All the Pretty Colours

    Name:  All the Pretty Colours

Design:  from Kaffe Fasset GLorious Patchwork: Pieced Stripes Quilt

Size:  76.5" by 82"

Fabric: Stash fabrics, backing Anna Maria Horner

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 40 and 50 wt straigh lines, 1/2" apart

So this was fun!  It is a glorious explosion of colours.  All the colours of fall wrapped up in one quilt.  This is a quilt from Kaffe Fassett's book Glorious Patchwork.  The design is called Pieced Stripes quilt.  But that is just a bit boring.  So, I am calling this All the Pretty Colours. The pattern just tells you how to make it but does not include templates so really it is all up to you once you select the fabric.  The design suggests a colour story and I loved it so much that I repeated it as much as possible in my fabric picks.  Lots of solids, near solids, and a dash of Alison Glass's End paper line really made this work.


I quilted it in straight lines, with 3 different shades of Aurifil but with Dove in the bobbin. I used 1243, a soft purple, 4020, a fuchsia,  and then a 40 wt fabulous golden yellow, 5015.  It was a slog to quilt as it is a big one but my Janome Horizon handled it, no problem.  It was just a bit heavy for me to wrangle.

So there it is a finish.  I am quite pleased with it.  Linking up with Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts.

Triple Zipping

I cannot remember how many triple zip pouches I have made over the years since Deb at A Quilter's Table wrote the tutorial but here is another one.  I used some of Cynthia's Sewing Studio fabric for Robert Kaufman.  The yellow scissors.  Cute!  And a needle book using the Nana and Company tutorial.  Just so fun!  Have a look!   Linking up with Amanda Jean for finish it up Friday. 

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!

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!

Happy

   Name:  Happy

Design:  4" squares

Size:  37" by 42"

Fabric: Stash fabrics and scraps

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

We had a great Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild sew in last Saturday and among other things, I got a great start on this baby quilt.  I like to have simple and distinct projects to work on at sew ins.  This baby quilt was just the ticket and I got a great start on it on my featherweight after completing a gift for my mum.  More on that later!

Yes, this is another baby quilt.  It seems that our son and daughter in law's friends keep having babies.  We hope it is quite contagious!  This is one is back to basics with simple 4" squares with a pop of black and white amidst the prints.  Very much in the spirit of Rita at Red Pepper Quilts.  

Once again, I quilted this on the diagonal in a cross hatch with Aurifil 50 wt in white.  Happy!

This made me happy too.  Two finished quilts on the sewing room counter with a bunch of sweet peas from the garden in the background.  Nice!  I wish this was a scratch and sniff picture because the sweet peas are so fragrant!  

And happy because we survived the Windows 10 upgrade and I was still able to upload pictures thanks to Husband!

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday.

So Much Fun!

I made this the other day.  It is a project from Krista's Make it Take it book.    I didn't use selvages though... I opened up the box I store all the little bits of vintage fabric in and cut up a bunch of 2.5" squares.  I did add in some non-vintage black and white prints for contrast but aside from the binding, and those black and white squares, this was made out of fabric dating from the 40s through to the 70s.  I recognize some of the prints from my childhood as my Mum sewed a lot and much of this is from her scraps.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun to sew up and will be just as fun to take with my featherweight to the next sew in.

I love that daisy print with the mauve, lilac and blue!  That is an old one!

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it up Fridays!.

Pink and Gray Baby

  Name:  Pink and Gray Baby

Design:  4" squares

Size:  36" by 42"

Fabric: Stash/scrap fabrics 

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white

This was a perfect way to incorporate a bunch of shabby chic florals in a baby quilt, don't you think?  I think it is just so pretty.  The grey dot and the text print update the florals nicely and I threw in a bunch of solid pink squares as well.  I have to say that most of this quilt was made from pre-cut 4" squares from my scraps.  I pre-cut a bunch of 2.5", 4" and 5" squares when I was cleaning up all my scraps this past spring.  It is simply amazing how fast a quilt goes together when you have the fabric already chopped up.  I backed the sheet with a fabulous pink striped thrifted cotton sheet.  Quilted on the diagonal in both directions in Aurfil 50 wt in white.  Perfect.  Linking up with Amanda Jean for finish it up Friday.  Holidays begins today for the summer.  Woo hoo!

A Finish: Plaid Baby Michael Miller

   Name:  Plaid Baby 

Design:  Scot's Plaid  Block

Size:  36"" by 46""

Fabric: Michael Miller Cotton Couture including the back and scrappy binding

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in wite in straight lines 

I finished this baby quilt on the weekend.  I used the Micheal Miller Cotton Couture Modern Quilt Guild bundle with a bunch of brighter additions.  The block is a traditional block called Scot's Plaid and I tried to have a nice mix of the colours throughout the quilt but I allowed a fair amount of randomness.  Some same colours do touch and at first I was a bit fussed about that and then decided it was just fine.  I had fun with the back.  The colours are really lovely.  And a scrappy binding just for fun.  I have not used these solids much before and they are very lightweight and soft.  Almost drapey.  Lovely colours.   I especially love the darker orange/red.  I think it is called geranium.  Nice!  

The quilting is simple.  I followed the seam lines about 1/4" away and used my favourite Aurifil 50 wt in white.  The quilting resembles the plaid in a away.  Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday.

Don't forget my Sew Mama Sew Giveaway!  One more day!

Autumn Gemstones: A Finish

  Name:  Autumn Gemstones

Design:  Gemstones block from Rachel -Stitched in Color

Size:  64" by 84"

Fabric: Stash/scrap fabrics, low volume fabrics for the background

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in cream in straight lines 

I finished this quilt on the weekend but I have had a busy week at school so did not have enough light to take a picture.  Today it was forecast to rain and again I thought I would not be able to get a picture when I got home from work.  I sort of asked my husband if he could be my quilt photographer today if the rain let up and part way through my school day, I received an email with pictures.  What a sweetie!  And I did not get home until it was dark and it was also raining so I am doubly delighted.  So here it is, Autumn Gemstones.And just like the last Gemstones quilt, I made back in 2012, this one is also for a friend. I hope she likes it.  I made it for Jean.  And Jean and I became great friends at university back in the dark ages and have reconnected on Facebook many moons later and this is for her, in autumn colours to help her remember New England and Eastern Canada in the fall while she whiles away her days in sunny Florida.

The quilt is a big one because it just sort of grew.  I used an assortment of fabrics from my stash and used low volume white and off white prints for the background.  I was really stuck with the setting triangles.  In my first Gemstones quilt, I used really dramatic triangles in two colours.  I tired that with this one but it was not hitting my happy place.  I just could not do it.  I tried a few possibilities but then decided to make more blocks or rather half blocks and use them as the setting triangles.  That worked.  

I quilted straight lines across the quilt about 3/4" apart in Aurifil 50 wt in cream.  I always find that the quilting brings the quilt to life and adds the texture that makes it work.  I am so pleased with how this has come together.  I backed the quilt with a small green and orange print with a length of a Lotta Jansdotter print from awhile ago.  The quilt is bound in a burgundy print that is also found in the blocks.  It is very autumnal.  And somehow all those disparate prints work.  

A few more things if you have stuck with me this long.  Sew Sisters is hosting their Blogathon Canada with some absolutely awesome prizes.  Please do check it out.



And I will be linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish It Up Friday!  Have a lovely rest of your week!

12 Trees in Oakshotts: A Finish

  Name:  12 Trees In Oakshots

Design:  12 Trees by Helen Howes

Size:  36" by 64"

Fabric: Oakshotts, colour shot bundle

Quilted: by me with Aurifil  40 and 50 wt in many colours

I finished 12 Trees on the weekend.  On Monday after school, I rushed outside in between rain and before darkness hit.  I just made it.  The light was fading but the colours of the Oakshotts are so vibrant that the lower light levels didn't seem to matter.  So... what can I tell you?  I used so many colours of Aurifil in the quilting.  A mix of 40 and 50 wt.  I tried to match the thread colour to the background of each tree which meant switching threads a lot and I also had to bury a lot of ends.  I kept the bobbin thread an Aurifil light grey 50 wt and also used the light grey to stitch in the ditch around each block and around the sashing to give each tree some dimension.  The quilting is random free motion squiggles which in my mind are supposed to evoke wind.  Just saying.  I also had to stop and start in all those little bits between the branches.  That was a pain but I am so happy with it.

I chose this layout of long and narrow because I made 12 Trees to hang in the stairwell, on the way downstairs to my sewing room.  Before I finished the quilt it was just a big white wall.  The quilt is now visible from the kitchen and adds a wonderful bit of eye candy on the way downstairs.  What can I say about Oakshots.  Oh my goodness, what fabulous glowing fabric.  It was a dream to work with it.

The binding is scrappy leftover strips.  A finish.  Quite satisfying.  Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday.

Baby Blue Two

 Name:  Baby Blue Two

Design:  4" squares

Size:  36" by 42"

Fabric: Stash/scrap fabrics including some prints from backed in  flannelette and cotton

Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in grey

This quilt was like dealing with sourdough starter because I used a bunch of leftover 4" squares from a baby quilt made last year.  I just had to add a few more squares.  I guess I got a little square crazy when I made the last one.  As it turns out, I even used the leftover backing from the first quilt for the back of this one.  I just had to add a bit of extra fabric to make it big enough.  I quilted this one with diagonal lines which I marked with a hera marker with a lovely light grey Aurifil.  I love this kind of quilting.  And you know, you don't really even need to mark the lines because once you get in the groove, you can aim corner to corner and its just fine.  

This one is bound in a favourite white dot on grey that I bought a ton of... it is a perfect shade of grey. Soft and clear.  The little owls are from some fat quarters I bought when a quilt shop was going out of business.  It adds just a little bit of fun with this simple patchwork.

And that reminds me of the pictures my husband took of a little visitor to our yard the other day.  This wee Northern Pygmy Owl visits from time to time.  What are you looking at?  Aren't those eyes amazing?

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday.

I made this the other day...

I made this the other day.  I made it to try out a theory.  I am pleased to say that it worked.  Can you see it?  Yep.  It is a zippered covered journal.  Squeal!  This, for some reason, gives me great joy.  I will say that the zipper I used is not a favourite.  I had a vision of a fantastic metal zipper but do you know how hard it is to find a long metal zipper that does not look like it is made for a logger's winter coat?  I think, however, that I have solved this problem and I will be trying out more versions of zippered covered journals very soon.

Oh my goodness!  Look at that zipper!  So awesome!  I used a duvet zipper and just cut it to the right length.  I wanted to show you that the journal does open all the way too!  Success!

Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it Up Friday.