WolfSong

Last week at Fabric Etc. 2, I saw this beautiful wolf quilt that was made with fabrics from the Wolfsong collection.  I bought fabric to make the quilt for myself, but the shop didn't have the tree background that borders the wolf panel.  I have been looking online and cannot find the fabric anywhere!  I am going to shop around and see if I can't find the fabric, maybe I can find something close.  Here is the link for the pattern if anyone else is interested in this beautiful quilt!

Picture from Classic Cottons

Checkin' things off my list...

Last time I posted, I was on my way to a new fabric shop...Fabric Etc. 2 at 446 North York Road in Elmhurst, Illinois.  This place is definitely my new favorite fabric shop!  It is spacious, has tons of fabric, and the staff is wonderful.  I brought two quilt tops that I made and couldn't find borders for...the dragonfly quilt and my memories of the southwest quilt.  The staff, and some shoppers, at Fabric Etc. 2 helped me find the perfect fabric to compliment my tops.  I also found some fabric for a new quilt project...very exciting!  Even though the huge quilt convention is just around the corner, I couldn't help myself.  If you live in the Chicago-land area and haven't been to Fabric Etc. 2, I would definitely recommend you check it out!

Here is the corner of the quilt so you can see the border - I love batiks! 

Jango couldn't help himself!

My First Rag Quilt & New Quilt Shop

I followed the online tutorial from About.com, and made my first rag quilt!  I have a wonderful aide in my classroom this year who has helped me so much this school year that I am sad to give her up next year!  She, like me, hates winter and the cold so I decided that even though I am going to give this quilt to her in May (end of the school year), I wanted it to be winter themed.  I found some cute snowflake fabric in red and blue and actually used a piece from my scrap stash that has mittens on it.  All the material was flannel and was a little tricky to work with because of the stretchiness.   

I didn't listen to the tip in the tutorial that said that if you use a flannel front and back, you really don't need to use batting in the middle.  It seemed a little to thin for me and I am making this for someone who likes to keep warm in the winter.  Well, I know now why they tell you that tip - the fabric gets WAY too bulky to sew easily in the machine.  So I had to struggle a little bit with that but it turned out pretty good.

I also didn't have spring loaded scissors like they suggested in the tutorial, so I used my sewing scissors to cut the seams so it would become "fluffy".  So now I'm sporting a lovely blister on my thumb :(

As I'm blogging, the rag quilt is in the dryer so I will have to post later to show pics of the finished product.  

I am actually going to a NEW quilt show with my mother-in-law today in Elmhurst, IL.  I'm very excited to visit a new shop - she said it is amazing!

Anyway, here are some pics of the rag quilt in progress...

My fabric squares

 

fabric and batting stack

sewing done, not "fluffing"

Up close, rag style quilt top

Pinwheel Quilt Finished!

My pinwheel quilt has been quilted and I absolutely love the way it came together. I chose a swirl pattern for the quilting but at first couldn't decide if red or turquoise thread would look best. I took a chance and chose turquoise even though the skinny border and binding were all red. I really think the turquoise thread makes the swirls stand out.

My pinwheel quilt all cut out... (January 2010)

Swirl Top Quilting

Jango loves it too!

Grandma's Sewing Machine

I wanted to post a picture of an antique sewing machine that my cousin has that belongs to my grandma.  The picture is her holding the actual sewing machine, shortly after she came to the United States.  Maybe this is why I love sewing so much...enjoy the pictures!

Sick :(

Well I have a fever that won't go away.  I swear, I have been sick more times this year than my first year of teaching.  Anyway, my hubby and kitty and guarding the sewing machine and making me stay on the couch.  (grrrrrr)

I have binding to do for 2 quilts and some other misc. projects that need attending but I guess I'm stuck on the couch...at least I have my laptop!

Here is a quilt that I finished this week.  It is a small lap quilt for my grandma so she can put it on her legs in her wheelchair.  It is just one piece of fabric on the back and one on the front.  The front is vintage McCall's pattern drawings and the back is vintage McCall's directions.  My grandma would always make my sister and I matching outfits (and sometimes ones for our dolls) so this was the perfect fabric for her.  When I showed me mom she said that my grandma would always rave about McCall's patterns...

I just picked up the baby quilt I made for my mom's friend up from the quilter...will post pics when I allowed to get up :)

Quilt for Dad finished!

I finally quilted the quilt for my dad...not bad considering I gave him the top for Christmas...lol.  (I've been busy!!!)  Anyway,  I hope he likes it.  It is a quilt to hang on the wall in the basement.  I found this great fabric line called "Be a Man!" that had tools, gears, and wheels - perfect fabric for a quilt made for a retired mechanic. I included in the quilt some pictures of some of his favorite cars from over the years.  Here is a pic of the pieces I started with - I'll post a pic of the finished quilt later.