Callie Grace Quilts

Banner Quilt

I am so excited to share this quilt! I made this quilt for a friend's baby that was born a couple weeks ago. I will preface this by saying that I will not make a quilt for someone unless I know that they will appreciate it and most of all use it! So without ado .... The Banner Quilt!

I used a pattern out of International Quilt Festival: Quilt Scene 2011 by Kristen Lejnieks.

The pattern was originally sized for a lap quilt, but I thought it would make a whimsical baby quilt! I took off one of the rows and a column to make it more baby size. It is still a generous baby sized quilt, but I hope she will continue to use it as she gets older!

One of the things that I am also totally excited about with this quilt, is that this is the first official quilt to be quilted on my longarm! Woohoo! (That's a whole other post) I tried to make it look like the wind was blowing through the banners, but took some of my quilting cues from the quilt in the magazine.

I love the back of this quilt! When my friend told me what she was going to be having, she said "you can make something pink!" I think this back is pink enough :) The fabric was from Connecting Threads and I really like it! I made the label as part of the back the way that Julie of jaybirdquilts.com does. I used SpoonFlower to print the label, pieced it using the same templates as the front and just kept adding fabric. I think it ended up being about 17" x 21"!

This pattern was wonderful. It did use templates, but it wasn't that bad. I wish it would have been on a pull-out sheet vs trying to use a copier and enlarging the template. I like how you use the templates to make perfect point! The was not and will not have any cut off points! It is a great pattern and I did not want to give up this quilt! I even told my friend and her husband that if she didn't like it I was taking it back, even if the baby's name was quilted in! Oh, I didn't mention the baby's name was quilted in.... Can you find it?

I think the baby is enjoying it, if you ask me!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wild Thing - Finished!

I am so excited to share two of my newly completed quilts! My last post showed my Wild Thing quilt top, well now it's all finished!





I had Angela (quiltingismytherapy.com) quilt it and it is simply amazing to look at! Angela if you read this, I love the quilting job you did! I hope you don't get too busy with you new book and all! The pattern I used was Wild Thing from Camille of Thimble Blossoms (http://www.camilleroskelley.typepad.com/)

Unfortunately I will not be able to use it too much for right now, it's just too warm here! It's suppose to be 100+ this week! It kinda funny felling picking up a quilt when it is 106 degrees ou!

Below are some close ups of the quilt and wonderful quilting!


















Earlier this spring I rented a longarm and finally completed one of my first quilts I pieced. Below is a picture of me showing the quilt to my Modern Quilt Guild. I used the pattern Yellow Brick Road.





Photo courtesy of the Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild's blog (http://kcmodernquiltguild.blogspot.com/)

I have a couple more projects I am working on that I can't wait to finish and show off!

Until next time...happy quilting!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Wild Thing You Make My Heart Sing

I just finished up this quilt top on Wednesday and dropped it off on Thursday with the fabulous quilter, Angela from quiltingismytherapy.com! The pattern is from Thimble Blossms called "Wild Thing" hence the name of the post and that I kept singing that line over and over again when I was finishing it up.
I can't wait to get it back from Angela and getting to curl up with it on the couch at night!
Next up is the "Red Velvet" also from Thimble Blossoms.

TCC and Minneapolis - Part 1

I just got back (well a few days ago) Minneapolis. It was such a great time! My Mom and I went to the Creative Connection only for one day (would have loved to take more classes, but only have so much time!)and then hit up Ikea and the Mall of America.

At the Creative Connection we took Camille Roskelley's "Retro Kitchen" class. I loved it. I liked the fabric, the pattern, the table topper, and Camille (If your reading, it was great to meet you and be in your class!). I enjoyed sewing with all the enthusiasm in the room. Everybody seemed to enjoy it. This weekend my Mom and I are getting together to finish up our table topper. In the class I even won some of Camille's newest pattern's! I also was able to get my hands on Camille's new book. Looks great! I keep day dreaming of another project from the book. I can't wait to finish up my "Wild Thing" quilt. I have it started and after going to the TCC event I am even more enthusiastic to keep quilting!

While at the TCC event I also got the chance to meet THE Pioneer Woman. I love reading her blog. I even asked for her cookbook from my Grandma for Christmas and just recently made the pineapple upside down cake for my housewarming party!

Anyway I am going to leave you with some pictures of the event. Part 2 will include my new Ikea purchases and hopefully a finished table topper!

  

Where Have I Been Lately

I have been MIA it seems. I have been busy with everything other than working on my house. I still need to finish painting (oh am I ever tired of that). I've been out of town. Getting my wisdom teeth pulled (turned out not to be too bad). Went to a baseball game with some friends. All in all it has been busy but great!

Blowing Out the Candles

So yesterday was my birthday!

 

This year has brought so many ups and downs, but I want to focus on the ups!

This year I:

• Graduated from college!
• Got my first full-time job! (Very happy and blessed)
• Bought my first house!

 

Saturday I bought an iPhone. This thing is great! Who knew you could do so much with a phone!

 

For my birthday, I took the day off to go shopping and we went out-of-town and stopped by a furniture store one of the largest furniture stores in the area. After looking around at furniture for a while, my Mom suggested I go look in the Clarence section. I would start to walk that way, but then I would get distracted and she would remind again. I am telling you this story because I am so glad that she did. I found the coolest bedroom set for an amazing price. When I get my bedroom all set up I will show pictures. The set matches my bedroom design perfectly! Can't wait to show it off!!

Also while out-and-about, we stopped by the Le Creuset store where they were having a moving sale. Unboxed merchandise was 50% off! I could not pass up this kind of deal. I ended up getting a 5.5Qt Red Round Dutch Oven for under $100. I cannot wait to use this for my first meal that I will entertain in my new house.

Anyway I had a great birthday! Now I am going to get back to working on the house. 

Task for Today: Paint the Living Room

Don't let this photo fool you, the color is more of a blue-green.

Callie Grace: Making a House a Home

Welcome to my new blog. I decided to start a new blog to document my journey through new homeownership and to making my new condo a home. I will write about my design and decorating process. I also plan to incorporate my other hobbies, such as sewing and quilting, and just plain life. 

I just purchased a new condo and signed the papers not too long ago. My first project for the house was to paint. I wanted to start with the living room, but due to some convincing, I started with my bedroom. (I had never painted a room before) I had purchased a black and white bed-in-a-bag package at TJ Maxx. I also got some awesome lamps that I call my Disney lamps, because they remind me of Cinderella (I don't know why, that's just what I think of when I see them).  Anyway when I purchased the bedding I had no idea what I wanted as the color for the walls. I finally decided that I wanted a light blue-grey color in the room with white trim. As you can see in the header above the color on the right is what I chose for the walls and the color on the left is the old color.

Hopefully in the coming days I will be able to show the finished color on the walls.