Scrappy Improv Quilt

I’ve been trying to reduce my fabric stash and use up what I have on hand rather that buying more fabric. It is not easy… but I’m trying. As I mentioned on my last post, the fabric for this quilt I first used it to create my Modern Maples quilt. I had a good a amount of large scraps left over and they had been sitting in a basket on my sewing room for the longest time. Until I finally decided to make them into another quilt. I love scrappy quilts and large improv patchwork. I find really cozy for some reason. To make it even more cozy I backed it with flannel (which I already had in my stash as well). So all and all a total win on my quest to use up my stash.

I just love how perfectly imperfect this quilt turned out. Perfect for this autumn weather. Improv quilts are the best.

By the way, I even had more scraps left over from this quilt that got transformed into another quilt… I can wait to share it with you.

Wishing you a happy week!

XO

Martha.

Log Cabin Baby Quilt

Log cabin quilts are my favorite... any form or variation. They are fun to make and they offer endless possibilities. I made this quilt a coupe week ago and I love the way it turned out. The color combo is something that I don't use of often, but I was inspired by the fabric that I had set aside for the backing. The quilting is not as neat as I would like. I was trying out a new walking foot my my sewing machine and it created some small puckers here and there. I thought about ripping it and doing it again but I changed my mind. I decided to take it as a learning experience and move on. And my pugs don't seem to mind the small imperfections at all :)

I hope you have a lovely week 

XO 

Martha. 

Stripes Quilt II

Lately I have been busy making baby quilts, or should I say pug quilts. My beloved pug babies love mommy's quilts, so I've been super inspired making them their own quilts. This one is a simple design but I love how it turned out. I used fabric from my stash that I have been wanting to use for a while, but I didn't have enough to make a larger quilt. The back is leftover from another quilt and the batting was also leftover from various projects (and it have to be pieced). But my girls love their new quilt and I loved using what I already had in hand. 

Can't wait to show you the other tow quilts I made. I wish you have a wonderful week. 

XO 

Martha

Stripes Quilt - A Quilt for Mona

It has been a few weeks since I sewed anything until today; and it got me thinking how our emotions play a big role in our creativity. Things have been quite emotional in our home. My beloved pug Mona has been very sick. It has taken many visits to the Vet and Vet specialists to find a few answers and her diagnosis is very discouraging. However, today she was feeling better; thus I felt compelled to sew. Mona loves quilts so I decided to make her a new quilt. So she can feel a hug from mommy every time  she sleeps on it, specially when she is not feeling very well. 

I wanted a quick finish so Miss Mona could start using her quilt right away and this design really fit the bill. All the fabrics were in my stash already and they happen to coordinate very well. I love using what I already have. 

As I type this little Miss Mona is sleeping all bundle up on her quilt, which makes this project ever more satisfying. 

I hope you have a lovely week. Please keep my baby on your prayers.

XO

Martha

Half Square Triangle Quilt

I'm so happy to have finished this quilt. A half square triangle quilt has been in my to do list for a long time. So it feels really good to finally check this off my list. The fabric has been in my stash for the longest time so if feels equally good to put it to good use. I've been trying to use up the fabric in my stash before I acquire any new one. So far it has been working out, lets see how far I can go. 

This quilt is on the larger side: it measures 70X70 inches and after finishing it it has given me the courage to tackle larger quilts in the future.

Can't wait to start my next quilt.

Wishing you a happy week!

XO

Martha 

Scrappy Quilt

I'm a great admirer of scrappy quilts. I love how in one piece you can showcase many fabrics to tell a story. Weather it is a collection of leftover fabrics from other projects or beloved fabrics that  are not large enough to make a quilt on their own. However, as much as I love scrappy quilts I haven't made many of them. So I decided it was time to check that off my wish list. I started by cutting up fabric scraps into 2.5 inch squares and putting them into a large jar. When I filled up the jar I began putting together nine patch blocks. When it came to putting together the quilt top, I decided to add linen patches to break up the scrappiness. And I couldn't be more pleased with the result. I think linen is a great addition to any quilting project; it adds a great texture and it ages beautifully as the quilt gets worn out. To add a bit more character to this quilt I made a pieced backing with some of my favorite fabrics from my collection. 

Such a fun project to make and it has already become a favorite around the house too. Scrappy quilts are the best!

Wishing you a happy week!

XO 

Martha 

Windows Baby Quilt

Happy Sunday friends! I hope you had a lovely weekend. Around here I have been very busy, working really hard in my sewing room. But totally enjoying every minute of it. Last week I finished this baby quilt and it was quickly delivered to my sister-in-law who is expecting a baby next month. This was a hard quilt to photograph because of the soft colors but in person is so soft and fresh looking. I adore the way it turned out. I designed this windows pattern to highlight the pieces of Aneela Hoey's Posy fabric. I just thought the sweet fabric with bunnies and chicks was just too precious to cut up. For the back of the quilt I used a larger panel of the same Posy fabric mirroring the windows from the front. And to finish it off I quilted with simple straight lines about one and a half inches apart. Such a sweet finish I hope it gets used and loved for years to come.

XO

Martha. 

Modern Plus Quilt II

Plus quilts are so fun to make and they come together very quickly. This is the second one that I make and I don't this would be my last one. Specially because I didn't get to keep any of them. The first one I made I gave it to my sister (you can see it here) for her birthday a while a ago. And this happy quilt I sent it to a dear friend. She likes fresh and happy colors so I thought this color combo would be particularly fitting for her personality. I really love the way it turned out and she tells me she was very happy with her new quilt, which traveled over 2,000 miles to get to her. 

Now I think I should get busy and make another one of this happy quilts to keep for myself.

Wishing you a happy week.

XO

Martha

Modern Maples

At long last my Modern Maples quilt is finished! It took a while, but totally worth the wait. I just love this quilt so much. The warm colors and the sort of rustic feel of the linen. I just love it The pattern is by Amanda Jennings from the book Pretty in Patchwork: Holidays; a lovely book filled with amazing designs. 

For the maple leaves I used various prints by Juliana Horner and DS Quilts and for the background I used Robert Kauffman Essex linen. I love how the linen complements all the prints so well and allows them to shine. For the backing I had chosen one of the green prints that I had used for the leaves. I had few yards in my stash. But a few days before I basted the quilt, I wondered into my local fabric shop and found the flannel that I ended up using for the backing. It is shirting flannel but it works perfectly for this quilt. And I think it makes it even cozier. Definitely one of my favorite quilts so far.

Wishing you a lovely week!

XO 

Martha

Improv Quilting: Always an Experiment

I love improv quilting, but I find it difficult. It shouldn't be that way, I mean it is supposed to be free and make it up as you go. But my brain has a hard time adjusting to the process. So I decided to create a small throw quilt as a way to use up some scraps and to practice my improv piecing skills. The result was quite pleasing and very liberating. I think next time I'd like to try smaller piecing but, I still really like the way it turned out. I quilted this little quilt by hand. So far this has been the largest project that I've ever quilted by hand. It was very daunting at first... handling a bigger piece of cloth to quilt takes a bit of an adjustment. I tried using a frame and it worked just fine; however, it was bulky and for me hard to maneuver. I ended up removing the frame and and to me it was easier to quilt that way. I guess it is all about finding what works for us.

Hoping you have a beautiful week!

XO 

Martha