I wanted you to know that Sew Sisters is having a bundle sale. And do they have bundles? Bundles and bundles of fat quarters just for you. Have a look! February 26-28, 2015. Flat rate shipping.
Get shopping!
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Bundle Bonanza at Sew Sisters!
I wanted you to know that Sew Sisters is having a bundle sale. And do they have bundles? Bundles and bundles of fat quarters just for you. Have a look! February 26-28, 2015. Flat rate shipping.
Get shopping!
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
I think I am floating
Name: I think I am Floating
Design: Illusion block from the Missouri Star Quilt Company
Size: 64" by 81"
Fabric: Mostly Kona solids including Kona white and medium grey for the sashing
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white in straight lines on the sashing and a squared stipple in the blocks in Aurifil 50 wt in grey
The quilt design is from the Missouri Star Quilt Company and is a simple, straightforward Illusion block. I decided to use only solids and only cool colours. I was surprised how many choices I had in my stash! The solids are mostly Konas with a few others in the mix, The backing is an Ikea print along with a bit of a small graph paper print in blue and green. I bound the quilt in the same Kona Medium Grey that is used in the sashing. I took the pictures on Sunday. We are having a marvelous spring. I actually picked my first dandelion flower on Sunday as well.
So there it is. A finish and off I go to work!
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Zippers according to me
The other day, I gave a demo at quilt guild. It was my all about zippers talk. I actually dragged my big Janome to the meeting because it is the zipper machine. I use my walking foot and never use the zipper foot. Anyway, these are some of my tips and hints and links. Have a super day!
1 Favourite places to buy zippers has to be
Zip-It Zippers on Etsy… Seriously awesome and a great deal if you are looking
for bulk zippers in assorted sizes and colours.
And great service. Even for us Canadians.
Favourite free zipper tutorials
Favourite
places to find free patterns and great zipper tips
4 Favourite
purchased zipper pouch patterns
and this one is simply the best…
Top ten tips for zippers.
1.
Don’t be
afraid
2.
Throw out your zipper foot… I use my walking
foot most often
3.
Who needs pins?
4.
Use zipper ends… neater tidy zipper ends.
5.
Use zippers longer than you need so you can cut
off the metal ends
6.
Be careful with your iron because zippers will
melt or distort with heat.
I tend to finger press around zippers
I tend to finger press around zippers
7.
There is no law against stopping and starting
your stitching if you need to when sewing in a zipper. You can feel free to start and stop in order
to get the zipper tab out of your way.
8.
But don’t stop your stitching when top stitching
your zipper
9.
Learn the secrets of the zipper sandwich when
making a zipper pouch…
Place
your interfaced or quilted exterior
fabric right side down on top of the lining. Right sides together,
sandwiching the zipper in between with the zipper face up.
10.
You
don’t actually need a pattern to make a zippy pouch…
Monday, February 16, 2015
Some pouches and some signs of spring
The other night at quilt guild, I did a wee demo on zippy pouches and zippers without zipper feet or pins. I had prepped 3 sets of pouches to demonstrate zipper tabs etc. but the pouches remained unfinished until Saturday when I whizzed them through the sewing machine to completion. I will have to post all my hints, tricks and favourite zippy pouch tutorials another day.
I think they will become door prizes at future meetings. These are totally scrap projects as I used all the little bits leftover from the Robert Kaufman challenge and my string theory mini. And I think I will just have to link up with Leanne for Scraptastic Tuesday. Today is the last day!
I would never want to rub it in but we have had GORGEOUS weather. Sunny and totally t-shirt weather. The crocuses are in full bloom. Just saying. Here's proof. Snowdrops too.
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Happy Valentine's Day!
I made a few cards for Valentine's Day. Just for the family. And then I almost forgot to take pictures. One of the cards was already sealed in a envelope but here are the rest of them. So much fun! Little itty bitty scrap quilties on a clothesline.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Work in Progress Wednesday
I have two projects on the go at the moment. I have the Illusions quilt (Missouri Star Quilt Company) on the floor and basted. I am totally debating the quilting of this one. Hmmm. My go to straight lines but in what particular permutation????? More thinking on that one.
I also started a new baby quilt. Two of my teachers had babies in January so I need to replenish the baby quilt inventory. I saw this simple rail fence block over at Red Pepper Quilts in pink and yellow. Perfect. I dove into the pink and yellow scrap boxes and added some black and white prints for fun. Just like that. Instant baby quilt on the go. Well. It did take me a good part of a day but I used a lot of scraps. And that is a good thing!
Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday! Quilt guild tomorrow night. Woo hoo!
Monday, February 9, 2015
A Two Year Project
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Name: Lucky Stars aka the Paper Pieced Beast
Design: Lucky Stars Block of the Month by Elizabeth Dackson
Size: 68" by 68""
Fabric: Stash fabrics including Anna Maria Horner selections from Innocent Crush, Stof Basics text,
Kona solids, Sweetwater Reunion line, Sandi Henderson, Henna Garden
Binding: Kona Berry
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in light grey, 1" apart straight lines on the diagonal
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I finished this a few weekends ago but with wedding and the rain, I have been unable to get photos. Yesterday morning,I zipped outside with the quilt under my arms and pinned it to the clothesline quickly before rain came again. It was a lovely morning and I could hear frogs already in the woods. Rain water was dripping off the trees but there was a smidge of sun trying to make an appearance. Even though we are only in February, we have had such a mild winter and the yard is waking up.
This quilt has been two years in the making. I signed up for Don't Call Me Betsy's Lucky Stars Block of the Month and then I signed up for the second year in order to grow the quilt bigger. It was quite a project. I used a print from Anna Maria Horner's line Innocent Crush as the jumping off point, and some lovely Konas along with a text print from Stof. The rest of the fabrics are scraps and bits and pieces. I did find a light green/white print form the Sweetwater Reunion line for the setting triangles. I really struggled with picking a fabric for those setting triangles and finally settled on the light green but I only had a scrap of it. I found a supplier and then I was off to the races.
I started quilting in simple straight lines. I was half way done the first line and I thought, nope. Unpicked it and went on the diagonal instead, about an inch apart in fabulous light grey Aurifil 50 wt. The grey works perfectly with all the colours.
I backed the quilt with a Michael Miller Eiffel Tower print that is extra wide and a bit of the Sweetwater Light green.
So there is is. I am so happy it is finished. I don't often have such long term projects!
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Slow quilting week and a wedding
This is what is on the design wall. It is coming along quite nicely. My lucky stars quilt is finished but I have not taken any pictures because we were a little busy last weekend when the weather cooperated. It was all because of a wedding. And what a lovely wedding it was! Our son is now married and I am a mother in law to a wonderful daughter in law. As a result, there was no sewing. But I did meet lots of people at the wedding who thanked me for various baby quilts over the past few years. That was a lot of fun having people come up to me to tell me which quilt they have.
Did I say the wedding was lovely? Here is a picture of my grampa at 96, giving advice to the bride and groom.
