Me & My Arrow

I have been obsessed with feathers.  I know you couldn't tell...as it seems every other post I do is feather this or feather that!  This is the last one.  I'm moving on. Different colors, fabric and designs.  

This table runner was another one of my experiments.  I wanted to put a twist on the feathers and finally try to make arrow.  Testing...testing...   

15" x 45"

Here's the scoop:

Smaller feathers.  Yep!  I used Anna Maria Horner's pattern.  HERE.  I used up some of the left over pieces from the bigger feathers and had to make a few more strips.  There were a few modifications, but all in all it was the same process as the big feathers.  The feather blocks ended up being 7 1/2" x 10 1/2".  

I tried to make my very own version of an arrow, however it strained my brain and didn't turn out as good as I wanted it to.  Luckily there are others who have shared and mastered the arrow technique!  I ended up finding this perfectly great ARROW tutorial at Grace & Favour.

I shortened the arrow to fit a table runner and to have a better fit with my feathers.  This arrow is 3 1/2" x 13"  

It still needed a little extra.  Some filler.  Chevrons seemed like a very good idea.  I tried a different method for the HST's.  Something different, something new for me!  It sometimes is the little things that excite me!  I have a tutorial in the works!

Piecing together all the elements was pretty easy and straight forward.  The backing is an off-white and the binding is Kona Raffia.  

My favorite 1/2" geometric straight line quilting put the final touches this baby needed.

Next time you see feathers ~ I hope it ends up being in a quilt.  I will be making one.  Just not in the near future!

Final Finishes From 2014

2014 seems like so long ago...just kidding!  I realized I had a couple projects that I wanted to share. If you are sick and tired of Khaki/Raffia and Kaffe Fasset Woven Stripes, just look away!  I was on binge with this combination and to say I won't keep doing it would just be silly!  Especially since I have one more thing I am currently working on!

Back in December I started my marathon of stripes!  Stripes & More Stripes!  Initially it started out with a twin quilt.  I am happy to say it finally was finished the end of December!

57" x 88"

This one was a bit different than what I normally do.  The stripes were randomly place throughout the top ~ instead of half lined up on one side and half on the other side.  This is one of my 'go to' designs with these fabrics.  They work.  

I machine quilted 'controlled organic' horizontal straight lines.  Controlled meaning I wanted them straighter than my usual organic~wonky lines.  

And since I still had the tub of stripes strewn across my table...more pillows!  This time I made two 16" x 16" and two 18" x 18" feather pillow covers.  I loved the first one so much, I had to do it again.  Here is the first test pillow:  Feather Pillow Finish,  

This time I changed a couple things.  I decreased the center so that the feathers were closer together and I increased the sides so the feathers were centered.  I like it much better!

18" x 18"

16" x 16"

And that is it!  I will admit that I have a table runner I hope to quilt today.  It was purely for fun!  It does involve these same fabrics, feathers and an arrow!!  

LINKING:

FABRIC FRENZY FRIDAY

CAN I GET A WHOOP WHOOP

TGIFF 

Good New ~ Bad News

Good News!  I finished my Secret Santa wall hanging for our Guild swap!  Bad news...I can't find the pictures of the finished piece!  

It's been a crazy couple weeks, lot's of things going on.  The hustle and bustle of the season.  Sewing, gift making, shops to run.  If that isn't enough we have been getting the outside of our house painted and having a water heater on the fritz!

So, I suppose it's possible I didn't even take pictures of the wall hanging.  It is possible.  I am happy to say that Kate Alicea loved it!  She requested something bright.  She loves Anna Maria Horner and Kaffe Fasset.  I was happy about that!  And since I wanted to make feathers...this was the perfect time to do just that!

I decided I wanted to ROYGBIV something.  The bold, bright fabrics tipped the scales in that direction.  What I did take pictures of was just the top.  And each feather.  Imagination will be required for the remainder of this post!

The finished size ended up being 24" x 33".  I did straight line quilting that turned out amazing.  You will have to trust me on that one!  The back was a gorgeous floral.  I honestly loved it!

 RED       
                      ORANGE






                                         

YELLOW     
                   GREEN       

BLUE           
                     VIOLET                     






















I had a wonderfully fun time making this.  I got to try something I had wanted to try, use some of my favorite fabrics and Kate Alicea was happy!  Win, Win!

This is a project I will revisit again.  On a bigger scale.  And I cannot wait!

Here is the link to Anna Maria Horners tutorial for the feathers:  Feathers Bed Quilt

If you live in or around Nashville and are looking for a Modern Quilt Guild, here is the link to our guild:  Music City Modern Quilt Guild

LINKING:

LET'S BEE SOCIAL

WIP WEDNESDAY

Stripes & More Stripes!

Here it is December already!  Which brings a flurry of excitement and anticipation.  I can remember when I was a kid, waiting for birthdays, summertime and Christmas seemed to take forever to get here.  Now as an adult it seems like a blink of the eye!  

I decided I needed to work through some of my Kaffe Fasset Woven Stripes.  They have always been very popular in my Etsy shop.  Quilts, baby blankets or pot holders.  I think it has something to do with the warmth of the colors.  Rich and warm.  Plus, having 'gender neutral' items never hurts.  

First on my list is a twin quilt.  I can see this strewn across a couch, with a fire burning bright and the snow gently falling outside!

The background fabric is Kona Raffia.  I have used this neutral since the beginning of time (a few years anyway) and works well with the different stripe colors.  Right now its on hold. Hanging on my wall.  The front is finished, but I'm waiting for the backing fabric to arrive. Hurry up and get here!! 

While waiting, I moved on to baby blankets.  After making the above quilt the first time, I wanted to try the design in a baby blanket.  I wanted to create an updated modern version of a receiving blanket, something beautiful that could become an heirloom - almost a quilt but not quite!  

This is a standard design I have done over and over again.

But I like to throw together a random design occasionally!

I love flannel!  Cozy, snuggly and warm!

You would think I would be done with the stripes, right?!  Oh no...not me!  As I was making all these pieces, I wondered what the stripes would look like as feathers.  Yep! Feathers.

I used the free pattern from Anna Maria Horner ~ Feathers Bed Quilt.  If you have ever wanted to make feathers, this is a great pattern.  I wanted to make each feather different, so I meticulously pieced strips together.    

I haven't any idea what I will make these in to.  Maybe pillows?  But I love the stripe feathers!

Okay, enough with the stripes!  I bought yards and yards of these woven stripes and I'm slowly getting to the end of the bucket!  Yay!  I'm looking forward to getting some current stripes in all the beautiful colors!

LINKING:

LET'S BEE SOCIAL

WIP WEDNESDAY
FABRIC FRENZY FRIDAY
CAN I GET A WHOOP WHOOP
ANYTHING GOES MONDAY'S