Thursday, February 27, 2014

Hope NICU Quilt for Benartex


I'm guest posting on the Benartex blog today!

Once it's all quilted up I'll be donating it to my local Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) - so it can bring some hope to a baby in need of a bit of hope! 


Doodle Dog Fabrics
You've got a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of the Doodle Dog collection that I used for my quilt. There are three chances to enter:

1. Sign up to follow Benartex's blog, either via email or a blog reader program like Bloglovin' (both on the righthand sidebar of the blog). Leave a comment letting me know you did so. 

2. "Like" Benartex on Facebook and leave a comment letting me know you did so. 3. Follow Mommy's Nap Time and leave a comment letting me know you did so.

This giveaway is open through Sunday, March 2 at 11:59 PM EST. 

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

WIP Wednesday

Whoa it's been forever since I did a WIP Weds post! I was just polishing up a blog post for later this week when I noticed Lee's post on my feed. So I guess I'll play along!

Here are my WIP's:


The Economy Block-along. This is actually already pieced into a quilt top but I'm unsure if the big border is too much for it.... we'll see.


Sabrina's Quilt (um... this kid is over a year old now...) I've got the backing and binding all prepped. I need to borrow a longarm. This quilt is supposed to be my longarm practice so I'm confident enough to do the detail work I want on MY quilt. :) 


Do you prep bindings all at once? I do if I have two quilt tops done at once! These bindings go to the two projects above.


And of course I need a new project! I just received this Jaybird Quilts pattern and ruler in the mail! The quilt finished so tiny that I can't wait to get started!!

Thanks for stopping by - I hope you'll poke around if you're new. I have lots of finished quilts and a bunch of free tutorials. Oh - and a quilt tutorial coming later this week!! 

Whew! Now if only I could find some spare time to work on these WIPS. I'm so inspired to finish them now!!

Saturday, February 22, 2014

QuiltCon: I can't wait!


It's no surprise that so many are already planning their trips to Austin next year for QuiltCon. Yes, the MQG only just announced the dates today (a mere dozen hours ago!), and yet already several of the local hotels are sold out! It doesn't surprise me one bit. QuiltCon was the most exciting and inspiring thing to happen in my creative life - since joining the Chicago MQG! 

I'm going of course. I've booked a room, gathered some roomies, and I'll make it there somehow. I'll be devising a financial plan later, but for now I'm going to revel in the memories and be excited about the new memories to be made. 

If you're even remotely thinking of going to QuiltCon - do it! Make it happen! I'll see you there!


Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Covered Seam Finishing Tutorial: The Aragon Bag

Aragon Bag!!

Last month my guild hosted Sara Lawson for a workshop on her Aragon Bag. It was a really fantastic workshop and I was lucky enough to be the guild appointed "helper" for the workshop. So I made my bag ahead of time and came to the meeting prepared to help wherever needed - fusing interfacing, assuring people that they did indeed have it put together right, etc. It was pretty fun! 
Of course I made the Aragon bag ahead of time - and it came together so nicely! I can't even begin to tell you just how smoothly - I didn't swear or anything! I'm so proud of how polished this bag is! There were some major Aha! moments throughout - points where I read the step and couldn't imagine a better way to do the step - it all fit together so nicely - all the little details!

So, on to the bag. I had finished my bag before the workshop - all but the bias binding around the inside raw edges. Ugh. That part... I don't like hand sewing. My hands don't like hand sewing... so I devised a plan to not sew that by hand - and it worked!! Here's how:

Covered seam finishing mini tutorial:
Materials needed:
Fabric
Iron

Bias tape, folded in half.

First make yourself some bias tape - it really does need to be on the bias!
Cut your strips 2 1/2" wide (cut as many yards as the pattern calls for). 

Next press the strip in half right sides together. 

Fuse the wonder under along the folded edge.

Then lay the Wonder Under tape along the folded edge (on the right side of the fabric) and press it (according to the directions) along the entire length of the bias tape.

Leaving the paper in tact sew the raw edge (paper side up) along one side of your seam. I used a ton of clover binding clips to hold it in place.

Carefully press.

Peel off the paper and carefully press the bias tape over and around the raw edge seam. Use an occasional clover binding clip to secure the binding to the edge long enough for the Wonder Under to cool. Be sure to pull the bias tape taught enough that it covers past the seam line. (tip, in a few places I found it necessary to trim the seam allowance down just a bit).

Image from the folded edge side.

Carefully sew along the folded edge. 

Image from the opposite side. It doesn't matter much if your seams are perfect - covered is all you're looking for.


Tada! Completely machine sewn covered seams! 

Completely covered in so little time! 

I really enjoyed sewing this Aragon Bag and now I'm able to say that all along I was making it for m mom! She came to visit last weekend and she had no idea that the bag was for her!! Happy early (early) mother's day Mom!! 


Friday, February 14, 2014

Imagine Gnats - Indiegogo Fundraiser.

I'm popping in real quick today to let my readers know about a fabulous pattern designer Rachael of Imagine Gnats, and her goals to print paper versions of her current PDF clothing patterns. 

Photo by Imagine Gnats

Rachael has a fab blog, and a set of great clothing patterns for children and adults. You can check out her patterns here

Photo by Imagine Gnats
Rachael wants to grow her business to include paper versions of her current PDF patterns. If you have a moment check out her Indiegogo fundraiser here, and please consider supporting a friend and fellow crafter to reach her dreams! Thanks! 

As a thank you for your support Rachael will give away one of her clothing pattern PDF's to one of my readers. To enter please check out her page and let me know your fav pattern - and of course please consider donating to her fundraiser (even a dollar helps!).

Friday, February 7, 2014

Doll Quilt Swap 14 - Received!

The other day I received the most amazing mini quilt in the mail!

Photo by Andrea

I was very intrigued last week when Andrea shared a sneak peek of her DQS quilt back - Anna Maria Horner fabric - the caption of the photo said that this was all that she could share without giving it away. The extras she showed were all fantastic drool-worthy Anna Maria Horner fabric scraps... and well I started wishing and hoping for that quilt to come to me! Without even having seen the front I secretly hoped it was Harry Potter related.


You see, at the beginning of each swap everyone fills out a questionnaire stating their likes and dislikes. Along with the typical stuff (I'm obsessed with AMH fabric, paper piecing, tiny quilt blocks etc) in my questionnaire I said I'd adore a Harry Potter themed mini. Apparently all I had to do was ask!!

Best quilt label ever!!
Andrea's quilt did indeed come to me! I couldn't be happier!! It really is just perfect!! I was so excited that this afternoon I re-arranged my mini quilt wall. I chose to hang the mini quilts from the last three rounds of the Doll Quilt Swap. I ran out of command hooks so once I restock those I'll have to see how many more mini's will fit on that little wall!

Thank you so much Andrea! You put a lot of effort into piecing this tiny little quilt - and the perfection is astounding! I hope you know your quilt will bring a smile to my face every day! :)