quiltingbydawn: Austin

Showing posts with label Austin. Show all posts

Monday, April 11, 2016

Quilting Interrupted

I recently took a trip to Austin to visit my kids. I love Austin and the times that I get to spend with them. One of the highlights was a trip to Waco to visit Magnolia Market.

If you are not aware of what Magnolia Market is, you really need to watch Fixer Upper with Chip and JoJo Gaines.

It is just amazing how this show and remarkable couple has changed Waco! The Silos in downtown Waco are now a shop complete with a store with lots of items for decorating, a family play area, food trucks and picnic tables.

While the kids were at work, I spent time hiking with Sadie, my 'grandpup.' We had ventures to the Botanical Gardens and the Boardwalk.

My DD2 and I also crafted a bit making a wreath for our doors. Here is mine.

Many more fun memories!

Once I was back home, I got busy on the April Rainbow Scrap Challenge - Orange is the color of the month!

Here are 4 of the 6 blocks that are finished.

I also worked on making a few more Little Blue Houses for a total of 12!

These are fun to make...not sure when I'll stop.

Also, this past weekend was the International Quilt Festival in Chicago! I love this show. Although I took many pictures, I will only show you a few of my favorites.

Love the concept of the Drunkard Path block used as Butterflies!

Amazing work!

Beautiful colors and stunning hand work!

I was excited to see this quilt in person! Lovely!

Another great quilt using the Drunkard Path block!

This winner is a woven quilt. If you look closely at the detail shot, you can see the structure of this quilt. Amazing pop art!

I'm back in my quilt room, starting a new project with several more swirling in my brain...inspiration is everywhere!

Hope you have a great quilting day!

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Sewing in Austin and some Pillows

Over my spring break, I headed down to Austin, TX to visit my DD2, SIL, and DD3. I had a fantastic visit with warm, sunny days (which we still haven't seen much of here at home!) When I visit, I like to do some projects with my daughters.

PROJECT 1

My DD3 wanted to make a shower curtain. She showed me her idea and then we brainstormed on how to make it. After figuring the dimensions of a standard shower curtain, we started with a full size flat sheet in a cream color...Target! We cut the width to size and hemmed the sides.

Using the top of the sheet as the bottom (where the wide hem is) we measured 1 1/2" from the hemline.

We then measured and sewed 1 1/2" pleats...10 in all...across the width of the sheet.

My DD3 did all the sewing!

Once that was finished and we figured the math, we alternated the pleats up or down to form diamonds. Then stitched them down where you see the pins.

After this step was complete, we measured from the bottom for a standard length shower curtain allowing enough for a top hem.

We used a length of twill tape in the hem for strength and stitched close to the edge. Using a standard shower curtain as a guide for the placement of the holes for the shower curtain hooks, we made button holes in the top hem.

Here is the finished project!

(We were sewing at my DD2's place so we found a place to temporally hang the curtain)

In its new home!

This was a fun project that looks very classy.

Project 2

My DD2 wanted to make new pillow covers for her sofa and learn how to put in a zipper. So we headed to the quilt store to look for some fabric. After much deliberation, she decided on a pretty yellow fabric and a contrasting red for the back. Since we wanted to put in an invisible zipper, we headed to the local JoAnn's. After gathering all our supplies, we set off to work, cutting and sewing.

Sorry I don't have pictures of the process.

We made 2 pillow covers exactly alike.

The frontside, yellow and the backside, red. They really add a pop of color to their neutral colored sofa...just what she wanted. Another fun and easy project!

Project 3

(back home)

Over at Amy's Creative Side, back in February she hosted the Pillow Collective. In looking through the line-up of the talented group of bloggers and their tutorials, I couldn't help but love one in particular! The French Bulldog Pillow Project from Heather at The Sewing Loft.

My DD1 has a sweet little Frenchie, named Ole′. I just had to make one! I am not a very good artist and I was having a hard time, so I copied Heather's sketch and followed her tutorial to 'thread paint' the sketch onto fabric.

After finishing the thread painting, I made the pillow cover with an invisible zipper as I did for my DD2's pillows project.

I surprised my daughter on Easter! She loved it!

Here is Ole′ posing with the new pillow!

Thanks Heather for the inspiration and tutorial!

I'm linking to SewJo Saturday!

What kind of fun projects have you been doing?

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Sunday's Summary ~ Austin and more

I found time to write a post midweek but I still haven't summarized my week in Austin...so...

Over Spring break, DH and I flew to Houston and then drove to Austin to spend the week with our DD2, SIL, and DD3. On our way from Houston, we met up with our friends that live near Houston that we haven't seen in 20+ years. We kind of lost track after they moved to Louisiana from Chicagoland...after all we were busy raising kids...but thanks to facebook we 'found' each other again. They now live near Houston and we would drive right by where they lived so we made arrangements to meet up for a late lunch/coffee at a local Panera.

It was great catching up and it is amazing how it didn't feel like so many years had past. FRIENDS!

On to Austin where we had a wonderful time with our 'kids'. We did some hiking...

celebrated SIL and DH's birthdays...

with a delicious trifle made by DD2...

went mini golfing...

enjoyed a pretty sunset...

enjoyed some great ice tea...

and time together...

Miss them a lot!

And during our time in Houston, I delivered this quilt...

There is quite a story behind it...Jason, a dear friend of our kids, is a fly fisherman. About a year ago while I was visiting Austin, he talked to me about how he loved the coloring of Brook Trout and if I could make a quilt. I was excited about trying to make an artistic interpretation quilt. After buying some batiks, my DD2 told me that she didn't think Jason was serious. Disappointed, I but the fabrics away to forget about it.

A little over a month before we were again heading to Austin, DD2 tells me Jason is talking about a 'Brook Trout' quilt. Really?!

So I found a picture of the brook trout and pixelated it.

The coloring has a distinctive sprinkling of red dots surrounded by blue haloes along the flanks and the bellies are bright coral especially during spawning.

I decided to use 60° triangles in order to create the blue haloes instead of pixelated squares. I pulled out the batiks, started cutting and sewing, arranging triangles on my design wall until I felt it represented a brook trout.

I quilted it with rayon threads using a technique by AmandaJean at CrazyQuiltMom called honeycomb quilting. I thought it gave the feel and shimmer of scales.

My DD2 took professional pictures and I will post a few more details when I get them.

I pleased with the outcome but the bottom line...Jason loved it!

On our way back to Houston, we spent a day with my sister and brother in law...enjoyed their pool...and met my nephew's new girlfriend.

A busy but fun week!

Another finish but this post is long so I'll try to post midweek again.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Craziness and this weeks Dots on Dots Schedule

It has been crazy around here and although I have been visiting the blogs on the Dots on Dots Hop last week, I haven't had time to blog myself.

Last weekend, we moved our DD3 to Austin, TX to live with our DD2 and her husband. We loaded the truck after much sorting, boxing, and packing.

Then hooked up her car and early Friday morning we were on the road. Our first stop was in St. Louis where we met up with her college roommate for lunch.