Spring and quilt tops

Spring is trying to arrive, we've had gorgeous warm days, than some wet snow...so I am still sewing! I finished two tops. Now have a lot to quilt. I have six queen size that I made this winter and my little mid arm just doesn't handle them very well. So today I'm travelling 50 miles to a local quilt store to learn to use their longarm. Hopefully all works well and I'll get the big ones quilted. The little ones I can do on mine, no problem. Here are the last two tops I finished.
First up is Judy Neymeirs pattern Summer Solstice. Sure wish I would have added some yellow to my palette.

The next finish is a log cabin from the Spring 2015 Primitive Quilting magazine. I added some extra logs to make it queen size. The applique is wool and hand stitched. This one is all from my stash, as I continue to use up stash this year. 

I am also working on my first Dresden Plate. I won a box of 40 Rowan fat quarters so dipped in there to make the plates. Just winging it and don't have a pattern to follow :) Here are the Dresden plates up on the design wall

 I am just working on the corner units ....I think I like it so far.

So you see a delayed spring is ok as I am getting a lot of sewing done. Now I must organize and get myself up the hiway for my quilting lesson. I am going to quilt a log cabin one today.  Hope you are having  a wonderful spring too :)

Cancer Charity Quilts

It looks like spring might be on the way. We did have a skiff of snow last night but a lovely day today. I have been busy quilting Cancer charity quilts. With these four I will have finished 10 this year. The blocks are from my friends on FB the Just Us Quilters group.

I was without a computer for over a week, wow did I ever have a lot of free time. I can't believe how much time I spend scrolling around. 

I have never made a Dresden plate quilt, so thought it was time I gave it  a try. I have a box of Rowan Fat quarters, so have used them for the plates  .  12 blocks made, now to decide on a setting for them. 

I have had a great winter and finished a few and made several new tops. Now the quilting must begin.
An early Happy St Patties day to you all.  Here is my Bonnie Hunter MQ..Celtic Solstice in honor of my Irish grandfather, Dinty Moore :)

Quilted with free motion shamrocks :)

Winter storm warning and box kite blocks

We had a doozey of a winter storm yesterday, cold wind and snow -28. So far today it is overcast and cold but they keep telling us we are under a winter storm warning. Bring it on, comfy and cozy in my studio. A good time to settle in and get some projects done.
I finished the box kite block quilt. This is one of Bonnie Hunter's blocks it was in the May/June 14 Quiltmaker magazine. I am quite pleased with it. So this is my third quilt made from scrappy stash this year. I'm on a roll.

I worked hart to get the darks and medium/lights to run the opposite way. I think I succeeded. I still have a lot of 2 1/2" strips left, as I hardly made a dent in the box full.
Here is a finish too , I call it "Celestial Reflections", I did purchase some fabric for this one. The inspiration came from  Van Gough's painting" Starry Night Over the Rhone"

The pattern will be available soon.  

OH MY, I forgot one other important finish. I designed a quilt called
Geese in the Garden, it is on my Patterns For Sale Page. Well, as I love wool, I also did it in Wool. Here is the wool version, pattern available soon. If you are interested let me know, and I will get it written up sooner :)

Hope you are all having a wonderful sewing day :) 

Thanks for stopping by, if you feel inclined I would be pleased if you left a comment. 

Celestial Reflections

I have a new design to reveal. I had such fun designing and finding the gorgeous fabrics for this quilt. Here it is. It was perfect sunny day to photograph it. The pattern will be available very soon.

I tested this pattern with a facebook group, hosted it as a mystery quilt. They were all very pleased with the outcome.

I really need to get back to making some bags for the Gallery store, just been so tied up in quilts since January 1st. 

Hope you had a wonderful January. I did manage to finish two quilt tops. Box kite block quilt has one border, hopefully get the rest on soon.  

Winter time and stitching.

After the flurry of Grand Illusion and Turkey Tracks, I dug into my box of 2 1/2" strips  and decided to try Bonnie Hunter's Box Kit block.  Such fun. I have done a layout in EQ, and am going to put borders on today. Picture soon. Here are four blocks together.  I have made 600 half square triangles for the blocks. And will be making more for the border! Love all these fun bright colors when out the window the landscape is quite white. Oh, and by the way I hardly made a dent in the box of 2 1/3" strips!

I needed some hand stitching to do. So....took my Flight of Fancy pattern and am doing it in wool. It is looking good with the stitching. Here are the pieces laid out on linen. 

Our weather was above 0 for a week or more, however winter has arrived once more. A balmy -21C here this morning.   

Thanks for stopping by , please leave a comment if you feel inclined :)

I am linking up to The Needle and Thread Work in progress Link up Wednesday. 

http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/2015/02/wip-wednesday-179-tn.html

Talkin Turkey

Talkin Turkey is ready for quilting. It was such a fun quilt to put together, didn't make much of a dent in my stash. I will be working on that for 2015! I would really like to not buy fabric and use up what I have !!! Wish me luck.

I have never made a Dresden plate quilt. I often think of it, I have the ruler...so I think I will make it . I have been collecting some Kaffe Fassett fabrics and think they would make wonderful dresden's with a bright white background.

I did take a weekend to quilt these Cancer Charity Quilts. I belong to a Facebook group called Just Us Quilters, if we want donations for blocks for charity, we put our name on the list. Well my name came up and my mailbox was busy.  Last week I delivered six to the unit, have ten more to finish. The blocks are 12" square, the quilts are 4x5 blocks, so a nice size. Here are the six being delivered. g

My cousin Bev , friend Eileen and myself after a fun afternoon of sewing. 

 The block pattern is Old Susana from Quilters Cache.

I have been down with the flu, it is very nasty. I had the flu shot, but apparently it is not doing much against the strain that is going around this year. Wishing you all a healthy New Year. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Oh, I have been making box kite blocks,  I had a tub of 2 1/2" strips cut, will have some pics soon. 

Grand Illusion and Takin' Turkey

Revision to my early morning post. I DID IT! Grand Illusion top is finished and I love it. Might add one more plain border..we'll see.  The border sure does finish it nicely. I wanted to take it outside, in the snow, and take a picture...but it is -44 C or F( it is all the same at this temp)  with the windchill this morning. And I am staying in :)

My what a trip it has been with Bonnie, I love this mystery quilt! This is my fourth with Bonnie and none of her mysteries have disappointed me :) I still have to put the borders on, will hopefully get that done today. Too much company lately, don't they know I have sewing to do :)  My colors are basically the same as Bonnie's, I substitued purple for the black and white, and my colors are more muted. I used what I had in my stash.  Here is my Grand Illusion!

I managed to get this far with Talkin Turkey. It also just needs the borders. The flying geese units are made, now to do the string block border. I am loving the scrappy look.  Feeling good, two large quilt tops and we are only at Jan 5th. My year is off to a good start. 

 

I look forward to doing Bonnie's Blog Link Monday, and viewing how my other blogger friends have finished their Grand Illusion. Here is the link up http://quiltville.blogspot.ca/2015/01/mystery-monday-link-up-part-6.html#more  

Enjoy all the beauty of another Bonnie Hunter Mystery.  I also hear she is doing a mystery quilt for Quiltmaker magazine starting May/June Issue...some more fun to look forward too. 

Happy New Year 2015

Happy New Year to all my blogger friends from Canada.  I hope you have a healthy, happy year.
The New Year certainly started out with a bug suprise, I thought for sure we would have another clue or two before the finale. Bonnie gave us a wonderful gift, she is the best. I busily sewed seven blocks together, without the sashing...I am having a bit of a dilemma. I've laid out the blocks with the sashing, and I like them better without? What is a girl to do??? I have a couple of busy days ahead me, so lot's of time to ponder the issue. Here are the seven blocks.

Here is one block with sashing.

I am looking forward to viewing all my friends GI quilts.

Clue #5 and Talkin' Turkey progress.

We had such a lovely Christmas, family together...what else could one ask for. Yesterday and today have been quiet days for me and I relish these days. I finished Clue #5, such a nice easy clue.  It won't be long now and we will be putting things together. I think those four little four patches with pink/purple might me used for corners on the borders?

I have all the units made for Talkin' Turkey, and have two rows put together. I am really liking  the scrappy look, Bonnie did hers in reds. 

And I finished my socks, they are very comfy. My sewing room is in the basement, it is a daylight basement so lot'f of light. However, the floor can be cold, nothing like a pair of handknit socks to cure that :)

I made Queen sized quilts for my two sons and granddaughters, here they are! They were all very happy. 

Here are the quilts. 

I hope that you have all had a wonderful holiday and that you are doing what you love. For me that is creating, in some manner :) Take care.
Please visit Bonnie Hunter's Link up Monday to see what everyone else is doing with Grand Illusion
Bonnie Hunter Link up Monday

Grand Illusion part #4

Finished clue #4 this morning. I am questioning my yellows. they are more gold. Hoping when it all goes together they will all play nicely with each other.  As I was doing these units I was reflecting on my first mystery with Bonnie. It was Orca Bay  and with the first clue I nearly bailed out! I didn't have much experience under my belt, my 1/4 seam was very off most times, really didn't know how to cut fabric correctly..units too small etc. I carried on learning as I went, and now realize how much I have learned. Heck, some of my units are large enough I can trim them, and those pesky points...well most of them match up. What a difference practice and taking advice  makes. Here is Orca Bay.

Grand Illusion continues,  And here is part 1  and 2 of clue 4

Here are all the clues together, keeps my mind active wondering how they will all go together. 

 I have also been busy this year with Michelle May's Fellowship of the Flowers. http://theraspberryrabbits.blogspot.ca/2013/12/hoppy-friday-fellowship-of-flowers.html

I just finished these two pin cushions and scissor keeps for two dear friends.

Here are a few more I've made, I am way behind, but have all winter to stitch away happily. I love hand stitching in the evening. Do you? 

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This is one of the projects that I have completed.

Talkin' Turkey is coming along, just a few more flying geese units for the border, and I will start putting it all together.   I attacked this pattern like I would the MQ, each unit at a time. Lot's of units in this container.

I am linking with Bonnie's Link Up Monday http://quiltville.blogspot.ca/2014/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

Wishing you all a wonderful Holiday Season, may you have Peace and Joy throughout the New Year.