Random Thursday

Well.  I have been messing with more zippers.  What do you think of this little pouch?  Too bad I didn't take a picture of it open because there are some really cute pink polka dots inside.  This is a free tutorial over at Dog Under My Desk.    She has awesome patterns, tutorials and is full of zipper knowledge.  I just noticed that I should, perhaps, have put the little tab with the ring on the other side of the zipper.  Maybe?  Does it matter functionally?  I wonder.  Erin never uses a zipper foot.  I love that.  My zipper foot and I are not good friends.  I am better friends with regular feet.  FYI.

I have not found good vintage sheets for awhile. I haven't been searching really but I didn't find any even if I was or wasn't searching.  Until the other day.  I found these beauties.  Both in great shape.  I think the top one with the California poppies is particularly lovely and will make a great quilt back.

And then there is this pin cushion!  I won this at the sew in.  Cute!!!  Amy made it.  Yay!  And if you are in the lower mainland of BC... Amy did a great quilt shop review on her blog the other day.

Random stuff.  So that means I am linking up with Cindy at Live a Colorful Life for Random Thursday!

WIP Wednesday on a Tuesday in the rain

1)  Yippee!  42 blocks.  6 by 7 layout.  1512 little squares.  Now it just needs some sewing together.  I feel very good about the progress on this baby!

2)  Triple Zip Along!  Test pouch done.  Official pouch done and blogged.  These are fun, people.  And there is still time to join in the fun.  

3)  And I started something new.  Husband asked what the heck I was up to.  He calls this making sawdust when he sees me chopping fabric up into bits.  I have been in love with this quilt for a long time and now I am making one of my own. I chopped up a lot of solids.  EEK!  Just solids!  That is a first for me!

4)  Pillow top for the guild challenge with the Sari silks.  Yep.  Done!  I finished that on the weekend.  Still need some pictures of that!

And somebody took a picture of all this progress!  Not too messy!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and the Needle and Thread Network too!

Triple Zip... it worked!

My triple zip pouch worked quite nicely!  Much better than the first one I made.  This time I only finger pressed and avoided issues with irons and zippers.  I found that the trick to getting the top zipper tabs nice is to pinch the tab in half when sewing the side seams.  I think I will try making another one and take a picture of that step.  I also do not use a zipper foot.  I stop and start moving the zipper pull out of the way as needed.  I am much happier without a zipper foot.

So much fun!

Half a can of tomato paste...

I used to have a cookbook called Half A Can of Tomato Paste and Other Culinary Dilemmas.  The whole point of the book was to help you use up the bits and pieces you have left over when you make dinner.  I am churning out Scrappy Trip Along blocks and even though I am supposed to be using up stuff to make the blocks, I am creating a bunch of scraps in the process.  You know, like the half a can of tomato paste dilemma.  So what did I do with some of the bits?  Tried my hand at paper piecing.

 I got a little worried because next month's bee block for the That Stash Bee is going to paper pieced and I have not done that much paper piecing.  EEP!  I like to be prepared so I found this block.    I put it together a little differently because I wanted to see the star straight away.  It went faster as I went along.  I used my stitch ripper a lot.  A lot.  Seriously. But... not bad.  Not perfect but not bad!  Do I want to make a whole quilt like this?  No!  Maybe...

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday.  What's on your design wall?

Triple Zip-Along....

I had been waffling about the fabrics for the triple zip pouch for the triple zip along.  Today, I made a decision.  Maybe it is because Valentine's is just around the corner.  Who knows?    \I made a trial version of the triple zip pouch last weekend.  Just to see.  It was okay except for the top zip which was a bit wonky. The zipper tabs were messed up too.  But.  I learned a lot and I know exactly what to do to avoid the issues that happened first time around.  This time, I am going to avoid the iron.  Just finger press.  I'll let you know how that goes.  The fun starts on Monday.

Support Your Local Quilt shop Day!

Today is support your local quilt shop day.  I did just that.  This is me parking in a no parking spot just so I could support my local quilt shop.  And then I took a picture with my cell phone.  Too bad the sign that is on the door didn't show up.  It says the one with the most fabric when you die wins.  Gotta love that!  Then I toodled around inside chatting with the ladies about Singer Featherweights which happens to be on my wish list.  Then I toodled over to the solids and picked up a few things.  Kona Cherise and Coal.  I picked up a remnant of Kona Emerald and one of Navy too.  I toodled over the the Aurifil display and picked out some thread.  They have the BEST prices for Aurifil.  The BEST!  I noticed they had one of those cutting mat cleaner gizmos that I have heard work super well so I picked up one of those too.  Then I came home.  I love that the Bent Needle is right here in town.  I love that the ladies are just so darned nice.  So if you happen to be out in the valley, and you need a little quilt shop fix, check out the Bent Needle.  Worth the drive even if just for the Aurifil!


The Bent Needle, Railway Ave, Mission, BC Canada

WIP Wednesday

1)  Lots of scrappy strip sets and the block count is up to 20.  If you have not yet fallen for the scrappy trip along craze, join in! This block is fun!  I think I am going to aim for about 42 blocks.
2) Pillow top with lots of hand quilting.  No progress.  At all.  Sigh.
3)  Triple zip along pouch... I actually made a test pouch on Sunday afternoon.  It was a good run but my top zip was not good.  I think I know what went wrong.  More to follow.
4)  Signed up for the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap Round Three!  I think there might still be room in the swap... check it out!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and the Needle and Thread Network!

FVMQG and VMQG Travel Swap

Back a month or so ago, I signed up for a swap with our sister guild in Vancouver.  It was to be a travel swap because some of the guild members will be going off to QuiltCon.  (so jealous!)  The idea was to make a travel related item that would take you about 6 to 8 hours of sewing.  I made Kalin a tote bag and stuffed in some extra goodies.  And Kalin made me this awesome sewing kit.  Oh man!  I am a lucky lady.  Just have a look at it all!

 When you open it all up there is a nifty little pouch right in the centre.  A place for scissors.  Little tricky pockets.  Needle/pin place.  Oh, and a needle book.  Wonderful fabric goodies!  Typewriter fabric!  That is Julia Rothman's fabric from Windham called Type!  Swoon!    And a place to put thread.  I love the fabric she made it out of.  Love the text fabric.  Love the colours.  It is a love fest all round!  Thank you so much Kalin!!!

Design Wall on a Monday

 Well.  Scrappy Trip Along progress.   Twenty blocks and growing.  I still have not decided how big this is going to be but I do like it.  Last week, I took a picture and said that I was making sure that every block had a yellow diagonal.  I looked at the blocks on the wall this morning after a week of not staring at them, to see that I had messed up on 4 of the blocks.  Ack!  A little unpicking and all the blocks had a yellow diagonal.  Silly me.

I sewed a bunch of the strip sets together at the sew in and managed to sew a few blocks together but really, at a sew in, it is more about the people than the sewing.  At least I think so.  I have to say that there were a lot of us making these at the sew in.  And we each brought strips, mixed them up, made a block and then had a draw for the blocks.  Fun!  Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday

Sew in random scrappy trip along blocks.  

Sunday Stash...

Yesterday I drove out the driveway and off to a sew in with the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.  It was so much fun!  But more on that later.  I digress.  This is supposed to be about fabric.  At the end of the day, some of the quilting buds were talking about a fabric store not too far away and that maybe a little shopping was in order.  Off we went.  Through thick fog.  Negotiated terrible traffic because there was an accident tying everything up.  We were not to be deterred from the intended destination.  A mom and pop fabric shop that sells all manner of fabrics.  Mostly garment fabrics and upholstery stuff but they did have quilting cottons.  I think they must get remaindered bolts or something.  And great prices.  Seriously.  For some reason, my picks were mostly about green.  Do you see the one that looks like graph paper?  Love that.  Oh.  I got this map stuff too.  But don't try to follow the map because it might just be something like the map app from Apple.  Just saying.  Thanks Amy for your great directions.  I did not get lost. Even in the fog.

Happiness is...

Happiness is definitely a giant new cone of Aurifil.  This is the one that is 5900 metres.  That is a lot of thread and that makes me very happy.  Our wonderful little fabric shop orders it in for me.  They have a great selection of Aurifil at a VERY good price.  The Bent Needle.  In Mission.  If you live anywhere in the Fraser Valley, The Bent Needle is worth a visit.

The other thing that is making me happy is that tomorrow I pack up the sewing machine and head off for a sew in with my guild and the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.  How much fun is that???  I wonder how much sewing will happen?  I am going to take my scrappy trip around the world blocks.

I am going to link my happy thoughts up with Felicity for Friday Felicities!  If you have any felicities to share, hop on over!  Pssst... she has a great giveaway today!

Finished!

I finished this on the weekend!  I really like it!!! This is a block that is in Camille Roskelley's book Simplify.  It is such a wonderfully simple block but you put it altogether and it looks so much more complicated!  This quilt is destined for a birthday gift for someone in March but that person might just get it earlier so they can start snuggling under it while watching movies or super junky TV.  This is a couch quilt.  Made in the right colours to go with the right living room decor.  So there you have it.  Can you see that I used some Madrona Road text fabric?  I thought that might be fun to look at if the TV show gets boring or the movie gets too scary.

I had a little fun with the borders.  I used the dark red print (from the guild de-stash) but didn't have quite enough so I used some Kona coal to finish it up.  I quilted this one with Aurifil 50 wt in grey... 2605 to be exact.  I quilted vertical straight lines except at the top where I did horizontal lines.  Just for interest.  And the binding... black and white stripes!  Perfect!!!!!

 Quilt stats

Name:  Black, Grey and Red

Design:  Block pattern from Camille Roskelley's book Simplify

Size:  68" by 68"

Fabric:  Madrona Road, Kona Ruby and Coal, Stof Pure Style and some fabrics from the stash

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt (2605) in grey

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday!

WIP Wednesday!!!

1)  This quilt is all done!  Yep!  The red, grey and black quilt is now a finish.  This is just a sneak peek.  Just a wee tease!

2)  Bee blocks.  done. Signature block.  done.  Mailed!  Done!

3) Scrappy Trip Around the World.  Strips cut.  Blocks stand at 7.  I like it.  A lot!

4) Triple Zip pouch for the Triple Zip Along with Debbie from a Quilter'sTable is at gathering supplies stage. 

5) Started a cushion cover with a lot of hand quilting. 

That's all.  Everything else is done.  Imagine that!?  Only one quilt on the go.  

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

hmmm

At the last guild meeting, I came home with this.  Cathy from The Steam Trunk Craftworks gave anyone that wanted some of this stuff.  She had some other interesting fibres too but I brought home this.  It is sari threads.  Fabulously silky.  The challenge is to do something with it and then a photo will be displayed in a big inspiration board at  Creative Stitches in March in Abbotsford  at the Steam Trunk booth.  Well.  Check out her website because she has very cool stuff.  But what to make.  I have 5 yards of it.  I have a few ideas so I have started out small.

And this will be incorporated into a pillow and it looks pretty rough right now.  Hopefully it will all come together.  Cross your fingers.  I am!

Triple zip along...

So Deb over at A Quilter's Table came up with a really clever tutorial for a zipper pouch she found with 3 zippers!  But don't be frightened away because Deb is hosting a triple zip along  on Flickr and you can hop on board.  Deb will walk us through the steps and offer helpful hints.  There are prizes too!  So much fun!  Deb has already posted the supplies list so that you can be already to go.  When I was over at Fabricland on the weekend, I stocked up on zippers at 50% off.  I haven't decided on my fabric yet for the triple zip pouch so I had fun picking out lots of zippy choices!

Trippin'

I have been tripping along.  First of all, I really appreciated the advice that Katie posted in the Flickr group.  Katie mentioned sticking to a loose colour scheme to control the scrappy and get a cohesive look overall.  I discarded my test blocks of last weekend as I felt they were... blah!  I was using "icky-ish" fabric just to see if I was having fun.  I was having fun.    I have no idea how many blocks I will make but will figure that out as I go along.

Today, I cut a bunch of strips and got busy.  I have decided to do the blocks in groups of four and to have a common coloured diagonal in each grouping.  You can see that I have a group with a green diagonal and then I started  yellow diagonal group.  I am really liking the happiness of the blocks.  It makes me think of spring coming.  Hey, I  will try anything to think of spring.  We are in a cold snap!

Linking up with Judy's design wall Monday!!!!

Start the Car!!!

I ran out of the fabric store this morning, clutching a bag.  I told Husband to "start the car!"  Just like in that Ikea ad.  Lately when Fabricland has sales on notions, they limit the sale to notions under $12.98.  Boo, hiss!  Of course that means you cannot buy basting spray.   Not today, people!!!!  50% off for members on any notion!!!!!  I bought 2 cans.  Yippee!  I think the sale is on tomorrow too.  Get it while you can!

I have another reason to yell, start the car!  At our fabulous guild meeting on Thursday evening, I won this fabulous door prize!  Yep, isn't it just so cute??? Made by the fabulous Cynthia.  And now it is mine.  Happy weekend!

A finish! And a sunny day...

Quilt stats

Name:  Another Star

Design:  Block pattern from Fresh Lemons and the quilt layout is mine

Size:  69" by 69"

Fabric:  Kaffe Fasset, Martha Negley, Kona Cerise and some fabrics from the stash

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white

Another Star is a wrap!  I finished hand stitching the binding on the weekend but the rain has been coming down in droves... until today!  I was able to get a photo when I came home before the sun went down too far. You can see we had a wee skiff of snow today.

So this quilt has been in the works for several months but kept getting put aside while I worked on other things.  I won a bundle of Kaffe Fasset bits and pieces along with some Martha Negley prints at the guild "sew in" in September.  I used those along with some others from my stash.  I love the way the stars work together to create another pattern in the negative space.  I used the another star block pattern from Faith at Fresh Lemons and then placed the blocks on point and added in the setting triangles to finish it off.

I quilted the blocks on the straight lines but felt I needed to do something else.  I quilted each corner with lots of straight lines and in the centre of each star, I did a funky squared off stipple.

The back is kind of wild and crazy.  I got the crazy floral at the guild de-stash.  I cannot remember what it is.  Giant flowers.  Then I added some solids.  It is funny that the sun was just on the floral print when I took the picture.

So there it is.  My first finish of the new year.  Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday!

Work in Progress Wednesday...

I finished this one!  It is off the list.  It has been raining way too much for me to get a picture.  I am hoping that we have clearer skies tomorrow and I can get some quick pictures after work.  At least that is the plan!

So where am I on the work in progress list.  

1)  A new quilt (grey, red and black) that I just started and is now a quilt sandwich waiting for quilting.  The biniding is made too.  Woo Hoo!  Yep, I found some black and white striped fabric for bindings!!!!  Happy dance!

2) Another star quilt which was just a bunch of blocks on the design wall is now finished.  Off the list!  And a sneak peek picture up on top!

3)  Yep.  Started the scrappy trip around..  Drank the Kool Aid.  Succumbed.  Resistance is futile.  

4)  Bee blocks.  done.  mailing tomorrow!  Yippee!

5) Joining the Triple Zip Along with Debbie from a Quilter'sTable.  Yes, I will do it!  3 zippers in one pouch!!!  So that is now a work in progress even though I have not started it yet!!!

That's all.  Everything else is done.  Imagine that!  My guild has a challenge to finish works in progress.  I am supposed to bring a list and pay $2 for each wip.  I won't have much to pay but then I won't have many chances in the big finale of super cool prizes.  Maybe I should start a whole bunch of quilts tonight!?  Silly me!

Linking up with Work In Progress Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced.