Thursday, February 28, 2013

Fresh Sewing Day and Just Three!

1. Inspired Broken Diamonds, 2. Modern Scrappy Bits Swap, 3. Scrappy trip along, 4. That Stash Bee-February

I had a few finishes.  Inpspired Broken Diamonds, A super size triple sip for the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap, 1512 a.k.a. Scrappy Trip Along and my bee blocks.  Not too bad for a short month!

My just three goals last month were pretty straight forward...


1)  Finish my scrappy trip    So done!
2)  Finish my broken diamonds quilt that I have not even shared except for a pile of cut up solid fabric  DONE
3) Do my February bee blocks that are paper pieced!!!!!!  DONE!

Love it when a plan comes together!  

What about March?

1.  March bee blocks for That Stash Bee.
2.  Finish the pink wonky star shabby chic gift quilt
3.  At least 4 more Road to Fortune blocks.

No worries.  It's in the bag.  What about you?  Linking up with Tracy for Just Three and for Lynne at Lily's Quilts for Fresh Sewing Day.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

When is a work in progress, a work in progress?



1) Can a work in progress just be a pile of fabric without an idea but the knowing that you need to make something?  This is my fabric for the Modern Quilting Madrona Road Challenge.  Yes, I know the challenge is over but our fabric for our guild went on a walkabout and got a little bit lost on the way to us.  Saturday, at our sew in day, I got my pile.  I traded the haystack in graphite for more of the blue wild carrot print because I have a lot of the haystack in graphite already. But I haven't settled on a plan yet.  So this work in progress is just a pile of fabric hoping for an idea.


 2)  Guild mug rug thing for fat quarter swap placement at meetings needs quilting but this was a huge pile of fun!

3)  Using up all of those florals.  You know the ones I mean?  Making a quilt for a gift.  And the recipient is just so going to LOVE this because she loves pink... and flowers.  15 blocks down and another 15 to go.  I even made a bunch of these on my Featherweight at the sew in!!!!!


4) Going with my one block a week plan is working so far!  2 blocks of the Road to Fortune paper pieced blocks.  Scrap busting!

So that is what is going on over here .  Linking up with the Needle and Thread Network and with Lee at Freshly Pieced!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Fat Qs


Well.  This is a little fun something something that I put together yesterday.  This is for our guild.  I am the Fat Quarter Swap person.  Each month we have a different theme and ask the guild members to bring 4 fat quarters that fits the theme.  Then I swap them around and each person goes home with 4 different fat quarters.  Or at least that is the plan.  If I actually get the swap right.  Here is the thing.  We have so many new members that our esteemed leader, Lysa, , thought it would be nice to have a little mug rug-ish-mini quilt-ish thing to mark the place to put fat quarters for swapping, snacks, and door prizes.  Great idea!  Lysa picked out fabric in the guild colours.  Snazzy Kona solids!


And then I got busy.  I haven't quilted it yet. I did not use a pattern for the letters.  I have the Word Play Quilts book and she says to just go for it so I did.  I got a lot of practice with my Proverbial Sunshine quilt.  And yes, the letters are wonky.  And can you tell it says "Fat Qs?"  Fun or what????  I will show you when it is all finished up.  It is like playing.


Sunday, February 24, 2013

On the Design Wall...


Yesterday was our Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild Sew in and meeting.  It is just so much fun to sit around a sew with like minded quilty people.  I took my wee Featherweight, Daisy Marie, out for her first sew in.  She ran like a fine tuned clock and I cranked out a paper pieced block and a whole bunch of wonky star blocks.  A couple of the other quilty people had their Featherweights too.  We could start a club.  A spin off to the guild.  It was fun to compare and check what is going on with their little machines.  I ordered some new feet for the machine bed today and a spare belt just because Husband thinks it is a good idea to have a spare belt.  I agree.

Anyway.  Back to the design wall.  I started a gift quilt.  And I am using up all of those leftover shabby chic pink-ish florals in wonky stars.  A bunch of different things including some Lecien Antique Rose and all sorts other things.  The Antique Rose is actually quite pretty.  I made a baby quilt like this last summer but I still have a bunch of these fabrics so it seemed the perfect use.  I know that the person this is destined for will LOVE it.  I think I will need about 30 blocks but they go quickly.

And that is what is on my design wall... what about your's?  Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Inspired Broken Diamonds


I finished this the other day and hung it up on the barn for a few pictures.  This is Inspired Broken Diamonds and I am calling it that because I was inspired to make it after seeing this quilt on Kati's blog From The Blue Chair.  I found her Broken Diamonds quilt mesmerizing and I knew that I had to try it.  It took me awhile to get around to it but I did.  

So what did I do?  Lot of solids cut into strips in a variety of widths.  The strings are paper pieced in matching quarters and then sewn together with other matching quarters.  There are no repeats.  The "diamonds" are all different sizes for the most part.  Then the fun came when I put them together.  That was a bit of a construction project!  I had to sash the blocks in a way that allowed them to fit together.  Once that happened, I filled in the empty space with giant triangles and we were away to the races.  That was until I realized I had goofed with the orientation of the quilt and I had to un-sandwich it and tweak the quilt a bit so I had the blocks in the right orientation.  Long story.  Short story is it makes me happy.  There is one wee diamond in a different orientation.  Can you see it?  That was an oops but it is an okay oops.  The quilt advisor (a.k.a. Husband) thought the diamonds should have their lighter sides to the left as if the sun might be on them.  Do you see what I mean?  All the diamonds are in that orientation except the one little oops.  That one slipped by me somehow!  

The quilting is straight lines about an inch apart, in Aurifil 50 wt in white and I think it looks just great!  The binding is Kona Charcoal and I used some leftover solids on the back with Ikea's Britten Numbers. So much fun!!!!!  I was stitching the binding when I noticed the number forty two on the back!  Forty two is such an auspicious number!  The answer to the secret of the universe, right?  Nothing like a literary reference on a quilt!  (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)






  Quilt stats

Name:  Inspired Broken Diamonds
                     Design:  Inspired by Kati's quilt Broken Diamonds
Size:  64" by 74"
Fabric:  Kona Solids and stash fabrics
Binding:  Kona Charcoal
Backing:  Ikea Britten Numbers and Kona Solids
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white








Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish It Up Friday!

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

sometimes the crazy quilting lady gets out...

sneak peek of a quilt back with the wonderful Ikea giant text fabric

You know.  You've heard about crazy cat ladies.  There are also crazy quilting ladies.  You know it's true.  My crazy quilting lady escaped today.  I had a meeting in the big city and I just happened to pass IKEA on the way home.  Eek!  I thought that I could just run in and find the fabric quickly.  Get in.  Get out. Back in the car and back into traffic.  I had a plan.  It could happen.  I zipped off the freeway.  Found parking.  Speed walked  like crazy person.  Yep.  Crazy quilting lady was on the loose!  I zoomed in.  Took the short cut and then the next short cut.  I bypassed all the meandering walking through furniture.  Who needs it?  I was on a mission.  Find some more of that awesome giant text fabric.  Get a bunch of it and get out of the store.  I actually bee-lined it right to the fabric.  I did not get lost.  Of course there was no one in sight to help me and I could not find the fabric.  ARGH!  I was on a mission however, and crazy quilting lady could not be thwarted.  I became "one with the fabric" and knew that if I thought like a bolt of giant text fabric, I could find it!  And find it I did!  Under the cutting table.  Still wrapped in plastic but it was there and I picked it up and it fell with the most satisfying thunk on the cutting table.  I just need someone to cut it!!!!  If in doubt and in IKEA, just head for the kid's playroom.  They have to have people there.  Brilliant idea.  I found a person.  She found a person for me.  My plan was coming together.  The crazy quilting lady asked for 10 metres and paced impatiently while the lovely young lady measured, cut and wrote up a tag.  I am sure I had a possessed expression!  The crazy quilting lady just needed a cash.  I asked for directions.  The shortest route to the cash and I was off to the races.  No need for a bag.  I was back in the car in 15 minutes, people!  With 10 metres of the lovely giant text fabric called Britten Numbers and it only costs $3.99 a metre and it is extra wide!                    I feel better now.

Linking up with Cindy for Random Thursday.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Work in Progress...



1)  Broken Diamonds is quilted and is in progress.  I am really happy with how this turned out.  The binding is the fabulous Kona charcoal and the back... you can see it a squidge in the picture.  The snazzy giant text print from Ikea.  What fabulous quilt backing that is!  I must get more!!!!!  And to give credit where credit is due, this quilt is inspired completely by the quilt that Kati made.  She did not have a pattern or a tutorial but I had an idea.  And it worked!!!!!

2)  Modern Scrappy Bits swap project done!

3)  Text fabric for the Text me a charm Canadian swap is in the mail!!!!!

4)  Road to Fortune scrap paper pieced quilt that is allowed to be a slow project.  One block a week.  Is on schedule.  One block made!  : )

5)  I have to prep a project for the guild sew in this Saturday!  Eeek!  When is that going to happen?????




Monday, February 18, 2013

More Modern Scrappy Bits...



Oh my!  More scraps.  I was stalking my partner for the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap and I pulled a bunch of scraps that I thought might work but I didn't hear anything from my partner so I thought I would try again and see if these scraps might catch the eye of the intended.  There is a whack of stuff with some Basic Grey, Oh Deer, Secret Garden, Joel Dewberry, Madrona Road, Type and I even put some Kona Ash in there just for fun so I hope this catches my partner's eye!

Then I received this in the mail from the lovely Cynthia!  A special Cynthia designed post card!!!!  And if you pop over to Cynthia's blog, you will see the amazing art piece she just finished.  It is stunning.  You have to see it.

So there.  Have a lovely day.


Sunday, February 17, 2013

What is on the design wall? Not much!




I need to do something with all these scraps.  And this is only 6 of the bins.  There are so many more.  Eeek!  Each time I start something I just end up making more scraps.  They are like bunnies!

I spent a lot of time this weekend quilting my broken diamonds quilt, then impatiently waiting for the power to come back on during a 3 hour power outage, gardening, taking a Sunday drive to a nursery, buying a tree, planting a tree and finally, I made one Road to Fortune block.  Because I can use scraps.  Not only can I use  lots of colourful scraps but I can use white scraps too.  I have a bin of just white scraps too.  They need serious attention!

The design wall looks a little empty but I finished quilting a quilt, dealt with grass over taking a flower bed and divided a bunch of irises.  As well as a helping Husband with the tree.  All in all, I did get a lot done.



This is the February block in "That Stash Bee".  I already made my bee blocks and mailed them off but this block was a lot of fun so I am making more of them.  The block takes a a lot of time  but they are really quite striking.  I am planning to make at least one block a week until I have enough for a quilt.  That's the plan.

I hope I am not making people still snowed under with all my gardening talk.  We have had a very mild winter on the west coast and we have snowdrops, crocuses, and primroses in bloom. The rhubarb is even poking out of the ground.  It is AMAZING!  But that also means I have to get my butt outside and deal with the flower beds.  Husband is in full early spring farming mode.  Hence the tree.  It was on his list.

What's on your design wall?  Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Modern Scrappy Bits Swap Triple Zip Pouch super size me!








I thought about super sizing a triple zip pouch for my partner in the Modern Scrappy Bits swap so I did.  I Upped the size so that I could box the corners and I made it a bit wider as well.  I pieced a bunch of scraps of this and that (Ruby, Vintage Modern, Reunion, and the text print is a scrap from a line called Fresh Flowers.  The main lining is a scrap of text fabric from the Word Play line.   I did a quilt as you go method so I was able to use a bunch of different quilting.  The sides are matchstick straight lines.  The front panel has vertical quilting and the back has horizontal quilting.  Just for fun.  I added a charm on the top zip for a zipper pull.  All in all it is a few inches taller and a few inches wider.





Stuffed with scrap goodness and a few extras for fun.  If you are going to have 3 pockets, you have to have something in each one!  I popped in an assortment of buttons that might be fun for some small makes and a package of Kate Spain clothes pins!  Sweet!  I hope this makes my partner happy!




Linking up with Finish it up Friday with Amanda Jean!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day!


I took some time this weekend to make a wee paper pieced Valentine for my sweetie.  Just because.  In year's past I have had time to make several of Valentine's to mail to mum as well as son and daughter but time got away from me this year and only Husband is getting a hand made Valentine.

Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine's.  The smell of vanilla and sugar from cupcakes will fill the school on the 14th and wee cards will be left on my desk throughout the day.  So much fun!

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Works in Progress..


1)  I sashed and filled in all the negative space and got all my broken diamonds together.  I made the back and sandwiched the whole thing.  I was happy.  I felt like I was in a really good place to leave it on the floor in the downstairs living room.  I could go to work for the rest of the week and then quilt it on the weekend.  Life is good.  I then hopped on the exercise bike for my late afternoon cycle.  From my lofty perch, I often stare down at the floor at whatever quilt is in the floor stage (sandwiched and awaiting quilting).  I realized that I had the quilt in the wrong orientation... at least in my mind.  I wanted the diamonds to be vertical, with the lighter sides on the left.  ARGH!  After I did my cycling, I had to un-sandwich the quilt.  Add some white to the top and the bottom of the quilt to make it the right length and chop some of the white off the sides to bring it down to the right width.  Then I re-sandwiched the whole thing.  Life was then good.  I cycled today and from my lofty perch, life is still good.  Quilt renovations complete.  (And this quilt is inspired by Kati's quilt by the way.)


2)  I pulled scraps for the Modern Scrappy bits swap.  I hope these make my partner happy!!!!


3)  I cut a metre of this fabric into 5" charm squares for the Canadian Text Me a Charm swap!

4)  I have an "in progress" Modern Scrappy Bits swap project on the go.

5)  My Scrappy Trip quilt aka 1512 is finished!!!!!

And that is where this quilter is at.  What about you?  Linking up with the Needle and Thread Network and Lee at Freshly Pieced for Work in Progress Wednesday.

WIPWednesday

Monday, February 11, 2013

Design Wall Monday


This is what I have on the design wall.  I have been playing with these for a week or so after being really intrigued with this quilt last year that Kati designed called Broken Diamonds.  This will be the first quilt that I have made with only solids.  Yesterday I wrapped my brain around getting the blocks together in a manner that looked like it was meant to be and today I have to fill in the corners now that the blocks are all together.  My design consultant (a.k.a. husband) is not a fan.  He is all about symmetry which doesn't exist in this quilt.  He did ask to play with the blocks on the design wall and with his suggestions, I have all the blocks at least with the lighter halves on the left (sort of) and the blocks all in a vertical orientation if that makes any sense.  The big question will be once it is all together, how to quilt it!?  Who knew I had so many solids?

Just so you know... the blocks are paper pieced.  Squares of paper, cut on the diagonal and then again.  The quarters are then each paper pieced so that 2 are matching then you sew them together.  It is a fun process.  Except for the picking out the bits of paper when the blocks are finished!

Linking up with Judy's Design Wall Monday.


Saturday, February 9, 2013

Saturday Stash!


Couple of things...  are you a no-reply blogger?

1)  I do love fabric.  Today Husband and I ventured forth to the big city.  We hit Ikea and then went even further to 15th and Fraser for a fabric fix at The Spool of Thread.  Seriously fun.  I found a few things and especially fun was finding some good stuff in the 70% off bin.  Yippee!  I also picked up some of Julia Rothman's Type with an eye on an all Canadian text fabric swap organized by the Quilting Barbie!  And there is still some space!!!  I did get some of that crazy Ikea text print for quilt backs too.  So fun!

We also had a visit and a crazy lunch at the Lion's Den with clever son and his lovely girlfriend.  Nice!!!



2)  And my Zip It order arrived just in time for me to make something fabulous for my Modern Scrappy Bits swap partner!  Zip It is just way too much fun!


3)  I have been getting lots of lovely comments from people who are NO REPLY BLOGGERS!!!!  People! I always respond to comments.  Always!  So if you are not getting any replies from me, I am not being snobby or ignoring your lovely comments!  I just cannot get an email back to you.  Sorry!  Here is a link to how to fix the problem.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

1512



  Quilt stats

Name:  1512
Design:  Scrappy Trip Around the World  (Bonnie Hunter)
Size:  72" by 84"
Fabric:  Scraps and stash fabrics
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white


I finished my scrappy trip along!  I finished sewing the binding on during the super bowl to be exact.  I am super pleased with how this turned out.  First of all the method was just so much fun.  Then I was super happy with the riot of colour and the yellow diagonal.  And finally I just LOVE how the quilting turned out.  And I waffled about the quilting.  I hummed and hawed.  I stared at the sandwiched quilt as it lay on the floor from my perch on the exercise bike.  Then I went for it.  On the diagonal, skipping 2 squares then on the diagonal in both directions with my favourite Aurifil 50 wt in white.  I did not mark the diagonals but rather just focused on where I was headed.  It turned out exactly as I wanted it to turn out!  Yay!  

Bound in a purple tone on tone and backed with a variety of prints in green and a splash of orange.  And why is this post titled 1512?  Because there are 1512 little squares in this quilt.  And what happened in the year 1512?  Apparently that was the year that the Geradus Mercator, the famous Flemish cartographer was born which is an appropriate nod to a scrappy trip around the world quilt.  Apparently this was also the year that the Sistine Chapel was displayed to the public for the first time.  Now I am not about to compare my quilt to the Sistine Chapel's public viewing but I am pretty pleased with it!  Linking up with Amanda Jean for Finish it up Friday!  








Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Please welcome... Daisy Marie!





 Look what I found!  I have been wanting a Singer Featherweight for some time now and I have been lurking on Craigslist.  Looking for just the right one.  My dear Mum had also told everyone she knows that I was in the market for one.  And then it happened.   I remembered to have a peek at Craigslist because I had not looked for a bit.  There she was!  Just waiting for me to come a get her!  In working condition. Not too far from home.  With all the crazy gizmos.  Including what appears to be the original packing tag.  And a great price.  I am currently jumping up and down.  I tried her out and the lady couldn't get her to work nicely. She kept jamming up.  I offered $40 less and she was mine.  I have named her Daisy Marie.  Daisy because she just looks like she should be called Daisy and Marie because the original owner's name was Marie.  The grandmother of the lady I bought her from.  I have to say that  this was another one of those... "start the car" moments just like in that Ikea commercial.  I actually said, "start the car!!!!" to Husband.  He laughed.


When we got home last night, I opened up the instruction manual and realized that the lady was not threading her the right way.  I changed the needle.  Wound a bobbin with nice Aurifil and she worked!  Then I oiled her in all the spots.  Tweaked the tension a bit and she just hums!!! It is just so exciting.  I had to get a new light bulb too.  Over the moon!  Husband was a little worried that my Janome would be jealous but I think they have great mutual respect!

So Daisy Marie will be trucking around with me to sew ins and Janome can stay home and relax.

My face hurts from smiling!  Linking up with Cindy for Random Thursday because a sewing machine named Daisy Marie is just a little bit random!





Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Work in Progress Wednesday



1)  Basted.  Quilted and bound.  Ready for a photo opportunity.  Look at that strange light shining on the quilt when I was getting it all sandwiched!  It was SUNSHINE!


2)  Broken Diamonds.  I have been making a giant mess with solids.  I have some how forgotten to take a picture of the progress other than an giant pile of little bits of fabric.  I am almost at the stage where I have to figure out how to attach all the blocks together.  It will be sure to be brain draining.

3)  Bee Blocks!  Ready to mail and I now am comfy with paper piecing (still need a stitch ripper handy!) and I am dying to make more of these blocks because they are so darn cool.

So that's it!  Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and the Needle and Thread Network!
WIPWednesday

Monday, February 4, 2013

The thing about corn bread is...



MMM... yummy.  I love cornbread. Love it.  Husband is not really a fan but something I must have said awhile ago convinced him to give it a whirl.  He made it then and it was good but not like it was when he made it yesterday.  MMMMM.  Awesome.  I asked what made the difference and he humbly admitted that this time he had followed the recipe.  So silly.  And this is the recipe.  Michael Smith... Food Network.  

It was so good that I could have eaten the whole batch when it was warm and just out of the oven.  But I didn't and that was a good thing because I got to have some in my lunch today.

Linking up with Deb of Triple Zip fame for Tuesday at the Table.  But I will do that on Tuesday.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Design Wall!


This month in the "That Stash Bee" had us doing some paper piecing.  Eek!  Kelli provided great inspiration for the fabric and then with some help from the other bee people, we had a template!  This block is called Road to Fortune.  I think it also goes by some other names too but here it is!  I really like it.  I like that I was able to use a bunch of scraps in all sorts of bright colours.  I do admit to using my stitch ripper.  Yep.  And I did seek some paper piecing help from Sonja.  Sonja is a paper piecing wizard and a member of the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.  She has some video tutorials and a paper piecing cheat sheet on her blog.  and a bunch of free patterns... just saying.



Linking up with Judy's design wall Monday!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Sari Silk challenge


The Fraser Valley Modern Quilt Guild had a visit from Cathy at Steam Trunk Craftworks at our last meeting.  She brought with her an assortment of Sari silk ribbons and woven threads and challenged us to DO SOMETHING with it.  I took a package of the woven threads and couched them onto a square of Kona white.  Added a whack of hand quilting in different colours of perle cotton and then put the whole shebang together as a pillow.  This pillow is just the right size for Mum to put behind her back when she is visiting.  She likes a pillow behind her when she is sitting down and getting comfy.  I used a fabulous Japanese gold embroidery thread to do the couching of the sari threads.  It has a nice little glitter to it.  Perfect for the sari threads after all.



Friday, February 1, 2013

Fresh Sewing Day and Just Three




Not too bad!  Happy February!  A few finishes for the month and fabulous progress on some other projects.  This past month I made and sent off my first ever bee blocks, participated in the Triple Zip along, signed up for the Modern Scrappy Bits Swap round 3 (signs up close tonight!), had a sew in with the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild, made some pouches, finished 2 quilts and finished all the blocks for my scrappy trip around the world!  Phew!

My Just Three goals for February are pretty straight forward!

1)  Finish my scrappy trip
2)  Finish my broken diamonds quilt that I have not even shared except for a pile of cut up solid fabric
3) Do my February bee blocks that are paper pieced!!!!!!

So easy!

How did I do on my January Just Three?

1. Finish the another star quilt  Done!  Right up there in the mosaic!

2. Complete the new quilt   Yep!  Done... the black, red and grey one.  I jsut have to mail it off!

3. Bee Blocks!    Done and received!

Linking up with Tracey for Just Three and Lynne for Fresh Sewing Day!  How did you do?

Lily's Quilts