Quilt and a Magazine

I finished this quilt last week, but forgot to show it.

It is a string quilt that I made when I was stash busting at Christmas. The blocks are 7",  and I paper pieced them. The quilt is 70" x 84". It has all kinds of fabric in it.

I quilted a very simple design (on my DSM) - meander in the blocks and a swirl design for the trellis (a design from Carla Barrett).

I tried silk batting for the first time on this quilt. Here it is next to the wool batting I usually use. It seems a bit stiffer than the wool, more like cotton, but it puffs nicely when quilted, like wool.
My son is using it as his summer quilt.

Last month I won a year subscription to Quilter's Connection magazine (a Canadian magazine), and my first issue arrived today (there are 4 issues a year). I won the subscription from Monika Kinner-Whallen (My Sweet Prairie) when she was celebrating her birthday (the day after my oldest son's birthday as it happens) and her 2nd blogaversary.
Monika is a very talented Canadian fibre artist - if you have never seen her blog be sure to check it out to see her incredible artwork and amazing photos. Thanks Monika!!

Monika's art is even featured in this issue of the magazine!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!❤

Friday Night Sew In Results

I had a lovely Friday Night Sew In - sewing and Skype-ing with friends, Raewyn (lovetostitch) and Joan (at Leschenault) - it was their Saturday since they are in New Zealand and Australia (love the internet!).

I am almost half way through quilting the string quilt.

I chose an easy design of swirls on the trellis and meander for the blocks.

Thanks Bobbi (Crafty Vegas Mom) and Heidi (Handmade by Heidi)!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!❤

Friday Night Sew In Tonight

Tonight is the Friday Night Sew In, and I am all ready.

I pinned this string quilt today. I am trying silk batting for the first time. It is lovely and thin, and is supposed to be breathable and wonderful for a summer weight quilt.

There is still time to sign up for the Friday Night Sew In, the link is for Crafty Vegas Mom.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!❤

Strings and Waffles

 It did create a huge mess and took quite a few hours, but

I did get all the paper of the string quilt!!! Netflix and Skypeing with friends helped.

I chose to use paper for the foundation instead of fabric because I wanted to keep the quilt light and thought that an extra layer of fabric would be too heavy. This will be a summer bed quilt for my son and I am planning on trying silk batting for it. The quilting will have to wait for a while - until there is a sale on batting.

I pressed all the centre seams in a spiral to reduce the bulk.

My next project is a table runner for someone special. I used the Apple Core die for the GO! and will add some appliqué.

I have been so pleased with the new waffle maker (Cloer form London Drugs in Canada) and thought I would share the recipe (this recipe comes from my BIL).

 Norwegian Waffles


2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla (or 1/4 tsp cardamom or poudre douce)
2 cups flour
1+1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

With an immersion or hand blender mix the milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add the flour and baking powder, when mixed add the butter. Let sit for 15-20 mins.


I cut the butter (I use less than the recipe calls for) up into small pieces and melt in the microwave until almost all melted. Then I stir it until it is all melted and put in the freezer while I prepare the rest of the batter. It is then cool and ready to be added.

You could probably replace some on the flour with whole wheat flour, although I haven't tried that yet.

This recipe does keep in the fridge for a few days. I make it the night before to speed things up in the morning - it doesn't take any more time than frozen ones in the toaster and tastes so much better. I like them best with strawberries and some maple syrup.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

12 Days of Christmas Quilt

I finished the 12 Days of Christmas Mini Mystery Quilt (from the Temecula Quilt Co). Such a fun, quick project to make! I looked forward to 1:18pm every day to see what kind of block would be made with another piece.

It came out to 17" x 20". I used Civil Wars Chronicles fabric by Marcus Fabrics and wool batting. 

Yes, I see the red swastika in the corner - my family wanted to know what it had to do with the 12 days of Christmas! How come I never see these things until I have attached the binding?! It would have been fine if I hadn't used two different reds for those pieces.

I free motion quilted an over all mini Baptist Fan, using Invisafil 100WT thread in the top and Aurifil 50WT thread for the bobbin, with a Microtex #80 needle.

This is the first time that I have tried a Baptist Fan. 

I drew it out on a white board first to figure out how it would go. I couldn't figure out how to travel the pattern backwards and so I quilted each row individually in all the same direction - this made the quilt a bit twisted when I finished quilting (you can probably tell in the first photo that it is not "square"). I have now washed it and re-squared it - I'll see what happens when it dries.

I love the quilting design and will have to look into different ways of creating it, I think it looks nice on mini-quilts.

I have been working on taking the paper off the string quilt - watched 2 movies and Skyped with friends and only managed to remove paper from 30 of the 120 blocks!! I am sure it will all be worth it.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Sewing

Thanks to every one for the kind words on the new look of my blog! 

Finished up 120 string quilt blocks and it did put a dent in the stash bin!

I laid them out without much thought or planning (great/easy way to piece!).

I decided to keep the paper on the back until all the blocks were sewn together. Looking online it seems be a pretty even 50/50 split on when to take the paper off (before or after sewing the blocks together). These blocks are 7".

It was a bit like sewing a large paper bag, but all the blocks are now sewn together. I think taking the paper off is going to be the hardest part of making this quilt! Hopefully I made the right decision!!

Today was Day 12 of the Temecula Quilt Co. mystery quilt - tomorrow is the big reveal - can't wait. These are 3" blocks.

Record breaking +5C today!! Normal temperatures are -25C. The partridges were checking out all the feeders. Still 13 in the flock. Only 1 rabbit in the yard this year - the one that used to come up on the deck last winter is gone☹.
Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Endless Strings

I have sewn 44 - 7" string blocks and hardly made a dent in the string bin, I think the quilt may end up bigger than originally intended.

I am really pleased with how it is coming together.

These are the first 7 days of the 12 Days of Christmas (3" blocks) from the Temecula Quilt Co.

Thanks for stopping by and all the best for 2012! Happy New Year!!♥

Sewing Strings

I have been sewing strings!

I never realized what fun these were to sew (now I see why so many people make them, and such a great way to use up scraps). I love piecing without much thought, very relaxing.

I started with an 8" square of paper cut from an old phone book. The 1+1/2" white strip is lightly glued with a glue stick. Four 8" blocks use 1 strip of fabric (cut the width of the fabric) with no waste.

The blocks are trimmed to 7+1/2" when all the strips are added (they will be 7" finished).

When I cut most of the strips the other day I cut them between 3/4" to 2" and later realized that I needed some wider scraps to make it easier when I came to the corners -

Luckily I had some more scraps left and found some wider ones! Yikes! I have decreased my scrap bins down to 2 from 3 though.

All kinds of fabric for these blocks - nice to see some old "friends".

I also started the "12 Days of Christmas" (a mystery mini sampler quilt) from the Temecula Quilt Co.
These are 3+1/2" squares (they will finish to 3"), today was day 4 (the four patch). Quick and easy!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!♥

Stash Busting

For the past 3 days I have been cutting up fabric, trying to deplete my scraps.

I used the Rob Peter to Pay Paul die and the 3+1/2" Tumbler die for the GO!.

This is the RPTPP quilt kit. There are 128 centres (I inherited the off-white yardage, and also most of the scraps) and over 500 "melons". It should be a 70" x 84" quilt, although I might add a border.

This is the tumbler quilt kit. I am hoping that it will be a lap quilt. I will use it as another "leader & ender" project, alternating the off-white with the scrap tumblers.

I cut all the leftover pieces into 2" - 3/4" strips to make a string quilt.

My goal for next year is to use up lots of the fabric I have in my stash, having quilt kits all ready to go seemed like a good start.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!♥