Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!  It is absolutely glorious on the west coast.  The sun is shining and it is shorts and t-shirt weather for sure.  It is 23 degrees C.  That is 73 F people!  So lovely.

I did some sewing.  I am working away on the Crafty Cooks Apron and Recipe swap and this is a sneak peek of what I have so far for my partner.  Pretty snazzy apron!  Have super lovely rest of your day!

Miss Maggie Bunny

So here is my Miss Maggie Bunny.  I purchased the kit from Alicia at Posy Gets Cosy and she is sold out but making more kits as we speak.  Now that I have the pattern, I will just pick up some more wool felt and crank out some more bunnies because this was a lot of fun to make.  You may have noticed that Miss Maggie is sporting a lovely wee capelet knit by yours truly and yes, a Liberty Tana Lawn dress.  The print is called Thorpe.  Just so you know.  Only the finest for Miss Maggie.  Just in time for Easter.

Of course Miss Maggie does like to read.

This gives you a nice view of her wee laced up boots.  Cute!

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Friday and Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story.  Have a wonderful Easter!

Works in Progress...

1)  So this is Maggie Bunny from the back.  I used a Korean Chopstick to stuff her skinny arms and legs.  It worked really, really well.  The chopstick pictured has a spoon on the end of it for decorative purposes but the one that worked even better had a little fork on the end.  I have now absconded with these chopsticks for future bunny or toy stuffing because I also just bought this book!!!!  And it is filled with awesome fun things to make.

Other than bunny making... lots of paper piecing.  2)  The Lucky Stars BOM from Don't Call Me Betsy

3)  And Road to Fortune blocks which now equal 6 not the lowly five pictured below.

4)  Then I have an apron make for the Crafty Cooks apron swap... Haven't picked the fabric for sure yet but I think I know what I am doing.

5) And what about the Make it Modern Challenge for the Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild.  I have to take a traditional block and modern it up into a 16" pillow cover that will be displayed at the Ridge Meadows Quilt Show in May. I better do that this weekend.

6)  Madrona Road challenge is still a pile of fabric.  Yoiks.

But here is the great news... I actually finished two quilts last week!  Yay!!!!

Linking up with Work in Progress Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced and The Needle and Thread Network for Canadian bloggers!

Design Wall Monday...

I have been working away on these paper pieced blocks that are part of the Lucky Stars Block of the Month from Elizabeth who blogs at Don't Call Me Betsy.  I decided to do these in mid February so I was a little late to the party but I knew that I would have time on spring break to try them out.  The patterns for the blocks, including the test pattern (a bonus) are super detailed and in 2 sizes.  I am making the big ones (12.5") but the little ones are really sweet.  Now that I am all caught up, I can take my time with the rest!  I have really just started experimenting with paper piecing and I love the look of the blocks but I do find there is a lot of fabric that I just cut off.  That bugs me.  I have been saving all the bits from these blocks and I have a plan.  Of course some people (Husband) would just call the bits sawdust but I have a plan!

The block on the bottom left is the test block and I used scraps of some text fabric and I should have paid more attention to the direction of the text print.  Lesson learned.  That is why it is a text block!

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!

Sunday Stash

I actually went to the Creative Stitches show with a list.  I did not deviate much from it.  I have to admit that this linen scrap assortment was not on my list but who could resist these funky Japanese linen/cotton scraps? Perfect for pouches!  I also picked up a new stitch ripper.  I like them sharp so I end up getting a new one about once a year.  What a difference!!!!  I was ripping stitches like a crazy person today.  Yep.  I have to admit it.  I was doing some paper piecing and I go through stages of messing up and stitch ripping until I get in the groove.

I also wanted some new pins.  These Clover flower headed ones are pretty close to perfection but I actually like the finer ones even better.  And the trim on the wooden spool?  It asked to come home with me.  Who was I to say no?

Off to take some quilt pictures while the sun shines!  Happy Sunday!

Crafty Cooks Apron planning

I joined an apron swap on Flickr.  I have my secret partner and I have been stalking her.  I have a few fabric options to consider based on what I gleaned from my stalking and from the information she provided.  I am throwing these up on Flickr to see if they get a favourable review or a thumbs down.

So what do I have here?  Up top is several selections of Cuzco by Kate Spain for Moda and the light purple/grey is something that escapes me.  Below is some Tula Pink in pink and then the geometric mod stuff is a mystery but it is kinda funky and I think goes nicely with the Tula Pink in pink.

Once I get the fabric nailed down then the apron will got together easily.  I haven't made an apron forever!

I had great fun yesterday and today at Creative Stitches in Abbotsford.  Did a little bit of shopping and spoke with many quilty people.  More on that tomorrow!

I Spy 224... a finish

  Quilt stats

Name:  I Spy 224

Design:  4" squares with 4" border

Size:  62" by 70"

Fabric: I Spy Scraps and stash fabrics

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white

 I finished this the other day.  Thankfully the sun came out yesterday so I was able to clothespin the quilt to the barn and take a picture!  There are 224 I Spy squares.  That was whole lot of fussy cutting!  Some of the fabric does repeat but only if there was something different to spy.  I made this quilt to donate to my school's spring carnival.  The parents can use it in a silent auction or a raffle.  There are a lot of things to spy.  I just love it!  A quilt like this has so much potential for language development and interaction!  Oh... that was my educator brain taking over my quilting brain for a minute.  Anyway, it was fun to make and I hope that whoever wins/buys it at the carnival has a whole lot of fun with it.

The quilt is quilted with a grid of Aurifil 50 wt in white and bound in a Timeless Treasures black and white stripe.  I backed the quilt with a novelty print that has a magician theme.  Why not?

Spring is starting!  The grass is so green and the forsythia is almost in bloom.

Linking up with Amanda Jean's Finish it Up Friday and Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story!