Thursday, February 25, 2016

OBW

OBW or One Block Wonder.  It truly amazes me what one person can make using just one piece of fabric.

This is my One Block Wonder top and the fabric in the border is what those hexagons were made from.
Perhaps I could have played around with the layout some more and then perhaps not.  I'm just glad that it is done and I can move on to something else.  One part of me likes this pattern, and the other side, well not so much.  It really isn't me, but I can cross this off my bucket list.  I'm sure there is someone in the family who will want this quilt when it is all done.  DH has said that he really likes this quilt.  It has a lot of movement and he likes that in a quilt.

What I did enjoy was the whole process of cutting the fabric and then making the hexagons and then the sewing of the rows of half-hexagons.  It was the laying out of the hexagons that I didn't really enjoy.  

Here are just a few hexagons that I made.  Turning the triangles one way gave a total different look and for a few hexagons, it was hard to decide which look I liked the best.  There are some duplicates (truly amazing how that happened) and those I kept.  In my layout, some of those duplicates came in handy to complete the design that I was aiming for.
 Below, is a closer look at the fabric.
Have a great day!

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Brrr ....

-30C and -42C with the wind chill.  That is the temperature forecast for this morning.  Damn .... that is cold.  Those temps are cold enough to freeze your nostrils together if your nose is not covered up.  Watch out for frost bite.  That could happen in the matter of minutes.

This wall hanging says it all.  This is an oldie, but perfect for this morning.  (In case anyone asks, this is my design and there is no pattern available.  I've been asked often about this quilt.  Thank you!).
We have LOTS of snow.
We only venture outside if we have to.  Ashes, the cat, knows where to get warm.  Right in front of the fire.
 She also has a tent that she can escape to to stay warm.  It is well padded, dark, warm and cosy.
What about the humans in this house.  Yes, we are nice and warm too.

I've been hunkering down and sewing on my appliqué guild top.  The border pieces have all been sewn together.  I'm just sewing the tabs onto a piece of background fabric.  It is hard to see here.  My intention is for the centre to float.  That is why the outer border is cream coloured.
Well, it is time for a nice cup of hot tea.

Have a great day!

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Applique quilt

As well as working on other UFO's, I've been working on the appliqué quilt that I designed for my day guild.

The last time I posted about this quilt (back in October 2015), it was at this stage:
Over the past few weeks, a lot of sewing got done.  This is the final layout of the centre.  Can you see the blocks that have pieces of paper pinned to them? Those are the months that the blocks will be presented to the guild.  A lot of work has gone into the planning and designing and I'm so happy with the way it turned out.
February's blocks will be these two (not the heart block as that one has already been presented):
So, I was sitting in my chair and looking at the top on my design wall and wondering what to do with the borders.  I could have gone simple and called it done.  But noooooo .... that would not do for me.  So, I played and thought and played some more.  This is the result.  I'm wondering if this type of border has been done before?  Anyway, I LOVE it!
Have a great day!

Thursday, February 4, 2016

A Finish

Well, well, well .... my first finish for 2016!

Maizey Daisies.  Isn't she a beauty!
This is the back.
The quilting.  Nope, I didn't do the quilting.  Kelly Schroeder from The Cottage Quilter did the quilting for me.
 I like how she mimicked the paisley in the light blue fabric and used that as the inspiration for quilting.
Feathers in the borders.

The label.  The label looks crooked here and I tried to take another shot.  As soon as I put it down on the coffee table, Miss Ashes was on the sofa looking on and immediately came over.  So, no second photo.  I don't want any cat hairs on this quilt since it is being donated.
The quilt is being donated for our guilds' upcoming quilt show in September of this year.

The Dresden Plates template came from a McCall's magazine (of which I no longer have the copy but you can purchase a copy of it here) and then I did the alternating blocks on EQ7.  So, my version is different than the one in the magazine.  Which is nothing new.  LOL

Finished size:  64" x 81-3/4

This quilt was started on November 15, 2010.  Another UFO done!

I have come to the conclusion that some of my tops will be sent out for machine quilting.  So, this one is the start

Oh happy, happy days!