Melissa Dunworth – Page 30 – Sew Bittersweet Designs

Taking A Step Back

20 Comments / Sew BitterSweet Designs Patterns / By Melissa Dunworth

Do you ever look back on your hobby, which maybe you are trying to turn into something more than a hobby, and think to yourself “wow! I never thought I could do that!”? That’s where I am at today. It is no secret that I am selling my patterns. It is no secret that I have submitted to a couple of magazines and even been accepted to a couple (coming soon to a newsstand near you). Sometimes though, I look at the things I am making and I just can’t believe the designs are from me and that I have come far enough in my sewing to actually accomplish turning them from digital images into real life quilts.

I am a mostly self-taught quilter. My mom taught me the basics and the rest I have learned very much on my own. The only class I have ever taken was a color theory class and while it was helpful I couldn’t say that it helped with my actual quilting, though I did truly enjoy the experience. This may not seem like a big deal to most people, but when I look at my current project and see it coming together, I am quite proud of myself. Are we allowed to be proud of ourselves these day? Well even if we aren’t, I am going to say that I am.

Here are all the pieces for my next quilt cut out, the paper pieced sections are pieced, and I actually have two whole blocks pieced together too!

I am super pleased with how this quilt is coming together. My goal is to piece the second two blocks and have the top assembled before my guild meeting tomorrow night. Wish me luck!

So just for today, I am taking a step back and appreciating how far I have come in my quilting journey. I am excited for what comes next!

A Lovely Year of Finishes – May 2015 Goals

15 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Fiber of All Sorts, Sew BitterSweet Designs Patterns / By Melissa Dunworth

May is going to be a very busy month for our family. Anne has a couple of doctor’s appointments, her ballet recital and we have family coming in. I would love to say I am picking an easy goal, but the jokes on me and I’m not picking something easy at all!

I’ve already successfully pieced a couple of test blocks and one actual block. I’m really happy with how it is turning out! Wish me luck as this will be entered in the upcoming Quilt! Knit! Stitch show.
What about you?

You have two requirements to be entered into the prizes this month.

1. Link-up {on this post} the first 7-days of the month

Please choose ONE project

and

2. Link-up in the last 7-days of the month

Only with a completed, successful project. And yes the same one that you choose earlier in the month.

Add your blog post or flickr photo (with appropriate descriptions) to the linky party below.

Please grab a button or link back to Shanna and I so other people can join in the fun!

And if you are on twitter or Instagram tag #ALYoF

**Please note, the linky party is the same here and over at Shanna , so there is no need to enter twice **

Here is a list of the lovely new and old sponsors and prizes for May

1. Thimblepie’s Quilt Supplies – Custom fabric package, 3 yards plus free shipping anywhere

2. One PDF pattern from Honey, Bunny, and Doll Designs

3. One PDF Pattern from Meadow Mist Designs

4. PDF Pattern from Persimon Dreams

5. One Charm pack or $10.00 gift certificate to
Stitches n’ Giggles (winners choice)

6. Sew BitterSweet Designs one pdf pattern

7. One pdf Pattern from Clover and Violet

8. $15 gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop

9. PDF Pattern from Katy – The Littlest Thistle

10. Green Fairy Quilts – 3 pdf patterns

11. One PDF pattern from Sew Sweetness

Quilt Design A Day Group

4 Comments / Quilt Designs A Day, Sew BitterSweet Designs Patterns / By Melissa Dunworth

I joined a group on Facebook last year called “Quilt Design A Day.” The point of the group is to spend 15-20 minutes working on new quilt designs. The moderators provide the group with 1 or 2 color palettes a day and an inspiration photo, usually from Design Seeds (though not always) and you are supposed to design a quilt. You post a picture of your design in the group and it is wonderful for positive feedback. I’m also using this as an opportunity to sharpen my EQ7 skills.

I thought I might share a couple of my designs from last week with you. Most of the color combinations I would never pick but that’s part of why I like this group. It challenges me to go outside my comfort zone.

This one is called “Hypnotic Spring”. I was playing with circles and curves. These aren’t colors I would put together but they were the inspiration colors.

This one I called “Ebb and Flow”. It reminds me of waves and ripples in a pool of water. Again not my colors but I do like the overall effect.

This one I named “The Safe Path”. Sometimes the safe path is the scary looking one. I like the colors better on this one and might even change the coloring at some point but for now, I will keep it like this.

If you follow me on Instagram, you will have seen these start popping up last week so I’m sorry for boring you, but for everyone not on IG this is what I’ve been up to in design world. I am thinking of these as warm up exercises for my quilt designs.

Have a wonderful and happy Monday!

A Lovely Year of Finishes – April Finishes Party

5 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Fiber of All Sorts / By Melissa Dunworth

So how did April go for you? Was it all you imagined? Did the finishes just pile up around you? Mine…not so much. I finished a baby quilt, but that wasn’t the quilt I intended to finish this month. Oops! I am halfway done with the binding on my goal quilt so I will keep plugging away and hopefully finish it before the end of the month.

~~~

Do share, did you finish your April goal?

What one item did you choose?

You have two requirements to be entered into the prizes this month.

1. Link-up the first 7-days of the monthPlease choose ONE project
and
2. Link-up {on this post} in the last 7-days of the month

Only with a completed, successful project. And yes the same one that you choose earlier in the month.
Add your blog post or flickr photo (with appropriate descriptions) to the linky party below.
Please grab a button or link back to Shanna and I so other people can join in the fun!

And if you are on twitter or Instagram tag #ALYoF

**Please note, the linky party is the same here and over at Shanna, so there is no need to enter twice **

Here is a list of our amazing sponsors for the month

1. Green Fairy Quilts – 3 pdf patterns

2. $15 gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop

3. One pdf Pattern from Clover and Violet

4. Thimblepie’s Quilt Supplies – Custom fabric package, 3 yards plus free shipping anywhere

5. One PDF pattern from Honey, Bunny, and Doll Designs

6. One Charm pack or $10.00 gift certificate to

Stitches n’ Giggles (winners choice)

7. PDF Pattern from Katy – The Littlest Thistle

8. Sew BitterSweet Designs one pdf pattern

9. One PDF pattern from Sew Sweetness

10. PDF Pattern from Persimon Dreams

11. One PDF Pattern from Meadow Mist Designs

~~~

Go and encourage one another

Posy Quilt

9 Comments / baby quilt, Sew BitterSweet Designs Patterns / By Melissa Dunworth

Anne has strep throat. She spent Saturday night learning how to “aim for the bucket” and spent most of Sunday sleeping. We had 6 hour trip to the ER on Sunday night to find out she had a “throat infection” and did a second round of testing yesterday to find out she actually has strep throat. Bring on the antibiotics and send prayers that mommy doesn’t get it next! In the meantime, naps are long and mama has been quilting.

The quilt went together quickly and has some very special to the baby mama and me fabric on the back. I’ve had the fabric since we were teenagers and we both had dresses made from it. I’m pretty sure that, even though it will be years until baby understands how special it is, mommy will make sure she one day understands how precious it is.

Quilt Stats:

Designed, Pieced & Quilted by: Melissa Dunworth (Me)
Fabric: Posy by Aneela Hoey
Measures: 64″ x 54″

I will be mailing this quilt off soon. I just love knowing that it will not only be well loved but also well used!

Come back Friday to link up your April Finishes, I still have to finish mine. I have two more sides of binding to hand sew down. This month I am the Tortoise!

Author name: Melissa Dunworth