Farmer's Wife Quilt Along: Week 39

Three blocks this week and they got to play on the barn wall Sunday afternoon. I am starting to freak out that the only blocks left are ones with a zillion itty bitty triangles.  Blah!

Block #85 Square Dance

Block # 96 Tulip

Block # 106 Wild Rose and Square

I used some vintage fabric in the Wild Rose block.  The little rosebud print on white.  I try to use some vintage fabric here and there in the blocks, just because it seems to make sense to me.  90 some blocks and counting!  I am getting close and I am seeing finished Farmer's Wife quilts popping up and around blog land!

Happy leap day!

Just a little fabric...

Stopped in at my fabulous local quilt shop on the weekend and found...  just a few goodies.  There were lots of goodies, don't get me wrong but these are the only ones that came home with me.  Above, self-explanatory, 2 charm packs of Vintage Modern.  Love it!!!!  And below some bolt ends of Domestic Bliss and I am not sure what the aqua is but I like it and 2 half metre cuts of Fig Trees Strawberry Fields.  Both the bolt ends and the half metre cuts were buy one get one free.  Awesome!!!!!!!

Can you believe it is almost March!!!!??  Crazy how time flies!

Swoon in flight!

Here it is!  This is now a finished quilt!  If anyone ever asks how long it takes to hand sew a binding on a Swoon quilt, it takes the length of the Oscars. Of course, I did look up from time to time to see Cirque du Soliel and the strange Angelina Jolie leg pose, but other than that, I hand sewed the binding.  Then after work and before a dinner meeting, I pinned it up on the clothesline for a photo op.  Husband was helping.  Actually he spent a lot of time pinning clothespins to my pant legs and stuff but at least he was there to cheer me on.  Swoon took a flight though when the pins gave way and the quilt fell to the ground.  I had to super pin it.  This is one really big quilt!

I love it!  I used an assortment of stash fabrics, Martha Negley, Amy Butler and Kaffe Fasset florals that I picked up last summer at my fabulous local quilt shop's "by the pound" sample sale.  The Swoon pattern by Camillie Roskelley calls for 18 fat quarters.  Because I used samples that were all less that fat quarter size, I needed to figure out how to make the best use of the multiple bits of fabric.  I used fussy cut florals for the centres of each Swoon block and coordinating florals in each of the Swoon "corners."  Each Swoon block then, had four different prints.   It works!  I borrowed the cornerstone idea from Katy of I'm a Ginger Monkey and venerable leader of the Swoon-Along.

After sandwiching, I let Swoon sit and rest until I decided how to quilt it.  After lurking around the internet, checking out different forms of Swoon quilting, I went for simple but fairly dense straight line quilting. I quilted it in a marathon on a Sunday with wonderful Aurifil, 50 wt in white.  Bound in a purple print.  Done like dinner!

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story, Made by Me and Sew Modern Monday!

Quilting Swoon... so many dilemmas!

 Swoon sat and rested for a few weeks while I debated how to quilt it.  I snooped in blog land to see what other people were doing and finally I decided to do straight line, walking foot on either side of each seam.  Husband thought it would compliment the geometric nature of the swoon.  He is becoming quite the quilt consultant!  It took me most of the day to quilt the beast that is Swoon.  You can see the backing in this shot. A vintage sheet in white on blue floral.  It has a modern vibe.

 The next design challenge was what to do about the binding.  I auditioned several fabrics until I got down to the two finalists.

And the winner is... I picked the purple. Tonight I will hand sew the binding while I watch the Oscars.  So much fun!

Have a super lovely evening and tomorrow morning, I will link up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!  Not officially on the design wall but just as many design questions with quilting and binding!

Scrap Assault

My scraps were getting out of control.  I keep using them, but I was having organizational issues.  I debated what to do.  Yesterday, I bought some drawer organizer things to put in a drawer but when I opened up the package, I realized the spaces were too small to be useful.  I returned those this morning and bought 10 clear plastic shoe boxes.  Oh, happiness!  I spent an hour or so sorting out the scrap mess into lovely boxes.  Husband still thinks that I am using the equivalent of sawdust when I use the scraps.  He just doesn't understand!

organized scrap loveliness

I think this will help.  Just for the record, in the last year,  I have made 2 quilts completely from scraps and am nearing the finish line of my Farmer's Wife quilt which is also a scrap quilt.  Happiness!

Two thrift stores today and nothing came home.  It was a bust.  Other than that, we have had strong winds for much of the day and while we were sitting having tea with my Auntie and my Grampa, our power went out.  It has only just come on and this put a serious crimp in my sewing!!!  It was nice having tea with Grampa (94 years young this May!) and Auntie.

Have a super fabulous rest of your day!

Vintage sheet love...

I have a friend who wants to try making a quilt with her daughter.  They haven't done anything like this before and I was asked for some advice.  It is a little tricky to give all the information about everything, even where to buy fabric and what to look for when they haven't done anything like this before.  Then I had a bit of a brainwave and suggested that she make her first quilt with some vintage sheets.  It is a win win all around.  Firstly, I can share which means no cost.  Secondly, no pressure, because the vintage sheets are cheap and in this case free!  They can figure out if this is something they like to do and then spend the money on quilting cotton for the next try. 

I put together a stack of vintage sheets chunks last evening.  I say chunks because they are not fat quarters, more like half yards.  I found a quilting book that I got at the estate sale last fall, with a good basic instruction section too and added that to the pile.  I think they will have some fun!  They are going to make the top and then ask for the next step.  I so hope they have fun!

Have a super rest of your day!

Another Farmer's Wife Block!

Block #65 Peaceful Hours

This is my fourth block this week!  I took advantage of the sunshine after school today and pinned this little block on the barn wall for a photo.  This was a tricky block.  There were lots of pieces that were the reverse of other pieces.  Figuring out where to put the little pieces and their reversals was not fun!  I am glad I can check this one off.  Husband tries to show his quilting knowledge by asking me if I "fancy" cut the centre instead of "fussy" cut.  He was close, of course!

My knitting club went well but there were some really wonky little knitting samples being created!  The kids were super pumped about the little gnarly, lumpy bits they were working on!  One bit was apparently being knit for a blanket for her pet tree frog!  Hilarious!

Have a super day!

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along: Week 38

Block #94 Tall Pine Tree and Block # 49 Honeycomb

Block # 47 Homemaker

Playing together

I actually made 4 blocks this week but I didn't get a picture of the last one made.  I was mad at Homemaker so I made the other two.  Then I thought what the heck, Homemaker will do and then I made another block as well.  I feel that I am so close that I need to put a push on it to just get done.  We will see how that goes!

I seem to have a growing pile of quilts to be quilted and I really must get on that!  I did finish my Modern Mini Quilt for that challenge.  Soon to unveiled!  I am totally pleased with it.  

Have a super day!  It was lovely and sunny at school today and they children were rolling around like puppies!  Tomorrow I am teaching a bunch of girls to knit at lunch time!  Wish me luck!!!!

Random Tuesday: Binding A Quilt

almost spring

I am not going to show you pictures or tell you how to bind a quilt.  I am going to tell you that in my opinion the very best tutorial on how to bind quilts is already done and she tells you all you need to know.  Yep.  She does.  Here is the link. Elizabeth Hartman.  Oh, Fransson!  You might want to buy her book too because it is aweome.  She has a new one coming sometime soon.  Check out her other quilt making basics on her blog too because she has a way of explaining things that make you realize that you can do it.  Elizabeth is calm.  Her tutorials exude calm.  I like that.  You will too.

Tracey reminded me on her blog that this great bunch of quilting reference pages exists right here.  I think these charts are so great that you might want to print them out and stick them in a binder as essential important reference items.  I think I will do that so I don't forget again that they are there.

Have a super Tuesday!

Design Wall Monday...

I think this is going to be a pillow.  These are little kaleidoscope blocks, finishing at about 6.5".  They are not fun to make as if you mess up, they look more like a hat for a cantalope.  Yep, it's true!

I also have been busy with another project and I have a sneak peak of the quilting.  Little tiny squiggles.  And Have I said how much I love Aurifil thread???  Oh goodness, it is a thing of beauty.  If you haven't tried it yet, you need to.  First of all, you can wind a ton of it on a bobbin.  Total bonus.  Then there is the sheen.  Lovely!  Oh, it is just yummy.  This is thread colour is called Bluet, #5007.  I used my Aurifil colour chart to get the perfect colour.  It was so exciting!

So there you have it!  I made four Farmer's Wife Blocks this weekend, and contemplated quilting my Swoon quilt but the jury is still out on how to quilt it.  I also decided to join the Granny Square Quilt Along at the Old Red Barn.  Fun!

I am going to link up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!  Have a super day!

Sunday Stash!

Yesterday the fabric store was on my list.  Fabricland had a big sale.  It seems they always have a big sale but apparently this one was even bigger.  I needed batting so that worked out just fine and then I happened to cruise by the bargain wall, because you just never know.  The bargain wall was half price.  Totally awesome.  I found this Michael Miller stuff called Tiled Garden by Paula Prass so that was a grand sum of $2 a metre.  I took everything on the bolt because it speaks quilt backing to me.  I now have over 7 metres of it.  He he he! The sunflowers are also a Michael Miller if I remember correctly and I just asked for 2 metres of that just because and it was only $1.50 a metre.  What a deal!!!!!!  So there.

And I also added a new pressure foot for my built in walking foot.  The chubby toed foot on the right came with my machine but when I went for my sewing machine lesson, I realized that you can buy optional feet for your when you want to go walking!  How cool?!  I bought the open toed foot because I think I like seeing what I am doing more.

Have you added to your stash?  It is fair to say that I love fabric.  Have a lovely rest of your day!!!

Flea Market Finds On A Rainy Almost Spring Day!

I found some goodies today!  First up, a metre of Alexander Henry Toadstool fabric for $2.50!!!  Cute or what?  And a button jar.  I love button jars so much and this one has some beauties!

 I convinced Husband that when I wrote "thrift store" on the list for this morning, that everyone knows "thrift store" is a collective noun.  As such, we needed to stop at a second thrift shop.  Tee hee hee!  He made noises but not too many.  And there I found some gorgeous Johnson Brothers Ironstone.  Side plates, 11 of them for 25 cents a  pop!  Cool!  I also picked up the gorgeous linen tea towel, made in Belgium for 50 cents.  A queen size vintage sheet also made the trip home!  It was a pretty good day!

Linking up with Sophie's Flea Market Finds and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday!!!!

Call me a quilt geek!

I often tell Husband that he is a science geek.  And he is.  A very sweet science geek, just so you know, but after yesterday's UPS delivery, he tells me that I am a quilt geek.  And a happy quilt geek at that!

This book is fantastic!!!!  It really is the ultimate quilt block reference!  Be still my beating heart!  Not only does it have 501 blocks but gives options of different sizes.  Amazing!  I think it is a must have and it was only $20.  Yep, I am a happy quilter.

He was even more convinced that I am a quilt geek when he opened the mailbox to find a package of Aurifil thread.  I ordered it yesterday because of a "thread emergency" and it arrived today already!  Thank you, Carola!  I needed a certain colour. Tee hee hee!   Happy Thursday!

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along...Week 37

Bowtie and Rainbow Flowers

I made 2 very simple blocks this week and they came together like a charm.  I have been avoiding Rainbow Flowers because it is such a simple block that I thought it would be kind of lame.  How wrong I was!  I am totally in love with the fabric I used and I think that makes me just so happy!  I like the bowtie block too!  I actually felt like I was getting some sort of a treat by making these simple blocks.   It was a good time to make simple ones since I was in a rush to finish the donation quilt I was working on.  and that quilt was delivered today and will be opened tomorrow as one of the birthday gifts for the soon to be 8 year old!

I was just interrupted by Mr. UPS who brought me a quilt book that I ordered!  Happy, happy!!!  Stay tuned!

Have a lovely evening!   I am watching the snowdrops open more each day.  Spring is just around the corner!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 I made these little hearts for all my sweeties.  I pieced some little pink bits to make a large enough square to cut the 4 hearts from.  Before I cut the hearts, I stabilized the pieced square with some fusible interfacing and then cut.  All they needed was some pink perle cotton and some tiny buttons.  Cute! The finishing touch was some pink card stock, an envelope and some stamps!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I am going to link up with Fabric Story Tuesday and the Quilter's Table who is hosting a Valentine linky party with a giveaway!

Design Wall Monday... Farmer's Wife Progress

WOW!  They are starting to look like they will actually grow up and be a quilt!  This is what 83 little Farmer's Wife blocks looks like.  I now have 85 completed after this weekend's sewing!  Only 26 more to go!  Totally scrappy. I love it!  I t was actually good to throw them on the floor because I was able to see what I need more of or less of.  Wahoo!

Have a super Monday and I will link up with Judy's Design Wall Monday.

Snuggle Butterfly Quilt on a Sunday

This is the fastest quilt I have ever made.  I was on a time crunch because it had to be finished in time for the little girl's birthday on Thursday and I do work full time.  Phew!  But here it is on the clothesline this morning in the drizzle with Webster being the quilt model dog.  And as I mentioned, this is a donation quilt for a little girl who loves butterflies and Justin Bieber.  Not having any Justin Bieber fabric, thank goodness, I did find butterfly flannelette.  Big 10" squares and backed with last weekend's thrift store vintage sheet, I think it will be the perfect snuggly addition to a little girl's bedroom.  I had fun making a label using the monogram embroidery on my sewing machine.  Quilted in swirly loops in white, I call this one done!

Flea Market Finds were a bust...

Flea market transformation sneak peak...

I found nothing!  Two thrift stores and I walked out with one fat quarter.  That is it!  Mum said the same thing in her flea market adventures this morning.  She told me that she spent a grand sum of 25 cents on a wine glass.  Hmph!

On the other hand, I have been transforming some flea market finds.  And that is a good thing.  Last evening I put together a quilt top, sandwiched and spray basted it and today I quilted and have the binding ready to hand sew this evening.  I think this is a record for me.  Quilt in a day.  The quilt is a donation quilt.  I used 10" squares of flannelette in lovely girly colours.  The flannelette is all from the quilter's estate sale fabric from last fall and I backed it with a pink vintage sheet from last weekend's thrifting.  The binding is a lavender heart print also from the estate sale.

 This quilt will be donated as part of a birthday gift for a little girl whose family is going through some very difficult times.  They don't have much in the way of household stuff and considering the sweetie pie has a birthday this week, I thought a quilt would do the trick for my contribution.  I even managed to find some flannelette with butterflies.  Apparently butterflies are a particular favourite.  So there you have it.  No flea market finds but a story of flea market transformation.  And that is a good thing.

*(I have backed quilts before in flannelette but have never pieced a quilt with it.  It is not the most user friendly fabric let me tell you.  It tends to be stretchy.   Erg.)

We have a winner!!!!

One the sewing front, I have been making a few Kaleidoscope blocks in shades of aqua and grey.  At first these were driving me CRAZY but I have it down to a science now and I can crank them out without any strangeness!  I like to challenge myself with some new blocks every now and then.  Enough about that...

The winner is... drumroll... Robin who said, "The weather here - we've been having a very mild winter here in southern Manitoba, Canada. :) It's been great! I love the spool prints! Thanks for the giveaway!"  

 I have sent Robin an email and will be happy to pop the fat quarters in the mail.  Thank you so much to all my followers!  You are the best!!!!  

Farmer's Wife Quilt Along: Week 36

Block 84 and Block 103

Whirlwind

Spool

I counted my blocks today.  I have a mind blowing 83 of those little suckers completed.  I can't believe it.  This week I made 2 simple blocks.  The funny thing is the stinking spool block was such that I unpicked one corner a number of times until it made me happy.  Isn't that just the way that the simplest block, that you think is just going to be a really quick stitch up, takes you way longer because of something silly?  I had fun with the whirlwind block and actually used some green vintage fabric.

Most people took a little holiday break with the quilt along but should be back posting again this week.  It will be nice to see all the little blocks on blogs again!

Happy Wednesday.  Husband is just taking some pizza out of the oven.  Yum!

Don't forget my giveaway.  One more day!!!

Design Wall Monday on the barn

Swoon top on the barn

It was such a beautiful day yesterday that I popped my swoon top on the barn wall for a photo op.  Tee hee hee!   I am getting there!  I borrowed Katy's idea of using cornerstones along with the sashing.  I just used random scraps from the quilt squares.  Now I have to think about the back and the big question of how to quilt it!  This is a really big quilt.  It is even dragging on the ground a bit in this photo.

I was tickled to see that Katy included my swoon blocks on the floor from last week in her little swoon mosaic.  More tee hee hee!

So there you have it.  I have been working on a few other things but more on that later!  Design wall on the barn.

If you have not yet entered my giveaway, you have a few more days!!!!


I will link up with Judy's design wall Monday too!  Now I have to add my latest swoon pictures to Flickr!  Have a lovely day!

Superbowl Sunday Stash

I popped in to check out the BIG sale at the big chain fabric store.  The had lots of stuff on BIG time sale.  I love it when they say buy one metre and you will get 2 free.  Oh, well... if you insist!  Everything I bought was on super sale and was marked down and then you still got your free metres.  Seriously.  So I stocked up on white solid.  A little boring.  Then some stuff for backs.  But have you noticed the Alexander Henry owls and dandelions?  So cute!!!!!!  The mouse with the cheese and the yellow solid were bolt ends.  Super cheap.

Have a super lovely Sunday!  Enjoy the Superbowl.  Husband made a giant vat of chili and I am going to be his football buddy.  Apparently and according to Clever Son, we are supposed to cheer for the Patriots.

Don't forget to enter my giveaway!!!!

Sunny Saturday Flea Market Finds

It is a glorious, sunny day today!  After getting my hair cut, we stopped at the thrift store.  Nothing makes me happier than when I find awesome quilting cotton at the thrift store and today did not disappoint!  I also found a really lovely pink vintage sheet in super condition, a lovely embroidered and lace trimmed vintage table cloth and a bag stuffed full of doilies and lace.

Take a look at the pics!

This is what the bag looked like before I opened it.  The bag was marked $8.50 but at the cash, it was marked down to half.  Bonus!  This is like going to a fair and paying your money at the fish pond and getting a lovely surprise when you pull up your little fishing rod.

Because this is what was inside the bag....

How much fun is that?

Lovely vintage table cloth

2.15 metres of lilac Marble Dot by Moda!  Wahoo!!!  $3!!!!

Pink vintage sheet

So there you have it!  Some snazzy flea market finds, a sunny day and a hair cut!  Could the day be anymore fun?

I will link up with Sophie's Flea Market Finds and with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.

I also have a giveaway going on for fabric loving followers!  Check it out... The giveaway will be open until Thursday, Feb. 9 at 5 pm Pacific Standard Time!