rough circles quilt along...part seven

Quilt Along is finished, done, completed, all ready to snuggle!  All in time for a 30th birthday. I am pretty happy with the way it turned out...so here you go, the finished product.

Two things that you need to know, Charlotte was extremely fussy while I was trying to take some decent pictures AND after a day of beautiful 80 degree weather with perfect blue sunny skies it decided to pour down the rain as soon as I decide to take those decent pictures.

So along with some quilt, you are also going to get some runny-nosed, teething, drooling Charlotte.Here is a shot of the front, the back, wave quilting and squiggly binding.

The penny strip really ties the front to the back in my opinion.  You can also really see the very simple quilting that I did on this quilt.  Jay had the idea of just tracing some bulletin boarder from my classroom with a water dissolvable marker and then following the pattern.

All fabrics of this quilt were chosen by Jay.  I have some favorites, but one of my absolute favorites was the backing.  Jay picked out this cute little ocean print with little gray, white and yellow whales...they make me happy.

Remember the quilt back is just as important as the quilt front.  Especially when cute little baby feet are crawling all over it! 

The front all finished!

One little girl with her daddy's quilt and of course Larry the Cucumber, Larry can solve any rough times we may have.

I think she actually had a good time crawling around and I might have gotten a good one or two.

Well, I guess that is a wrap.

-melissa

birdie is thirty

Thirty years ago today Jay came into the world making people smile.  He is still doing a great job.  Here are a few pictures that I am sure will make you smile and a cute comparison....who do you think that little girl looks like?

Happy birthday jaybird.  A bunch of people love you lots!

-melissa

snow is here and quickly melting

Today I really lucked out.  It was nice that the weather decided to cooperate with us this time.  Students were already out today and teachers have a work day...all we needed was just a little snow, timed perfectly!  And it happened.  I quickly took these shots because I could hear that everything was beginning to melt and quickly!  I really love all the sounds of snow, the complete silence as it is falling and the crazy drip drops as it is melting.  I have a feeling that this is the first and last snow of the season.  I know that I have already given up on winter and was about to pull out the flip flops...I think these little lady daffodils were confused as well!

Because the snow and Charlotte were so quickly melting/melting down this morning we did not venture out into the white stuff.  This is all C got to do, gaze out the door with her measuring tape.  Don't all 11 month olds carry around a measuring tape all morning?

Enjoy your day, I have an unexpected day of opportunity to get some projects checked off my list, including a party dress for a soon to be one year old!

-melissa

quilted letters

I have had several people over the last couple of months ask how I do the quilted letters that I often put on the back of my quilts.  I have typed the process a couple times to different people into emails and Facebook messages so here is how I do my appliqué letters for anyone else that is interested in them. You need some very inexpensive supplies first:  Heat n' Bond Lite (this can be bought from JoAnn Fabrics), a chunky font that you can easily trace (I always use smiley monster) and the fabrics that you want to become letters (cottons are a must).

First print off your letters at the desired size and cut them out.  Then trace the letters upside down onto the smooth side of the Heat n' Bond.  I then cut out a square around each letter, but not the letter itself.  I then will iron (using no steam) the bumpy side of the heat n bond to the wrong side of the fabric.  Cut out your letters and you are good to go!

Your letters will fray a little, but not much and I really enjoy the slightly worn look.  I have used this technique on a number of quilts and on a turkey onesie of Charlottes this past Thanksgiving.  Charlottes baby blanket has been washed MANY times and the letters are still looking the same as they did one year ago (has it really been one year already!?)

Hope this helps. I love to appliqué and  seem to use it on almost everything I make!