Stripes Blog Hop

Thanks to Carla at Creatin’ in the Sticks for organizing 'Show Your Stripes' blog hop. We were asked to create something that had stripes in it. The stripes could be fabric stripes or striped fabric. Let the ideas flow. Stash using time, here I come.

These have only been in my stash since maybe 2014

I had a meter of each of these Northcott stripe prints, at least they look like stripes to me. Now I needed a pattern. I played in EQ8 and decided on this simple block.

I like this block with a little turquoise and pink going on

It really didn't take long to make the blocks up, I had decided on a 4 x 4 layout. The blocks are 10 1/2''.

I added 3 borders framing the pink narrow border between the turquoise

I thought I had a picture of the top before quilting but I may have deleted it by mistake. The above photo is the quilt top in EQ8.

quilting in one of the four negative space squares

I quilted the four squares of negative space the same. Swirls towards the centre of the quilt, then a row of ribbon candy, and finally straight lines in the other half of the square. It is hard to see the quilting without the sun, I took over 10 different pictures and this one was the best. You'll have to trust me the texture of this quilt looks great.

 

No sun today, only overcast and rain.

The white triangles along the sides are all quilted with straight lines. 

the back shows the quilting better

What have you made with stripes lately? Want some more ideas just go visit some of my fellow bloggers and see what they made.

Life in the Scrapatch

Stitchin At Home

Websterquilt

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Karrin's Crazy World

Quilt Schmilt

That’s Sew Kerry

SameliasMum

Annie's musings

Guild BOM 2019

It's one of my favourite seasons 'guild season'. My guild had there first meeting of the year on Monday Sept 9th. I look forward to catching up with fellow members and seeing what they've made over the summer.
It is also the time I introduce the new BOM for the year, this is the fifth year I have designed the BOM. My guild is more traditional than modern and as such more members join in making the BOM if it is a more traditional setting.

2019-20 BOM

This years quilt I made in my favourite colour...green. I picked up the greens from Caroline Quilts when she was a vendor at our quilt show in June. They are mostly Northcotts you can read about them here.

A few closeups of some of the blocks and the quilting.

 some feathers in this block

straight lines and curves

swirls and  a loop with echoing out

I tried not to overthink my quilting and just had fun

The following are the previous BOM's I have designed for my guild.

2015 the first design was a medallion style quilt my oldest son has this one

 2015 my first BOM design for my guild, read more about it here.

2016 in preparation of Canada's 150th birthday, applique

2016 was a wall hanging with applique, you can read more about it here.

2017 on point with Irish chain alternate blocks

 2017 saw a more traditional style set on point, you can read more here.

2018 saw more of a modern setting

2018 I designed more of a modern setting, you can read more about it here.

Do you like making BOM's?

Hearted Beauties Release

I have always wanted to make a New York Beauty Quilt. Whenever I spy one whether it's at a quilt show or on the net, they catch my eye.

'Hearted Beauties' is what happened after I played with designing my own New York Beauty blocks in a heart shape. Why a heart shape? Because I thought it might be neat to see what they looked like. Of course those hearts needed a setting and a quilt pattern was born.

Hearted Beauties

The Heart blocks are paper pieced, the rest of the quilt uses traditional piecing.

The quilt back shows how I quilted it. I quilted this with all Aurifil threads. It's a good thing I have a nice stash of them.

Those large open spaces left plenty of room for some custom quilting. You can do as much or as little as you want.

A big thanks goes out to my testers.  Wendy of  Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life, you can find her on @piecefulwendy and Lauren who posts on IG @letospassion.

Wendy's version

Lauren's version I like how she has turned the hearts so they point into the centre

You can purchase a copy from my Etsy shop. Hearted Beauties is on sale for the rest of April.

First Finish of 2019

 It feels good to have a finish this soon in the new year. I wanted something new for my table, you can read more about that here. I like the soft colours I used in this piece. That new star block ain't too bad either. It is paper pieced using one of my favourite methods freezer paper.

first finish of 2019

As you can tell the picture was taken on a cloudy overcast day. I apologize but ladies it's way to cold to go play outside today, it's -15 Celsius feeling like -25 with the windchill in Fahrenheit that's 5 feeling like -13. Anyway you say it, it is darn cold out.

fmq is some simple  lines and stippling

I used Aurifil my favourite thread for the quilting.  I also use Aurifil for piecing. Colour #2310 a light beige is what I used for this piece. The background fabric is a creamy beige colour. I used the same 2310 in all the pieces as it blended so nicely. The quilting is some swirls with feathers, stipples and ruler work for straight lines at 1/2 spacing.

I wasn't sure the back would show the quilting as well as it does

The topper finishes after washing at 28 1/2'' by 28 1/2'' a nice size for my table. I will be writing a pattern for this one, right now it's a scribbled mess of numbers and instructions. Some deciphering may have to take place first. I was in full speed ahead mode to get this one done.

I am having trouble getting the banner for Shop.myBluprint.com (affiliate link) to show up. If you purchase something through my link I get a few pennies and it costs you nothing more.

I will be linking up to the usual
Cooking up Quilts

Linky Tuesday https://conniekresin.com

https://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.com

Midweek Makers https://www.quiltfabrication.com/

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?

Outside Stars a new Pattern

I would like to introduce you to 'Outside Stars' this is my second pattern to be released from this years #30quiltdesignchallenge. It is a paper pieced pattern. I love stars and as you can see this pattern forms two stars. Mr sun was not co-operating at all, two days of cloud and rain doesn't make for ideal photos.

hanging out with my hostas

This is the baby quilt size I started out with the intentions of making a lap size but real life changed my plans. I will be making the lap size as I love the look, can I say that about my own pattern.

The blocks are 15'' on point. I quilted straightish lines around the stars to make them pop.

straight lines to pop the stars

swirls in the red star centers

The gray fabrics are Northcott 'Canvas', the white is Kona, the black solid is also a Northcott. The red is a mottled red by Moda.
I quilted it with my favourite quilting thread Aurifil in the following colours #1103, #2605, #2024 and #2696.

Outside Stars is a paper pieced pattern and includes freezer paper instructions, which is my favourite way to paper piece. It comes in three sizes Baby 42'' by 42'', Lap 62'' by 84'' and Queen 84'' by 106''.

made by Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Wendy of Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life made this beautiful version of my pattern. Thanks Wendy for testing 'Outside Stars'.

You can purchase a pdf of 'Outside Stars' in my Craftsy store.

H2H Quilt Finish

A finish, especially for a worthy cause makes me smile. This cute quilt is bound for Ronald MacDonald House in London, Ontario and will be delivered this week. You can read more about it here. The Hands2Help is hosted each year by Sarah of Confessions of a Fabric Addict. This is the third year I have participated in H2H.

I quilted it with an allover loopy feather, I love the texture it gives and it keeps it cuddly and soft to wrap a little one in love.

fmqed with loopy feather

I used a bright print for the back it wasn't quite big enough. No problem I pieced it with a blue strip. Perfect if I do say so myself.

bright pieced back

I used a scrappy binding to finish this scrappy quilt.

rolled quilt showing the scrappy binding in a tree

Hop you get to quilt today!

Animal Quilt Finish

In October I started a quilt for my 4 year old grandson. His favourite colour is blue and he wanted animals. Now I ask you what grandma doesn't want to give a grandchild what they want. You can read more about the start here.

donkey from Lorna

The donkey is a pattern from Lorna of Sew Fresh quilts. All the patterns in the quilt are from Lorna, her Farm Friends Pattern and some of her free patterns.

I drew up a quick diagram in my graphics program to show how I joined the blocks 

After laying the animals out with the help of my DD, and let me tell you they did a lot of moving around. It was hard to keep them corralled. I proceeded to sew them in rows. For each row I measured the largest block and pieced the others to fit as per the example above.

How about pictures of some of the animals. Each animal got his/her own FMQing motif. The background I quilted with stars and loops.

the large dog

one of four birds

froggie

chick

I used a wide backing called Essentials from Wilmington Prints.

back of quilt, it is a pretty blue

My quilt holder upper isn't tall enough and the snow was a challenge. I will be glad when all this snow goes away. We have had wayyyyyyyyy too much this last week, approximately one foot ughhh.

snow challenge showing the complete quilt

This quilt is 83'' by 62'' after washing, a nice size for his bed.

Linking up to Main Crush Monday,  Let's be Social, Linky Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Confessions of a Fabric Addict

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Black and White Finish

A finish! I love this piece! It was my entry for the Splash of Colour QAL hosted by Myra@Busy Hands Quilts. I won the grand prize! I was shocked when Myra notified me that I was the winner. Thank you Myra!

cold but sunny photo shoot this morning

 I quickly and I mean quickly went out this morning to get some pictures it is -12 Celsius but feels like -21 brrrrrr. A big change from yesterday morning when it was +12 and raining.

The pop of green brings this piece to life. Being as green is my favourite colour it makes my heart sing. You can read more about the piecing here. 

flimsy

I didn't add the ring of black and white around the compass before adding the white corners. I'm saying it was a design choice at the time and not that I may have forgotten to add it. Yup design choice! You can read about my pattern choice here. 

original pattern choice

I was uncertain as how to quilt this piece. I knew I wanted straight line quilting in the compass points, other than that not sure. Once I started quilting it came together and I am happy with it. I used Aurifil #2692 on the black and white, Aurifil #2024 on the white and for the green Aurifil # 1231. I used Quilters Dream cotton as I like how it hangs in a wall hanging.

straight lines in the white, curves for the black and white dots and in the green

I like feathers, and quilted them in the white corners.

feathers and a swirl for the corners

My backing was pulled from my stash, it is Shabbylicious by fabsraps. I am not certain how long this piece resided in my stash. 

Linking up to

Busy Hands Quilts

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Memory Quilt

I was asked by a cousin, Diane, to help make a memory quilt. The family wanted to give it to their mother for Christmas. I designed a simple layout idea, using pieces from shirts for the flying geese.

design for memory quilt

The four patches we made from his hankies and his hunting cap. I don't think younger people use hankies any more. Diane quickly made the flying geese and four patches. 

four patches from hankies

The family gave us a variety of items they wanted in the quilt. Items like his suspenders, shirts, tie, fishing lure (my hubby removed the hooks), photos and crests.

shirt front with suspenders attached, a t-shirt from prostrate cancer run which his son participated in. The trees were made from pieces of his hunting cap.

The shirt front complete with placket, pocket and suspenders was incorporated into one of the blocks. A t-shirt for another block.

Trapunto stitching for his name

After Diane put the top together, I did the quilting. I used trapunto quilting for his name with feathers on each end. 

hearts and loops surround the couples wedding picture

I quilted the background with loop de loops and couldn't resist adding some hearts around the wedding picture. 

the complete quilt 

I used his tie in the blocks with his children's pictures. The tie that binds so to speak. Diane did the binding thankfully, no hand sewing for me. Yeah!

The family was pleased and their mother loved the quilt.