Modern Maples, Part I

One of the members of our local quilt guild (ECMQG) threw out the idea of a quilt along using Larks Crafts Modern Maples back in April. 

Lark Crafts Modern Maples

The pattern was all over blogland and Instagram last year around November and even Kelly got in on the action and created a lovely quilt. But some of us didn't get a chance to join in until now :)

Our guild is doing a very (and I mean very) relaxed quilt along running from June to Sept. That way we have plenty of time to finish up before the holidays get here. I am excited to see what everyone comes up with.

Large Floral Prints

I decided to use large floral prints, which I know doesn't sound to modern but all the prints are newer and from designers like Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett. I wanted to do all Amy Butler but as it would seem I couldn't find enough in different colorways. The pattern calls for 18 different fat quarters, I am using some fat quarters some quarter yards. I have only 16 different prints which some I will use twice. There are two prints I am not to sure about but will go ahead sew up the blocks and audition them and make a decision to keep them or use them elsewhere.

boring line drawing

Last night was line drawing night - not the most exciting part but the good thing is next is sewing HST which I find quite relaxing.

I was goofing around on Instagram and found many lovely versions of the Modern Maples. I also learned about hashtags - yea I know am I showing my age?? I found a cute mini made by Darcy at Modern Cozy

Darcy's Mini Modern Maples

Is it not so sweet?!?! I'd say as sweet as maple syrup!! Now I must make a mini from my scraps!!! It's your fault Darcy  :)

My Rock'N Rocking Chair (and how I won!)

My husband and I could not agree on the fate of my rocking chair - he wanted to get rid of it, I did not. It was always in the way and no one ever used it. Here's the story...

Sanded and repaired

When I was pregnant with my son (many moons ago) I wasn't working and couldn't keep a job due to severe morning sickness like 24 hours a day seven days a week through out my whole pregnancy to the point I knew everyone at the hospital after the first month and even lost weight - and why do they call it 'Morning Sickness' if I were to name it - it would be '24/7 Puke Till You Tear Your Esophagus and Feel Like the Undead', SERIOUSLY!!!

Money was very tight, we couldn't afford new things. When trying to furnish the baby's room we used an old dresser I had as the changing table and purchased the crib at a second hand store but couldn't find a used rocking chair anywhere. We ended up putting this chair on layway at the local furniture store.

sad rocking chair

It was $75.00, so you can laugh now - but $75.00 was a lot of money back then (even sounds funny to me now too). I paid on it every week and the week before I was due it was paid off and I proudly brought it home.  I spent many nights rocking my little one to sleep, it was well used back then. When our son became a teen it was moved to the office where it was neglected and then spent a good amount of time in the garage where boxes were stacked on it. It had problems! When our dogs were puppies they used the rocker as a chew toy and damaged all four ends of the runners, some of the spindles were loose, one leg was cracked and it made a horrible creaking noise when you rocked in it.

My son was home from college for a few weeks and needed a project (he was bored) before going off to work an internship this summer - well what a great opportunity to have him repair and spruce up the rocking chair. And just maybe I could change my husband's thoughts on the fate of the old rocking chair.

The two of us went off to the hardware store and so began the paint drama (as my son would call it). I love color, really love color and choosing just one color can be quite hard for me.

I first thought - red like this chair...

Glossy Red Rocking Chair by Kim at Newly Woodwards

Then turquoise...

Turquoise Bed to Bench Makeover

Maybe yellow??

Bright Cheery Yellow Rocking Chair by Lou Lou and Oscar

Evan fixed all the problems and even cut and sanded away the chewed ends of the runners. They looked untouched by puppy teeth again! For painting we used tips from Centsational Girl, Brooke at All Thing Thrifty and Anyone Can Decorate (I just love the frame Diana does in the tutorial).

All primed up

I finally decided on a bright green, Tropical Foliage by Valspar. And I LOVE IT!!!

Bright green- so cheery!

It took 3 cans of gray primer and 3 cans of color, then antiquing glaze and 2 cans of clear gloss. Now it's an eye popping accent in our living room. My husband likes it! I won!!

Close up of the antique glaze on the arm

The glaze toned down the brightness but added a lot character.

Close up of antique glaze

I found the very colorful rug on amazon.com which ties it all together - now to make a pillow to sit in my ROCK'N chair :)

Finished :)

Question: If you were going to paint a rocking chair a ROCK'N color what color would you choose?

I've been featured!!

I am so excited!!

The Little Bitty Bag has been featured in a free E-book called 'FaveQuilts: How to Quilt a Bag With Style: 7 Free Bag Patterns and Purse Patterns' at Favquilts.com

The pattern has been featured on Favquilts.com for quite some time now and was also in an article '4 of the Best Homemade Quilted Handbags and Bag Patterns'

This is the quote from the web page "Little Bitty Cosmetic Bag - Strip quilt piecing will have never looked as chic as it will when you piece together this cute little cosmetics bag. This is amongst the best free quilted bag patterns when it comes to learning essential sewing techniques involved in many of the free bag patterns out there, such as sewing a zipper. You can design these using any color scheme, and they make great small handmade quilt gifts."

This is great, because all I've ever wanted was to share and inspire others in hopes they would enjoy sewing as much as I do!! So hop on over to Favquilts, download your free e-book and have fun!!!

Saddness today...

Kathreen you will be dearly missed!!

The crafting community is saddened today by the tragic loss of Kathreen Ricketson, craft book author and founder of Whipup.net, and her partner Rob Shugg. Our hearts go out to their children, family, and friends.

For information on an education fund is being set up for their two children at Whipup.net.

For her bio http://kathreenricketson.com/

Herb Garden Quilt

Draped over the scuppernong vine arbor

I made this quilt top last year, and at the time was not sure that I liked it and had no idea how I would quilt it, so I put it away in the closet and forgot about it.

Herb Garden Container 

Then this spring my husband build me an herb garden container using an idea from pinterest - Stacked Herb Garden by the Taste of Oregon. I normally grow my herbs at the front of our house in a little area, but he wanted me to be-able to enjoy the view of the herb garden from my kitchen window and when we sit outside. He went one step further and made it with 4 tiers instead of 3 and used decking composite lumber so that it will last us many years. It has a footprint of 4 x 4 feet, with 13 planting areas and is 24 inches tall.

Herb Garden Quilt Front 62" x 82"

That got me to thinking about this quilt top and that the fabric is Kona cotton in Tarragon - an HERB!

So I dug through my marinating box of misfit quilt tops and blocks and found it. Also with my recent adoption of a Voyager 17 long arm quilt machine and frame I knew this was going to the first quilt I would quilt on it!! (I will post soon about my new machine :)

Herb Garden Quilt Back

The fabrics are 'Origins' by Basic Grey and Kona Cotton in Tarragon, quilting thread cotton in the color Kiwi 50wt from Connecting Threads (which is a perfect match to the Kona Tarragon).

Herb Garden Quilt Close Up

I quilted it using a free-motion loopy pattern not sure what it's called. My quilting is not perfect by any means but I really love the look of the quilting because it looks like little buds sprouting all over the quilt.

The pattern is from the book Simply Charming Collection by Moose on the Porch Quilts (I think I picked up the book at JoAnn's with a coupon) the pattern is called 'Charming Old Maid'.

Which I think is the quilt block called 'Old Maids Puzzle' or a variation of. It is a basic HST block and when 4 are sewn together it creates a secondary pattern. This was an easy quilt as you are making 2 HST blocks at once and then cutting them apart just like the Quilted Valkyrie does here.

Herb Garden

Our herb garden is full of delicious herbs and a few little flowers and the solar lights are so pretty at night. BUT- don't look to close at the weeds as I am to busy having fun quilting to have noticed ;)