BACK TO QUILTING, SORT OF.......

 I can't believe it is Thursday already, and I have barely sewn a stitch!

 I spent some time cutting various size circles from Christmas fabric, to make yo-yo tree ornaments, to be donated to the boutique at my guild next year.  I was looking for some mindless hand sewing to do in the evening when DH and I watch TV for a while.  I dug through my craft supplies to find the bits and pieces that I use to piece them together when they are all completed.

I spent lots of time, catching up on email etc., and we had some appointments this week too.  DH spent some time talking to our internet provider, since our cable was cut last fall while they were adding a new line to a neighbour.  Since then, we have shared our next door neighbour's feed, as it was too late in the year to replace and bury the line, and with Zoom meetings so often, along with Skype chats to visit our grandchildren and families, our internet has been very patchy, with week signals etc.  They were supposed to drop off a new modem on Tuesday, but no one showed up.  After calling again, we are supposed to have one dropped off tomorrow (I hope).  They don't start burying lines here until mid-May, so ours probably won't be replaced until then.

I have been busy dealing with lots of mail for my guild, as I write and monitor our website.  It uses Wordpress, and since its latest update, it is taking me 3 times longer to make each post, edit the pages, on top of editing pictures etc.

Today I began cutting 2 inch strips from my scrap bin for a new quilt.  I am trying to use fabric that is "waiting in the wings" for its chance to shine.  I hope to have enough cut to spend time sewing on Saturday at our monthly Zoom sew day, taking time to chat with other members from time to time.

Our younger son and his wife are dealing with the death of her mother, with family members spread from Canada, USA and Russia.  Of course Covid 19 complicates everything, and they are dealing with their grief.  We feel helpless, as under normal circumstances, we would travel to their home, and help out with the kids, cooking, cleaning, etc.  Now that her dad is alone, he will be able to spend time with them under Ontario's covid rules, and will be included in their "bubble" when he is ready to start socializing.

Back to cutting fabric.........

ZOOM WORKSHOP DAY

 My guild members have been missing our monthly workshops.

Today was our first official boutique Zoom workshop, guided by one of our members.  Seventeen of us were ready to sew at 9:30 a.m.  We used the pattern "Twice as Nice double pouch II" by Geta.  The pattern is in PDF format, and is downloadable here.

Geta's pattern is wonderful, with 20 pages of instructions, lots of pictures, diagrams, helpful hints and includes fabric requirements for 3 different sizes.

I chose my fabric to match the available zippers I had!

I used some fusible batting on the exterior fabric, which I cut a bit larger, machine quilted, and then trimmed to the correct size.

The interior pouch, made in coordinating dots, is just made with 2 layers of fabric.  Several members of the group were worried about adding a zipper, but the instructions were clear and easy to follow.  

By noon, there was a  variety of pouches completed!

Thanks go to Mary Lou, for suggesting this pattern, and guiding us all along the journey.  It was fun to see all the completed pouches in the large variety of fabrics!

FINALLY FINISHED

 I've been working on the quilt for my granddaughter, but this past week has had many interruptions, so I only made a tiny progress each day.  Finally finished the last stitch, checked for stray threads and took a couple of pictures!

I cut apart the pages of a cloth book panel, and trimmed them all to the same size.  Each was framed in hot pink, with bright yellow corners.

I decided to add a narrow blue sashing with green corner squares.

When I found the panel, I also found a coordinating number print, so I used that for the final border.

I found the perfect stripe fabric in my stash for the binding, and I used flannel on the back, so it would be cosy.

Quilting was done by stitching in the ditch with monofilament thread, then I outlined the number and the animals in each block.

Leaves zig-zag in the pink frames, and small loops in the blue sashing.

I am looking forward to spending time with my granddaughter, finding the numbers, talking about the animals the colours in the quilt.

DH and I have our first Covid vaccine, but as we are in Canada, the second dose is being postponed for 4 months, as they are struggling to get the first dose into as many arms as possible.  We are also in a lockdown, and discouraged from leaving our own area, so trips to visit the grandkids is a while away.

COMMUNITY QUILTS

 I am a member of the Limestone Quilters Guild in Kingston Ontario.  We have a very active "Community Quilts" program, making quilts to donate to various groups and places.  Some members make quilts to donate, and others donate quilt tops, fabric, batting, backing to help our program.

Pre-Covid 19, we met once per month at our convenor's home, to work as a group.  Some were sewing, others pressing, cutting fabric, pin-basting, preparing bindings etc.  We enjoyed a pot luck lunch, and enjoyed getting together to produce fun quilts.

Since Covid 19, our guild has been holding Zoom meetings, with interesting presenters from Canada, USA, and even Australia!  We have a Zoom sew-day, where those who wish, can chat, sew, cut fabric, pin-baste etc.  We miss being together in person, but many love working in their own sewing space, with all their items are at hand!

We are hoping to hold our quilt show in 2022, and since we need items for the boutique, we are adding a Zoom workshop monthly, with each participant making the chosen item.  This month required each person to purchase the PDF pattern, and we even received a guild discount!

I recently picked up two pin-basted Community quilts, to complete the machine quilting and add the binding.  When each one is completed, it is photographed, and all the names of the various stitchers is recorded for our records, before the quilt is delivered to various nursing homes, hospitals, individuals etc. 

This quilt was our guild block-of-the-month September to December 2020.  The pattern was queen size, but some participants made it with half-size blocks.  

I quilted the centre with Baptist fans, using a stencil to mark the lines with a chalk pounce.  I marked 2 rows at a time, to make sure that the markings didn't get rubbed off.  The three borders are stitched with a wavy line, a reversing swirl, and then finally with leaves.  

 This quilt top was donated by another member, and borders were added before it was basted.  I looked at it often, trying to decide how to quilt it, and then I could see a butterfly in each of the dark purple areas.  I rarely mark my quilt designs, although I may use a pin to designate the area for each in the borders,so that the spacing is more uniform.

 Once the butterflies were fluttering in various directions, I stitched a flower in each square, and the pointed triangle-like areas received a leaf.  I added my favourite hooked feathers in the wide border and found the perfect stripe fabric in my stash for the binding.

I machine quilt using a Bernina B710, which has a deeper throat.  It has a lovely stitch, and I am able to use an assortment of different thread easily, with very little adjustment for tension etc.

Now back to the quilt that I am making for my granddaughter!

 

STASH REPORT AND NEW PROJECT

 Fabric used this week  4 yards

Fabric used year to date  48.5 yards

Fabric added this week  4.5 yards

Fabric added year to date  4.5 yards

Net fabric used 2021  44 yards

I finished the 2 sets of four place mats, doing a quick turn finish, and machine quilting each set.  These will be set aside for the boutique at my guild's next quilt show, hopefully in June 2022.

I was looking for a new project to start, and found a book panel with cute animals, and some coordinating fabric that was purchased at the same time.  I was fortunate to win a draw for a $50 shopping spree at Quilt Retreat Thyme in Kingston.  I picked up some fabric to  coordinate with the book panel, as well as some more guitar fabric to make some new masks for my husband.

I found the panel for the cloth book in my stash, along with a yard of the coordinating numbers print that I used in the final border.  The hot pink that frames the blocks/pages, and the bright yellow cornerstones was my new fabric.  The rest came from my stash.

I have been an avid collector of stripe fabrics, as they are wonderful for bindings, plus I do have an all stripe fabric quilt on my to-do list.  I liked this stripe so much, I bought a few yards of it, but most are around 1 yard cuts.  This one has all the colours in the quilt!  

Now I have to hunt for backing fabric.  Since this will go to my granddaughter, I plan on putting flannel on the back, as she loves cuddly fabrics!