Table Runners 1, 2 & 3!

This last week I finished up & got my table runner for the Table Top Swap on it's way to it's new home! I really loved trying out this new block from Amber at One Shabby Chick. It's very easy & looks so great! I used Flea market Fancy & my favorite Lakehouse seed catalog print.

 

   I made up three blocks & sashed them with a 2" grey heath like print.

I couldn't decide on the quilting for awhile but in the end went with a simple stipple that brings the look together.

It's bound it in a pretty aqua posie FMF print & I hand bound it for a perfect finish. The backing is a claire blocks print in yellow.

I am so happy with how it turned out, I wished I could keep it for myself!:)

My partner likes brights,retro & FMF so I hope this will make her squeal with delight!

And I finally remembered to add my labels! So much fun!

This is the lovely runner I received in the swap. My partner got my love of simplicity & straight line quilting down! The colors are so bright!

Maybe you all have suggestions on what do you do when you receive something in a swap that you feel is not really your style? There are times that I feel bad that I'm not super excited about something, but still I want to appreciate all the time & work that my partner put into making the item for me? 
My conclusion has been to just be happy with what I get & thank the person anyway for all their time & effort. Who knows, maybe the item's I send out are met with the same feelings?! I guess that is the risk in a swap like this. There are times where I've thought "why not just follow along but make myself a item that I love" but then what is the fun in that? There is always that chance that I'll get something really great in return!

So apparently I've been on a table runner kick these last two weeks, because look what else got finished up! I've had this quilted & ready for the binding for a while now & finally got it sewn on & hand stitched it to the back during a movie the other night! 

These are just simple coins & strips of Heather Bailey fabric along with some essex linen. I love how it's so light but bright at the same time & so perfect for summer! I have it on my dining room table now with a vase of flowers fresh from the garden! The joys of summer!

May you all have a great week sewing beautiful things!


xKaren

Linking up to Sew Modern Monday at Canoe Ridge Creations 

And Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story 




I am also adding my two finished table runners to 12 in "12 challenge over at Amy's. 

low volume

I discovered a new QAL on flickr about two weeks ago, called the Low Volume QAL & boy was I suckered in fast!! I absolutely love these types of quilts, so it didn't take me long to find the first free moment I had & start pulling out fabrics that were "low volume" in nature. Now I have stacks like this sitting on my cutting table.

           This is the first three strips!! I was so excited that they were turning out how I saw it in my 
                                                      head! It doesn't always work that way, does it! lol 

                                       Here it is with two more strips added in in a wider width.

 And this week I've added yet two more!! I am really, really loving this quilt more with every row! My goal is a queen size! Do you think I can get it there? I'd love it if any one has any other low volume fabrics they wouldn't mind swapping me. The more variety the better! I am also thinking at this point that I may add in more solid whites & tans, especially after seeing this quilt! Isn't that A.Mazing?!! Wow! I am so impressed!

                                                    Here's a close up view of the fabrics for you.

                       So now when I stop in at the fabric shop I am walking out with stacks like this!:)

                                                         And like this one! So fun!

Linking up to Quilt Story  

And with SewHappyGeek   




Edited 7.26  I'm linking this up to Crazy mom quilts. The beautiful quilt in Sunday morning Quilts was a huge inspiration to me!

traveling stash

I came across this fun little traveling stash giveaway today & thought I'd share it with you'll! She's got some goodies in there(oop flutterby!!) & wouldn't it be fun to add in from your own stash & send it on to another lucky person? Go check it out over at Suebee's World! 

Ruby quilt

I did a full post on this quilt over here, but wanted to re post pics of the quilt freshly "crinkled" so I could add it to the summer sewing contest! This quilt was fun & easy to make. An original design & quilted in loopy style quilting that was a first for me & has become a favorite!

                     I just love how bright & fresh this fabric line is when paired with the kona snow! 

              My 5yr. old quilt holder! This shot shows the lovely texture the quilting gives the quilt.

                It's so fun to quilt a bit of "love" into a project. Can you see the word love in there?

 As I said, I'm entering  this darling little quilt in the summer sewing contest over at             Ellison Lane Quilts. There are already so many fabulous entries, go check them out!

June

A little picture catch up post of what I've been up to lately! Get ready for a picture overload!:) Hubby & I took a small trip to Cape May to celebrate our 7th anniversary. It was so beautiful & so relaxing! Just what we needed.

 Summer is here & the girls have been having fun in the sun! Here we made chalk paint & they painted on the driveway. Try it! It's 1c. water & 1c. cornstarch, mix & add food coloring of choice!:) It was a lot of fun & will wash away with rain or water.

 I showed them how to make a zoo for their animals & found them doing this one afternoon. It's so great to see them playing together sweetly & using their imaginations! 

 Olivia LOVES playing UNO & will play anytime I sit down with her!

 Time to bring out the sparklers when the family is over!!

 Test block for the Table Top Swap table runner I'm making. This is block that Amber At one shabby chic just did a tutorial on & I had to try out. It's so easy & I love the look of it!

 Here they are sewn up in a runner! Next up is adding the backing, then quilting! I wish I would have made two right while I was at it, cause I love it!!

 Fabrics are DS, flea market fancy & a text print from lakehouse that is so fabulous!

 I also managed to squeeze in a little of this qayg block practice. I've been seeing bags on flickr that are so fabulous & want to try my own. so now I've got a start!

I also made up 57 of these siggy blocks for a swap over on flickr. There's another round going soon, so go check it out! It will be fun receiving 57 different blocks from around the globe & sewing them up into a fun little quilt!

Here's to squeezing in more sewing, as we swing ahead into the busy & fun summer months!!!