Quilting time Day 2....a strip is a stripe is a strip

After finding my inspiration I have begun the construction of my quilt. I decided to do stripes because I am going for simple. I should have way more done than I do but I must secretly strive on deadlines, or at least I'm trying to make myself since every project I have going on gets pushed together at the very last minute. Hmmm, could this be a problem? Or just some amazing time management secret. haha. A girl can dream.

Back to the project at hand, er machine. I purchased my fabric according to how many strips I would need to make the finished twin quilt size with the help of my lovely lady friends down at Harriet's Treadle Arts. They are so sweet and helpful. Thanks Ladies!

I purchased enough fabric to make stripes using 8 colorways. I made the strips different widths which in hindsight may or may not be a good idea since it then left me with uneven strips (meaning I had more strips in some color than others).

Since I tend to have large amounts of time between when I get to work on a project I always need some way of remembering pertinent information. I decided this time to lay out the stripes in the pattern I wanted and take a picture. This way I can see what color needs to be sewn next.

The picture will give you an idea of how many strips it takes to make a twin size quilt. Always measure and ask your local quilt store if you are unsure. They are there to help!

Standard quilt sizes are as follows:

Type******Mattress Size****Quilt Size

Crib ******28"x52" *********50"x53"

Twin *****39"x75" *********65"x88"

Double****54"x75" *********80"x88"

Queen ****60"x80"*********86"x93"

King*******76"x80"********104"x93"

Cali King***72"x84"********100"x97"

Tip 1* To save money you can use a sheet for the back of the quilt. Just be sure to either use the same material or prewash the quilt fabric so that the top doesn't shrink and the sheet stays the same (if it is a blend of poly then they are not going to shrink like cotton would)

Tip 2* Instead of cutting each strip of fabric tear it. It will always be a perfect straight line (if the fabric is 100% cotton) and it saves you time. I don't mind the frayed edges though so consider that before ripping away :)

If you are looking for fun, fresh and contemporary fabrics check out pink chalk fabrics online at www.pinkchalkfabrics.com !!

Shout out

I am excited because I just signed on as the Hospitality coordinator at my MOPS group which means I get to come up with all sorts of fun decorating ideas and share them with all of you! My post is titled shout out because i wanted to pass along some creative decorating ideas i recently got from two of my best girl friends. One gave me the idea to use our next year MOPS theme, "Momology; the art and science of mothering" and make the centerpieces using test tubes and single strands of beautiful flowers with microscope slides featuring written words that describe the awesome gift of being a mother. I also thought I could use classic art that features mothers and incorporate that into the final piece. The design is still in the idea phase but once I figure out how to make it work I can post a picture of the final creation!

Another great friend of mine told me how I can decorate a space using paper banners. She has them up at her house and they are super cute! Here is her blog, check em out!

http://www.andthenshesaved.com/home/hooked-on-banners.html

Quilting Time

It has been exactly one year since my last quilt (it was also my first quilt). I made it for my mother for her 60Th birthday and for a first quilt it was a great learning experience. I did an applique, which means stitching shapes onto the top of the finished quilt before quilting the entire top. My aunt helped me with the finishing touches, I made the top of the quilt and all the appliques. She and her friends did the back, binding and quilting design. It turned out good.

Since it is time to decorate my sons big boy room I wanted to make a quilt for his bed that he could keep forever, rather than a store bought comforter that would end up being sold at a garage sale. This time I am doing the entire thing. I started with inspiration from a magazine, it is very simple so hopefully will be quick. The first steps in making a quilt for me is:

1. Find inspiration, look through books and magazines.

2. Decide on color scheme (this always changes a bit when you go to pick out fabric)

3. Formulate your plan (the ladies at my quilt shop help immensely in this, you might also want to consider purchasing a quilting book)

That will help get your feet off the ground. I will post the steps as I go. Keep checking back for more tips.