At Long Last: An Update!

Wow, has it really been more than 2 months since I updated my blog?! 

Wherever does time go?

Here is what I have been up to...

I had my "Floating Stars" quilt quilted by my friend Dalene, and here is the finale, complete with binding.

Don't you just LOVE the pattern?

I finished the Aim for Accuracy Quilt top.  

Backing & batting purchased, now awaiting quilting.

This pattern is a small version of Heather Spence's "Dan's Climb" quilt

I added a brown chenille as the backing. 

I participated in Heather Spence's bi-annual mystery quilt, and this is the finished quilt top for the Fall 2013 Mystery Quilt.  It is called "Mum's the Word".  

Isn't it delightful?

The border looks like strawberries on this photo but it actually is flowers, and it is Moda fabrics that match quite closely to the jelly roll fabrics "Vin du Jour".

I will finish the backing next year.

We visited family in BC in October for Canadian Thanksgiving, and I took this quilt along so I could finish off the binding... and then leave it at my parents' place so they could pass it along to my niece, Miss B, who wanted this quilt.  

This "Plenty of Fish" quilt is huge!  

I love the stars & swirls pattern that Dalene did for this quilt!

So... with a baby on the way, I wanted to do some sewing... but a sewer I am NOT!!!!!

I botched up this fitted crib sheet.

Somehow I messed up the measurements then cut the corners of the fabric, realized my mistake, then had to add inserts (2, not 1 - duh!!) into the centre of the crib sheet.  

Ok, just fire me!  Fail!!

Thankfully, it is a busy pattern, and it isn't a main show piece, so hopefully baby will not be bothered by it.

Sigh!

I made a nursing pillow cover from the same Dr. Seuss black/white/red fabric.

I haven't finished my last block from Traditional Pastimes's "Vintage Plates" Freebie 15 series, so nothing to show for that one.

This year's theme for the Freebie 15 is Spice Bazaar.

It will be comprised of squares & rectangles.

Sounds easy, but a lot of the instructions are in 1/16" measurements - ugh.  

Here are the new Freebie 15 blocks: the Freebie (left - "Anise") and the companion (right - "Cinnamon") as well as 20 4-inch 4-squares.  

(Photo taken on iPhone, thus the lousy colour quality.)

Seven more weeks until baby's due date!!!

What's Been Going On...

Life has been so incredibly busy, but we forced ourselves to slow down, bail out on certain events, and I took a few vacation days from my (paid) job ... so that has meant some time to catch up on some sewing.  Ahhh... quilting therapy!!!

In my last post I had added a photo with a "sneak peek" of what I was working on...

Voila!!

The Floating Stars with a Twist quilt top all done!

I have done a few Mystery Quilts with Heather Spence, and she hasn't disappointed yet!  All her quilt designs have been amazing!  Pattern proceeds go toward cancer patients.

For the Spring 2013 Mystery Quilt, I have selected 3 fabrics from Riley Blake's "Pieces of Hope" line.  

Here's some info from the Riley Blake website:

More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes or pediatric AIDS combined. Autism affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys–a 600 percent increase in prevalence over the past two decades.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors.
Riley Blake Designs is excited to team up with Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism.
Autism Speaks also stresses the importance of recognizing the early signs of autism and seeking early intervention services.  The most important thing you can do as a parent or caregiver is to learn the early signs of autism.  Early intervention can make a lifetime of difference.
Pieces of Hope was inspired by a child with autism, whose family are employees of Riley Blake Designs.  Autism Speaks and Riley Blake Designs thank you for your support, which provides hope for all those affected by autism.
To help increase autism awareness and fund more research to help find a cure, Riley Blake Designs will donate a significant portion to Autism Speaks from the sales of this exciting new fabric collection, Pieces of Hope.

I think this will be a fun quilt indeed!

 A long time ago, I downloaded a Mystery Stars quilt top design from Blue Patch Quilts 'n Things in the U.K.
I am finally getting a move on this quilt...

Friendship Star - 9"

Friendship Plaits
3.5" x 15.5"

Ohio Star - 9"

Friendship Star - 9"

Ohio Star - 9"

Block 9 - 12"

Tippecanoe Blocks - 6.5" each

Block No. 8 - 18.5"

Clay's Choice - 12"

Starry Path - 12.5"

Garden Patch - 21"
My favourite block of the bunch thus far

Local quilt shop Traditional Pastimes Freebie 15 has provided new learning perspectives this time round... lots of Y-seams... and I initially did not enjoy them, but I'm getting better at it... certainly not perfect, but that is what an iron is for... and hopefully my mishaps will never be noticed once the quilt is completed!  :)

This year's Freebie blocks are VINTAGE PLATES.

March 2013 Vintage Plate: "Old Sandwich"

Old sandwich is a pattern that was made by Heisey from 1931-1956.  Primarily this pattern was made in pinks, yellows, greens and crystal.  Heisey formulated plans for his own glass company in the 1890s.  He chose Newark, Ohio for many reasons - natural gas was abundant and the cost of labour was low.  Construction on the factory began in 1895 and was completed in April 1896.  The factory had three furnaces and employed about 700 people.  In 1900 a trademark was designed by Heisey's son and became the famous H within a diamond which was registered in 1901.  The Heisey company advertised its glassware in magazines and their product was sold worldwide.  E. Wilson Heisey popularized coloured glass in 1922 but by the time he died in 1942 coloured glass had all but disappeared from the market.

March 2013 Freebie Vintage Plate Block - 16.5"

The first 6 Vintage Plates blocks

Vintage Plate - April 2013 - "Canary Glass"

Yellow depression glass or canary as it was also referred to is a less common colour.  The Sharon or cabbage rose pattern was found in yellow.  This particular pattern has well defined sprays of cabbage roses, stems and leaves of Sharon, cabbage rose, Mayfair and rosemary all used rose motifs...looking at these together one can see that the rosemary pattern is a hybrid of the other two motifs rather than a unique pattern.  Mayfair had scalloped edges and to see who would win the war of the roses, the Sharon pattern became the most popular and continued in production until 1939; golden glow was the most plentiful colour followed by rose glow and springtime green.  During the depression the Quaker Oats Company along with other food companies put pieces of glassware in their boxes of product as an incentive to purchase.  Movie theaters and other business would hand out glassware just for coming in the door.

April 2013 Freebie Vintage Plate Block - 16.5"

Way back (last autumn) I started the companion blocks for the Freebie 15 blocks.  The companions were 2 of the same block but 8.5" square instead of the 16.5" Freebie block.  Somehow the final plan will be to have a massive quilt... but I quit the companion blocks once I tried piecing the following block... it had all sorts of crazy Y-seams.  Now that I have had some experience with the bigger blocks and Y-seams, I decided to tackle this block.  It is totally NOT straight nor perfect, but it doesn't matter.  I think I'll simply make a little table runner with this block.  

Vintage Plate Companion #2 - Hobnail

 Fenton Hobnail glass dating from the 1930s is decorated with a pattern of bumps.  The term being hobnail comes from the nails with thick heads that were used to secure and protect boot soles.  Early hobnail had a certain look with a wooden lid or stopper.  At this time, the manufacturers mark was found under the lid.

Vintage Plate Companion #2 - 8"

Works now in progress:

• Spring 2013 Mystery Quilt
• Finish Blue Patch Star Quilt Top
• Start/Catch up on Plenty of Fish Quilt Along (I wanted to finish the Blue Patch Star Quilt first so I can use leftover pinks and purples in the POF quilt along)
• finish binding on 2 quilts
• find backing for Floating Stars Quilt