DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I'm still quilting my latest project, but I took some time off this afternoon.  After teaching a workshop on clothesline baskets, I came home and started wrapping some for myself.

I was inspired to try a new edging after watching a tutorial at Ami Simms website.  She made hers with cotton clothesline that was dyed, but I used the regular wrapped clothesline. 
The edging takes way more line that you might think, but it creates an interesting edge.

I also had a shorter piece of clothesline, so I kept wrapping.....

This used some leftover fabric from my grandson's quilt, along with the selvedge and some narrow strips of a multicoloured stripe that I used for the sashing in another project.  I decided to finish with some swirls on the outside this time.

Now back to quilting.

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week 2 yards

Fabric used year to date  124.5 yards 

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  90.75 yards

My community quilts group was busy trying to complete as many quilts as possible, so we could send them to the Ft. McMurray fire victims.  I brought 2 baby quilts home and quilted them, and added the binding.  I also made 3 blocks to be donated to the BOM draw at our next meeting in June.

I'm in the middle of quilting my guild's BOM quilt project, that was shared this year.  I've done most of the SITD quilting, and now have to figure out interesting designs for all the blocks and areas.

I've spent the weekend getting caught up on laundry, and making soup.  One of our grocery stores had skinless chicken breasts on sale for the long weekend.  Sales were slow, even though they were a great bargain.  My friend called on Thursday to tell me that they had marked them down to half of the sale price, so DH and I headed over and picked up 5 packages of 4 breast, each for just over $2!  I boned all the breasts, and we packed them up for the freezer.  I made chicken stock yesterday, and this morning after skimming all the fat, I made chicken veggie soup with a few noodles.  I'll have lots for the freezer too!

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

 

WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY

I was asked to take over a workshop on Thursday.  The person who was going to teach it had to be out of town.
Thursday morning I headed to the fairgrounds in Odessa ON, where we use one of their buildings for large workshops.  I was there about 8:45, and helped set up tables and chairs.  Soon ladies started arriving with sewing machines, and lots of assorted stuff.

I had 2 helpers for the morning and part of the afternoon too.  The ladies were there to make some clothesline baskets.  I only had a couple to show, as most of mine have been gifted or sold, but my helpers each brought one as well.  It took a while to get everyone started, as it is important to get a good starting wrap of the clothesline.  Then the 3 of us were flitting from table to table to help everyone start their coils ( the hardest part, I think). 

I shared a couple of websites with the group, and everyone was off and wrapping then stitching.




Personally, I like to wrap the clothesline ahead of time, then just sit and stitch.


By 4pm, there were some finished baskets, and some great progress by others, who had decided to make a large basket to hold knitting.

There was lots of chatting and visiting to see what other's baskets were looking like and seeing how different fabric choices were working.  







I explained that I save all the selvedge edges from the fabric I buy, and make scrappy baskets, so I think I have people looking a the selvedges with "new eyes".




I must say that I was tired by the end of the day - my first full one since I was ill, but when I returned home, I sat and wrapped some selvedges around some clothesline!

DESIGN WALL (MONDAY) - WEDNESDAY

Sometimes I wonder where the time goes..... 
 It was Victoria Day weekend in Canada, and we spent a couple of days with our son, daughter-in-law and grandson.  I was busy doing this.....  He is a bit too small to reach the pedals, but he loves to walk and steer.

I have this completed top on my new design wall.  My sewing room is in the basement of our townhouse, and there is a long, narrow hall leading to the room.  I needed a larger design wall, so DH and I put this up.  My other "wall" is an old pin board that we rescued from a garbage pile.
The pinwheels were made from the bonus pieces while making the pieced border for my guild BOM quilt.  The setting triangle were all cut from my 2 1/2 inch strip bin.  The light and dark blues were leftover from the BOM quilt.  I pulled a funky strip for sashing and thought that the black cornerstones helped to pull it all together.  My only difficulty with the design wall, is taking pictures from an extreme angle, but I'll take a full picture once the quilt is completed.
I'll be teaching a workshop on making clothesline coiled baskets all day tomorrow - looking forward to a fun day!

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  122.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  88.75

 

I'm still struggling with my cold and cough!  I don't think I was totally better and have been a bit sick since February.  I'm on the uphill side of it this time, and my cough is almost gone.

 

I've been working on my guild's BOM project.  I finally stitched tht top together, and then planned the borders (my choice).  I used a border from Judy's book "60 Pieced Quilt Borders Mix & Match", adjusting the size to fit my quilt.  I only have one more border to stitch, and then the top will be complete.  Now I just have to find the energy..... 

I'm catching up on the laundry today and making a pot of soup.  We hope to visit our grandson and family next weekend, but I don't want to take my germs along.  They've had a tough time with illnesses, since my DIL returned to work and grandson to daycare.

Check out all the progress shared at Judy's blog, http://www.patchworktimes.com/2016/05/15/stash-report-may-15-2016/

DESIGN WALL MONDAY

I was feeling a bit better this morning, so I decided to get back to work on my guild BOM project.  I had made the blocks each month, but hadn't finished the last one, as I had to decide what I wanted to add to the basic blocks.

I finally decided to make some small Dresden plate pieces.  I made an open circle on the left side, and then played with the pieces to make two looped shapes on the right.
Pardon the cut off picture.  My sewing room is small and that is the best I could do.  The top right block has the woven pattern that is a mirror image of the top left.
I machine appliqued the Dresden parts to the block using monofilament (invisible) thread.  I challenged myself to make the whole quilt in shades of blue and white, and I've been enjoying the process.  I still have a few more borders to add - they were not provided with the pattern.  It will be interesting to see all the finished quilts.  This time I'll remember to enter mine in the next quilt show.

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

STASH REPORT SUNDAY

Fabric used this week  13.125 yards

Fabric used year to date  122.5 yards

Fabric added this week  0 yards

Fabric added year to date  33.75 yards

Net used 2016  88.75

 

My quilting seems to go in "fits and starts" this year.  I am suffering through cold number 2 for this year - a personal record.

 

My guild's block of the month program is going back to normal, after offering 2 complete quilts starting in the fall.  This month's block had a floral centre, with definite colours in the other pieces.  They will be handed in at the June meeting, and the participants names go into a draw for all the blocks.  One block, one entry.  I decided to make 3 blocks this week.  I needed to have a small project to work on during my few good spells. 

The other yardage was used in the Oriental Strip Quilt I completed on Tuesday.  It will be heading to my Community Quilts group for donation.

 

Happy Mother's Day to everyone.  I had along conversation with my older son this afternoon, and this morning we Skyped with our younger son and his family.  Our grandson loves to "talk" to us via the computer.  It will be great when he uses real words, but we have fun chatting with him and watching him play with his toys.

 

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

A FINISH FOR MAY

I've come down with a cold - as bad as the one I had in February!  I'm blaming all the variable weather we've been having since our return. 

While in Florida, a neighbour gave me some 2 1/2 in strips of oriental print fabrics.  I added a few of my own and made this quilt.

I decided that it should be wider and longer, so I pulled an oriental print that was leftover from a project a few years ago.  I found a stack of fabrics that had been lined up for a stack n whack block with just 4 repeats, so I cut them up and made interesting 4Patches.  I set them on point, using a neutral fabric, and then added green spacers to make them wide enough for a top and bottom border.  Then I added more side borders, and the leftover oriental print is leftover no more!  
 
Here is a closeup of one of the borders, showing the 4 patch stack n whack blocks and the quilting in the neutral areas.  The rest of the quilting was very simple.  This quilt will be donated to the community quilts program at my guild.

Now I have to get back to my guild's block of the month quilt.  I still have to invent a couple of appliques for the final block, and then start piecing and figuring out what kind and how many borders I'll add.  Lots of fun!