Wallet for Daniel

This was a very simple pattern. I invented it on the fly to make a wallet custom to Daniel's particular wallet needs.  It is low-profile, only has two pockets for cards, and has a money clip (stolen from his old wallet.) Let me know if you want a tutorial!

I went to one of my favorite thrift stores yesterday-- a green-awninged hole-in-the-wall in Ballard called "Thrift Store," and I was rewarded.  I found a ziplock baggie chock full of 2" charm squares-- perfect inspiration* for my next undertaking: a postage stamp quilt.  I had trouble deciding on the color of the background, so I think I'm going to do some of each.

*eternal Maddie distractor

The assortment included some really strange things... fish pieces, Groucho glasses, Hard Rock Cafe...?

Of course I couldn't help but supplement the collection with some of my favorite, precious fabrics from my collection (which I've been hoarding.)  There's the car print, which I bought when I visited Purl Soho in New York: the brand is "Kokka" I think.  Then the rice print, which is by Lotta Jansdotter, also purchased in NY.

In progress...

Here are a couple finished blocks, a little over a square foot each.  It's going to be sooo cute!

I could never have accomplished these blocks so cleanly if it wasn't for this very clear postage stamp quilt tutorial on the Red Pepper Quilts blog.  Thanks, to all you tutorial-maker extraordinaires out there!  Maybe someday I'll get my sh*t together and make some myself!

Quilt Vortex

Now that the top is fully pieced (aside from some additional bordering) it is beginning to show it's true personality.  From a distance, the white octagons, with all their seam allowances tucked in, have a cool effect of looking like circles overlaying the smaller grid.

I can't wait to see what it looks like once I've done the quilting and washing and the top gets that cozy crinkly texture!  Eeeep!  (And don't worry, you'll definitely get to see what it looks like, too!)

Nina quilt: yet more progress

The quilt top is almost done.  I still have to sew the blocks together, though.

Here she is!

And here's a sneak peek at my "studio."

Now... all I have left is to:

-sew the pieces together

-add a few borders

-make a back for the quilt

-obtain batting

-top stitch the damn thing

-bind the edges

-yipes!

How in the heck do I topstitch something this large on a domestic sewing machine?  No, really... I've never done it before.   Can someone explain to me how this is possible?