A Finish!

It has been a long (like embarrassingly long) time since I have had a real ‘finish’!! Oh sure, there have been lots of starts – but no finishes! I had forgotten how good it feels!

Do you remember the Seams of Opal quilt? That I posted about and did tutorials one, two, three and four about? I also had an update about it here.

Well – this is the grand finale of updates!

When my nephew ‘baby Jack’ was born – I knew this quilt had to be his.  It is the perfect ‘throw on the floor and add baby’ quilt – lots to look at and tons of texture.

Originally 100 6 inch squares large – it had been made smaller because somewhere between Ohio and our final landing place I lost 6 blocks! And really – I didn’t feel like going back to the beginning (see massive tutorials above!) and he is just a small baby (and he isn’t a twin!) so how many square feet does he need? AND my mommy is going to take some of the (now) extra blocks and make him a big floor pillow to go along with it!

So without further adieu (and I really need to paint that floor – add it to the studi-O-rganization)

Here it is! I LOVE HOW IT TURNED OUT! If there is a repeated fabric in here – it was an accident! So much to see and ‘spy’ and if each block is 6 inches plus about  2 inches of sashing then this quilt is about 62*62 inches (or about 5 feet square). Plenty big for lots of activities!

And the back ain’t no slouch either! This quilt is a quilt as you go ‘a la Allison’ (again, see tutorials above) and each block has a different backing fabric and therefore it is a reversible ‘I Spy quilt’! Can you say ‘greatest Aunt ever is forgiven for  not having this ready for his birth???’ Hey, I can try, right?

A closer view of the front.

A much closer (and slightly out of focus) view of 1 block. Each block has a different free motion quilted motif in the center square and then the rest is ditch quilted.

I used my prized  Bias Tape Maker
for this quilt and really, I can’t say enough about this machine! I love it! It spits out perfect bias tape every time!

I hope this little guy loves it (the quilt, not the machine) as much as I love him!

Oh and YES there will be an organizing post very soon! Starting with Fabric:)

Seams of Opal Progress report!

For anyone who hasn’t been following along with the Seams of Opal project – you can see video tutorials here:

Part 1 – getting your materials together and start cutting

Part 2 – sewing with the paper piecing method

Part 3 – Free Motion Machine Quilting with Freezer Paper Templates

Part 4 – Assembling the QUILT AS YOU GO!

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And now for the progress report – I have finished paper piecing 100 blocks (finished 6.5″) and I have also finished free motion quilting the center square for all of them.  Now I am stitching the ditch for the remainder… Wonder if I can finish before the move!

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Assembly line paper piecing…

Assembly line trimming….

Closed up a free motion center square (each is different)

It’s coming along!

Seams of Opal Continues…

The seams of opal quilt continues on toward the 100 block goal… I have pulled it out again and started to chain sew/chain press/ chain cut/ repeat!  So easy to pick up and put down without losing my place! So little time lately to get into the studio so this is a great one to have out.

Seams of Opal part 4

Quilted Coasters – the next project or your next purchase – you choose!

On one of the Episodes (which one? I really don’t remember but I think it was 51)  I spoke about creating my own ‘fabric’ by piecing and cutting and cutting and piecing until you end up with a totally random piece of fabric….

Something like this:

and you can turn it into anything you like.  I made this:

And soon I will be showing you how to do it as well because that is the next project for BEEN There DONE That!

Or you can just buy them here!

Big tent invites open again!

Hey everyone – the BEEN There DONE That! project is alive and well.  I will be posting the last of the seams of opal videos as soon as I can.

Then – it looks like we are on to the quilted coasters!  After having made a bazillion for the bazaar – I can tell you that they really sew up quickly and the quilted is a lot of fun because it is such a small area to manage!

Come on over to the big tent by sending me an email to mail@withinaquarterinch.com and request an invite!

BEEN There DONE That (the tutorial that is…) Seams of Opal Part 3

Can I get a hallelujah?  Holy Crow I finally managed to record (not able to edit much – sorry) and figure out the newest software enough to get the next installment out of my hands and into yours!

I am certain the we can only get better from here…

Thanks to everyone for your patience!

Watch the video because there is a hidden GIVEAWAY in there! First one to answer a question posed within is the winner of something so fabulous I can’t even tell you.  (I’m sure loyal listeners know that this is actually because I haven’t the foggiest idea of what it will be yet but it will be GREAT, I assure you!)

The new BTDT home!

The new home is live!  I decided to use ‘big tent’ which is a much (MUCH) better place than that last one! I’m not exactly positive; but I believe you need to sign up to be a member of Big Tent in general and then you can be a part of our group there.  The Manic Mommies are also under the Big Tent and since they are my idols I am pretty sure we will be happy there.

I am still learning about the capabilities of the BTDT BT group so please bare with me – and maybe even help.

I have sent out a limited number of invitations to begin with – so that any kinks can be worked out in small batches.

If you are one of those people – please – I invite you to start posting away – creating your own forum topics in the main page and even create your OWN subgroup where you can post your own news and photos and everyone can share.

It’s exciting, I know.

See you at the party!

BEEN There DONE That Seams of Opal Part 2

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The choice is yours…

Hey BEEN There DONE Thater’s (odd sounding, but what else can I say?) I have posted a new poll for you on the side bar.

YOU get to choose amongst the options as to which project you would like to see as the next tutorial.  I know I know, we just started the Seams of Opal – but I gotta stay ahead of you guys!

I have tried to pick the choices using these criteria:

1) If you’re die-hard – you probably have this book/publication or you should. OR no publication required – just something from my bitty little head.

2) It won’t be the masterpiece of a lifetime – but it will be fun and I’m sure we’ll all learn something along the way

and

3) I like it!  Hey – I will have actually DONE these guys, so you don’t mind that I offer choices I prefer, do you? Didn’t think so:)

So,

Choice #1

Publication: Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

Page 20 – Quilted Coasters (yes, I have never made any, and yes, I think that’s a double negative)

Choice #2

No publication – but not exactly an original idea either… I really would like to make ‘Paper Dolls’ out of fabric. Not just for little kids – think about how cute we could make the mini outfits that would be backed with fusible fleece and therefore ‘stick’ to our dolls ? Can’t you just picture the clothesline you’ll need for them?

Choice #3

Also,  No publication. An ‘advent calendar’. Yup the Jewish Girl from the podcast said ‘Advent Calendar’.  But perhaps we can call it a ‘Countdown Calendar’?? I think the twins will get a kick out of counting down for Channukah this year and I will make it a X minus 25 days type of thing. (meaning the calendar will be 25 days we just won’t pull it out on the first of December unless Channukah falls on Christmas Day, ya know).  So – mine will not have any screaming obvious Christmas items but it will certainly have Winter Holiday items and of course, a couple Jewbie Jewish themed items thrown in.

Made with felt, fabric, wool, buttons, embroidered, felted, adorned and decorative.

So friends YOU TELL ME!

The Poll will be up for a little while – First place comes first and so on and so forth.

AND perhaps you would like to submit and idea for the community to do together??

PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLL – YOU MAY OF COURSE, COMMENT HERE, BUT THE POLL VOTES ARE WHAT WILL DETERMINE THE PROJECT. YOU CAN ALSO COMMENT ON THE POLL ITSELF! HOW COOL!