Sunday 19 March 2023

Project Quilting Final Challenge

Challenge 14.6 was about our fears and facing those fears to achieve growth. This challenge was not an easy challenge for me. I’m not afraid of quilting techniques, whether it is applique, working with Inktense pencils, or other techniques. I had no idea what I was going to make for this challenge, I was stumped.

     Finally, with less than two days to come up with a plan and get it done in time, I had an idea. We have heard a lot on the news lately about atmospheric rains, torrential storms, and mudslides mostly contributed to climate change. My fear is what shape are we going to leave this planet in for future generations. 

Could I make a quilt representing climate change with just piecing and no applique? Could I get it done in time? The challenge was on! 

Please excuse the lack of pictures.


The sun represents climate warming. The bottom two peaks are the ice melt due to climate warming, and the rest are mudslides and possibly earthquakes. The quilted swirls are winds of change. The stars are our hope that we can help our planet heal. 

This wall hanging is 15'' by 12''. 

A big thank you to Kim @PerisimonDreams and Trish @QuiltChicken for another great year of project quilting.




Sunday 5 March 2023

Sew Not A Square

 Challenge 5 of Season 14 Project Quilting hosted by Kim Lapacek was to make anything as long it didn't have any square shapes and could not end up being square.

An idea was born, and I drew up a design in my graphics program. Off to the races to get this finished in time.


triple stitch for vines


I used the 'Crafted Applique' method for the applique shapes. I used Monopoly thread from Superior Threads to stitch the applique shapes down.

all stitched down and quilted, I intentionally left the center unquilted


Now for the intended purpose of this project. I have been going through some of my MIL's stuff, she is in a nursing home. I came across some grandma pins from when my kids gave her when they were little. I have been trying to come up with an idea to display these pins so she could still enjoy them. 

no squares at all

 
I think she will enjoy being able to see these pins, and hopefully will bring back pleasant memories for her.

This project is 6 1/2'' round. 


Sunday 19 February 2023

Love to Read

 Project 14.4 had us making a project inspired by books. I started thinking about the many books I've read. The most rewarding of them all was reading to my children when they were younger, and now to my grandchildren. 

a very small selection of my grandchildren's favourites

For my project I decided to make a reading pillow for my youngest granddaughters. 

I appliqued the letters to the pocket

I printed the letters on some Steam-A-Seam 2 and followed the directions of simply peel, stick, cut and press. I did a buttonhole stitch using MonoPoly from Superior threads as I know the pillow will need to be able to be washed without worrying about the applique ever lifting off.

straight line quilting of the front

Bright and cheery fabric for the front of the pillow. 

I added a handle at the top to make it easier to carry around


The pillow is 16 inches square and I used a 14-inch pillow form to keep the pillow soft and comfy to snuggle up with a good book.


Sunday 5 February 2023

Project Quilting 14.3

 Challenge 3 of season 14, hosted by Kim Lapacek,  was the 54-40 or Fight block. We were to be inspired by traditional '54-40 or Fight block.' It consists of four-patches and triangle-in-a-square blocks. I choose to be more traditional with the block. 

first up do I paper piece or use the 'tri recs tool'

    I choose to use the tri recs tool to make the triangle-in-a-square blocks. 

blocks coming together

    For those of you who have read my blog before, you will notice not a bit of green in this project. This challenge project is for my daughter and her favourite colour is blue.

This was a quick project to piece so why did it take me until this morning to get it finished. I procrastinated over the quilting, my daughter didn't want it over quilted. 

I tried to keep it a little simpler

Straight lines and curves in the triangle-in-a-square blocks. Swirls in the squares of the lighter blue and more straight lines in the dark blue squares.

I didn't have enough of the dark blue I used in the topper for the binding 

I was 10 inches short of the dark blue to use as a binding, thankfully I had another piece of fabric that I think worked pretty darn good.

The finished topper is 20'' by 20'' and I used my favourite batting for table toppers Thermore by Hobbs.

Tuesday 24 January 2023

Villa Rosa Designs Fast and Fun Blog Hop

    Hello, and welcome to my turn, on the first-ever Villa Rosa Designs Fast and Fun Blog Hop, a week-long event that celebrates five patterns from Villa Rosa. The blog hop features a collection of five different patterns: Snow Goose, Nantucket, Baby Zip Tease, Hillside Charm, and S’Witched. 



    The instructions fit on one side of a postcard, what a great idea! I had never heard of Villa Rosa Designs, but wow do yourself a favour and check out the designs they are only $2 each.

    My choice was Snow Goose, it is a great pattern to use up leftover jelly roll strips, or in my case scrap pieces.

scrap selection

I pulled out some of my green scraps, no shortage of those around here. As I was invited late to the party I didn't have a lot of time to play with the pattern. I must say however that the pattern does go together quickly. I decided on making a table runner, but I didn't make as many blocks as called for in the pattern. I think with more blocks this would make a lovely bed runner.

a fun variety of greens

For the quilting, I decided I would like some curves for a little bit of visual movement. In the sky section a curvy vine with leaves and in the goose section orange peels.

I used a variegated green thread for the curvy vines 

 Check out all the blogs for chances to win prizes!


There are several opportunities for you to win prizes during the blog hop:

Individual bloggers may be hosting giveaways on their blogs for you to win. Please visit these bloggers to find out about their giveaways and how to register.

Villa Rosa Designs is giving away a 2023 Blog Hop Rose Card pattern collection on each participating blog.

Everyone is eligible to win prizes. Please note that winners outside the USA will receive a digital set of the 2023 Blog Hop Rose Card pattern collection. To enter just leave a comment.

There are two Grand Prize Boxes overflowing with quilty goodness. Check out the photos at VRD blog. Every blogger will be selecting two people from their comments to enter that drawing.

Please note: If you are a no-reply blogger (or aren’t sure whether you’re a no-reply blogger), please leave your email address in the comment. 

Amazing Sponsors




Saturday 21 January 2023

A little oops, this was supposed to publish on Thursday. Someone not saying who may have put the wrong day.

The Fast and Fun Blog Hop has already started but you still have time to visit the bloggers and get your name in for the draws. My day is Jan 25, 2023. The hop features postcard style patterns from Villa Rosa Designs, using quick and simple designs.

The lineup of bloggers is shown below. Be sure to visit each one for loads of inspiration as well as the chance to enter and win some very generous prizes.

01/19/23 ThursdayVilla Rosa Quilts – Hop Kickoff and Info
01/20/23 FridayFrom Bolt to Beauty 
Kathleen McMusing 
Jaftex Companies
01/21/23 SaturdayPieceful Thoughts  
Little Penguin Quilts
01/22/23 SundayQuilt with a View
MMM Quilts
01/23/23 MondayCheryl’s Teapots 2 Quilting
Devoted Quilter  
Quilts of Valor Foundation
01/24/23 TuesdayNeedle and Foot
Am I Shouting Yet?
Electric Quilt
01/25/23 WednesdayThe Crafty Quilter
Jo’s Country Junction
Keepsake Quilting 
Stitchin At Home
01/26/23 ThursdayVilla Rosa Quilts
Check out the cool sponsors, with some very generous prizes.


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Pink Tint

 Thanks to Kim Lapacek of Persimon Dreams for Project Quilting. The rule in this challenge is that some shade of pink must dominate the project. With 6 granddaughters, let's just say I have pink.

a few pinks

The block I made was a simple plus block.

I pulled some 2 1/2'' white squares from my stash

As you can see in the next photo, I switched my background choice to a background fabric with pink. 

12 blocks later

I made a doll quilt for one of my granddaughters, it finished at 18'' x 24''. I wanted to keep the quilting simple. I stitched in the ditch and 1/4'' in all the pluses and curves and orange peels in the background squares.




Sunday 8 January 2023

Project Quilting 14.1

     It must be a New Year as Season 14 of Project Quilting has started. The first one is indeed the 'First One'. All that's been going through my mind since I first read the challenge has been 'One singular sensation' from 'One' by Marvin Hamlisch. The lyrics praise a singular star, oh I can work with that. Stars are one of my favourite blocks.

    
quilted and ready to put together

    Now what to make with a single star. I pulled some scraps and made a 3'' finished star. Okay, that was easy, but what to do with it. Why not make something useful, I've been thinking of making a rotary cutter cover, to put my rotary cutter in when taking it to guild. Time for some more scraps. I used a scrap piece of Thermore batting and a scrap fabric for my quilt sandwich. I did a crosshatch for the back of the rotary cover and some stitch in the ditch for the star. Sew the front to the back, add a single fold binding, and one singular rotary cover is done.

getting ready for the next project

I don't know if it's a singular sensation, but I think it turned out okay. Plus a few bits of scraps are put to good use.