A year of quilts...

I think I am missing a quilt or two but what the heck.  I made a lot of quilts this past year.  And had a lot of fun doing just that.  I also made a whack of pillows, lots of bags, some pouches and I even made bunting!  I joined the fabulous Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild.  What a good idea that was!  I was a host blogger for the Blogathon Canada sponsored by Sew Sisters Quilt Shop.  Oh, it was a good year!

 I have a tab under my blog header that will take you to each quilt if you would like more information about any of them.  I can't wait to see what this year brings!  Thank you so much to all my lovely followers!  I do so enjoy reading and replying your comments!

Linking up with Lily's Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day!

So what is on the design wall?

Yep.  I started another quilt.  I see some squares that I need to move around.  That is the benefit of taking a picture!  This is from Camille Rosekelly's book, Simplify.  I made a version of this quilt last year for my aunt.  I saw it again on Christmas Day and then Husband saw it.  He made a comment about how I seemed to have been making a lot of quilts with squares and maybe I wanted to do something interesting next... like this one.  Little did he know that this quilt is made with squares.  Lots of them.  He he he!

The moral of this story is that this is a very simple quilt.  Easy to whip up.  Doesn't look like squares.  Fun quilt.  Just needs sewing together and some borders and we can call it a top.  I am ahead of the game for upcoming birthday presents.  I even used some of my Madrona Road text fabric.  Eep!

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday.

Obliterating the Works in Progress... one day at a time

Yep.  Another one down.  Backed, basted and ready to quilt.  I am bent on obliterating the works in progress.  It feels good.  Really good.  I am going to just bask in that feeling before I confess that I started another quilt today.  Had to do something while this one sat on the floor and got all happy with the spray baste.

This is the another star block from Fresh Lemons.  Let your eyes go a little crossed and you lose the stars and just see a bunch of squares.  Kinda cool.

Off to play whist with the ladies!  Have a lovely rest of your day!

Proverbial Sunshine!!!!!!

Quilt stats

Name:  Proverbial Sunshine

Design:  Proverbial Quilt, Denise Schmidt

Size:  75" by 78"

Fabric:  Scrappy yellow and grey, with Wild Carrot in Straw, Madrona Road, Violet Craft for Michael Miller.  Bound with Haystack in Graphite from the same line.

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white

Last summer, Krista from Poppyprint started a low key quilt along making use of Denyse Schmidt's Proverbial Quilt pattern.  I hopped on board and ordered the pattern.  Then I had to think of something to say on a quilt.  It didn't take me very long to figure it out as this has long been something I sing... just because.  I knew it had to be in yellows and greys.  I had lots of fabric.  I wanted the letters to be scrappy grey and the background to be a mixture of yellows.  I added in some yellow prints like the Seed Catalogue fabric, some with clocks and there are even some yellow prints with fleur de lis. Husband is French Canadian, a farmer and has an interest in time from a Physics perspective.  I knew that the Wild Carrot print in straw from Madrona Road would be perfect to add into the quilt and that the Haystack in graphite would be the perfect binding.  I just had to make all the words.  So I did.  I worked away at it one word or phrase at a time.  I sang a lot.  How could you not? Then I had a quilt top!   I love it.  I backed it with a vintage sheet with faded yellow daisies.  It is just the right back.

I had quite a debate about which spelling of "grey" to use.  As a Canadian, we tend to use "grey" but the original lyrics of the song use "gray".  So I did too.

The quilting was a bit of a puzzle.  I ended up quilting the sashing in straight horizontal quilting, about an inch apart in Aurifil 50 wt in white.  I waited to do the rest until I opened my Christmas book wish, Angela Walter's book on free motion quilting.  I used the u-turn quilting leading up to words and between words.  The quilting is quite dense in these u-turns and adds a great texture to the quilt.  I will say that the u-turns are not perfect but I really like the look.

I am delighted to see this quilt finished.  I made it for my husband and it brings with it sunshine, love and song.  Proverbial Sunshine.  A finished quilt.  It feels good.  And a perfect finish for the end of the year.

 Linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday!

Taking care of business...

I am annihilating my works in progress.  It feels good!  Proverbial Sunshine is quilted, threads sewn in, binding attached and is waiting for hand stitching to finish it all off.  Eep!  How much fun is that!?

We had time to poke out to Chilliwack this morning for Hamel's Boxing Day sale.  We were there before they even opened and they invited me in early.  Nice!  Their regular prices for fabrics are great and then they had an extra 25% off.  Even their Kona cottons.  I also got some Happy Mochi Yum Yum for $4.99 a metre!  Score!  And I found a scrap bag that was pretty awesome.  I used up all of my Stof Pure Style in the white on grey so I scooped some more.  I love that fabric.  It has a really nice weight to it and I love the print.

Have a look...

Stof Pure Style, Kona Charcoal, Kona Ruby

Happy Mochi Yum Yum

Fabulous Scrap Bag!

Quilting Christmas...

It is a known fact that I have a quilting addiction.  Daughter tucked a charm pack in my Christmas goodies.  Sweet!  Husband listened to my Christmas book wish!  I so wanted this book!  I have held off quilting Proverbial Sunshine in hopes of inspiration from this book.  It is fabulous.  Just have to say that.  If you don't have it already, I think it is one of those "must have books" like Elizabeth Hartman's Practical guide to Patchwork.

Then my next quilting wish was for a new cutting mat.  Yippee!  Mum came to the rescue with a lovely new cutting mat to replace my worn out scratched and rutted cutting mat.  It is so perfectly smooth that I am loathe to use it.  Thanks, Mum!

It was also lovely having these four in one place and close enough to hug.  It was an iPad kind of a Christmas  and that just means that I get to sew some more iPad cozies!

From the left... Son's lovely Girlfriend, Son, Daughter and Daughter's Special Someone
and Husband in the background cooking up a storm

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas to all!

Making...

A little while ago I won a pattern over at Felicity's blog.  It was for a great tote bag designed by Nikki from the Girl Who Quilts. I knew it was going to be just the thing for the Travel Handmade swap with the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.  I pulled some fabrics today.  Chopped it all up and actually even started sewing.  It was fun to be working away while chitter chatting with my Mummy.

I also spent some time doing some free motion stippling on a project for my Mum.  She has this idea to make a quilted vest but didn't have any quilted fabric.  Enter me.  Of course it wasn't quilting cotton I was quilting but a rayon blend.  Let's just say I was happy when it was over.  I am sure it will look lovely when it is all finished.

Happy Christmas Eve Eve Eve!  Oh and daughter cheated at Scrabble.  Just saying.

A big finish!

A big finish!!!  This is the biggest quilt I have made to date.  I used the Garden Trellis pattern from Faith at Fresh Lemons and added a bunch of extra blocks to bring it up to the size needed.  I quilted it with tons of straight lines in my favourite Aurifil 50 wt in white and it was a beast to quilt!!!!  Luckily the sun was out just a little bit and the rain and snow stayed away so I could take pictures!!!

I used a sheet for the back with a bit of the leftovers in a pieced strip!  I am just so happy it is finished.  I have to wrap it up quick!  Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it up Friday.

Quilt Stats:

name:  Garden Trellis designed by Faith, Fresh Lemons

size:  90" x 92"

quilted by me in Aurifil 50 wt white

fabric: lots of different fabrics including some 

Joel Dewberry, Kona Ruby, Anna Marie Horner and Sandi Henderson

Random Thursday...

I have a wonderful job.  And sometimes when I come back to land at my desk, I find funny little notes left for me.  This was today's note.  I think I like it and I hope you do too.

On another thought, the family starts arriving tomorrow for  Christmas.  It will be so good to sleep in, laugh a lot.  Collect all the things that daughter will leave all over the house and place in a box.  Have a laugh at all her stories.  Meet son and his lovely girlfriend's two new kittens.  Sew with Mum.  Watch the kids with their special someones altogether. Nice.  I am really looking forward to two weeks of rest and recuperation!

Starting to get the Christmas stockings organized.  This is mine from childhood.  Mum made it for me so many years ago.  I think the trims were vintage when she made it and now they are really vintage!

Hope your days are filled with Christmas plans and unicorn blessings!  Linking up with Random Thursday over at Cindy's.

Work In Progress Wednesday...

So I was working on another one of these last evening.  It made for a nice little bit of evening stitching in front of the TV.

This one is a finished project but has not had a photo yet because it is so dark when I come home and because we have had a lot of snow!  At least at our elevation. Down the hill into the valley, there is pretty much nothing.

Other than that I have to list...
1) Another star quilt which is just a bunch of blocks on the design wall
2)  Proverbial Sunshine which is a top without a back
3)  A swap item for a travel handmade swap with the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild which is no more than an idea.
4) A block or two for a block lottery with my guild for January.

Hmmm.... not too bad.  Apparently my guild, the Fabulous Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild, will be doing a work in progress challenge.  Supposedly, we will have to pay for each item on our list and have a certain amount of time to complete them.  I think it sounds like fun.  Lucky me that I have few wips!!!!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work In Progress Wednesday and with the Needle and Thread Network.  

Modern Scrappy Bits Swap!

I have been watching the mail for my Modern Scrappy Bits Swap package and yesterday it arrived!!!!  I received a lovely bundle of goodies from Sam (UKmuminusa) who blogs at A Cup of Tea and a Slice of Cake.  The pouch is to die for and came complete with scraps, a wee Christmas ornament, and a wee needle book.  The needle book is just the right size for tucking into the pouch for on the go sewing projects.  I just love it.  I am most impressed with the eyelets too!

Thank you so much, Sam!  Swaps are such fun!

And here is the back!  Fabulous quilting!  Love the contrast!

Design Wall Monday!

Off the design bed, off the design floor and onto the design wall!  It is just so exciting to have an actual design wall.  I am still going to play around with the block layout and still have to think about sashing.  I like the pattern the blocks made without the sashing so I think I will just go without.  It is official.  I have decided from looking at this picture.  No sashing.   I placed all the blocks up on the wall and I realized that I was 2 short.  I was ticked.  How could I have miscounted?  I had wrapped my brain around how it wouldn't take too long to make 2 more blocks when I realized I had 2 more blocks on my little design wall.  Good grief.  I am loosing my mind.  4 more days until Christmas holidays.

Linking up with Judy's design wall Monday!

Binding...

Okay.  This has been a work out.  I told Husband to remind me not to make such a big quilt again.  I started quilting it yesterday and then spent a marathon quilting the rest of it today.  I had the really silly idea to quilt it closely with straight lines.  Let's just say they are straight-ish.  On such a big quilt, I found it tricky to manage the weight of the quilt and keep perfectly straight.  At one point, Husband sat at the end of the long harvest table and used a broomstick to guide the rolled up quilt back onto the centre of the table.  It was really quite funny.  Our own version of a long arm.  The long arm being a broom handle attached to a human.

Then it was time for binding.  Years ago, I can remember wondering where quilters got the lovely rolls of binding I would see photographed with quilts.  Silly me.  So naive.  Now I know.  You make the stuff and roll it up pretty and then take a picture of it.

Happy Sunday.

Busy thoughts

Quilting the beast.  The snow is falling and the tree is waiting for decorations.  While all seems right in our small piece of the world, I cannot help but dwell on the events of the past few days in Connecticut.  Unfathomable.  There are no words.

A finish and another gift made

I finished this table runner nice and quick.   The binding happened while watching tv the other evening.  It felt good to use up some of my French General hoard.  It is a funny thing that I have such a stack of French General fabrics and yet rarely use it.  I really do think that my fabric tastes have evolved since I first started stock piling it.  I still like it but I don't really see it in a quilt.  At least not for me.  It looks quite nice in a table runner though.

The fabulous thing about table runners is that you get to use up batting scraps!  I have a huge pile of potential table runners!  The other fabulous thing about table runners is how quickly they quilt up.   Love that!

I quilted this simply with some gorgeous Aurifil 40 wt.  It has a beautiful sheen to it and the heavier weight allows the quilting to really sparkle.

Oh!  I ordered some labels awhile ago!  They look quite official!

Linking up with Finish it up Friday at Amanda Jean's.  Off to quilt guild tonight.  So much fun!

Work in Progress Wednesday...

I have been busy.  I have this beast all put together, sashed, sandwiched and ready for quilting.  Eep!  It is a big one!  I used the Garden Trellis pattern from Fresh Lemons with extra blocks to make it bigger.  I think I am going to straight line quilt it but it will take a long time because it is BIG!!!!!!

No progress on either of my two other quilts in the works but I did finish the table runner I started on the weekend. Maybe I need to call the works in waiting rather than works in progress!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday and the Needle and Thread Network.

Squishy quilt mail!

I had a few surprises when I got home today!  Some squishy packages of quilty goodness.  Carol at Sew Sisters sent me a lovely package to say thanks for being one of the host bloggers during Blogathon Canada!  Sweet!  Including a t-shirt!!!!  My first ever quilting related t-shirt!  Thank you, Sew Sisters!

I also got a wee package of bits and bobs of the zippy pouch hardware variety.  I ordered this stuff on Etsy from Tantalizing Stitches after not being able to find stuff in shops without it costing ridiculous amounts of money.  The prices were just great at this Etsy shop and it did not take too long to arrive at my doorstep in the wilds of Canada!

A little crafty star

I run a girl's craft club once a week at lunch at school.  It is pretty popular.  I have about 30 girls who show up each week.  I have a bunch of craft supplies everywhere and the girls go for it.  Many of them have learned how to knit on those big spool knitting looms and are busy cranking out hats.  They are very proud to wear them around school.  I like to have a new thing to show them each week and they can decide to make it or do whatever with buttons or beads.

Today they could make a star ornament.  I found this idea on Pinterest but I cannot find it to link it here!  Eeek!  Basically I traced a star cookie cutter.  Then cut out a bunch of felt stars.  The stars are sandwiched around a bit of stuffing then stitched.  Armed with a small amount of fibrefill stuffing, a slip of ribbon, a bit of perle cotton, and a needle along with a button, they were good to go.  Many of them had never threaded a needle, taken a stitch or sewed on a button.  Life lessons!!!

They were busy, busy, busy all through the lunch hour.  I should have taken a picture of some of their stars.  Too funny!  A little lumpy, a little wonky but made with much enthusiasm and with great plans to make more next week!

On the design wall... really!

I am feeling great pressure to put the pedal to the metal.   Christmas is coming and I still have sewing to do!  Eep!  I finished a quilt top and a quilt back this weekend and have the quilt sandwiched and ready to quilt.  I also got this table runner underway for another gift.  I had all this French General fabric piled up and I have decided it has to get used.  I think it looks quite lovely as a table runner.  Most elegant in fact.

And I have graduated to a really big design wall.  Check out this picture.  No more design floor or bed.  Not for this quilter.  I have a HUMONGOUS design wall now with nothing to show but a wee table runner.

And if you are interested, I enjoyed having a virtual shop this morning after reading this article!

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!  Hope your Christmas sewing is going well!

Winner, winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered my giveaway!!!!  There were an amazing 631 comments and while I did not reply to them all, I did read every single one and I learned a lot about junk food!  I think that chocolate was a clear winner and lots of Chex mix!  Thank you to all my followers too for stopping in to visit!

So without anything further, the winner of the mama said Sew charm pack is....  #183

Heidi StaplesDecember 3, 2012 2:07 PM

My sister makes the most incredible chocolate peanut butter balls -- a treat for me since my husband is allergic to peanut butter, and I try not to indulge too often!

Random Thursday... or what I now know about quilters

First of all, I need to say that this is an image of a package of bugles.  When I admitted to my ridiculous affection for these incredibly junky snacks, many of you had no idea what I was talking about.   I just couldn't live without sharing this lovely image so you have a better idea about what a bugle is.  Delightfully salty, crunchy corn chip thing in the shape of a horn.  I have learned from many of you in the comments to my Sew Mama Sew giveaway that those of you who do know what bugles are, have memories of placing them on your fingers to make extra long and witchy finger nails.  I have also learned that some of you fill them with peanut butter and dip them in chocolate for extra junky fun.  Bugles.  Just so much fun.

Secondly, I have learned a tremendous amount about how much quilters love junk food with one simple request which was to please comment on your favourite holiday junk food.  Seriously, it makes me hungry to read all of those comments.  Wow!  But it has given me some really good ideas too!  Thank you everyone for commenting and entering...  the sew mama sew giveaway stays open until Friday at 5 pst.

Linking up with Cindy at Live a Colorful Life for Random Thursday.

Work In Progress Wednesday...and just three

I finished all the blocks I needed for the Another Star quilt.  I now have to trim them up and decide on a sashing and layout and all those fun things.  It seems as though I have been working on this forever.

Then I started this one and this is a biggie but I am not going to say anything more about it.  This is also a pattern from Fresh Lemons but it looks a little different because I haven't sashed the blocks yet.  I have a thing about blocks set on point lately.  Love that!

My giant design wall is up and in place so I can start throwing all these blocks up on to the wall instead of the floor!  I feel like a real grown up quilter with such a big design wall!!!!

My Proverbial Sunshine quilt is waiting patiently for its back.

I also am stewing about a Travel Swap that I signed up for where the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild members are swapping a travel related item with a Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild member.  I have an idea but that is it.

I also have a secret project on the go which is just so darned exciting that I can hardly stand it!!!!

So how did I do with my just three goals... I almost hate to look.  I have made a lot of stuff but I don't think I stuck to my list!

1.  Finish the Another Star quilt.    Well.  the blocks are done.

2.  Finish the Proverbial Sunshine quilt.  Well.  Nope.  

3.  Make a few pillows.  Maybe some Christmas ones?  Well.  YEP!!!!!

One of three.  Not bad!

Okay so for this month...

1.  Finish the new quilt

2.  Finish the another star quilt

3.  Make my swap item.  

Doable!

Linking up with Lee for Work In Progress Wednesday, Tracey for Just Three and the Needle and Thread Network.

And don't forget to enter my Sew Mama Sew giveaway!  

Just Saying...

I just wanted to say that I ordered a bit of fabric a few weeks ago from Julie at The Intrepid Thread.  I don't know how many of you know about Julie but I would think she is pretty well known for her online store.  I also want to say that I am not being sponsored by Julie or anything.  I am just a customer.  I have actually followed Julie since she was not the Intrepid Thread and before she opened her store but this was the first time I ordered from her.

The customer service was GREAT.  She was out of one of the fabrics I ordered and she sent me the nicest email about it and was very prompt with the back and forth.  I liked that.  Then the package arrived.  Look! It looked like a gift and she included a handwritten note!  WOW!  I liked that!

She included a few little bits of fabric too just for fun!  I liked that too!  Customer service is pretty important and I just wanted to share how delighted I was with the service.  So there.  Just saying.

and what did I order?  Some linen, some Madrona Road, some Sew Mama Sew text fabric and some Oh Deer.

And don't forget to enter my Sew Mama Sew giveaway!  

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!!!

Welcome, everyone!  It is Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!  I have a charm pack of mama said Sew by Sweetwater for Moda to giveaway.  I thought it was a perfect choice for the Sew Mama Sew giveaway because of the built in pun.

How to enter?
1)  How about you leave a comment telling me your favourite holiday junk food?

I am a huge fan of Bugles and I went into shock for a year or two when they stopped making them.  Now they are back in stores and I already have a stock pile for the Christmas season!  They are fabulously junky!

2)  Followers get an extra chance by leaving a separate comment!  New followers are always welcome!!!

 I will ship internationally and I will pick a random winner at 5 pm PST, December 7, 2012!  Good luck and have fun visiting all the other giveaways!!!!

The giveaway is now closed!  Thank You!

So without anything further, the winner of the mama said Sew charm pack is....  #183

Heidi StaplesDecember 3, 2012 2:07 PM

My sister makes the most incredible chocolate peanut butter balls -- a treat for me since my husband is allergic to peanut butter, and I try not to indulge too often!

Design Wall...

I finally made the last two another star blocks.  Good grief!  I have been seriously procrastinating on this one.  Too many other things got in the way!  I have not yet decided on sashing or no sashing. I will stew on that.

I also got a huge start on a huge project but all you get is a pile of sweepings.  Lots of block trimming going on!
Don"t forget to stop by because it is Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day!!!!!!  So exciting!

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!