WIP Wednesday Bee blocks and Flimsies

I have been reading the posts about where have all the blogs gone. Rachel from Stitched in Color wrote a post and Sarah from Confessions of a Fabric Addict wrote a response. I just want to say I read blogs everyday. I do not always comment which is my bad, but I always enjoy them. I opened an Instagram account but I am not sure I will use it. I like a slower pace, I don't always need instant gratification, sometimes I can wait. Also technology frustrates me no end until I get the hang of it. That's why I don't always comment on posts, I have to sign in every time, grr.

I am so pleased, my June, July and August bee blocks are made and in the mail. Still working on July, something about the herringbone block, I keep putting it off. They are started!

June - Garden Gate

July Herringbone

August Delectable Mountain

And the quilt tops! It was such a beautiful day I thought I would bring them out for pictures.

 MyKaffee Fassett all from scraps! Love it! It will be a wedding present. I have bought a border to make it a bit bigger.

 Plus Quilt. This is a tutorial from Simple Simon and Co. Super easy and very fast. They have a great blog which I have just found. Love new blogs!

 Abacus Quilt. This is huge at 70 x 88.

And my Shortcake Quilt from Cluck Cluck Sew, also a blog I follow and enjoy thoroughly.

It has been a fun summer so far with family and friends, gardens and canning, cooking and eating. Makes it hard to squish in the quilting. I will have to get these quilts finished up sometime....soon.

Finish #22

I love Kaffe Fassett. I love his bold use of colours and I love the weight of his fabrics. I always feel like I am quilting light.

This is my go to pattern for the men in my family. It is my fourth quilt using this pattern. There is something about squares that really does it for me.

This quilt is for Rob's dad and the backing was chosen especially for him. He has been a New York Times crossword guy for as long as I can remember. He also spent some time creating crosswords, which I am told is waaay harder than it looks.

I am thrilled to have this quilt ready to present in person. I will be gong to Niagara Falls for their 60th wedding anniversary. It makes me so happy to be part of their celebration.

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

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.

WIP Wednesday

Well I felt so bad for buying backing too early that I pushed and got the quilt top done, sandwiched and started the quilting last night!! Yahoo for guilt.

I am loving this quilt and backing. The pattern is by Mary Fons. I have a serious crush on her and her writings. And also her quilts!

So I have pulled this pile of fabric for the Gypsy Wife Quilt Along. Do not know if I will use it all or none of it as I do not yet have the pattern book. This is going to be so much fun! Cannot wait!

Oh and here is my bee block for simply solids bee. Sorry Bee Mate I think your block will be late.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread, WIP wednesday and Gypsy Wife. Maybe even Fabriholics Anonymous as I have no purchased any more fabric!!! Yeah January is over. Five months to go.

Not what I should be doing

My goal for January is to finish the Lady of the Lake. One goal, should be doable, however, something about the word should sends me off track. I was showing my daughter my Jungle Bungle blocks and the next thing I knew.... I have been working on these other projects instead.

Cheesy Churn Dash. I just had to pull out the blocks and have a look at them. Imagine my surprise when I saw they were completed. I have been sewing on the sashing. Still love me a Churn Dash!

Turquoise Garden Maze. I was unsure of the lay out on these. Do I want them scrappy or more of a unit? On hold while I ponder.

Green Simply Woven. Made a few more slices and sewed them together. Ready for some early morning ironing. As I live in an apartment I feel it would be unkind to the neighbours to start sewing at 6:00. I try and choose quieter activities.

My bee block is done and in the mail. Hope she likes the colours. Could have sworn I took a picture?!?

As I was making the Shoo Fly I thought I would make my co worker her Christmas gift. Last year it was coasters so this year a table centre. She likes green.

I am trying a single binding that I read about over the holidays. Seemed like a good idea at the time but may be too fiddly to sew down. I am hoping for a less bulky finish.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network.

WIP Wednesday

I started this baby quilt after my trip to Smithers in May. I purchased the fabric while visiting, came home and pre-washed it, cut it up.....and there it sat. It was time to finish it.

 

The flannel never called to me. I was not enthused. Then half way through quilting it became. From ho hum I do not really care for this, it came alive. 3/4 of the way through my favourite straight lines it was suddenly a quilt and I loved it.

My Lady of the Lake HST's. Progress made. I am up to 15 blocks.

Star Quilt. (There was a flaw in the directions and my brain was not engaged so I trimmed the blocks.) Finally decided what to do with the too small blocks. It is a scrappy quilt anyways so what is a few more additions. Unfortunately there will be no points on the stars. Such is life springs to mind. Still need to trim them to the correct size.

Linking up to The Needle and Thread Network http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/p/wip-wednesdays.html and WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

WIP'S Wednesday

Working on this fun quilt. Sort of slowed down on the quilting as I am unsure of what to bind it in. 

Love the Lotus Leaf I usually use but...

maybe stay the same with the dark purple...

however could go scrappy...

not having a ah hah moment where it seems to click. Wait, that picture looked pretty good!

Amy at 13 Spools http://www.13spools.com/ had a great post on adult play. What it is and what it is not. Lots to think on. Lots of concepts to embrace and put into practice. I think I will measure my fun today on a scale of 1 - 5. Taking the bus and reading my book 4, walking home from work and not reading my book 4....is there a 5 in my day? I will keep myself open for the opportunity.

Linking up with Needle and Thread http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/ and Lee at Freshly Pieced. http://www.freshlypieced.com/

WIP Wednesday

I am finally putting the binding on Jordan's quilt. Yeah!!! No more guilt for Nanny. Every time I said I was going to sew, she said "Jordan's quilt?" Of course I have not finished quilting it, just sewing the binding to a half quilted quilt.

 I bought the backing for the last two placemats. Still unsure if this will be Christmas! I have my doubts I can wait that long but who knows. 

Lady of the Lake. Love the colours on this one. Of course, Kaffe Fasset is one of my favourites. I think this is my fifth quilt with his fabrics. Love!!

Love the shot cottons too. So light, not as heavy as regular fabric and rolls up smaller, so easier to quilt. That's me Quilting Lite!

For my solids bee this paper pieced block. When I finished the block I thought I would never paper piece again. However, looking at the picture I love how it looks and I learned a new skill. Never say never.

My start quilt. Love the fabrics, however, I need to recut the filler blocks. Feels like a redo and that is always a staller for me. Soon!

All the other projects are waiting in the wings...calling!

Linking up to Freshly Pieced and The Needle and Thread Network.