Ready for binding

Since I am a weekend quilter, my Lucky Stars quilt sat on the floor all week waiting for me.  I put all the blocks together last weekend, spray basted it and then walked away.  My husband said to me yesterday, you might want to get your quilt off the floor before all the company comes next week.  Yep.  Company coming because we are 6 days and counting until our son's wedding.  Woo hoo!

So yesterday I had a bit of a quilting marathon and it is done.  This morning the binding choices were auditioned and picked.  Binding made and attached and all that is left is the hand stitching it down.  I am SOOOOO glad this one is so close to being finished.  Hopefully, I will have a chance to take a photo of it this week but there is a lot of wedding happening and we couldn't be more delighted.

Doe and some Kona

I took full advantage of Sew Sisters free shipping sale and ordered some Konas and some selections from Carolyn Friedlander's new collection for Robert Kaufman, Doe.  Now I am not sure how they managed it but super high fives to Carol and Judy at Sew Sisters because they got Doe before anybody else.  I am not even sure if the yardage is available yet even in American shops.  Seriously.  And it is just so awesome.  Clean and uncluttered as is Carolyn Friedlander's style, Doe is another winner for Robert Kaufman.  Sew Sisters also has some Architextures and Botanics.  The prices are fabulous.  I am a huge Carolyn Friedlander fan.  Can you tell?

Look at that light blue print on top.  Love it.  It is called blue sky ovals. And I picked up a few more cool Konas in greens and blues.  They will find their way into the Illusions quilt for sure.  Sew Sisters has a massive Kona selection.  The best.  Happy shopping!

Triple Zipping

 I made this set last weekend when I was a little bit tired of making Illusion blocks.  I have made many triple zip pouches thanks to Deb's tutorial.  I was able to put this one together pretty quickly and without any gnashing of teeth or stitch ripper drama.  I also made a wee needle book using my favourite tutorial from Nana and Company.  And I used my buddy Cynthia's fabric for Robert Kaufman, Sewing Studio.  This was a lot of fun.  Check out the sewing machines!!!!!  Anyway, I digress.  This is actually for next Christmas.  I am a little ahead of the game.  Mum will use this as a her gift in her weaving guild's gift exchange.  I made her a set for this last Christmas as well.  I do have fun making the needlebooks pretty!

And while you are stopping by, have a look at what Cynthia is up to... she is making excellent progress on her Aviatrix quilt and I have not even started!

Robert Kaufman Challenge: String Theory

   Name:  String Theory

Design: Mine

Traditional Block Inspiration:  String blocks and Pinwheel

Size:  25" by 34"

Fabric: Kona solids including Kona white, Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures 

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white 

My guild, the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild always plays a role in the March Creative Stitches Show in Abbotsford.  This year, Robert Kaufman fabrics sponsored our Modern Mini Challenge.  We were given a lovely bundle of Kona solids along with some prints from Carolyn Friedlander's Architextures line and we were asked to modern up a traditional block.

Well.  It is a little bit funny that my original idea morphed into something quite different but I really like it.  I started with a simple string block and thought that it was a bit too ordinary so I chopped those up into four pieces.  I reassembled the pieces of string blocks into half square triangles and then reassembled those into pinwheels. What do you think?  I set them on point.  I like blocks on point.

Quilted densely on the diagonal with matchstick quilting in Aurifil 50wt in white and finished with a scrappy binding.  All done.  Pretty cool.  String theory.

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it up Friday.

Q1 Finish Along and what is on the design wall...

I started something new last weekend.  I know it was a reaction to the complicated paper pieced Lucky Stars Block of the Month quilt.  Lucky Stars was on hold until the setting triangle fabric arrived so I got busy with a stack of cool coloured solids and a pattern from the Missouri Star Quilt Company.    It is a free tutorial on YouTube called the Illusion block.  What do you think?  Pretty snazzy the way the blocks float, isn't it?  I also realized how many solids I have.  I ran out of room for all the blocks so I just kept going encircling Lucky Stars.  After the extremely complicted paper piecing, some mindless chain piecing was the ticket.  And the solids?  Almost all are Kona, with Kona Medium Gray and Kona White.  Stay tuned, it is going to be awesome and the Lucky Stars aren't too shabby either!

And that brings me to the whole finish-along.  This is the first time I have linked up.  This year it is hosted by Adrianne who blogs On the Windy Side.  I tend to have only one thing on the go at a time but would you look at this?  Two quilts on the design wall.  This is doable for the quarter 1 finish-along.

Here is my list... so straightforward.

1.  Finish Lucky Stars... No brainer.  The fabric for the setting triangles arrived today so I have no excuses.
2.  Illusions.  Another straightforward potential finish.  I can do it.



and linking up with Judy for Design Wall Monday.

De-Stash is the best!

Every January, The Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild holds a de-stash event.  It is so much fun.  I got rid of a ton stuff but controlled the urge to bring home bags and bags of other people's scraps.  Other people's scraps just seem so much more interesting.  Anyway, the guild members did not disappoint.  There was so much stuff we pretty much filled a room.  I did find some scraps.  I think Cynthia may have brought some of them.  They were already organized by colour.  Total bonus.  Then I found some other goodies.  

I was very controlled.  There was so much stuff left but the members pitched in and lots of volunteers carted stuff off to various thrift stores and charities.  Other people's junk is someone else's treasure for sure!

Scrappy Pouch

While making all the blocks for the paper pieced quilt from the Lucky Stars BOM, I kept all the scraps in one place.  So I have all these coordinated to the quilt scraps.  How fun is that?  I made a pouch the other day with some of them. And let me tell you, I still have a big ziploc bag of scraps.  More pouches in my future!  Quilted with some lovely light gray Aurifil 50 wt.  Just a little bit of fun for a Scraptastic Tuesday.

Sew Sisters is offering free shipping!

If I can make an Ikea reference... start the car!  Sew Sisters has a free shipping in Canada sale starting on the 9th!  Oh my goodness, that is exciting.  This is your opportunity to stock up on all those wonderful Kona cottons, Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander is on sale and Sew Sisters also has Doe by Carolyn Friedlander!  Which is not even available in most places.  Seriously.  Get your list ready!

On the design wall...

I have been working away for the past two years on the Lucky Stars BOM from Don't Call Me Betsy.  I finished the last block yesterday and I have to say that it felt good.  Good because it was done. Good because I am really over paper piecing.  (At least for awhile!)  Good because I was getting tired of seeing it on the design wall.  Just good.  Especially good since the second to last block, which I completed on Friday was a dilly.  I think it was a combination of problems with the cutting directions and not having made a block for awhile.  Paper piecing requires a certain brain set that needs constant refreshing.  At least for me.  Anyway.  Here it is.  It tried just a square layout but I am drawn to the on point layout.  I have been driving my husband crazy with setting triangle options.  I think I have settled on a fabric but I don't have enough so an order is on the way.  And it is a green by the way.  I will show you when it gets here.  And I will spend the next while moving the blocks around until I am happy with the layout. I have already moved a few since this picture was taken!

And back to work tomorrow after the Christmas break.  A new year.  New challenges and even a wedding in our family at the end of the month... our son and his lovely fiancee.  Delightful!

Leaving you with a picture of one of our overwintering hummingbirds today.  Taken while the snow is falling but our wee birdie just keeps on going.

I made a few quilts this year...

1. Plaid Baby, 2. Autumn Gemstones, 3. 12 Trees, 4. Baby Blue 2, 5. Scrappy Crossroads, 6. Darlene, 7. St. Louis 16 Patch on the barn, 8. Michael Miller MQG Challenge:  Nested Curves 1, 9. Rabbits oh my!, 10. pinkness and mint, 11. It's a puzzle, 12. Whole Lotta Spring Straight on, 13. Metallic Prism, 14. This Way and That straight on, 15. Geometric Slide, 16. Pink Lemonade Straight On, 17. Vintage Pinkness, 18. Puzzle in the wind, 19. St. Louis 16 Patch Picnic, 20. 12 Trees