...this is my first completed quilt.  and i was in kind of a rush to get it completed, for a few different reasons.  one, it's his 70th birthday this year.  second, father's day is coming up.  and third, we have decided as a family to stop my dad's treatment for the brain cancer he has. and life has improved greatly after that. but i wanted to make him a quilt that he could enjoy while he is still able, then pass it on to my mom.

so that's why this is my first complete quilt!!  if you know my cute pop, you know he always has on a pocket tshirt.  always. so i used a bunch of his old tshirts to make this.  this was my first tshirt quilt, and probably my last...it was definitely a test of my patience!  but i'm happy with how it turned out.  a true labor of love!!

ps isn't my dad the cutest???

my quilt journal...

i have never been a real journal keeper.  i've tried many times throughout my life, but never lasted more than a week or so. i do kind of look at my blog as a sort of journal...although not completely. when i started quilting,  my aunt jill told me that i should keep a quilt journal.  i had no idea what that was or what i should write in it, but i gave it a shot.  and i'm so glad i did.  i'm keeping notes about the particular project and adding little scraps of fabric.  i love it.  and so far, so good!!  here's the first page about my string quilt blocks.

string blocks...

so about that swap i was mentioning in the previous post.  here are the blocks i made.  i haven't gotten the knack of measuring properly yet, so i had to get more material. ended up with three different blocks.  gotta admit, i love them all!

oh no...a new hobby...

so i've taken up a new hobby.  and it's terrible.  not terrible in the sense that it's an awful hobby. terrible in the sense that a-i don't need another hobby, b-i don't need another EXPENSIVE hobby, and even worse c-another hobby that takes up a lot of space!  but seeing as how i can't ever really just ease in to things, i've jumped in full speed ahead!

it's quilting.  and i have my two friends, nancy and traci to thank.  or blame.  see, nancy was wanting to host a quilt block swap.  and traci was going to join.  and they both pretty much talked me into doing it, too.  now mind you, i have never quilted a thing in my life!!  i have sewn a few things here and there, but a quilt?  get out! but they both assured me it would be simple and that if i could sew a moderately straight line, i could do it.

i gave in and joined the swap.  and then i went to the fabric store to get fabric for my blocks. and it was pretty much history from there.  i knew i was in deep trouble.  the swap was a string block swap, and in theory you use your fabric scraps to make the block. since i didn't really have fabric scraps to use, i had to buy some.  and once i realized all the amazingly cute fabric that is out there, i was hooked!  i picked some fabric and went home.  then decided that maybe i should make some more.  so i went back to the fabric store.  then ventured to one (or several) of the grundle of stores located near me.  now i have a nice little stash of fabric!

so now here it is, probably 6 weeks later and i'm on my third quilt.  haven't finished any of them yet, but my mind is wild with ideas!  so my stamping/crafting blog may now have a little quilting mixed in!  and don't worry...i'm NOT giving up card making or mixed media.  i love them too much!  just adding another addiction to the mix!!!

here's the first quilt block i made.  it's terrible and uneven but i love it because it's what got me hooked.  and of course it involves cute birds!!!