Greek Cross Quilt done!!!!

The Greek Cross block has always seemed very bold and definitive to me so when I needed to make a quilt for a teenage boy who is in a rock band, it was the first block that came to mind. I tried to make it as masculine as possible in the hope it will get used. I bust out my stack of Curious Nature by Parson Gray and picked only the blue and gray fabrics from the line. For the background I picked Quilter's Linen in Stone. I love the textured look. 

Blocks were very easy to make. I even have a tutorial on the same. The quilt top came together relatively easily. 

For the backing I decided to give it a music theme. I used Concerto Orchestra Stripe White and Concerto G-Cleff White/Black from Bernatex Fabrics. The recipient plays keyboards so I thought this fit in nicely. Pretty masculine print IMO.

Keeping in the same vein I quilted it using a boxy pattern with gray thread. Curves come more easily to me so it was a challenge to quilt the sharp corners. However I found that if I hesitated a bit at each turn I achieved the required look. Thanks Angela Walters for the tip. I think her workshop was one I learnt a lot from. 

In the close up you can see that the gray fabric in the two blocks differ slightly in color. Well I ran out of the Quilter's linen and had to order more and found that the shade was not exactly the same. Different dye lot. Lesson learned for next time. Stock up on the fabric before starting a quilt. Oh well I hope after a few washes the difference will be less apparent.

Lastly for the binding I used a Spider Web in black from Northcott Fabrics. It frames the quilt nicely.

I was thinking of going all cross bones and skulls on the quilt but I think this is a happy medium where both the kid and parents would be happy. Quilts for boys are always so hard.

At times I really drag my feet on a project. This was one of those. I had less than 2 square feet of quilting left and had folded the unfinished quilt and put it away.  Finally decided to finish it and call it a day.

Linking up to: WIP Wednesday, Finish it Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday, TGIFF

One of my early quilts

This quilt top dates back to Sept. of 2011 when I initially started sewing and quilting. I was not yet introduced to designer fabric and was a frequent visitor to the local Michael's for fabric. I was not a big fan of the fabric to begin with and abandoned the quilt top as soon as I discovered better fabric. However while packing I came across the quilt top and decided to go ahead and finish it anyway. Maybe it could be a charity quilt or I could give it to someone who likes it. 

It is always good to look back and see how far you've come. Also are there folks there who abandoned working on the quilt tops because they fell out of love with the fabric? I would love to see the unfinished quilt tops. Do you plan to finish it some day?

And then there were four

The Supernova Friendship Swap is moving along. Heather and I are churning out our blocks a month at a time. Here are the first four.

Am in love with these so far.

Riding The Wave Of Optimism - MQG Challenge Quilt

Early one morning at work I heard the phrase "Riding the wave of optimism" and it really stuck in my head. I kept trying to envision what a wave of optimism would look like. A few days later I came across this image and to me it symbolized the phrase. A nice big colorful wave symbolizing optimism and the little sailboat riding it in the hope to make it through. 

My quilt for Michael Miller MQG challenge is based on this image. I used the "made fabric" concept by Victoria Findlay-Wolfe which was then cut up into a wave shape backed by some Pellon fusible interfacing. I appliqued the wave using a straight stitch and tiny zigzag stitch for the other pieces. 

For the background I used the same "made fabric" concept with shades of blue to give it some subtle variation instead of a print fabric.

The vertical straight line quilting symbolizes falling rain but I don't know if it comes across that way. 

Finally I found a perfect Michael Miller print for the binding. The colors blend perfectly with the rest of the quilt giving it some definition. This quilt is again unlike anything I have made before but oh well what was that saying about trying new things......;)

Linking up to: Fabric Tuesday

Radio Silence

Sorry for the radio silence but with the impending move, sewing has become wishful thinking for me. I try to snatch a few minutes here and there to sew. Most of the paraphernalia is in boxes and can't find half my notions. Anyway it's been over a month since my last post so thought I would quickly drop in and say what I have had a chance to work on.

I am participating in the Supernova Friendship Block Swap along with Heather from Quilts In The Queue and these were the blocks for June. I am already late for July. I love how the blocks look placed side by side.

I also finished a block for Stephanie at Simple Sewendipity for the Scrapbeelicious bee. She had asked for the little vines block by Elizabeth Hartman. Love how they turned out and so quick to make.

Linking up to: WIP Wednesday