I'm flying! - a baby quilt

 The baby quilt is ready. Now I can really say "I'm flying!" 

The pale blue fabric I used as background in the main panel surprised me in a bad way: after I washed the quilt the color became almost white. But the only person to blame is me. 

I place this piece of fabric in the wrong place, the good-to-use-fabrics closet.

Some time ago, I tested few textile dyes. They proved to be bad quality because despite the manufacturer's instructions, the dyes faded out in the rinsing water. Among other colors, I tested also the blue color. 

Usually after I buy fabrics, on each piece I pin a short note with the main information : if it was pre-washed or not, if the color is stable or not and sometimes its dimensions.

In this case I didn't do this.

So, this quilt will stay with me. 

But I have one more reason to keep it: the drawing was made a few month ago, for my birthday by my friend Elena Dragulelei with whom I collaborate on some projects. You may see one here, one here and another one here.

Lesson learned: be organized!

Have a beautiful day!

I'm flying! ( work in progress)

I finished the top of a baby quilt. A lot of applique. Raw edge applique.
Here is its centerpiece.

Now I'm quilting it. Do you see those little fingers? Imagine you have to follow their edges with quite narrow zig-zag stitches. Funny isn't it?  
I only hope I will not ruin it.

Have a beautiful day, my dears!

Tic - Tac Little Bag

Recently I told you that I'm working on a pattern of a little bag.
Today I show you another result of my tests.

I gave it already to a young lady known by her friends for her problem of being late to meetings. As she has a good sens of humor, I knew that this bag is the perfect present for her birthday.

Back to testing and maybe some writing, now.

Have a beautiful day, my dears!

I am linking to Linky Tuesday
                      Keep It Simple, Make It Fun
 

Colorful and Rich

I had to make a table runner for a lady with an optimistic spirit. Therefore it was quite comforting working on it.
I decided to use this block with print fabrics this time.

Around these parts we expect the first signs of Spring, so my green fabric choice is understandable. But for the other fabric the logical expectations stop here because instead a flowery print I liked better how it goes together with this apples color palette. And I knew that the lady likes apples and red is one of her favorite color.

The aim of my quilting was to create a smooth surface trying to prevent a too fluffy look. It has to be a decoration item as pretty as functional.

I think it came out well.
Beside all I like the melted - effect of the quilting against the pieced units.

I hope that the lady will like it too.

Have a beautiful day!

I am linking to #CreativeGoodness Linky Party in March  at QuiltShopGal.com.

A new pillow and a little tutorial for zippered closure

I made this pillow cover as a gift for a friend.

He has two hobbies: photography and sport.

I made a few designs and after a long pondering, I decided that this one is the winner.

I tried to make the pillow closer using the fastest method I knew. But necessarily with zipper.

I liked how the things went, so I wrote this

Place a fabric strip (wider with at least 2" than the zipper) onto the pillow back, right sides together. Pin them into position.

Decide the length of the pillow opening and draw a rectangle as long and 0.5" width. Draw also a central line like in the photo above.

Stitch only along the rectangle line and cut along the entire length of the central line through both layers of fabrics. Also cut along the V-shapes. Avoid cutting into stitching of the outer rectangle.

Pull the strip fabric through the rectangular hole to the wrong side of the pillow back.

 Press the strip flat and stitch the zip.

 If you used a longer zipper, cut the excess (see the blue dotted line).

Done!

Note

To prevent fraying you might add a simple zig-zag stitch on the strip edges before use it.

All is well when ends well, right?


Have a beautiful day, my dears!

A graceful little bag for a graceful season

 Searching one word describing the season we welcome these days, the first one that came in my mind was "graceful".
Therefore I chose this fabric for the bag opening the warm season of this year.

I am working at this bag pattern and I need to make a few more little bags in order to organize its steps.
It measures about 8" x 8" and it can be done pretty fast.

This one belongs already to one of my friends.
I'm trying now to match some fabrics for the next ones.

See you soon!

Have a beautiful Spring, my dears!

I am linking to QuiltShopGal.