Kat Quilt - Block 7

I made this next block to represent my two beautiful little girls.  Rachel is 9 and her favorite color is blue.  Jessica is 6 and her favorite color is orange.  I let them pick the fabrics for their own heart and they each chose 1 solid and 1 print.  I was prepared for something incredibly more complicated, but who am I to argue with simplicity?

The front

The back

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

A Very Sweet Care Package

My very favorite part about blogging is being able to "meet" people from all around the world who share similar hobbies and experiences as me.  One of the many, many sweet "bloggy friends" I have made is Kim from Learning to Quilt (with a Chicken on my Knee), who lives all the way across The Big Pond, in the UK.

This past week I received the most amazing care package (and beautiful note) from Kim.  She sent me 1/2 yard of *the* most adorable ladybird fabric (they call them ladybirds in the UK... isn't that so much prettier than ladybugs?) and a whole bunch of chocolate!!!  Does she know how to put a smile on this girl's face or what?!?!  I honestly can't think of a better combination!!

The two big chocolate coins are for my daughters.  They're easily 6" across.  The two bars of chocolate (with the Union Jacks on the packages) are quite possibly the best chocolate I've ever tasted.  One is milk chocolate with toffee bits and the other is dark chocolate with subtle strawberry and white chocolate swirls.  Oh.  Em. Gee!!!  It has taken every ounce of willpower I have, but I haven't opened the Green & Blacks yet.  I'm trying to save a little something for a special treat later.

SOOOO many ideas for this fabric.. I just love it!  It's from The Birds & The Bees collection by Tula Pink.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.....

Thank you, Kim, this package made my whole week!!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

PILTF

There are so many projects I'd like to finish.  In some cases, projects I'd like to start.  I guess we all have a WIP list and there are some great weekly check-ins out there already, like "Make a List Monday" over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and "W.I.P. Wednesday" over at Freshly Pieced and "Finish it up Friday" over at Crazy Mom Quilts (just to name a few).  If you haven't seen them, go check them out!

My problem is that I don't always have an update on those days and I tend to stress when I have a deadline.  I love a list but hate a deadline.  (Please tell me I'm not the only one??)  I decided to make my own list of "Projects I'd Like to Finish" that I'll update when I can. It might be once a day or once a week or a few times per month.

Some of the items below have due dates, some don't.  Some are just ideas in my head that I'd like to try out if I can get to them.  Cause ya know, the mothering and wife-ing and working outside the home-ing and the training for a half marathon thing sometimes doesn't leave much time for the sewing :-).

• Make 20 (total) blocks for my "Kat Quilt" --- in progress --- no due date --- my goal is at least 2 blocks per week
• Make a carrying case for my iPad --- no due date
• Finish the Phoenix quilt --- no real due date, but before the end of November would be ideal
• Finish the ice cream cone skinny (x2) --- in time to mail out for a Christmas gift
• Decide on a plan for more skinnies --- soon!
• Finish the overly ambitious hexagon quilt --- baby shower is in NY on January 13
• Make a quilt out of baby clothes --- no real due date, but ideally this would get mailed to NY with the overly ambitious hexagon quilt in time for the January 13 baby shower
• Accomplish something on The Forever Project
• Make at least 1 journal cover and decide if this will be the gift I make for my daughters to give their friends for Christmas
• Make at least 1 zipped pencil pouch (pattern pending) and decide if this will be the gift I make for my daughters to give their friends for Christmas

Do you have a list of projects you'd like to finish?  Whether they're started yet or not, I'd love to see it!

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Kat Quilt - Block 6

I probably don't have to say much about this one, given the name of my blog.... but there's more here on why ladybugs mean so much to me.

It seemed a little too fussy to leave black spots on this gal, so I'll just quilt a few circles onto the wings where those white chalk circles are now.

This is the back.

The red fabric is from a quilt I made my sister (and her new husband) for their wedding 2 summers ago.  She shares my love of ladybugs so using "her" fabric in this block makes it even more special to me.

Can you see the ladybug?  I made sure it was placed on her side of the bed/quilt so she'd always have a ladybug watching over her while she slept.

This last picture has nothing to do with my quilt block, but it's one of my favorite photos of all time.... my baby sister with my first baby girl.

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Kat ~

Kat Quilt - Block 5

My maiden name is "Valentine" and my favorite color is pink.  Need I say more about this one?

I did learn something else on this block, though, which may have occurred to all of you 4 blocks ago.... 

I had been adding fabric to the outsides of the patchwork, to make the bottom layer the same size as the top layer (12.5"), even though it wouldn't show through to the front.  

This is from my 2nd block.  I completed the piecing I'd need to show through the opening on the front, then added solid around the edge to make the block 12.5".

See the black stitching line?  Only the inside of that shows through to the front.  All the extra fabric around the edge is hidden and would just add bulk to the seam lines once I start sewing these blocks into rows.

I realized that probably wasn't necessary, I only needed enough fabric to fill the opening plus my 1/4" seam around the stitching.  After all, there are plenty of other 1/4" seams laying nicely on the back of every "regular" quilt block I make.  Why should this be any different?  

This certainly reduced the amount of time it took to make this block. It'll also help out on future blocks which have more than one opening on them and will need different fabrics under each.  

I'll probably go back and trim the "extra" off the back of the first 4 blocks at some point, too.  I think leaving the full layer on the back will just add bulk to the seams, which I don't need. 

I'll continue to share 2 blocks per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) until they're all done.... 15 more to go!

Here are the other blocks: Block 1 --- Block 2 --- Block 3 --- Block 4

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~ 

 Thanks for stopping by! 

~ Kat ~

Zig Zags for Phoenix

The day after my birthday, my husband gave me one of the best gifts.... 3 hours of "alone" time so I could get some sewing done!  Don't get me wrong, I love my husband and my kids very much... but what a great treat for him to take them out for a few hours so I could do nothing but sew!

I have had a terrible fear of HSTs for a long time now so when my friend Corynn (aka, Phoenix) admired a quilt I had made for my sister, I knew that making a HST quilt for her would be the perfect time to overcome my fear.  After all, Phoenix was the woman who ran 8.3 miles with me in the cold, pouring rain in the middle of the night after our teammate passed away during the race I ran in New York last month.  There's a picture of us together over here (it's the photo with the "22" sign).  If anyone deserves a "have no fear" quilt, it's Phoenix!

Phoenix (yes, I really call her that) just bought a new house (yes, in Phoenix).  She told me her bedroom has black furniture and white bedding and she hasn't decided on any "real" colors yet.  I went online and purchased some pre-cut 4" charm squares (3 packs of 40 each) and started sewing.  

Some of these fabrics read as "obviously black" and some as "obviously white."  A few were a bit ambiguous  but had to go into the "white" pile since I didn't have enough "obviously whites" in this mix.

Using this quilt as my inspiration, I started making HSTs and arranged them into a zig-zag pattern.

It's not big enough yet.  It only measures 36" x 42" right now.  There is a thin black border then a border of black with tiny white dots.  I'm planning to add another black border and have ordered two more packages of the charm squares to use as more border.  I'm making this one up as I go along... though that seems to be pretty much how all my quilts come together.  

I've decided I like the look of HSTs (so many options for arranging them!) but I'm not in any hurry to make more.  They were a bit bulky to put together, but overall my points lined up fairly well and the "off" spots are hidden by the fact that the prints are busy and are only 2 colors.  (I don't think I would be as satisfied if I was using a solid or anything with more contrast.)

This isn't a finish so I'm not linking up anywhere today, but be sure to visit some of the other great projects going on at these awesome Friday linky parties:

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for "Whoop Whoop Friday"

Karen at Sew Many Ways for "Find a Friend Friday"

Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for "Finish It Up Friday"

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~ 

 Thanks for stopping by! 

~ Kat ~

Kat Quilt - Block 4

Last Saturday was my birthday, I turned 37.  Two years ago I would have told you that I had turned 29 (again) but I have realized lately that I'm much better now than I ever was at 29.  I'm stronger, happier and so much healthier.  I've faced challenges in the past few years that I wouldn't wish on anyone, but I've been able to overcome them all and to come out on the other side with a renewed sense of purpose, perspective, faith and strength.

This year on my birthday, I woke up early and took my two daughters to a 5k walk/run called "Every Boob Counts," which raised money to support the Susan G Komen breast cancer research organization.  We were joined by some wonderful friends and celebrated after the race with a brunch at my house.  It was the most wonderful birthday I can remember.

Pre-race at 6am with my beautiful girls -- Jessica (age 6) and Rachel (age 9)

After the race with Rachel and two of my dearest friends, Petrina and Laura.

Do you notice the quilt block hanging from the knob of my china cabinet?

Every participant received a medal like this one.

I want this quilt to reflect where I am in my life right now, so I'm adding a block to remind me of this fabulous day and love I felt from so many of my favorite people.  I decided to be very literal about it and add in a "37."  

I wanted to use the polka dot fabric in the top of the next picture, since it reminded me of the race logo, but I didn't have enough left.  As I was going through my stash, I found this pink camouflage fabric that seemed perfect.  Camouflage always reminds me of strength and "toughness" and the fact that it's pink reminds me that girls can be kick-a** strong, too! 

    

All my other blocks so far have piecing underneath, but this print was such a perfect match for the "37" that I used it exactly the way it was.

Here is a photo of the quilt pattern that inspired me, called Circles at Midnight (click for link to the pattern).  These crescent shapes are all done in batik and are appliqued on.  I loved how it mimics light shining through the darkness, so I used this basic idea and put my own twist on it.

Here are the other blocks: Block 1 --- Block 2 --- Block 3 

~*~ May your day be full of Love and Ladybug Hugs ~*~ 

 Thanks for stopping by! 

~ Kat ~