DESIGN WALL MONDAY

It doesn't look much different from last week, but I've appliqued all the diamonds and circles on the ring, and attached it along the inside edge.  (The outer edge is still free, until I get the appliques stitched on the four corners - I prepared some of the pieces this morning.)

I still have to stitch the interior parts of the two large leaves, but everything else is completed so far.  Now to make the fabric choices for the next layer of flowers......

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.
 

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  0 yards

Fabric used year to date  134.5 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date  63.75 yards

Net used 2015  70.75 yards

Once again, nothing used or added.  I machine quilted 3 quilts for my guild's community quilts program, and just finished a large quilt for a friend's church, made to commemorate their anniversary.

The inner red border was quilted with swirls - I love continuous stitching on borders.
 The final blue border was stitched with an undulating line, and hooked feathers - another continuous line of stitching.
 

 The quilt had muslin panels with sentiments written by members.  There was a large blue rectangle at alternate ends of each row, so I stitched a hooked feather swirl in each.

There was a large statement panel at the top of the quilt, with a large space on each end, so I filled it with flowers.

Each of the sentiment panels was surrounded by scrappy strips, and I stitched alternating leaf and blossom designs around each one.

Now I have to get busy making some placemats and a BOM for my guild project.  DH and I are off to a matinee at the theatre and dinner following with friends.

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

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I spent a few days last week prepping some of the applique parts for my next project.  It doesn't look like much yet, but with so many little pieces, I'm working from the bottom layer to the top.  This is part of a pattern by Esther Aliu, that she has been sharing on her Yahoo Group.
I'm trying to decide how large I'll make this quilt.  My original plan was just to work on the centre and make a small wall hanging that I can enjoy.  My guild has begun another BOM quilt project, and I'm thinking I might like to use my collection of blues and whites for that. 
What to do, what to do????

I'm also trying to complete the quilting on 3 community quilts, and a quilt for a friend's church to celebrate the church's anniversary. 

Check out all the creativity shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 0 yards

Fabric used year to date  134.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  63.75 yards

Net used 2015  70.75 yards

I spent most of the past week preparing some appliques for a blue and white wallhanging.  I also spent a day at my guild's community quilt workshop, and have started the quilting on one of the three quilts I brought home.  I have another one being delivered tomorrow!

Today, DH and I headed to Upper Canada Village in the Morrisburg Ontario area.  This weekend was their celebration of an 1860's fall fair!  They had a tent with exhibits, farm animals being shown, entertainment, including a beard contest!  There was also a quilt display, with quilts from 4 or 5 area guilds (mine included).  The had snacks for $0.50 - whole wheat bread, and cheddar cheese made in the village, along with fudge, lemonade, apple cider, etc.

We have visited this living historic site many times over the years, and it was fun to stop in at our favourite places - the schoolhouse, the broom maker, and the tinsmith.  I found out that they have summer camp for kids there in the summer.  They dress in period clothing, and attend school for 1 hour each day, then do chores in their "home" or at their "farm", sleeping in dormitories at night. I think I'll keep this in mind for our grandson in 9 or 10 years!

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

COMMUNITY QUILTS WORKDAY

Yesterday, a group of quilters from my guild got together at the home of one our our community quilts chairperson for a monthly working day. We began with coffee and pumpkin raisin muffins, and signed in, then headed to the sewing room to sew labels on all the quilts handed in at the meeting the previous week. Then they made sure that they were all photographed and recorded before being sent to various programs around our hometown.
Next a quilt was altered - it had been made for Quilts of Valour, and didn't meet the minimum size requirements.  Once some additional blocks were chosen, I was elected to sew them together with sashing, to add to the already completed top to make it long enough.  Others were piecing backings for some tops that needed to be pin-basted.  Two more quilts were designed, using blocks that had been donated, and pin basting continued.  
We stopped for our pot luck lunch - 2 delicious soups, salad, cheese and crackers, fresh veggies for snacking and some delicious dessert too!

More pin-basting, sewing etc., and before I knew it DH was there to pick me up - it was 4pm already!

As usual, I came home with 3 quilts ready to machine quilt, and a stack of donated "stack-n-whack" blocks that had been made many years ago.  I guess I'll have to spend some time with my stash to find fabric for sashing - there is enough of the floral print to use for a border.  I'm sure someone will love the finished quilt.....

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 13.75 yards

Fabric used year to date 134.5 yards

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Fabric added year to date 63.75 yards

Net fabric used 2015 70.75 yards 

Here's my "Kiss in the Corner" quilt, finished and ready to find a new home.  My 2 inch strip bin has only a few small bits of yellow left.  I found it surprising that I had used so many different yellow fabrics over the years!  Now I just have to decide which project comes next.....

My kitchen smells wonderful today - a batch of pumpkin muffins cooling on the rack, and 2 loaves of cinnamon fruit bread almost ready to come out of the oven.....

Check all the progress shared at Judy's blog, Patchwork Times.

FINALLY, ANOTHER FINISH....

It has seemed that I've been getting little quilting done lately, and therefore, I've been posting less and less.  With our lovely grandson living 4 1/2 hours away, and our desire to spend lots of time with him, we've made many trips to visit this summer.  We usually visit for 3-5 days each time, then return home and play catch up, with all the things that need to be done at home.  We love every minute we spend with him and his family, and can see changes with each visit we make.  


Soon we'll be heading south to run away from winter, and we'll have to visit via Skype.  He'll be a whole different child when we return!


I just put the final quilting stitches in another scrap quilt using a Bonnie Hunter pattern.  This one is called "Kiss in the Corner", and uses 2 inch strips and 1 1/2 inch squares, so more fabric was used from my scrap bins!  I even found enough of the same 1 1/2 in strip fabric for the first border as well - it was a fabric purchased as "the rest of the bolt", and was used in many quilts over the years.

The blocks are set on point, and in the first, and each alternate row, I stitched a flower with a spiral centre.  I used Superior Thread "Twist" in a light blue colour for all the quilting in the blocks.

The quilting in the blocks in the alternate rows was simple loops in the yellow squares, radiating around the centre dark square.

The setting triangles were stitched with a simple motif.

I used this bold stripe fabric for the final border.  I changed to a light green Twist thread, and after dividing each border into square areas, I stitched "Squiggle Squares" continuously along each border. 

 Now I'm off to find my next project!