Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year to 2012!!

Now that Christmas is past, I can show 2 quilts that I finished in December last year but I just couldn't add them to this blog because they were Christmas gifts for 2 of my sisters.
I have 5 sisters so that is a lot of quilts to make... and that will probably be the extent of my quilt giveaways as quilts do tend to be quite expensive... but I love my sisters dearly and so I don't mind splurging on them.

Gift #1: Modern Patchwork Squared Quilt Along Quilt (P2QA)... done!

Don't you just LOVE the quilting my friend Dalene did on this quilt??? !!

Leaves were quilted along the borders.
The brown with polka-dots was the backing.

My sister Christina loved this quilt.

 Gift #2: The Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along (SSSQA).  This quilt required a lot of paper-piecing and it was a lot of fun.

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Dalene quilted this one, too.  I just LOVE the pink stippling done on this quilt. 

My sister Rochelle loved this quilt.
(Her daughter Maleah is hiding behind this quilt - haha)

Now onto other projects:

The Christmas Tree Pants that I made fit quite nicely under our tree.

I finished Block #12 for the Birdie Stiches Quilt Along 2011

All 12 blocks (Canadian edition) of Birdie Stitches Quilt Along 2011

Block #6, "Cathedral Star",  for Fat Quarters Stars Quilt Along

The first 6 blocks for the Fat Quarters Stars Quilt Along.

Block 7, "Twinkle of Hope", for FQSQA

I didn't like my final edition of last month's Freebie 15 Companion, so I purchased another block & pieced it together the way I preferred...  This one is called "Pebbles".

Block #3 for my local quilt shop Traditional Pastimes "Freebie 15" quilt along.
This block is called "Ripples in the Sand"

Freebie 15 Block 3 Companion - "Snails"
(The colours are a tad yellow on this pic b/c of the lighting.)

I am not planning any new projects at this time as I have a few items that need finishing:
- 3 quilt tops that need batting, backing, binding, quilting
- ABC quilt that needs to be started... then completed
- piece twelve 9.5"x 9.5" stars together into a quilt
- work in progress on FQSQA & the "Freebie 15" quilt blocks

Hopefully, this will be the year that I will finally complete some photo albums!!

What is on your to-do list for 2012??

More Quilt Alongs...

As if I don't have enough projects on the go, I'm signing up for two more quilt-alongs.

Fat Quarters Stars Quilt Along is by Konda @ Moose on the Porch Quilts.  She organized the Jelly Roll Quilt Along & the Layer Cake Quilt Along & they were so much fun, so I know this one will be just as much fun!  

For this quilt along, I ordered Riley Blake's "Indian Summer" fabrics.  Hopefully, the package will arrive next week... and then I'll have a few weeks to drool over them as the quilt-along doesn't begin until the end of September (and it ends in March 2012).

I've also signed up for a fun little quilt... the Little Forest Quilt Along.  I can't remember what site I found it on, but I have it bookmarked on my Flickr, so I know I'll be able to start up when the quilt administrators start up that quilt along.  I think this will be a fun little Christmas quilt.  

I am now off work for a week, and I am intending to do a lot of sewing:

• piece my "tidier" version of the Synchronized Squares Quilt-Along
• quilt a black & white quilt
• quilt a blue/green/white quilt
• finish the final block for the Rockin Robin Quilt Along... then piece it together
• buy backing for the P2QA & the brown/pink/white quilt (Summer Sampler Series Quilt Along) quilt tops then start quilting them
• and of course, I will need to clean up my sewing desk & fabrics!

I am hoping to sew a few baby quilts to sell one day.  If any of my readers are interested in purchasing baby quilts, please contact me.  

It's been fun realizing that I have some blog followers... please drop me a line or comment... it's so nice to "meet" you!  :)

Happy Quilting!

A Busy & Satisfying Sewing Week

Finally... I have had time to catch up on some of my sewing & cross off a few items on my "to do" list.  Oh, that is a good feeling!!

Here's the June Star Search block (Two Toonies Thursdays @ Freckles Quilt Shop)

Only 2 more blocks to go until it gets quilted together!!

I finished off my 2 "Fandango" charm packs by making these 9 Disappearing 9 quilt blocks.  This will be a baby quilt that I will sell.  I have purchased the fabric for sashing, borders, backing & binding, but I have yet to sew/quilt it together. 

The first 6 months for Birdie Stitches Quilt Along.

I sewed 2.5x2.5 pieces together that will eventually be part of the backing for the Birdie Stitches Quilt Along quilt.

A photographer friend made a paper mobile for her baby due in October, so I attempted to make a paper mobile as well.  I used hemp twine; I cut each circle out by scissors and knotted each circle to the strands.
I chose the black & white because babies respond best to those colours; red is just for fun.  

Remember the black & white fabric that I won??
Here is a sneak peek of the another quilt that I'm still working on.  

I made this baby hat & the flowers a while back but I just didn't take a photo of them until now.

Another baby hat I crocheted a month or two ago. 

2 dishcloths.  The small one was a sampler one.
I had great intentions of crocheting more dishcloths but my wrists just don't tolerate it too well.    I would rather be quilting anyways.  

I just HAD to add this one... this is my son's craft from his daycare home.    Not bad for a 21 month old. (Ok,admittedly everything was cut, and he had help but he still put the circles on the glue on the paper.)
What a cute little ladybug.

The web photo of Modern Workshop fabric line  - for my next project.

The "real" fabric for Modern Workshops fabric line.
This is the fabric I won from Moose on the Porch Quilts for my Layer Cake Quilt Along.
I will now be using this fabric for another quilt along: The Synchonized Squares Quilt Along.
Quilt-alongs are fun... can you tell I enjoy them??

I also sewed 2.5 x 5 pieces of solid colours together for my P2QA quilt.

My finished quilt top for P2QA (Patchwork Squared Modern Solids Quilt Along).
I'm sure my quilt recipient will be quite happy with this quilt.
Now if only I can find some nice fabric for the backing!!
Quilt top measures 58" x 72".

Two Sewing Tasks this Week

I put the sewing machine away downstairs for a few days because we've been busy with other things, and I also worked a few 12-hour shifts at the hospital.

I managed to add the sashing to my P2QA (Patchwork Squared Modern Solids Quilt-Along) but I ran out of the chocolate brown fabric so I'll finish up the border another day.  

I'm pretty pleased with this quilt so far. 

(Yes, I know... I've obviously not ironed it for the photo.)

Our new kitchen chairs have white padded seats, and they will certainly not stay white for long... especially with our little toddler.  

Off to Value Village I went & I found this tweed fabric for about $6.  

And guess what... I had JUST enough fabric to cover all 6 chairs.  

I think these seat covers look pretty nifty, and we love the colours of the fabric... and I can easily remove them & wash them.  

Lollipop Quilt is Done!!

This week I finished my "Lollipop" quilt!! I just looove this quilt!!

This was the Layer Cake Quilt Along using Sandy Gervais's line of fabric called "Lollipops". It is such a happy, fun quilt.

I did some free-motion loopy-doop loops.

The back panel is a tad "off" - ie, not centred, but I love it nonetheless.

I also caught up on my blocks:

The April "Star Sampler" block

4 blocks for the P2QA (Patchwork Squared Modern Solids Quilt Along):

"Stacked"

"Tailspin"

"4 Wheeler"

"Air Castle"

The colours look different from the first 2 P2QA blocks to the last 2 blocks... different camera & different light... & no photo editing (just cropping).

And finally, here is a photo of a little baby hat I crocheted a few weeks ago & have been forgetting to add to the blog. It has been years since I have crocheted, and it is the first hat I have ever crocheted. It's not perfect, but it was good practice.