Quilting and other Things

Friday I posted about this year, today its about next year.   Yvonne is hosting a planning party again.   The new year sees a number of changes for me so I’m in the process of planning that as well.  Some of that will take a few months so for now I'm focusing on the recurring items. Quilting: 1.  Clean and organize quilt room (and office since they are in the same area).  Its gotten so messy, I've no desire to go down there and work on my quilting or anything else for that matter. 2.  I’m going to continue with the Motivation Monday ideas.   I'm still working on the list I created for 2017.  The goal at the time was to move things forward.  I think that will still be the goal for some things as they are quite large.  The list still includes Canada BOM from Guild 2015/16 Stainglass Manger - Quilt and bind ABC Applique One Block Wonder - Quilt and bind  Common Bride Love Entwined Winter Wallhanging Bonnie Hunter My...

Last year, I posted goals as part of Yvonne at  Quilting Jet Girl ’s planning party.   The year didn’t go quite as I planned but that's OK. Quilting: 1.  The Motivation Monday worked well when I used it early in the year.   I wanted to make progress on Common Bride.   The star blocks are done and the centre assembled.   I thought I had a photo up on the wall with all the applique done but I cannot find it.  The stars still need to be added to the centre.   I’ve done some prep work for the next round.   I looked at several other quilts but there wasn’t a lot of sewing after the first few months. 2.  I only got out to use the long arm machine once this year but did get two tops quilted.   Photography: 1.  Learn Photoshop.  This still didn’t happen.   I’m beginning to wonder if this is something I really want to do.   I’ll probably leave it on the list and try one more time. 2.  Tidy...

Back in April , my stretch goal was to complete the top Patti Carey had donated to our community outreach program.  It didn't get done and sat all summer waiting for me to get to it.  There wasn't much sewing this summer especially after a lot of things got stored downstairs for a few months.  In September, I went to a Sit 'n Sew at Elaine's with a plan to complete this top and then work on another project.  Its good to dream.  Even with the prep work done, I took three full sewing days to insert the strips and a few hours the fourth day to prepare the binding.  The two panels were already stitched together, the border added and the lines drawn on the back.   I stitched colour pieces and black pieces together, measured the line and inserted the pair into the top.  It was fun to make.  I'd like to try this again with a floral in the background.  Elaine took the top, added some of the Northcott fabrics from the same col...

I’ve had a membership at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) for almost 10 years.  Each season, they offer a free exchange weekend with other museums and galleries which don’t have exchange privileges with the ROM.  A few years ago, I took advantage of those to visit the Aga Khan Museum and the Bata Shoe Museum  (both are well worth a visit if you are in Toronto).  I did blog about the shoe museum here  but apparently not about the Aga Khan. A few weekends ago I took advantage of another exchange.  It was a visit to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).  When the ROM announced the date earlier this fall, I added the date to my calendar, so I’d remember this time.  Saturday morning I met Karen at the Gallery and we spent about 4 hours roaming around.  The first stop was downstairs to visit the model ships gallery.  The first thing to catch my eye was a shadow.  It’s cast by a tiller from a Viking Ship which hangs nea...

I keep writing blog posts in my head.  That doesn't do anyone much good -- especially me since the its hard to look back on some of the details when its not written down.  I've behind reading the blogs I follow but saw that Cheryl is participating in a 31 day Blog Writing challenge .  I'm not sure I can manage 31 consecutive days but it gives me a goal.  I'm late to the party since it started on Dec 1st but we'll see how much catch-up I can do over the next few weeks. Kathy  has a Slow Sunday Stitching link up that I've participated in a few times.  So I'm going to start there.  Its about hand work.  I've gotten the knitting needles back out again recently and knit a few hats.  One went to my sister as it was a bit snug on me but fit her OK.  I'll make it again for me shortly.  The other one I'm wearing.  I also knit a cowl.  The yarn is a bit heavy so it doesnt loop but it does tuck into my coat and is warm.  ...

Well, not much quilting again.  I've gotten as far as ironing the community outreach quilt and sorting the colours into an order.  I've measured to see how long the first strip needs to be.  The sewing area is a mess again and I haven't spent much time there.  This month though I have a very tiny goal.  Each July, there is a quilt show at Black Creek Pioneer Village called Quilts at the Creek .  This year, for the first time, I've entered a quilt.  Its my Rainbow 365 quilt made using Kathryn Kerr's 365 Challenge.  It needs a sleeve and the show label stitched to the back.  That has to be done before I can drop it off for the show. I also want to tidy up the sewing area so I'll be more inclined to go do some stitching.  The big think is to get this quilt ready for the show though.  Linking up with Patty's One Monthly Goal

My goal for April was to get atleast one of the tops completed for Community Outreach at Guild.  I have one top ready to take to guild in May.  The second is now pressed and I'll start working on it shortly.  Linking up with Patty's One Monthly Goal

I really pleased with how common bride is going but my poor finger needs a rest -- either that or I need to find the liquid bandage or learn to applique with a thimble on my middle finger.  So this month, I'm going to focus on the two community outreach quilts I have at home for my guild.  The first is a package of 6 inch squares.  This can be as simple as alternate print and solid or something fancier.  I need to count how many solid squares there are and double check the guidelines for sizes that they want the tops to be.  This kit has been languishing on the table for several months and really needs to get turned into a top and taken back to the guild. The second is a kit that Patti Carey from Northcott donated to the outreach quilts when she was a guest speaker the other month. (It was a really interesting lecture about printing fabrics.)  The strips are precut and the centre is ready for me to insert the strips.  I need to sit down, rea...

I’ve made good progress this month although I won’t get as far as I had hoped. My goal was to finish all the appliqué for the centre and get it attached to the stars that form the next border. This is where I was last Sunday. It needed buds and flowers. Today I have all the buds done and two of the flowers. I need to prepare the petals for the other two corners and then centres to the flowers The stars have been rearranged and I think I’m happy with the order. I don’t think it will be very long before I can add the stars.  Linking up with One Monthly Goal

All the baskets have leaves and branches now. Later this afternoon I'll cut out the buds and flowers and get started on them. My goal is to have all the appliqué done on this section by the end of the month and to have it joined to the next border. I'm not sure I'll be able to get all of it done but it will be close. We'll see how this week goes. Before I start the preparation I’ll go for a walk.  I live in the city and there’s a creek nearby.  For the last couple of weeks there’s been a beaver under the bridge along the route.  I’m hoping to see him again today Linking up with  Kathy’s Slow Stitching Sunday

Last Sunday I spent the day at Elaine’s for a sit ‘n sew day.  I spent the morning and a bit of time after lunch making the 9 patch blocks for the flowers which are the round after the stars for this quilt.  I had the half square triangles all prepared so it was a case of laying them out and stitching.  In the end I ended up making a few extra half square triangles. I hadn’t used any of the blue ones and didn’t want just three of the 20 flowers with blue.  I’m considering make some additional half square triangles as the next lot will be combine with a large triangle to be stylized leaves for the flowers.  I’m not sure I want royal blue and sky blue leaves After getting these done, I started to trace the appliqué pieces for the baskets.  I trace onto freezer paper, cut them out and then press to the right side of the fabric. Sometimes I then trace around the freezer paper so that I don’t need to use it as I work.   Some times I turn under the ed...

I'm linking up with March's One monthly    I'm still making really good progress on Common Bride.  Since posting for the February finish the other day, I’ve added the feathered star to the centre 8 pointed star and the baskets have been added and are ready for appliqué.  Since I took this photo, I've fixed the orientation of the baskets and sewn the baskets to the centre.  I'll prep the appliqué this week.  The goal for March is to finish the appliqué in the centre and then to add the 8 pointed stars border to the centre so I'll need to sort out what order I want those star blocks in around the edge. Helen Anne

Last weekend, I went to a guild retreat.  There were 26 of us spending the weekend away enjoying stitching away and chatting.  It was a wonderful weekend and I'm so pleased in everything I accomplished. About five years ago I purchased some fabric to make a one block wonder quilt.  About four years ago one of the guild workshops was a One Block Wonder class with Maggie Butterfield Dickenson.  Two years ago, I finished making all the hexagons for the quilt.  Last year I did very little quilting.  This year I decided the top needed to be finished.  I finally put it up on the design wall several months ago and start to move the blocks around.  I didn't have enough of the original fabric to do a border so decided to include the original fabric in the center of the quilt.  I spent last week sewing columns together then packed everything up to take to the retreat.  I stopped at Len's Mills on the way to look for a fabric to look for a borde...

Today I’m working on stitching star blocks for Common Bride.  The seems are 1.5 inches long and need to stop and start 1/4 inch from the edge so I find them easier to hand piece ... at least until I get to the final corner pieces which can go side to side.  I need 25 of these.  Today I finished 2 more up to  needing the final corner and have two more to work on after my walk Adding outer ring of diamonds Waiting for the outer ring of diamonds I need to cut and mark more diamonds to make the centres and edges.   Many of the four patches have their corners marked but there are still a few handfuls that need their dots.  So that will also be for after my walk so that I can have something in my purse for handwork his week. Inserting four patches Once the four patches are added, more diamonds surround the outside.  I’m using a simple running stitch on the pencil line of the diamond aligning the edges.  Every few stitches I take a ...

I'm still working away at the blocks for Common Bride.  I need 25 of the stars.  I have 8 up to needing corners and 4 more in progress.  The quilt also needs 304 half square triangle blocks.  I've sewn these and split the squares but they need to be pressed and trimmed. My goal will be to get 12 more star blocks up to needing corners and to press and trim at least half of the half square triangles.  The stretch goal will be to get all the stars completed (including corners) and to press and trim all the half square triangles. Linking up with Patty's OMG at Elm Street quilts

A very successful month. Both quilts are bound and labeled. Pinwheel and Rail Fence Done as Guild Mystery Gravity Quilt I was surprised to find that there wasn't binding already made for the mystery quilt but that was quickly fixed. I was a bit concerned when adding the binding to the mystery quilt because I started to run short. Fortunately there was just enough Leftover binding bits. I also made good progress on the stars. Three are ready to be pressed and the corners add. The fourth needs two more diamonds added to the outer ring.  These are hand pieced up to this point because the seams are so short I find it easier than using the machine.  I'll add the corner pieces by machine I think.  I also have the half square triangles made and ready to be pressed and trimmed for this quilt. Three more Stars for Common Bride I'm linking up with OMG over at Elm Street Quilts

I didn't do much stitching the last half of last year but I did eventually finish the rug that was my One Monthly Goal in June (the last time I participated). In December, I quilted two tops.  A gravity quilt and the guild BOM top. guild BOM - Pinwheels and Rail fence Gravity My goal is to get them both trimmed and bound.  I'd like to be able to take them for Show and Tell and the next guild meeting. I'm also working on piecing the stars for Common Bride.  Since the diamonds are so small, I'm doing the first part by hand.  The diamonds are in my purse so I can work on them when I'm out.  Four are to the point that they need the corner triangles.  The next 4 are in progress.  Getting these to the point they need corner triangles this month would be a bonus. Joining up with Patty's One Monthly Goal