Saturday, April 21, 2018

Sunny Saturday


I am at retreat! Hoping the sun is out. Late this week it was looking like spring and I got to wear my spring jacket

For retreat we were to made a Garlic Knot block. The blocks will be put together and then a name will be pulled from the hat and the winner will take all the blocks. I made my first one Yellow to go in the draw. I had my yellow scraps sitting out for the RSC 2018. 


Well I made 10 blocks with yellow. I just wanted to keep going. These are so fun. The other blocks I will keep for myself. 

I might not get the link done to Soscrappy this week but you can go see her site and more scrap ideas.


Well I made 40 more blocks. I guess I have started a new quilt. Ha Ha. Heading to retreat to finish some quilts and now I have another one to work on. I have a few scraps packed so I can make some even number of blocks and maybe get a top done. 


Here are my blocks laid out a little differently. 

I hope your Saturday is Sunny and Happy. I know I will enjoy retreat. 

Monday, April 16, 2018

Monday Design Wall


On Friday, I head out to quilt retreat with the Leduc guild. I have this Honey Comb quilt as a UFO that will go with me and is high on the list to complete the top. All the main blocks are done but I need to cut out more background triangles. Maybe I can get those cut before I leave. Not sure I have enough strings for the boarder so maybe I will hunt in my scraps or I will have to cut some more. 



There are more Walls to see over at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts design wall Monday


Also on my wall for a bit this weekend was a new project, or should I say the fabric for a new project. This was one set of fabric. The dark batik was interviewed for the job of background. Maybe too dark.  


I got out some hand dyed fabric to interview. The purple on the right looked better. But I only had a fat quarter. I needed more then 3 m. I decided to try and dye more of the same colour. I got it. 
So the purple hand dyed fabric has now won the job. Maybe I can get some cutting done before I leave for retreat. 

I have lots of work, Long Arm Quilting to get done this week. So best get to my customers quilts. 


Saturday, April 14, 2018

Sunny Yellow


I think today was to be our warmest day of the last few 6 months. We did see a bit of sun but we had some wind too. Lots of melting of snow but we still have lots of snow left. Wet and muddy all over. The horses are muddy brown in colour. Brown is kind of the real colour outside this month. 

Yellow and Gold 

Yellow is the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2018 of the month. 
I did a ton of sorting and trimming down my yellow scraps. The box is tidy and well sorted. I made all kinds of yellow triangles to use in my sampler blocks and then in pinwheels. 

To see other yellow projects or the pattern for this block, check out SoScrappy

I got my 3 large 10" square sampler blocks done. 


I then started to lay out the smaller block 7"square. I just did not get them sewn today. Maybe early next week. 

Next weekend I have retreat. 
So today I sorted my UFO projects. 
I had trouble finding one I really wanted to take. Well at 5 pm I found it. Good! I can take it. I have a list with at least 6 projects. 4 are packed in there bags ready to go and one is a rainbow scrap challenge quilt I hope to finish the top on the weekend. 
I also have plans for one new project. I still have to sort fabric for it. Maybe I will do some cutting for it this week. 

Friday, April 13, 2018

Friday's Wallet Finished


Last week I bought this pattern and at the Red Deer Quilt show I got some of the notions I needed to get started. Wow look at me, I got it done. I think Thursday I pulled the fabrics from my hand dyed fabrics. I thought this purple marbled fabric needed a special place. I love the bright pink framing it. 


Inside I used another purple and the pink again. I have card holders. Lots of pockets and one zipper pocket perfect for change. The pattern is from Emmaline bags


Here are the fabrics, so you see I could still make more. I did make a second front flap just to see which one to use. The all Mable fabric flap is also got more stiff peltex so might work well over time. 


This wood deck was covered in snow earlier today. Yes we had snow again. The snow has never really left us for 6 months. I can't wait for a real spring. The sun is nice but I want warm no coat kind of weather. 



Inside photos and colour is just not showing off as well. 


Last night I got the latch part done. Wow that was new experience. 3 Tiny screws luckily the kit had an extra screws as one is lost on the floor. Cutting into my fabric and using glue. Well I got it done and it works well. Looks good too. 


All parts cut and have the interfacing in place. Now to think about the next one. Not sure what colours for the new wallet. I might change a few things next time. 

I have added this post to Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Retreat Planning


Silly me! 
I have a quilt retreat in less then 2 weeks. I need to prepare. 
What to work on?
You can see I have fun at retreat. 
This photo of bunny ears is from the Leduc guild retreat in 2016. We are going to the same place again this year, Gull Lake Retreat Center. 


I started the fancy forest quilt at that retreat.  The quilt is done now. 
What to work on at this year's retreat?

So one new project I am thinking of taking, needs 3 or 3.5 meters of background fabric. I am thinking I might dye that. Not sure what colour? I have a dark Blue batik fabric but I think it might be too dark. Might try a dyed purple. I might need to do a test run first. So I will need to get started on that dying then. 


What else to pack? 
  1. Canada 150 blocks, take my reds. I am only about half done the blocks. This is a joint project with my mom. 
  2. Batik quilt with pink, blue and purple, I think most blocks are done but need to put to together and boarder needs to be pieced. Or do I make it bigger. that would need yardage packed. 
  3. Some bags or a wallet - I would need to take a second machine that is better for bags.
  4. KFC log cabin quilt, I have all blocks done so should be quick to sew top together. It is sorted and in a easy to pack box. 
  5. Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt from this past year. Need more work on blocks and side triangles then build the top. I would have to pack some yardage. 
  6. A Rainbow scrap quilt, I have one close but needs rows and the boarder finished. So quick to get the top done. This quilt has 12" and then a smaller 6" sampler in the middle. 
So there is the plan to pack. 



Saturday, April 7, 2018

Lime out Yellow in


My wall of lime green. I spend Sunday working on and fishing up all my lime green blocks. This is what I love the wall filled. 


Five 6" poverty pieced blocks


Six migrating geese. The geese are back for a week now. Not sure they got the note that spring would be a month late this year. 


Three 10" sampler blocks


12 pin wheel blocks. Love these little cuties.


Lime sting half blocks. 


See some will have the other colour. 


Yellow, I worked hard on my box of yellow. Cutting down some strips in the the smaller squares I need. Sorting and ironing and just a good old clean up. I will get some blocks of yellow done this week. I have linked up with Soscrappy and the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. 

Today I go to the Red Deer Quilt Show. So much fun. I got an invite to be driven so I have friends to go with too. Best got on the road. 

Friday, April 6, 2018

Indigo Hand Bag


For A Friday Finish I have completed my Indigo Hand Bag. I just love it. 
It goes so well with my new Spring Jacket

I used the basic MoJo Pattern from Sew Like a Rock Star. I made the same width as the pattern but made this one taller 13". 


Shibori indigo hand dyed fabric was used on the inside. With the metal frame in place, the bag opens up so nice a wide. 


I have added pockets on both sides. 



You can see the hand stitching I did on the close up shot. Made a post about the hand stitching Here and picking out my fabric back Here


One half with the handles before I started the bag assembly. 
I used Chicago screws to attach the leather hands. You can also see the bottom of the bag is reused jean fabric. 


Here is the back side of the out fabric, you can see I also added a small rectangle of thicker interfacing to add more firmness to the handle area. The screws are 1/4" but needed something more to feel right.  


The bag just before I placed the 
metal frame inside. Not a bad looking bag but it is so much nicer with the metal frame inside. 


The cute Red print with flowers was used for my zipper tabs. 


The other side. On Sew Like a Rock Star, Sally has the best ever video of how to do the zipper tabs. How to fussy cut and sew this just perfect. I do not think I will ever mess these up and they are just a great detail.  

I have linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Hand Stitches Indigo


I got the hand stitching done on my 2 indigo patches. The plan from the beginning is to make a bag for me. So nice to finish the first step. I just love the feel and texture of the hand stitching.


side one


side two


Here is the stitching on the backside. You can see how much texture there is. 


I bought this needle case last June at the Edmonton Quilt Show. One of the members buys beautiful fabrics on line and then has made needle cases and scissor cases. The workmanship is wow! I had to use my needle case and have it with me as I stitched on my Japanese patches.  

The thread I used on my patches is the crochet cord, a good fine one. 


Here is the inside of the needle case. A vinyl pocket in the front and another one in the back were I had scissors and a small ruler. 

I have added this post to the linky page on Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching

Happy Easter and Happy April Fools.