Pesto Mushrooms

I have a new finish and I am so excited to show it to you!

Meet Pesto Mushrooms :-)

Pesto Mushrooms

When I was asked to make a Birthday Quilt for a 6-year old boy who loves the color Green and is fascinated with Mushrooms, I said Yes, please :-D

The Pesto (Green Fabrics) was the easy part.  I wasn't sure how to incorporate mushrooms.

Pieced or Appliqued? Small or Large? A mix of large portabellas and tiny enokis?

I turned to EQ8 and found a template for mushroom applique.  BINGO!!!! In EQ8, the dots are applique as well. I think I can do with using dotted fabric instead of adding each dot. Insert eye roll here.

EQ8 Mock-up

I had fun raiding my box of green scraps and I found plenty of 2.5" strips in various lengths. 

Variety of Greens!!!

Chocolate Dots Added

Making the base blocks was a simple process. Making the mushrooms was a fun albeit a multi-step process.

I transferred the three shapes - the mushroom cap, the gills, and the stem on to a thin cardboard from a box of cereal. I cut out the three shapes and traced them on to the Steam-A-Seam 2 sheets. Repeat 24 times :-) It took six sheets.

I then rough cut all 75 shapes out of the Steam-A-Seam 2. 

Then I chose fun fabrics. Bright dots for the caps, light yellow/beige for the gills and brown for the stems. The next step required peeling the 75 paper slivers and sticking the sticky side (of Steam-A-Seam 2) to the wrong side of the fabrics.

Now I had to carefully cut the exact shapes, ensuring the slight curve of the mushroom caps and the gentle line of the gills. This took a while. Oh but it was so worth it.

The first Mushroom

The second one!

One 5" square

Two Mushroom Caps (very carefully cut)

Was I ready to add the mushrooms to my blocks? Not yet. 

I arranged the base blocks on my design wall in the desired layout, making sure that no two white squares were touching.

I did not add the mushrooms to the individual blocks until after the layout was finalized. I wanted to make sure that all mushrooms were upright, whereas the blocks could be oriented in any way.

Once I was happy with the layout, I started adding the mushrooms, one column at a time.

Adding Shrooms

I added one mushroom at a time, peeling away the paper, ironing and stitching in place and returning it to the design wall, before picking the next block.
 

Stitched in place

Step 1 - Make the Base Blocks. Set aside.

Step 2 - Make the Mushroom Parts (Cap, Gills and Stem). Set aside.

Step 3 - Finalize the Layout, separating the white squares.

Step 4 - Working with one block at a time, place and iron the Mushrooms. Gills first, followed by the stem and lastly the cap on top of both (I messed up the first one). Stitch in place.

Oops NO!!!

Step 5 - Stitch the mushroom blocks into a flimsy, making sure that the layout stays intact.

It is fun and looks simple but there are many steps and the order of the steps is important! Here is the completed quilt!

Such a happy quilt, 50" by 50"

Honestly, I think the whole quilt is a tad too busy, with so many greens, chocolate dots and all the bright mushroom caps. I could have used fewer greens, or a solid brown instead of dots. But for a six-year old, who needs a lot of stimulation, it will do just fine.

Pesto Mushrooms finished at 50" square. The backing is pieced from a directional mushroom fabric. I added narrow brown strips (when joining two pieces) to avoid the weird look of an ill-matched pieced print. All mushrooms are upright - even in the backing!

Pieced Backing

A yellow striped binding completes the look. 

Yellow Striped Binding

Let me show a few close-ups. These mushrooms are so stinking cute.

Labelled

Bright and Dotty

Thank you, Kaffe

Who says mushrooms grow in damp, dark places. Look at these beauties thrive in the bright sun :-)

My Happiness Mushrooms

Red and Pink

And one last look!

Such Fun Guys!

Once the quilt reaches its intended recipient, I will add another picture. I am hoping for big smiles. If Pesto Mushrooms made you smile, please let me know. 

Sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

Snapshot Bags, By Annie

The October Challenge requires the Island Batik Ambassadors to make a bag using Patterns by Annie. We get to choose the bag and the fabrics :-) Pretty sweet. Isn't it?

I chose to make the Snapshot Bag in both sizes - Small and Large. Here are my supplies.

Pattern, Fabrics, Zippers, Hardware and more

The fabrics are from the Daisy May Collection.

Interfacing and Stabilizer

Annie's Bag patterns are really the very best with detailed instructions and videos to help you through the trickier steps, like Annie was holding your hand :-)

 

Outer Pocket Done!

I started by cutting out fabrics, interfacing and lining for both bags. But somewhere down the line, it got too much.  There was one step in the making of the welt pocket, where I was stumped.  The image showed the pocket smaller than the bag, but my pocket extended beyond the bag.

Inside Pocket

The images in the pattern sheet showed only the small bag with big bag dimensions included in brackets. So I set the large bag aside and completed the small bag.

Straps and Rings (sounds naughty)

Then it was time for a vacation :-) A long overdue vacation :-D To Hawaii!!!!!

Of course I took the small bag with me.

On the Dinner Cruise (Front View)

Matching Colors in the Sky :-)

The Storyteller in Waikiki (Back View)

The idea was to take some on location pictures, but the Small Snapshot turned out to be the perfect bag for evenings and short excursions. 

Wearing Cross Body

Once we returned, I completed the big bag. I was needlessly worried about the welt pocket. Once it was folded it fit neatly within. Time for pictures showing both bags.

What do you think, Bob?

I had to show Bob the inside pocket - how roomy it could be once unfolded and opened to its full size. 

Roomy Interiors

Thank you, Bob!

Bright & Sunny Bags

Small (folded) + Large (Opened) = Happy me!

Snapshot is a simpler bag since it requires no quilting or binding. But it still had several layers and a new Schmetz Microtex 90/14 Needle is an absolute must to sew through multiple thick layers.

I have a backpack, an ultimate very spacious travel bag, storage units in three sizes, and evening bags/purses. I think I am all set. Wonder what I will make next? What else could I possibly need? I welcome your ideas :-)

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

Good Tidings & Austin

I have two new quilts to share.

Austin was published in Make Modern #60.

Good Tidings was published in Annie's Christmas Pattern Book.

Good Tidings

Both quilts were made using Island Batik Fabrics collection Peppermint Sprinkles. 

Peppermint Sprinkles is a beautiful collection - perfect for Holiday sewing. I love that it has elements of the season such as reindeer and snowflakes but it isn't so Christmassy that the quilt/decor becomes outdated by January 1.  It has year round appeal.

That was my thought process as I designed Good Tidings in EQ8.  A fellow quilter/blogger once said that "Artwork means that art is the result of work". Those who cannot see the process, may think that art/design just comes to us magically :-) 

That is why I often document my progress, showing the steps and the rejects that led to the final design. For Good Tidings, I wanted to capture the cold snowy season (blues) which carries with it the promise of warmth (red). 

First Attempt

My design was well-received but came with a request. 

"Is there something other than red you could use – silvery blue? We’d like to see this with more of a winter feel."

Changing colors/fabrics in EQ8 is easy. 

Revision #1 - All Blue

It was certainly wintry. It lacked the warmth. So I tried two more options.

Revision #2 - A touch of red

Revision #3 - Warm-hearted

Oh yes. This was it. Not only the design was approved, it perfectly conveyed the holiday theme. Come home to the warmth of the season. 

I am so happy!

White Borders, Aqua Binding

Swirling & Whirling

I remember felling dizzy after that photoshoot. Time to lie down for a nap.

Oh yes!

Why yes, I sparkle!

Crushing on you!

And one last picture...

Thank you, Paul

The Peppermint Sprinkles collection is also an ideal choice for Quilts of Valor, which brings me to Austin.

Austin

I wanted a modern take on the Quilt of Valor theme. Using turquoise instead of traditional blue was one way of achieving that objective. A longitudinal design, instead of the usual square blocks, helped get me there. Long borders (only on the sides) and vertical quilting lines emphasize the design. 

Walking Foot Quilting

Quilting with Variegated Thread

Labelled

Love you!

Many thanks to Island Batik, who provided the fabrics for both quilts. Hobbs provided the batting. Paul, the model/photographer, was well-compensated for his efforts. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Favorite Finish (September 2024). See full list on the sidebar. As always, I welcome your thoughts.