The Queen's Floor Quilt Pattern

The Queen's Floor pattern is now available on Craftsy!

The pattern is written in two sizes: 36" square (shown above) and 56" x 68" throw, though could easily be adapted to a larger size. It is a quick and easy quilt, and great for a beginner. The throw version can be made from 2 layer cakes. I include instructions for using layer cakes or yardage, or you can do what I did, and use scraps!

The inspiration for this quilt came from Doctor Who Season 5 Episode, The Beast Below

My hubby humored me and sketched up a little sample in Google Sketch up, and I made a trial. 

And then I spent some time on Google and discovered that the design is actually the Ozark Maple Leaf (which I would have known if I had continued with my Farmer's Wife blocks, lol). 

I really like how changing the fabrics around a bit brings out the arrow design. I'm waiting to hear about some fabric, but I hope to have a throw size sample done soon. =) If you get one done before me I'd love pictures! 

And this means that my Lovely Year of Finishes goal for the month is met =) 

April Goals

I almost forgot I should even have any, I've been enjoying all my selfish quilting. =)
My hubby is going to be gone pretty much all month for training, which means a lot of late night quilting time for me. The only problem is that there are TOO many projects I want to spend my time on, I'm not sure where to put my focus. Hmm....

1. {For A Lovely Year of Finishes} Get The Queen's Floor pattern written and out there for sale - if possible, get the 2nd test quilt done. {If you'd like to test the pattern when it's ready, I'll send it to the first 3 people who leave their email address. It's quick and easy, there is a 36" baby size option, or a larger throw size.}

2. Finish basting scallops for Farmer's Wife. I should probably extend the goal beyond just basting, but really they are driving me crazy, and I won't be spending much time in April sitting on the couch hand stitching, so I'm not even going to pretend we'll go beyond that. =)

3. Quilt and bind my Low Volume quilt top. {For some reason this picture decided to be really really small}

4. Start something awesome and new.

Linking up at A Lovely Year of Finishes and Tracey Jay's Just Three

Sparkle Punch

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Finished Size: 57" x  69"

Fabrics: A huge variety from my stash. Background Bella Solids Zen Grey

Backing: Purple stars on pink background flannel (Timeless Treasures?)

Batting: 80/20 loveliness

Quilting: Eagle Mountain Quilting, Cotton Candy pattern, light grey thread.

Sparkle Punch Tutorial can be found at Oh, Fransson!

For pictures of prepping my squares visit this blog post.

Elizabeth Hartman suggests breaking the quilt up into units. I did mine 4x6 instead of her 5x6 segments, because it was easier to chain piece and not worry about that 5th block. But the segments made piecing the top really manageable.

I am in love with the texture of the quilting and the way the 80/20 batting shrunk up giving the quilt that amazing soft crinkle.

It looks great in my daughter's purple room, though the length was a bit short for a twin size bed, thankfully it works well with her bedframe. It would be a good cuddly throw.

I had plans of making the label my daughter's hand, but quickly realized that I'd run into some issues with the edges, so instead I opted to just hand stitch it into the backing where I placed the little hand embroidered label. I believe Camille Roskelley did this on one of her quilts. I did a raw-edge applique hand on Katy's Hopscotch quilt, I just didn't want the applique to be raw on this quilt, though it would have solved the problem I ran into with the fingers. I'm happy we'll always have her little 3 year old handprint.

Bryn is very excited to have her quilt. After I put it on her bed I called her in to see it and she declared "It looks bouncy." She then proceeded to climb on and break it in with a good bouncing. =)

Giant Churn Dash

I finished up Giant Churn Dash on Tuesday.  It finished at 96"wide and 94"tall. It was quilted by Eagle Mountain Quilting (she does computerized free-motion quilting for a great price, and a 1 week turn around). You can find the Giant Churn Dash tutorial at Elvy Crafts, it's a fast, easy quilt with those 24" Churn Dash blocks. 

The quilt is a lovely oversized queen (my queen size quilt is completely hidden in the above photo). We used Civil War reproduction fabrics for the prints, and a marbled fabric for the background.

The texture of the feather quilting is gorgeous. We used 80/20 batting, which gives the quilt such a soft feel and a beautiful drape. I think I'm making the official switch from my typical Warm & White to Hobbs Heirloom 80/20.

The quilt has been delivered to it's new home on my parents bed. In the next couple of weeks I'll be making a mini 20" square version throw pillow. It'll be fun to see a mini version after making one so huge. 

March Goals

My most necessary finish for March is Sparkle Punch. I have 20 days to have it 100% done, still plenty of time considering I made Seeing Squares aka the Largest Quilt She's Ever Made in 33 days. But I've been stressing because of other projects that need to be done this month as well. So to alleviate some of that stress I took it to Eagle Mountain Quilting, where I know amazing things will happen! 

The decision to take it to the quilter meant I needed to crank out the top and FAST. I had all the star points finished, and was starting to work on the layout last Wednesday, but none of the top had to be pieced, and I needed it done by Friday morning before we headed down to Salt Lake City for the weekend. And of course I didn't decided I needed to get the whole thing done until Thursday morning.... =) Let's just say my husband REALLY loves me and supports me, and knows that B needs a quilt that actually fits her bed. Also I have REALLY good children who are content playing around me (and maybe watch too much TV sometimes). 

I'll save all the details of piecing and what not for the post about the quilt, but it was fun. And I have no idea how anyone can pull an all nighter. I made it to 12:30pm and my eyes were starting to glaze over and I feared some really wobbly seams so I gave up. I only had about an hour more of work, but it went quickly when I was fresh and rested in the morning.

Anyway onto other stuff. 

March Goals:

1. Finish Sparkle Punch (which may involve a little colorful handquilting, I can't decide.) by March 25th. {Goal for the Lovely Year of Finishes}

2. Finish quilt for TraceyJay - at least the top, the whole thing if possible, ASAP.

3. Get Farmer's Wife squares laid out and sewn together, borders as well if possible. 

February Recap:

1. Finish quilt and bind Scrappytripalong. {Lovely Year of Finishes Project} DONE!

#scrappytripalong more photos here.

2. Get B's Sparkle Punch 100% Pieced DONE!

As described above, this was accomplished as of March 1st, so yay!

3. Get Mom & Dad's Churn Dash cut. DONE!

Even better, I am on the last leg of binding, and just need to stitch on a label. A post full of pics to come in the next few days, but for now, a little taste of the amazing quilting done by Eagle Mountain Quilting (computerized quilting pattern called Merrily Feathers). The texture is AMAZING!

Linking up:

#scrappytripalong

I am so in love with this quilt!!! It was extremely tedious to make, with the sewing and the seam ripping and the sewing. And that is a ton of seams to match up. But I love it!

I made 36 squares and it finishes at 72" square. 

Sorry for my lack of blogging lately, I've been working away on scrappytripalong and a new quilt for my parents, that I am so excited about, but I'll save it for another post. 

Just 3 for Feb in my Lovely Year of Finishes

January Recap:
1. Make Liberty of London Bloomsbury Quilt. FINISHED

More photos and info can be found here.

2. Finish hand quilting Rainbow connection.
    Very little progress was made here, I just didn't have it in me this month. =(

3. Finish cutting B's Sparkle Punch - FINISHED
Plus a whole lot of scrappytripalongstrips at the same time!

I also had 2 other January finishes.

February Goals:

1. Finish quilt and bind Scrappytripalong. {Lovely Year of Finishes Project}

I currently have the whole bottom half assembled, and just need to join the blocks for the top half. 

I'm off to buy backing and batting (going to give Hobbs 80/20 a try. I used it a few times years ago but then got hooked on Warm & Natural/White).

2. Get B's Sparkle Punch quilt top 100% pieced. I started working on it last night.

3. Get Mom & Dad's Churn Dash cut. 

I have nothing to show for this one yet, we'll be buying fabrics next weekend. 

January Stats
2013 Finishes: 3
Unfinished:25

Linking Up:

TraceyJay Quilts and 

Just 3 For January (Lovely Year of Finishes)

To keep on track this year, I'll be participating in the Lovely Year of Finishes  as well as continuing along with TraceyJay's Just 3 monthly posts, I'll combine them, otherwise it's redundant.

For January:

1. Make my Liberty of London Bloomsbury Gardens Quilt. {Lovely Finish Project}

Pretty little charms

2. Finish hand quilting Rainbow Connection
    - the rings are done, I'm still undecided about what to do in the white space.

3. Finish cutting B's Sparkle Punch Quilt (and hopefully more, it needs to be done by March and I've been ignoring it!)

Sadly, that's all I've got.

{Also} I will make one Farmer's Wife block a week AND one Star block for Becky's Starry Samhain Night Quilt.