swaps – Sew Bittersweet Designs

Hazel the Hedgehog

4 Comments / swaps / By Melissa Dunworth

The last week I’ve been working away feverishly on swap projects. For some reason I thought it would be brilliant to sign up for three swaps that all had deadlines within a week of each other, and to top it off…I procrastinated on all three! So my style!

After going through my partner’s feeds, I realized that there was one pattern that I could personalize for all three people. Hazel the Hedgehog II by Elizabeth Hartman. It is such a fun pattern that I will actually be making two more, one as a baby quilt for a friend (fabrics already selected) and one as a mini quilt for my sewing room, because I just fell in love with Hazel.

This was my first Hazel for the Text Me Mini Quilt Swap on Instagram. My partner loves Cotton and Steel and the color green. I hope she loves this one. The background is a remnant that I picked up on vacation at Intrepid Thread.

This little Hazel is winging it’s way across the Atlantic to one of the ladies in the birthday club that I have been participating in all year. I hope she loves her as much as I do. The best part is everything came out of my stash – always nice!

This is all three of the Hazel’s that I made. The bottom on is actually a quilted pillow cover for one of the ladies in my guild. And I’m actually ahead of schedule for this one as it isn’t due until September 2nd!

So a few things about the pattern: Elizabeth Hartman is a genius with how she has you assemble Hazel. I know it looks like a ton of triangles and scary bias seams, but I promise you that it is super easy and I would venture to say that it is a confident beginner pattern. The key is to read all the way to the end and make sure you cut precisely!

This week is all about finishing up the secret project I spoke of last Friday. I need to get it finished and shipped ASAP! Then back to making a wonderful friend a Hazel quilt for her soon to be born daughter. Oh and I have to crank out Anne’s back to school dress by next Monday! Tomorrow is the link up for August Finishes!

Happy Sewing!

Pixelated Butterfly

I’m in a birthday swap group and the June birthday girl loves jewel tones and when I asked her what she would like me to make her, she said she would love a pretty wall hanging to look at because she doesn’t have any. I decided I wanted to try to design a pixelated butterfly. So I started to sketch:

After drawing it out, I may have decided I was crazy, after all, those are ONE INCH SQUARES. I don’t work with fabric pieces that small, like ever, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it.

I did not cut 194 squares measuring 1.5″ x 1.5″, instead I strip pieced this quilt. I’m thinking I would like to make this again, in a larger scale (5″ charms maybe) and work on making the proportions perfect but I am very pleased with how this turned out.

Today I am going to baste and quilt this baby. I hope the birthday girl loves it!

Oh and since I didn’t say earlier, this top measures 18.5″ x 18.5″.

Happy Sewing!

Pot Holder Swap

9 Comments / Modern Quilt Guild, Paper Piecing, SSMQG, swaps / By Melissa Dunworth

My local chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild had its monthly meeting last Wednesday. We also had our first swap of the year. We did modern pot holders. The goal was to use modern fabrics, color combinations and/or modern pattern to create a pot holder. It needed to be something that you, yourself, would want to receive. This is what I created:

It is the Circle of Geese block by Piece By Number.

I actually downsized the pattern to finish around 8.5″ square. I used a layer of InsulBrite batting and a layer of 100% cotton batting – as stated in the directions for the InsulBrite. I didn’t got crazy with the quilting, because the two layers of batting made it pretty thick. I also didn’t bother attempting to traditionally bind this. It is so tiny, it made more sense to me to just flip the backing over to the front. I have a great tutorial here on how to do that.

I got a fun Valentine’s inspired pot holder in return, I would love to show you a picture but being pink and covered in hearts, Anne has long since absconded with it!

Have a Happy Tuesday!

PS. I get my floors tomorrow! Say a prayer that they match and this month long saga can finally be over!

First Finish of 2015

10 Comments / 2015 Finishes, Mini Quilt, swaps / By Melissa Dunworth

Amidst all the chaos that this new year has brought to my house, I have managed to finish a project. My Disney Quilt Swap project is done!

I’m calling this quilt “A Disney Moment”

Quilt Details:
Measurements: 19″ x 19″Quilting: Hand Quilting with Pearl Cotton #8
Applique: Fusible Applique
Fabrics: Kona Red and Michael Miller Couture Cotton Black
Design: Picture adapted by Melissa Dunworth (Me)

Today we have two inspectors coming to check the damage to my floors and assess for mold so I am putting good energy out into the universe that we have good answers. I can live with the warped floors but I can’t live with mold. Please send us some good vibes!

Have a great Wednesday!

A Disney Moment

7 Comments / A Lovely Year of Finishes, Mini Quilt, swaps / By Melissa Dunworth

For my Disney Mini Quilt Swap I am trying to capture a Disney moment. How did I do?

This was yesterdays progress. I got Mickey and Minnie cut out and fused down. I will figure out a quilting plan in the next couple days. I want to keep it simple because this is a very simple quilt. I’m even considering hand quilting… we’ll see.

Don’t forget to link up your goal for December! Maybe consider making it one of your last minute Christmas sewing projects, kill two birds with one stone. A finish for A Lovely Year of Finishes and a handmade Christmas gift.

Have a wonderful Tuesday Everyone!