Cake and Quilt
May 23, 2008
I just finished a piece of birthday cake for breakfast. I think it's going to be a good day.
Thanks for all the sweet birthday wishes! I had a great day - a little sewing time, reading to the kindergarten class (they sang happy birthday to me!) and dinner and cake with the family. The 38th year of my life is off to a great start - I ate my cake sitting at the table and not under it!
I finished binding the hourglass quilt yesterday, too. I'm super happy with the finished quilt.
It's about 37" x 42". I wish I had added another two rows to make it bigger - oh well. I used a charm pack from the American Jane Wee Play line by Moda and added in some other charm squares from the Look and Learn collection. None of the fabrics repeat - some are the same print in different colors, but no two squares are exactly the same. I cut these squares in half on the diagonal to get my triangles. Then I cut 5" squares from white and did the same. I chain-pieced them - that was a huge time saver.
You can get a peek of the backing fabric here - it's the blue one with the bars. My favorite part, though, it the quilting. I used my walking foot and machine quilted a line 1/2" from each diagonal line on the quilt. I love how it made little tiny pinwheels where the four fabrics meet.
That's all I've got today. I'm looking forward to the weekend. It's pretty much summer - only three more days of school! Hope you enjoy yours.
it turned out fantastic. really.
can't believe you guys are just a few days from school being finished!!! enjoy the weekend. :)
Posted by: kristin | May 23, 2008 at 09:13 AM
erin, it's wonderful! what a gift to yourself on your birthday.
Posted by: emily | May 23, 2008 at 09:19 AM
That is gorgeous! Don't you just love charm packs? (jelly rolls next)
Posted by: farmgirlinnewmex | May 23, 2008 at 09:22 AM
PS You can never go wrong with cake for breakfast!
Posted by: farmgirlinnewmex | May 23, 2008 at 09:23 AM
it's so wonderful!! i love it! how you got such perfect points is beyond me though! I've been piecing quilts for over 10 years and I still haven't mastered that technique. Not that I try either!
Posted by: LauraJ | May 23, 2008 at 09:38 AM
That turned out so great! I have my wee play charm pack sitting here and I think that I have found it's calling! Did you see her new line Recess yet? It is on the coming soon page at Fat Quarter Shop, they will even have layer cakes!
Posted by: Kim | May 23, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Your quilt is stunning, Erin!
Posted by: beki | May 23, 2008 at 09:40 AM
oh, it looks so awesome - congrats on finishing another quilt!
Posted by: kirsten | May 23, 2008 at 09:49 AM
Ooh, very beautiful. Everything looks so precise! As always, I love your fabric choice, too.
Enjoy the last three days of school :)
Posted by: tonya | May 23, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Happy Birthday! The quilt looks wonderful. I love all of the Hourglass Quilts I am seeing online this month. Is there a conspiracy out there that I don't know about? :) I really like the idea of using charm packs for the hourglasses -- a huge time saver! This is already on my quilt to-do list!
Posted by: rainylakechick | May 23, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Happy Birthday Erin! May all your birthday wishes come true in the next year.
I love your quilt. Need to try something like it. Maybe after all other projects get completed. :)
Posted by: Ursa | May 23, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Oh, it's so very beautiful. Glad you had a happy birthday :)
Posted by: Katie | May 23, 2008 at 10:38 AM
I totally laughed out loud about it being a good because you had cake for breakfast. I couldn't agree with you more (especially with my 37th looming large!!!).
And I can not say enough how I really love this quilt. I just really love your style.
By the way, hope the wrist and knee are doing well these days!
Amy
Posted by: amyehodge | May 23, 2008 at 10:41 AM
love love love the new quilt! YOu are making me want to get back to the machine so bad!
Posted by: Rachel | May 23, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Wow! It turned out great, and I'm sure there will be plenty of snuggling time with your two girls too. I have great memories of my grandmother quilting and then being able to sleep with one after she'd washed it and hung it outside to dry on the clothes line. Hopefully, I'll be brave enough to try one some day soon...
Posted by: Alisha | May 23, 2008 at 11:03 AM
The quilt is wonderful! Happy belated birthday.
Posted by: Kirsten | May 23, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Love the quilt! And it's funny you should mention the tiny pinwheels...that's actually what my eye was first drawn to when I looked at your photos (before I read that it was your favorite part...it was mine too!)
Posted by: Angela | May 23, 2008 at 11:16 AM
LOVE it. You have such a great eye for color.
And now I love the hourglass quilt. I'm inspired.
Happy birthday!!!
~Stacy
Posted by: Stacy | May 23, 2008 at 11:43 AM
I love it, Erin! It's just perfect. I'm getting ready to start a new quilt, and this may be my inspiration.
Posted by: Sarah Jackson | May 23, 2008 at 11:47 AM
It's so nice I want to do one like yours, with wee play fabric and everything. I hope you don't mind if I copy your idea. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: mariarrosa | May 23, 2008 at 11:56 AM
I love the quilt. Your quilting is wonderful. Enjoy summer! I wish it was summer here, but it's 50 degrees and raining. :-(
Posted by: Anina | May 23, 2008 at 11:57 AM
How have I not found your blog until now? Love your quilt. Glad you had your cake for breakfast...as my nana always said..dessert first!
Posted by: Jacquie | May 23, 2008 at 12:19 PM
I just had to jump in and say great quilt and fabric choices - I'm finishing up my son's big boy bed quilt (twin) and have chosed the same backing and binding as you. I'm glad to see it's going to look great!
Posted by: Jen | May 23, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Cake for breakfast is a good thing. At 37, 38, or whatever. ;) I hope there is more for lunch. xoxo
Posted by: miss chris | May 23, 2008 at 12:30 PM
oh, that quilt is fabulous. simply fabulous.
Posted by: amandajean | May 23, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Love it!
Posted by: Courtney | May 23, 2008 at 12:41 PM
I love that pez fabric, and the rulers, really just the whole line. The quilt looks great, I can't believe how fast you finished it!
Posted by: Mama Urchin | May 23, 2008 at 01:05 PM
Happy Birthday!
And what a lovely quilt, you are a constant inspiration.
Posted by: Jess | May 23, 2008 at 01:27 PM
it'sw gorgeous! I love that there are no 2 squares the same too.
Posted by: Sandy | May 23, 2008 at 02:11 PM
I am sitting here laughing at my astounding math skills. If you just turned 37 then you are indeed in your 38th year and not about the enjoy the 37th year that I wished for you in my comment yesterday (blush). The nice thing is that in my personal world of twisted mathematics, we're all a year younger but still get to enjoy being a year wiser (hee hee). But it sounds like by anyone's counting you had a fine day.
What a beautiful quilt Erin. Your creations always look so perfectly calculated while still being so colourful, whimsical and fun because of your amazing selections of fabric. Having a great stash probably helps, but your vision for projects and eye for choosing the perfect combinations is amazing! Can't wait to see what comes up next.
Posted by: Elizabeth | May 23, 2008 at 02:23 PM
I'm loving this quilt! Beautiful job & happy birthday!
Posted by: Carrie | May 23, 2008 at 02:46 PM
Days that start out with cake are always good days. :)
Your quilt is beautiful and I love, love how you did your trim.
Posted by: Gina | May 23, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Erin that is one of the most beautiful quilts I have ever seen.
Posted by: Erin S | May 23, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Beautiful quilt Erin! You did a excellent job selecting your fabrics! You are an inspiration.
Posted by: Kristyn | May 23, 2008 at 04:19 PM
I have just found your blog via Uncommongrace, it is really inspirational, I think I shall be visiting again. I love your quilt. Happy Belated birthday as I only found you just after your birthday
Posted by: thimbleina | May 23, 2008 at 05:46 PM
You and the quilts! I want to copy every single one you make! And you're so fast, too!
Posted by: Grace | May 23, 2008 at 06:33 PM
It's a beautiful quilt!
Posted by: tiennie | May 23, 2008 at 07:36 PM
Gorgeous quilt. Great fabrics and the perfect design. Love it.
Posted by: Tanya | May 23, 2008 at 07:57 PM
oh, i love it! beautiful.
Posted by: katie | May 23, 2008 at 08:11 PM
gorgeous!
Posted by: amy | May 23, 2008 at 08:52 PM
As great as that shot is, it's even more fantastic in person. Really great work Erin, and lucky lucky little boy.
Posted by: caroline | May 23, 2008 at 10:09 PM
That quilt is gorgeous! And now I remember what my birthday yesterday was missing - cake and singing! How on earth does one forget about the birthday cake and the Happy Birthday To You? Better yet, how does an entire family of four forget? LOL! I'm glad to hear that you and your family had no such brain hiccups ;-)
Posted by: Lisa Clarke | May 23, 2008 at 10:13 PM
very well done erin!
Posted by: heidi | May 23, 2008 at 11:47 PM
happy birthday, erin! birthday cake for breakfast is about the best thing, i think.
and the quilt, it's fantastic. i'm so inspired by you, erin.
Posted by: cloth.paper.string | May 24, 2008 at 12:20 AM
The quilt is fantastic and cake for breakfast even better!
Posted by: Amy | May 24, 2008 at 04:27 AM
It turned out so well, Erin! Really, really pretty. And you finished it so quickly, too!
Posted by: Fiona | May 24, 2008 at 07:03 AM
Cake for breakfast sounds good! Your quilt is beautiful! I love the bold colors and the white. Sounds like the perfect birthday. Jessica
Posted by: jessica | May 24, 2008 at 09:18 AM
Fabulous quilt! I love how bright and cheery it is! Happy (belated) Birthday!
Posted by: Rachel | May 24, 2008 at 09:36 AM
Happy Birthday Erin. I love the quilt too. I am off to look at my charm packs and see how I can tweak your idea! Thanks for the inspiration.
Posted by: Mary Ann/ca | May 24, 2008 at 10:29 AM
you don't brag enough about your works... that is such a beautiful quilt! enjoy your weekend and your post birthday!
Posted by: heather z | May 24, 2008 at 07:47 PM