I hadn't even learned how to do a binding yet. This quilt I think I did about 6 or 7 years ago. My how I've improved.
2: I've joined a Row Robin Quilt Swap! The way it works is we were split into groups of 6. Each person makes a row for the quilt theme they have chosen. They have 6 weeks to complete it. When they are finished, they stick it in a ziploc bag and mail it off to the next quilter. That person makes a row to fit your quilt theme and style within 6 weeks and mails it to the next person on the list. Each bag of strips gets sent to all 6 group members, so by the time it gets back to the original person, there are 6 different strips for them to complete a quilt top with. They can add sashing and arrange as desired before finishing the quilt.
I'm really excited to see what comes back to me at the end of the swap. Throughout the swap we are supposed to check in periodically on the flickr group so that everyone knows their quilt is still in good hands and hasn't disappeared.
The theme I've chosen for my quilt is the Wizard of Oz. I'm thinking I'll have a finished quilt of 54" in width. If I make 6" blocks, that gives me 9 to make my strip out of. My mom (who also joined the swap) and I went to a quilt shoppe in Plattsmouth, Nebraska over the weekend to shop for our swap quilts. I got a few really cute Wizard of Oz fat quarters to use in my strip. My rough plan for my strip is this:
Block 1: A simple block with one of the scenes from the fat quarter I purchased.
Block 2: Ruby slippers. This will probably be appliqued (which reminds me I should get some library books to teach myself how to do that exactly). I'm planning on using some of the red sparkly fabric I had sitting in my stash.
Block 3: The hot air balloon. This will most likely also be appliqued.
Block 4: Maybe something with the witch fat quarter I bought.
Block 5: The emerald city. I'm not quite sure how to make this yet, so we'll see what I end up with. My mom loaned me this green fabric that I think I'll probably use. I think maybe inventing some sort of strip method may be the answer.
Block 6: Is still up in the air. I might do some sort of really simple frame for one of the scenes from this awesome fat quarter I scooped up.
Block 7: Also up in the air, but maybe another framed scene from the same fabric.
Block 8: I was thinking about doing the ruby slippers again, but this time putting them on the wicked witch. Do you remember the scene when she was squashed by the house in the tornado?
Block 9: There are several scenes on the same fat quarter. If I don't end up using them in the strip, they'll probably end up in the corners on the finished top. I'm really excited to see what I come up with for my strip and then to see what else turns up in all the other strips that I'll recieve at the end of the swap.
I also scooped these few fat quarters up, but haven't decided how to use them yet. I just couldn't leave the quilt store without them.
I made myself a crafty apron. The pockets are sized for the items I'm constantly misplacing while I work (water-soluble pen :: chalk pen :: seam ripper :: cell phone :: tape measurer). I also put on a button and attached a ribbon to my small scissors to hang for easy access. I made a loop for my large scissors. I even made some extra pockets for miscellaneous supplies for whichever project I'm working on.
* I've crossed out any contact information for the person who contacted me.
It's a sewing machine cover I started a while back. Neat, eh? I used the tree method I took a class on a while back and used my thread to draw branches and give a lot of texture. It was a lot of fun. Series 1: Kitchen gifts
Series 2: Baby products
Series 3: Baby clothes
These are just a few ideas we tossed around the other night. I've started working on the kitchen series. I found some awesome fabric at JoAnn that I've started two different "collections" with. I'm excited to see them all completed and next to each other.
