Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Continuing the Conversation

   Name:  Continuing the Conversation
Design:  Modern Disappearing 9 Patch :  a tutorial by Kristy Daum
Size:  40" by 54"
Fabric: Stash/scrap fabrics, low volume fabrics for the background
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white in crosshatch


I made this baby quilt the other day as a sample and as a way to continue the conversation and that is where the name came from.  We had a guild challenge to modern up a traditional block for the Creative Stitches show as I mentioned before.  As part of the Creative Stitches show, the guild did a stage presentation on Modern Quilting with a demonstration.  I thought it might be fun to do the Modern Disappearing 9 Patch as a demo but I thought it would also be good to have a finished quilt for display.  Hence this baby quilt.  A way of continuing the conversation so to speak.  I wish I had a pictures of my able bodied guild demonstrators because they sewed up a storm, while I did the talking,  and pretty much had much of the makings of a baby quilt after the 2 demonstrations.  I have it all put together as a quilt top and hope to have what they started finished for the next guild meeting.  But I digress.  

Kristy Daum has a fabulous tutorial on the Modern disappearing 9 patch.  Check it out.  And a perfect and straight forward modern twist on an old favourite.  I also tried to use fabrics that would read as modern but not as "baby".  Except for the backing that is.  I know that many modern baby quilts do not necessarily look like what traditionally we would view as a baby quilt.  So for this example, I wanted to make sure it did not look "on purpose" baby.  After all, we were trying to share and demystify modern quilting just a bit.  

So here it is.  On a rainy day inside the rose arbour.  Stash fabrics and quilted with my favouite 50 wt Aurifil in white.  Continuing the Conversation.  


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Sunday Stash


Creative Stitches in Abbotsford has come and gone. My fabulous guild had an awesome display of modern quilts and we did a little stage show and demo... all you ever needed to know about Modern Quilting.  It was a lot of fun.  I did a little shopping too.  A lovely large cone of Aurifil and some fat quarters including some great linen.  Who doesn't need a sewing goat on fabric?  And did you notice the wee charms!

Here is a link to some of the quilts that were on display... Robert Kaufman Challenge!

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Liberty at Costco... seriously


Word went out the other day through my awesome quilt guild that Liberty shirts had been spotted at Costco.  EEP! Seriously.  And before you could say fabulous fabric, I had 2 of them.  So yummy.  Costco, people.  This could be our new guild uniform because many of us have picked up one or two.  I went classic with the pink and blue floral print but they had a blue paisley and  a blue sunflower print.

Just saying.  Beauty!

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Taming the scrap mountain


I needed to do something with my scrap mountain.  As scraps go, mine are pretty organized but I was still finding it unmanageable.  Several of my scrap boxes were stuffed to the point that the lids were bulging.  Inside the boxes, was a jumble of different sizes and bits of scraps and many had lingered for far too long.  I needed to do something because I was tempted the other day to throw all of it into a giant garbage bag and call it a day.

So this is the before...

 And this is the after.  Same scrap box.  What did I do?  I purged ruthlessly anything that was too small or not likely to get used by moi.  If I didn't like it, I put into a bag that I am going to pawn off on a guild member.

I cut and tidied strings and put them on one side of the box.  I also cut 2.5", 3", 4" and 5" squares out other scraps and then pressed and folded the larger scraps.  So much nicer and so much more user friendly.



I am working through all my scrap boxes.  I think I have done about 10 of the boxes.  I feel so much better now.


Monday, March 23, 2015

Just another zippy pouch



I needed a zippy pouch to give as a gift.  The thought was that I gift card could be stuffed inside the pouch.  I have all the little scraps from my Lucky Stars Block of the Month quilt still in a bag so took the scraps and got a little busy.  This one is similar to the pouch I made a bit ago.  I made the corners on this one rounded just for fun.  The back of the pouch is a scrap happy conglomeration but I forgot to take pictures.  Ooops.  Quilted with Aurifil 50 wt in lovely light grey.

I actually think that I should have had the zipper going the other way but what the heck.

I have been very busy taming my scrap boxes.  But more on that tomorrow!

Friday, March 20, 2015

Spring break!


I am on spring break.  Woo hoo!  This week has been super busy because daughter came home and we have been wedding dress shopping.  Yep.  It is just one of those things that both our children are getting married within months of each other.  But we managed to get all sorts of things organized with florists and marriage licenses and of course, the wedding dress.  Phew.

With all that said, not much time for sewing but I have been contemplating the MQG challenge bundle big time.  I ordered some extra fabric and now I am waiting for inspiration.

Signs of spring are everywhere in the yard.  I love that these wee violets poke up in the lawn each year.  And there are the stinking buttercups.  Man.  I spent some quality time on my hands and knees yesterday digging out buttercups from between the peony shoots in one flower bed.

Happy spring!


Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Scrappy Baby in Pink


  Name:  Scrappy Baby in Pink
Design:  rail fence, inspired by Rita at Red Pepper Quilts
Size:  36" by 42"
Fabric: scrap fabrics!  woo hoo!
Quilted: by me with Aurifil 50 wt in white in straight lines, diagonal cross hatch

I finished this one a bit ago but have so busy that I did not get a photo until this past weekend.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I took a picture of the forsythia which has just opened fully this week.  Oh my goodness, we have had an early and beautiful spring.

Anyway, I used a whack of scraps of pink and yellow and constructed a wee rail fence block.  I love the colour combination that Rita used with the pink and yellow along with the black and white contrast.  So fun.  I still have so many scraps.  I am tempted sometimes to throw them all in a giant garbage bag and say see ya later!  I just cannot do it though. 

I decided to quilt this using my favourite Aurifil 50 wt in white but I went on the diagonal and quilted a crosshatch.  It worked really well and I have to admit that I did not mark the quilt.  Ya.  Such a risk taker.

I backed the quilt in a Michael Miller Children at Play print from several years ago.  I bought the rest of a bolt of this when I was at the Sisters quilt show last summer.  I think it was at a quilt shop in Bend.  It is a perfect print for a baby quilt back.  

Linking up with Leanne for Scraptastic Tuesday.  Check it out.   






Sunday, March 1, 2015

Sunday Stash


I took advantage of a sale a while ago at Sew Sisters and added some interesting fabrics to to the stash.  There are some wonderful selections from Carolyn Friedlander's Doe line for Robert Kaufman on the right and some other texty low volume choices on the left.  I just haven't remembered to blog about them.  I have been pretty preoccupied lately with work and family.  It is all good, I just have a different assignment at work and no sooner did we have our son's wedding in January but our daughter is also getting married.  We are over the moon delighted.  Wedding plans are full steam ahead!

Today I finished quilting a small baby quilt and will finish up the binding here in a minute.  The very empty design wall is beckoning but without a clear idea what to start next, it is staying empty until next weekend.  I do have the Aviatrix pattern on my table though and overflowing scrap bins for a possible scrappy version like Cynthia's.

I am really trying to not get sucked into the Pinterest vortex of backyard wedding ideas.  Just saying.