DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I've been trying to work on some projects for my Florida group.  One of my goals is to teach them how to use some of the angle lines on their rulers.  The first project I thought of is a table runner.

The fabrics I used were leftover from a set called "Coffee & Teal", that was part of a Christmas gift from DH a few years ago.  I'll be taking this sample top south with me, along with some backing and binding so I can complete it after it is used for a teaching aid.
Now - back to the drawing board to come up with some other fast, easy but interesting projects.

Check out the creativity linked to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.  

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  3 yards

Fabric used year to date  179.25 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date   50.375 yards

Net used 2013  128.875 yards

A good friend of my daughter-in-law is expecting a baby so I offered to make a few items.

I looked through my flannel stash and made a double layer receiving blanket, two burp cloths and a baby size bib.  She is busy knitting a lovely baby blanket.  She is a fairly novice knitter, and has chosen a great pattern, but had to watch some videos to learn how to follow the pattern stitches.  She is making good progress, and it should be done by the time the baby arrives.

Check out everyone's stash progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times. 

HEXAGON FRIDAY

One more row to add the the quilt centre will be complete!  Then I have to make the two different border shapes.  It seems impossible, but I like this quilt more and more as each row is added.

Since I made the units with the background hexagons already attached, adding them to the top goes quickly.  The only additional hexagons that were needed were the dark border colours for the blocks on each end, and a row of background hexagons for the left side, to complete the pattern.

I spent part of the morning helping my friend complete a set of Christmas stockings for her family.  Since she works, we squeeze in some sewing time whenever we can!

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I had intended to work on this when we are south for the winter, but had to do a bit more.  I added the light gold satin body to the quilt top, then layered it with the wash-away stabilizer, held with dots of washable glue stick.  I stitched the outlines and markings, along with antennae and legs with a dark gold mylar thread.  The pink areas are the drawn lines in Frixion ink that will be stitched in a lighter gold mylar thread.  The background fabric size was just "eyeballed" with the dragonfly drawing placed on top, but after measuring it, it is 22 x 31 inches.  I haven't decided if I'll add any borders - that decision is down the line.  I really need to put this away and concentrate on projects to take south, but it keeps whispering my name........

Head over to Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, to see what is on other's design walls this week!

We had a lovely visit with our son and his wife - they are good cooks, and fed us well.  Saturday evening we went to see Whoopie Goldberg, and laughed along with a full house!  There was even a question and answer period following her monologue.  
They are saving for a down payment so they can buy a house.  Of course, they've been attending open house days and checking listings in the area they would like to live.  Unfortunately, they found the perfect home - just a 5 minute walk to work for my son, (he doesn't drive), but they are not ready to buy just yet.  Must be Murphy's Law!  They intend to tighten their belts again, and concentrate on saving, so they don't miss another opportunity.  They have already paid for their airfare to Florida, and we'll be treating for food and some entertainment while they are visiting.  Good thing that neither one of them likes to shop!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  1.25 yards

Fabric used year to date  176.25 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  50.375 yards

Net used 2013  125.825 yards

 

The only fabric I can claim this week is for my completed BOM project - Christmas Candle Stained Glass Wall Hanging.

 

Everything else I worked on was for my guild's community quilt program - just machine quilting and finishing others' quilt tops!

 

Check to see what progress everyone had this week, at Judy's blog,

Patchwork Times.

HEXAGON FRIDAY

I made some progress this week, with 27 of the 32 small flower units completed!

Now I'm getting anxious to begin attaching them to the ends of the quilt centre!
I attended the executive meeting for my quilt guild on Wednesday evening, and came home with another basted quilt to finish for community quilts.  I worked on it for a while yesterday afternoon, and came up with a quilting plan.  I hope to get it completed today!

Tomorrow morning DH and I will be on the road early, heading to Kitchener to spend some time with DS1 and his wife.  We are going to see Whoopie at the Centre in the Square.  Then back home on Sunday.

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I finished my September BOM project from my guild - I chose to make the applique version, stitching the turned-edge appliques by machine.  I added some thread painting as accents to the flame and pointsettias, then did some simple quilting and added the binding.

It will be donated to the "Every Child Counts" group, to be sold to raise funds for the school the Bahamas.

 This is the start of a project that has been percolating in my brain for 3-4 years.
My son's new wife loves dragonflies.  He found some wonderful photos of them on the internet, and one spoke to me.  We expanded the picture, and printed it poster size to use as a pattern.  I got out my Golden Threads tracing paper, and made a line drawing of the dragonfly.  Then the problem was - how to transfer the image to the fabric.  Since I knew I wanted a dark background, and I also knew that I didn't want to spend time picking our all the tiny bits of tracing paper - I went back to the drawing board.  A while later, I discovered a package of wash-away "plastic" stabilizer.  I put it with the pattern and went on to other projects.  I had found the background fabric and some to make grass, and I also picked up some of the "Frixion" pens in pink, light blue and purple.  The pink was the perfect colour to trace my original drawing!  I used a close-up picture of grass as an inpiration for shapes and colours of the few foreground grasses.  I just have them temporarily glued into place, and still have to applique them to the background.  Of course, DH saw it and made a few suggestions for additional design, but I think I'll stitch it and let it percolate for a while before I decide on the next steps!

Check out all the wonderful design walls at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  154.125 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  50.375 yards

Net used 2013  103.75 yards

 

Nothing used from my stash, but I did finish another quilt for my guild's community quilts project.  Everyone likes to piece the top of the quilt, but few like to quilt and add the binding!  That has become my goal - to finish quilts that others have started.  After working on a few, I see what a longarm quilter goes through in finding the right quilting design to enhance the quilt.

 

My week seemed to fly away - working on quilts for Calgary, a part day with the community quilts group, a physio appointment, making goodies to take for our get-together with relatives on Friday.  Yesterday was laundry, and finishing the quilt, so I hope to get some of my own projects started/worked on/finished today!

 

Check out others' stash progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

CUTE BABY ALPACA!

We had a great visit with our cousins in Tweed yesterday.  Wonderful catching up and sharing all the family news.
April & Melody raise alpacas on their farm.  This is the newest member of the herd, just 5 days old!

Here, its getting a hug! 

They show their animals and have won many ribbons.  DH took pictures of the "girls".  

They have the alpacas sheared in the spring, then have the fleeces spun into yarn - some mixed with wool.  Some is kept in its natural colour - they range from white to black, with many in-between brownish shades.  Some is dyed.  They have one Suri alpaca, and they keep the fleece separate from the rest - the yarn feels like silk!

I wish I was a better knitter - they are looking for people to knit for them - they don't have time!

HEXAGON FRIDAY

I managed  to finish 19 of the 32 small flower units to finish the centre of the quilt.  Most of my hand-sewing time was spent on bindings for the final 3 quilts heading to Calgary.  I also attended our community quilts workshop on Tuesday, and brought another finished top home, along with some backing fabric, so I've been busy finishing that one, as well.

Today DH and I are heading to Tweed to visit our cousins, who raise alpacas.  They hardly ever leave their small farm, and we decided to make it a good visit.  DH's sister and cousin, along with their husbands are also coming, along with his long-lost cousin, so it should be a great afternoon.

Yesterday, with DH's help, we baked a tomato soup spice cake, cherry brownies (with dried cherries), and onion French bread, along with an antipasto pasta salad.  We'll probably have enough food for 100 people, as everyone is bringing something!

Off to pack up the goodies, and hit the road to scenic Tweed!

DESIGN WALL (MONDAY) - OOPS - TUESDAY

I'm a day late posting, but I was busy finishing quilts to be sent to flood victims in Calgary!

This is the applique version of my guild's September BOM project.  The applique pieces were placed on a solid black background.  I used some water soluble applique foundation material, which was placed on the back of the coloured fabrics (I held mine with a dab of glue-stick).  After trimming the seam allowance, I used the glue stick to fold and stick the seam allowance to the back of the foundation material.  When I place the pieces on the background (using a light box), I held them in place with a bit more glue.
I used invisible (monofilament) thread and a narrow zig-zag stitch to attach the pieces to the background.  Then I did some stitching with some mylar hologram thread for the details on the pointsettias and the candle flame.
Now I have to trim the top, and layer it (I'll use some black batting that was leftover from a previous project), and I'll machine quilt it, add binding, and it will be ready for October's meeting!

QUILTS FOR CALGARY ALBERTA FLOOD VICTIMS

My guild sponsored a quilt day to make quilts for the flood victims.  My brain went on holiday, as I got busy with some errands, and I didn't remember until 3:30!  I hopped into the car and arrived in time to see the final 4 participants packing quilts, as well as all their stuff.  I asked if there was any quilts that could finish and turn in quickly.
I was give this brown rail fence - already pin-basted and partially quilted, along with the prepared binding and label. 

 I continued with the echo quilting in the darkest areas, stitched leaves in the lightest, and a scroll in the medium brown areas.

Next was a whole cloth quilt.  The top fabric was printed with alphabet letters, school houses, cats, apples - a very busy print.

I began quilting by stitching a large X from corner to corner.  Then I attached the quilting guide to my machine, and stitched a chevron designs, with the lines 2 inches apart. The plaid fabric for the back was also used to make binding.

 The final project had a top area stitched together - just squares in turquoise, yellow, and yellow and soft green prints.  I thought it needed to be wider, and the person who had started the quilt had pieced some various width strips together.  Luckily I was given all the cut up fabric, as well as some of the darker turquoise for the back.  I added pieced strips to each side, and also to each side of the backing to make the quilt a good size.

 I don't often use solid fabrics, so I quilted large flowers in each of the solid squares, and a clover design in the rest of the blocks.  The two border areas have looping vines, with heart-shaped leaves and the occasional flower.

It was a fun challenge to get the quilts ready to hand in on Tuesday, and DH was great!  He did the grocery shopping, cooked all the meals, and did the dishes so I could concentrate on finishing these quilts.  They'll be shipped to the distributing group in Calgary this week!

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  154.125 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  50.375 yards

Net used 2013  103.75 yards

Nothing used this week, although I did start my guild's BOM project.  Friday was a sewing day, making quilts to send to the flood victims in Calgary Alberta area.  I was busy, and it slipped my mind until shortly after 3pm, so I hopped in the car and collected 3 quilts in various stages of completion, to bring home.

The first was pin-basted, and a bit of quilting had been started, so that was my project Saturday morning, and I finished the binding after returning from a friend's birthday party.  Before leaving to attend, I clamped the backing for quilt #2 to my cutting table, laid the batting and the top, and that will be pin-basted next.  Quilt #3 will be done next, but it needs a bit more work before it gets to the quilting stage.

Check out everyones' stash progress at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

HEXAGON FRIDAY

I have 12 of 32 units completed for the two rows of the quilt, before borders are added.
Lucky for me, I had 10 small flower units, with their first round of background hexagons completed, so I've been making and adding background hexagons, along with the upper/lower border hexagons all week!
I had another peek at the original quilt, and have decided to use 4 star units in the corners of the borders - hopefully my count is correct and they will fit.  If not, I'll just go back to the original plan in the pattern!

I spent yesterday afternoon and this morning working on the September BOM for my guild.  It is another Christmas project, so check it out here.

SEPTEMBER GUILD MEETING LAST NIGHT

This was the first meeting for this season.  It was great to see so many familiar faces, along with some new ones as well.  We all shared the loss of one of our very active, long time members, who died in a summer boating accident.  She will be missed by everyone.
We had a great turn-out, tasty snacks, over 50 new items in our library, and a wonderful display of quilts from our community quilts group!

We played "Strip Bingo" with over 400 x 2 1/2 inch strips for prizes!
There was lots of show and tell quilts shared with the group, as well as a new block of the month project to try.  The pictures of the quilts will be shared on the guild's website over the next few days.

I've been trying to work, but a work crew is installing new storm sewer lines a block away, and the pounding noise of the drill is very distracting!  They don't call Kingston "the limestone city" for nothing! (Really it is because of all the buildings made from beautiful limestone).  As my sewing room is in the basement, the sound is the loudest here, of course.  I hope they get finished soon......

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  14 yards

Fabric used year to date  175 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  50.375 yards

Net used 2013  124.325 yards

 I finally finished my scrappy split 9-patch quilt!  It was sprinkling outside, so DH held the quilt while standing on the sofa - the problems of living in a home with small rooms!  It really finished straight and square!  It is 68 x 80, so should fit a single bed easily!  I love the graphic lines and I always make mine with a centre square, which I also used as the final border and binding.  I think scrappy quilts need a fabric that consistent throughout the quilt.  

Check out all the stash reports at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.