catch up time!

Well I have been busy gettting things ready for the fall. I will be teaching the Christmas tree skirt which I finally have it how I wanted it with the scallop edging.
The class will be at Cockadoodle quilts you will see the link at the side.



Secondly I am trying to get my sample ready for January for the Piece of Cake Aunt Millie' Garden. They didn't put in the instructions how they do the center part with the circle so I pieced it together by hand and then hand appliqued it to the middle then I visited their blog and sure enough they had the process they had used.
http://pieceocakeblog.blogspot.com. You can click on the title and the link will come up... their method was to applique every other wedge onto a 6" piece then applique to the block. I will have to try that way so that I can give the students that option.

I still have to put a few leaves on and also the very center little circle but I had to show you.. of course. I have started the second block and have all the stems done and will be appliquing tulips soon.

My advise is try a little applique if you haven't already you would be amazed on how relaxing it is.. take a class so that you can learn the basic's and just practice a little. It will open a whole new world... I love to piece as well but an applique boarder really dresses up a pieced quilt!!

Deb

I can't wait to show you

Well I couln't wait I am so excited!! I have to show you my progress in just a couple of days...my days are work are so pleasant cause all I can think of is what I am going to do when I get home. This is the start of my Aunt Millie's garden. My choice of the pieced background still excites me and the colors of trying to go primitive is still what I am going for.


I have to put the dark circles in the middle of the flowers but I have them all cut and ready to put on my block.. there are still a few leaves as well as the pieced center.. I was not going to piece the center like they had but I have changed my mind and thought that it would really add to the quilt..

New Face

Well it was time to change the face of my blog. Black was great for the winter but summer sunshine is in and all things around is so much brighter.
I think I am in this frame due to a wonderful new project that I am working on for a class sample it is "Aunt Millie's Garden" by Piece of Cake designs (BTW one of my favorite designers. I am not going to use the reds background but continue in their fashion they use with the pieced background...to come in a later date.

I have also finished 2 blocks for Elly Sienkiewicz's new book for 2010 on Friendship Baltimore albums. Blocks are being made from all over the world and each country will represent itself... this is a very exciting opportunity and I am just so honoured to be apart of it.

What's going on??

Well another 2weeks of business. I have been appliqu'n blocks and getting ready for another Round Robin...they are so addictive!! This one I have the theme of "Ole' Country Lady" she is made up of my least favorite color.. purple.. so the challenge for my round robineers is to disquise the purple as much as possible and to make it as country as possible. I live in a big city and want some country brought back to me and my home.. I will post as I see the progression.. this is through an on line quild that I belong to and it is great fun.
You can see I didn't embroider anything yet I will once she is returned to me that way the thread is not handled to much when they do their work.

Christmas in July the Rage

I hope you all enjoyed Canada/Independence Day and that your first week back to routine was productive. I myself was able to finish the Signature quilt and also the tree skirt is pieced.. now to convince myself I can machine quilt this!!
I don't know why but I can't convince myself that I can machine quilt.. but each project brings me closer to the realization.. I just don't have time to hand quilt as I used to.. ladies with children I have no idea how you do it. You can see it is another stack and whack but it is so great for all occasions.
I taught a class on Saturday and got a wonderful call from one of the students on how they all had a wonderful time there were 6 ladies and 5 of them were a group of friends... they were great and made the other person that signed up just as welcome. The lady that called at the beginning of the class said "I can't work with bias triangles" and was intimitated... well when she called me she was one of the first to have her blocks completed and is thinking of another one to make when she goes to the cottage.
I felt very proud that someone that was so intimitated can go home and continue independantly the tips and techniques she learned help her conquer her fears. I have another session with them on Sept 15th I will post the pics of what they have accomplished. All of the ladies picked the perfect fabric.

Well running to work.. it is going to be very, very hot here today. Swimming is on my mind when I get home tonight.

Deb

Garden Blessing Done

I was finally able to finish my Garden Blessings Wall hanging.. this was a fun pattern that was part of the group participation in a yahoo group I belong to.
I am trying a primitive approach.. it is very difficult to get yourself trained into a new technique when you have been taught to be able to do things so perfect. I see by the looks of this one I have a ways to go.. but I like it for my first approach to primitive quilting.
Hoping the next one will be better and please feel free to give me advice on how to become a better primitive quilter.. I love the look of this technique and would really like to accomplish a better design complimentary to the patterns.
The next group project has started and I will get in gear to start that one.. it is wonderful called "Sprig Rose" I have my material all picked out for that one as well.. now to get my templates ready and start my applique!!

Have a great day.

Signature Quilts

Hello again.. I see that I am consistant on the sporadic posts! It is already June and we are in a wonderful Heavy thunderstorm. My thoughts are with those that are having problems with Mother Nature.

I am in the middle of a 3rd signature quilt that I am making for a special person. The request is gold and black and the reception will carry about 500 people. I was very lucky that Summer 2008 QNL came in my mailbox and sent me the perfect pattern. I was going to do this pattern but they have added a nice twist that I like. It is called a railfence but they have added a box to it. I loved the idea!!
The person that is getting the quilt had asked for it in Golds/blacks all the signatures will go in the little squares...but there are some that like to write a story so I will add a boarder of the Anchor fabric so that the option is avaliable. I hope you are able to see the anchors. I will post the other 2 shortly that have been done.

Happy a great day hopefully with a little sewing involved and a hug to go with it.

It's been Ages!! as the saying goes

My appologies to those that have been keeping a tab on me it has been busy, busy, busy. Spring brings on a nuance of chores and meetings and outside duties that takes me away from my passion.. quilting. This is not to say that I haven't been sewing!! I have made my BOM for Carol Doaks Group

this is April's block I took from some FQ's rather than my scrap barrel.. sometimes it is more work to dig through that thing!!


We also had a challenge of Viewers Choice for Carol's site the theme was spring..she has this cutest little 2"block that I could see as a brides bouquet so when I made it that was the intent we had to use batiks

If you win the viewers Choice you will win 15 of the blocks that were entered so I am keeping my fingers crossed... wish me luck will ya!!

Then to top it all off (whew as I am writing this I am thinking i have been busy)we had to make batik blocks to swap that had to have spring green in it and had to have the theme of spring.. all these had to be of Carol's patterns. (which makes it really easy since she practical does everyting to make it easy)
So I made 12 blocks so that I can get 12 back... in the long run when I get my 12 blocks and then if I win the viewers choice I will have 25 blocks to make my own Batik quilt sampler with Carol's blocks.. what a deal!! Do you think I am excited I sure am!!


So this is what is happening so far with Carol Doak's stuff.. now I have a few of the UFO's that I have to catch up on.. Country Sunshine... but I will. There is other quilty stuff I have been doing but I am sure you are ready to start your day.

Temptations of Quilting

Good Afternoon...It has been a while have been sick and not able to do anything about quilting for the last week.. yesturday I got my act in gear and started with a quilt that you need to know a little history on first...I will try to make this short.

Two Quilting Forums were closed abruptly by Major companies without any notice. All friends that were connected through these forums lost the ability to contact each other. Some of us were lucky to have emails and contacted others to this new forum. www.quilterssanctary.com we were able to slowly meet and greet and become a community again... the individual that had developed this forum for us did this all for free and asks of nothing for the maintence.

We as quilters of course had to do something in thanks so we did. We thought the only way besides money was to make a quilt. Blue/cream was decided and 10 1/2in block. I volunteered to put it all the blocks together and another lady volunteered to LAQ it. The person that helped us find a home is going to bind it.

I have completed all of the top now except for the boarders. The Gentleman lives in Australia and loves to garden.. you will see by some of the blocks that people have went with that theme... others developed their own block.

The joy is putting all of these lovely blocks together. They went together so well and didn't have to be resized it was lovely. My contibution of the boarders has meaning.. the red around each of the blocks is the path between each block.. the gold stars are in 2 part 1. each member deserves a gold star for the exceptional job they done. 2. The sun to keep our gardeners garden growing.
Hope you like what has brought 40 women that don't know each other together except through cyberspace and what they can accomplish.

Feb BOM Done !!

It's not even Feb and I have my Carol Doak BOM done. I am continuing to make these blocks from my scrap barrel. This one was easy cause I got to use alot of stips which the barrel is full of!!


I tried to make it like a pond with the merky water and dragonflies/ladybugs. I put all the blocks I have together so far in a layout and there is starting to be some wonderful results!! Now I have to sit and wait for March to post...so glad that Feb is a short month.

Paper Piecing Day

Well I finally was able to work on a little quilting. I have alot to catch up on and today I had some time. I pieced 2 more blocks for the Carol Doak BOM series she is doing on line
I was behind 2 blocks and so Dec and Jan are now posted. Carol posted her Feb block today so I am just in time to get that one done.


I bet when you are looking at these you are asking "where in the world is she getting her color palette from?" it is from my scrap barrel. I hav a whole garbage pail full of scraps and it really needs to get some fabric emptied out of it!

here are the 2 blocks.. have a great night

Rotary Cutting is a dangerous tool!!

Little did they realize when they post this on the package that the danger is once you start cutting your project it is very hard to stop... I have been busy the last 5hrs witha new 4patch posey...I got 42 blocks cut and sewn together. I just have to decide on what boarder to do!!

Well I have to get some sleep my parents are coming tomorrow and I have some house cleaning to do!! Nite

Deadlines!!

Well I have spent the last 2 days working on a deadline quilt. It is the 4Patch Posey.. or another name Stacked Posey's. I teach this plus 2 other stack and whack techniques. One block Wonder and of Course Stack and Whack... I love the effect you get when you make these quilts.. each block has its own personallity..

This quilt was easy to make the hardest part is there are so many options on the layout and the boarder... sometimes it is very hard to decide on how to showcase your quilt the best possible way... and then have enough fabric to utilize these creative ideas.. I was lucky I had enough fabric that I can also make prairie points!! I am posting a pic of it.. I used 2 fabrics from the same line rather than one and I love how it turned out!! I also have a few blocks that I am posting so you can see a close up.

Quilt A Long 2008

Good Morning.. on top of the other projects I have started to make blocks on a quilt a long that is happening in one of the sites I belong to www.quilterssanctuary.com

The member that finishes their block first gets to pick the next block. We have just started in Jan08 and you can join anytime. The quilt is yours to keep when done... mine will be from the scraps in the barrel.



The blocks are selected from www.quilterscache.com . Our theme is stars.. I did the quilt a long for 2007 when there was another site open but they closed and we were able to meet again on another site to continue.

Here is the 2007 blocks from that Quilt a Long