String of Pearls

This quilt is on my July Finishing Goal and on Finish Along Q3 list. I am so glad I chose to get it quilted rather than quilt it myself on my machine with that tiny throat space. I made this quilt top as part of  QAL @ Christa's Quilts in which she used the pearl bracelet fabrics and hence the name. Well I just couldn't come up with a better name so the 'String of Pearls' stands.

The String of Pearls quilt gifted to my daughter. 

Pieced Back of the quilt. I really liked the way it turned out. Looks like it could be the top as well. Not a clear photo though.

Beautifully quilted by Carole Staples on her long-arm machine.

Finish Along Q3 goals.

1. Finish string of pearls quilt

   

   Completed
   

2. Finish oblongagon quilt
   
3. Sun Hat
   
4. Finish Calalily art quilt, need to paint, quilt and bind
   
5. Eid Banner- buy bright color felt, make template, make or buy bias binding.
6. Sew outfit for self (use old salwar kameez for pattern) - 
   
   
   
   
   
7. Table Runner -thinking chevron pattern with leftover fabrics from Simply Color Fat Qrtr bundle
   
    
8. Sew wristlet/clutch with bias binding using this technique
   
9. Table Runner -Wave Runners- easy quilts Winter 2013, pg 77-81, buy template plastic and make template.
   
10. Charity quilt for RMH 

    

    Add caption
11. Smocking dress using kona snow.
    

July Finishing Goal.

I decided to join Fiberofallsorts's A Lovely Year of Finishes just to give that push I need to finish up couple of UFOs and other projects that didn't even get started somehow. Just 4 projects on this list

 

1. String of pearls quilted, to be squared and bound.

 

2. Summer hat for Baby- not started   

                                       

3. Oblongagon to be basted, quilted and bound 

                 

                        4.  Eid Banner- buy felt, heavy weight interfacing, cut and sew. 

Linking up with A Lovely Year of Finishes for July Goals

                                     

Cute outfit for Baby

Dress with pockets and rick-rack hem.

Another finish for my Quarter 2 Finish Along List . This is #5 on the List. I thought I would really finish a couple more but hey its at-least 50% done and I am happy with it.

For this dress I used bias maker to make bias binding using the main fabric rather than buying a contrast binding. I bought the bias maker a decade ago may be. Whenever I tried it, the end product was sloppy but this time it came out perfect and I won't dread to use it again.

The two small pockets brought character to the dress and officially made it cute. 

This is the second time using rick rack and I love it.

Baby Girl dress completed

This dress (Finish Along List #6) I started couple of years ago in order to enter for the American Sewing Guild Contest. When I couldn't complete it before the due date, it ended up in the closet zipper unattached, pack of rick rack, bias binding and pattern and all in a ziploc. I took it out of the closet when I found out I was going to have a girl last April and it sat on the table until this April. Wait another 8 months to actually try it on my baby when she turns 18 months old.

Zipper attached.

Layered rickrack hemmings.

Neck and collar bound using bias single fold binding.

Kindle Sleeve

My Kindle Sleeve( #9 on Finish Along List) is sewn with these colorful fabrics by laurie Wisbrun's Perfectly Perched collection, using Amy Gibson's Ipad sleeve workshop on Craftsy.com. It took me a while to get all the dimensions for my kindle as I am not so precise on measuring and cutting. By doing this project I learned quite a bit about interfacing and stabilizers as well as to have the measurements written down rather have it in memory. Amy's pattern has two pockets but my kindle dimensions only allow for only one pocket and its just right for my cell phone. Another alteration I did was to add binding to the inside of the sleeve because it's raw edge and my lining fabric was a super raveling kind. Didn't want to take chances on that.

Quilted using one of the decorative stitches on my machine. Love the way it looks, seems just right for this project.

Binding on the inside to keep the lining from raveling.

New home for my phone and kindle.

And some hand sewing for a finishing touch. Following all the way to the very end of a pattern, which I rarely do.