Saturday 24 September 2016

Give Me A "W!"

Here you go, and what do you get?
 Let It Snow!  Late Wednesday night Stacy West from Buttermilk Basin released the latest letter for the Buttermilk Basin Mystery Block of the Month and yesterday I got it all stitched together.  Here are all my blocks laid out together.

Here was her peek at the layout when she first revealed the theme.  I captured a screen shot from her Instagram feed.  So I wonder what will be in that tall skinny block? Here is a link to her announcement on her blog and her rendition of the W.
Here is the link to the website page where you can get the Free W pattern and purchase the past blocks. They are only free for a month!





















Thursday 22 September 2016

First Day of Autumn!

I can hardly believe that the lazy days of Summer have passed and the first day of Autumn is upon us.  I always think of dahlias as being an Autumn flower although this picture was taken in Summer.         
 I've been busy creating something Fishy for my next round of the Gwennie Medallion Quilt Along.  Any guesses what this will become?  I still have to finish prepping the other two medallion quilts by October 1.  Hope I make the deadline.
 I'd also like to wish my dear friend Anna and her husband Greg on their wedding anniversary today.  Have fun in Portland this weekend you two!

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Some Slow Stitching Yesterday.

Monday night I finally chose my wool for the latest Buttermilk Basin letter O and got the O stitched down.  I went to my guild meeting and started adding some snow to it.
 By the time Gloria Loughman was ready to speak I got this far.  Time to put it away and listen to the first of two lectures she was giving our guild.  We had both a day and evening chapter.
 Later at home I was finished and put them up on the wall for a group picture.  I'm loving how this is coming together.
 I love how quickly the O came together.  Hopefully this Friday the W will appear.  Although with her new store opening I have a feeling it may be late.

Monday 12 September 2016

Weekend Sewing

Before I started the latest round of my Gwennie inspired baskets I had started making some wonky log cabins for a Mary Lou Weidman Swap group online.  I finished them off yesterday.  We were using some grunge fabrics along with some dots and stripes. They are about 13" to 13 1/2" unfinished.
 I couldn't resist a few stars and lemons to add for the dots.  Now to pack these up for mailing to California.  Can't wait to see what comes home.

Weekend Sewing

Before I started the latest round of my Gwennie inspired baskets I had started making some wonky log cabins for a Mary Lou Weidman Swap group online.  I finished them off yesterday.  We were using some grunge fabrics along with some dots and stripes. 
 I couldn't resist a few stars and lemons to add for the dots.  Now to pack these up for mailing to California.  Can't wait to see what comes home.

Tuesday 6 September 2016

Gwennie Medallion QAL round finally done!

Last month I didn't get my tulip basket log cabin done in time to post a picture for the link up.  So this is what I ended up with I think the log cabins sort of look like tulip fields in the distance.  I'm very pleased how it worked up once I finally got them all made.
 Stars is the theme for this round and I decided on my dark and light backgrounds for the stars.
 Playing with possible placements.
 Voila the top is done.  Love how it worked out.
 My Turquoise background Gwen inspired background with log cabins.
 Stars and moons for it's border.
                                           
 Pink Gwennie baskets with logs.
 Playing with where things will go for the turquoise background.
 And for the pink background.
 Finished Turquoise background.
 Finished Pink background.  They both make me think of the Italian houses built into the cliffs.
 Remember my friend Ethel's Sea Basket?
 Her first round was Sand Castles, then she added logs that had drifted up onto the sandy beaches around Vancouver and Stars in the sky and over the water for this round.
So we both are all caught up now to add something Fishy, Ethel's theme has been an happy accident for this suggested theme.  Me I may have to think on it for awhile.

I'm linking up with Lori's blog Humble Quilts for this go around once again.

Thursday 1 September 2016

A Visit With Sylvia Pippen.

I mentioned last week I had the pleasure of meeting Sylvia Pippen.  Well Anna had made arrangements to do a video interview for her YouTube channel Quilt Roadies and I tagged along to help out.  Sylvia lives in a lovely home with just over an an acre of land and we went up to her studio to record the interview and see some of her amazing works of art.  She shared with us her newest piece still in progress that will be a block of the month and let me say you will want to sign up for this beauty.  It is a combination of Sashiko and applique and you will receive fabrics for all the applique along with the Sashiko threads.
 Here is an overall picture of the piece.  Final placement of them are yet to be determined.  Her mom Kitty Pippen was coming over later in the afternoon to help with the design.  Still busy at age 96!
 I love jelly fish and have photographed some and Sylvia definitely has their floating appearance down.  All these fish are traditional applique, no laser cutting or fusing here.
 The coral and other plant life look amazing.
 Each month you will get the fabrics and threads for these beauties.
 I think this along with the top wave row are my favourite ones.
 Some of the fabrics she used for this project included this lovely marbled fabric made for her.
 She also used some commercial fabrics along with some digital print ones.
 Love this whimsical chicken hanging from her design wall.
 Her view of Mt. Baker from her design studio.
 One last peek before exploring more of her home.
 This is the piece that Anna is working on presently, tucked into a low lit room to protect the quilts from fading.
 A combination of Sashiko and applique.
 I've seen other people's version but the original is always the best.
 Some absolutely lovely pieces including some of her mom's.
 Love how the design extends past the red border.
 Such serenity and simplicity.
 This was one piece of fabric cut up and arranged.
 She does some of her own cyanotype printing.  This was originally used to make blue prints!
 Words fail.
 Hawaiian influences.
 She has a small store in her home.  Her son and daughter help her with the business.
 I believe this is one of Kitty's pieces done with silks.
 Some cyanotype printed blocks.
 Touches of applique added.
 Additions of applique.
 Addition of Sashiko
 French knots.
 Peace.
 Pops of colour.
 Loved this one.
 Inspirations from her garden.
 ...more inspiration.
 The night sky two evenings previous could have been a source for this moon.
 Japanese Anemone probably used for some printing.
 I used to have one of these in pink but I gave it to a friend.
 Honey suckle.
 Love the electric pinks in this bloom.
 Such a delicate bloom.
 Our departure from this lovely inspirational lady.  If you would like to see the video interview of Sylvia with Anna click here.  Anna also did a slide show and post on The Quilt Show Daily Blog here.
I just notice that Anna added Part 2 of her interview with Sylvia here.