A LONG BREAK!

I knew it had been a while since I last posted but I didn't know it had been this long!  Not a lot of sewing around here lately. We had a hot spell and I couldn't face sitting at the sewing machine.  I did manage to get these made, though...



 

These are a custom order for my shop! These little patchwork quilts were done the "hard way" meaning no strip piecing. Each  2 1/2 inch square was cut (a total of 588) and painstakingly stitched together!  I do love patchwork quilts but I think it will be a while before I make another!

These took up a lot of my time and I'm looking forward to getting started on something new!

 

A QUICKIE!!!

Just a quick post..I finally had a chance to get some work done on these...

Aren't they cute!!! I found a great tutorial for these mini blocks here!  I made one block quite a few weeks ago and finally had a chance to get some more done!  Can't wait to get this top sewn together!  Do I dare attempt some hand quilting on this one?

Now, back to men's synchronized diving!  Oh yah!!!



Cooling Off!

We're home from our week away in Osoyoos!  I tried to post this picture while we were there but the Internet connection was sketchy and I wasn't having much luck!  Anyway, here it is...

This is Spotted Lake located just outside Osoyoos!  Fancy a dip!  No thanks!  It's actually a local attraction. We stopped on our way to Osoyoos so I could take some pictures of it!  We met some really nice people from Idaho who were also checking it out!  Let me tell you, it was HOT HOT HOT!!! The entire week was HOT HOT HOT - close to 100 degrees!  I took lots of projects with me but only managed to get the binding done on this quilt...



 

If memory serves, I photographed some quilts in the same tree last year!  I had two other quilts with me that I wanted to finish but it was just TOO HOT!!!

 

Here's a few pictures of some fabric I picked up during the week...

 

LOVE this...

So vintagey!!! Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I couldn't resist it!





 

This one is for my Halloween quilt!

 

 

WE'RE HERE!!!

We're finally here - our annual trip to beautiful, sunny, warm Osoyoos!!! My fabulous new camera is up and running.  Here's one of the shots I took on the trip up...

This beautiful little church is near Hedley!  We pulled over to the side of the highway and I used my zoom lens to capture this image.  My mom loved seeing this church every year on the drive up and drive home!  This one's for you mom!

Resistance is Futile!

I caved...

When I first started quilting, I'm pretty sure Flea Market Fancy wasn't available, or at least only at astronomical prices on Ebay or Etsy!  I liked it and thought how great it would be to have a quilt made with it!  When I heard that it was being re-released I was pretty excited realizing I might actally be able to get some of this great fabric and make myself a quilt!  Well...my excitement waned a little. You know how it goes... forbidden fruit! In the end I gave in and decided to take the plunge!

I actually got this from a Canadian online shop - Mad About Patchwork. I figured it was time to spread the wealth in my own country.  My order was perfect and arrived pretty quick. In fact, I paid regular shipping and for some reason was upgraded to expedited at considerable cost to the seller!  I got the entire line in FQ plus some yardage to make a little baby quilt plus one for ME!!!!!  I'm looking at patterns but may just stay with simple patchwork. I can't wait to cut into this great fabric!

In other news, I've been working with this...

Isn't it pretty!  It's Bella Butterfly!  I ordered this quite a while ago and was waiting until I found the perfect pattern. The prints are so gorgeous and I didn't want to cut them into small pieces.  I found a great pattern I already had on hand.  Here it is all cut up...

I think this one is going to come together pretty quick!  I'll post a picture of the top when it's done!

Snowballs in June!!!

Not really!   I mean THIS kind of snowball...

I finished this little quilt last night and I LOVE it!!! I was worried it was too traditional (see previous post) but I really like it. I didn't enjoy sewing all those little squares onto the corners but I really like the look of this quilt!  I think I'll be making this one again. It's going into the shop!

Now, for something really out of my comfort zone...

I picked up a ton of these almost 10" squares at a pound sale at my LQS shop a few months ago.  Wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but the prints are so cute I couldn't resist ( I think they might be Lecien).  Anyway, I found a tutorial for these cute little 'mini' granny squares and made up a sample...

The blocks are supposed to finish at 6 1/2" but mine is actually closer to 6 1/8".  After seeing these blocks everywhere I'm glad I gave it a try - I think it's adorable. I spent about an hour this afternoon fussy cutting the centre squares.  I can't wait to see how this one turns out! It's so different from anything I've ever made.  I'm hoping to do a combination of machine quilting and hand quilting.  My last attempt at hand quilting was far from successful. My plan is to machine stitch in the ditch each block and then do some hand quilting in each little square. I'll keep you posted on this one! Wish me luck. 

Evolution of a Quilt!

This is why I love making quilts...

 I love turning this...

into this...

into these...

and finally, into this...

I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out.  I modified the blocks a little - they didn't have doors and I thought they looked a little too plain.  I'll definitely make these little houses again but I might try my hand at paper piecing them.

Here's a sneak peak of what I'm working on now...

I made these blocks ages ago.  I wasn't in love with them and put them away. I thought they were a little too traditional for me. In an effort to complete some half-finished projects I dug them out and decided that I really do like them.  Hopefully, I'll be able to show you the finished quilt soon!