Matrix - finished

My new nephew arrived last month and I'll finally get to meet him next week.  So I finally took pictures of his quilt.

The pattern is Matrix by Anne from SpringLeaf Studios.  She has a beautiful rainbow version, so I thought I'd try it with some gender neutral-ish colors.  As a side note, this pattern was excellently written.  I don't use patterns all that often, but this was worth it.  It is more than a pattern - there is also some theory about how the quilt works, a coloring page, and several different color examples.

Earlier I mentioned that I wished I had spent more time with the color layout, but now that it is all quilted and bound I really, really like it.  I'm glad that it all worked out. :D

I backed it, as normal, with minky and bound it in blue sateen.    I did a square stipple / maze.  (Update: it is called circuit board.)  I'm sure it has an official name, but I don't know what it is.  I used a varigated dark grey - white thread.  It worked well with the colors that were already in the quilt.

Oh, the other thing I was going to mention is that I used two layers of batting.  Not for extra heft but for practical reasons - so that the orange from the minky didn't pull through to the front.

Linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday and Finish It Up Friday.

February rollover

It's a new month!  I like these monthly updates because I'm not always very good at updating progress on my projects but this helps keep some record.

1. A baby quilt - plus plus.  This is my goal for February.  I need to finish the quilting and put the binding on...once the baby is born.  The gender is still unknown. 

2. Baby quilt - matrix I just need to take pictures.  This month has been a bit busy.

3. The bee hive quilt. I like my throw quilts to be bigger than 3x4 squares that you receive in a bee, so I've been making a bunch more.  So far I have most of subunits done.  I'm trying to decide if I need to put them on a design floor now or if I can wait until they're in full blocks.

4. scrap quilt #2. I've been enjoying working on this.  I still really like it.  I was defending the top from two children while trying to take a picture, and didn't get a good look.  Now that I see in in the picture, I like it even more!

Other items still waiting around:

My goal for the year is to get down to 15 projects.  But then a baby boom was recently announced.  :)  I'm still hopeful though...especially if I could get a few of the small projects done.
5. Sunset wall hanging.

6. Scrap quilt.

7. Simply solids bee quilt.   

8. A triangle baby quilt.

9. Rainbow log cabin.

10.  Pluses quilt.
11. Orphan rocket block.
12. Quilt nautical quilt. 
13. Jeweled floors.

14. Lost piece (almost whole cloth quilt).  
15. Winter quilt.  
16. fabric from Christmas.  
17. Kids' quilt.  
18. A pillow with green/purple fabric.  
19. Baby quilt (girl)
20. Baby quilt (unknown)
21. Baby quilt (TBD)
22. Space robot pillow

Space Robots

I finally finished Space Robots!  It's been a long paper piecing adventure.

The block was originally designed by Kate Cooper as a QDAD.  I liked it because I was looking for something with a large spot for the novelty fabric, but it wasn't the main focus - the rest of the block held its own too.

The black background ones have yellow inside and a changing color thin border.  The blue background ones have a white thin border and a changing color inside.

The back was fleece with robots.  It's soft, which might be the best selling point of the quilt for my son.

I quilted it in a rainbow variegated thread with my go-to meandering stars.  It fit nicely with the theme and I can do it pretty quickly.

Here it is on his bed.

This was my goal for One Monthly Goal.  Also linking up with Finish It Up Friday.

Non-Christmas quilt

I finished quilting my mother-in-law's quilt.  I thought it was a Christmas quilt, but when I actually looked at it it was more of a winter quilt - there were snowmen on it.

So I quilted snowmen on it, surrounded by snowflakes.  The brown borders have snowflakes and the aqua border has circles.  They remind me of the snowballs used to make snowmen.

I found the quilting design from In The Box Jaunt.  I did some snowmen with scarves, some without scarves, and some with stick arms.

The snowmen were quilted in light grey.  The inner snowflakes were done in white.  The outer snowflakes were done in brown to match the fabric.

It was a fun quilt to work on - I enjoyed doing some new designs.

Shocking

I remembered why I don't like fleece.  It shocks me about once every thirty seconds.  I hope my son appreciates it. :)

(We have humidifiers upstairs, but they're rather far away from the quilter.  If it continues during the actual quilting part, which I'm hoping it won't, I'll set up another.)

January update

It's the beginning of a year!  I worked on many of these projects in December and since it is a new year they are all getting a quick recap of where they stand.

1. Space robot quilt. The top is finally done!  I was looking through the archives and realized that my son looked so much younger when I got the initial fabric.  I'm finishing up the backing (hopefully it will be big enough) and then it'll be going on the quilter.  My goal for January is to finish this.

 

 2. Baby quilt.   This is Matrix by Anne of Springleaf Studios.  It is almost done; I'm just waiting on the gender of the baby to be revealed before binding it.

3. The bee hive quilt. I decided I need 30 blocks for this quilt to make it a size that I want.  Blah.  I received about 12 from the bee and am working on more.  It is probably going to take quite a bit longer than I was hoping.

4. A baby quilt.  I found out about a baby that is coming a few months.  So I used Meadow Mist Design's Plus Plus quilt.  I still need to quilt it and then will be waiting on the gender again to determine the binding color. 

 

5. Sunset wall hanging.  I add a semi-circle every once in a while when I'm on a trip.  I forgot my disappearing ink on the last trip so not as much got done as I was hoping.

6. Scrap quilt. I took some off the bottom to add to the top so that the design wouldn't be covered by pillows.  But now it looks too short - I'll need to try and figure out what grey I used and add a bit more to the bottom.

7. Simply solids bee quilt.  The main part is done, now I need to add the side triangles and probably borders.  I dislike working with big pieces, but it needs to be done.

8. scrap quilt #2.  I'm so excited about this one.  I ran out of pepper and need to get more, then I'll be back at it.

9. Quilt Christmas quilt.  This has been quilted and the threads tucked in...all that is left is to take some pictures! 

  

10. A baby quilt.  I have a design idea and the color palette.  I need to order the fabrics and finalize the design.

11. Rainbow log cabin.   It's been set aside, but I'm not really sure why.

12.  Pluses quilt.  I'm a little afraid to open the bag as I think a big mess might be waiting for me...

13. Orphan rocket block.  I think a little bag would be fun.

14. Quilt nautical quilt.  This is still just waiting for quilting.

  
15. Jeweled floors. I have the fabric and a design inspiration, but the quilt design hasn't become apparent yet.  I need to start working on it again.

16. Lost piece (almost whole cloth quilt).  I have the fabric and the ideas.  I really just need some "down time" on the quilter.  Well, and to make it, but shouldn't take much time.

17. Winter quilt.  I have a design figured out and the fabric.  I'm ready to start!  It's also winter time and there isn't much snow, so I expect I'll start this rather soon.

18. fabric from Christmas.  I received some beautiful fabric for Christmas...now I just need to figure out what to do with it.

19. Kids' quilt.  This is kind of a "sew this when a child wants to sew and I don't have anything good for them to sew."  I don't expect a ton of progress.

20. A pillow.  I got this fabric a long time ago for such a purpose - I should use it!

2015 - Year in Review

2015 - I feel like I accomplished a surprising amount.  I have the quilts I completed below, but there were also 11 bee blocks, a few pillows, some quilting for my mother-in-law, and a smattering of miscellany.   I did very well completing my monthly goals while still having fun.

Top row:
1. Swim suit quilt - October ALYoF (goal post, final post)
2. Rainbow zigzags - February ALYoF (goal post, final post)
3. Places to Go - July ALYoF (goal post, final post)
4. Urban log cabins - final post

Second row:
1. Braid in a braid - April ALYoF (goal post, final post)
2. Matrix - December ALYoF (goal post, final post)
3. Noah's quilt - January ALYoF (goal post, final post)
4. Baby V's quilt - March ALYoF (goal post, final post)

Third row:
1. Emery's quilt - May ALYoF (goal post, final post)
2. Random Triangles 2 - August ALYoF (goal post, final post)
3. Cross quilt - final post
4. Sunset quilt - in progress  - June ALYoF

Forth row:
1. Stack - n -whack - November ALYoF (goal post, final post)
3. Rotating squares - final post
4. Metro lattice - final post

Linking up with the final ALYoF. :(