Saturday 31 May 2014

A work in progress, Spring flowers and a Finish!

Yesterday I started to work on my girlfriend exchange, I decided to remove the frames from three of the blocks and change up the layout.  It changed again before long again.
 This morning I walked down to Angelina's for breakfast and took some photos on the way home.  The irises are looking great.
 Perfect purple globes of blossoms.
 Buds bursting forth into bloom.
 Even more in blossom.
 Rose buds in sunshine and shadow.
 Peonies drenched by the sprinklers.
 More buds bursting forth.
 Love the water drops on the stems.
 White and yellow with a dash of pink.
 More water drops.
 A finish, my Primitive Gatherings Autumn banner done last night...oops I need a button for the crow's eye.
Sunny and warm weather this weekend.  Back to work on the girlfriend blocks, enjoy your weekend.

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Meet the girls!

Today my girls arrived from our latest Mary Lou Weidman block swap.






I got three with blue skies and green grass, left by Cyndi Strohmier, centre Sandi Henschel, and right Leanne Clare.





The next three are all framed in greens, Kathy Garcia, Mary Lou Weidman and Linn Jencopale.





The last group all in green are left Michele Groth, centre Mari Linfesty our swap hostess, right Dianne Harris.





Now the fun part begins, figuring out how to put them all together. I've got an idea or two just wait and see!

Thanks to all that participated, this was a fun challenging swap!
-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Tuesday 20 May 2014

Turkey.

Ready to make a turkey sandwich!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Monday 19 May 2014

Show, Share, and Tell

Some time ago Paulette from Sweet P Quilting and Creations  shared a sewing machine mat she made.  I met Paulette last year as we were on the Oregon coast in a quilt shop.  I told her I also had made one and on Friday I went to sew with friends and took these pictures of mine.  I used a purchased panel that I added blocks to make it wide enough to accommodate my acrylic sewing table.
 I also designed a sewing machine cover from the same panel.  I store my sewing machine cord in the right pocket of the cover and the sewing machine manual and reference book in the left pocket.  The mat has five pockets that I keep all sorts of things, machine needles, masking tape, seam ripper, larger fabric remnants, tea bags.
 I love this panel and still have a few blocks left to make a couple more sewing related items.
 Here is my mat all rolled up and ready to pack, I got the pink grid gripper at Daiso, a Japanese dollar store in Richmond.
 Paulette also shared a bow tie quilt and I dug mine out today to take some pictures and share.  This first one is hand pieced and hand quilted with garbage shopping at a retreat I went to.  I managed to get scraps from everyone to make a bow tie and used my own background fabrics.  I added a few fabrics to make this 5 by 5 hanging.
 This second one was actually made before the first one as I used scraps from the backing fabric in the 3" blocks.  This second one is 6" and utility quilted with DMC perle cotton.  I call it Dalmatians and plaid bow ties, as the backing has Dalmatians on a plaid print and all the bow ties and backgrounds are home spun plaids.
 A closer look at the utility quilting.
 This third bow tie quilt is done with the fast 45 corner block and is all machine pieced.  I need to sandwich and quilt it, I think I'll machine quilt this one.  Here is the left side.
 And the right side, reds, blues, browns and greens with neutral backgrounds.
 This table runner was made from two patterns, the base was a purchased pattern and the turkeys were from a magazine.  I love that Debbie Mumm star border fabric.
 This one was also utility quilted with perle 8 cotton.
 Same base pattern but with a Spring basket and flower design I drew.  I used to do a lot of fusible applique with button hole stitching.  I've gotten away from the fusible but still love the buttonhole stitching.
 A closer look.
 Several years ago at a quilt show I demonstrated button hole stitch fusible applique and this was my demo block.  I used a magazine subscription card to draw a daisy shape as a pattern.  I traced it onto the fusible and when cutting out the fabric varied the number of petals and cut some skinnier and some fatter to change it up a bit.
 I used quilting thread around the flowers to stitch and then used perle 8 to stitch the stems and stitch the flowers onto the block.
 I started the Dresden plates in June 2000, I cut out all the blades the night before having foot surgery and was non weight bearing for 12 weeks.  I had a variety of projects on the go to keep me occupied.
 I fussy cut some of the motif, love that Scottie Dog motif.
 Puppy chasing rabbit and cat around the block.
 Bunny running away.
 Hand quilted and pieced Take Along Plates...took awhile, started 2000, finished 2005.
I found my Strutter project a bit ago.  I had cut out the pieces, appliqued the hounds tooth base on had stitched the pairs of large back feather together, stitched on the eyes, bead and waddle and then put it away...someplace safe as usual.  Over the past few days I've added all the double feathers, the gold and blue feathers and the body along with the head and neck.  I just need to do the corner stones and applique the frame and it is ready to quilt.  Should be done in time for Thanksgiving this year.                                      
 A closer look at the head and feathers.
 I also got my April block finished but hadn't posted a picture.
 Along with the spool block.
 Have the May applique done. But need to do the spool companion block.
 Love the mauve nose, will add a button eye later.
 Mika pinwheel block is done, love the combination of the piecing and applique.
Thursday I get my next Mika block I think it is the large star block with flower appliques, wait and see if I guess correctly.

Saturday 10 May 2014

More of Langley Quilters' Guild Quilt Show.

As you walked into the quilt show this 8 panel piece greeted you.
 Here is the original photo they worked from and the participants.
 From left to right the panels were made by Pat Hopkins, Penny Chan-Kent, Lana Kettley.
 Lana, Carol Hamilton, Barbara Bettles.
 Debbie Plett, Nora, Fursevich and Barbara Connolly.
 Fiddle head Flying Geese by Debbie Plett.

 Tropical Waves by Carol MacNamara.
 I love her jelly fish.

 A favourite on line shop that comes to local quilt show. The Threaded Needle.com
 Lovely Sashiko patterns and supplies.
 Yarn dyed fabrics by the metre, half metre, and fat quarter.
 Great books tucked in with the fabrics.
 Lovely handbag samples...look my friend Sandi!
 Mary asked me to take a picture of a couple of quilts. Curvy Purple by...
 You guessed it Karen Johnson once again.
 Angelina Collage's Collage by Karen Johnson.
 Detail.  I love her sense of design and colours in all her pieces I shared with you.
 So please check out the show and what else they have to offer.