A finish!

I finally finished the Snowflake Table Runner that I had started a few weeks ago. I took this project with me to Cape Breton but I didn't even end up working on it. My sewing mojo was just not interested in working on it. But I buckled down this weekend and got it finished!

 

This was a fun project. I really like the hexie shape of this Table Runner. I guess Table Topper is probably a better name for it. I decided to bind the topper with the same blue Snowflake fabric shown in the middle. I also decided to make some coasters to match the Table Topper.

These are so cute and quick! I definitely plan on making more of these in the future. I found this tutorial at Quilting in the Rain. The post has a video done by Monica at It's Just Sewing. Such a quick Christmas gift too. The best part is being able to put your wine stem in these coasters....I may have to make a set for myself ;)

 

Longarm Service....the Wait...

Well I decided to take my finished Fat Quarter Shop 2014 Mystery Designer Quilt top to a longarm service....to be truthful, when I left my previous quilt top there, I felt like I was leaving an extension of me. I had taken another quilt top to a longarm service before and the result was disastrous! I have not stepped back into that fabric shop. So I did more research this time, chatted with some fellow quilters and decided on a small shop in Cape Breton :)

This quilt top has been the most challenging quilt top that I have made to date. It also has many, many, many hours put into it. So not to have it in my possession is very unsettling for me.

Here is the quilt top that I dropped off.

The picture taking was quick that day. And when I took it into the longarm service shop, I really didn't think I would be leaving it there. I didn't do the stay stitch that was indicated to be required or cut the backing to fit. I was surprised when the person said that no stay stitch was needed or to cut the backing. She was actually happy that I didn't cut the backing and she cut it while I was there. So before I lost my nerve and ran out with my quilt top, I took a deep breath and did the paperwork.

I really don't know how I was going to quilt it anyway so having a longarm service do it for me was the best decision. I really can't wait to get this quilt back in my possession!

Anyhow to keep myself from thinking about my quilt, I've started on a new quilt top.

And if you think you've seen those fabrics before, you have. The fabrics in this quilt are the Snowbird Collection by Laundry Basket Quilts. The same collection I have in the quilt above. I ordered more of this fabric line to make the Blueberry Ice Quilt. And I still have a good amount of this fabric collection left! A little obsessed! At least I'm not denying it!

Have you ever sent your quilt to a longarm service before?

Under the Sea Baby Quilt

Finally I can reveal this baby quilt that I designed for my future niece or nephew. My sister has assured me there is only one coming....I was hoping for twins ;)

My sister's nursery is a Sea Creatures theme. I tried to find a baby pattern and couldn't find anything that I liked. I knew I wanted to make something that the baby could use for a long time and the quilt had to be gender neutral. I had purchased a Fat Quarter bundle of Sea themed fabrics years ago and decided this was the perfect project to use them on.

I decided that I didn't want to waste any fabric on this project so I decided to make tiny HST when I was making the 'Bubbles"

Don't you love those goldfish! I think this was my favourite fabric out of the bundle!

This is the original layout of the quilt.

My original layout changed during the top assembly.

I made these tiny pinwheels with the tiny HSTs I made earlier.

I only had so many of them so I decided to make a top and bottom border with them.

And then I decided to quilt this one with a scalloped stitch to make the quilting look like waves.

I used Aurifil's Storm At Sea Variegated thread for the quilting and I really love how it turned out. And the backing has more whales as well.

Close-Up of the whales on the backing.

Quilt Reveal!

Now just waiting for the arrival of the little one :)