Another One Bites The Dust

 I paper pieced this saying quite awhile ago.

I pattern tested for Pitcher's Boutique.

She has a whole series of designs for this theme.

Then I bought some backing fabric and promptly put it all away and forgot about it.

Until recently.

I was cleaning in my room and found it.

I am slowly unearthing old projects and putting them on my "to do" list.

I finished this today!

This is the front of the pillow cover.

This is the back.

I made it envelope style.

I looked for a form that would help me work out the dimensions I needed.

I ordered it from Amazon.

Overall I think it came out pretty well.  

I am beyond happy to have one more project complete and ready to gift.

This one will be going to a new home in the near future.

Happy Sewing!

~XOP~

January Happenings

This must be the year of the babies!  For real you guys.  

I can't even believe how many baby related things I am going to be making this year already 

and it's what? January 4? 

 C'mon you guys, haha.

For every new baby that is in our family and close circle of friends, I make a chenille blanket.  Usually I gift this at the baby shower (if it is the first baby) otherwise after the baby is born.

There are 3 babies due close to the same time.  This is for the first one.  

I LOVE that knight fabric and that aqua chenille is to die for!

If you need to make a chenille blanket you can find it on my tutorial page in my header.

I used up all that knight fabric but was shopping after Christmas and picked up some more.

I bought some Dear Stella Winter is Here fabric last year as a strip quilt and while it is cool, 

I felt it needed some other stuff added to it.  

I found this pattern for a "Baby Norbert" on the Fandom in Stitches website so decided to try adding him to the quilt.  

He was only 5" so I had to enlarge him. 

 The pattern is FPP and I love how he turned out! 

 I'm not going to show you the quilt but I do have the top finished.  

Since it will be a gift I can't really show it until it is gifted.

Cole was supposed to be the inspector but was sleeping on the job (again).

Another new thing I tried was making a self binding blanket. 

 I realized now that perhaps I should not have used minky for the first try! 

 Usually you use 2 flannel fabrics.  

I really like how it came out.  

If anyone is interested maybe I will make another one and do a tutorial about how to do it. 

 I was SO confused when I was making mine!!!  

I adore the knights/dragons flannel I found for the blanket and may 

use that on the back of the baby quilt and also to make a crib sheet.  

I have more shares but that will have to wait for now.

I hope you are all getting to work on a few projects too.  

~XOP~

WIPs With Friends

I hope you all had a good weekend. 

 It was amazingly HOT here in Michigan.  

We almost never get 96 degrees in the SPRING!  

CrAzY. 

 I wanted to do some yard work but that just did not happen.  

I tried for a bit on Monday.  

I dug out some grass from a small part of my garden, planted some tomato and pepper plants 

and a couple of planters and called it a day. 

 PHEW!

Instead I concentrated on sewing. 

 I should have concentrated on cleaning, HA!  

Maybe this weekend.  

I have a lot of commitments coming up so wanted to get a jump on those things.  

I finished hand embroidering a quilt label for an upcoming wedding quilt. 

 I can't show that though = (

I finished a block for another Halloween quilt but have one more to go.

On my google sheet that I keep with monthly goals is always "Make one Ocean Waves block".  

 I can happily check this off my list now.  I have 21/36 blocks made.

Cole was "helping" while I was working.  

He matched the color scheme perfectly. 

(or should I say purrfectly?)

I had no intention of making the progress I did on this wedding quilt 

(Let's call this wedding quilt-A, WQ-A).  

I got the entire center of the quilt cut out.

I made all the HSTs.  Next I got those all trimmed up to 4.5".  They are all untrimmed in this photo.

Next I got the first rows sewn on.

Lastly I sewed the white rows on.

All that's left to do it assemble it into the quilt center.

I am using the pattern called Newport Fantasy by Pleasant Valley Creations which you can find here.

This is what it looks like, but obviously not in the colors I am using.

What I need to determine is what color to use where the green is in the border.  

I have 2 prints I am considering, 

but I may just use the same solids I used for the center for the outer border too. 

 I wanted to get the center done and then decide what to do. 

 Anyone have any strong opinions?  

The two prints are mostly gray and white.  

The colors in their house are grays and whites.  

I am using some gray blues in the quilt but thought about

 just using the different gray solids in the border.  

Maybe just one of the grays? 

Or maybe mix the grays and blues? 

Or stick with one of the prints I got for the border?

Time will tell.

I still have an intricate FPP pattern that needs to be tested and done by the 16th.

I best get myself working on that next.

Then I can work on WQ-A.

Sharing over at Sew Fresh Quilts.

YOUR turn.  Share with us what you are working on by clicking on the link.

~XOP~

An InLinkz Link-up