an exciting trip

I'm very excited to be leaving on a trip in the morning.  My DD#2 and I are travelling as part of a team with Samaritan's Purse to distribute Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes to children living in poverty in El Salvador. I have been packing shoeboxes every November to send overseas for

this for the last 25 years. This time I will get to hand deliver my carefully packed box and meet the little girl who receives it.  I wanted to make something special for this box - something that was a little bit of me.  So I appliqued a flower and made a little zipper pouch to include in my box.

 We will distribute boxes in 4 different communities and there is a service project we will also be taking part in but - I'm mostly excited to meet the children, to play with them, to let them know they are loved and special and that Jesus loves them.

 Here is the rest of my box contents - school supplies, hygiene items, toys, a t-shirt...  The box is so full I can hardly get the lid on.  My daughter Kristy likes to pack the boxes super full  :0) 

I don't know if there will be a lot of time to stitch on this trip but I have about 12 little 3 inch stars cut out to handpiece - I had to bring something to sew!

The summer has been very busy.  The older my kids get the busier my summers seem to be.  I did spend an evening with a friend stitching and I made another block for my guild challenge sampler.  The top left block is the new one.  I had to lay them out together now that there are 9 blocks.  I know I want 3 more at least.  The last 3 will be free choice blocks.

Happy Quilting!!

Mystery link up

Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt was a fun distraction alongside all the usual busy Christmas festivities.  I was excited to see the final reveal.  I just love the blocks. I have most of the parts made but have only managed to get 4 blocks done so far.  Here they are laid out with the sashing pieces.  

 I actually love the blocks laid side by side without the sashing pieces shown below. I will make all the blocks before I decide how I will set them together.

It's a bit strange to have so many block parts made - its different to store them than completed blocks.  I have bags and containers and boxes full of parts so the blocks should go together quickly.

Here is a link to Bonnie's mystery link - up so you can checkout what other people made.

 



 

There had to be some applique to work on while I was away visiting family.  I prepped another block for my guild challenge project. I drew this Mexican Rose block and it was quick to stitch up (a little too quick - I hate running out of hand stitching)

 

Today the kids went back to school so hopefully I can get some other applique prepped now. 

Happy Quilting!!

falling behind

So Bonnie Hunter's mystery is not for the slow and busy sewer.  Wow! there are a lot of units in the last 2 weeks worth of clues.  I am conceding that I will fall behind.

 

One of the fun things about her Mystery link up posts is seeing how people arrange their completed units - experimenting to try and solve the mystery.  Here are units from the first 3 clues arranged together.  This was how Grace B (link up person #12) had arranged hers and I thought it looked fun.

I cut and sewed and cut and sewed and got all of my clue #2 units made - oodles of flying geese.  

For clue #3 I have only just a handful of units made.  I hope to get a bunch more made before Friday's clue #4 but I know already I won't be done :0)

While I was waiting for clue #2 to be released I had a try at a Circling Swallows block.  Barbara Brackman had posted about this block here back in July on one of her blogs and I was wanting to give it a go.  It was fun!  This block will be an extra to go with my guild challenge blocks.  (once I finish it) 

Well, back to the sewing machine Christmas preparations for me  :0)
Happy Quilting!!

a summer post

Summer is my favorite season and it always goes by way too fast!  I've been busy with my kids but a few stitches have been taken as well.

I took some time away from more current projects to sew up another Tree of Life block. These are so fun to plan and stitch.

 Here are the first 4 blocks for my guild challenge quilt.. I'm still thinking about the bright yellow in the Wandering foot block.  It's pretty powerful and I'm considering appliqueing another fabric (the red) over part/most of the yellow. What do you think? I like the yellow with the navy but its a little overpowering. I have to wait until September for the next theme.

 We went to Kelowna to visit my parents last week.  I made this napkin holder for my Mom.  It's good for holding napkins outside so they don't blow away in the breeze. 

 My husband and I had a chance to go out for lunch at a nearby winery.  The view from the restaurant is so beautiful.   It was pretty smoky from northern BC forest fires while we were there.  Normally the lake is a gorgeous blue but I was happy that we could at least see the lake that day.

 I finished making my 36 patches into blocks a few weeks ago.  I am now rethinking my setting options... again.  I think I'd like to add some pretty sashing but I can't quite find the right print.  This is one I have in my stash which I like the best so far.  In the fall I will get back to this project.  And in the meantime on my summer travels, who knows what fabric I might find?

 

I also keep working on blocks for my son's quilt. Hand quilting my Bird of Paradise quilt is nearing completion.  And I started appliqué block #5 for Radical Rose and Reel.   Lots of projects keeps things exciting around here :0)

Happy Quilting!

a guild challenge

We went camping this past weekend at the same place as always.  Shunda Lake is always so peaceful and beautiful.  This stump from my header changes a bit every year.  I did not get a lot of stitching time there this year as we did more hiking and kayaking but I did manage to take a few stitches in this Wandering Foot block.

 A major reason for the less stitching time was that my son, my husband and I climbed Mt Coliseum.  The view is pretty incredible from up top but it was an intense hike - straight up the mountain.

It was fun to share this experience with my son who recently turned 13.  For his birthday I made him this small zippered bag for carrying his book when he goes biking. He used to borrow an old one of mine so now he has his own.

This next project is part of a guild challenge.  Every 2 months a theme is pulled out of a bag full of ideas and we're supposed to make a block or border or quilt element to go with the theme.  The first theme pulled out of the bag was "Iconic".  I was stumped! What came up on my internet search for Iconic were movie stars and political figures that really didn't inspire me.  I had already decided I was going to use a dark background and had purchased this navy dotted fabric so I was determined to come up with something. 

My DD#1 saved the day by suggesting using an Iconic book for my idea.  (she is such a bookworm :0)  I immediately thought of the classic "To Kill a Mockingbird"  - it is a great book.  So here is my mockingbird perched in what is supposed to look like a pecan branch. (I have never seen a pecan tree or a mockingbird so I took liberties and the flowers are there for color)  The bird's eye remains to be embroidered...

We just watched the movie a week ago - which is in black and white so this color picture on the cover of the book seems odd.

 

The next guild theme pulled was "where you live".  That one was easy.  I live in the province of Alberta and all of our car licence plates read "Wild Rose Country"  As the wild roses were/are in bloom it was easy to come up with a rose wreath for my second block.  

 

 I took a picture of these on my morning run last week Monday - they were right next to the path. 

The next theme pulled was "Adventure".  After a little thought I settled on the Wandering Foot block from the first photo of this post.  It's not finished yet so I'll post it again later.  The guild challenge is only going to go for 5 themes.  I have already decided to make at least 12 blocks so I will be making some extras along the way.  

And, finally I have to post a picture of my amazing and sweet DD#1 who graduated from High school this year.  I am tremendously proud of her. She looked so beautiful in her royal blue dress. 

 I am still coming to terms with the fact that she is now an adult and plans to go away to school next year.  Oh the places she'll go :0)

Happy Quilting!!

ideas change

I thought I'd better get a quick post in today because for some of my kids spring break starts 

tomorrow.  Days get busy but there is always time for a few stitches in the evening :0)

 

I've been working (playing) pretty steadily with these 36 patch blocks.  I have so many neutrals to choose and cut I've enjoyed this very much.  As soon as I had 4 blocks made I changed my mind about the setting and I think I will just set these blocks side by side like shown.  It will use less of the 36 patches than my other plan but I think I like this end result better.

 

This Lemoyne star is for another project - a guild challenge that I can't show much of yet.  I want to make several stars like this one to put together with the challenge blocks in the final top.  This star is 6 inches finished and was it ever easy to piece by machine after all of those hand pieced 3 inch star-a-day stars. 

I have made very few star-a-day stars the last couple of months.  I need to get going on them again if I'm ever to make it to 365. Current count is 53...

Happy Quilting!!