I think I see a whale

    Name:  I think I see a whale

Design:  Plus 4" squares

Size:  48" by 48"

Fabric: Kona Silver, lovely wee whale print from Sew Sisters, Navy crosshatch, Doe by Carolyn Freildlander 

for Robert Kaufman, Kiss Dots in Fog by Michael Miller and stash fabrics

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in grey in cross hatch

Binding:   Navy crosshatch, Doe by Carolyn Freildlander 

for Robert Kaufman

I finished this baby quilt last weekend.  It is for our son and daughter in law's friend's baby boy who has not yet made an appearance.  The design specs included navy, grey and whales.  What did they get?  Navy, grey and whales!  But I did throw in some sky blue sketch.  I just had to.  I think it makes everything pop.  

Anyway.  Did I mention there was also a possible request to make the quilt square?  So Square it is.  I hummed and hawed about this quilt for a long long time.  I had the fabric sitting on my table most of the summer.  I knew the baby was not due until late September so I had time but I think I struggled to come up with a way to make it all work.  Then I tried the sky blue along with the grey and navy and I relaxed and went for it.  The whale fabric was really tricky to find.  There are whale prints out there but often the whales are big and primary colours abound.  The whale print I used is from Sew Sisters and is just perfect.  I quilted this one is lovely light grey Aurifil 50wt in a cross hatch.  The binding is a navy cross hatch from Carolyn Friedlander's Doe line.  

The back was a lot of fun too!  Have a look!  Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday.  

A finish... Offset in Emily Colours

    Name:  Offset in Emily Colours

Design:  Offest by Springleaf Studios

Size:  60" by 80"

Fabric: Stash fabrics and scraps

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white in close straight lines

So I started this when my holidays started this summer and in-between a few trips and various berry picking and farm obligations, I finished it before our quilt guild meeting last week.  Just under the wire in fact as I sewed on the binding that morning.  I was dreading sewing the binding as it was so stinking hot.  I ended up using my big sewing table and resting the quilt on it, rather than my lap.  It worked out quite well.  I did not make this quilt with any particular need or idea in mind but as it came together, I realized that I had made it with the colours our daughter has in her living room.  I guess I know where this will end up eventually.  The pattern is a new one that I think was just released in June by Anne and her company Springleaf Studios.  It is a fabulous pattern with tons of options for layouts.  It works well for a scrappy project or for a more defined look. I went scrappy and used an assortment of whites and low volume fabrics for the background and lots of bits and pieces of grey, dark yellow and turquoise.  I managed to use up quite a pile of white scraps that I had cut out for a quilt last year only to find out that I should have checked the pattern corrections online before starting.  Who knew?  Anyway, those whites worked perfectly for this quilt.

Quilted in close straight lines with my favourite Aurifil 50 wt in white, I burned through a lot of thread, let me tell ya!  I just love the texture quilting gives a quilt.  You have the whole thing pieced and done, and it looks good but flat.  And the quilting happens and brings the life to the whole thing.  Wonderful.  And there it is.  Hanging on the barn wall on a hot breezy afternoon in August.  Dragging on the ground a bit because this one is a long one!  Linking Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday!

Organizing solids... it needed to be done.

I have been on a bit of a drawer tidying bender this summer.  From Husband's t-shirts to the kitchen junk drawer, I have tidied it.  It has been awesome and left me feeling virtuous beyond all measure.  Then I read a post by Very Kerry Berry where she talked about her organization and inventory of her solids stash.  Oh my goodness.  I got right on that.  I organized, folded, identified and inventoried the whole mess.  What this told me is that I really like buying certain colours.  Kona Crocus and Kona Ash for one thing.  I have several lengths of Kona Bahama Blue and Kona Ruby was another one that I seem to like buying.  Good grief.  I also realized how close some of the colours are as I tried to identify Kona Silver and Shadow.  Seriously.  So where did this leave me?  I am right out of Kona Berry (a favourite). I couldn't find Kona Curry which I was sure I had until I realized I had pulled it for something.  Crisis averted.  I think that now that I have a list with the colours and quantities on the computer, I will be much smarter about what I think I need.  I feel so much better now.   I did organize and inventory my non-Kona solids as well.  And I keep the whites and almost whites in another location just in case you wondered.

And if you are still with me, Sew Sisters has Tula Pink's extra wide backing fabric in stock.  It is apparently gorgeous.  Check it out.  And I will be placing a Sew Sisters order shortly to take care of my Kona Berry problem.

On the design wall...

I started this the other day when I was sewing with Cynthia and Bea.  And it is growing like a bad weed on the design wall.  It started life as a way to use up a bunch of purple scraps and it has morphed from there.

Sort of like this... the mutant volunteer squash plant that has overtaken the compost bins.  Linking up with Leanne for Scraptastic Tuesday!

How about a REALLY cute potholder?

I was playing the other day with some awesomely wonderful new fabric from my super talented buddy Cynthia Frenette.  The line is called "Let's Eat" for Robert Kaufman.  Cynthia gave me some of her advance yardage to have some fun with.  The line should be arriving in stores soon and the cherries with the little dots are just the bees knees.  So I made a potholder using NanaCompany tutorial.  So darn cute!  Linking up with Amanda Jean for finish it up Friday!  And I finally got going on Instagram.  Seriously, what took me so long?  Anyway, I put a little button up on the sidebar so you can find me @cathyeric.  Have a super day!

Working away on Offset

iPad photo.  Not the best quality that is for sure.  But this is what I am working on.  The pattern is called Offset and it is a new pattern by SpringLeaf Studios.    Once I decided on the fabrics, it came together fast!  Used up a lot of grey, yellow, aqua scrappy strips too!

I am off to sew with Cynthia today and her visiting friend Bea.  I was a bit concerned when I woke up to a major power outage that affected the Eastern Fraser Valley.  Seriously people, I have a sewing day planned!  Husband made me toast and coffee on the BBQ.   Awesome!  And as I am now blogging, yes, the power has been restored.  Have a super day!