.::Fare Thee Well 2014::.

Ah, the sappy new year's posts are saturating the blogosphere with the mosaics of quilty finishes, but I'll just share a few thoughts here. I've been too lazy lately and I made way too many little things this year that I never photographed. I lost my laptop for the last month, so there is no proof of my marathon sewing for the HO HO holidays. But believe me, it happened. My Juki and I powered through it, as always.

But it's over now, thank the heavens, and I can go back to my steady and sometimes frantic sewing for myself. I would like to start selling my creations in the new year. It's hard to know where to start sometimes... Etsy? Blogging? Craft shows? All of the above? It can be stressful to think about when you just have the end of the dream in your mind. But how do you get there? 

I've learned so much about my sewing style in the past year. I bought my Juki in 2013, but this year I've been using it to its potential with playing with free motion quilting and I feel like I've made some great leaps. Just doing a whole quilt without issue makes me so happy! 

Even if I didn't explore it too much, I made a few garments! Well, a costume for the Renaissance Faire, but still. I made the cape and vest (grommets ugh) and now a whole new world of possibilities for my nerdities has opened up! Can't really see it but I didn't take a lot of pictures. Next season's costume is going to be crazy. 

So that's all really have to say so goodbye, happy new year! :) 

A finished Arizona pencil pouch

A few months ago, I entered a contest and actually won! Woo! I am in the process of making a Japanese x and plus quilt with a gorgeous fat quarter bundle of Arizona by April Rhodes for Art Gallery Fabrics. Can I just say... AGF=heaven. But anyways, I have things cut up for that quilt, and decided to use some of the scraps for a pencil case. You never know when you're going to need your colored pencils in college. ;)

I made a simple quilt-as-you-go panel, squared it up, attached the zipper, and stitched up the sides. These are always quick and gratifying projects! And it only took about a half hour.

My lovely friend Khrystine and I (if you're reading this, hey girl!) had a sewing night at my house with tea, giggles, and of course stitchin' and bitchin'. I made this, and she made a beautiful pouch too with her scraps. Sometimes I have so many ideas in my head, it's a relief to have someone to tell them to.

This fabric line is so bold and pretty, I cannot wait to finish the quilt. Now if I could only buy the right amount of fabric when I go to the shop...

                                      xoxoxooxoxoxo

The Alchemist: A Finished Quilt

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, alchemy is a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination. I love this fabric line from Amy Butler. The dandelions are a Moda fabric. I wanted to keep this quilt basic and the pieces of fabric big, so I used this tutorial here from Stitched in Color. 

I didn't really plan where the different "bricks" would go, I just made sure that there weren't huge clusters of the same print in a section. I quilted straight lines in the white spaces.

I took this one for a bit of a photo shoot around the quarries by my house, which provided this lovely slate wall for me. ;) Unfortunately I didn't get a lot of good pictures because I got nervous and hopped on my bike when I heard other people. Stupid, but true.

Teddy likes to nap on this one, so I'm going to leave folded on my chair for awhile. He's so cute. <3

Royal Butterflies: A Finished Quilt

 Lately I've been working on finishing old WIPs. Makes me feel good, ya know? Done and done.

I saw this butterfly fabric at Joann's and had to have it, no surprise there if you know me. I believe my sister said, "another butterfly quilt? Really?" Yes, really. It's a problem that I will never deal with.

I used an 'X and O' tutorial and added the stripey border when I ran out of fabric. I quilted loops all over. I was having problems with thread breakage in the beginning. I switched to a bigger needle and of course, that fixed everything.

Love those butterflies! :)

This will probably end up on my bed like the rest of them. Hey, winter is coming. I don't want to freeze after all...

Mission Accomplished

Spiderwebs: A finished quilt/longest WIP. Ever.

Hey, this one only took me a year and a few months to finish. I win! I started this one on the ol' singer before it broke and then promptly started to hate it. I posted about it here on my flickr in April 2013. Yikes. I liked the design, but not so much my cheap fabric choices. But then I got sick of looking at the quilt top after a few months...

I didn't really know much about sewing quilt tops together when I started this, so there are a lot of really wonky seams. I like the over-all graphic effect this one has though, very POW POW ZING! The colors pop nicely against this mystery gray fabric.

This is a twin sized quilt. I quilted along various seams, nothing too crazy. This one was too insane to do any intense free motioning. Simple is best sometimes (when you don't know what to do).

Teddy the Jungle Cat approves of this one even if I don't. ;)

tension issues

Two words that describe most aspects of my life these days. Ugh. Note to self: STOP FIDDLING WITH THE JUKI KNOBS, CASSIE. YOU WILL NEVER FIND THE PERFECT BALANCE AGAIN.

The quilt that I said I would have quilted and bound and ready to use? Spray basted and hanging in the craft room. Yep. Not. A. Stitch.

So I figured I would blog about a quilt that I finished a thousand years ago. Flying-geese-o-rama mama! 

For this one I used fabrics from my stash that kinda/sorta went together. I think it looks good. ;)

I quilted 1/4" along the vertical and horizontal seams with various thread colors, just to spice it up. Binding was attached by machine, of course.

It's a bit small, but it's just the right size to cuddle up under (not that I have even moved it out of my sewing room yet). It's backed with a supersoft minky from hobby lobby. I skipped the batting because I don't really find it necessary when using minky. It gives it such a nice drape! 

I used various low-volume prints and white fabrics that I had on hand for the background of the geese units.  I wish I had more of those Michael Miller foxes, too frikkin cute. Some of my favorite prints are in there.. shout out to Amy Butler, my girl! ;)

I think that's snow in the right hand corner? That's how long ago I finished this, ha! Before I know it, I'll be buried in another two feet of snow. Yay. PS I'm moving to the Bahamas, I hope the quilt scene is hoppin' there. I'm bring my Medusa hair with me.

Rain rain

Well, I can't go outside without getting caught in the rain today. So that means I have spent the day staring at my scrap bins and pondering life's hardest question... What quilt should I make next?
But while I was trying to think of an answer to that, I decided that I needed another bag. ;) I USED SCRAPS THOUGH SO IT'S OKAY! I had (and still have) scraps from trimming flying geese, just perfect for half-square triangles. I can't let any of that beautiful Amy Butler butterfly print go in the trash, it's just too precious.

Check out that lining. It's a bunny! I have a bunny in my bag! :)

Mmmm.

And a work in progress. I started this thing two years ago and started hating it. It happens. Now I look at it and think, but now that I have my Juki.. Free motion quilting this beast would be so much fun! I just need to get some gray thread that will blend. Maybe flowers in between the spiderweb blocks? Figure eights? This quilt will be finished by next week! YOU CAN DO IT CASSIE! FIRE UP THAT MACHINE!

xoxoxo insanity

And the sky was made of amethyst

This quilt was made of amethyst. And the stars look just like little fish yahhh.

I digress...

I could not look at the purple anymore. I hate purple. Happy to report that it was all used except for some measly scraps! And Teddy wanted to help arrange, what sweet cats I have! ;)

This quilt reminds me of shattered glass. I started making hourglass blocks, then decided to put solid squares in between them (lazy). I quilted along the diagonal seam lines going through the HG blocks. This one was finished within a week.

And now I don't have to look at that unused purple! It has purpose! Hooray!!!

xoxoxoxoxo

Days like today

I won't lie, it's been a rough few weeks. But when things get rough, what's better than a new quilt to hide under? Nothing, that's what. If anything, making a new quilt always cheers me up when I see how beautiful things are when they work together. There is light at the end of the tunnel, my friends! There is still beauty in this world that is waiting to be discovered, and that's what keeps my hopes up when things go bad. 

And how can I not smile when I look at my gorgeous Juki? I worked hard to have the machine that I wanted most, and I am damn proud of the things I have made with it. Plus that adorable quilty washi tape I found at the dollar store? Designed with me in mind, definitely. 

I'm so glad that I have this hobby to occupy my mind when I need distraction. Life has its ways of working out. Optimism pays off in the long run, that's one thing that I am sure of.

Red and white

Today I braved the cold and wind for a quilt photo shoot. And brrrr was it cold. But every once in awhile the sun would peak through the clouds to remind me that it's always a lovely day. This quilt is about 60" square. I had this red and white floral fabric in my stash, and I had a lot of it. I think my mom's friend gave it to me. But that's not a problem anymore! Now I have just a few scraps left. I used the red for the backing and binding as well as the sashing and borders.

I quilted this on my Juki (my baby) with an all over stipple. I always forget how many bobbins I go through when free-motion quilting. But the effect is exactly what I wanted, so I'm very happy! This quilt is soft and warm and lovelovelove. Now it's ready to be given to my best friend. Good thing she likes red! :)

xoxoxoxoxo

Tote-ally

I found myself in need of a new bag when the zipper broke on my last one. Feeling somewhat creative that day, I started stitchin'.

For the first block-turned-bag, I followed this tutorial to make the You Are Here block. Then I quilted organic straight lines to give it some strength. 

But then I needed another bag! One can't possibly be enough! Besides, I have so many scraps! I can't remember which tutorial I followed... It's called a Japanese x and +. I really liked the process of making it. I daydream sometimes about a whole quilt. Mmmm.

Swan Dive

I have been putting off starting this blog for too long. So I'm jumping right into it, head first. More like a swan dive. Yes, a swan dive into the quilt blog universe. No more procrastination!

Today I am making a quilt for my best friend. Emily! I love her so dearly, she's been my bestie since the 4th grade. Ten years of friendship. :) I began making the blocks a few months ago, meaning to gift it on her birthday. I was going to do white borders, but I ran out of the white. Tried to buy more, bought the wrong one. Crap. La da da, life goes on. Good thing she loves red! It's basted now, so I should have it completed by tonight (hopefully)...

On another note, I love spray basting. It's my other best friend. I never want to use pins again.