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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

March Review & April To-Do's (and lots of little projects)

It was about mid-March before I finally sat down to write my goals for the month.  I was sure to keep my list to the bare minimum since I knew I had other big commitments going on (like taxes - yuck).  I didn't quite get everything done but maybe that's because I snuck in a few little side projects.  See below.


I did get most of my sister, Tammy's, quilt done but I still need to bind it.  I plan on getting it done this weekend so I can take it with me to Montana next week for our annual Spring Break Sister's & Cousins Trip.  I'd love to show pictures of the quilt but I'm planning on writing up a pattern for it so you'll just have to wait and see :)

My friend Kellie is expecting a baby boy in a few months so I gave her a couple of homemade bibs at our mini shower/recipe group the other night.  


The smaller bib was inspired by one I saw on the blog, Nana Company.  It's a wonderful blog.  Amy makes beautiful things and has beautiful photography.  I could definitely spend a lot of time looking around there.  She offers a PDF pattern for the little bib (which I had to enlarge quite a bit but it works for a 1 year old.)  I used a simple template I had in my pattern stash and some raw edge applique for the larger bib.

Unfortunately I only got one Pineapple Block done.  
Have I mentioned that I really do love working on them?


You can find the over-sized paper-piecing patterns in my Etsy shop, HERE.  And don't be shy about paper-piecing, my next blog post will be a tutorial for this specific block.  It's really not that hard!

I somehow managed to squeeze in two little projects for the fabric store I work at.  First, was a Simple Squares baby quilt. I've used this pattern before.  It whips up in just a few hours and is the perfect baby size I think.  The fabric showcases the new line by Riley Blake called Rocket Age.

 [click HERE for more info on this pattern.]

 Last, but not least, I got the opportunity to make one of Camille Roskelley's new mini patterns for the store.  I chose to do the Mini Swoon pattern, since I never got around to making the big version (which I loved from the minute I saw her sample hanging at the Int'l Quilt Market back in 2011).


I loved working on it.  When I finished the first block I thought to myself, it may be the cutest block I've ever made.  I hope to make a few more of her mini's someday...  

 
Another fun aspect of making the mini quilt is that I was able to machine quilt it myself in about 30 minutes.  I love the look of straight line quilting and thankfully, it's a lot easier than free motion quilting.

Well, that's about it for March.  
As for April, my main goal is to get my three new quilt samples made for my 3 new patterns.  I've been a little distracted the last few months with random projects so now it's time to get back to work!

Happy quilting!
~ Amber

8 comments:

  1. I love those pineapple blocks! Especially in the bright colours. But boy do they look like a lot of work.

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  2. I love the giant ric-rac around the edge of that baby quilt!

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  3. Oh I love your mini swoon! I can't believe I still haven't done the Swoon yet :)

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  4. I ordered a pack of your pineapple paper templates and can't wait for your next post to get a tutorial. It will be my first time foundation piecing a block! I also love the mini swoon - I will be making one of them this month as part of Sinta and Sherri's AYOS program.

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  5. Wow I love all the things you are working on. Especially the pineapple and the mini swoon.

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  6. First, your to-do list. I think it was so smart that you listed two pineapple blocks. That is so much less intimidating than listing "the quilt".
    Now, your machine quilting. ( I have to start to practice this! ) For those straight lines do you use a walking foot or your regular foot?

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  7. I went to your Etsy shop but couldn't find the pineapple papers. I love pineapple quilts, and I enjoy paper piecing. I'm currently working on some pineapple minis (3" square), but I would like to make bigger blocks to make a full-sized quilt. And I too would like to know if you use a walking foot for the straightline quilting.

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  8. These baby bibs look amazing. Actually everything that you made are really cute. I love that pineapple blocks!

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I ♥ to hear from you so please feel free to leave a comment. I read each one and try to respond as often as I can. Thanks so much for stopping by! ~Amber