Since that seemed to go so well...

I'm entering another quilt!!! Please take the time if you can to join the Blogger's Quilt Festival and share what you've made. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be grandiose, it has to be something you enjoy. Really that is all a quilt show should be (even an online show) is sharing what you've done with people. Yes there are prizes to be had, but if you win, it's just icing on the cake, don't you agree?

So for more information on the Blogger's Quilt Festival put on by the amazing Amy Ellis, you can find all of the information needed to enter or to vote (voting begins this weekend!) by clicking here. 

For my second quilt, I am digging out one of my most nostalgic quilts that I've made to enter into the Hand Quilted Category.

 This is an older pattern of mine called From Grammy With Love. I made this quilt very traditionally with 1930's reproduction fabrics and I used solid white as both the border and backing.

 I quilted simple lines withing each of the pieces and then I quilted butterflies into the border. It's simple but sweet. As soon as the binding was done, I washed and dried this quilt and now it really has that crinkly vintage vibe to it.

 Here's how the quilt looks overall, it's been a fun small quilt to make.

I actually have had several people ask where I got this antique quilt from. They cannot believe that I actually made it myself with how it turned out! I think that is one of the biggest compliments for a quilt like this. It makes me think that all of those hours of quilting were worth it. This was my first hand quilted quilt and it was a doosy. I used Warm & White batting (not knowing any better) and it killed my fingers (and a few thimbles) to finish this quilt. It wasn't the batting I should have used, but now I know.

I'm glad they kept the hand quilting category in this years Blogger's Quilt Festival and I love the other entries thus far. Remember you too can enter your own quilt into one of the many categories through tomorrow, Oct. 31st! Voting begins Nov. 1st and I'd love to see your quilts entered! For more information about how to enter or how to vote, visit Amy's blog post here. Otherwise, if you'd just like some inspiration, head on over and take a gander at all of the quilts entered! There's so much to see, there's something for everyone!

Have a great weekend and a Happy Halloween!!!

Breathing...

Do you ever feel so excited about something you've been looking forward to for a long time that the closer it comes it feels to good to be true and then you stress over the small stuff and drive yourself insane in the process? I say this because my hubbin and I are this close to our first official vacation in the six and a half years we've been married and I'm so excited about it I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. The only thing is the grown up in me is slowly taking over thinking about all of the things that I want/need to get done before we go as well as stressing over all sorts of small things. I think what I'm saying is I really need to learn to relax and a week in utter paradise should do the trick.

Well, I hope you all could make it to the Lake Farmpark Quilts 2010 show. Here's a couple pictures of From Grammy With Love hanging at the show. My hubbin, momma and nana went with me to the opening. Mom had a quilt in the show as well and it was a fun night seeing all of the quilts and our friends.

Last weekend Mom and I took a class from Marti Michell herself! It was a blast. We learned her Sunburst technique using her pretty darn awesome templates that you can actually rotary cut around. Not only that but there's no 'dog ears' so the pieces line up perfectly every time. She's incredible. I don't know exactly how she figured it all out, but I'm definitely thinking about trying some of her other templates.

What else is going on in the world of Ruby Blue? Oh, that's right breathing. Why I say that, I am a little stressed over vacation ( I find it very ironic since vacation is supposed to be relaxing, haha ) so what better to do than finish up a quilt project to some extent. Why not relax and enjoy my time and slowly ease into my vacation. I couldn't stand to leave before finishing this quilt top and you know what, I'm enjoying it so much.

Here's the other thing. A few months ago I sprained my foot and my ankle both while exercising with my Wii. I know, another Wii injury. Well, since I have torn muscles in my foot and have to keep it elevated much longer than usually thought. It's not the most comfortable to try and elevate it and sew so I have been working on other hand projects for now. I got my sewing machine fixed, feel much better and finally got back into sewing. I just finished all of the blocks and laid them out on the floor and should be putting the top together tomorrow! I love it and am now thinking of how to quilt it and the top's not even done yet! Crazy, but that's how it goes some days!

The next pattern named Skip To My Lou should be getting printed shortly and then who knows what's next in store. I can tell you this much - I have way too many quilt tops done that need quilted so I know how I'm going to be spending a bunch of my time here shortly. Once the pattern heads off to the printers I will show you a little peek as usual. It'll be perfect timing for spring and all the beautiful flowers we should be seeing soon. I might be jumping the gun a little, I mean it is still March and all but a girl can dream! I'm ready for warmer weather and sun. Lots and lots of sun!

I should go work on finishing that top and maybe tie up a few other loose ends in the process so until next time....

It's Official

I just finished the insides of the pattern today and dropped them off at Cottonpicker's this afternoon. From Grammy With Love is officially on the market. I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I do. I promise you it is as simple as they come with a few tips and tricks that you may find helpful in other projects.

Here are some more pictures of From Grammy With Love. I had so much fun doing this photoshoot that I hope all of my future shoots will be as enjoyable. I took these photos at my Nana's house (how perfect!) and I couldn't have asked for it to go better. My Nana has wonderful floor to ceiling bay windows on the front of her house. Now I'm not so sure about everyone else, but around here in Northeast Ohio we don't get many sunny days in winter which seems to last 8 months out of the year. I hoped and wished on a prayer that I would just go and take the photos and things would turn out and they did! The sun was perfect and as soon as we stopped taking the pictures, the sun went away.

I think this also in a weird way was almost like a wedding. Here, see if you can follow my thinking. I borrowed my mom's antique crib for the photo shoot (something old) to hang the quilt off of (something new). I borrowed the animals from Nana (something borrowed) and used Gpa Joe's blue blanket in the bottom of the crib (something blue). I just thought it was fun. My mind just works this way, I can't explain it.

I made the color option quilt out of fun bright bug fabrics. I absolutely love love love the 1930's fabrics, but you have to admit, it looks girly. I wanted to see what this pattern would look like in brighter primary colors and more boyish. I have loved this bug fabric since the day it came into the quilt store and I needed to do something with it. I hope you like it, it's definitely not the typical color scheme I've done in the past, but it was a fun change. Especially in the winter, I think I make some of my most colorful quilts when everything outside is white and grey.

Like I said before, this quilt is currently hanging at the Lake Metroparks Farmpark Quilts 2010 Show. The show just opened last week and it is marvelous as ever. Don't forget to make it out to the show and also try to make it out there for vendor weekend (March 6 & 7). There will be atleast 14 vendors there with all sorts of goodies that I'm sure you'll want to gobble up. Make a day of it, bring you're friends and have lunch at the cafe, the caterer is phenomenal!

Alright, what else is going on? Still working on other up and coming quilt projects. A little applique, some small things, other big things. Basically I like to hae multiple projects going at the same time, each in a different stage of the quilt making process or a different technique because I love them all so much and it's hard to pick just one to work on. And it works out most of the time so if my time is broken up or like last week when my machine had to go to the doctors, I had a backup project. And let me tell you, I forgot how much I enjoy applique! I haven't done any of it for about a year and I am enjoying it so.

Let me know what you think of From Grammy With Love and if you've made it out to Farmpark to see it and the other 200 some quilts hanging there. Thanks for all of your support and hope to see you soon!

They're printing

The third pattern is being printed and I cannot tell you how excited I currently am about it. If you are planning on attending the Lake Metroparks Farmpark Quilts 2010 show, it'll be there. And not only that, but with a third place ribbon on it! I really debated about whether or not I should put one of my own pattern designs in the show, but the greatest thing about this show is other people are willing to show what they've been up to and accomplished and I feel the same. I loved hand quilting it over the summer and I love now that it's done and I can show it off.


I apologize for the slight rambling during this post, but I'm trying to watch this and Grey's Anatomy at the same time - I love this show! And it's getting really good so I'm going to make this quick...


Here is a preview of From Grammy With Love. The pattern should be ready in the next week or so and definitely will be at the Vendor Weekend at the Farmpark show. Both the original and the color option quilt top will be there, why not come check them out in person?

I've been working on several other upcoming quilt designs and patterns, I feel so lucky to be able to do this and call it work! Well, wish me luck though, today my machine started sewing by itself. I think it might be possessed so I might have to work a little more on hand projects, but I'll know more in the morning. Tell you more later once I know more. I'll post more pictures of the newest pattern once it's been released.

Snowed In

My Husband is loving this weather right now, I on the other hand, not so much. We're not that bad here in Madison, but a few miles south, my poor parents had about 18" of snow already and the forcast was calling for an additional 6"-9" today and snow everyday for the next forever.

My puppies are as torn about the weather as my Husband and I. Paco is definitely my baby because we both freeze and we are constantly hogging all of the blankets and quilts in the house. Duncan loves the snow like his father and loves to play in it every chance he gets.

If you can believe it, this small little dog stole all of these blankets by himself, makes his nest and lays right in the middle of it all. He layers each of the blankets one on top of another so if you want one, you have to move him and likely atleast two more blankets. I still cannot believe this puppy, all five pounds of him, can steal all of the blankets. The humanity of it all! :)

Well, the second pattern is officially off to the printers. Starbox will be out very shortly, as long as this snow doesn't keep me away that is. Here's a sneak peak for you:

The third pattern will be printed shortly as well. From Grammy With Love is the current project. And once I finish the photos and finish piecing the color option of it, it will be out too. I'm having so much fun with all of the designs I've created and working on other projects too.

My Mom and I have both discovered English Paper Piecing. It's filling my hands with busy work while I sit and watch TV. I love it, almost as much as handquilting. I have to say, the more I do, the more I love the fundamentals of quilting. Going back to the basics isn't bad every once in awhile.

Alright though, speaking of projects, I need to get back to them. I have to take advantage of being snowed in while it lasts. I'll let you know once I have the new patterns in my hands and where you can find them. Stay warm out there, I'm going to go make myself some tea and sew away the rest of the day.

~Rebecca