Tuesday 19 February 2019

My Day of Dusting off a Quilt Book

It's my day too show an old a forgotten quilt book. This blog hop is being hosted by Beaquilter. The idea was to dust off, excuse me while I find the duster it's around here some place. Ahh dust bunnies be gone. Anyway the idea was to make a project from it.


After doing a big clean a few years ago, I thought I had given away my older quilt books. Imagine my surprise at finding a book from 1994. I think I kept it as I liked a couple of the projects in it.

1994 I think I may be dating myself, a hardcover book at that.

A couple new pillows for my living room where on my to do list. What better time to start than now. 

this is the project I decided on

I pulled some scraps and got to it. The house is appliqued and for that I used my favourite method, Crafted Applique by Lara Buccella. I used Superior MonoPoly thread and the buttonhole stitch to stitch down the applique. In no time at all I had the pillow top done.

please excuse the dull colours due to lack of sunshine

I quilted it simply with some big loops in the background and swirls in the borders to keep it soft. I used my favourite batting Hobb's Premium 80/20. 

ahh finally some sun to brighten things up

For the pillow back I used Winter Elegance from in The Beginning Fabrics that I picked up from Stitch-It Central. I like zipped backs for my pillows. I am not going to do a tutorial as there are a lot of good ones on the internet. You can find a tutorial here.

zippered back

For the binding I used the backing fabric cut at 2'' instead of my usual 2 1/4''. 

An older book can have patterns that are still relevant today made with more up to date fabrics and even methods. I think my pillow adds a little charm to the place.
Take a look through your own collection. You never know what might inspire you. 

To see pillow number 2 come back on March 12th for the 'Text-it' Blog Hop.

To see what others have found in their collections visit  the following blogs. 

Monday Feb 18th
Turid at densyendehimmel
Pamela at Pamelaquilts
Selina at Selinaquilts
Kathleen at Kathleenmcmusing

Tuesday Feb 19th
Jennifer at curlicuecreations
Stephanie at stephjacobsondesigns
Kathy at Kathysquilts
Shasta at high road quilter
Theresa at bumbleberrystitches


Wednesday Feb 20th
Sharon at Vrooman’s quilts
Suzy at Websterquilt
Nancy at patchworkbreeze
Karrin at karrinscrazyworld
Denise at craftraditions

Thursday Feb 21st
Leanne at Devoted Quilter
Jennifer at Dizzyquilter
Lee Anne at Podunk Pretties
Lyndsey at Sew Many Yarns

Friday Feb 22nd
Bea at Beaquilter
Barbara at Bejweledquilts
Marian at seams to be sew
Brenda at songbirddesigns




Tuesday 12 February 2019

A Couple Guild Projects

For my guilds comfort quilt program we have been making monthly block challenges. The members seem to enjoy this. All the blocks we make are 10''. 

I am the keeper of the challenge blocks. They are kept in 'official' block storage containers.

started with one 'official' container and had to up it to two
I'm sure you can tell by the above picture how the blocks are stored. If not look below.

yup that's a pizza box they make ideal block storage containers

Sometimes keeping the lids closed is a bit of a problem. But transporting them to meetings is easy. My guild meets in the morning. After the meeting some of the members stay and sew. We have put together quite a few tops from the various challenge blocks. Some members will take a top home if it isn't finished during sew time and finish them up.

I pulled the black and white blocks that were made in the fall. I found a nice black print with red flowers to use for sashing and borders, the corner stones are black.

a 4 x 5 setting of 10 inch blocks ready for one of our longarmers

The second quilt I worked on was a panel. I added a couple borders. This one I quilted and bound. A few pictures follow. It was a pretty panel.

panels are fun to quilt

A closeup of one of the flowers.

I outlined the flowers and stitched some lines in to separate the petals 

A picture of the back.

all those beautiful flowers look as good from the back




Monday 4 February 2019

How Many are too Many?

While doing some straightening up, I realized I have a few rotary cutters. Okay maybe more than a few if I'm being honest.

my collection of rotary cutters

The cutter on the left is a Fiskars I don't really like it, I have a wave blade in it. I think it may have been one of the first ones I bought, years ago when I was first starting to quilt. 

Fiskars and the wavy blade

Next up are the two rotary cutters I use the most. They are both Olfa my favourite brand.

a 60mm Deluxe and a 45mm Splash
The 45mm is my most used cutter. A few months ago I purchased the endurance blades and I must say I'm liking it.


I have an used dull  blade in this one that I keep just for cutting paper when paper piecing
I keep an old blade in this 45mm for trimming papers when doing paper piecing, I use freezer paper most of the time.  But I like to trim the papers up to size before using them, so this cutter comes in quite handy and is used a fair amount in my quilt making as I tend to like paper pieced patterns.

What collection would be complete without a couple specialty rotary cutters in it?

A 28mm and a circle rotary cutter and oh yes it has been out of the package and used. 
 I like the small 28mm for cutting around templates. The small size goes around the templates easier than the 45mm.

I just remembered I also have a 45mm Deluxe rotary cutter. Yup I do have a thing for rotary cutters.


I'm participating in “Dust off a Quilt Book” Blog hop this month. Look for my post on February 19th.


To see the list of those participating go to Beaquilter blog. 

So I ask you do you have a collection of rotary cutters or am alone in the rotary cutter collection world?