Chevron quilt

Finished! I started this project wanting to use up these fabrics, my stash has grown and it's time I whittle it down before I purchase new fabrics. I have some strips left from where I did not have enough of all four fabrics to make another round or set for more rows. This came from an Eleanor Burns Pattern Zig Zag. I just love her patterns so easy to follow and really this was fun and easy to put together. I was trying to make mine bigger more like a queen size and it did not work out.I got it about wide enough I just did not have enough for the length. I used roughly the equivalent of 2 jelly rolls for this quilt. I don't think I'll ever do that zig zag border at the top and bottom again; that was my idea and not part of Eleanor's pattern her version finishes much more simply.

Below is a closeup of that pesky border. mostly it was just very time consuming and the valley's were a bit tricky.

I quilted this on my machine at home using a chevron pattern.

Chevron yoga mat

Wow it may seem that I am finishing things quickly but some of these projects have been in the works for a while so I am not really that fast. Besides I like to take time and make things that are quality not quantity. Today I have finished my chevrons quilt (which I had intended for it to be a yoga/stretching mat) the final dimensions are 23½" x 51". I wanted this to actually be longer but since I was using scraps I went as far as they would take me. I am also thinking now that nicer weather has come our way this would be a nice sunbathing blanket perhaps the perfect fit for a lawn chair or chaise out on the patio.

Without further ado here is my quilt... these first pictures are before washing the quilt.

 I did a close up to show the detail of my machine binding I did.

 This shows the back, I used more of the scraps here.

These next photos are after I washed my quilt, it adds such a charming look to the finished product.

 here's the back again. I almost love it more than the front.

What do you do with your scraps? What kind of scrappy patterns are your favorites?
Thanks for reading♥ Olivia

Quilting Update!

I wasn't sure how to title this post I want to do a monthly or weekly update of what I'm working on to just sort of say "here's what I'm working on...". I have so many projects in the works but by know means am I able to have finished projects to blog about all the time. I work a regular 40 hour a week job and have to make time for sewing and quilting, sometimes it's just overwhelming. I have so many ideas to share and projects to do and such little time to do them that it almost gets depressing like "I'll never finish this", "or get to that". Anyway enough of my ranting.

So here's what I'm working on...

These are those chevrons I was blogging about a while back. This is how I ended up arranging them, staggered instead of rows. I'm still quilting this, about half way through now. I like that I'm in no hurry to finish this although I had planned on finishing it around the first of the year so I'm a little behind. The end result is suppose to be a yoga mat(yes that means I've been procrastinating exercise till it's done). kinda been a lazy Sunday for me I'm still hand stitching the binding on my other quilt(which is still a surprise so I'm waiting to share) I've been doing that mostly in my evening time in front of the telly. I have several other projects in various states of unfinished-ness three more that are actually pinned and ready to be quilted and two finished tops. I plan to make several more sewing bags for friends and family(as time allows or as birthdays pop up) I really could go on with my laundry list of ideas but I don't want to bore you too much, let's just say I keep a list(on paper) of all my to do's and ideas.

How do you make time for quilting? Do you have a stack of unfinished projects needing your attention?

Thanks for reading♥

Chevron Quilt Block

I've been working on several projects all at once. I have in the works a baby quilt for a friend who will be a new grandmother to a little boy, I have a good portion completed but I am waiting until after the shower to reveal it here. Also I have other ideas and I want to work on and keep track of. So I thought what better place to keep track then my blog.

First off I've been seeing so many great ideas posted out there on the web, what an inspiration for everyone in the quilting community I love the sharing of ideas and patterns. I've spotted some neat paper piecing blocks I want to try next. Solstice Stars, and others from Fresh Lemon Quilts and these cute cakes found at Porch Swing Quilts.

Currently I am playing around with half-sq triangles (HST) I had quite a few extra HST already cut from a previously finished project and originally thought I was going to make something else with them (or I would have never cut extra triangles), so to get rid of them I decided to make chevrons! I had some black on hand because I think I always have black, white and ecru on hand, and decided to pair it with the scrappy triangles.

To make one chevron block I lay out my HST as shown below.

Originally I thought to try this next layout for the blocks thinking it would be great to make in columns and have the colors staggered by placing a half chevron to the top of the next row. Thus creating "staggered chevrons".

Once you have a few basic blocks put together it's always fun to play with the layout, even on a super simple design such as this. It's amazing all the different combinations you can create. I think this is always a great place for beginners to start because you can create something really cool without it being complicated.

Next I just laid them out in classic chevron design.

Then I inverted one of the chevrons. This could also make for an interesting graphic design.

I hope this inspired you to try something simple but different.
Thanks for reading♥