Baby Taggie Quilt Update
August 9, 2013 by 1 Comment
Long Beach International Quilt Festival
August 7, 2013 by 4 Comments
We spent Saturday in Long Beach at the International Quilt Festival! It was my first time ever going and it was so much fun!!!
There were so many fun quilts to ohhhh and awwwww over! The highlight of the day was finding the “Beyond the Reef” quilting booth where we met designer Natalie Barnes. Immediately we fell in love with her tropical inspired fabrics and patterns. (her blog HERE)
This is my daughter and Natalie. My daughter is totally into Hawaii & fish (notice the homemade Huma huma shirt?)
My daughter choose this pattern called huki lau – all different tropical fish appliquéd in hawaiian print fabrics! Can’t wait to get her started on it!!
We didn’t want to leave the Beyond the Reef booth! It felt like we had been on a mini vacation!!
We had a little too much fun! Now I can’t wait to get sewing!!!
This quilt was so much fun to look at! So much detail! I think it is of houses and buildings in Switzerland!
My daughter is determined to make her own version of this quilt:
This was one of my favorites of the day! I love 30’s prints! This quilt was beautifully put together!
9-Patch Big Block Quilt Tutorial
July 27, 2013 by 7 Comments
This has been such a fun week of quilt tutorials!
I made this quilt with lots and lots of love. It’s for a friend who is battling cancer. Sometimes only a hand-made quilt can express how you truly feel about a person.
I love this pattern because it showcases larger print fabrics which I am always drawn to!
This quilt is made up of 9-patch blocks and plain blocks.
Quilt blocks measure 12″ finished
Make (10) 9-patch blocks
Cut (10) 12.5″ squares of theme print
Select your fabrics and lay them out how you want them in the 9-patch. Cut them in strips of 4.5″x WOF
Sew them together in 3-strip sets: row 1, row 2, and row 3
Press seams so they alternate for easy intersection pinning. Cut in increments of 4.5″
Do this with each of the strip sets until you have stacks that look like this:
Pin at seams
Here you can see how I did my pressing:
Lay out your 9-patch blocks with your 12 1/2″ squares alternating. Sew them in rows and join rows together. This quilt is 4 squares across and 5 squares down.
I put flannel on the back and free-motion quilted it – it’s so cuddly!!
Quilted Composition Book Cover
July 15, 2013 by 2 Comments
Today I am sharing my tutorial for these quilted composition book covers over at Riley Blake Designs Cutting Corners! These book covers are so much fun to make. They are perfect for gifts. I use one for my journal, one for my sewing journal, one to carry with me to take notes or jot down ideas in. My children each have one as well. Don’t you love this fabric line? It’s called Ashbury Heights. You’re going to want to make one 🙂
Monster Truck Baby Quilt
July 1, 2013 by 3 Comments
I came up with the idea for this quilt when I was invited to a baby shower for a friend who loves going to Monster Jam. I wanted a cute, modern take on the monster truck and this what I came up with. To begin, select fat quarters of various prints. I choose gray, white, black and green. You can choose any prints or patterns you like. I only had 8 different fabrics, but I would have liked 12.
Next, cut your fabric into 12.5″ strips, then sub-cut into the following measurements:
Do this with each of your fabrics. Now mix up the pieces and sew the following 12″ (finished) block: (quarter inch seams)
You want the top and bottom pieces to be the same fabric, and the center to be different. Press the seams toward the 6.5″ piece.
I love personalizing quilts, especially if they are gifts. To add a name to the quilt block, print the name using your favorite word processing program. I tried several different fonts until I got the one I liked. If you can, reverse the image when you print. Take your Heat N Bond® Lite and trace the reversed name in pencil. Iron the piece of Heat N Bond® with the name to the WRONG side of your fabric. Then, cut the name out. Peel the backing off and arrange the letters how you want on your quilt block. Finally press to attach it.
I outlined the letters using a straight stitch. I went around each letter twice to give it the “sketch” feel….which I love.
After you make 11 of these blocks, lay them out. For the truck applique block, cut a white square 12.5″x 12.5″
Next, follow the same technique using Heat N Bond® Lite to applique the monster truck to the quilt block. Click HERE for the truck pattern.
To finish the quilt, sew the blocks together to form rows and sew the rows together. Quilt as desired
Note: These are big blocks which help make this a fast, easy quilt to put together in a day. If you would like the same look, but with smaller blocks here are the measurements:
For a 10″ finished block: cut pieces 10.5″ x 5.5″, 10.5″ x 2.25″, 10.5″ x 3.75″
For an 8″ finished block: cut pieces 4.5″ x 8.5″, 1.5″ x 8.5″, 3.5″ x 8.5″
Essentially the bottom strip is 1/2 the block size, the top strip is 1/3 the block size and the center strip is 1/6 the block size.
Here is a little peek of the baby shower – we centered the colors and theme around the quilt. We even hung the quilt in the entry way so it was the first thing people saw as the entered.
I love that we were able to get a stack of tires!!
Monster truck cupcakes – complete with “dirt” on the top.
Blogger’s Quilt Festival – Wallhanging Entry
May 17, 2013 by 3 Comments
If you are joining me from the Blogger’s Quilt Festival – Welcome to the Jedi Craft Girl Blog! I am Amanda and I love sewing and quilting and crafting and creating!!
This is my quilt entry in the “Wall Hanging Category” This cute little bird quilt measures 32″ x 37″ and I do hang it on my wall. I originally created it for Valentine’s Day. I loved it so much and the colors work in my house that I still have it up!!
Most of the fabrics are Moda. I machine appliqued the birds, hearts, and tree and I quilted it on my machine.
I love that the applique is not perfectly centered and it has a scrappy feel!
Thanks for stopping by!!Bloggers Quilt Festival – Baby Quilt Entry
May 17, 2013 by 15 Comments
It’s finally time for the Spring Blogger’s Quilt Festival! I have been waiting and waiting. I always love to see everyone’s beautiful quilts.
If you are new to my blog – Welcome! My name is Amanda and I have been quilting for 14 years and sewing all my life. I also enjoy crafting, thrifting, and any DIY project!
I am entering my Ava Baby Quilt in the Baby Quilt Category. This quilt was sewn for a friend’s baby shower. Her nursery colors are pink & red and the baby’s name will be Ava (due in June). I love making quilts for my friends who are expecting. My motto: Every baby deserves a quilt!!
The Quilt stats:
Measurements 36″ x 43″
Fabrics: a variety of quilting cottons
Machine quilted by me
Hand binding
Thanks for stopping by!
Quilted Pillow
May 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
The Covert Robin
April 10, 2013 by 2 Comments
I am participating in “The Covert Robin, a mystery gift exchange.” It is such a cute idea. You sign up and then you are assigned a secret exchange person. You make a handmade item and then send it off to her. In return a totally different person makes something and sends it to your front door! So much fun! I found out about this cute idea because I follow Clover & Violet. A darling quilting & sewing blog! I was assigned Melle from Feathered Fuffles.
Melle and I have lots in common – she loves sewing and she loves cats!! Here is what I made her. Since she has received it, I can write about it.
Meet my favorite tote bag. (I, myself, don’t own one because I seem to make them and give them away!!) The draw-string quilted tote.
It has darling draw strings which cinch this bag and make it look all ruffly at the top.
It opens up to be a large tote – big enough for a day at the beach, a day at the park, or a day at your favorite place. I can just imagine stuffing towels, sweatshirts, and snacks in the bag and cinching it up!
This bag begins as a quilt. I pieced it kind of randomly so it would feel bright and colorful.
I love that it is quilted because it stands up by itself without being stiff and it feels soft and cuddly….and bonus – super easy to wash!!
The bag measures 20″ wide by 15″ tall and 7″ deep.
Melle, I hope you love your bag!! It was sewn with love 🙂
Bird Quilt Giveaway
March 6, 2013 by 29 Comments
As a thank you for reading my blog, I am giving away this quilt made by me. The quilt measures 33″x38″. All you have to do is follow my blog or “Like” me on Facebook. Leave me a comment letting me know you are a follower and leave a comment telling me you “Liked” me on Facebook (2 entries max). On Saturday, March 9th, I will announce the lucky winner and the quilt will be in the mail on Monday!!
