And the Winners Are...

The winners of the drawing for the In Your Words blog hop are:

Pink: Pat B.                Green: Aurea G.

Congratulations, ladies! I have received your mailing addresses and your fabric will be mailed soon. Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone for visiting during the blog hop and for leaving so many kind comments. See you again soon!

Debbie

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French food in downtown Sacramento. Delicious.

French food in downtown Sacramento. Delicious., a photo by quilter4010 on Flickr.

WIP Wednesday 1/16/2013

I haven't done any quilting since I finished In Love with Animal Prints last weekend. I'm waiting for fabric to arrive for an upcoming travel-related quilt. Meanwhile, I've been thinking about the next blog hop: Dare to Dresden. Below are a couple of Dresden blocks, just two of many variations.

I came up with several ideas last night, and have settled on one in particular. I won't be sharing much about the design until my day to post on the blog hop (January 25). However, followers of my  Facebook Page Traveling Quilter have already been clued in, and will be able to follow along while I create the block. I'm excited about the project.

Debbie

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Make It Monday 1/14/2013

In Love with Animal Prints

For friend and co-worker Sharon E., who loves animal prints.

Partly from leftovers from earlier Roxanne quilt.

Disappearing Nine Patch variation, strip pieced.

Original layout, partly from stash.

60" square. Completed 1/13/2013.

Close-up

Print in the smaller squares is from the original Roxanne quilt.

When Sharon told me she admired Roxanne's quilt, I decided to remake the quilt for her. Didn't have enough to make the quilt exactly, so added new leopard print in pink, one of Sharon's favorite colors.

Back

Had a little of the print left from the original Roxanne quilt. Decided to make the most of it by using it on the back.

I often use cute shopping bags as gift bags for quilts. I found this bag at TJ Maxx for $.99! Couldn't be more appropriate for the quilt.

Original Roxanne quilt, made about a year ago

Leftovers of the print in the large squares was used for In Love with Animal Prints

I gave In Love with Animal Prints (formerly Roxanne 2) to friend and co-worker Sharon E. today, for her birthday. She was so surprised. I had misled her into believing the quilt was for my daughter-in-law Laurie, whose birthday is later this week, and who also loves animal prints. Sharon follows my quilting progress very closely, and is my quilt delivery buddy at work, taking pictures as I just enjoy the moment. It was fun to make the quilt right under her nose. She had no clue the quilt was for her.

IKEA fabric

My next quilt will be based on some travel fabric, which I ordered from eQuilter.com a couple of days ago. While I wait for the fabric to arrive, I plan to work on a sleeping bag for my 2 1/2-year-old granddaughter Piper. Last year I bought 2 yards of IKEA fabric, which has mountain goats, referring to one of my nicknames for Piper: my little mountain goat. (She's a climber.) A month ago I bought a comforter at IKEA for the inside of the sleeping bag, which should keep her nice and warm, as well as provide a little padding. Pink fabric will go on the inside of the bag. I am still trying to decide how to close the bag. I bought a long zipper (maybe 72") at Jo-Ann's, but may end up using ties. We'll see.

Be sure to check out my post for the In Your Words Blog Hop. Giving away two fat quarters. Enter anytime through Wednesday January 16, 2013.

What are your quilting plans this week? Please leave a comment. I'd love to hear about them.

Debbie

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WIP Wednesday 1/9/2013

My next quilt is made partly from leftovers from Roxanne, a quilt I made about a year ago.

Roxanne

Completed 1/11/2012

Fabrics used for Roxanne

Roxanne block (Disappearing Nine Patch variation)

I wanted to play up the hearts/animal print in the new quilt, but had only a half yard left, not enough to use it in the same way as the original Roxanne. Last night I went to Jo-Ann's and picked up a few fabrics for Roxanne 2 (working title that may change), including the pink leopard seen below.

Fabrics for Roxanne 2

There should be enough of the original animal print if used in the smaller squares.

Pink leopard will fill the large squares very nicely.

Black print from stash will be a narrow border, and the bright pink will be a wide final  border.

The bright pink, bought last night, is the same fabric used in the original Roxanne.

Electric Quilt sketch of Roxanne 2

This quilt will be a quick and easy one. I expect to have it finished by the end of the weekend.


Be sure to check out my post for the In Your Words Blog Hop. Giving away two fat quarters. Enter anytime through Wednesday January 16, 2013.

Debbie

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In Your Words Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog! I'm so glad you stopped by. I'm delighted to participate in the In My Words Blog Hop. Be sure to check the end of the post for giveaways.

Me, In Words

For In Your Words Blog Hop and The Modern Quilt Guild Winter 2012 Fabric Challenge

10" x 11"

Completed 1/6/2013

Back of quilt 

Madrona Road by Violet Craft for Michael Miller

Provided by The Modern Quilt Guild

At last month's Sacramento Modern Quilt Guild meeting we were provided fabrics to create a project, due at January's meeting. We had to use the fabrics provided, and could add any solids or more Madrona Road. With two small quilts due in January, I decided to combine them, using Madrona Road for In Your Words.

Recently I brainstormed dozens of words that describe me, then narrowed them down to twelve:

Adventure

Generous

Solitude - I enjoy being alone

Dreamer

Humor

Nightowl

Kind

Clutterbug - I am a clutterer

Faithful - I can be counted on to show up, to do what I say I will, etc.

Independent

Memory - I have an excellent memory, which is a blessing and a curse

Combine  - I like to bring things, ideas and people together

I knew I wanted to put my words onto fabric, but I wanted to do it artfully. On the way home the other day, I remembered how a co-worker found an online crossword puzzle maker. Ooh. Then I thought of Scrabble. I love Scrabble! When I got home I went online to figure out how to make my words into a Scrabble arrangement.

I found this crossword puzzle maker:

http://worksheets.theteacherscorner.net/make-your-own/crossword/crossword-puzzle-maker.php

Here are the words:

Now that I had an arrangement for the words, I downloaded a Scrabble font called Scramble that I found here:
http://www.fontgirl.com/info/scramble.php

I tried to type the words into a Word document, but the letters and spaces didn't line up correctly. Then I tried an Excel spreadsheet, narrowing the cells till they looked square. That worked.

Here are the Scrabble words after I removed the gridlines:

Layout for the quilt top. Buttons represent flowers that would be cut out and appliqued.

I've used these printable fabrics for several projects. I saved a few sticky backings to print on my own fabric.

Scrabble words printed on fabric - untreated, but the piece won't be washed

I trimmed around the words, added chevron fabric to the sides, then gray print to top and bottom. Did some machine quilting on the borders, without backing, created the back, then did an escape hatch sort of finish to avoid binding. With the piece turned right side out, I attached flower circles with zigzag applique, then machine quilted around the words.

The finished quilt once again:

Now for the giveaways. You could win one of the two fat quarters below.

Pink                           Green

For a chance to win one of the fat quarters, simply leave a comment by the last day of the Blog Hop (end of Wednesday, January 16). Be sure to mention whether you prefer Pink or Green. For an extra chance to win one of the fabrics, leave another comment mentioning that you are a new or existing follower OR that you have Liked my Facebook Page. Two winners will be drawn on Thursday, January 17.

Be sure to stop by and see today's other Blog Hop participants:

Stitch, Stitch, Stitch, Stitch  (Cyndi H.)

Kwilty Pleasures  (Kathy G.)

Debby Kratovil Quilts (Debby K.))

Sew Darn Quilt  (Carolyn R.)

Mary On Lake Pulaski  (Mary K.)

Traveling Quilter  (Debbie A.)  You're Here!

Just Let Me Quilt (Carol S.)

Vroomans Quilts (Sharon V.)

Cate's Linens (Catherine R.)

Nini and the Sea  (Denise)

Sew Much 2 Luv (Karen)

Full Schedule

Thanks to Madame Samm and Linda S. for the blog hop.

Debbie

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Two, Two, Two Quilts in One

Two small quilts are due this month: In Your Words Blog Hop and The Modern Quilt Guild's Winter 2012 Fabric Challenge. To save time I decided to use the fabric provided for The Modern Quilt Guild Challenge to make the In Your Words quilt. Two projects in one! Below are some of the fabrics.

Madrona Road by Violet Craft for Michael Miller

For The Modern Quilt Guild Challenge, we needed to use the Madrona Road fabrics, but could add any solids or other Madrona Road fabric. For the In Your Words quilt, we were encouraged to use individual words, not just fabric with text printed on it already on the bolt. We could add words using any method we liked.

I came up with a dozen words, created a crossword puzzle online, downloaded a Scrabble font, then typed the words into an Excel spreadsheet to look like Scrabble words. Here are some sample words:

For some time my plan has been to print the Scrabble words onto the yellow-green solid. And until a little bit ago, that's all I knew. Tonight I took a look at the fabrics and started getting ideas. Within less than half an hour I had a design. Here is a sketch:

Design sketch

Like the herringbone, but corners meeting could be troublesome, so gray print will go on top and bottom.

Scrabble words will be printed on yellow-green fabric.

I know it's sideways. Sample is Portrait orientation and real words are Landscape.

Sprinkled beads to represent Scrabble letters and how yellow background will show through. They look like ants, don't they?

There are some empty spaces in the Scrabble layout. May cut out flowers and applique to background. Buttons represent flower cut-outs.

Back of the quilt

Text fabric reinforces the words theme. Love the light floral print but it didn't have a place on the front, so I'm using it to fill in the edges of the back.

I'll work on the piece tomorrow and will probably get it done before bedtime. At least, that's the plan.

Debbie

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And the Winner is...

The winner of the planner is Barbara N.

Congrats, Barbara! I put your planner in the mail today. Enjoy!

Thanks to all of you who Liked my Facebook Page and left kind comments on my blog. Stay tuned for more creations and adventures.

Debbie

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Superman Quilt Delivered

Superman Opus No. 2 in A Double Flat Minor

For Andy D. - friend, orchestra leader, fellow band member, one of my bosses at church, and Superman fan

Superman themed fabric, music fabric

Handy Andy quilt block

Original design

Partly from stash

55" x 66"

Completed 1/2/2013

Close-up of Handy Block, a great choice for a guy named Andy.

Fussy cut center square. Music fabric represents Andy's musical talents, and was used originally in It's Been a Delight, Betty.

Quilt back

Close-up of quilt back. Alphabet A-Z, repeating represents Andy's writing.

Quilt title decoded: Opus refers to Andy's music This is the second Superman quilt I've made. (See the first one here.) A Double Flat Minor is a musical joke because that key doesn't exist in normal music; the phrase also contains Andy's name.

Superman themed fabric, bought months ago

I gave the Superman quilt tonight to Andy D., who is my friend, orchestra leader, fellow band member and one of my bosses at church, where I am paid to play the piano. Andy is a Superman fan, and I've been planning to make this quilt for over a year. Early last year I asked Andy's wife Suzy when Andy's birthday was. It had just passed. Darn! I would have to wait a whole year. Well, that day came today, Andy's birthday.

I gave the quilt to Andy just before orchestra rehearsal, then I had to run over to play piano for choir. Andy said he'd show the quilt to the orchestra. Andy's cousin and flute player Bonnie A. didn't make it tonight. I'm hoping drummer Austin M. (whose birthday is today, also) will fill me in on how it went. Andy was surprised and very pleased. It was fun to finally present the long-awaited quilt.

I had to be very careful about posting on Facebook and on this blog about the quilt. I am not Facebook friends with Andy or his wife Suzy, but we have quite a few mutual Facebook friends. I blocked Andy and Suzy temporarily, and hoped that the quilt would remain a secret.

On Sunday I brought the quilt top in progress to church to show to a couple of friends. The band, including Andy, was gearing up to rehearse for the second church service while friend Lena R. hunched down in a pew and looked at the quilt top in secret. I was needed at the piano and Andy even walked toward me to get my attention. The quilt hurriedly was put back into the bag and Andy was none the wiser.

I often share my quilts in progress with Andy, but at the end of the church service I said nothing about the bag I carried. When Andy was busy backstage I nearly told Suzy about the quilt but decided against it.

I enjoy creating titles for my quilts. This time last year I thought of the name Superman the Musical, but when I Googled the phrase I found that there was a Broadway show about Superman. Who knew? That kind of took the wind out of my sails. Fast forward to last night. I had just finished the quilt and was getting ready to write the label. What should I call it? Superman 2. Nice.  But if I called it Opus No. 2 not only would it indicate the second Superman quilt, it would bring in the musical element at the same time. Done.

After I had gone to bed at 2:30, I couldn't turn off my mind. I needed to give the Opus a key signature, like B Flat. Hmmm. How about something ridiculous that would include Double Flat or Double Sharp - not used in normal music? It also refers to my frequent assertions that I can play in any key, and for recent Sundays when nearly every song was in the dreaded key of B, with its many sharps and black keys. ("This Sunday is brought to you by the key of B," said by yours truly.)

I played around with different combinations and liked the sound of A Double Flat. Then I realized that the phrase included Andy's name. Whoa! Okay, then it needed to be Major or Minor. I went back and forth before deciding on Minor. And that's how I came up with the title Superman Opus No. 2 in A Double Flat Minor.

I made the first Superman quilt for my son Robbie a couple of years ago. Earlier this week I posted about this second Superman quilt. Robbie posted a comment: Huh? He thought the quilt was for him! My daughter-in-law set him straight, though, letting him know the quilt was for someone else - without revealing who the someone was. The conversation actually made me chuckle. Poor Robbie.

Once I set my mind to make the second Superman quilt, I decided not to repeat any fabrics or blocks from Robbie's quilt. Andy is a sweetheart of a guy, and kind of my second son, but Robbie's quilt needed to be unique and special. I'm glad I made that decision. However, I'm thinking about combining fabrics from both quilts to make an Echoes quilt - with the possible title of Superman Remixed.

Andy has two young boys. I imagine they will fight over their daddy's quilt. Not to worry. It's sturdy and made to be used. Here's to many memorable hours of Andy and the boys cuddled up together. Enjoy, Andy!

Debbie

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WIP Wednesday 1/2/2013

Superman quilt

Just finished

Details to be posted tomorrow

Back of quilt

I just finished the Superman quilt. Partly because it's late, and partly because I need to keep the quilt a surprise, I must hold off on details until late tomorrow night. There is quite a bit to tell about the quilt. Tomorrow.

Fabrics for my next project

At the last Sacramento Modern Quilt Guild meeting, quilters were presented with a design challenge. We were provided a beautiful set of fat eighths, with which we could make anything we wanted. (I'll give more details after I confer with the guild leader.) The project would be due in January.

Soon after I signed up to do a blog hop called In Your Words, which starts very soon. So I've decided to combine the two challenges, using the fabrics above to satisfy the guild requirement and incorporating words, a requirement of the blog hop.

As I said in an recent post, I have a set of words that describe me, but no design yet. I'll come up with something over the weekend.

Debbie

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In Your Words Blog Hop Coming Soon

I'm participating in another blog hop, which starts next week. The challenge is for each participant to create a piece that has words that describe herself (or himself). I've brainstormed a long list of descriptive words, then narrowed it down to a dozen. The quilt's design has yet to be determined.

My day is the first day, January 7, when I'll post my project and have a giveaway. There are 89 participants in total, divided over several days. It will be a lot of fun!

Debbie

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Make It Monday 12/31/2012

Superman quilt top

For the last several days I've been working on a Superman quilt for a friend. Tonight I got the quilt top finished. I'm going to try to get the quilt completed tomorrow.

Be sure to check out my New Year giveaway, which ends January 1. One lucky winner will be drawn on January 2.

Debbie

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WIP Wednesday 12/26/2012

Corky the Corgi

Created for Think Christmas Blog Hop (August 2012)

Altered photo printed to fabric - details here

Mostly from stash

12.5" square

Original design

Completed 12/25/2012

Got the crazy idea to use a sweater as backing. Picked up this child's sweater at a thrift store for $3.

Used the back for the backing

Cut a large piece of sweater, spray basted the quilt top and sweater together. No batting needed. Proceeded as usual to quilt and bind.

Back of the quilt

Corners are Fast Finish Triangles. I put yardstick-shaped pieces of wood top and bottom and hang from a Command hook to display on the wall.

My next project is a Superman-themed quilt for a friend who is a Superman fan.

I've had the Superman fabric for many months. I picked up two new fabrics the other day:  yellow letters, since my friend is a writer; red and yellow stars. Not shown: stash piece of black music on white background, as my friend is a musician.

Electric Quilt Sketch

Mottled blue represents the Superman fabric

Here is the Superman quilt I made for my son Robbie a couple of years ago.

I didn't want to duplicate so I'm using a different design and different fabrics.

Be sure to check out my New Year giveaway, which ends January 1. One lucky winner will be drawn the next day.

Debbie

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