A Sunday Reflection

I recently read a post by Kirsty Cleverly of Bonjour Quilts on the business side of pattern writing. I know some of you will think this is something that doesn't interest you. I found her article well written, not in your face telling why you should buy from a pattern designer but how it effects pattern designers. The behind the scene costs are all outlined for anyone to see.

I have purchased patterns in print and PDF.

a few of the print patterns I have purchased I have a lot more than these

I have even made some, see I don't just collect them. This summer I made myself a new handbag. The farm animal quilt from Sew Fresh Quilts you can read about here.

as you can tell I have been using my handbag

unfortunately I haven't made this one yet.

The above pattern Blue Skies & Sunny Days is from my friend Sandra of mmm!quilts. 

I have and will continue to support pattern designers even though the list of want to makes keeps getting longer. Oh the life of a quilter we are never done making quilts. There is always another one in line waiting to be made. 

I enjoy designing quilt patterns and have free ones and for sale patterns available in my Craftsy store.

a couple of my latest patterns available for sale

Did you read Kirtsy's blog post? I would love to read your comments on this.

Guild Fun Plus

I am sitting here staring at my screen trying to decide if I have anything to blog about. What have I been up to quilting wise? Well let's see. I went on a mystery shop hop with my guild, always fun. We car pool and in our vehicle we had a blast. All the laughing and sharing with like minded quilters a JOY. This year we were to wear a quilters hat hmmm. I had never heard of a quilters hat, time for a little creativity. First off I am not a hat person not a good way to start coming up with something. After thinking about it for awhile I thought to myself Now really how hard could this be? I decided on a fascinator, easy peasy right! I started with the following items head band, some felt, ribbon (in green of course), 1 1/2" quilting blocks, bobbin, thread, needles. First step cut two felt ovals, glue the headband between them. Add one 6 loop bow and embellish with the assorted items. Want to see? Of course you do.

now doesn't that just take your breathe away 

It is soooo lovely another picture is in order.

I will not be taking orders any time soon

We went to five quilt shops and had a lovely lunch in St. Jacobs at the Stone Crock.  We Started our shopping at  Undercover Quilts and More in Fergus We ended in New Hamburg with two shops, Heart'n Home Creations and Quilting by Design. 

The other ladies outdid themselves with their hats, now I wish I would have taken pictures but that didn't happen. We had one person who made a band box hat topped with a cardboard sewing machine, which she had coloured accordingly. We had one hat with ziplock bags hanging everywhere full of quilting tools, we had fabric wrapped hats. Well done ladies! One shop owner asked if we wore our hats to meetings, NO.

On Monday at my guild meeting we had a couple demos of paper piecing. Heather showed traditional paper piecing. You know the type sew through paper spend hours ripping all those papers out. I showed the freezer paper method, it is the only way I do paper piecing as I am most definitely not a fan of ripping out paper.

This is the block I showed them, hopefully some will show up in November with finished blocks.

a simple freezer paper pieced block

The black and white block is for our monthly block challenge, which was Septembers challenge. One of the requirements is that all blocks must be 10 1/2'' unfinshed, and in this case black and white other than that the sky's the limit. We use the blocks to make charity quilts, this year they will be going to Ronald MacDonald House in London and Victoria Quilts.

For not knowing what to write, I think I had more to share than I thought. Hope you are having fun too!

Where did September go?

I seem to have lost a whole month of blog writing. September came and went and it appears I went right along with it.

It is guild season and that means it's time for our annual BOM. This year I went for a little bit more of a modern look. Most of my guild members are more traditional quilters, but sometimes getting out of our comfort zone is good for our creative spirits.

2018 BOM for my quilt guild the Quaker Quilt Guild in Norwich, On

All that negative space to quilt as little or as much as we want. I may have gone overboard with the feathers, which I love adding to a quilt.

feathers and swirls

As Christina Cameli does in her Craftsy/Bluprint class Wild Quilting: Creative Free-Motion Combinations I added a showboat. A little affiliate ad here: You can enjoy Bluprint Get Started Event: Watch All Classes + Shows For Free (10/5-10/12). It is the center focal point with the crosshatching and is surrounded by feathers, swirls and pebbles. 

Want to see a closeup of a few of the blocks? Of course you do. Who doesn't like some eye candy?

ruler work and a few pebbles

straight lines, crosshatch and curved lines

simple stippling on this one I called it Twister

The background is Kona snow, the yellow is a Micheal Miller solid that I don't remember the name of nor did I bother to write it down when I bought it, silly me. The lighter print is a Northcott and the darker is I believe an Art Gallery, another silly me moment I removed the selvedge for someone who was collecting selvedges. For the backing I used a wideback from Connecting Threads. The batting is a Hobbs Heirloom Bleached Cotton Batting. I do prefer an 80/20 Hobbs but was looking for a white batting so I settled for the 100% cotton. 

a neat photo showing the blocks shadowing through the back 

This is a big part of what kept me busy, that and having my main machine in for repairs for the better part of the summer. It is back in again for repairs for the 5th time in a little over two years. I know totally UNREAL! 

Linking up to 

Needle and Thread Thursday

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?