First Finish of 2017!

This past weekend I was able to get the binding on the quilt that I am donating to a Relay for Life fundraiser in my hometown. I try to donate a quilt for this cause that is close to my heart every second year. Various family members are cancer survivors including my mom. So I always try to help out when I can. Without further ado, here is the 2017 Relay Quilt.

I really love this Nighttime Blossoms Pattern! And it is so quick to get together. Of course, my fabrics seem more like Sunrise Blossoms ;)

The allover Swirl pattern went perfectly with this quilt. I also had to finish it fast to get it down to my hometown for the fundraiser.

At first, I was a bit tense quilting my first section of swirls. As I moved along though, it became easier and I found the quilt flow was relaxing. Just had to get over my first fear of it turning out disastrous! 

I am really happy with the result and almost wish I could keep it! Since it is going to a cause close to my heart, I have an easier time giving it up. However I do feel like I would like to make this quilt for myself again sometime ;)

Blocks and more Blocks

So this month has pushed me in the direction of doing multiple blocks for multiple projects. I'm working on these blocks.

There are so many pieces so definitely have to label all the fabrics to keep them straight. And to add to my insanity, I decided to modify the pattern to only create those blocks.

I've completed 5 of these blocks.

So far I'm quite happy with how these are turning out. 

Next up, I had to make a block for a quilt that my Fundy guild is making. Here is the block that I was assigned to make.

Cute little chick block. I'm not too excited about the hand stitching. I would have much rather machine stitched those legs.

I also cut up strips for a fabric strip swap happening within my Fundy Guild. Every month you cut up strips for the members involved in the club. Each month is a different colour. Red is the colour for February so here are my 2-1/2" strips.

At the end of the year, each member will have close to 4 rainbow jelly rolls :)

I'm still continuing with my fabric fast! I've almost put a fabric order in more than a couple of times. I debated and had a great person talk me out of it ;)

It does feel good to be using fabrics from my stash! 

So how has the first month of 2017 been for you? Did you get much sewing time in?

Ah Fabric....

So this past week contained lots of packages! I haven't posted much stash purchases for a while. It's not because I haven't been buying anything. It's because I haven't been posting those purchases. Here are my final purchases for 2016!

I had been waiting until after Christmas to purchase Quilt with Tula & Angela. If you follow my blog, you already know that I absolutely love Angela Walters' books. I am a huge fan of her work and her personality is great. Tula Pink is another favourite designer and fun to follow. I knew a book with the two of them collaborating would be epic! And this book does not disappoint! I've only thumbed through a bit of it and I am so impressed! And of course since I need to make another purchase to obtain Free Shipping, In The Studio with Angela Walters happened to tumble in my cart. I'm just expanding my collection of her books :)

Dinkydoo Fabrics had a Boxing Day sale....I was trying to not purchase any more fabric. At the beginning of the sale, I went through it but decided that I didn't need more fabric. Then I got an email about it being the last chance at the sale about a week later. My sister happened to be visiting and I asked if she wanted anything so we could split the cost of shipping. We actually ordered enough that we received Free Shipping...so much for not buying any fabric!

Don't you just love those Fat Quarter bundles?! These are bundled up by Dinkydoo Fabrics. We also had a large enough order that we received a set of scissors. I kept these smaller ones and my sister will receive the larger ones. Dinkydoo Fabrics also has a Rewards Club and they are Canadian in case you were 

wondering ;)

Another Canadian quilt shop that I received fabric from is Fabric Please!

Check out this awesome packaging. And a FREE Fat Quarter too! I may have also starting looking into a trip to Toronto for 2017 Quilt Canada....

Inside that delightful package are these gorgeous fabrics.

Ah. I just love pretty fabric! Take a closer look at my favourite out of this bunch!

There's just something about blueprints that I cannot resist!

I also got this lovely bundle of fabrics from my husband for Christmas...and a gift card to my LQS ;)

The fact that my husband supports my habit is all I need but him going to a fabric store to buy me fabric and thread makes me realize I am one lucky girl!

So all these purchases over one week has made me realize that I should cut back this year. USE a lot of that pretty fabric that I've been hoarding for years. I may not be able to give any quilts away but I will use my fabric!

 

So as of January 1st, I started a "fabric diet". I do have my week long sewing trip booked for May so I WILL be buying fabric then. Every diet needs an incentive! It's like exercising and dieting for that beach vacation. I do have a few gift cards that I can use if I want a "treat" but I can't spend over that amount. I also will purchase items like batting, thread, etc to finish off projects. But I will not purchase any fabric, unless it has to do with a specific project and absolutely have nothing in my stash to finish it! 

I am already "jonesing" for some fabric but I am trying to resist the temptation! Anyone else going on a "fabric diet" this year?

2017! New Year, New Resolutions

I haven't blogged much but I've still been busy in my sewing room over the month of December. One of the projects that I have been working on, is a quilt that I will donate for the Relay for Life fundraiser in my hometown. I pulled these fabrics for that quilt at the beginning of December.

I selected yellow fabrics because all cancer survivors wear yellow as a symbol of their survival against cancer.

I donated a quilt back in 2015 for this same fundraiser. I try to give as much as I can to different charities and other fundraisers.  I actually know the couple who won this quilt.

The man who won it is a cancer survivor and his wife was a substitute teacher to me when I was in school. I no longer live in my hometown but I try to help out there when I can. 

This 2017 Relay quilt went together very quickly for me. The pieces are large and with chain piecing, the blocks come together very quickly.

The pattern is called Nighttime Blossoms. Originally I had no plans to make this quilt but that's what I love about keeping my old magazines. I love going through them and discovering quilts that I had previously dismissed. I also dismiss some quilts that I previously tagged to make. It's amazing to see how my vision changes (sometimes drastically!) from one year to the next. I really don't like to make quilts twice but I may make an exception for this one!

Since this one was fairly quick, I didn't take many pictures during the process. Here's the layout.

I quilted this quilt using my midarm since I want more practice and want to justify making that purchase! Here's a small peek at one of the blocks and the quilting.

I did allover swirls on this quilt. I felt like it was the best option for quilting quickly and just fit with the pattern of the quilt. I just need to attach the binding on this one. Followed by a wash and dry. Then it can be taken to my hometown where they will sell tickets on it to fundraise donations for the Relay for Life event there.

My Fundy guild is also making a donation quilt and is asking for blocks from members. The idea is to construct a block using your initials. Mine are JAD so I came up with this.

Jasmine And a Dragonfly

I am not the greatest at figuring these cryptic blocks but I'm ok with the result. 

As for my 2017 resolutions, I would like to tackle my large WIPs pile. These are most of them...

Each one of those cases contains a WIP. Sometimes it's just a fabric pull and pattern. Other ones have blocks at various stages, some have cut fabric....lots of different stages of the quilting process. I would like to get through these containers this year....maybe it's wishful thinking but I'm going to try! These 14" square scrapbooking cases from Michaels work perfectly to contain projects. I've picked up quite a few over the years. You can usually get them for $4.99 regular price. I've gotten them for $2.99 at times ;) I absolutely think they are essential to my sewing room. 

So besides all these WIPs, I would also like to make use of my overloaded scrap bins. I'm hoping to make a block a month from those bins....once I figure out what block I want to make. More on this to come....

And of course I'm sure a few baby quilts will be tossed in the mix. Those are sort of unpredictable when they come up ;)

So what are your 2017 goals?