Blogger's Quilt Festival - May Stars

I thought I'd enter my 'May Stars' quilt into the scrappy division of the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

I made this quilt bit by bit with a newborn in the house.  Being a bit more house bound than normal I decided to dig into my (larger) scraps and make a quilt to hang on my family room wall.  It was fun and I love staring at it on my wall.

Cross Quilt for Prolife

Finally finished this quilt.  It's a group effort by the attendees of our annual quilt retreat (mostly ladies from our church here in the valley) and made with a block pattern by Ellison Lane.

The ladies were instructed to use a white or light background and then girly colours/prints for the cross.  I think it came together pretty good!

The background fabric was given to me by another lady who makes a lot of donation quilts for the hospital.  It was nice that I didn't have to purchase any.

I quilted it with swirls.  Still not perfect but better than the last time I did them!  I'll keep trying.

The photo shoot was super fun with my three fabulous helpers (you can see another quilt I was taking pics of on the post.)  They really get into it and come up with all kinds of ridiculous ways to photograph a quilt.  Lots of fun!

This quilt is being donated to our local Crisis Pregnancy Centre.

  Linking this one up to the Bloggers Quilt Festival.

Salt Air Table Runner

Three years ago I had the big idea to hand quilt this little table runner (or topper).  I would outline the different motifs and it would look really good.  So I picked out some matching embroidery floss and away I went.

Except I hated it.  First of all I had a cotton/linen blend fabric on the back which is much too thick and stiff for hand quilting.  And then I started another hand work project (my EPP stars) so this got shoved in a basket and forgotten about.  I listed it on my Finish Along post becuase it was time to get. it. done.

I gave up on the hand quilting and just quilted in the ditch, slapped a binding on it and promptly gave it away.  I didn't take out the hand quilting though so there are random parts with hand quilting.

I'm glad it's finished and I'm glad someone liked it enough to want it (thanks Karen).  One day, I will hand quilt another (small) project to completion.  But not while I have a baby to hold and take care of. :-)

Avery Dress (pattern by ModKid)

I do sew things for my other children but by far the most for Carolin at this stage in life.  Firstly, she likes what I make her.  And secondly she is tall and slim so RTW doesn't always work for her.

I intended to sew along with the lovely ladies at Modkid a few weeks ago but as is usual when I make plans they didn't work out.  We happened to move my sewing room that very same week so I only got around to cutting it out.

I made a size 7 but lengthened everything to a size 9.  And it fits her perfectly!  I couldn't be happier with it.

 Bias binding around the collar.  It was supposed to be piping but for various reasons that didn't work.  This was my third try and I am happy (enough) with it.  I believe the buttons are from the Ribbon Retreat.  They were in our swag bags at last years quilting retreat.

I am happy with the pattern and how it looks (and twirls) on Carolin.  It comes with sleeve options so good for all seasons.  I bought it from Modkid on Etsy.

Fabric is a Cotton/Linen blend.  Nice and heavy for winter.  The bodice is lined so she'll keep nice and warm.

We tested it out at church and on the playground and we give it two thumbs up.  This drop waist style looks great on Carolin and I can see my self making more.

FAL - Q4

Quickest Blog Post Ever

I really wanted to join in the Finish Along for quarter 4 and today is the last day to link up.  So while the turkey is resting, the potatoes are in the oven and our company not quite here I'll attempt to post.  Excuse the terrible photos, they were super quick snaps.

#1 - Cross Baby Quilt - Donation Quilt for Pro-Life - Needs to be quilted, bound and donated.  Get it done, Alisa!

#2 - Layer Cake Christmas Quilt - This was supposed to be done by last Christmas but when it wasn't I just put it aside.  Would love to have this finished by Dec 1.

#2 - This is a table runner in progress.  I started hand quilting it but I'm not enjoying it so I'll just do some machine quilting to finish it, bind it and put it on a table.  

#4 - This is a recent WIP - an Avery Dress (pattern by Modkidboutique),  almost finished, should be finished for next Sunday.

#5 - And finally this handkerchief quilt.  It's been sitting around for about 6 or 7 years and needs to be finished.  I don't think I'll get overly fancy with it, just basic quilting, bind it and then use it!

Here's to getting things done!

Finish Along 2014 is hosted by The Littlest Thistle.  It's fun motivation, and, there are prizes to be won.  You still have a few hours to join in.

Catching Up

It's the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend already and I'm thinking I should give a quick update on the last few months and then I can move on to regular blogging.  One can hope. :-)

Firstly, I had a really good summer!  I went in to it thinking it was not going to be that great with a teenager, a baby and everything in between.  But it went very, very well.  I think there are a couple of reasons for that.  Firstly, my kids help.  They have chores and know that we don't do fun things if the work isn't done.  Secondly we had a fairly busy summer with many exciting things.  Thirdly my teenager worked for a few weeks with his dad.  That was a very good thing for him and for me. :-)

We went on a road trip this summer.  From our home in the Fraser Valley to the William Switzer Park in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains (Alberta) to Edmonton to Calgary and then to Shuswap Lake, BC on the way home.  We were gone for 18 days which is a new record for us.  It had it's moments of "what were thinking??" but mostly was a great time and we are so happy we went.  Joshua was a trooper. He was happy to nurse or drink a bottle which was very handy.  On the road he took a bottle and midnight (and 2 AM and 4 AM) feedings I nursed him.  We camped for a week with Suzanne and family and it was so much fun for all of us.  Yeah for cousins!

Carolin showing off her Garden Party Dress in Canmore, AB.

Our family at Lake Louise in Banff.

I even found some time to work on my EPP project.  On my third year now!  One day I'll iron it and take a picture to show my progress.

Other than my EPP I didn't do too much in the way of sewing over the summer.  Melissa made a zipper pouch for a friends' birthday.  She did very well!

Deanna finished up a rag quilt for the Pro-Life Society but we forgot to take a photo of it.

I made a small table runner with the waste triangles from this quilt and some scraps.  So fun to make something from nothing!  Or "more with less".  

Just before the kids headed back to school I made the girls each a drawstring bag for their PE clothes.  It works quite well actually.  I wash their PE clothes on the weekend and immediately stick it into the drawstring bag and then into their back pack.  No forgotten PE clothes.  Except Ben who shuddered at the thought of a home made bag.  

You don't mind if I post another pic of Joshua do you?  We're having so much fun with him!  He's crawling, babbling, snotty, smiling, laughing, and hair pulling.  Some days it is just the two of us hanging out together and six weeks into the school year we are still trying to get the hang of it.

Zachary started school.  I've really enjoyed having him around.  The last year he's become much easier and fun to have around.  He loves to work and feels highly valued when he helps me (and he really is helpful!)  Thankfully he only goes every other day so we can still spend some time together.

One last project to share.  Again a table runner I made for a special friend.  I used a tutorial for a 4-patch disappearing block called Criss Cross.  I'm happy to report that she loves it! :-)

And that's it for now!  Hopefully I'll be back to regular blogging.  Soon with post of projects I'd like to complete by the end of the year.  Enjoy your day!

Alisa