Apple Mug Rug - Project Quilting September 2018 off season challenge

The theme of the September 2018 off season challenge is "Apples".  Which made me think of a quilting tutorial from Lori Kennedy "A" is for Apple that I've been wanting to try.   So, since I've been wanting a few more mug rugs around the house, I decided to check three things off my list with this one project.

Apple Mug Rug

Size:  about 6" x 8"

I create in Casa Grande, AZ

Check out all of the entries for this challenge at 

Project Quilting - Apples challenge

click the link and then scroll down the page to find the entries

Pineapple Pillow - Project Quilting July 2018 off season challenge

2018 has been so full of changes I have had pretty much ZERO time to sew.  Until this week.  I finally managed to spend some time in my sewing room!  And what better way to get back into the swing of things than to make something for Project Quilting's July off season challenge.   The theme was Pineapple Party and as always we were free to interpret this any way we wanted.

There is a traditional quilt block called the pineapple block that I had never tried before so I thought that would be the easiest way to go.  Plus my mom has been asking for a pillow for her new recliner chair and a simple quilt block would be perfect for that.

I pulled a couple of fat quarters that I thought went well together and would compliment the chair and got started.

It felt great to be sewing again and making something.  I can't say I was in love with the result though.  I think there was a little too much white in the burgundy fabric and little too much burgundy in the white fabric.  The mix almost makes me dizzy.

I pressed on anyway and quilted the top and then added a back to turn it into a pillow sham.  Originally I thought I would just sew on the back with right sides together and then turn it right side out.  But then I decided a dark binding might help to contain all that wild pattern.

Now that I've added the binding and put the pillow on the chair, I can say I actually like it.  :-)

Pineapple Pillow

For Project Quilting Pineapple Party challenge - July 2018

Size: about 16" x 16" 

I create in Casa Grande, AZ

Check out all of the entries for this challenge at 
Project Quilting - Pineapple Party challenge
click the link and then scroll down the page to find the entries

Bold & Brave - Project Quilting challenge 9.3

Ask anyone who knows me well and they can tell you, I overthink things.  Big or small, if it's a decision that is at all important to me, I will probably have to work through some analysis paralysis before I can move forward.  In fact I just recently had a conversation with a friend about this very thing.   My friend helped me realize that my unwillingness to make a decision usually stems from fear.  Fear of the unknown.  Fear of making a bad choice.  Fear of doing something wrong.  Which leads to missed opportunities and regrets.

So this little wall hanging is a reminder to let go of my fears, to be bold, to trust myself and keep moving forward!

No Fear

For Project Quilting Bold & Brave challenge - February 2018

Size: about 12" x 9" 

I create in Casa Grande, AZ

Check out all of the entries for this challenge at 
Project Quilting - Bold & Brave challenge 9.3
click the link and then scroll down the page to find the entries

Triangulation - Project Quilting challenge 9.2

For the latest Project Quilting challenge, our theme/inspiration was Triangulation. "Projects should be (as much as possible) primarily made from and characterized by triangle shapes."

So many ideas went through my head, I had a hard time choosing one to focus on.  It was my overflowing scrap bin that made the final decision.   I would do a variation on a traditional string quilt.  The "strings" were made with leftover strips and fabric bits from other projects along with several orphan blocks that I sliced up into strips.  The background fabric was leftover from fabric I used in my daughter's wedding quilt.  The border and binding were made from excess backing fabric trimmed off of other quilts after they were quilted.  And even the backing fabric was what was left from a bunch of yardage I purchased a while ago on sale.

So I'm calling this quilt

Leftovers

For Project Quilting Triangulation challenge - January 2018

Size: about 54" x 60" 

I create in Casa Grande, AZ

Check out all of the entries for this challenge at 
Project Quilting - Triangulation challenge 9.2
click the link and then scroll down the page to find the entries

Home Town Proud - Project Quilting challenge 9.1

I used to live in Fairbanks, Alaska, known as the Golden Heart City. There is a Welcome to Fairbanks sign on a hill as you are driving into Fairbanks from the Parks Highway and on that hill there is also a heart shaped flower bed planted with yellow flowers. So that was the inspiration for my little mug rug.

Our home is currently for sale and keeping the house show ready has meant staying out of my sewing room.  So I didn't think I was going to be able to participate in this season of Project Quilting.  But as I've been watching each new entry get posted, I started getting inspired.  On Sunday morning, with only about 3 hours until the deadline, I decided I was not going to miss out on the fun.  I made the background using improv piecing techniques, and stitched it to a piece of batting.  I added the backing by layering right sides together, sewing around the edges and then turning the whole thing right side out.   I cut the heart freehand with my new "shark

applicutter", stuck it on with a little bit of fabric glue and then used free motion quilting to stitch around the edges of the heart multiple times.

I managed to take a photo and get my piece linked up to the Project Quilting blog for submission about 2 minutes before the deadline.  Whew!

Golden Heart

For Project Quilting Home Town Proud challenge - January 2018

Size: about 9" x 7" 

I create in Casa Grande, AZ

Check out all of the entries for this challenge at 
Project Quilting - Hometown Proud challenge 9.1
click the link and then scroll down the page to find the entries