Don't Judge Me!

It's been 3 weeks since my last post...and? That doesn't mean I haven't been sewing.

Well, last night was the one year anniversary of the LA Modern Quilt Guild, which happens to be the first modern quilt guild to set off this little phenomenon. How blessed am I to actually be a part of that! A year ago, if you had told me that I would be knee-deep into several quilts, I would've laughed, and said you had the wrong person. But thanks to Melissa and the people LAMQG, I'm quite obsessed with my new little hobby.

We had a great meeting last night. It was packed! There were a.maz.ing door prizes - none of which I won, but people all around me won (I'm not bitter) - donated by some great local shops; certificates (I got one of those...the 2010 Almost Perfect Attendance Award); and everyone who didn't get a door prize got a thread catcher made by Latifah, the President of LAMQG.

But the highlight of the night was the culmination of our scrap swap. For September's meeting, we brought in a bag of scraps. At the meeting, we swapped the scraps to take home, make something with, and bring the product back to the original scrap owner at last night's meeting. So that's how we spent our show and tell time. I was so impressed with everything being swapped! There is some serious talent in this group of people! Of course, I didn't bring my camera, but I'm hoping Emily will post pictures soon. In the meantime, here's what I made and what I got.

What I made:

I have to laugh at this, because why does this keep happening to me? Back in June, we had a mini-quilt swap, and Alissa got my mini-quilt. If you don't know who Alissa is, that's okay. It just means you don't read alot of quilting blogs. Because she is linked to all over the place in the quilt blogging world. She's also been published in quilting and sewing magazines. She's also the Vice President of our guild. You see now why I have to laugh? She got my first ever quilt. I'm still embarrassed, months later.

Which brings me to the scrap swap. Who's scraps did I get? Latifah's! Remember her...the President of the guild? Can you say pressure?! I asked her what she wanted, and she said something like, "I don't know...a mini quilt is fine."

I thought about it and really didn't want to do a mini quilt. I just felt like that was too obvious, or something. So I toyed with the idea of doing a coin purse. I even bought two zippers - one to practice with, and one for the real thing.

Then it came time to cut into the fabric, and I wasn't feeling the coin purse, at all. So, a mini quilt was it. But I challenged myself, and went the wonky route, which is something I'd never done before. I followed one of Quilt Dad's tutorials to help me out, and this is what I came up with...




Overall, I'm happy with it, except for the binding. I don't really know what happened there. What I love about it is the quilting. I used my walking foot for the first time and did wavy lines. I was very happy with how they turned out! Latifah said she loved it, so I'll just take her word for it.

What I got:

Since I had just finished up my Recentered Quilt, I was thinking it would be nice to make new pillow covers for it. So I took in scraps of the same fabrics I used for that quilt. All I asked for is a 20x20 block that I could turn into a pillow cover. Kelli (if she has a blog, I don't know what it is) got my scraps, and I'm SO happy with what she did with them. She made not one, but two blocks!



She said she thought I could use one or the other if I liked one better, or I can make them the front and the back. But I love them so much, that I'm going to make two pillow covers out of them (which saves me time, because I was going to make a coordinating one)! Can't wait to get started on those.

It was an awesome time, and I think I speak for everyone when I say I'm excited to see what the next year brings!

Finished Mini Quilt

As I'm writing this, Melissa is on her way to this month's quilt guild meeting, and I'm at home.

Why?

Well, my husband got a semi-last-minute out-of-town trip, and I wasn't able to find anyone to watch my girls. I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty sad about it. I've been so excited about this particular meeting since the last one, I spent all this time working on the mini quilt for the swap, and then I don't get to go. It sucks. But life goes on.

Here's pictures of the quilt - a part of me hates to get rid of it, since it was my first, but I just tell myself that I wouldn't have a use for it anyway.

Front



Back



Label with my horrible handwriting



Another part of me hates to get rid of it because of what the person who gets it will think of it. What if they don't like the color combination? What if they look too closely and see all the flaws? What if they hate butterflies? I can't tell you how many times I told my husband that there was no way I was turning it in.

But it's out of my hands now. Literally. Melissa has it, and right at this very moment, she's probably already at the store, slicing her apples, and chatting with the girls. Did I mention that I wish I were there? Did I make that clear?

As far as labelling goes, I have to say, I really didn't like putting one on there, because I feel it really takes away from the quilt. But I see why, especially for something like this, a label is important. But next time I label a quilt, I'm going to do what Liz does.

So that's it. There's my first quilt. Hey, look at that - the title of my blog has come to fruition already! Oh well, when I started it, I thought I would be working on my first quilt for years.

Which reminds me, I got my fabric for the quilt along, and will probably start cutting tonight! I can't wait!

I'm still here!

I know I haven't updated in about 2 weeks, but that's not because I haven't been working on stuff!

Can I just say that sometimes, I get ahead of myself, and jump into something without realizing all of the details?

In this case, that would be starting this fascination of mine with quilting, without knowing that the binding is to be hand-stitched.

So, it's taking me some time. Mainly because I can only do it for about 20 minutes or so at a time until I go cross-eyed.

I'm still working on the mini quilt. I've gotten about half of the binding done. I'm hoping to finish it this week.

I also started another project - a quilted bag. If it turns out okay, I might even post my very first tutorial! I looked online for a tutorial for the picture I had in my head, but couldn't really find anything. So, I'm using a lot of the skills that I've learned so far with all of my projects - camera strap, apron, quilt, etc. I've been taking pictures along the way, but I just don't know if it will be worthy of a tutorial when it's all said and done.

So stay tuned.

Mini Quilt Sneak Peak

For the next meeting of the Quilt Guild, we're supposed to have a mini quilt for a blind swap. This kind of freaks me out for a few reasons...

1. I've never made a quilt, and my sewing experience is very limited, so I'm a little intimidated to make something that someone is going to actually take home.

2. The colors and fabrics I chose to put together are kind of weird. I'm a little worried that the person who gets mine won't like it. At all.

3. Did I mention that I've never quilted before? Do you know what that entails? It's a pretty serious project for me, even if it is just a "mini quilt."

Anyways, all I have left to do on it is the binding. All. Yeah right - that's the scariest part for me! So we'll see how that goes.

I started it on Sunday, getting all my pieces cut out and I actually was able to get them all sewn together for the front and the back. This part I can handle.

Monday, I began the quilting part. I went to Joann's to get some batting, and when I got home, during the girl's naps (thank goodness for same-time napping), I basted it all together, and I actually started quilting it.

I decided to do a grid quilt. It seemed simple enough - you just put a piece of painter's tape starting in the center of the quilt, from corner to corner. Sew a line on either side of the tape. Move the tape and just keep going. Once all the lines are sewn going one direction, do it the other direction.

I finished one direction Monday night.

Today (Wednesday) I finished the other direction.

For the most part, I'm happy with the quilting part. There was minimal puckering of fabric, which I was pretty worried about. The lines aren't perfectly straight, but they're pretty good.

Now the part I'm dreading. Binding. Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyways, here's a sneak peak at it. I don't want to give the whole thing away, in the off-chance the future owner of it is checking out this blog (I doubt it, but it's possible).