A FINISHED X AND PLUS QUILT

This quilt started last fall when Cindy contacted me about being her partner for an x and + swap that Carla and Susan were starting. I immediately said yes and we set about choosing our colour palette. I couldn't find our inspiration picture when writing this post, but perhaps Cindy will have it.

We decided on 64 blocks. Each month we made 4 pair of blocks. 4 to keep and 4 to trade.  It was so much fun getting them in the mail each month because her fabrics were so different from mine  : )
Today is the day for the reveal

My quilt

The blocks were sewn together randomly which resulted in some lighter areas but that's ok. I had fun just grabbing the next block and sewing it on.
While quilting this, I was thinking of where I might go for a little photo shoot. I knew of a small waterfall that my son has taken pictures of and I asked him if he could take me there.  His reply was "I think you could make it"

So...........channeling my inner 'mountain goat',  off we went.

There is much less water right now so we didn't get too wet.......

Seeing as how we traded blocks every month, I knew when I saw this fabric that it would make the perfect backing. It's called  '8 days a week' by Windham fabrics. The binding is a scrappy mix of leftover turquoise bits.

I'm super happy that I joined in this swap. I just love this quilt! Thank you Cindy for being such an awesome partner.

I'm linking up today with Lollyquiltz where you can see more x and + quilts made by others who partnered up

quilt stats:
58 x 58
pieced by Cindy and me
quilted by me

linking up with finish it up Friday

BACK AT IT

Quite some time ago, I started working on the blocks from Tula Pink's book 100 Modern Blocks.
Like most projects, it got lost in the shuffle somewhere. Cindy has started a sort of quilt along where we choose which project we are going to purpose to work on. It's called "Choose your own block- along"

I thought of these blocks right away , especially after seeing she is doing the same ones.  Perhaps with each others help, we can get this quilt done  : )

So, this week I made a few more

Here they are all together.   I'm nearly a quarter of the way there

It's been fun reviving this project and I think the accountability will really help me keep at it
Is there a quilt you want to revive?  Why not join us. The more the merrier  : )

linking up with Live a Colourful Life   

WORKS IN PROGRESS

There's always lots going on in my sewing room but these are the projects I'm currently puttering on.

Hexies. I'm always working on hexies       : )

I'm quilting my X and + quilt.  More on that next week

I am so so close to the toe of this sock. Still loving this yarn!

and lastly, the scraps from the little quilt I recently finished came with me to the yarn shop so I could match them for a hat.  Aren't these gorgeous???  Can't believe how perfect they are.

Have a great week end

linking up with wool on Sundays

MODERN FALL

This past month at the Modern Quilt Group I attend, we were issued a challenge.  It was 'Modern Fall'.  We could make anything we wanted.  I started with a fat quarter bundle of Shot cottons in plum and mustard and envisioned flying geese.

When I saw this block on Flickr, I was inspired to make it,  and turn it into a pillow

It's a quilt as you go tutorial that can be found at 'Let's Eat Grandpa' .  Everything in me wants to put a comma in there   : )

My first triangle ended up being a bit wonky but I decided to just leave it and make them all slightly crooked

I did straight line quilting in two different patterns which was easy and fun. For some reason the batting bearded through which is made more noticeable on the solid fabrics

The pillow ended up about 17 1/2" square

linking up with Anything goes Mondays
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FRIDAY PHOTOS

Friday again. Time is certainly zipping by now that summer is fading. This past week I decided to get a jump on Christmas and made these stockings

I loosely followed this tutorial. So loosely in fact,  that they aren't even the same size...........

The fabrics are Cotton & Steel which will be coming to Katja's shoppe this month. Yay!

The big green button was one I had, and the metal one I found at Michaels.

I am rather fond of it  : )

Have you started your Christmas sewing yet?

linking up with Crazy Mom quilts

A FINISHED ARROW QUILT

Archery is done. After hours and hours (days)  of straight line quilting, it's finished.

The other day hubby and I were out looking for a place to take a photo, when one of my boys called. He was way up in the hills with a flat tire.  May as well turn a negative situation into a positive one!
The scenery really lent itself to the quilt I think

Behind the arrows, I quilted a large arc to simulate a bow. The idea was to make it look like they had just been shot.  Then some swirly swishy lines.  In hind sight, I should have just done straight lines all the way across.  Oh well, live and learn          : )

quilt stats:
designed, pieced and quilted by me
fabrics are Cotton and Steel
approx. 42 x 50

linking up with Anything goes Mondays

THE CHALLENGE

Last month marked 15 years that Katja's Quilt Shoppe has been open. I've been there for 12 of them.
That hardly seems possible.  As part of the celebration, Katja issued her customers a challenge based on a theme.

There were three things our challenge had to include:
1. the theme of the challenge was time, and our project had to portray that
2. we had to include a piece of the calendar fabric she gave us
3. there had to be an english paper pieced component to it

The idea that came to mind first was the desire to slow down time. Taking time to just enjoy the simple act of having  coffee with a friend -- something I seldom do

I pictured an old whitewashed brick wall, with vintage coffee advertisements on it. Looking things up on pinterest was fun!  I had no idea there was a Bliss coffee. Seeing that's my hubby's name, I had to include it. The pictures were printed out using 'Printed Treasures'

I quilted words in some of the bricks- 'offer your heart'   'a sip'   and 'linger'

my favourite flavour  : )

Who knew there was red rose coffee!

The challenge fabric didn't really work with my quilt, so I made it a little napkin under the mug

and for the english paper pieced element I did diamonds reflecting the window (with little windows -ha!)

It was fun to just play around with this quilt

For now, it will hang in my kitchen as a reminder to sit and enjoy my coffee rather than drink it on the run.

quilt stats:
original design
inspired by my love of coffee
39" x 45"

linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts

A JELLY ROLL JAM FINISH

Last year there was a quick jellyroll pattern called Jelly Roll Jam and now there is another free pattern called Jelly Roll Jam 2.  After seeing several of them made up, I decided to make one myself using a mix of Kaffe Fassett, Tula Pink,  and even a batik! The plumb 'grunge' fabric is an accent and the binding. It seemed to be the perfect colour.

What a fast and fun little quilt to sew!

for the quilting I did free motion 'chrysanthemums' to give it texture

The backing is a Kaffe Fassett print with giant cabbage roses all over.  It's gorgeous.

Even though these are quite grown up prints, I'm thinking a plumb coloured knitted hat may be in order to make this a nice little shower gift.  There is sure to be a baby girl sooner or later    : )

quilt stats:
36 x 38
pieced and quilted by me
pattern JellyRoll Jam 2

linking up with Anything goes Mondays
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