new projects

It was not my plan to start something new. Neither was it my plan to spend 4 days in the hospital with DD#1 (she had a nasty asthma attack that wouldn't resolve) While sitting in emergency for hours the first night I was just itching for something to sew. Both of my handwork projects are at the stage where they are too big to carry around so...
When my husband relieved me for a few hours to come home and shower ect... I grabbed a recent magazine, a stack of fabric and my handsewing bag before I went back. I decided to try hand piecing again. These stars are the result. I think I need a LOT more practice. :0)

Last night I had a chance to get back to this border applique project. This is the first corner appliqued. I can't decide whether it should have a couple more leaves under the corner flower. DH says not - which surprised me. He doesn't very often have opinions about my quilting projects. What do you think?

And after over a year of resisting - I succumbed and bought the pattern for this lovely quilt. Maybe I should have stopped following the blog - lol. Lizzie has already invited me to join the blog and I'm excited (and a bit intimidated) to be a part of that. As soon as I get the other 3 border corners finished I'm going to get started on it.

Happy Quilting!!

something so different even my kids noticed

This is practically the oldest ufo I have. The colors are so not me that when DD#1 and #2 wandered into the sewing room they asked me if the blocks were even mine. :0)
I made 11 blocks of a BOM offered at a LQS about 7 years ago. We had recently moved from a different city and I hadn't made any new quilting friends yet and was missing my old guild. To start it cost $5 and if you brought your completed block to the next meeting your next block materials were free (which is why I only finished 11 - there was no reward for finishing block 12 - lol)
There are some women at my church who are making quilts to send to northern India. I thought I could make a cheerful little quilt for a child using some of these blocks.

I even managed to find the perfect backing fabric 40% off. There is NOTHING in my stash that goes with these fabrics.

This pink block made me laugh. When I made it I thought it was the ugliest block of the batch and the name...Devil's Claw... was just awful. However, it is the exact same block that I am making piles of now for a large quilt. Crowfoot sounds so much better than Devil's Claw. :0)

And I want to share a picture of my foxgloves now blooming profusely in the garden. I start them from seed every March and they will bloom through the light frosts until it gets really cold. In some places they are wild flowers but not in my part of Canada.

Happy Quilting!!

summer days

The summer is slipping by so quickly. I am enjoying my garden. Earlier this summer we had a couple bad hail storms that spoiled many of the flowers. But not these :0) I love Hollyhocks!
Do you get in a panic if you are away from home and run out of handwork to do? :0) We were away for a few days last week and I took this applique project along to work on - it's border panel #3. I finished all the applique that I brought with me and had to just sit idle. My fingers were just itching to get home and sew.

I've got border panel #4 all ready to go now. After that I have the corners to figure out. Then, I have at least 2 other applique projects I want to get started on - I don't have time to sit there with idle hands!! lol

This last picture is of the lovely fabric I won in a giveaway over at Vicki and Jan's blog What a load of Scrap. The package took nearly 3 weeks to get here - I think half of Canada Post must have been on holidays. Thanks so much Vicki and Jan!

Happy Quilting!!

sewing with the kids

There has been lots of sewing going on here this week - a lot of it has not been me. There have been some wild afternoons where 3 kids are all trying to sew at the same time (with the same machine) :0) I love that they are all interested but it would be a lot easier to manage one at a time!
So here is my 6 year old son's first quilt! He chose from a pile of 2 1/2 inch squares. He just loves to run the sewing machine and takes great pride in his ironing. At first glance it might look like a potholder but...

It's a quilt for a Zumbuddy. (soft stuffed toy)

DD#2 has discovered that I have lots of little leftover triangles :0) I of course meant to use them for something... someday... :0) She has BIG plans and wants to make a lap sized quilt with these. (the hst's finish at 1 1/4 inches) She's a determined 9 year old - I'm curious to see how many of these she makes.

DD#1 continues to work on her Irish chain quilt - she does not especially enjoy sewing but wants to have her little quilt finished.

And although the summer continues to be busy I find a few minutes everyday to sew. I've got 2 more Crowfoot blocks made and a growing pile of Courthouse steps blocks.

I'm making good progress quilting on my 4 block applique quilt. I'm still outlining the applique - I love to see the block pattern emerging on the back.

Happy Quilting!!