August Crafts & Sewing Projects... and a Bit o' News

August was a busy month with crafts and sewing, and for some reason, I just haven't put photos onto this blog...until now... but with the downpour of rain outside, what better day to do that than today!  

I found this candy bouquet idea on Pinterest.

Inside the large canning jar are 2 slinkies with small Hot Wheels cars inside them, and jelly beans around/under/on top of the slinkies.

A big piece of foam on the jar mouth, poked with lollipops.

Gummy worms between the lollipops to make the present more boy'ish.

Tied with a ribbon & some boy-coloured balloons.

All set for a fun boy birthday gift.

I signed up for another fun Mystery Quilt by Heather Spence Designs.  

This MQ starts October 4.

Here is the fabric that I purchased for the MQ.

Oooh, ahhh, so exciting.

One of my nieces, Miss S., posing on the quilt she received from her quilty aunty. 

Sister J also received a quilt from me, same pattern but different colours.

My niece, Miss K, has requested a quilt in green, purple and teal.

Here are some of the blocks thus far (quilt still not finished) for the Aim for Accuracy Quilt Along.

My mother-in-law made these quilt blocks last year as part of her local quilt store's BOM.

MIL was involved in a car accident in January this year, and because of residual nerve/muscle damage, she is unable to complete this quilt, so she gave me fabric for the quilt top, backing and binding, and she asked me to complete the quilt for her.

Here is the finished quilt top.

Quilt is now at the quilter's for "sandwiching."

I recently participated in the Plenty of Fish quilt along, andI used up my scrap fabrics (although I did need to purchase whites/creams and greens).  Here is the finished quilt top - big enough for over a double bed.
This one is now also at the quilter's awaiting completion.

And Finally...

A New Baby Quilt.

Yup, I am preggers and Flutterbug is due January 8, 2014!!

We have no idea if this will be a boy or a girl, so I am sewing boy and girl blankets.

I couldn't find any girl blankets at one store I visited, but I did find this sorta-neutral, but probably-more-boy quilt top, and I added a light green chenille to the backing.

(Girl blankets yet to be purchased and sewn.)

Catching up...

Well, I thought with September would come plenty of time to finally catch up on my unfinished projects... but it has taken me an additional 2+ months to finally feel like I got somewhere in my sewing/quilting world!  

Funny how life simply gets so busy!

Remember this quilt?

This was my Spring 2012 Mystery Quilt.

I raffled it off for cancer, and we received $710 in donations that went toward the Canadian Cancer Society.  The winner of the quilt was Ellis V. of Lethbridge.

Congratulations, Ellis!

For the group of ladies from church that make quilts for people with cancer, I made this bag.  

The quilt top has the same design hearts on it, and I used leftover quilt fabrics to make this bag.

The bag is used to store the finished quilt.

Approximate size: 18" x 20"

I can't remember where I came across these wonky designs, but this brown quilt top is my version of someone else's quilt.  I just used some scrap fabrics.  (The colours on this pic are terrible: the colours are actually browns and some green/yellows.)

33" x 41"

 I finally finished up the last 2 blocks for Traditional Pastimes' Freebie 15 series.

"Seaweed" - September 2012
12" x 12"

"Sea Shells" - September 2012
12" x 12"

Traditional Pastimes came out with FUN COLOURS for the next year's Freebie 15 ~ YAY!!
This year we will be doing up Vintage Plates... what a fun idea... but I'm not sure how I'll display dinner plates on a bed.  (haha)  The finished quilt will be 92" square!

October's Freebie 15 Companion:

"Abbey" Vintage Plate

This romantic ruined abbey pattern first saw the light of day in the 1800s as Abbey Wreath and was made by Adams.  At the Adams bankruptcy sale in 1861 George Jones bought the printing plates for the design, but it was not until 1901 that his sons re-launched their "new" Abbey pattern.  It became hugely popular and remained in production until 1940, with many people first coming across it in the mid 1930s when the breakfast cereal Shredded Wheat offered free dishes and discounts across a range of breakfast and teaware in Abbey." 

8" x 8"

I only made one small dinner plate, but I "broke" my second dish... I started cutting the fabrics wrong, so this is what I ended up with.  

I will have to figure out how to use this "plate"... but I'll probably make a new plate.

8" x 8"

October's Freebie 15: this lovely bright, fun-coloured plate:

"Aynsley England" Vintage Plate

The pottery firm of Aynsley and Sons opened in Stoke-on-Trent in 1775.  Over the centuries, the Aynsley firm perfected the art of making English bone china, and it continues to be recognized for the high production qualities.  Even though the company has introduced many modern designs, many of the early traditional patterns including "Orchard Gold" and "Cottage Garden" continue to be produced today, and are exported to stores in over 80 countries.

16" x 16"

A crib quilt made of extra fabrics.

37" x 42"

Back of the crib quilt.

 Every Friday for the past 6 Fridays, I have been participating in Heather Spence's Fall 2012 Mystery Quilt.   This is my second quilt along with Heather, and it has been fun.
The pattern proceeds benefit someone living with cancer.

Fall 2012 Mystery Quilt
61" x 61"

 And FINALLY... the 24 2011-2012 Freebie 15 & Companion quilt blocks... all sewn together.
I have to add some sashing & about 200+ hourglass units around the edges, but at least the quilt blocks are sewn together.
I wish I would have done sashing between the blocks, but there is no way I'll be pulling this quilt apart!
All in all, I'm happy with it.  I has been a great learning experience, even though I didn't always enjoy the minute sewing/quilting required for some of these blocks, but I did it!
I'll post pix when I finally finish the quilt top!

Top measures 69" x 69" at this point... and still not done!

Keeping Busy but Slowing Down

With Christmas just around the corner, I have been busy but definitely slowing down.  It's been a time of catching up on those small projects in my sewing stash, and it feels so good to get this accomplished.

Cotton/flannel baby receiving blanket & foam block with tags.

Baby Sun Ray Toys

Block 5 "Strawberry Fields Star" for Moose on the Porch's quilt along.
Fabric: "Indian Summer" by Riley Blake.

Block 2a for Sand and Sea Glass quilt along

Block 2 for Sand and Sea Glass quilt along
I kinda messed this one up a bit... and I wish the star points were brown instead of the cream.  Oh well.

12 - 3.5" hourglass blocks

I finally finished the last Star Sampler block.  I was unable to finish this set b/c the local quilt store where I had purchased this set closed.  Another local quilt store has helped me select this star with a "courtyard steps" centre.

All 12 stars - done.
Now to decide how to set them into a quilt top... but that will have to wait until next year.

This quilt top has been sitting in bits & pieces on my sewing project stash for what seems forever... so it feels nice to get it done.  I'll finish this one next year, too.

Keeping Busy

I have 3 quilts for sale on Etsy: the Little Forest Quilt posted previously & the first 2 crib quilts pictured below.  

If you are interested in purchasing a quilt, please order through Etsy or contact me directly.

November block for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along

 I started another quilt along through my local quilt shop Traditional Pasttimes: 24 - 12.5 x 12.5 blocks to be done Oct 2011 to Sept 2012; there will be a lot of little blocks that will somehow be incorporated into the quilt when the blocks are done.

Sand & Sea block - October 2011

Sand & Sea block - October 2011

Sand & Sea small blocks

BLock #4 for Fat Quarters Stars Quilt Along

Flannel scarf.
My sister visited me 2 years ago and she had this style scarf on.  It was so easy to make, and I even had the flannel & velcro for the past 2 years, but I just didn't sew it together.
This scarf will be lovely when it gets really cold here in Calgary.

My first attempt at a zippered pouch.  Not perfect, but good enough.

I finally just finished up this table runner.
This was a quilt along that I started earlier this year and I just never got around to doing the 5th block.
I like how this Tea Runner turned out.
I think I'll add this one to Etsy, too.

Sew Fun

I am trying to keep NOT to busy with my quilting as there is still a mountain of sewing & quilting to be done.

My most recent quilt-along was a Christmas Tree Pants Sew-Along "because not all trees wear skirts".  We always get a real Christmas tree at Christmas time, and the little tree skirt I have just doesn't fit nicely under the tree - especially since the tree "holder" is a large heavy plastic dish-like container with special screws to hold the tree in place.  

Now... I am happy to have a home-made tree skirt pants for our tree this year.

Bring on Christmas!!

First I made a bunch of stars

Then I added some sashing & a border... and DONE!!
Quilt top measures 51" x 51"

Back of Christmas Tree Pants

Last day of October but I finally finished my edition of the October block for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along.

Block #3 for Fat Quarters Stars Quilt Along

All 3 stars so far.
Fabric: Indian Summer by Riley Blake - so lovely!!


I am now also on ETSY!!
I have added 3 quilt tops to Etsy & they are for sale.