Hexagon quilt is done!

Hollyhocks in a castle Garden.

That is name of my quilt.  On a trip to Great Britain in 2001, a visit to Powis Castle in Wales had me wondering around the castle gardens and I was literally stopped in my tracks when I saw a row of hollyhocks in full bloom.  That was the inspiration for this quilt.

A lot of work went into the making of this quilt.  It was started Dec. 20, 2008.  First, all the hexagons were hand basted and then hand pieced together.  It seemed to take forever to finish the top but it did get finished on July 9, 2009 and then it sat on a shelf for a very long time.   

By July 2012, my quilt was half way done with the hand quilting.  That quilt was taken out and put away so many times.  It came out again in the spring of 2013 and then the summer heat had it back on the shelf again. I won't even mention the numbers of times this quilt has been blogged about ..... almost done .... getting there .... the light at the end of the tunnel is getting bigger .... etc., etc. etc.  Finally, it came back out again in the fall of 2013 and I stuck to the hand quilting until it was done. 

Finished size:  93-1/2” x 95-1/4” (top size:  97-1/2” x 99”)

It is currently hanging in our dining room for all to see and enjoy!

My DH thinks this quilt looks like a field of flowers.  Hummmm .... that would have been a good title for this quilt.

I don't know about you, but I'm having a great day!

If you are not reading this post on www.appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com or http://www.quilterblogs.com/, it is pirated content!  No other websites are authorized to use my work.   Please click the above links to go to my real sites and please help spread the word about this scrapper site’s unethical use of other people’s work. 

We quilters are just fed up with this abuse!

Being pulled ...

... in so many different directions, it is hard to keep up.

My apple core top that I recently started will end up as a small hanging.  I realized that my process was the hard way and it will end at this size.  An explanation will be forth coming when I start a new one.  It was a good learning process for me and that is a good thing.  Got to think positive!

A neighbour will soon be returning to live in Portugal.  His life here in Canada has come to an end and we will be sorry to see him go.  As a farewell gift, a number of neighbours have decided that a quilt in autumn colours would be the perfect send off gift.  There will be signature blocks in the corners of the outer borders.   I'm loving this quilt so much that I will be making another quilt for DH and I. 

My hexagon quilt is in the last stages of completion.  Just one more border to be bound, then a hanging sleeve and label will be soon added.

Have a great day!

If you are not reading this post on www.appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com or http://www.quilterblogs.com/, it is pirated content!  No other websites are authorized to use my work.   Please click the above links to go to my real sites and please help spread the word about this scrapper site’s unethical use of other people’s work. 

We quilters are just fed up with this abuse!

April OPAM

On Saturday, DH and I are going to a 2 yr. old's birthday party.  I was asked to make the little girl a sleeping pillow and a couple of pillowcases.  After checking it out on the web, it seems that these pillows can only be 2" thick.

My bag of poly batting scraps came down from the high shelf and after cutting out 5 layers, I decided to make four pillows in total.  Two for the little girl and two more for a little boy when he turns two in November.

Shown below, the reason for stitching all the layers together is to prevent any layer from shifting when the pillow is washed.  Only one pillow was requested, but then I thought about what happens during the night if one of them gets sick all over their pillow.  Having another one on hand will be most welcome.

The white pillows below will have their own pillowcase once I figure out what colours the little guy will be using in his bedroom.  The pink pillows will be gifted to the little gal on Saturday. 

The pillows are tiny .... 13" x 17".  The kids are tiny, so they need a tiny pillow.  These will do until they transition to a regular sleeping pillow.

For me, it was a win/win project.  I got rid of half a bag of poly batting scraps and sheeting scraps and something got finished for my April OPAM (One Project a Month).

Have a great day!

If you are not reading this post on www.appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com or http://www.quilterblogs.com/, it is pirated content!  No other websites are authorized to use my work.   Please click the above links to go to my real sites and please help spread the word about this scrapper site’s unethical use of other people’s work. 

We quilters are just fed up with this abuse!

Anyone for an apple core?

You know, I really should be working on putting the binding on my hexagon quilt and borders on my Scrappy Mountain Majesties and Granddaughter's Garden and finishing up a couple of secret projects ....

.... but .... no .... I just had to start making this apple core project.  It was yelling at me to start it and, what the heck, I just need to make the quilts that my heart tells me to. 

Well, it got started and I'm loving this pattern and it really is quite easy to do.  It is not intimidating after all!   I'm not sure how big it will be as the fabrics that are being used is just a fat eighth package and some strips and charms, plus my shirting fabrics that was in my stash.

To help me not run out of fabrics and to have an even overall look, I will divvy up my pieces as I showed in this post. 

If anyone is looking for me .... well, you know where to look!  :o)

Have a great day!

If you are not reading this post on www.appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com or http://www.quilterblogs.com/, it is pirated content!  No other websites are authorized to use my work.   Please click the above links to go to my real sites and please help spread the word about this scrapper site’s unethical use of other people’s work. 

We quilters are just fed up with this abuse!

Granddaughter's Garden

While in the process of trying to get measurements for this top to make the borders, Miss Ashes decided that she wanted to check out the underside of this top.

Around and around in a circle she went .... until we decided to entice her out with some treats.

Now ... where are those treats?

She found them.

Then decided to settle down for a nap.

Did I ever get those measurements?  Yes and those borders are next to get done.  Stay tuned for a follow-up post.

Have a great day!

If you are not reading this post on www.appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com or http://www.quilterblogs.com/, it is stolen content!  No other websites are authorized to use my work.   Please click the above links to go to my real sites and please help spread the word about this scrapper site’s unethical use of other people’s work. 

We quilters are just fed up with this abuse!

Starring ....

Another section of stars got appliqued and joined to the other two sections.  I really do love this version of Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Mountain Majesties, but it is kind of busy.  Too late now to switch back.

Now, the last section is ready to go.  All the stars and beige circles have all been prepped.

 One star has been done .... only 5 more to do.

Last, but very important, recently a number of quilters' blogs were affected by a pirate site that had our recent posts on it but no link back to our site.  My blog was affected.  Thieves!  Since then, I have noticed a few of my favourite blogs are now gone.  They post no more.  So, I will be checking daily to see if another site springs up with my stolen posts and if they do, then my blog will be deleted.  I'm tired of the theft and the stupid emails.

The host provider of the pirate site was contacted and the site got shut down.  Sadly, they will pop up again on another provider and the cycle will start all over again. 

Another blogger figured out how this happened and has warned us what to be on the lookout for.  You know, for me, it was a lovely sweet email asking permission to link a certain post or quilt onto their blog.  Going forward, if anyone sends me this kind of email, I won't be replying to it .... period.

This just makes me very sad as it has turned me from a sharing type of blogger to one that doesn't trust easily now.

It was only encouragement from my friends that prompted me to post again.  Only just.  

Below is what will appear on all my posts from now on. 

If you are not reading this post on www.appliqueandpatches.blogspot.com or http://www.quilterblogs.com/, it is

stolen content!  No other websites are authorized to use my work.   Please click the above links to go to my real sites and please help spread the word about this scrapper site’s unethical use of other people’s work. Contact the host provider of the site and get them shut down.

We quilters are just fed up with this abuse!

I need to shake off the negativity and have a happy stitching day!