He's Leaving Home....Chad's Quilt and Pillow

Our son Chad has managed to buck the trend, and after spending 4 months back with us after graduating from the University of Washington, has gotten a really great job and moved into his own apartment.  It is 25 minutes away...not too far, but 5 minutes away would have been better! 
For a housewarming present I made him a large throw quilt and pillow for his handsome new couch.
Here is how it went:

He wanted an Asian them and warm colors; I got permission to add a few spikes of blue. That pile of white fabric you see above the iron is leftover muslin squares and rectangles from other projects; I figured I'd use them up.
This resulted in the quilt's lay-out, which I like very much!  Couldn't have thought it up myself otherwise.

 

Here they all are pinned up on the design wall.  After doing some beginning "piecing"--it is really Intuitive Applique, Method 4 in my Craftsy class--I decided to pin up some major elements like the large chunks and the blue bits so that down the line the quilt would actually have a bit of balance.

Moving right along here!

 

Once I started sewing it together, I got a sense that this quilt was really going to work ok!  I loved using fabrics from my stash...silks from our trip to India, Kimono silks from a generous student, sample linen from a friend, quilters' cotton, some trims I'd gathered along the way...I loved putting them all together.

I found this scrap in the bottom of my brown/black bin where it had been waiting for years....

Squaring up the blocks...

.....gave me lots of trimmings!

The top was really pretty easy to assemble.

It looks formal here, but it is about to be transformed into a snuggly couch quilt!

But first I decided to make a co-ordinating pillow from some of the scraps.  I used a fairly uniform mid-value and stayed with the gold/orange part of the palette.

What you see here are scraps that have had their overlapping edges ironed under.  Those ironed edges then received a light smear of Tacky Glue and then each piece was just smoothed into place on a muslin foundation.  Collage work, very fast, very fun.

 The glued patches were totally secured into place with the quilting; I'd spray basted my collage onto a piece of flannel drapery lining and then around and around I went on my Sweet 16.

It finished out at 20" X 20", with a black linen back....to match Chad's couch, of course!

OK, back to the quilt.  I wanted it to be cozy, so for the backing I used a plush microfiber throw that I got on Amazon.

It made for a wonderfully functional throw, too!  Colorful and kind of classy on top, cozy and yummy on the underside, lightweight but warm.

Quilting on such a stretchy back did distort that perfect rectangular quilt top though.  Gotta work on that for next time...

  Pretty cozy looking, isn't it?  ;-)

It was very fun, delivering them....

....and so satisfying, seeing them in use.

Makes it easier, having an Empty Nest, knowing my fledgling's nest has a comfy quilt in it.

Next up, a baby quilt for my great nephew!  Sewing for publication is very rewarding, but sewing for family is the best...

 

Sewing for Publication

It is such an honor to be published, to think that people are interested in what comes out of my sewing room!
The hard part is that while I'm working on a project that is meant for future publication, I can't write about it.

But I just have to give a sneak peek:

My friend Michele Muska is writing a very interesting quilt book for Sixth and Spring books.  I am so excited to be contributing to it!  But you will have to wait for awhile to see the whole thing...

My book with Valerie Bothell is in it's final editing stages before it goes into production, to be released sometime in the Spring of 2014.  Val and I have loved working with C & T Publishing and the fabulous team of editors who have shepherded us along the way, and we are all very proud of our collaboration.  We hope you will enjoy it, and sure wish we could talk about it...

Here is just one little teeny weeny sneak peek from our book...hope I don't get into trouble here!

You won't believe the backstory on this one...

When Michele's quilt is done (which will be soon), I'll be doing some personal sewing for the family. I look forward to blogging about the couch quilt for Chad, who is moving into his own apartment, and the baby quilt for my niece's son, Noah. I'll be putting that Sweet 16 to great use!

Here's the quilt that is inspiring my manly son's quilt.  It is owned by Laura Fisher Quilts; I saw it on the Quilts-Vintage and Antique page on Facebook.  (Lots of amazing quilts float by on that group page.)

He wants his colors to be very bright, so it will look different than this one, of course.  But the graphic layout of the design is perfect for him.
I'll get started on it soon...see you then.

Broderie Perse CQ....Progress

July was spent traveling!
I have gotten it down, how to stitch while jammed in a middle seat on an airplane between two perfect strangers.

It's a matter of having all your threads in one plastic bag, and your tools in another, both on your lap with the stitching on the tray table.  Sharon Boggon's CQ stencils have been invaluable.
My Broderie Perse CQ has been the project of the summer.

I've actually gotten a fair amount done.
The stitching is very simple, almost spare.  This quilt has so many elements and is so busy already that the stitching has to play a supporting role, not a starring one.

I've been wondering how the heck I am going to quilt this.  I suppose I could tie it from the back.  This is going to be a functional bed quilt, so maybe it can be more like a comforter, with really nice puffy batting.   That could work!

Here is the whole quilt pinned up on the design wall.
I'm going to have to take it down for a few weeks though.  My dear friend Michele Muska is writing a book, and has asked me to contribute a project to it.
I won't be able to post about it, but here is my jumping off point.

You just know it's going to be a blast, working with these colors.

See you in a few weeks...and Happy August!