Blogger Blog Hop

Welcome to my blog!  I am so excited to be part of the Blogger Blog Hop hosted by Plum and June!!! 
I will post the weekly schedule each week here.  Be sure to stop by and check out all the fabulous blogs on the hop!  ♥

First up:

Owen's Olivia

13 Spools

Wasn't Quilt In A Day

The StudioLo

Yeah I Made That

Heart of Charnwood

Me!

Kitchen Table Quilting

I started quilting about 5 years ago.  I had always wanted to learn how to make quilts and the only kind I knew how to do was to tie a quilt.  I wanted to learn how to make traditional quilts that would make people happy for years and years to come.  Unfortunately, I didn't have any aunts or grandma's that did this, to help teach me.  I learned by myself, with a LOT of You-tube and googling, and visiting all of your blogs for tips and tricks!  I have enjoyed this process immensely and this has grown to be more of just a hobby for me.

Funny thing, my husband taught me how to run a sewing machine!  Don't tell him I wrote this!  He's a very manly man to say the least, but he taught me how to sew and he helps me clean it.  What a guy.  Don't tell him that either. ;)

I started my blog because I wanted to share my passion for quilting/sewing and fabrics with anyone who cared!  I am inspired by so many blogs and quilters, I wanted to do the same, hopefully, for someone else.

I  ♥ to make baby quilts.  I make them for the pure satisfaction they bring as a quick project, but mainly for baby snuggling.  I give them away on one condition - the mom lets me hold the new baby!  :) 

I recently started making laminated crayon wallets.  WOW.  I learned how to laminate my own fabric and all I can say at this point is it takes a lot of time and patience!  I got it down to where I can make one a night - assuming the children are fine to eat sandwiches or cereal for dinner. ;)

I recently just finished two quilts last week.  I've got a few other quilts I am anxious to start.   I realized that most my quilts are girlie.  I don't have any boys so when I look at fabric, I am instantly drawn to pinks and girlie ones.  I just started a pirate boy quilt using Sarah Jane's Out to Sea!  I adore that line...it's my very very favorite.  Pirates, mermaids, narwhals...what's not to love?   I'll make this version similar to the girl version I made, improvising along the way, the panels being the main focus.

Pirate stash

I consider my style to be traditional modern.  I typically create traditional blocks and make them a little modern.  I'm not full blown modern.  I haven't gotten a feel for that yet.  I'm a little OCD so staying inside my box makes me comfy and cozy - branching out with all solids and wonky blocks makes me panic.  I do want to get myself to that point tho - I love the modern quilts and styles that are out there right now.  Any tips for branching out to a more modern type?  Please share!

Patterns - (Insert angry face here!)
Following patterns is my nemesis.  I can't follow a pattern to save my life.  I don't know why I have this disease but it's very painful sometimes!!  I guess I am like a pianist that can hear a tune and play it without reading a music sheet.  If I look at a quilt block, I can figure out how to whip it up.  If I look at a block, then buy the pattern and read it and start going, I get all jumbled up in the process and something ALWAYS goes wrong.  It can be very frustrating to say the least.  I have two quilts now that have turned into disasters.  One needs unpicking of MANY MANY rows and blocks.  The other one I just finished it and said be done with it.  It's fine.  It's not perfect.  That's my other challenge is getting past an imperfect quilt.  Work in progress!!

When I started quilting, bindings hated me and I hated bindings.  We were rivals, always gritting teeth and snarling at each other.  We have since become best friends.  My favorite part of the quilt process is grabbing my favorite drink and plopping on my bed and turning on my favorite shows while I quietly sew on my binding.  BEST part ever.  I'm pretty sure if anyone wanted to hand me over their quilts to bind, I'd be a happy mama.  Mimi the Pug joins me and naps while I sew..and snores. Loudly.  She's reminding me she's there.  Uh, your not hard to miss Mimi McMuffin. ;) 



Binding



Mimi the Pug

Tips, Tricks and Notions:

• I always zigzag the edge of my bindings to keep those nasty stray threads in check.  It really does help.
• Mark on your ruler the measurement you most frequently use.  For example, I have a 3 inch ruler.  I marked the 2 1/2 line because that is what I use to cut my bindings with.  White out doesn't really come off, so if you are sure you want it there, use that.  Otherwise, I just recently found fluorescent tape at Joann's that comes in bright orange, pink and yellow.  This works great too and you can remove it easily if you need to.

  

  See the White-Out?  It doesn't come off, but pretty pink neon tape makes it all better. :)


• Get some clear plastic tubing from the hardware store.  Cut little bits off, then slice it down the center (Carefully!).  Use these to hug your bobbins and keep the threads tucked in nice and neat...if you don't have one of those nifty bobbin storage cases.

• Having trouble with your 1/4 inch seam allowance?  Yah, same here.  My 1/4" foot is off a bit and it is infuriating...Why did they make a 1/4 foot if it's not going to actually be 1/4?  Anyway -  Get a little Post-it pad and line it up where your 1/4" should be.  Post it down and use it to line up your fabric.  The best part is, you can make it as thick or as thin as you need it to be and your fabric hugs the side edge as it goes through.  A-mazing.
• Basting is boring.  BUT-if you get a Kwik Klip, it saves your fingers from all those pins.  I also use basting spray AND pin my quilts because, again, I am obsessive and want to make sure everything stays put!

 
More about me:

I love old black and white movies, Downton Abbey (who doesn't?) and the Walking Dead.  I love me some zombies...and English people.  Hmmm, English zombies?  Delightful.  Oh, and I'm ashamed to admit it, but yes, I'm a little addicted to the Real Housewives.  There.  I said it out loud.  Shameful, I know.

We have two girls - Robot Child #1 and Robot Child #2.  RC #1 is graduating the 3rd grade this week  and she is uber excited for that.  RC #2 starts kindergarten next year.  I'm sad about this.  I would like to invent a potion to keep my babies small forever. Selfish?  Yes. Maybe a smidge.

We are in the process of moving. :(  We've lived here 10 years, made some great friends and the school is great.  We will miss it, but we are excited for this new chapter in our lives.  Moving is painful!  I am NOT a mover and I'm very disorganized when it comes to moving.  Any tips on how to make moving bearable??  PLEASE share. :)

However, with all the Uhaul boxes everywhere and bubble wrap reminding us to pack, you can still find quilty goodness throughout the house.  This makes me happy...until I have to pack them up...but that will be shortlived!

Thank you so much for stopping by.  ♥  If you made it to the end, I applaud you!  Hopefully this wasn't too tremendously boring.  ;)

You can find me on Instagram and Flickr:  #RobotMomSews

Hugs ~ ♥

Kim (aka RobotMom)