Christmas Count Down

I have wanted to make a plus quilt forever. I had some fat quarters that I purchased at my LQS. Love them, great colours and fabulous combo. Cut out all the pieces and laid them out. Still in love.

It turned out a bit small so I added a border. I think I would have preferred grey but I happened to have white on hand. I think I see another plus quilt in my future.

A request for a mug rug from my granddaughter. She is a huge fan of Frozen! Thought I had best make one for her sister too!

And a baby quilt. They know it is a boy. She is due any time. This is a kit from Fat Quarter Shop.

And another that I have been planning to finish for a long time. This striped binding is my favourite. Love all the primary colours.

Yahoo! Quilts off the list!

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May the new year bring peace, joy and love to you and your families.

Baptism Double the Blessings

My two youngest Grandchildren were baptised on Sunday. There were three other babies and it was all great fun.

I have always found life events a time for reflection. Why are we doing this? Is this still relevant to our lives and our hopes? Are we only doing this because we have always done this? Is this life giving?

Life is too short to do things that are not life giving. Two Bungle Jungle quilts for two adorable grand babies! Now that is life giving!

Giveaway Winner

A big thank you to everyone that entered the Sew Mama Sew giveaway. And the winner is Jellybean. I have contacted her by email and she has responded. I will pop the Luxe in Bloom in the mail today. Merry Christmas!

Thank you all for sharing your favourite holiday movie.

The hands down favourites were: It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, Elf, Christmas Vacation, and Christmas Story.

Quite a few watch: Polar Express, Love Actually, Home Alone, Rudolf, Frosty, Christmas Carol, Miracle on 34th Street

A few watch - some of these I need to see: Emmett Otters Jugband Christmas, Undercover Christmas, The Holiday, Holiday Inn, Family Stone, The Best Years of Our Lives, Nightmare on Elm Street, Hog father, Muppet Christmas movies, The Ref, mrs. Miracle, when Angels come to Town, Lord of the Rings, Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Christmas Card, Arthur, Gremlins, Dinner for One, Little Shop Around the Corner, Christmas with the Kranks While you were sleeping, Mystery Source Theatre 3000 version of Santa Claus versus the Martians, and Prancer.

Love Christmas movies, thanks for all the suggestions.

Luxe in Bloom - 10 fat quarters

My first Giveaway! Nerve wracking! I am joining with Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day! Thank you for organizing.

I love this line of fabric. The first time I saw it I was spell bound. I have been admiring and looking, petting, folding and refolding. But really it still looks brand new! It has been gently admired!

Did I say I love this line?  The flowers and the detail just resonate with me. And as a bonus Art Gallery Fabrics have such a wonderful soft feel.

I have 10 fat quarters of Sara Watson's Luxe in Bloom to Giveaway.

To enter tell me your favourite Holiday movie or just leave a comment. I have so many favourites it is hard to choose. We have been watching White Christmas every year since it came out, or it feels that way. We all know all the songs, even the babies are starting to sing along. Love musicals.

Thank you for visiting.

Also linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

Wee Bee Canadian 2014 Finished!

My camera battery is dead. Where is that battery charger??? So I took a few with my iPad. Wow that is tricky.  Still looking for the battery charger. More photos with the iPad. They look to me as if they are improving!!

October Bee Block Part 1 was the Christmas Road to Tennessee. I must say I was sorry to be late with this block however sewing with the Christmas fabrics really put me in the mood! Yeah I love Christmas.

October Bee Block Part 2 was the Japanese x and + Block. After having made this block I am so going to make one for myself. It has been on my list for ages. I have been collecting the fabric for a couple of years.

December Bee Block was Leaf Block. Not sure what happened here. I usually love colour. The brighter the better but these muted blocks really spoke to me. I hope my bee mate likes them as much as I do. Really feeling the low contrast. Very meditative!

My month is November so I am caught up until January! Yahoo!

Aunt Sue's Memory Quilt

I made this quilt with fabric from my Aunt Sue. She was a wonderful quilter. I had always wanted to make a nine square and the traditional block and the vintage fabric seemed like a match. The colours are not what I would have chosen, however, I worked with what I had. Very fun seeing memories get stitched together.

The pattern is from Mary Fons' book Make Love + Quilt. Still in love with her and her book.

The Nine Squares are all blue and red and the Rolling Stone blocks are brown and yellow.

None of the pieces were very big so the back has way more variety than I have ever used before. I even managed to appliqué a Sunbonnet Sue hat and dress. My Aunt Sue loved Sunbonnet Sue. Must be the name.

The whole time I was making this quilt it as if I had only so much material and no more. Very pioneer. And perfectly fitting to my Fabric Diet. Here's to you Aunt Sue! Thank you for passing down your love of quilting. Gifted to my cousin in memory of her mom.

Bee Blocks August and September Done!

I am so late with my Bee Blocks. I feel like I have been sewing but ... I think I am getting a life beyond quilting. Who knew? It has been my solase for almost 2 years. Yeah!! I am finding a new road to travel and I am just feeling my way. I have two statements I repeat daily. Live in the moment. Enjoy the journey. Tough lessons I am working hard on.

August bee blocks were two very pretty blocks in navy. Can't wait to see the whole quilt.

September bee blocks were to be our favourite blocks. Well I love me a churn dash! So I made 2!

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

WIP Wednesday - Sunnyside is a quilt

Yay! I am not sure what it is about vacations but I jumped up this morning and started putting tops with backs! Laid out the batting to relax and just generally made a total mess of the apartment. Got home from work, looked around at the disaster and did not feel like doing anything.  Made myself grab all the bits and head to the common room. Got to hand it to apartment living, I have three large tables I can pin my quilts on.

The quilt is now quilted and and bound! Yeah! It is hard to see in the picture but the stripe works quite well. I am very pleased. It is from my stash.

I wanted it to go quick so used wavy lines in the diagonal. Quite liking the wavy lines on this quilt, as it makes me think of rain.

 The back was purchased specifically for my cousin who requested blue. This is definitely blue.

Finished my July bee blocks! And they are in the mail. Love the woven block but I am unsure whether I used the correct colours, hope they will do.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

Wedding Travel Quilt Finish

I got it done! I came home on Saturday night from vacation and on Sunday had to pin baste, quilt, and bind the quilt. Needless to say I used wavy lines! Super fast! Yeah! Done in time for the wedding at 4:00.

The theme of their wedding was travel with sepia colours. I was so happy to run across this pattern in these colours! Perfect!

The pattern is Either Way by Scott Hansen in the Fons & Porter Easy Quilts Spring 2014 magazine. He used the Eclectic Elements collection by Tim Holtz for Coats & Clark Fabric.

Love the back!

I thought the Buddha added a nice travel touch. I made them open it at the reception and they love it!

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

WIP Wednesday -Seaglass

I saw this pattern in Quilt It magazine and had to have it. Promptly ordered the kit from Fat Quarter Shop (fabulous and fast service!) and immediately fell in love! Pat Bravo's Art Gallery Fabrics have the softest feel, it is so smooth, but crisp at the same time. Love. I have never purchased Art Gallery Fabrics before, do they all feel this good?

The pattern was super easy and what I like to call mindless sewing. Chain piecing lots of squares into HST's is just about my all time favourite thing. I zone out and I swear it is my meditation. Definitely peaceful and happy thoughts are stitched into each square as well as strength and healing. I really think a quilt conveys an attitude!

I quilted it with straight vertical lines and some follow the straight diagonal lines, all in the ditch. My ditch is not in the ditch all the time. How do you do that?

Love the colours, the feel, and the pattern. Love this quilt.

I made it for a colleague journeying with cancer. Hope she gets as much pleasure from the quilt as I did making it for her.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

WIP Wednesday - Stars Finished

This quilt was cut out while my friend Amanda was visiting me from Scotland. She admired the colours, oohed and awed over the design, and was just a good friend about it all. Especially for a non quilter friend! Little did she know this quilt was always for her. It was what we did while she was my companion during Rob's 2 day surgery. She was a lifeline. She knit and I cut out.

 Straight line vertical quilting. Just love it.

 At 68 x 80 it looks quite lovely on the bed. The extras I added cannot even be seen.

Teal has always been her favourite colour so I know she will love the back. Even her wedding dress was teal!

I used Victoria & Albert Museum Fabrics which just always seemed so perfect for her. I hope she loves this quilt as much as I do.

WIP Wednesday - Celtic Garden - A Finish

I have been working on this quilt for awhile. It has always been a happy/sad project as Rob helped with the picking out of the fabrics. As he became less mobile it was something fun we could do together! This one was really challenging to put together as I was unsure how scrappy to make it. I used the same fabric in the centre of each block and for the backing and the binding. Love how it looks.

As you read through quilt blogs it is wonderful to hear what quilters think of their own work. What they liked, didn't like, and what they would change for next time. One of the recurring ideas I picked up is too much! Too much fabric choice, too much colours, just too much! So I had to make an effort and contain myself. I love bright colours all mixed in together!

So the final pictures disappeared. I will have to use this one.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network

WIP Wednesday - Veracruz Finished!

The Veracruz is finished! My girls tell me it is their favourite quilt! I used the pattern that went with the fabric. Tropical Illusion by Little Miss Shabby. The pattern was fabulous and went together like a dream. I did make the quilt smaller and I think it is now the perfect size. It is quilted with a cross hatch of varying widths. As I anticipate this quilt will get lots of wear and washing I sewed the binding down by machine. It is for my friends mom's eightieth birthday and she wanted something bright and cheerful. This definitely is all that.

This is the picture my three year old Granddaughter took. I think I will get her to take all the photos.

the artist herself

Linking up to Needle and Thread Network

January Finish in July

It is finished! This quilt has a story.

This quilt was a couple of years in the making. We started it together, Rob and I when he was progressing through his cancer. It was a time when going outside for his favourite walks or maintaining a semblance of ordinary pre cancer life was becoming increasingly more and more difficult. So we started our new favourite things to do. Enter quilting. It was a fun thing we could do together. He loved picking out the colours and fabrics. He loved planning out how it would all go together. For this quilt, Rob went with Claire to the Vancouver Art Museum to see the Cone Sisters exhibit. Janet and Claire are big fans. At this event Claire told Rob that Janet loves the water jug picture by Matisse. So we picked all the colours to go with his picture.

My cousin lives out of town. Janet and Claire attend all of our family events. With the passing of my mom, Janet became the matriarch of our family. She hates that term. I think it suits her.

Happy Canada Day!

Happy Tuesday! And Happy July 1st and Happy July 4th. I feel I should be working on something red and white. But I am working on something red, white and blue!

Linking up to Small Blog Meet

WIP Wednesday

I have not had much time to sew but I have carved out small snippets of time. It is amazing how much you can get done when you make it a priority.

My cousin's blocks from my Aunt Sue's fabrics. These fabrics are at least 20 to 25 years old. I am a little worried about whether she washed them or not, after all I remember washing everything. It was a rule! Oh idea! Maybe I can use the fabrics that did not make it into the top on the back! Perfect! 17 blocks made.

 Melinda's mom's quilt, the Veracruz. Love how this is turning out! All the blocks are ready to sew into a top. Very excited.

And my mindless sewing project. Makes me smile when I work on it! Not sure what is going on there  but I have developed a serious crush on 30's fabrics! Maybe it is Aunt Sue!

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

"Quilt + Love" A Book Review

My hero has a book that came out June 1, 2014. I read everything this person writes as it all contains great heart, a quirky way of looking at the world and thought provoking tidbits that I chew on for the rest of the day. Our Modern Quilt Guild was asked to review this book and I put my name forward. Heart + Love Quilts by Mary Fons. I, however, could not wait and down loaded it as an ebook this morning. OOOOOhhhhhhh, I am in heaven. Should I flip right through it and get to the gorgeous pictures? No, It was with great anticipation I read the dedication, the acknowledgements, the introduction, the notes on this book, and a brief history of quiltmaking. I wanted to be in the correct space to see the quilts. Did I say I love everything Mary writes? She may not know it but I feel we are on a first name basis. She invited me to her book opening! Well me and everyone who reads her column. I thought about using my aeroplan points to go.

My favourite quilt is in the book. The one that is on all the ads, My Dear, the nine patch with the wonderful row of rolling stone blocks. Oh and I want to make the 25 square block, Hello, There, and the flying geese quilt, Northbound, that is on the cover. And because I was reading and savouring every word I am not even through the book yet. Oh, I can go home and look at more!!!!

Okay the nitty gritty. I am following the pattern for My Dear. I am making a quilt for my cousin with leftover fabrics from her mom. Her mom was a quilter; she made a quilt for my daughter when she was born. Our grandmother also quilted. See Mary and I have a lot in common; we come from a family of quilters. I am hopeful this pattern will work with various sized scraps. Not too much commitment from any piece of fabric. Just need a minimum of 4 squares.

I read all Mary’s suggestions for choosing fabrics and paired down my original selection. I kept with the blue and red material. I may branch out if I run short. Not sure what colours I will make the rolling stone blocks.

Here are my sample blocks. I am in love with this quilt. The instructions are clear, if Mary has suggested a way to do something she always references back to the instruction and page number, and the numbers are correct, love that. I am enthused! Cut all the fabric!

I am pairing down the size of the quilt for my cousin, most of the quilts in this book are queen or king size. As Mary says these quilts are a commitment and you will not be able to finish them in a weekend. That is okay! I am savouring the journey. Each step of the process is to be celebrated and enjoyed. “Quilters are impatient people” but we do love each part of the quilt making process. As I sew up this quilt I remember the strong wonderful women in my family, the pioneer women who created quilts that were utilitarian and beautiful, and the new generation of quilters starting out. My cousin will be able to wrap herself in this quilt and feel all the love I have for her. Mary Katherine Fons “Quilt + Love”, yes it is in every stitch, a complete gift, and a beautiful and thought provoking book.

WIP Wednesday

I have been working on my cousin’s quilt. I chose the pattern from “Quilts + Love” by Mary Katherine Fons. Love this book! Love this pattern! I was going to change up the pattern as that is what we quilters do. Take something and rework it. In my case I sometimes rework it and it does not work. So, I love Mary’s quilt, I want my quilt to work, so I followed Mary’s advise! Who knew I could do that. I was going to add all the different scraps that came from my Aunt’s stash, but thank goodness Mary was looking over my shoulder and gently guided me away from making a gigantic error in material selection. 

I have paired it back to the red and blue scraps. Phew! Mistake avoided! This is going to be so wonderful!

I have Amanda’s top sewn together! It is pinned and ready to quilt! Yeah! I now have a deadline for this quilt as Amanda will be in Canada for the next 3 weeks. Need this done by Friday so it can go in the mail. I do not want to post this overseas! Our postage in Canada has gone up substantially!

On a personal note, last week was very difficult. It would have been our 33rd anniversary. Rob took such joy in life and would have loved seeing our new grandson. He would have celebrated as our youngest granddaughter had prunes for the first time. And cheered as our eldest granddaughter slid onto the toilet by herself, no stool required. They are growing so fast and he is missing it. And they are missing him, his fun and his wisdom, and his love.

Linking up to The Needle & Thread Network.

WIP Wednesday

Where did that month go? Still working on the projects from last month.

Baby quilt finished and gifted. I love making baby quilts, mostly because I love babys! ABC Menangerie top and a Feedsack III for the backing. I am developing a real crush on the reproduction prints. Love. I sewed the binding down by machine. I am telling myself it is more durable.

March Bee Block completed. I am in awe of my Bee Mates and their forward thinking planning skills. They picked a block then sent out fabric and paper pieced patterns! Wow!!!

April Bee Block completed. I may be starting to warm up to paper piecing.

Sunnyside is still sitting there, waiting to be completed. I bought batting, I had a plan for the weekend, I was getting that quilt out the door, and I cut it too small. Who does that? Measure twice cut once!  Could have sworn I measure four times, easily. Sigh!

I now have Seascape and  Green Lattice sewn together as tops. And I have the backing! Maybe the cut too small batting from project above will fit, grrr.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.