Just Spooling Around

I miss you guys. It been soo long since I posted a finish. Anna started school and we have found our rhythm and routine.

I finished another mini quilt this week. Yippee! I am featuring one I finished last month and another that was finished this week. They have some red and aqua goodness and both will be added to the sewing room wall. It was a test to see if I could finish one in an acceptable amount of time for those swaps on flickr.

The first is for Em's Scrappy Happy Summer Challenge.

Here goes the explanation of the process...

I finished the top in a week, then I stared at it for a while. How do I quilt this? Ok, let's baste this thing... Then vacationing on the East Coast on a beach or two provided a distraction for a few weeks... Then I quilted in the ditch and added a quarter inch seam. I put it on the pile of unfinished business, as I decided to find  the perfect quilting design.... It didn't happen so I came up with one that was original and me. On the plus side, the quilt pattern is great as a filler and random enough to make placement mistakes disappear.

I took forever to bind the thing. It was my favorite activity, wouldn't you agree? Hah hah. I finally washed the thing and the backing and binding fabric ran. I washed it two more times on the handwash cycle, once with a Shout color catcher and the last to wash out any chemicals. Whew! I am done right?! Take a picture. Um.... Zoe dropped the camera on the floor, electronics are baby magnets, and I was without a camera for a month. I finally took a picture this week.Yes. I know it is autumn! :)

If something took that much effort, the result is so much sweeter. Isn't it?


The second is a hedgehog quilt. I used to have African Pygmy Hedgehogs as pets.

They are fierce and sweet! Spiky on their tops and soft furry little bellies underneath.

I saw Ana's photostream on Flickr and fell in love with her little guy. I could favorite her entire set of embroidery. I think she could make a book out of her zakka cuteness, but she is available to make these items on her etsy for you. I wanted to put him on my linen inspiration board, but then I thought of a more permanent use for him in a wall hanging for my room. She graciously allowed me to use him. Don't you love her bag?

image from a n a ♥

I added a spool of thread and a border of red and aqua. I used the same happy flowers on this back ground too. An ideas on how to quilt over my embroidery here? It is still loose.

My son says he wants this quilt. It will be in my craft room, but he has dibs on it when he is older. So sweet.

Let me know what you think. I would love to hear from you. Make sure to visit Amy's Sew and Tell this week and be inspired.