WandaLandQuilts
Making Memories Through Quilts
Let’s get up to date …
Hello Everyone!
I’ve been away for a bit – recovering from rotator cuff surgery – no worries!
All is well, or will be if I survive Physical Therapy, no offense to all those wonderful PT’s out there! They work very hard at getting people back to functioning as they were before. When my PT asked me what specific tasks I wanted to be able to get back to – I had to explain what a quilting machine is. Naturally, I got out my phone and showed her some pictures.
However, this whole situation has put a damper on my sewing and quilting activities. With my arm in a sling for 6 – 12 weeks, I’m not much good at anything right now. This has put me behind about 2 months! I’m so sorry but I’m sure with the PT I’m sure to be back to quilting soon. But see – I’m getting better at typing, so I’m making progress.
Please stay tuned.
Modify the tote bag
After making this tote bag, I realized it’s a bit too tall – don’t you think so, too? I’ve decided to cut off the bottom and restitch it to make it a more practical height. It’s nice to be able to adjust a pattern before it’s sewn, but it’s also nice to make adjustments after it’s sewn. I’ll let you know what it looks like when I’m done.
More Fun Sewing Projects
In between working on quilts I like to make fun little projects. Here’s what I’ve been making the past month or so.
Quilted Tote Bag
Gathered Top Purse – love that ‘sewing’ fabric
Pincushion made from a china sugar bowl that I bought on eBay (very cheap!)
Perfect tote bag – and made from great fabric!
Gathered bowls – these are great for travel to catch all those lose things like keys, watch, earrings, change, chap stick, etc, plus they pack well and are machine washable.
Journal cover (shapes cut by my friend, Shelley)
Tissue pack covers – the second one I made a bit larger and it works better
Recycle towel – this was an old towel (my grandmothers I think), it was in the rag bag for awhile, then I read in a quilt magazine that you can use left over binding to finish the edge of frayed towels then use them as a rug or bathmat (it’s double thickness). Works great!
Quilting notebook cover – this is the little book I take with me to quilt shops, it has my favorite patterns and how much fabric is required. And it has all kinds of quilting notes in there. Comes in very handy.
Zippered totes – I made these for Shelley and Janet at the summer quilting retreat. Janet’s quote is from Rocky Horror Picture Show and she requested it be on her tote.
I hope these have inspired you to do some sewing, too!
Several quilting projects
I’ve been sewing and quilting all summer long, but haven’t had a chance to post anything. Now that sailing season has ended, I’ll catch up on some sewing projects I’ve completed.
Janet’s pink quilt
I quilted this pink quilt for my sister, Janet. It’s a gift for a neighbor girl. I like the flowery open quilting design. I’m sure that little girl will just love it!
Pair of baby quilts
These baby quilts are for some friends of ours. I love the bright colors and it has a soft minky fabric as the backing.
Art Quilts
Once again I’m trying my hand at Art Quilts. They are the size of placemats. The ladders represent challenges in life, they can take you in different directions, some are easier to climb than others. Not sure that comes across clearly, so some day I’ll try it again. I probably won’t use them as placemats but maybe on a dresser or table top.
Caroline’s Favorite T-Shirts
This quilt was so much fun to make! I just loved it! This was a high school graduation quilt for a beautiful young lady. She saved all her favorite t-shirts and ended up with a very special quilt to take to college. Just take a look at this quilt:
Finished quilt:
Here is a close up of one of the t-shirts – and you can see the multi colored binding on the quilt:
And just take a look at the special label and the family photo transfers – she’ll always have her family with her:
Good luck at college, Caroline!
Hunter’s Baseball Jersey Quilt
I had the pleasure of creating this wonderful quilt made from baseball jerseys and t-shirts. Hunter has been playing baseball all the way through high school – thankfully his parents kept all those t-shirts and jerseys! As you can see in the pictures below, I was able to use the jerseys – with the button down fronts. I sewed the shirt together then treated it as a t-shirt. This quilt is also special because a friend of mine, Shelley, embroidered three of Hunter’s motivational quotes, and I was able to include them in the quilt. Also, there are four pictures of Hunter playing ball. All in all, this is a wonderful quilt – and I know he’ll enjoy it as he plays baseball in college.
The “before picture” of the jerseys:
One of the embroidered quotes:
A pair of the photo transfers:
And, the finished quilt:
And, from the jerseys – one back and one front – I also made him a matching pillow.
Quilt Top From Long Ago
In a sewing room far far away…. It could be far away, but I just don’t know how far – into the past, that is. In the quilting world we have what are known as UFO’s – Un Finished Objects. These are quilts that have been started, stashed away in a box, and long forgotten. That’s happened to me a LOT – then and still does. I start a project, learn the new pattern or technique, then move on to the next project, or I get tired of the fabric or pattern, or I just get busy with life, and the project sits on the shelf for goodness knows how long. Such is the case with this project. At the Indiana State Quilt Guild summer retreat this year, I decided I was going to finish a UFO – didn’t matter which one (since I have so many to choose from), so I just grabbed one off the shelf and packed it with the rest of my stuff for the weekend. When I opened the box I found saw stacks of blocks that were pinned together and numbered with post it notes as to what row they were. And in order to make sure I sewed it together right, I thoughtfully included a Polaroid picture of the layout. Ok, so how long ago do you think that has been?! Some of you may not even remember the Polaroid days. (I’m really dating myself here!) It was a special camera that when you took a picture it would slide the print out the front of the camera, you would pull it out and wave it around until it developed into the picture. Very cool technology back then! Well, I didn’t really need it, because I trusted my ‘long ago self’ that I picked up and labeled the blocks and rows correctly because I just started sewing it together and hoped for the best. And guess what – it was perfect! I was just as surprised as my retreat roommates! When I was at the ironing board pressing the completed quilt top a ‘young person’ commented that it was a beautiful quilt top and wondered if these were ‘vintage’ fabrics! I didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. If you know me, I just laughed. Anyway, here is the quilt along with the Polaroid picture. 
Hope you enjoy a good laugh, too!
Graduation Quilt
Graduation quilts – seems like I’m making them all the time! But that’s ok. If I didn’t love those graduates I wouldn’t do it. This one is for the daughter (Erin) of some long time friends, Doug & Lauren. She’s going to Indiana University so naturally the quilt had to be red and white, or is that cream and crimson? Either way – one look and you know it’s an IU quilt.
Quilts I’ve Quilted
It’s been awhile since I last posted – sorry, life sometimes gets in the way. But, I’m going to post several items that have been keeping me busy.
This first quilt is just a portion of the Downton Abbey quilt that I quilted for a friend, Kathy. This was a mystery quilt based on the TV show of the same name and used the selected line of fabrics. She’s a member of the Quilt Connection Guild of Greenwood, IN. She wanted an overall pattern so I selected a heart and flower panto pattern and used a green variegated thread. It turned out beautifully! She’s going to hang this in the guild quilt show this fall.
This next quilt is one I quilted for my sister, Janet. This was made from batik fabrics and is just stunning! Starting with a jelly roll of fabric and adding a bright white really makes these colors pop! She gave this to her long time friend – what a special gift that is.
Blue and White
This is a quilt top I quilted for my sister, Janet. It’s made from a blue Jelly Roll – which is a pre cut set of 2 1/2″ wide strips. She combined it with a crisp white to make this beautiful quilt top. It’s a little bit bigger than twin size and covers a queen nicely.
I believe she received this Jelly Roll as a gift from her Secret Sister in the Indiana State Quilt Guild. What a lovely gift turned into a beautiful quilt!
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