It all comes together!!

I took a little bit of time off from online while I wrapped up a couple of projects including the surprise quilt for my friend K.  I took a couple of pictures along the way...

It's been so much fun to open packages by all of the amazing women from the FandominStitches Project of Doom 2015 FB page, who volunteered time and talent and effort by making a block or two!!  We've been posting them as they come in and finally - all of them are here and we had to monkey around with the layout to get it looking JUST RIGHT.

And then I quilted the blocks with the batting...

and then I sewed them into rows and put them on shelves....

And then we had to decide about backing fabric.... oh decisions decisions....  I loved both of these because the pulled all the colors from the other side.

and we went with the tie-dye trimmed in turquoise (because turquoise and purple do some serious poppin'!)  well, and because if K isn't in beachwear, or resortwear - she loves bright popping colors...

and then we sewed the front to the back (by stitching along the shelves strategically)

And finally - it was all ready to take over, just in time for her surgery...
Delivery was emotional and sweet - she was absolutely floored.

And this - THIS is why I love doing things like this.  

K was truly surprised and tickled pink that she had been given this quilt.  She messaged me after we left still a bit in shock, but so so so thankful.  I love that I have such amazing quilting friends, and get to be a part of such an amazing community.

Mail's Here Monday!

This week we got more fun blocks!  I love seeing the purples that come in.  (just in case you're wondering - we're going to shelve them in gradients, allowing for a subtle ombre to happen in the background!)

Monday Mail!

Blocks are now arriving for the gift quilt I'm doing!!!  SO excited!!!

and one I made...

Making the Mermaid - K's quilt

My friend K and I are a lot alike - we're both landlocked mermaids who wish we could spend more time at the beach and near the waves.  I knew I couldn't pull this quilt together without adding at least one personal mermaid touch - and so I hunted down THIS pattern over at fandominstitches.com and put her together.  (side note:  I would love to do a set of these, one in reverse for some bookends maybe?)

I always start by laying out fabrics to play with color and contrast.  The pattern has her nekkid-ish, so I revamped it a little and added a clamshell (that was seriously a lot of work - if I do add these as bookends on something I'm doing, I'll plan to give her a washed out green textured skin and call it a day)

3 1/2 hours of work later - and I finally got her put back together.  I always have this angst about remembering to give myself the 1/4 inch seam allowance so I can sew it back together!  but it worked.

Isn't she lovely?  She measures out about 7.5 inches tall, which made putting her in to a block with some of our fun gift quilt mail pretty easy! :)