Spring Ahead

I was trying to come up with a name for this top.  Since it was completed on the day that we changed clocks, I thought why not "Spring Ahead".  Different and a little bit quirky, eh!

The tabs are all sewn on now and four circles in each corner finished the look.  I'm very happy with how this turned out.  Well .... actually, more than happy .... absolutely thrilled!

Now, what about a pattern?  That is a question that was sent to me.  All of the blocks are drawn and written up, so it wouldn't take much to do up a pattern.   Would anyone buy it, other than the one person that asked?  I guess that is something to ponder.  As they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  So, we'll see about this idea.

Have a great day!

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!

FQ Challenge

With my Oh Wonderful, Summer's Here project, it is at the stage where more prepping work has to be done.  Perhaps by the end of our summer, you might see new photos of it.  The last section is so tantalizing close to being finished!

While I prep, there will be other projects that are being worked on.  Do you want to see a new top that I've been playing with?


I haven't shown this piece before and my story needs to be backed up a bit for explanation.  Below is how it got started.

One of the guilds that I belong to, Northern Lights Quilter's Guild, had a FQ challenge using this fabric:

 and from it, we had to do the following:

• make a flower
• make an insect
• make a heart
• make an object
• make a block

At our guild's December 2013 meeting, everyone was given a FQ and the challenge was explained.  The challenge started in December 2013 and each month we were given the different items to make.  I waited until the last item (at our guild's May 2014 meeting) was announced and then got busy.

This is my block.  It measures 25-1/2" x 25-1/2" and the center is 15" x 15".  There will be outer borders, but this was the starting point.

For my insect, the butterfly in the fabric was fussy cut  and made into circles:

For my heart, what about a yo-yo heart (can you see my three insects)?

For my object, a bias strip of fabric was sewn onto some ribbon to make a bow:

For my flower, I might as well stick with the yo-yo theme:

The heart and flowers were backed with red so that they would stand out and not fade into the background fabric.

Then we were given a choice of fabrics (this was my choice) to make a bird:

My bird just didn't fit in the overall look, so I decided to make it into a label.  We just had to make a bird and there was no rule on the placement.  We are always encouraged to think outside the box and I did just that!  :o)  For my bird, the back side of the fabric was used.  Details will be added to the label once the quilt is finished and then the label will be sewn onto the back of the quilt.

This is what my block looked like before outer borders were added:

Borders really help define the look and I can't believe how quickly this top went together.

In my close-up shots, you can see a lot of drawings/scribblings.  This is where embellishment comes into play and that is what I'm doing now.  Playing with beads and buttons and embroidery.

Working on this new challenge reminded me of a swap that I did way back in May 2008.  This is the little wall hanging that was made and I have always wanted to make another one for myself.  Time slipped away and I never did make one for me until now. 

Have a great day!