Q3 - Ikea ZOO finished

Time to tick something from my list! Yipee! Not only this Ikea ZOO quilt is on my Q3 list but I made it my July's goal as well. Nothing gets me motivated like a deadline.

It wasn't smooth ride though. I wanted to do some loose FMQ square on it but I only managed very small scale and I was not happy with it. So I needed something else. I draw quick sketch in paint to discuss with my quilting friend. She liked it and encouraged me to do it with white thread just like the drawing. I call it frames. There is less on the quilt but you get the idea.

I used masking tape to mark the frames. It has just the right width.

I added some bright green for the binding. As I wrote in previous post I leave the polar fleece on and trim off once the binding is on. That means you have to sew the binding on front. As I used machine binding for this one, it left line all around the quilt which I'm pretty fine with.

My regular quilt holder was not available so I asked my girl to take the pics. We took the quilt to near field of sunflowers. You can see they are almost gone. We had to go where the field begins. There were still some pretty ones. I must admit I'm not the best quilt holder as my girl was not giving me any instructions. It was rather me yelling "hurry up, do one more the wind is not blowing" :-)

I'm glad it is done. It is just small size 59x52". I do not have that feeling that this is the best quilt I have ever made but it will no longer bother me. The backing is pretty snuggly though. I don't even have a song name for this one. Or maybe: Animals by Martin Garrix. I assume you don't check the lyrics, LOL.

Linking up with TGIFF and Crazy mom quilts

  

Making progress

Are you taking part in Orange Peel QAL? If yes, it is time to link up your progress at midway linky party.
I settled on peels placement and picked my pearl cotton for hand quilting. I'm not making a quilt. This is cushion to become.

While waiting in line for my ID renew I made great progress on crochet project you all probably forgot I'm making. I have a thing or two for house theme. This one is from local crafty magazine.

What I really needed to work on was my July's goal. I felt like I'm running out of time and I was also running out of thread. I got new one and I actually finished the whole thing. Yay! Well I tell you all about it once I take some pictures during daylight.

While sewing with polar fleece I recommend sewing the binding on and trim afterwards. It doesn't stretch and does not create any puckers or messy corners.

Linking up with      

Warming up

I'm warming up for some quilting so I played around with small projects. I wanted to finish package for Michele. I hope she'll like it. So first I finished up mug rug.

Honestly I'm not sure about the binding choice. The back is fairly simple and I cut the fabric a bit wonky. Oh well, let's call that negligent style.

Then I wanted to try out new to me tutorial. It is called sleeping bag pouch. I picked up scrap of batting which is kind of too thick so I'm not so happy with the result.

I liked the idea with endless zipper and I used the other half for different shape. Just flat round corner pouch.

I played with some selvages which creates pretty colorful piece. As I like to hang pouches I added handle. I'm thinking about some other option. I'm probably not done with twisting this pattern.

Linking up with TGIFF and Crazy mom quilts. Plus Sewjo Saturday.

  

the Purge

I haven't really showed you my ironing board in all its glory. It can hold 100 squares (5cm). I don't have such space on my sewing table so my friend with staple gun helped me out. It is portable and quite handy. As I experimented with squares lately I want to cut some more (scraps) and turn them into quilt. 

But first I need to sort my drawers. There are bigger pieces, smaller ones. Some not so pretty and some I already forgot about. There are also some that has to go. All this fits right with the Purge. Yes, what a great idea to purge together!

It is going slow but better small progress than none. There are some great ideas how use those unloved fabrics. Check out the links others have submitted. 

What else is going on? Jumping. Lots of jumping :-)

Winner = Michele T

The winner of my small giveaway is Michele T. Congrats! I hope Michele is a patient pal since the mug rug I offered is not finished yet, oops. Sorry!

Summer heat and family affairs slowed me down. I hope to be in full swing within few days. Bla bla. I'm sure we all have those days :-) Stay well!

Q3 - Demons done

I finished few more lines on it and put it on pin board. You cannot take the board apart so I just tucked the edges underneath the frame. Meet the Demons!

Here is before shot. Not bad but I didn't like it next to Pantone mini. There used to be red section=hot, deadlines, orange=hurry up, pink=ideas. This sorting system only lasted a little while. 

My current view. I'll be working on mug rug for the giveaway and announce the winner on Monday.

My first pin includes Q3 FAL list. One down, 11 to go :-) Don't you like to cross things off your list? I do.
BTW you can now find me on Instagram too - negligentstyle. Enjoy your weekend!

Linking up with TGIFF , Crazy mom quilts and Show off Saturday plus Sewjo Saturday

WiP - focused

I'm trying to stay focused on my Q3 list even though I'm jumping from one project to another. I thought I have a plan for those orange peels but I'm kind of unsure at the moment.

I started quilting Demons mini but I had to unpick since it was fugly. My spiral was way too loose and I really did not like black thread on mostly white squares.

The weather is really warm and sunny so I painted my board frame yesterday. I haven't told you yet but this will become my new board. The first thing I'll pin on it will be my Q3 list, lol.

Once I unpicked my fugly spiral I couldn't think of other design to try so I went with straight lines. Some squares are crossed just once and some both ways. There seems to be some pattern appearing but I work without real plan or marking. I only leave those color squares untouched. 

I don't know about you but basting is least popular during the process making. Somehow I managed to baste Ikea ZOO and it's next on my quilting list. 

My girl finished her embroidery and I promised to turn it into zippered pouch. Bunny can be found here. 

If you would like to win smiling skull, check out my small giveaway.

Plus today is the last day of New Quilt Blogger Blog hop. Check out those quilting and blogging tips and meet those from all over the world. I have spotted some handsome husband there too ;-)

Serena @ Sew Giving

Deborah @ Sunshine Through The Rain

Jane @ Where Jane Creates

Jennifer @ A Quarter Inch From The Edge

Carla @ Granny Maud's Girl

Jenny @ Jack's Room

Sharon @ Color Girl Quilts

Carmit @ Quilting Rainbows

Jehn @ Jehnny And The Boys

Elli @ Lovelli Quilts

Sharon @ Motherdragon's Musings

Cynthia @ Cynthia's Creating Ark

Sally @ Wonky Patchwork

Bee @ Pink Almond Quilt

Debbie @ Quilting Makes My Heart Sing

Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

Karen @  Capitola Quilter

Marcie @ Marcie's Quilt Therapy

Jane @ Jersey Jane Quilts

Linking up with

 

Le Challenge - Small + giveaway

It is the time of month when I like to join Le Challenge. This month theme is SMALL. I wanted to do some small squares. I hear you yawn! :-) By happy coincidence I received some small packages. Oh yes, those funky skulls (from ebay) were inside.

My project for the challenge is my new rainbow skulls bracelet. My girls needed some too.

It sounds silly to say they are cute. They are definitely not scary and we had fun making them.

Giveaway:

As I recently received some happy mail, I want to send out some too. Small bit of my style. Mug rug - in progress. Two ballerinas and hot pink zipper pull. I might put something else in, you never know.

You have up to three chances to win:

1. Leave a comment. Any will do.

2. Let me know you are follower.

3. For those that linked up to Le Challenge as well. If you haven't you have until 8pm GMT on the 16th. 

Giveaway is open to everyone and it'll run until July 20th. Good luck!

See, the skull is smiling at you!