tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88361019803299670182024-03-14T03:49:13.143-04:00Red Delicious LifeQuilting by Diana & Longarm ServicesDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.comBlogger385125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-20255191530477964662020-12-21T16:23:00.000-05:002020-12-21T16:23:20.656-05:00Holiday Finishes<p>2020 has been quite a year and I've done very little sewing but the need to get two holiday gifts completed forced me to sit down at my sewing machine. They are wall hangings for my niece and nephew. </p><p>First up is the one for my niece. She absolutely adores flamingos so I decided to find a paper piecing pattern that would finish at block size. This is about 11"x13" with the binding.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoDdwm58ZFg/X-EM_tfvcRI/AAAAAAAAO0g/EUBVcFl9HmMkMwpQqtWtmhiKqHImUmY5wCPcBGAsYHg/s2473/Flamingo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2473" data-original-width="1941" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HoDdwm58ZFg/X-EM_tfvcRI/AAAAAAAAO0g/EUBVcFl9HmMkMwpQqtWtmhiKqHImUmY5wCPcBGAsYHg/w502-h640/Flamingo" width="502" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Next up was the one for my nephew. He is a huge Seattle Seahawks fan with his bedroom all decorated in those classic green, navy, and gray colors. I did this one using the applique technique with some light heat-n-bond, getting the image off the internet and just tracing it onto freezer paper. The straight line quilting forms a halo around the hawk image, but I'm afraid that it looks rather wrinkled in this photo. I'll be honest, I originally forgot to take a photo of it until after it was wrapped. I had it rolled around a paper towel dowel which was why it was wrinkled a bit.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubzP8RV8BQM/X-EM_hPWigI/AAAAAAAAO0g/3o3XqmquJjcoU6V4bmG4yhd7i4-U5CzawCPcBGAsYHg/s2618/Seahawks" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1553" data-original-width="2618" height="380" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ubzP8RV8BQM/X-EM_hPWigI/AAAAAAAAO0g/3o3XqmquJjcoU6V4bmG4yhd7i4-U5CzawCPcBGAsYHg/w640-h380/Seahawks" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I hope both kids like their presents this year. Thanks to them, these projects helped me to get out of my sewing funk and I seem to have my sew-jo back again. </p>Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-70751242512286013602020-05-30T16:31:00.000-04:002020-05-30T16:31:17.326-04:00A Quarantine FinishSo it seems that I'm lucky if I post once a quarter now, but add a pandemic into the mix and it's a miracle at best. For the last 10 weeks, I think I spent all of 4 hours in my sewing room. 3 of those were spent making masks for my family and the last hour was to bind this quilt that had been sitting on my longarm frame since January.<br />
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Now that it is summer break I hope that I'll get to sew some more than when I was forced to oversee distance learning for my 4th grader, but without any summer camps and the need to continue social distancing, I'm not holding my breath. Hope everyone else is sewing and safe.<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-31882270858938775402019-10-31T13:47:00.002-04:002020-05-30T16:32:05.065-04:00Otterly AdorableOne of my absolute, favorite animals is the otter so imagine my excitement when my son's new school chose it as its mascot. Transferring to a new school is never easy for a kid, especially one on the spectrum who struggles with transitions and new situations, so when the new principal went above and beyond to make my son comfortable I knew that I wanted to do something special for her.<br />
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While taking my son on a private tour of the school, he noticed a small panel on the wall that looked similar to a breaker box. I don't remember the exact purpose of it, but I do know that she said she wanted to find something that she could hang above it that would hide it. That's all she had to say and I knew exactly what I wanted to make. Say hello to my little friend Emmett.<br />
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This is a paper pieced pattern from Juliet at <a href="https://www.thetartankiwi.com/" target="_blank">The Tartan Kiwi</a>, as part of her Woodland series of patterns. The principal couldn't wait to see the finished project and it's already hanging up in the front office.<br />
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Educators are such special people that I just love sewing for them.<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-80799022505196559382019-10-18T08:00:00.000-04:002019-10-18T08:00:03.828-04:00Disappearing PinwheelsIt's been a while, but I finally made a finish just for me. I recently made <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2019/09/a-wedding-table-runner.html" target="_blank">a table runner for my cousin's wedding</a> and I liked it so much that I ended up making 2 more! The bride's mother hired me to make one for her and I was already making one for myself. Luckily I had just enough fabric for both of them. Here is mine on my dining room buffet table:<br />
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It makes me smile every time I walk by and see it. Now if I could just find the perfect mirror that I keep envisioning in my mind to fill up that blank space on the wall.<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-15841518104430314122019-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:002019-10-12T08:00:02.858-04:00Festival of TreesSometimes I struggle with how to quilt a top. I have an idea in my head of what I think I want and it gives me a mental block when I can't take that idea and make it a reality. This is one such quilt. This is the <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2019/08/charity-quilt-design.html" target="_blank">quilt that I designed</a> for the Festival of Trees event at our local art museum. It will be auctioned off as part of a fundraiser. My original design had snowflakes interspersed among the trees but as you can see, most of the snowflakes were larger than the trees!<br />
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That meant coming up with Plan B - making a top and bottom border of snowflakes instead. But I was still determined to incorporate snowflakes falling between the trees with the quilting and that is what gave me such a mental block. No matter what I came up with, I just didn't like it. I finally had to just let my original concept idea go and look at the project with fresh eyes. And I have to admit - I'm glad I did because I LOVE how it turned out. The wintery snowy swirl design that I did adds so much wonderful texture!<br />
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And the snowflakes falling between the trees isn't completely off the table - my colleague still needs to add beads to all of the trees and she is going to see if she can find some larger snowflake beads!<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-39698834173171264932019-10-05T13:58:00.000-04:002019-10-08T20:24:28.794-04:00Local Orlando Quilter and Mail-in Services<br />
Looking for someone to help finish that quilt top that you took such care to make? Let me help you! Whether it be a quilt for everyday use or that gift for someone special, I strive to make every quilt top a treasured heirloom. <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/p/thank-you-for-considering-me-to-finish.html" target="_blank">Click here for more information.</a><br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-72299551247170467542019-10-05T11:52:00.000-04:002019-10-08T20:31:10.614-04:00Website Overhaul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's about that time again - time for me to look at where I want to go with my quilting and blogging and make some changes to better suit my life. It's obvious to any of the readers that I still have left that I'm not blogging very often. My health first sidelined me and then life and quilting just became more of a priority.<br />
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That's why it's time for me to officially transition my website to reflect what my focus is - on professionally longarm quilting for others. I'll still blog occasionally, highlighting what I'm currently working on or a recent client finish but I want my longarm business to now be the main purpose of my website. So stay tuned as you'll see various changes over the next few days.<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-91814349564954973822019-09-09T07:00:00.000-04:002019-09-09T07:00:05.321-04:00Circus Act Baby QuiltMy husband's best friend is pregnant with her first child and went above and beyond decorating the nursery in a circus theme, specifically The Greatest Showman.<br />
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While helping her sew the red and white canvas fabric for the focal wall, I immediately knew that I wanted to give her this quilt that I was still waiting to finish:<br />
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I already had it quilted, trying out my very first pantograph, so it was just waiting to be bound. I decided to add a couple of handmade burp cloths to complete the gift.<br />
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Now we're just patiently waiting for the little meatball to arrive.<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-89731501469400481082019-09-03T20:17:00.001-04:002019-09-03T20:17:40.560-04:00A Wedding Table RunnerMy cousin got married last weekend and I wanted to make her something for the house she and her husband are fixing up. Since I made a <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2016/05/festive-whirligig-table-runner.html" target="_blank">table runner for her sister</a> a few years ago, I thought it only fitting that I make her one as well. After learning that she loves the farmhouse look, á la Fixer Upper, I knew I chose the right pattern.<br />
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The pattern is called the Disappearing Pinwheel and it's a Missouri Star Quilt Company <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rgQd6asPQs&fbclid=IwAR2qWm0kw4WKTxf0gkCyr0ywlJMF_YxKAAewD3wB2OVr1f3VzzCxtpHhz8I" target="_blank">tutorial</a>.<br />
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I have to admit that I loved this so much on my own table that I've decided to make another one just for me <i><b>and</b></i> the mother-of-the-bride has also commissioned me to make one for her as well.<br />
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~ Diana<br />
<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-41299882751675790762019-08-08T10:30:00.000-04:002019-08-08T10:30:26.154-04:00Charity Quilt DesignEvery year my local quilt guild participates in a holiday charity event called the <a href="https://omart.org/events/festival_of_trees/" target="_blank">Festival of Trees</a>. It's a fundraising event for one of our museums where there are beautifully designed and decorated Christmas trees end up being purchased through a silent auction. Among all of those gorgeous trees is our contribution - a quilt wall-hanging of a holiday tree. Here are just 2 of quilts that we've contributed in the past:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orlando MQG Festival of Trees Quilt 2014</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orlando MQG Festival of Trees Quilt 2018</td></tr>
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This year I took on the task of co-chairing the committee to create this year's quilt. There are 6 other people helping to create the quilt over the course of 4 months. Here is the design that I came up with:<br />
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The size would be approximately 50" x 70" with a variety of improv trees in various sizes. The snowflakes would actually be white (not black) but I couldn't figure out how to change the color in EQ7. For added sparkle, beading will be added to some of the trees. The biggest challenge is going to be putting together all of the various blocks. It's going to be quite the puzzle that I hope someone else in the group tackles. :)<br />
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The fabrics that were purchased couldn't have been more perfect, especially the background fabric. Here are some of the blocks I've made so far:<br />
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I'm looking forward to seeing how this entire project comes together.<br />
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~ Diana<br />
<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-30203621134058395962019-06-24T07:00:00.000-04:002019-06-24T07:00:07.755-04:002019 Stash Bee BlocksI am once again participating in Stash Bee this year but what's different for me is that I'm no longer running it. I handed it off to 2 very capable women who have things running smoothly. It's a nice change of pace for me. Anyhow, here are a few of the blocks that I've made so far this year for my hive mates:<br />
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Even though it was quite the challenge, I love how the Dr. Seuss themed block turned out. For my month I chose a very simple block called Stacked Squares.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tME-9YoLdcw/XQlP3Wel3bI/AAAAAAAAJQ8/w98pEWmuU40N2IMORMUrVJv4bfuitP-OQCKgBGAs/s1600/Stacked%2BSquares%2B-%2Bfinish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tME-9YoLdcw/XQlP3Wel3bI/AAAAAAAAJQ8/w98pEWmuU40N2IMORMUrVJv4bfuitP-OQCKgBGAs/s1600/Stacked%2BSquares%2B-%2Bfinish1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Once I receive all the blocks from my hive mates, I'll cut them up and create a quilt like this:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KsV3yaHrQe4/V3xYE7ZGkpI/AAAAAAAAITs/yE9OLKMLUdEH37rNnQuEe7ydZ4jNbGaGACLcB/s1600/IMG_3824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="600" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KsV3yaHrQe4/V3xYE7ZGkpI/AAAAAAAAITs/yE9OLKMLUdEH37rNnQuEe7ydZ4jNbGaGACLcB/s1600/IMG_3824.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of My Quilt Infatuation</td></tr>
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It was originally a Moda Bakeshop pattern but it really didn't catch my eye until I Saw Kelly's version of it from <a href="http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/2016/07/jackhammeringand-ntt.html" target="_blank">My Quilt Infatuation</a>. Of course, I have plenty of other projects to work on so this isn't high on the priority list right now.<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-4330265423855144432019-06-16T07:00:00.000-04:002019-06-16T07:00:14.287-04:00Bionic Bag Finished!I'm so pleased with how this project turned out, I can't help but smile every time I see it. Was it a challenge? Absolutely! Toward the end, I thought I might not make it given the fact that I broke 2 needles in 2 days but perseverance won out.<br />
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I think my biggest struggle was with some of the pattern instructions being a bit vague. For example, there is a pattern piece that you trace for the sides. It states to cut out 4 but it fails to mention that you need to have 2 going in one direction and then flip the other 2 to go in the other direction. Luckily I figured it out before cutting but that could have been a costly mistake. While the pattern has some good pictures, there are other parts (toward the end of construction) that don't show any photos for clarification. The pattern creator has several video tutorials for this bag but they aren't free and you have to pay to access them which I wasn't overly thrilled about (and refused to purchase).</div>
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I'm definitely not afraid of zippers anymore. I quite like how they all turned out but more than once I accidentally pulled the zipper pull off and then had to struggle to get it back on.<br />
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When deciding to make a bag like this, I was debating between <a href="https://sew.sewlikearockstar.com/downloadable-products" target="_blank">this pattern</a> and the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/188969553/sew-together-bag-pattern-more-arriving?gpla=1&gao=1&utm_campaign=shopping_us_ModernQuilter_sfc_osa&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_custom1=0&utm_content=5681714&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrpLoBRD_ARIsAJd0BIWrkVQtz-SnbnONe-h-24Ou5WSdO6XZshhy56m89RI0dfIFnfHF55saAjbPEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Sew Together Bag</a> pattern. I ultimately decided on the Bionic bag because it had one more compartment and was a bit bigger. Ya know - more bang for the buck. But in hindsight, I think the Sew Together bag would have been a bit easier because it doesn't have the curved back and the different size zipper pouches. You can also see how the front has a wider opening that lays flat.<br />
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I think I might use this one for traveling to carry toiletries. I want to make another one and try my hand at altering this pattern to be more like the Sew Together Bag now that I know what I'm doing. Until I get around to doing that, I look forward to using this in a few weeks when we go on vacation.<br />
<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-67239179229513535652019-06-08T11:27:00.000-04:002019-06-08T11:27:40.162-04:00Why is this so hard?Hello Blogland. Yes, I'm still alive despite my silence. I don't know why but blogging has become so difficult lately. And don't get me started on keeping up with everyone else's blogs. I just don't get it. If there was ever something called blogging mojo, not only did mine go missing but I think it up and moved permanently.<br />
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Some of my time has been spent trying to get healthier - eating better, moving more, and I've even started to play tennis again (although with summer being in full swing that's been put on hold because of the extreme heat and humidity). I've still been sewing but it's mostly been little things. My son had a huge project for 3rd grade that required him to wear a costume. He did his project on Alexander Hamilton. I wasn't about to sew a costume from scratch but was able to score a George Washington costume online that was too big so we altered it. The pants were full length but we wanted them to be at the knees so my son sewed the casings for the elastic.<br />
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I took care of the remaining alterations for the finished product:<br />
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Once that was done, I could focus on some of my own projects, like trying out my very first pantograph. Here it is loaded on my machine.<br />
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I can appreciate this type of quilting and how you can create some great motifs but I have to admit that it stressed me out a bit not being able to see the needle while quilting. I'll definitely try it again in the future and if I have a client that requests one, I now know that I can do it, but it's not my first choice. Once I put the binding on this quilt, I'll definitely share the completed project here.<br />
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I pieced this spring table runner before Easter but just haven't had the chance to get it quilted. It's on my machine now, it's just a matter of deciding what to quilt on it.<br />
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My most recent sewing endeavor is the <a href="https://sew.sewlikearockstar.com/downloadable-products" target="_blank">Bionic Gear Bag from Sew Like a Rockstar.</a> I admit that 3-dimensional sewing other than a basic boxed bag intimidates me so this is definitely outside of my comfort zone. I'm a bit more than halfway done with it though and so far so good. If this comes out well, I think I may be hooked and more bags will follow.<br />
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With it being summer break from school, my sewing time is greatly reduced and my days are filled with trips to theme parks, the pool, swim lessons, and summer camps. If I'm lucky and play my cards right, I can usually sneak in a bit of early morning or evening sewing if I'm not too exhausted from the day's events. Hope your summer sewing is going well.<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-4955355150366986512019-02-25T13:20:00.000-05:002019-02-27T10:52:29.182-05:00A Farewell GiftA few weeks ago I was very saddened to learn that my boss and friend had accepted a new position at a performing arts center in Michigan. My first thought was how is this native Floridian going to survive Michigan winters? My second thought was what I could make for him to remember me and the arts center where we'd worked together for the last 4+ years?<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for him and I know he'll do well on his new career adventure, but work won't be the same without him. That's why I decided to make him a mini with the Dr. Phillips Center logo on it.<br />
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This abstract symbol was inspired by the four-beat motion of a conductor’s baton. The mini is 9.5" square, the perfect size to put on the wall of his new office. Safe travels my friend, and I look forward to seeing you when you come home to visit.<br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Linking up to the <a href="http://frombolttobeauty.blogspot.com/p/brag-about-your-beauties.html" target="_blank">Beauties Pageant link party</a> that is hosted by Michelle From Bolt to Beauty.<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-76199911482885399022019-02-19T12:14:00.000-05:002019-02-27T21:30:43.797-05:00Seattle ShowersWith everything that's been happening <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2019/02/hamilton-takeover.html" target="_blank">at work</a>, it's been quite a while since I'd posted anything quilting related but I'm happy to say that I'm getting back into a groove and have a finish to share.<br />
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This is a quilt for my brother and his wife that I'm calling Seattle Showers. Since the fabric line is actually April Showers by Bonnie and Camille, I think I'm being clever since the recipients live in Seattle. (I know I'm not that clever, but please don't burst my bubble. 😊)</div>
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I really enjoyed quilting this even if I had some struggles with my machine. It didn't seem to like my backing fabric. I used Freefall by Tula Pink and it almost has a sateen quality to it. For some reason, it made adjusting my tension more difficult. I also encountered a needle detection error and after that, whenever I got halfway through a bobbin (I was using magna-glide bobbins), the bobbin thread would jam. I've thoroughly cleaned my machine and I'm hoping that the issue has resolved itself. Here's a close-up of the backing so you can see the quilting detail:</div>
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This is a belated Christmas gift that I will be giving my brother and his wife when their family is visiting from Seattle this week.</div>
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Linking up to the <a href="http://frombolttobeauty.blogspot.com/p/brag-about-your-beauties.html" target="_blank">Beauties Pageant link party</a> that is hosted by Michelle From Bolt to Beauty and <a href="http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/2019/02/somethings-missing.html" target="_blank">Needle and Thread Thursday</a>.<br />
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Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-12515051057452850182019-02-16T11:46:00.000-05:002019-02-16T11:46:25.626-05:00Hamilton Takeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The last 3+ weeks have been an absolute whirlwind due to work. The touring production of Hamilton was in Orlando and it was at <a href="https://www.drphillipscenter.org/" target="_blank">The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts</a>, where I work. That meant a lot of long hours. But it also meant a lot of opportunities for me to be "in the room where it happens." 😁<br />
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When it was all said and done, I saw it twice as a guest and worked another 14 performances. Needless to say, I got very little sewing done during that time opting for naps instead, but it was all worth it. I loved every minute of this show and was sad to see it go. I'm looking forward to when it comes back again.<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-68739090247111062902019-01-24T12:44:00.000-05:002019-01-24T12:45:23.535-05:00Quarterly GoalsSo I missed the opportunity to participate in the link-up for the First Quarter of the <a href="https://www.sarahgoerquilts.com/2019-finish-a-long/" target="_blank">2019</a><a href="https://www.sarahgoerquilts.com/2019-finish-a-long/" target="_blank"> Finish-A-Long</a>, but that's not going to stop me from posting the things I hope to accomplish.<br />
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1) First up, is the quilt top that is currently on my long arm. I'm halfway done with it, just need to quilt most of the blue areas.<br />
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2) Next is my red and white quilt top.<br />
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I won these blocks from my local guild sometime last year and they've been put together for quite some time but I couldn't decide on a backing fabric. Now that I have the backing fabric, it's just a matter of piecing the backing and getting it quilted.<br />
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3) Last on the list is my StashBee blocks from 2018. I just finished piecing the top together this past weekend. I have a few possibilities for a backing for this one.<br />
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I guess with all of these projects I should probably buy some more batting. 😊<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-8405456882171759052019-01-10T16:29:00.000-05:002019-01-10T16:29:43.836-05:00The Great Purge of 2019I'm not sure what started me on this path the other day but in opening up one of my scrap bins to find some fabric, I realized that I have saved every single scrap from the time I started quilting in 2012. Originally it was because I didn't have a stash to speak of, but eventually I'm sure it just became habit. I decided then and there that enough was enough and it was time to just get rid of all those tiny scraps and start fresh.<br />
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Over the last few days, I went through my clear shoe box bins for each color and got rid of all the small scraps that I know I would never realistically use. I also got rid of most of those edges that I cut off from squaring up quilts after they'd been long-armed. By the end of this afternoon this is the pile I had:<br />
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Now the question is - what do I do with these? I hate to just throw them away so I'm going to see if anyone in my guild wants them for anything. I think there are a few members who use scraps to make pet beds out of them and another guild member is known for making quilts with super tiny scraps (she won a 2018 QuiltCon award for her quilt Leftovers). All I know is that I feel lighter somehow when I walk into my stash closet.<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-8111088124537779692019-01-08T13:15:00.000-05:002019-01-08T13:59:33.594-05:00Happy New Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We rang in the New Year on a week-long Caribbean cruise and with the new year came... the PLAGUE. It started with me while on the last day of the cruise, then my son on the first day of school, and today my husband has been afflicted. Having the flu is not the most ideal way to start off the new year. I had high hopes of starting a new exercise and sewing routine this week. Instead, it will be spent on the couch and catering to those sicker than I am (and catching up on some blog reading if I'm lucky).<br />
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~ DianaDiana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-62363244402422770092018-12-27T16:43:00.001-05:002018-12-27T16:43:39.971-05:002019 - A Fresh Start<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This past year wasn't what I expected. I'm not saying it was bad, but I definitely didn't accomplish as much as I would have liked in terms of sewing and blogging. In looking back, I never even set any goals for 2018 so maybe that contributed to me getting derailed. But this year I really want to make every effort to set some goals and stick with them. <a href="https://quiltingjetgirl.com/" target="_blank">Yvonne from Quilting Jet Girl</a> is hosting a <a href="https://quiltingjetgirl.com/2018/12/15/2019planningparty/" target="_blank">2019 Goal Planning Party</a>, so what better way to start the new year than to participate. I particularly like the idea of accountability partners to help each other stay on track.<br />
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2019 Goals</h3>
1. <span style="color: blue;"><b>Block of the Month Sewing</b></span> - this year I am no longer the bee mama of Stash Bee so I'm happy to just be a participant for the first time in a few years. In addition to making 1 block per month for Stash Bee, I plan on making 1 block per month of my own, my own <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2015/08/fabri-quilt-new-block-hop-giveaway.html" target="_blank">dutch windmill block</a>. I've made about 5 blocks so far and I have all the pieces (except for the white) cut out for several blocks so it will hopefully be easy and quick sewing.<br />
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2. <span style="color: blue;"><b>Develop and implement a daily routine</b></span> - my job hours are evenings and weekends so it actually leaves me time throughout the weekday to sew and blog, but I'm never consistent and easily get sidetracked. (Naps often come into play depending upon how late work went the night before). I'd like to develop a weekly calendar that blocks out specific times for me to sew and blog.<br />
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3. <b><span style="color: blue;">WIP List </span></b>- surprisingly, I don't have that many major unfinished projects that I need to tackle, most of which are just waiting to be quilted:<br />
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<li><a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2016/02/moroccan-tiles-omg-finish.html" target="_blank">Moroccan Tiles Quilt </a>(A Meadow Mist Design Midnight Mystery Quilt) - this quilt has been sitting in my closet for almost 3 years now, just waiting to be quilted. Now that I have my own longarm there's nothing stopping me other than coming up with a quilting design that I think will do it justice.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BlwYrhHhmZK/" target="_blank">Red & White Bee Blocks Quilt</a> - these were blocks that I won at my local quilt guild and finally put together back in July. I finally got some backing fabric so all that remains is to quilt it.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BqC5AOPn2ks/" target="_blank">April Showers Quilt</a> - this one is already on the frame and more than halfway quilted. I anticipate getting this one done in January!</li>
<li><a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2018/01/first-sewing-of-new-year.html" target="_blank">2018 Stash Bee Blocks</a> - I need to make some more blocks in order to get a decent size quilt and then put it together.</li>
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4. <b><span style="color: blue;">Sew from my stash</span></b> - this shouldn't be too difficult as I have more than I really need. The only fabric I could anticipate purchasing might be backing fabrics (but I have a stash of that too!). Batting, of course, doesn't count.<br />
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5. <b><span style="color: blue;">Exercise more</span></b> - Not exactly sewing related, but in an effort to get my health back on track I really need to get more exercise. I still have chronic migraines that sideline me more often than I'd like to admit. I used to play tennis competitively, playing year-round and competing on 2 USTA teams. I stopped when we moved to Florida (crazy, I know since we have warm weather year-round). I really should start playing again or at the very least, start cardio walking every day to get my endorphins flowing. I think that would definitely help.<br />
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So that's the plan. Here's hoping your New Year's is merry and bright, offering all the hope for the coming year.<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-55252128967322249992018-11-06T14:34:00.001-05:002018-11-06T14:34:43.701-05:00Musical TrioI finished these last month and very excited to be gifting them to my son's music teacher tomorrow. I've been wanting to make something for his classroom since he started kindergarten - he's in 3rd grade already! Better late than never, I guess.<br />
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I have to admit, they turned out even better than I had hoped. And bonus, for the first time in 4 years I'm ahead of the game in teacher gifts for the year. That's a win-win in my book.<br />
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<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-73400186921787700302018-08-10T11:28:00.000-04:002018-08-10T11:28:10.612-04:00A Traditional Wedding QuiltWhen one of my best friends met the love of her life 6+ years ago (I think?) I knew I wanted to make them a quilt for their wedding gift. And lucky for me, I had lots of time because they weren't planning on getting married anytime soon due to geographic and child custody logistics. This quilt was going to be different from what I would normally tackle. My friend loves things like Colonial Williamsburg, folk music, and antique furniture, all of which told me that a more traditional quilt was the way to go.<br />
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I got the fabric back in 2013 and made <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2014/02/block-blunder.html" target="_blank">pinwheels</a> with Kona Snow. I think I finally finished the flimsy sometime in 2017 and it's been hanging in my closet ever since. I didn't want to quilt it on Ruby, my quilting domestic machine because it was just too big so I was originally planning on borrowing someone's long arm. Lucky for me, I bought one of my own so it was simply of making the time to finish it.<br />
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I love how it turned out and it really helped me to push my longarm quilting experience using rulers. I used a combination of feather and straight lines in the pinwheels which created a really cool movement effect. For the inner borders, I opted for straight lines throughout and for the outer border, I stuck with my favorite -- feathers.<br />
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This quilt only took me 5 years to complete and now that my friend's youngest daughter is off to college in a few weeks, I'm hoping to hear more about an upcoming wedding!<br />
<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-22675814977459723342018-06-20T21:52:00.001-04:002018-06-20T21:52:16.376-04:00Thank You For Your Comments!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I just wanted to say thank you if you've commented on my past few blog posts. I thought I had just lost all of my readers but upon further inspection of my blog, I did indeed, see that I have several comments. They just weren't getting emailed to me, hence, I can't respond to you unless I happen to have your address from a previous exchange.<br />
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Apparently, it's a known problem by Blogger and they're working to fix it. I added a secondary email to get notifications and that seemed to have worked but I'm not sure for how long. Here's hoping that it gets resolved soon (if not already) and that it hasn't happened to you as well.<br />
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I promise, I haven't been ignoring you!Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-64902926907563114462018-06-18T08:00:00.000-04:002018-06-18T08:00:02.463-04:00Charity Pet QuiltsIn the few weeks before <a href="https://www.reddeliciouslife.com/2018/05/rip-gideon-my-quilt-inspector-2.html" target="_blank">Gideon's passing</a>, I made quite a few trips back and forth to the vet's office. My vet provides a boarding service for cats and while the cages are spacious and multi-tiered, there wasn't really anything cozy for them to lay on. The vet technician told me that sometimes the owners will bring a small blanket or something, but if they don't they will oftentimes put a towel in the cage for the kitties. <div>
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Well, that just wouldn't do in my opinion. Right there in the office, I pulled a tape measure out of my purse and asked if I could take the measurements of the bottom of the cage so that I could make some small pet quilts. I had some larger panels of practice sandwiches just lying around from when I first got my longarm and cutting/binding them would be perfect.</div>
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I've gotten 3 done so far and can probably bind 4 others that are smaller but still useful. I'll be able to drop them off when I bring Oliver, Quilt Inspector #3, in for a checkup on his thyroid in just a few weeks.</div>
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Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8836101980329967018.post-75005204652913682022018-06-14T21:13:00.002-04:002018-06-14T21:13:41.026-04:00Plaid Picnic Crib QuiltEven though school is out and the summer break is in full swing, I'm still making sewing a priority. Do I manage it every day? No, but when I do get in my sewing room I make the time count. I'm really trying to get some of my WIPs finished up and really want to start one of the scrap projects from <a href="http://www.myquiltinfatuation.com/" target="_blank">Kelly Young's book Stash Statement</a>.<br />
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I finished this little project almost 2 weeks ago:<br />
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It was made from blocks that I started for the Quilters Planner 2016 Quilt Along but I never finished them. I guess the saying "Finished Is Better than Perfect" really is true in this case. Adding the borders to the blocks made it big enough for crib size and it was a really fast finish quilting an all-over loopy meander. Now the big question is... who's having a baby boy soon?<br />
<br />Diana @ Red Delicious Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10157904204372685921noreply@blogger.com8