ALOYF June Goals

Last month I got back on board by working on a couple of small finishes languishing on my side table.  Since summer is a time for being more outside and less inside, I think that this month I'll continue with that pile.  Next on my list is a mini top that I finished and sandwiched almost 18 months ago now.  I wasn't sure how I wanted to quilt it until I saw all the beautiful spiral quilting like here and here.  I figure a mini is the perfect place to practice.

So ... My goal for June is to finish this mini ... that means quilting and binding.  Bonus would be to quilt and/or bind the other two minis on my side table ... then it would be totally cleaned off and ready to re-purpose.

This-is-so-COOL: Blogger's Quilt Festival

I know this is a little last-minute, but several of the blogs I follow have been linking up to this and I have been so inspired by both the stories they share and the amazing quilts they link up. I know I can't compete with years of experience, but I am especially proud of this finish from just a couple of weeks ago.

I'm following along with the It's A Mini Quilt-Along at Moose on the Porch Quilts. This was the first mini that we did. I made it from Kona Coal and scraps from my stash. I wasn't terribly excited about the design because it seemed plain to me and I wasn't sure where to focus or how to track my eyes. The simple row construction makes me want to quilt straight lines. When I finished the top, I mulled for several days wondering how I could really make mine unique.

One morning, in the twilight zone, I saw my finished mini. I knew the geometric echo quilting would not only complement the design, but add a whole new dimension. I chose a light grey thread that would contrast with the dark background and emphasize the quilting even more.  I *love* this finish. I was going to turn it into a pillow or table topper, but I love it so much that it is tacked to the wall next to my bed so it can make me smile first thing each morning.

Here are the Bloggers Quilt Festival Stats:
Finished quilt measurements: 12-3/4" square

Special Techniques:  None, really--pieced and quilted with my home machine

Quilted by: Heather Karr (me)

Best Category:  Doll/Mini Quilt, Home Machine Quilted,

Mosaic Mini

I know its been a while, but I haven't fallen off the face of the earth yet!  With school starting again, another trip to SF and working again, I'm still re-working my routines.

A couple of weeks ago, the folks over at Moose on the Porch Quilts started a Mini Quilt Along in conjunction with their new book Simply Charming Minis.  I already had the book and am excited to sew along.  

The first is this one entitled, "Mosiac".  I went totally scrappy with this one and am in LOVE with the finish!  I used light gray thread over the Kona Coal background and it really makes the quilting pop.  The echo design emphasizes the tile pattern and the binding even feels like it echos the overall pattern to me.

I'm really glad I decided to push myself to finish it with their deadlines.  It's great to have a finish amid the chaos of my sewing table right now.