Completed...finally!

 

Pieced binding...and by pieced, I mean, every last bit of the fat quarter bundle that I bought from PinkChalkFabrics.  I used a varigated 100% cotton quilting thread, which in the photos looks white, but in real life blends pretty good.  I used larger meandering this time than I did with the PlainSpoken quilt.   I also used a soft minky-like backing this time rather than a cotton.  I say it's minky like, because it's not as plush as minky, yet it's soft...yet it's not fleece.  I bought it from my local fabric shop, and it cost me an arm and a leg.  But, it's soft, warm and really cozy.  

I so wish I knew how to take photos that really capture the colour and the sheen of some of the fabrics.  For instance, the peach shimmers a bit in different lights.   It's because the warp and weft threads are different colours.   I love the dimension that this fabric has.

This pattern is from a quilting magazine, American Patchwork and Quilting, although I can't pinpoint which issue I got it from.  I usually just draw a picture of the block in my notebook and then when I find fabric I like, then I make up the quilt. And so I did with this one.    

Edited to add -  I just uploaded my photos to flickr  and the colours seem to be much better than here.  I have no clue why.  

**Another edit - after hunting high and low through the above mentioned magazines, it is not those magazines that I initially mentioned. sigh.  It is from American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine April 2009 issue. (finally found at the library, yay!)

Vintage Pack of Fabric

From an etsy seller called whimsiedots.  I've been coveting a few of her linen bundles for some time.   Although these are from recycled linens, the quality is beautiful with no flaws.   I also bought a scrap pack from her because I saw some lemon colours I loved in there, as well as extras of the red dot and red/aqua gingham.   She also surprised me with a free extra fq of the red/aqua gingham!  Great seller

Happy Birthday to me!!

It's my birthday today!  This year, I'm not hiding it, I'm basking in all of the attention.   

I'm going to go and buy 4 cupcakes this afternoon.  If I make a dozen, I will eat the majority of them because I have no self control with yummy stuff like that, and my diabetes will not be happy about that.  

My gorgeous quilt is almost done.   I ran out of thread yesterday, sigh (19.99 for a spool, good grief!!) and then today I battled tension issues of some sort.  At first I thought it was  too much lint  (I'm not liking cotton thread because of the lint issue) so I undid all the parts to clean out the lint.   Then I realized it was the big spool of thread that was dragging on it's holder, causing the tension and rats nest issues.  

I highly highly recommend you all turning your machines perpendicular and machine quilting this way.   It is so smooth and you don't get sore!  You don't need to battle with a ton of fabric in the throat of the machine either!

Anyways...off to finish my quilt.  It's my birthday, so it will be finished!

Long Weekend summary

It was awesome in Banff and Canmore.  What can I say?  We stayed in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath loft style townhouse with pool/hottub in the complex.   Mountains on both sides of us.  Spectacular.  Gorgeous 21c hot and sunny weather all weekend, and on our drive back it snowed, alot.   Weird.  Here are some highlights:

Climbing on rocks... mommy was scared, the boys loved it.  Of course.

Checking out the local toy and book shop - oh boy did this book get alot of laughs.  Of course, I didn't find it and egg him on...really.   ;-)

On the sides of one of the mountains, we could see the whole valley and town of Banff.   This big field on the side of the mountain was beautiful - Trent and I danced along the field like the VanTrapp family singing - ...the hills are alive, with the sound of music....

These are called Hoodoos.   Very cool.  We hiked along a trail, and my boys went down there, but I'm a big frady cat...heights and hills and cliffs do not feel nice to me. 

Here's Ethan at the bottom of the hoodoo....about to climb way back up again.  He was a trooper!

Went to a local quiltshop in Canmore as well.   They had lots of stuff, and I definately came to a realization about me and fabric shopping.

I like looking at collections of fabrics, colours and patterns mixed and organized by designer or line/collection.   This shop was organized by colour.   It looked beautiful, but I just couldn't really find anything that way.   

So. Do you prefer to shop by colour or by designer/collection?

Long Weekend..

It's a long weekend here, and my husband decided that he wanted to go away with us for the long weekend.  I told him if he could arrange for a dog kennel and find a place, I'd go.   Truthfully, I said that because I knew, being the day of the start of the long weekend, he'd never be able to find something.  I was kind of hoping for a slow weekend to finish up some quilting and putter around the house.  That, and a sudden surprise trip brings up anxiousness of laundry to do, packing, etc which I'm just so darn tired to do right now.  Well, he proved me wrong.  We're heading to the Rockies tomorrow, to Banff.  The kids will have a blast and I will too, once I stop digging in my heels and get excited about it.  I don't know what it is with me, but I'm learning that sudden change is not my forte anymore.  I used to be so adventurous.  Now, it's a chore.  How are you with sudden spontaneous overnight plans?  But, I know it'll be fun.  Just perk me up with a Tim Horton's double double on the way and I'll be a happy girl.  Oh. And the fact that there is a quilt shop there.  LOL!

I finished pin basting my quilt. It's ready for machine quilting, which will have to wait till we get back.  Here's a sneak peak.   This photo is pre-pin basting so lots of wrinkles there..

  Speaking of pin basting - how close together to you put your pins?   I do them every 3 inches or so.  I just don't want to risk any puckers, and well, if I'm on the hard floor anyways, I may as well do some extras.    Also, where do you do your basting?  Table? Carpet?  Floor?   I do mine on the hardwoord floor.  I've heard it's not the greatest place because eventually you'll get nicks in your floor.   But I find the carpet does feel as solid and taut as when I do it on the hardwood floor.   

What are you up to this weekend?

List of things to do..

Not including my vintage linens that I bought from etsy last week.    Or the red and white gorgeous prints that are waiting for me at the quilt store...or the cute barcelona skirt pattern from Amy Butler that I'm dying to make...

The top photo is terrible quality, sorry.  It was taken down in my basement in my sewing area.  Perhaps that is why I've been in a rut.  It's just so nice and sunny up here, I'm always by the windows.  Down there, it's dark and bleak.  and cold.  

today - piecing will be done in the next 2 hours.   Pin basting and quilting will be done by the end of the night.  

**edited to add - piecing was done by early afternoon. backing ready and taped to the floor.  batting was the problem.   I thought I had enough.  about 4 inches to short in the width.  Tried to then piece some batting together, which was all fine and brilliant at the moment.  Until I laid it flat, and it wouldn't lay flat.  And then of course, there's the cat.  Who loves tape. and anything fabric and sewing related.  Apparantly he knew that things weren't going to lay flat for me, as he lunged under the puckers at the edges.  Then he found some tape lifting and proceeded to pull that stuff off.   My night has been called.   Off to watch some telly! LOL!

Off to the store in the morning for batting.   After my doc appointment and before my eye specialist appointment.     If my eyes being dilated  goes back to normal, my new goal for completion is done by Friday.    At least I can feel some excitement coming back.   

Hey.  I'm nearing post number 250.  Sounds like a great number, doesn't it?   Maybe it will land on my birthday!!  Double whammy!

Sigh

It went from sunny, warm, shorts and sunscreen weather, to mitts and coats this week.  It even snowed yesterday...not enough to stick, but it was flurrying out there.

My plants, which should be blooming and thriving elsewhere on this continent, are inside staying warm for now, until the -3 temps right now decide to change to warmer...

Mother's Day Weekend..

We had such a busy weekend.   I was determined to get the training wheels off Ethan's bike, and I did.  Saturday's adventure to the park was a wobbly one, and he did so well.  We rewarded him and Cameron with their first ever Slurpee!  Oh my.  They were in heaven.  I snuck a few sips of their Orange Creamsicle Slurpee creation.   Why can't they make sugar free ones?  I mean, they make diet coke, why can't they make diet coke slurpees?    On Sunday, we continued my mission of cycling without the trainers, and we went to Miquelon Lake, er slough,  for a family picnic and some more practice.  Next step = learning to turn and starting without mommy's push.    We had a great day. The weather was warm, and it was a calm and pleasant day.   I even got to swing out to my local quilt shop to pickup some backing fabric for my chambray quilt (which is close to being finished!)   Mother's Day wasn't typical,  I didn't get pampered, but that's not my style.   but I did get to spend it with my husband and boys, which is my favourite thing to do.

Today, the weather forecast is nice, and there is a threat of cooler weather this week, so I zoomed in the garden and cleaned up all the dead stuff and trimmed back some shrubs.   I'm dying to get some of my seedlings planted, but there's threat of frost in the eves this week, so I'll wait another week.    But, gardening in MY garden pays off.   I found a $5 bill that must have blown in from somewhere this year. It gets really gusty here.     So, in my obsessive mind, I immediately thought, OOH! I could get 1/2 yard of some new Michael Miller fabric, or a couple of fq's on etsy, or a few new spools of thread from connecting threads.

No thought of, hey..this would be great towards groceries.  It's all about the fabric.   I'm in trouble.

This year, I remembered my mom as I do always.  But it didn't seem to hurt as much.  I know she was there holding him steady as I let go of him pedalling away down the path....

Mojo

I need some sewing mojo.   I've got 4 projects on my sewing table cut out and ready to piece.   I've got some vintage fq's that are on their way in the mail.

Where is Andrea?   Puttering, in the garden, at the television, with the kids, on the bikes, in the sandbox, on the computer.   I should be downstairs in my cave sewing.   I can't even say that it's been so busy that I haven't the time to sew.   I'm coming to the realization that I'm just not a mass production sewist.  

My goal this week is to finish piecing my Kaufman chambray cottons quilt.  The  fabric is divine.   But how would you know?   I've been MIA for the last 2 weeks. 

Don't lose track of me.  I'll be there soon.