Micah 6:8

This was a thank you gift to a pastor that took on the role as our speaker while our minister was on sabbatical.  *aside* have you any idea how hard it is to choose a verse for a pastor y'all!?

I started by printing the design I wanted to do.  A quilt sandwich was created and the papers were pinned to the sandwich.

Using a darning foot, I traced over the letters, tore the paper away and started colouring them in.

But I didn't like it.

So I started in with the fans.

But I really didn't like it, so I started in with the pebbles.

Have you ever heard the expression "throw more thread at it"?   It seemed to work this time around.

The Rainbow

White negative space makes me very happy, especially when the other fabrics are so vibrant.

This quilt is a class on Craftsy called Magical Blocks out of the box.  I started it in 2015 and finished just in time to give it away at Christmas.

The size is 62 x 84 - just barely large enough to cover the top of a queen sized mattress.

I backed it with cuddly purple flannel which it appears that I failed to document.  Sigh.  December is not a good month for remembering all the things.

I did a lot of walking feet to outline the blocks, but then went in with a darning food and made each block unique.  I did it all in white thread.  That was scary on such a dark back.

I'm linking up to Free Motion by the River

Thy Word a.k.a. Bee Happy

I'm losing a friend this week.  Okay.  That sounds really melodramatic.  She's moving to another town several hours away, but I won't see her every week and I won't get to sing with her, perhaps for a very long time so I'm feeling a little melodramatic.

I started this quilt in 2013.  I saw something similar somewhere and set out to recreate it.  I was very new to quilting and didn't understand that it was a simple 9-patch.  I laid all my 2½" blocks out on a bed and sewed strips together.  When I told my much more experienced quilting friend how I did it, she laughed herself silly and took pictures so she could show more people and tell them the story of the newb.

After the top was done, I put it away for years.  I just didn't have a clue how to quilt it. 

Enter the friend I mentioned at the beginning.  I was showing her my unfinished tops.  We stopped at this one and just looked and looked and looked at the wonderful little bits of fabric patterns.  We found thimbles and purses and as the title of the quilt suggests, bees.  I realised this is the good bye I needed to give her.

I quilted prayers into the black borders:

Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine on you

and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you 

and give you peace.”’

Romans 15:13(NIV)

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I never intended to give this one away so I have to make myself another.  This time, I'll make 9-patches!

This is a finished for Q2 (click here) with Finish-A-Long

I'm linking up to One Monthly Goal, Thread Thursday and Crazy Mom Quilts

Butterflies

Last week my older daughter told me that her teacher was expecting and could we . . . (she gestured towards my "in case of baby" quilt stash).

I was all about giving her teacher a quilt, but I saw an opportunity to veer off my self imposed to-do list to do something that's been in my brain for a while.

Grandma gave me these flowers and butterflies already cut.  I have no idea where they come from.  There are a few butterflies that we didn't use that celebrate Saskatchewan's 50th year as a province.  That was 1955.  I have no idea if all the fabric is from the 50s but they definitely appear to be vintage.

I sandwiched a top without butterflies and quilted a diamond pattern with 6" parallel lines using a walking foot.  Then we placed the butterflies and I FMQed over them using a darning foot.  The edges of the butterflies were snipped so that hopefully they will fray really nice and soft when the quilt is washed.

The Small One gave this quilt to her teacher this week.  The teacher's older son has asked if he could keep it.  I suppose that means they like it :)

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts and She Can Quilt today.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

The Lion Sleeps Tonight started with a graphic I saw on the internet.  It was from THIS website.

I separated all the parts and pieces and printed four full sized prints (48 x 36) to use as templates and maps.

The first map was just for the background.  Then I made a monkey.  From the start, the goal was to not use fusible or interfacing.  Instead, the bottle of starch got a workout.  It worked well.

Lots more animals followed.  Eyes, mouths and tiny pieces were the only bits that had fusible on the back.

The grass was fun.  It was cut at random and sewed down to the background at the bottom of the fringe.

Once the background was done, the whole quilt was sandwiched together and the animals were pinned to the top.  Using a walking foot and a darning foot, the animals were thoroughly quilted to the sandwich.

This is probably the most fun I've had making a quilt.  Start to finish, it was a big adventure.

Welcome to the Geek Side

Finally, a finish!  This has been something I've been working on mentally for a while, figuring out the logistics of it without having to piece or use loads of fusible or applique by hand. 

I had practice doing this quilt on another project that I can't post quite yet.  It involves lots of starch and a prepared sandwich.

First I quilted the entire sandwich.  With Star Wars quotes, don'tcha know?  I cut out pieces, folded them under a quarter inch (sometimes using a fabric glue stick) and ironed them to give me a nice crisp edge.

Then the applique pieces were layout on top, pinned ruthlessly and quilted to the sandwich using both a darning foot and a walking foot (depending on piece size).  Some of the more complicated bits were sewn together first (like the grey eye) and then sewing onto the quilt.

As the newest Star Wars movie just happened to come out, it was easy to find flannel backing that continued the geek theme.  Really, though - I would have preferred something "A New Hope" themed.  Ah well.

I'm Blue

Pattern:  Jelly Roll Race

Size:  Queen - This size doesn't work naturally for the Jelly Roll Race pattern so I used these instructions to get it right.

Reason:  My husband asked me to make a quilt for a friend's birthday.  

Thoughts:  I used a new quilt pattern.  Paisley  It was very enjoyable to stitch.  I loved the patterns the built up thread made.  So pretty!!  Must do again.

The quilt was named named for a silly song that the recipient likes.

Fabrics:  I scrounged the city for the right colours.  MCC, Marshall's, my stash and Fabricland all figured in.  I got some really good deals.

Welcome Baby

Date:  September - December 2015

Pattern:  Wonky Crosses

Reason:  A new baby in the family!

Fabrics:  Most of the fabrics were a gift from my sister.  I took one look at the bundle and said "You're really trying to push me out of my comfort zone, aren't you?"  Yikes.  Fabrics with more than ONE colour in them.  Eek.  Yes, I'm a monochromatic girl.

I added a couple dots from my stash.  I LOVE dots.

Thoughts:  I knew I'd make this pattern again.  The first time was here.  It's a fun and easy top because the blocks are improvisational and just need to be squared up when they are done.

Lessons Learned:  Find out of the recipients are going to be close by in the near future before shipping a package to another country.

Rebecca

Quilt Canada was finally near me this year.  I've been saving up for it for a long time so I could take a workshop every day.

The second workshop I took was a family pick.  My Grandmother and two of my aunts and I signed up in the first 30 minutes to make sure we could all get a spot with Weeks Ringle.  Because life happens it turned out that her husband Bill came instead.  We had a really good time with him.  

The workshop was all about roll of colour in a quilt.  We also talked quite a bit about edge.  Bill explained that the two couldn't really be separated.  Both were necessary for a good quilt.  I am finding that to be absolutely true in the work that I do.  It was very necessary to think of both when I chose to make a portrait of my daughter.

There are endless pieces of Rebecca in this quilt.  The purple and pink are obvious.  Her favourite part is the Pinkie Pie in the middle.  The first pod is the princess that she loves to be.  It was the first major part of her personality to shine.  The second pod is her love for what her Daddy has introduced her to - Marvel, Starwars, etc.

The straight lines of the blocks and of the quilting and the traditional 9-patch speak to how her mind works, the way she likes to think inside her box.

The curved edges are all about her imagination and the fun she has when she plays.

I did micro "scribbling" in the white space of the quilt.  Just those two little spaces took a whole bobbin.

I kind of cheated for this assignment.  Bill told us what to do before lunch and I realized that most of the fabric I brought with me wouldn't work.  Off to the merchant mall I went.  I felt a bit like I was on a timed shopping spree as I went from booth to booth looking for "Rebecca".  A lot of the fabric I bought, I normally wouldn't look twice at.  .

Date:  June - July 2015

Pattern:  Inspired from pods in a craftsy.com class.

Fabrics / Best Buys:  Most was bought from the Merchant Mall at Quilt Canada - Yay for $2 fat quarters.  I used the back of grey fabric because the front was too harsh for the subject matter.

Lessons Learned:  I tried a new binding technique with curved edges.  This is the tutorial I used.  Sew Very Easy  The curves turned out perfectly, but the binding process did not.  I'll need to think about how I can make it more uniform for next time.

Thoughts:  This was a very challenging and very personal project.  As we went around the table at the workshop and discussed our work, there were profound thoughts and even tears as people discussed their journeys and loved ones.  It was good.

Zen for Dad

Date:  May 2012 - March 2013

Pattern:  McCalls Quick Quilts March 2008 (severely modified)

Reason:  I liked the pattern and I wanted to use some blocks Grandma gave me.

Special Fabrics / Best Buys:  Many of the blocks including the 4 in the centre were given to me by Grandma.  My Aunt who works at a fabric store let me know when the perfect navy came in to the store.

Thoughts:  Gave to Dad for his 60th birthday.  I hand quilted this one.  It's been a really long time since I've done that.

In the Calm

a.k.a. "They Say Taupe is Very Soothing"

Size:  92" Square (approximately)

Pattern: Based on http://ladyharvatine.bigcartel.com/product/mosaic-lap-quilt

Reason:  I drew my sister Cheryl's name in the Christmas draw.  I've known for years that she has wanted a cream coloured low contrast / low volume quilt.

Fabrics / Best Buys:  For once I dipped into my stash.  Usually I quilt with scraps, but obviously that wasn't going to work for this quilt.  Half to three quarters was out of my own stock, the rest I went out for in two trips.  In an unrelated note, I'm short on creams in my stash.  Must go shopping.

I also completely used up the last of the 10 yards of white I bought last year.  I couldn't have cut another 1.5" strip if the quilt depended on it.

Thoughts:  My husband came up with the a.k.a. - it's from the Oceans 11 remake.  

I really enjoyed this pattern it was super easy to put together.  The whole quilt was finished in three weeks.

Pinning this quilt was an absolute must to make sure that all sashing lines lined up.  Mine didn't in a couple places, but overall I am pleased.

The binding is made from random leftover strips.  I love it.

Lessons Learned / Lessons to Learn:  I quilted this with my walking foot.  Even though I thought I sandwiched it very well, I still got some puckers were perpendicular seams met.  This frustrates me and I wish I knew what I was doing incorrectly.  Perhaps I need to find a walking foot quilting course.  Is it possible to use a walking foot incorrectly??

Wedges

Date:  November / December 2013

Size:  Approx 46 x 58

Pattern:  http://content.janome.com/index.cfm/ProjectCenter/Project_Detail/Modern_Quilt

Reason:  I drew my sister Alison's name for Christmas

Fabrics / Best Buys:  I discovered I do not keep purple in my stash.  I had to buy everything.  Shucks.

Thoughts:  This was my first improvised back.  I think.  I learned the concept in a free Craftsy class.

The quilting is both FMQ with a darning foot with the straight-ish lines done with a walking foot.  I think I did the walking foot stuff first and then filled it in with FMQ - there is more than one FMQ design on it.

I think I like the back better.  :)

Lessons learned:  Angles are the difficult.  This quilt was a lot more challenging than I would have thought.  The pattern called for appliqued circles, but I completely wimped out and didn't add them.

Kiwis (And Flies)

Date:  Early 2013 - August 2014

Size:

Pattern:  Missouri Star Quilt Company "Pheobe's Flower Box" YouTube video here.

Reason:  I needed to empty my green scraps drawer.  Irony:  My sister gave me a gift of scraps when I was nearly finished the top.  Half of them were green.

Fabric / Best Buys:  I'm fairly sure every single piece in the top is a scrap aside from the sashing and border.  I used darker fabrics wrong side out when I needed a lighter value.  The border is from the box my sister gave me.

Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this pattern.  I also loved improvising the back with leftover scraps.  There is a free class on Craftsy.com that teaches different methods.  That's where I got the idea.

My seven year old named this quilt.  I tried to shorten it down to Kiwis, but "Kiwis and Flies" stuck in my head.

The flower quilting took a long time.  I got really good at petals by the time flower number 600 rolled around.

Lessons Learned:  Do math better.  Buy more than I think I need.  I found myself a fat quarter short of a discontinued fabric.  I asked for help on Quiltville's FB site.  Someone immediately said she'd mail me what I needed free of charge.  Quilters are the best thing since rotary cutters.

A Blessing for Ruth

Date:  July / August 2014

Pattern:  From my head:

Block A:
~  Make crazy quilt blocks and cut them to 6.5".
~  Sew 2.5" strips of white to the crazy blocks
~  Sew 2.5" strips of a colour that matches the crazy block to the white
~  Square block to 10.5"

Block B:
~  Make crazy quilt blocks and cut them to 8.5"
~ Sew 2.5" strips of white around the crazy block
~ Square block to 10.5"

Size:  37 x 47

Reason:  A new baby in our church

Fabric / Best Buys:  All the fabric used was scraps and gifts except for the borders - I took those from my stash.  The binding was a pre-ironed binding given to me by my Aunt.

Thoughts:  I love this pattern  I used it for the first time here.  I've been wanting to use it again ever since.

Lessons Learned:  I finally got up the courage to stitch text into the quilting.  It went really well and fit perfectly  (Numbers 6:24-26)  I'm so excited that it worked.  I'll do it again on my next baby quilt.  It worked really well to run through the motions in my head that my hands needed to make word by word.  It kept me from getting overwhelmed and allowed me to keep calm and not rush.  Winner!

Teddy Bear-topia

This quilt was designed by my seven year old daughter.  She just assumes that whatever she dreams up I can do (insert super hero costume here).  The very first bit of piecing was a Curved Seam.  I've had very poor success with curved seams so to keep my sanity with this one, I cut the curve from the blue, ironed it under a ¼ inch and used a decorative stitch to sew it to the green.  Then I trimmed away extra green from the seam allowance under the blue.  It worked for me, but I doubt that's how they teach it :)

We used a graphics program to draw the bear then print it, cut it out and piece it back together.  The paper pieces served as our templates.

Note to self:  My background brown was not a whole lot larger than the lighter brown going on top of it - sometimes my satin stitches on the top and bottom layers overlapped.  Either design the background bigger or the foreground smaller. 

I didn't use a iron-on bond product for the larger pieces when I attached them to the background, but I did use interfacing - for the most part that went really well.  The smaller things such as eyes were glued on before they were stitched.

I used interfacing

Another note to self:  Cut background to size AFTER the applique has been sewn on.

Also - tractors are never green in my family's world.  Just sayin'

My daughter also picked all the fabrics and all the thread.  The red inner border was the last thing she picked.  I think it's fantastic.

The Small One also had me do trapunto.  She doesn't even know what that is, but the bear and the clouds have extra layers of fill - the belly has an extra layer again.  I used YouTube videos to teach me the ins and outs.

The whole reason for this quilt was the tie - here it is - the last piece of the puzzle.  Her cousin is due in September.  I hope s/he enjoys the teddy bear.

Date:  May / June 2014

Size:  36 x 40ish

Fabrics / Best Buys:  All these fabrics were from my stash.  The four patches were made from a Hoffman Bali Snap that I was given for Christmas.