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.  

I promise

This quilt festival has been so much fun! Thank you so much everyone for visiting and commenting on my blog.  I really have enjoyed visiting so many new blogs and getting inspired by all of the amazing works that you do. 

That being said, I need to take a break.  I have spent wayyyyy too much time on the computer this weekend and this week checking out new blogs and need to get some of that crafty inspiration into fruition.   At this point, I need to stop.  I feel like I'm spinning my wheels with so much excitement and inspiration, but it's really leading to nowhere except more time on the computer.  I am a major procrastinator and this has been great stuff to feed it.  ;-)  

So tomorrow.  I allow myself a few minutes in the morning with my coffee to wake up to catch up on my computer time (15 minutes) and the rest of the day I commit to accomplishing something quilty.  

Quilt Festival! My featured quilt...

The quilt I'm going to showcase is probably not my best work, nor my favourite.  But it represents a point in my life that I'm very excited about - the time that I took control and found something completely "selfish" and all about me.  

I'll start with the beginning.  I took a beginner class in quilting and completed a rail fence quilt, in colours to match my home decor - browns, reds, some greens.. earthy homey colours.  

Beautiful, but it just wasn't my thing.   I loved the class because it taught me all of the basics such as straightening fabric, cutting tips, mathematical tips, basting, binding, etc.   I recommend anyone to take a beginner course just for that head start.    I found the quilt boring though. And I think it's the fabrics that totally uninspired me.    

After discovering the plethora of fabrics online, initially through ebay, I purchased a few charm packs and strip sets in a bunch of modern colours, modern designs.  Ones that excited, inspired and motivated me to get started.  This is where my featured quilt comes into play.

I saw an online tutorial for a disappearing 9 patch and went with it.   I pieced together, and improvised my way along until I used up all of my fabric and I had a square quilt top done.  And alas, it was too small and needed more fabric.   

 Taking it to my local quilt shop, the owner there helped me choose the turquoise, green and brown borders to highlight the inside blocks.   What was really motivating is that she had never seen a quilt done in these colours before and she just loved it.   So much in fact, that when I returned to the store about a month later,   lo and behold a  quilt with the same colour combinations on display there!  Coincidence or not.. I don't know, but I'll make it my story. 

The quilt is simple - it shows my first stipple around the border, and I did straight echo stitching around the outer blocks.    The cotton chenille was a pain to work with - the fluff was everywhere - in my nose, upstairs, in my clothes...but I love the texture it gives.

This quilt is my favourite, not because of the fabrics or the pattern or the final effect, but more of a personal one.   It represents a turning point for myself personally - finally finding something that was my joy (aside from husband, kids and family of course) that was all about me...not pleasing for someone else, or benefitting someone else, but all about me.  Becoming a wife and mother is one of the most incredible gifts I've been given in my life, but in the process I've lost a bit of myself and my own interests in trying to juggle my "roles".  Quilting is something only I know how to do in this house, I get to choose the fabrics and patterns, I get to splurge and have a little shopping guilt.  I no longer hide behind my passion and call myself jokingly "granny Andrea" with that little bit of embarassment because I like to quilt.  Now, when I quilt, I am Andrea.  I love to quilt.  I am a quilter.    

This quilt represents the time when quilting became my passion, and it marks the beginning of my quilting joy and journey, of me living my life a little more for myself.   *remember to click on the photos for more detail 

 

and of course, you may be thinking...well, if this isn't her favourite quilt, which one is? 

It's this one. It made me feel like a real quilter.  The blocks were super simple, the colours totally fun and bold, and the machine quilting is what I'm so very proud of.  

Vintage Bed Linens for quilts

I have been obsessing, well, browsing at this etsy shop for the past few weeks.   I've never thought about making quilts from vintage sheets, but some of them look so pretty.  This favourite bundle and especially this favourite right now look so charming bundled together.   The shipping on them are a bit much for me at the moment though, as I ponder buying brand new all cottons vs vintage poly cottons.     I just love that lemony yellow combo though!  Perhaps I'll just need to find some yellow new stuff for my stash. 

I think I need to wait awhile though, as I just purchased a motherlode,  kona shot cottons,  wonderland charm packs, and katie jump rope fq bundles in geranium and blue.  

Please help me stop building my stash, and get me using it now!!! 

Participate in the Online Bloggers Quilt Festival!

This is hosted and dreamed up by Amy and it sounds like alot of fun. There are prizes too! I'm a new quilter and I don't have lots of stories, but I'll try and think of something!

Log Cabin Practice Runner

Just practicing doing a log cabin block from scraps in a different way than precut and measured pieces.  I'm in total need of some inspiring fabrics to do projects with, as these just did not cut it for me.   Yes, black, browns and dashes of brick are in my house, but making quilt blocks in these fabrics didn't feel inspiring at all.  

I've purchased some Katie Jump Rope fabric bundles, and I've been spying on some Kaufman aqua and reds that seem to be nice.    Also, I NEED to get a quilt done for my mil (still need to purchase that blue/white fabric, but I get the feeling it will be a blah feeling to quilt)

Maybe it's just a blah time for quilting, and I just need to continue my reading and soaking in of all the gorgeous blogs out there.  I'm in awe of what people create.   

I may need to do some fabric giveaways soon.  

Winter Woes

It's cruel punishment.   The past week has been in the mid teens (celsius) and sunny here.  Out came the sandals, the capri pants and the patio furniture.   The garage was swept and power washed of all the sand and gravel gunk that drops off the winter cars.  Bikes came out and we were ready to begin our summer.   We even had a fire on Saturday night with a glass of wine sitting out on the adirondack chairs and some blankets.  (quilts one day...I can't let them get dirty yet.)

What a cruel trick ole man winter played on us today.   It's just a freak storm, and should just last for the day, and back to nice weather by the end of the week, but still!!!!! 

Plain Spoken, Plain Complete

Binding complete, washed and dried and crinkly goodness included.

Fabric Purchase

Feeling rather confused about what to do next project wise.  Another ADD week.   I went to my favourite local quilt shop that has some of the modern prints that are out there, but not all of them.   And again.  Awestruck by the prices.   15.95 per meter.  Fat quarters were 4.95 and 5.95 each, depending on the line.   *shaking my head just thinking about it*

They did have some older Anna Griffin Christmas fabric on for 1/2 price, so I picked up these: I liked the limey green and the brick reds.  Stash builder for Christmas.

And they had this adorable bird fabric (16.95 per meter, gasp!) but I had to buy a bit of it.  Coincidently, it went really well with the christmas red and lime colours.   I may be able to put them together and disguise the Christmas part.

So, I really need to figure out what to sew next.   I think I need some shopping therapy and build some stash projects.   my problem is that I love everything out there, and can't focus in on a project.  

My Vancouver week in a few snapshots....

Met up with "Ned"'s new owners, Lorena and Baby Alexander.  Lorena shrieked when she opened Ned and started to cry! (hormones are still kicking her!)

This was at Buntzen Lake...they were filming a movie that day, and I'm guessing it was the Twilight series, New Moon, as the signage on the way in said N.M. Crew  and all the trailers, etc were all set up in the parking lot.  That and it's just the perfect spot for hazy, cloudy, misty vampirish stuff.  Buntzen Lake is where they filmed Lake Placid and Freddy Vs Jason.   It's a 10 minute drive from my sister's place in Port Moody.  It's gorgeous!  Ethan skipped his first rock on the water!  What a pro :-)

A cool shot of my boys at the Vancouver aquarium..

Drove through the rockies to get to Vancouver.   It was gorgeous. Photos just don't get the closeness of what the mountains really are.  They are truly magnificent. I love how you can see the glacier marks that have carved the striations in the rock.  Here are windshield photos:

Met up with friends and family each day,  Trent's grammy, my dad, my sister and brother and their families, my bcbabes (group of friends) whom made my heart strings tug way too much!

Spent a lot of time driving around and really really letting it sink in if it's where we want to live again. OMG the traffic is insane now! In 3 years, the congestion and skyrises and new developments shaving off the mountains are insane.   Coming back to Alberta, you could literally feel the stress of traffic and big city stuff go away.

It was an excellent visit.  A beautiful city, but I think I'm getting spoiled by my smaller city now! Even though we are the capital of Alberta, with all the big city ammenities, there's still so much more room here.  I just miss the forests, lakes, parks and outdoorsy stuff.  If only I could move them here, and bring my family and friends.  Life would be perfect wouldn't it?     

Hit some quilt stores, with much disappointment.  I resign myself to the fact that I'll be shopping at more online stores if my favourite local shop doesn't carry what I want for a decent price. wahh. 

I'm off to get some quilty inspiration and perhaps do a purchase or two for my next projects.   It's great to be back...

I love mail!!!

I have always loved getting mail.  In fact, I often wonder if I shop online just so that I can get mail.  Back in February I did a giveaway for some fabric, and I got a sweet surprise in the mail from one of the recipients.   It was so uncalled for, but I have to say...it really brightened my day and made me look so forward to the Spring (if it ever arrives!)

I love to garden, if I could intertwine it with quilting, my life would be set.  In fact, I just came home from the library, with "How to be a Hobby Farmer". Ya, Alberta is wearing off on me.

Look at the gorgeous goodies that arrived for me!!!  I am really touched at how thoughtful it is to share your garden with me...and I even received instructions too!  My coasters are mine...they will be my bedside tea coasters for when I'm leafing through my piles of quilting inspiration.  Thank you so much, grendelskin.  It was totally unnecessary, but so wonderful too :-)

A few things to share..

Been working on a few little things this week as I try and mend my body.  It's finally feeling alot more normal, and I've got my zing back!   Here's Ned #2,  that I made for my best friend Lorena.  She was coveting the ugly dolls when we were on our New York trip last May.  I told her in no way was "my" baby going to have an ugly doll as a stuffy.  He or she would be spoiled with perfect ones.  LOL.  So here is one I made for her...

Okay,  looking at this one, I need to squish the stuffing a bit, because HE looks a bit like a SHE! 

LOL. 

I also wanted to make one of these pillows for baby Alexander.  You know when you do a project and the effort it requires just doesn't feel satisfactory?  This was one of those long stitching projects, which wasn't very gratifying to me.  I'm glad it's done.  Embroidery certainly isn't on my list of pleasures.  You can click on the images to get more detail...

And here's the two together. The backing of the pillow is the same fabric as the stuffy, so they coordinate.   

Once I meet Alexander next week (!!!!) I'll get a feel to what kind of quilt he deserves. :-)

On that note, I'm off for Spring Break. We're driving to Vancouver through the Rockies, and will be "home" visiting family and friends.  Looking forward to it, but hoping for not too much pull of the heart strings.