Finished Mug Rug

I finished the line quilting on the mug rug. Didn't get anything else done, but I'll have more time to sew tonight. 

And after it's ironed:

It is quite wonky. The upper left corner was due to laziness and bad planning - I left the turn hole at that spot instead of in the middle of a side somewhere. Bottom right got all bunched up. I can probably fix that up pretty easily. I wasn't going for perfection here - none of my work is ever "perfect", but I did get done what I wanted to try; the pebble FMQing. That was fun! :)

Free Motion Quilting

So I've been wanting to try some free motion quilting (FMQ). I thought what better way to play around with it than making a mug rug? In the past, I've done a bit of straight stitch and wavy line quilting, but I've never really "drawn" with my stitches. I am always drawing circles, so I figured that pebble FMQ would feel the most natural. I liked it! I still need to get a hang of when and how to move the fabric, but it's not too bad for my first time. I need to finish the straight and narrow lines through the center - it's too late to continue right now because I have work in the morning. 

I love straight line quilting. I don't know why but it is my favorite. 

I also sewed up another mug rug top. I'll have to figure out what kind of quilting I want to do on it. I have an echo FMQ foot, maybe I'll use that to make some sort of design. We'll see. I think I may appliqué something on here. I don't know just yet. 

No Pictures to Post.

Happy Monday!!

I have no pictures to post right now, but I did create some "fabric" from a layer cake I had sitting around. I literally just sewed a bunch of the pieces together, no fancy quilt piecing. I am making a liner for a basket that my mom left at my house (once I'm done, I'll give her back the basket with the new liner).

I have the details of how to construct the liner written out, but I need to construct the pattern. I'm thinking of drawing it out on a couple of manilla folders taped together.  I'll be happy to post the instructions I devised once I get a chance, though they are rather crude.  I created enough 'pieces' for both the exterior and the lining, but I'm thinking of making the lining solid. The fabric I'm using is from an older moda collection called Wicasset. 

Here's the Google image search for that collection: https://www.google.com/search?q=Wiscasset+moda&biw=1024&bih=627&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=-mFsVfvZMsjutQWF-YDwAw&ved=0CB0QsAQ

The Moda Bake Shop has a cool journal cover they created with the Wicasset collection. When I saw how the pattern looked against the linen, I realized I really needed to make part of the basket liner solid: http://www.modabakeshop.com/2009/11/journal-covers.html

It has a very country feel to it.  If I go that route, I'll either have enough to make two liners for her basket, or a liner and a test piece. ;)  Hopefully the former.  If the first one comes out well, I can make the second with a different color solid inside. Oh and due to the nature of the basket liner, it's totally reversible, so if she wants a solid outside and a patterned inside, she can just flip it out. 

I am rather excited about this project.  I think it'll turn out nicely - especially if I do make half of it solid. Oh! and I'm going to make the ties (for around the handles) out of the Moda ribbon/tape that comes with their layer cakes!  That'll be cool.

I guess that's all for now. I hope I have time tonight to work on it and take some pictures to upload. My goal for today is to get the pattern piece drawn out. I also still need to do the math for the bottom circle. (It's a round basket).

Done for now

Just need to add sashing to the top and bottom.

For those that are joining me from Pinterest, as mentioned earlier in the blog, I used this tutorial to make the pinwheels: http://www.schlosserdesigns.com/2013/04/spring-pinwheel-potholders-and-giveaway/

The fabric is Kate Spain for Moda's Sunnyside charm pack collection. This was my final post for now on this quilt top. If you want to see the process, click through the rest of my blog.  I did a day-by-day update on what I was able to finish (which given the amount of free sewing time I have, it wasn't much). If someone has several hours to kill, this quilt top is incredibly easy to create.

Sashing added and it's done for now. I'll need to get some matching fabric for borders, backing, binding and such. 

All blocks done!

All blocks are now done. Now I just need to sew them all to each other. :)