Summer Fun Quilt

Yay ~ I've finished the top of this very bright blue quilt.  I've incorporated 14 different blue fabrics from my stash along with the six humorous cartoon panels that inspired this quilt in the first place.   I didn't want another "decade quilt" so I kept my blocks consistent with the 10.75 x 10.75 cartoon panels.  I'm anxious to get to the quilting part.  I'd forgotten how much I loooove blue!  

Because I was too stubborn to cut the pieces I had of the "fruit ladies" fabrics, I used them for the backer along with a really nice natural unbleached cotton.  Its still warm from ironing the seams:

Good Friday

Happy Easter ~ Happy Spring.  Its a freakin' white-out.  No sunny blue skies this Easter.  Almost all the snow had melted off of our lawn before it started snowing today.  Not only that the north east wind we are getting has turned -10 into -18.  We did have temperatures on the plus side of zero just a couple days ago.  

I feel like a jinx.   Yes, it's my fault its snowing because I've been playing with summer fabrics.  Cutting out pieces of beautiful, bright blue fabrics to go with the summer designer prints I've been hoarding in my stash.  Just yesterday I decided to take a break from cutting out to do a little sewing.  Just wanted to add a sash to the yellow print to see what it would look like.  

The blue panel blocks are a very irregular size so I used butcher wrap to cut out templates.   Ever make templates and then have your ruler slip so that you ever so slightly nick off a portion of your template?  Sigh.   You would think fabric designers; specifically panel prints would take measurements into consideration.   These blocks have a finished measurement of 10.75 x 10.75.  

The Decade Quilt is Finished!

I almost can't believe it myself - the Decade Quilt is finished and lying on my bed!   All hand quilted.  I decided to quicken the process seeing as the backing I bought was 108" wide and I had plenty of fabric on all four sides:  I trimmed the backing to 1 1/4" and pressed it in half and pressed it from front to back to create the seam binding.  This I did not sew by hand.  Although a tad bulky and awkward I managed to sew the seam binding in place.  And the quilting frame has now been removed from my living room.  Yay!

I have already picked out 7 or 8 blues from my fabric stash for a beach themed quilt - some actually look like water - to use with Summertime panel fabric by Denyse Klette for Elizabeth's Studio llc:

 

 
and two other patterned pieces by Mary Stewart for Elizabeth's Studio llc.  that I forgot I even owned (the fruit ladies in blue and in yellow)!!

 

Aren't they a hoot?   I only have half a yard of each of the fruit ladies fabric and can't see myself cutting these.   Going to be tough coming up with a quilt design that gets the most out of these fabrics.

Decade Quilt

I think I should name the current quilt I'm working on, "The Decade Quilt" because I started it so very long ago.  It is supposed to be for my bed so it was easy to put aside (and forget about) for years at a time!   I cannot begin to count the number of baby quilts and gift quilts that I have made since I started the Decade Quilt.  It started out by adapting a designer's collection of 2.5" pre-cut strips and finding complementary fabrics to go with it.  The center piece was a pattern I found in a quilting magazine about 7 or 8 years ago called, "Wiggle Worms".   As it suggests, it was a pattern for a child's size quilt.  I enlarged it until I couldn't go any further and had to design around it with complementary fabrics so I could make it fit a queen size bed.

I decided 2018 was the year to get this bad boy finished so I've been pushing myself and finally reached the stage that I could make the 'quilt sandwich':

When there is not a table large enough and only one person to do the job, I find clearing a space on the floor is the easiest way to make the sandwich.   Painter's tape really helps to pull the quilt backer fabric taut and keep it from sliding around while I smooth out the next two layers and use a couple hundred safety pins to keep everything pulled tight.  

Now comes the part that may just take another decade ... this queen size quilt is too large to machine quilt so I'm going to have to hand quilt this puppy.  Sigh.  Wish me luck. 

Quilt Project

My latest quilt project is my first attempt at a crazy quilt; i.e. using up smaller pieces of fabric from previous projects that I just can't justify tossing.  Turned out, it was a lot of fun paper piecing the various shapes and sizes of fabrics to make the 8.5' x 8.5" squares.  I cut full-scap into 8.5 x 8.5" squares and sewed 16 squares before I started to run out of large enough pieces of fabric; so I decided this would be a "couch blanket" or "throw".   I purposely chose bright, cheerful, fun fabrics as this is to be a "get well" gift.

As I'm giving this quilt away, I decided to take pictures before I joined the quilt front to the quilt back.  This is the backer for the quilt.  I absolutely loved the popsicle fabric and the beverage glasses cloth  [I have since substituted much better photographs of Laura holding her quilt]:

 The front of the quilt:

 and some close ups:

The farm related fabrics were left over from a quilt I made a friend after he had heart surgery and was waiting for him at his ranch when they came back from the hospital.

WINTER IS SCRAPBOOK SEASON

Although winter doesn't officially start until December 21st, we had one of the hottest, driest summers we've had in years.  Not to be outdone, winter decided to arrive when we'd barely had one month of Autumn.  

When its colder than -15 I make soups, chili, bake bread or I scrapbook.  And sometimes I just curl up with a blanket and good book!  We've had three deaths in my husband's family between August 20th and November 3rd.  The funerals/memorials were Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  When we got home yesterday I de-stressed by scrapbooking.  Finally, did the pages that I have been wanting to do of my great nephew, Dallas.  He will be two in four months and I haven't even met him.  I missed my opportunity this summer due to conflicting travel.

I'M BAAAACK (FINALLY)

Its November 3rd.  We've cancelled the plans we made this morning and are staying put where its warm, dry and no chance of getting into an accident.  We've been listening to the radio and hearing of more and more accidents and road closures.  "Don't try to drive up this hill... you won't make it."  etc.  It started snowing November 1st.   We now have 12" on top of our barbeque and patio table.  

I had my first yoga stretch class (preceded by a noon meditation at Nirvana) before we decided to park the Jeep and stay home.   

My poor Maggie hasn't gone for a walk in 3 days.  The wind chill factor has been high and the Weather Network keeps saying this will last 2 weeks.  So every few days the 2 week cold spell gets extended for "2 weeks".  This happened far too early this year!  We had one of the hottest summers on record here in southeastern Alberta.  We're already known as the sunniest city in Alberta but that was ridiculous.  We weren't able to ride our bikes as we weren't about to get up at 6:00 a.m. to do it.  We even had to cancel camping trips because there is no point going camping if its uncomfortable to sit outside and you have to sit inside the motor home in the air conditioning!   We did manage to have some great longer trips.  In May we spent 2 weeks travelling to BC and visiting family at Mirror Lake (south of Kaslo).  We camped at Creston, Crawford Bay, and Cranbrook as well on that trip.  The Discovery Channel had a program that showed a bit about Kaslo's May Days' logging competitions and we decided that we wanted to be there for May Days.  That was a lot of fun with all the people coming for the festivities.  We planned a family gathering of my siblings and their spouses but one sister wasn't able to rent a cottage and stay with us.  She got a ride out a couple days which was great because it wasn't a short trip for her.   We spent a week camping between Writing on Stone Provincial Park, Waterton Lakes Provincial Park and Taber Municipal Park.  Another week was spent camping at Creston after our Cypress Hills Provincial Park Labour Day weekend camping trip.  Creston's Fall Fair happened to be on the weekend we were there so really enjoyed that; and enjoyed going to the three wineries and doing wine tastings.  Also checking our their second hand book stores and going to coffee shops for specialty coffees and fabulous lunches.  

Fall hit so fast that we had to bring the motor home back 3 days after we had taken it back to the storage lot so that we could winterize the water pipes.  But Fall didn't last long and Winter hit before it was supposed to.  

I'm feeling much better just these past two to three weeks and have actually gotten back some of my motivation and creativity.  Its been probably 18 months or more since I had scrapbooked.  This past little while I've probably gotten 14 pages done!  Here are the most recent:

 

STAMP CARVING

This is my first attempt at carving rubber stamps.   I bought the Speedball pink rubber and the Speedy-Carve 3-piece carving set off of Blitsy ... hmm... possibly 2 years ago?   I got brave and made two different feathers tonight.  While not perfect, I am thrilled and trying to think of what I want to make next.

 

Labour Day Weekend

My weekend is going to begin at noon tomorrow when we leave for Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park (Saskatchewan side because its nicer than the Alberta side and because the showers are clean and free and the firewood is free as well).  There is no wifi where we are camping.  It is supposed to be cool, windy and rain Friday, Saturday & Sunday.   Cypress Hills is often 10 degrees cooler than here.  Oh yay.  I asked my husband,  "So if it is supposed to be so ugly this weekend, why don't we just stay home?"  and the stupid answer I got was, "Because we have reservations."  What he didn't say was that May long and Labour Day weekends are traditionally spent camping at Cypress Hills.

So, I am now the proud owner of fashionable rubber boots, have packed thick gloves, a toque and my winter coat!    I've packed 2 books but I know I won't get to even open the cover of one because we are camping with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law.  Of the four of us, I'm the only one who reads.  (I blame their parents.) I've therefore also packed chocolate chip cookie chips? (something new), hot chocolate, 3 dark chocolate bars,  500 grams of Haagen Daas Cappuccino Gelato (I have no idea what gelato is and want to find out) and 500 grams of Chocolate Haagen Daas ice cream.  Did you know 500 gram containers of Haagen Daas cost more than two litres of other brands?

Picture it, the sound of rain on the roof, while you are curled up on a recliner love seat, wearing sweat pants, cuddly sweater, thick spa socks and a cozy blanket and cute Shih Tzu on your lap; your favourite radio station playing your favourite music (not too loud; not too quiet) while you are reading a good book, drinking hot chocolate and nibbling on a "healthier" dark chocolate chocolate bar!

That sound you now hear is what happens when a pin pops a balloon... because your sister-in-law insists that there is no point camping if you spend any time at all inside your very comfortable motor home.  All meals must be cooked either on the bbq or right on the camp fire.  You are now bundled up in half the clothes you packed sitting on camp chairs huddled around a camp fire while the wind tries to blow your toque off and the rain tries to put out the fire.

I may be quite busy Monday after unpacking the motor home, cleaning it and doing laundry.  I'll be trying to work off the ice cream, gelato, hot chocolate and chocolate bars. Oh, and the  peach pie and potato salad my sister-in-law is bringing.   Have a great long weekend!

Jaxon's Baby Quilt

I remembered at the last minute to take a picture of this quilt before it went out the door.  Unfortunately, its an evening picture and the lighting isn't the greatest.  

I had to put one together in a hurry because my friend, Eva's, baby was born one month early.   She no sooner had moved back to Medicine Hat and got settled in and she landed in the hospital.  Sweet baby Jaxon was so tiny - under 6 lbs. - but didn't need to be incubated.  

I decided the easiest way for me to put a quilt together quickly was to make it a strip quilt.  My first flannelette quilt and my first boy quilt.  

Another first for me - since I own a Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0, I decided I'd get brave and teach myself to free-motion machine quilt this one.  It actually turned out pretty well for my first attempt.  Since I found dinosaur fabric in three different colours (as well as dogs and elephants), I decided to do lines approx. 7" long, a loop, a line, a loop, etc. width-wise across the wide strips.  It sort of looks like dinosaur eggs being dropped every 7".

CSI - Colour, Stories, Inspiration!

I discovered a wonderful challenge blog recently that inspires you to improve your journalling skills.   http://csicolorstoriesinspiration.ning.com   Exactly what I need as I have difficulty coming up with journalling. I was so excited when I started checking out this blog ("ning" in Australia) that I signed up right away and invited my sister, Carrie, to join as well.  Carrie won a prize on her very first layout - how exciting is that!!

We have both done a couple of challenges.   The Scheme:  there are five colours per
 challenge that you must use, at least three choices from the list of Evidence and at least one choice from the list of Testimony.  The second case file per month also includes a sketch.

 


and Carrie's bright and fun interpretation of Case File 168:

 

 



This is what I came up with for Case File No. 169:

 and I absolutely love Carrie's layout.  I wish I had Carrie's talent.  Her pages always look so perfect:

 

my Case File No. 170:

First Rag Quilt

I finally finished making the baby rag quilt - my first.  I had a few firsts with this quilt and it would have gone together very quickly if it wasn't for the many frustrating episodes with my sewing machine losing its tension.  

My beloved Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0  has had an issue with maintaining tension since day one.  I've taken it in to the shop where I bought it two to three times and each time I've paid around $100 only to be told there was nothing wrong with it, so they just cleaned and oiled it.   If you've ever taken a sewing machine in for repair or cleaning, you know what I mean when I say that the technician doesn't try different types of fabrics when they test it.   They use the basic white medium weight cotton that they use to give lessons - folded in two.   When I tell the store I am sewing  four layers of quilting cotton plus fibrefill, or sewing knits, shouldn't they try to duplicate the type and thickness of fabric that I'm using?  Sorry; I digress.

The quilt-as-you-go technique was  so much easier than trying to quilt the entire quilt at the end - my least favourite part of the process.  Doing the ragging after the quilt is finished... snipping "1/2" fringes" in all the raw seams is hard on your hands.   

I decided to try another first- I was on a roll so why not?  The Pfaff 4.0 has sensor-matic free-motion quilting that I've never been brave enough to try.   A technique I soon discovered requires a lot of practise and patience.  I practiced on a small sample but it definitely isn't the same as doing free motion with a completed quilt.  Even if it is child sized.  I'm thinking it would be much easier with the professional room-size quilting machine that I do not own.  The bulk of the quilt brings you to a screeching halt at times and I had a few "oops" on the wide popsicle border.  After stitch ripping the first attempt I decided to try the simpler design of "x's" that I did on the squares.  

I'm not sure that I'll do another rag quilt.  You save time doing the quilt-as-you-go but at the end, trimming all the raw seams, then running the quilt through the washer and dryer a couple times after its finished... and taking a pet roller to it to pick off three million threads stuck all over the quilt during the fraying process of the "ragging" portion of the project takes up all, and maybe more, of the time you saved earlier.

I actually remembered to photograph this one before I give it away.  I had so much fun finding the fabrics for this quilt.  Absolutely love the popsicle fabric I found!  Well, I love the orange and green frog fabric and the multi-coloured cats too.  Okay, I forgot about the blue bug-gy fabric, the buzzing bees... let's face it, I love all the bright colours. 

Making a Seamstress Dress Form

There are some awesome tutorials out there to make almost anything you could think of.   Pinterest is my absolute favourite site to learn about all sorts of DIY projects.  I was really excited when I came across instructions for a DIY dress form using saran wrap and duct tape to make your body double.  Then stuffing the duct tape body with various things such as newspaper, foam or fibre fill.   One person actually used expanding spray foam!  I'm not sure that is such a good idea as I've watched my husband use it in construction and often it expands more than you want and you have to cut off the excess.   The goal is to make your body double as close to your size as possible.   Once you cut the duct tape off your body (a cut straight up the middle of your back) you have to tape the cut back up very carefully matching the coloured tape you used to mark off bust, waist, hip and neck.  Then, using cardboard to close the neck and arm holes and whatever you prefer to stuff the inside taking care not to overstuff and distort the body.  When fully stuffed, more cardboard at the hip opening to keep the stuffing inside.

I have a very sweet husband who agreed to this task.   It took about an hour and a half to wrap me in saran wrap and then using 7" to 14" lengths of duct tape, and trying to keep it as smooth as possible, wrap me like a cocoon with duct tape.   You need to do it as tight as possible without distorting your shape.  It didn't take long before my heat started rising and my husband had to set up a fan to keep me cooler! 

I now have a mannequin with my own measurements.   I have yet to tape the back seam back up and start stuffing.    I forgot how hard it was for me to stand in one spot for long.  Especially my leg with the artificial knee replacement.   When it was all finished and cut off of me I could barely walk.  I had two sets of stairs to climb to get back into more than just my underwear and didn't think I was going to make it up the first flight of stairs.  I thought I'd walk some feeling back into my legs before I tried to do the rest of the job.   

Yesterday I went to a second hand store that is closing down and advertised 30% off. I went there looking for something that would work as a stand to attach the dress form to.   I was thinking of a coat stand and when I didn't see any I decided to look at the floor lamps.   I thought I'd pick up a stand for $10-$15.  Guess again!  Most of the floor lamps were $85 or so.  I finally found one that had no lamp shade on it and the centre pole tilted a bit to one side.  Typical for me - I chose something without a price tag.  The only person taking care of the store must have been the owners' son.  He didn't seem overly enthused about having to take care of the store.  When he decided $45 would be about right for the floor lamp I asked if he would take $25 for it and he agreed.

If you've ever wondered how much ease a manufacturer has built into a pattern, and don't have the patience to make a muslin version of the outfit first to make sure it fits before you cut into your precious fabric.... or having lost weight, having nothing in your closet that fits and needing to alter your clothing until you are sure that you are finished losing and can afford to buy new clothes once again; you'll understand why sewing enthusiasts love a dress-form.   I have looked at them for years wishing I could buy a ready made dress form but usually they are anywhere from $350 to $500.   Last month Fabricland had theirs on sale for $190.  Still, I can't justify that cost knowing full well that my weight goes up and down like a yo-yo. 

Since I haven't quite finished making mine; here is a sample picture from the tutorial I found.