Easy Going Modern Pillow #2

In order to properly photograph the steps for making Easy Going Modern, I ended up making a mini version of the quilt top. Not one to let work go to waste, I quickly figured out that it would make a great pillow cover to match the quilt. It's about 11" x 14" - I had to add a little extra stuffing to plump it out since the pillow form (which said on the package that it was 14" square) really didn't fill it out very well at all.

The quilt and both pillows (this is the other one) will soon be with their new owners; I can't wait to surprise them with this gift as a thank you for their wonderful friendship.

Linking up to Canoe Ridge Creations {Sew} Modern Monday and Sew Happy Geek's Manic Monday linky parties!

Friday Felicities

Why do I keep forgetting how much I love the quiet work of hand quilting? This week's Felicity is slow quilting.

Consider this my week's WIP post, too!

In keeping with the slow theme, I wish you the very calmest of weekends. Much of mine will be spent loving on this little poppet (wearing a dress that's a couple sizes too small but far too precious to put in the "giving away" bag just yet).

Austin (Texas), Baby!

!!!!!!!!

Friday Felicities

My husband has a theory that goes something like this: there is a finite amount of luck available to us as a family, so what luck I "use up" by winning blog giveaways and Guild door prizes is therefore not available for winning the Big Stuff like the lottery.

In unrelated news, who's got two thumbs and won 13 of the Stacked Strips blocks made by VMQG members for our February challenge? THIS GAL!

My own contribution to the challenge

Today's Felicity is....WINNING! Have a great weekend!

Modern Mini Challenge

Hooray! It's here! My day to participate in the Inspiration Blog Hop as part of the Modern Mini Challenge hosted by Ellison Lane Quilts.

I discovered the world of Modern Quilts early in 2010 when I turned to blogging as a way to hold myself accountable for my Resolution of that year to spend at least 20 minutes a day quilting.

I'll echo a sentiment that has appeared in many of the guest posts for this Blog Hop: a mini is a perfect way to try out a new technique without committing to a really big project. They finish up quickly - who doesn't love a finish? - and are so satisfying.

Today, I'm featuring a mini that is very dear to me, because it represents a lot of "firsts" for me:
- first time making a mini quilt
- first time using solids in a quilt
- first time using grey in a quilt
- first time consciously making what I felt was a "modern" quilt
- first time using close-set straightish line quilting
- first time using a new-to-me binding technique

My first modern mini

Its construction was pretty simple - just 3 strips of Kona Medium Grey (which I still love to this day), and two strips of a Kaffe Fassett print that caught my eye at my Local Quilt Shop. As soon as I saw the print, the quilt composed itself in my brain.

Quilting closeup

It doesn't lie quite flat, and a couple of the corners are a wee bit wonky, but more than two years later, this remains one of my favourite projects - one I am so happy to look at every day as I sit at my desk at work and eagerly await my daily stitching therapy time.

I hope you continue to be inspired by all the minis you are seeing in the Blog Hop, and that you make something to enter to win one of those incredible prizes! Deadline to enter is March 5th. So get stitching and enter your creation!

2/6: Stitchery Dickory Dock

2/7: Fairy Face Designs & Amy's Creative Side

2/8: Lily's Quilts

2/9: Patchwork Notes

2/10: Don't Call Me Betsy & Flying Blind on a Rocket Cycle

2/11: Sukie, Don't You Know Who I Am? 

2/12: Freshly Pieced

2/13: From the Blue Chair & Poppy Makes

2/14: Needles, Pins & Baking Tins

2/15: Mon Petit Lyons & Felicity Quilts (you're here!)

2/16: LR Stitched & Random Thoughts Do or Di

2/17: Life's Rich Pattern & Twin Fibers

2/18: Cut to Pieces & Sew Sweetness

2/19: Swim Bike Quilt

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Wednesday (WIP Wednesday will resume its regularly scheduled appearance next week).

Friday Felicities

What's making me happy today is that it appears one can, in fact, teach an old dog a new trick.

My troubles with Mr. Arkansas Traveler aside, I am actually quite comfortable with foundation paper piecing; I learned how in a class by Judy Niemeyer, whose foundation paper pieced patterns are absolutely amazing creations.

This week, while pattern testing for a friend and fellow VMQG member, I learned a new and - dare I say it - better way to approach the technique!

Want to know more? You're just going to have to buy Laurraine's pattern when it's ready to go! :)

Have a great weekend.

WIP Wednesday

Let's get right to it, shall we?

Arkansas Traveler: 1, Felicity: 0

It's Lee's month in the Stash Trad Bee, and she requested an Arkansas Traveler block in beachy tones.



Looks nice, you say? What's this about losing this round of the battle, you say? Take a closer look. I've taken the liberty of adding some explanatory graphics and text:



As you can probably tell by the stitch marks and loose threads, I have already unsewn and resewn some seams. Looks like I need to try again. Third time lucky, I hope!

In better news, check this out - it's Easy Going Modern in a Layer Cake version.



This one, I'm happy with. I used a Terrain Layer Cake. The photo was taken at a local beach - we've been having beautifully sunny weather the last couple of days. A nice surprise during a season that is usually exclusively rainy (not that I'm complaining - you don't have to shovel rain!).

Other than the iPad case and the pouch, I didn't sew too much this last week.

Go see what everyone else got up to!

Other Sewing

Before I remade the Nook pouch, I took time to make a birthday gift for my wonderful friend Lisa, who celebrates her birthday today (hi, Lisa!). If you want to be surprised, don't scroll down, Lisa!

............so...how 'bout that Superbowl, eh? (I didn't watch any - just making conversation).





............so, anyone here from out of town?





Okay, I think we're ready to go. Here's the iPad case I made for Lisa's newest toy:



I used this tutorial over at Fresh Lemons Quilts and it came together really nicely. If I were to make it again, I'd probably measure and place the velcro first instead of last. Trying to wrangle that case under the needle to stitch down the velcro was a pain in the patootie!

The exterior fabric is Ruby Star Rising (Viewmasters) from Melody Miller, and the interior is an Anna Maria Horner print from her earlier Chocolate Lollipop line - the colours went so nicely together!



Last look, with the zipper pocket open a bit:



Linking up with Sew {Modern} Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations, Manic Monday at SewHappyGeek and Fabric Tuesday with Quilt Story.

Friday Felicities

IT FITS!!!!!!







Have a great weekend!

Edited: this is my February Slash the Stash project.

WIP Wednesday

I am discombobulated this week for some weird reason. Wednesday snuck up on me.

A short report because I....didn't really get much accomplished.

I made that pouch for my Nook that didn't fit, I pieced the Layer Cake version of my Easy Going Modern quilt so the top is ready to go (no photos owing to the fact that nighttime sewing + a large-ish quilt top = no photos yet), and I made a block for a group quilt that I neglected to photograph.

Oh wait! I did make something else. These angel potholders for our guild's potholder swap. They're for someone whose partner flaked - I offered to help out Krista (VMQG's swap organizer) by stepping in and making them for the poor FVMQG swapper who had made and sent her potholders but not yet received any in return. I really hope she likes them considering how long she's been waiting for them. I installed grommets in the corner of each one before sending. Another 100% stash project! Yay!





No change to the stats:

This Week's Stats

Completed Projects - 2 (the pouch wasn't on the list AND it was a fail but dagnabbit, I'm counting it anyway)
New Projects - 0
Currently in Progress - 10


I'm certain there's more fun happening over at Lee's and The Needle and Thread Network!