Still Quilting

I finished free motion quilting the Quilts of Valour quilt.

It still needs to have some quilting in the ditch done, but I asked my Mom to do that.

I used the Hera marker to mark the circles for the wreaths (using a Tupperware lid works well because it has a nice firm edge to guide the marker, and they come in so many sizes).

This was such a hard quilt to machine quilt, so I didn't end up doing the designs that I originally wanted to. The problem was with the spray baste, it kept gumming up the needle causing skipped stitches and the thread to break. I managed to quilt 12" wreaths in the flag blocks, but it took me all day to do the 12 blocks. I had to keep cleaning the needle every couple of loops. I only ended up doing some walking foot quilting in the other areas.
I never use spray baste (I don't like chemicals), and I don't think I will ever quilt another quilt that has been spray basted, I love machine quilting but this was too frustrating.

I finally got around to washing the Harvest Diamond quilt. It is the one that I tried the wool batting from Marshall (a discount fabric store in Winnipeg) for the first time.

I was surprised that it bearded. Plus the quilt doesn't have much body now. I think I will stick to my favorite Hobbs Tuscany wool batting (I'll try the Tuscany silk in future though).

I am also still hand quilting the Bear's Paw quilt (as part of Myra's PhD Challenge). I only have the borders and some bear designs to add to the large triangles. One side is complete!!! I might be close to finishing it by the end of the month (that's the goal).

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Quilting and a Cat

Today for the FMQ Challenge I quilted the background of the second leftover applique block.

I am trying to be more "organic" with the background design. Tomorrow I will add some detail to the applique.

I am almost finished hand quilting the border on one side of the bear's paw quilt. It is going very well and I am enjoying quilting it.

The quilt is 88" square.

Also the cat that we found up in a tree a while ago seems to be quite comfortable in our home, taking time for a cat nap. We still don't know who she belongs to, but she comes for visits quite often.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Still Quilting

This weekend I have been working on quilting.

I pulled out the bear's paw quilt again (I am working on it for Myra's PhD Challenge). I am hand quilting the border now. If this quilt had been machine quilted, it would have been finished years ago!

Since you can't tell from the front, this is the back. I used a stencil for the braid design.

Today for the FMQ Challenge I quilted the background on an applique block.

The back again. I used a McTavishing design for this one. Tomorrow I will add some quilting to the appliques.

On Thursday I "Skyped" for the first time with Joan (Joan at Leschenault) using my son's computer. Unbelievable that we were on the other sides of the world, chatting and showing each our quilts. It was just like visiting with her in her home.

So today I purchased a web cam for my computer, so I can Skype some more (need to get some more Skypeing friends too).

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

PhD Challenge Update

I have been working on my two projects for Myra's PhD Challenge.

I am really starting to enjoy hand-quilting again. I am using Valdani 35wt cotton quilting thread - which is my favorite for hand quilting. I think I have figured out the quilting designs for the Bear Paw's quilt too.

I finished making all the half square triangles (they are 6½" squares) for D's Quilt too, they just need to be trimmed and sewn into pinwheel blocks.

Last week I won this Zentagles book!!! And it came today!!! Thank-you so much Jill (aka the Quilt Rat)! Zentagles is an art form that I have been wanting to try.

Jill even signed the book on her project page!

A while ago I also won PDF Cookbooks from Linda (aka Scrapmaster) - thank-you so much Linda - the recipes and quilt pictures are fantastic!!

Four rabbits today - hopefully that is all of them!!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!!♥

Myra's PhD Challenge

I joined Myra's PhD Challenge (Projects Half Done), with two projects that I am hoping to finish in the first 6 months of 2011.

My first project is a large Bear's Paw quilt that I started in January 2007. All I have left is about half of the hand quilting! I can't really explain why I have never gotten around to finishing it. My only excuse is that I have no real use for it (although that doesn't usually stop me!).


My second project is a Pinwheel quilt that my youngest son - D, designed with EQ - using fabric that I was given.

D pieced together these pinwheels and then got tired of it - so I have decided that now would be a good time to finish making the quilt. Maybe D will help me?!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have a wonderful New Year and I wish you all the best!!♥

Hand Quilting

Today I have been hand quilting as I watch the Olympics.

This is the Bear's paw quilt I have been working on.



On my challenge table runner, one of the new techniques I tried was the wavy blocks (there are 2 sewn together in the table runner).
I originally tried this technique out with books covers (and tape), to make a sign at a library that I volunteer at. This is made up of many "blocks" that I wavy cut and put back together. It was a lot of fun, so I tried it with fabric.


Today I also got together my fabric for the Postage Stamp Quilt Along that starts next week.

Apparently this fabric will end up looking something like this quilt from the LL Bean catalogue.

Can't wait!!

Tomorrow is the Friday Night Sew-In. Both of these events are hosted by Heidi over at Handmade by Heidi. Thanks Heidi!!

Check out the fantastic fabric give away over at 44th Street Fabric. Good luck!

Have a great day!!

Joined the Camp Sloanie Olympics Challenge!

Well, I decided to try my first challenge! Pat Sloan is hosting a challenge from February 12th to 28th, to finish a UFO during the Winter Olympics.


Originally I thought I would try to finish hand quilting this Bear's Paw quilt (90"x90") I started a few years ago. I got half way through quilting, put it away when we moved and never took it out again. I tried quilting again, and decided that there is no way I would enjoy quilting this for 16 days! I did decide that I would challenge myself to quilt one block a week, I have 10 left to quilt, and see how that goes.

This is what I have now decided to finish for the Camp Sloanie Olympic Challenge. It is a table/buffet runner I started a year ago. All I have is 2 blocks and some fabric. I was trying a more liberated style and I realized it wasn't me!! This past year I kept taking it out and trying to decide what to do with it. Now is the time to finish it, NO excuses!! All I know is that I want the finished size to be 22"x48". Wish me luck, we start tomorrow!

Have a great day! ♥