Design Wall Monday Dec 27

Most everyone's post that I have read today, has expressed the same thing I am feeling, how is it possible that it is the last Monday of the year. How is it possible that 2010 is almost over. I have enjoyed participating in the design wall Mondays, since I started, and find that it gives me motivation to get at least something small done, and often a whole lot more than that. Today is one of the small days. I have one of my 100 block challenge blocks done, and one more to go to make sure I keep up to date. The last one is all cut out, but it has curved seams, and I don't seem to have the patience to do the curved seams.


We had a great Christmas up in Collingwood with our children, and Laurie's grandmother was there as well. She's a sweet lady. Some of my quilts and other crafty stuff from the past year found new homes at Christmas. Here are 6 pictures of the different hand made gifts.

This is the One block Wonder that I did earlier this year. It went to live at Noel and Laurie's

This is a kit that I ordered from Keepsake Quilter. Matt and Becca are both outdoors type people, and Matt has a thing for moose sightings, so this was a perfect quilt to go and live at their house.

This is a wreath that I made up for Matt and Becca. It used the bells that we had on the tables for their wedding. I added some red and green bells, just to give it colour

These are some little 5 inch stockings that I did up for Noel and Laurie to put on their Christmas tree. They always get a huge tree, since they have a cathedral ceiling in their living room, 12 feet tall, at least.

These are some mini pocket warmers. They have 1/2 cup of rice in each. A pair of pocket warmers  go into the microwave for 30 seconds, and then get tucked into pockets to keep hands warm. I found the idea here each of the kids got a pair.

This is a table runner for Noel and Laurie, also from a kits from Keepsake quilts. It had an interesting way of doing the applique. The shapes were cut out from the gold fabric, while reserving the parts of the gold fabric that the shapes were cut from, giving a positive and negative effect

Finishes

As I mentioned in an earlier post, having Susan here visiting inspired me to finish a few projects that have been lying around here, one of them, for at least 8 years.  I got caught up on my blocks for the BOM sponsored by Shannon at The Pieceful Kwilter . I finished the quilt top from the Burning the Midnight Oil

Then, I found a round robin quilt that I had participated in at least 8 years ago. I loved it, except for one of the borders that was very poorly sewn. There were a lot of places in that particular section where the seams didn't even get sewn together properly, and only one of the seams was actually sewn, so, I ended up ripping out that border, and so it sat, waiting for the perfect fabric border to put back in. While Susan was here, we went to Len's Mills to get some binding fabric for her quilt, and spent some time browsing the shelves. I found the perfect fabric to fill that space, perfect size, colours and theme to go with that round robin quilt. So, my "Robin in the Window" is done, and ready for quilting. And, lastly, my One Block Wonder is done.

Design wall Monday May 24

The One Block Wonder is still residing on my wall. I've been playing and rearranging the blocks, and I think this is going to be the final layout. I've discovered, in the process of doing this quilt, that I am a symmetry nut, and the non-symmetrical nature of this quilt was kinda getting to me. But, I am happy with the balance of it now, with blacks on opposing corners, and browns on the others, with the pinks and blues going through the centre. It is going to have black half hexies at the top and bottom, and triangles at the sides to bring it to straight edges. It gas been a challenge, and fun to do. I had to work this past weekend, and midway through last night's shift, my energy level crashed. I felt like I hit the wall and bounced off to land flat on my back. So, today is going to be a day off. We got all the napkins for the wedding done last week, and all of the other major stuff is done as well. The stores are closed for the holiday here, so I couldn't go out to pick up stuff we need if I wanted to. SO, I have decided that today is mine to do with as I please. The weather is gorgeous, full sun and just a gentle breeze, so i just might bring my sewing machine out into the yard and play. Maybe even start sewing the OBW together. Or, since I received a whole pile, 21 yards worth, of fat quarters in the mail from Thousands of Bolts, (they were having a sale. Who can pass up fat quarters for just over a dollar a piece? Not me! It's for my retirement savings plan), maybe I'll play with something new. It'll take another cup of coffee to decide.

Design wall Monday May 10

On my design wall today is my One Block Wonder. I purchased the fabric on Thursday, and finished making all the hexis yesterday. I had to work 3-11 over the weekend, and wanted something fun to do before going in. Also, with all the wedding stuff for my daughter happening, I just needed a fast and fun quilt break, since there had been no quilty stuff going on for almost 2 weeks. I was having major withdrawal symptoms. But, Andrea is coming for a fitting of her bridesmaid dress this afternoon, so it will be back at it again. But, in the meantime, I can play with the arrangement of the blocks. I had a dentist appointment this morning, with that wonderful stuff called nitrous oxide. I was seeing spinning lights that reminded me of these blocks during it, so I think I'll name this quilt "Nitrous Oxide Dreams" (giggle) The arrangement isn't quite what I want, yet, and I can see one that is obviously out of place, but I'm having fun doing it, and it is like nothing I've done before. Go over to Judy's Patchwork Times and see what others are up to.

It's all Diane's fault

I went over to Len's Mills, a large fabric store and outlet. I went to get some boning to finish off the bridesmaids' dresses. That's all I went in for. But, I've been watching Diane's One block wonder journey

and badly wanting to start one of my own. They look sooooooo pretty, and, after ordering and reading the book, not all that difficult to do. The last few times I've been in Len's Mills, there has been this fabric that I fell in love with, but managed to resist buying. My resistance was weak today, and it talked me into taking it home. Diane's voice was in my ear saying, "this would be a cool fabric for a One Block Wonder", and she talked me into it, so, you see, it's all Diane's fault. (giggle) It is going to be  a challenge when it comes to arranging the whole thing. I probably should have started with an easier fabric. The book recommends fabric with no more than 3 colours, and this one has 4, if you don't count the black. But, it is just sooooo pretty. I bought enough to be able to do a border of it as well as piecing. All the strips are cut, and all the triangles are cut, so now all I have to do is sew. I have to work 3-11 this weekend, so I'm thinking I'll take the hand sewing on the dresses to work with me, and I'll play with this quilt before going in to work. Samantha's dress is 90% done, and would have been completely done, except, when she tries it on a week ago, it needed to be taken in at the sides, so I took it in. Then, she tried it on last night, and it ended up that I had to take out what I took in. I'm not sure how I messed that up. Andrea's is at least 50% done, and is ready for another fitting. Nicole's is 25% done, and I still have 5 weeks left. No problem. (help)