Sewvivor Challenge 1: Nautical

Well here it is people, the first challenge of Sewvivor.  This week your votes really count so please, please, please go and vote. I doesn't hurt if you vote for me, only if you like mine of course.
When I think of the word nautical I think of water, beach, sun and fun.  Good thing I'm an expert on all of those things but how does one translate that into something quilty?  It has to be something worthy of Sewvivor.  Here is my attempt at NAUTICAL, hope you like pictures.

I knew I was going to use my fq bundle of Swim Team.  From there I had to decide what I wanted to make because if you really think about it I could combine three of the four challenges into one item but I wanted to showcase different sides to my craftiness and do something really different for each challenge but would a quilt be too much for the first challenge.  I decided if I don't give it my all I wouldn't be happy in the end so I went for it. 

This pattern is called "Stacked Square" and it is available here.  I made one last year for a high school friend and knew I wanted one for myself but you know how that goes there's always something new to try.  I'm glad I decided to add a pop of yellow, its funny how one thing can make it just perfect.

This quilt was cut, pieced, basted, quilted, and bound in 3 days.  Why rush you ask, well we were going to Niagara Falls and I couldn't think of a better place to take pictures so I did what I had to do and boy did I sew like a mad man or woman should I say. This is the fastest a quilt has ever come together for me and this is the biggest quilt I've free motion quilted.

Here's a view of the back.  I used the nautical symbols J,L,K,E for our names and Mr. Crab was embroidered on.  Don't you love how he's got sun in his little claws.

Isn't the falls just beautiful.  Look Mr. Crab is trying to jump into the water.

Here's a close up of Mr. Crab, my hubby wanted me to make sure everybody knew it was embroidered on and that it wasn't part of the fabric.  Mr. Crab sure loves holding onto that sun. 

A little close up of the quilting never hurts.  Let me tell you the first round of this was driving me nuts. The back kept getting sucked under and I didn't like the way it was looking blah blah blah, the same thing happens every time I start fmq, I get so nervous and anxiety completely takes over and I become super hyper critical of everything. Then I'm like its too late to go back so just bump it I need to get it done who care what it looks like at this point it's already messed up.  Finally it gets finished and it's the best thing you've ever done.  LOL:) I found inspiration for this quilting on Pinterest. 

I mean how much more could you ask for you got the falls, you got the boat, and you got a bird.

So what's a girl to do when she finishes a whole week early? Make pillows with all the scraps would be the only reasonable answer.  Seven pillows to be exact! To celebrate the biggest quilt I've made for myself I decided to make a whole bed set. Please don't laugh...

I'm probably going to have to do another post just for the pillows I made.  After all this I still have a huge pile of scraps.

 How would you like to win some nautical scraps? All you need to do is go and vote and come back here and leave a comment here telling me that you did.  I'll be doing another giveaway on Instagram (@Callingallstitchers).  Again don't forget to go check out everybody else's entry and VOTE.

Thanks to Rach for hosting such a fun competition.

Sewvivor-Calling All Stitchers-Linh Schilling

 

There's nothing like a deadline to give you that extra kick  boost to finish something.  I started quilting this a little before and decided I didn't love it and the reason being was I was trying to fmq the whole quilt but the straight lines were just not turning out so well and I knew what I needed to do but didn't really want to.  Then I saw this contest on Instagram and decided that this would be my best quilt ever.  Nothing like finishing the night of the deadline and then realizing the date was extended (fist pump) and being able to take some pretty awesome pictures.

 

The pattern is Bikini by Sharon over at Color Girl Quilts and the quilting was inspired by Jenny Pedigo over at Sew Kind of Wonderful.  I fell in love with Sharon's version of this quilt at first sight.  It was a modern version of the double wedding ring for me and all the texture from the quilting is to die for. 

 

I ended up having to use my walking foot for all the straight lines and outlining of the arcs which meant a whole bunch of twisting and turning of the quilt and I got an arm workout from it.  The center and the circles in the arc are fmq.


The quilt is 64"x 64". All the solids were Kona including the binding. The backing I picked out not only matched the colors real well but mimicked it the pattern too.

I loved every step of making this quilt and this is my best quilt ever.  I'm glad that its all done and I'm glad that I decided to keep this one for us.

 

 

 

 I even made us a matching pillow.

 

 

Thanks for checking out my audition for this years Sewvivor hosted by Family Ever After

Hello my name is...

Linh and I am blogging from Columbus Ohio.  I am so glad to join this year's group of New Blogger's Blog Hop and thank you Beth from Plum and June for spending so much time organizing it.  I have been doing this, both quilting and blogging, for a little over a year and enjoy every second of it. It's the first hobby I've really kept at and actually I would say its more then a hobby now.  Quilting has helped me realize what I want to be when I grow up. 

Pattern: Bikini Quilt from ColorGirl

I am a seamstress by trade but quilting has taught me so much about sewing, from precision to the amount of math that goes into a project.  I would say that I am finally at a place that I know my style from fabric selection to pressing technique.  The modern quilting world is so big and full of inspiration  that it can sometimes be overwhelming, there's always a new fabric line coming out or a new pattern you want to make.  Often I find myself with more starts then finishes but I would say now I have found  a good balance to it and put a huge emphasis on quality over quantity. 

Pattern: Framed by Camille Roskelley

The first blog I found when starting was Amanda's from CrazyMomQuilts and I couldn't believe what I saw there.  I thought that it was the only one like it, it was my first glimpse into the modern quilting world and I couldn't get enough of it.  Luckily I found more and more and more and then I decided I would be one of them, a modern quilt blogger. 

 

Enough about me and more about my blog, I guess my blog is me.  My blog is a place I go to share my projects, swaps, giveaways and fabric.  I try to be up to date on sew a longs and I participate and lots of swaps, from handmade goods to fabric. I do a lot of link up as well to share my work with as many people possible.

Click to view detailed fmq.  I came up with this simple pattern for this year's Pantone Color of the Year contest. 

My blogging has kept me connected not only to the quilting world but the tech world as well.  After my blog I've joined the Flickr, Pinterest, and Instagram network.  Instagram is my latest fascination, its like blogging with just pictures and its fast and easy. It's probably made me a lazier blogger and I tend to get into trouble with #thegreatfabricdestash.  It makes me feel so young to know what # are used for.  You can find me as Callingallstitchers on those social networks.

Chair covers made using pattern from Patchwork & Quilting Love magazine issue 7 by Susan Standen

Thanks for stopping by my blog and I hope you stay and look a while. Don't forget to check out the other blogs on the New Blogger's Blog Hop.

Cornelia @ Pieced With Love XOXOHeather @ QA Creations
Jenn @ Sew Crafty Jenn
Cheryl @ Texas Quilting GalKate @ Thread Everywhere
Helga @ Green Mill VintageLin @ Lin's Quilts
Carole @ From My Carolina HomeJan @ The Colorful Fabriholic
Wendy @ Wendy's Quilts and MorePam @ Sewing Wilde
Shauna @ Shauna's World

 

 

Linking up to Let's Bee Social

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!

This year's giveaway for the SMS Giveaway Week has been very successful and I am very grateful all my new people both following my blog and on Instagram.  So again thank you to everyone who stopped by and hopefully you'll find inspiration or just have fun reading my blog in the future.  The winners is.....

 

 

JoyceLM

 

I have sent you an email.  Sorry for it being a little late.

 

Next up is my WIP for the week.  I'm still making chair covers but I had to sneak in a Teacher's gift.  I decided on making the Sew Together Bag by Sew Demented.  I love it.  There are so many variations of it on the web and it's turning out larger than I expected to be, usually its smaller than my expectation so this was a nice change.  It is a very easy pattern to put together.  I see lots of these in the next couple of weeks. 

 

Here's some progress pictures.

 

 

 

Don't mind the trash in the background.  Hope you have a great Wednesday.  Linking up for WIP Wednesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finish It Up Friday.

Super jealous of all the people who are at Quilt Market right now.  One day I will make there you just wait and see.  For now I have the day off and a little show and tell of my newest finish. 

First off here's a little detail behind my project.  Our kitchen table chairs have white padding and with two little ones they are hard to keep them clean so I knew I had to cover them.  After looking for seat covers for a while I decided I would have to make them.  This is what I came up with.

 

This is without barely any knowledge at all as to how to do this. I knew that this wasn't going to be a permanent solution but for right now it would have to due.  I made 2 and kind of just gave up.  The other two chairs have been covered with random t-shirts and blankets throughout the years.  When I came across a pillow pattern in Volume 7 of the Love Patchwork and Quilting magazine I knew that that was it.  The perfect design for my chair covers. 

 

 

It was the perfect size.  That's how you know it was meant to be.  I did some light straight line quilting.

 

 

I put premade piping around the edges. Something about piping makes it look so finished and polished off.  Now let's see if I can manage 3 more.  Thanks for stopping by.  Don't forget to enter my giveaway for SMS Giveaway Week.  I will draw a winner tonight. 

 

 

Linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts.

 

 

 

There's always time for a WIP or two...

... or three or four.  This week has been a busy week for the quilt blogging world.  It's Sew Mama Sew Giveaway week and between entering giveaways and replying to comments on my own giveaway I haven't had a chance to read anything else. 

However I was laying in bed last night thinking of all the things I have to get done before next Friday as far as teacher's gifts and a birthday present.  So what do I do?  I get up and start sewing.  Check out my design wall.

 

Top Left is the letter "A" from Moda's Spell it with Fabric.  It's going to turn into a pillow case for my niece as a birthday present.

 

Next to it is two of the four blocks needed for one chair cover.  I'm planning to make four chair covers and a kitchen valence.  The pattern for this is in Issue 7 of Love Patchwork and Quilting.

 

Below that are some pieces for matching pillows for my bikini quilt. 

 

Finally the last thing on there has been there for a while.  I just like looking at it.  It is a block from the APQ "Tone it Down" Quilt Along.

 

Still no teacher gift yet!

 

Have a great Wednesday.  Linking up for WIP Wednesday.

 



SMS Giveaway Day (Spring 2014)

Hi everyone new to my blog and Happy Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day.  First of all thanks for stopping by and I hope you stay a while to check out some of my earlier posts.  My name is Linh and I live in Columbus, Ohio.  I started sewing 5 years ago but as a seamstress.  I only started quilting a little over a year ago and haven't looked back since. I love modern bright fabric.  Heather Ross, Sarah Jane, and Aneela Hoey are some of my favorite designers.    Okay here's some pretty pictures and onto the giveaway. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now onto the giveaway.  Today I have this beautiful jelly roll of bastik. 

 

 

 

 

Winning is easy.  There are three different options, each of which will get you one entry into the giveaway:

 

1. leave a comment below telling me who your favorite fabric or pattern designer is. 

2. leave a second comment if you are (or become) a follower of the blog 

2. leave a third comment if you are (or become) a follower on Instagram (@callingallstitchers).

 

This giveaway is open to everyone (U.S. and international). It will close on Friday, May 18th at midnight EST. and a winner will be selected randomly and announced shortly after.  Make sure to leave you email address if you are a No-Reply Blogger.  Good Luck

 

 

 

 

Finish Friday or is it Friday Finish?

I was trying to look for the instagram hashtag for this but I still don't remember which way it goes.  This is my first finish in a long time and it was definitely needed to boost my sewjo. 

 

This pattern is called Polka Dot Bikini from my friend Sharon over at Fabrics and Flowers.  I am the first to admit I do not get along with curves but the way these are done it's not so bad.  My only advice is to follow instructions carefully.  I got a little too comfortable making my center blocks and forgot a few steps and that's why they don't line up as well.  Other then that it was a great pattern and I see at least one more in my future.


Now I need your help.  I plan to send this out to be quilted.  I've never done that before and don't know what I need to do exactly to prepare for it.  Do I need to baste it first? How exactly do you get it to the quilter, I mean does it need to pressed real good, and how much batting do you send with it?  So many questions!!!

Before I do that I need to find the backing fabric for it.  I like my front and back to match.  Do you have any suggestion?

Originally I was thinking of Amy Butler's Hapi Celestial Dusk but its got more greens then I would like for there to be.

Next up I was thinking of Kate Spain's Daydream either Rose Full Circle or Ink Memory.  I haven't seen this one is person so I'm not sure if it's too purple or not.  If you have this or have seen it will you please let me know.


That's it for right now one down who knows how many to go!!!  Happy Mother's Day Weekend!!!


Linking up at TGIFF! and Finish Up Friday (Go check out Amanda's scrap projects this week, I love, love, love the crocheted scrap  rugs.