Finished Quilting Projects

Wednesday, 4 January 2017

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?

Sunday, 4 December 2016

The Two & a Half Year Project

Well I have a pretty special finish to share today. In the month of June in 2014, I received my first of twelve BOM from Fat Quarter Shop's Designer Mystery Quilt.


I joined for many reasons. First of all, I love a surprise. And a surprise that involves fabric is even better! Second, I wanted to further my skills as a quilter. I can't tell you how much I looked forward to getting these blocks every month. And the fabric line is gorgeous. It is called "Snowbird" by Laundry Basket Quilts.

Here's a quick peek at all the blocks.

Block One "Magical Anna" by Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.

Block Two "Sweet Jordan" by Karla Eisenach, Susan Kendrick and Lisa Burnett of Sweetwater.

Block Three "Feisty Phyllis" by Bonnie Olaveson of Cotton Way and Camille Roskelley of Thimble Blossoms.

Block Four "Beautiful Joy" by Sandy Gervais of Pieces From My Heart.

Block Five "Brilliant Lissa" by Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson of Minick and Simpson.

Block Six "Honorable Jake" by Vanessa Christenson of V and Co.
 
Block Seven "Dear Marysia" by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts
 
 
Block Eight "Joyful Julie" by Kate Spain. I couldn't find a picture of the finished block eight so you have a close-up picture of the block on the quilt ;)
 
Block Nine "Dear Robert" by Lynn Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters

Block Ten "Sunshine Lily" by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs.
 
Block Eleven "Sister Mary" by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson of Me and My Sister Designs. 

Block Twelve "Fast Eddie" by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.

And now for the reveal....






I sent this quilt to Mira's Stitch N Post to be quilted. I wasn't sure how to quilt it and doing this on my Singer 9960 just wasn't practical. Now that I have my Platinum 16, I will probably quilt the larger quilts on that machine now...possibly all my quilts.


It was an incredible journey. I would love to sign up for another BOM sometime in the future. Next year I would like to concentrate on getting my WIP pile to a manageable level....I think I have 9 projects in various steps of progress. 

I'm sorry this journey is over but the ending was beautiful :)