Saturday, January 31, 2026

A Quilter's Cove QAL Link-up and SAHRR

Hi and welcome to the first month of the Quilter's Cove QAL. Kat is organising it but I volunteered to host the party since I have the service. Who doesn't like a party when there's no cleaning up after company leaves? 😁 Let's get on with it.

Quilter's Cove QAL


Last November, Cathy at CRAZY BY DESIGN  and Kat at  Scrapbox Quilts decided to organise a QAL - it's very simple. We follow the colours of the month as decided by Angela of SOSCRAPPY of the Rainbow Scraps Challenge (RSC) and we make a house block in that colour. I volunteered to host the party at the end of each month - so below you will find our first linking party.

January's Blue house

When I saw Kat's blue house, I wanted my roof to be scrappy too! The block is pieced except for the appliquéd windows and doors. I was totally winging it and I'm happy with my roof for which I used the flip and stitch technique 😍

I have no idea what I'm doing yet, but I am considering making it an attic window quilt. I've always wanted to try that and it mean that I don't necessarily need to have a cohesive neighbourhood. Anyway, we'll see as we go along. What I do know is that I'm not making 12 identical blocks - you would loose me after the second month!

Blue house block - 7½" x 10"

To link up to A Quilter's Cove QAL, please go to the bottom of the post. 😊


SAHRR Round 2 - Make it a double!

This week's SAHRR round 2 is hosted by Kathleen McMusing. She picked the theme, "Make it a double" and gave us many options and links to find double blocks. Frankly I was tired and they all looked difficult.😕 While I was looking I had a though....yup - it happens! What if I made up my own simple block? Here it is: Double Arrow.

Alternate Double Arrow Block

If it looks familiar, it's probably because you saw the grown up version in Round 1 in Kathleen's post.

Kathleen's Chain and Hour-Glass block from Round 1

I chose three fabrics and went back to the hour-glass tutorial. Using different fabric for only the arrows, they get accentuated. I did a quick sketch and it looked like it would work...and it did!

Sketching a possible double arrow block

It turns out that there are a few double arrow blocks, so I'm calling it the "alternate double arrow block". Here it is with the others. 

Blocks are adding up

I accidentally made extra hour-glass blocks, so I made a couple more and put them together as another block. I thought that this might constitute a double hour-glass block, but it's not at all the same, so it's  just four hour-glass blocks together. 

Centre, hour-glass, and double arrow blocks 

What I learned
  • I love playing with scraps and it's really the scraps that helped design the house. I love my scrappy roof - thank Kat for the idea!
  • I suspect that it may be difficult to make all of the house blocks the same size. I figure that if I make at least a few in the same size, that I can place them in a row.
  • I am going to look into an attic window quilt - that could be really fun and different for me.
  • I'm hoping to make each house if a different style. Of course I want to keep in scrappy, small, playful and experimental....and simple! 
  • I certainly kept those goals in mind when I made the round 2 block for SAHRR. It was pretty experimental and it came out well. Of course it's a lot bigger than the other blocks, so I'll have to consider that. Worse comes to worse, I'll just make another one using smaller blocks. 
  • I can always add the extra, large blocks on the back of the quilt! 
Related links
Linking parties
I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties, including the SAHRR Round 2linking party at Kathleen's. Off The Wall Friday,


If you made a house for the Quilter's Cove QAL, please link up below!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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Thursday, January 29, 2026

FMQ Blocks and I Quilted This!

Bonjour and welcome 😀 I hope that you're keeping warm, wherever you are. I've been cozy in my studio - slowly cleaning it up and re-organising what isn't working for me. There's no rush, as long as I have space for my computer and my sewing machine 😊

FMQ Blocks on the Cowboy Panel


I've been busy finishing up the 18 blocks around the cowboy panel. I only have one block that I want to add a few details to. Otherwise, they are done.

SAHRR 2025 - blocks all quilted!

First art block - round 1

Second art block - round 1

Friendship star block - round 2

First nine patch star block - round 3

Second nine patch star block - round 3

First block with insert - round 4

Second block with insert - round 4

Third block with insert - round 4

Fourth block with insert - round 4

Quarter log cabin block - round 5

Log cabin block - round 5

Kite block - round 6

Extra blocks - appliqué, improv, showcasing fabric

Hat and boot appliqué block - more FMQ to come

Horse shoe and friend appliqué block

Cacti appliqué block

Improv block

Pocket block with "Alek" FMQ

Block showcasing beautiful fabric

What I learned
  • I enjoy figuring out what to quilt for each block. As much as possible, I followed the fabric. I also used simple loops and lines.
  • It was also interesting using different thread. My favourite was a grey thread, boring but effective without being showy. I used a gorgeous pink, yellow and orange thread for the third block with insert. It was wonderful. I used a much darker variegated thread for the first block with insert and didn't like the effect as well.
  • I'm glad that the blocks have all been FMQ. I will be adding some details to the boot and hat appliqué but that's all.
  • Next to FMQ is the panel. I started but my bobbin thread ran out and it was time to call it quits for the night.
  • I'll have to make sure that I stretch the panel out well when I quilt it to avoid puckering. 
  • Last week I mentioned that I had accidentally quilted the backing fabric. It took me a while but it all came out well. It's all FMQ again and nothing shows. I did trim the fabric though before going on 😁
  • I was fixing a pair of knit pants this week and I thought that I had broken my Jag! 😕I removed the bunched up fabric and when it wasn't sewing properly, I just turned it off. The next day, I cleaned it and it was fine. Phew! It's all good (I keep thinking of the computer techs who always ask you if you turned off your computer and rebooted before they address a problem. There is something to be said for that!)
  • This is my January OMG and I don't know if I'll have it finished on time. If it is finished, I'll be including it in my Quilter's Cove linking up post on Saturday!
Related links
Linking parties
I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. Why not check some of them out after you've linked up below? Sew & Tell, Monday Musings, Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday, 



I Quilted This!


Welcome to the I Quilted This! linking party that celebrates quilting on a domestic machine or custom quilting on a long-arm. Please link up and share any recent project, even if you're not quilting it! However, to keep the original emphasis, preference will be given to FMQ, ruler work and walking foot quilting when featuring projects from the previous party. Thank you for linking up 😊 and feel free to grab the button. 

Kat from Scrapbox Quilts made her first lil bear hug quilt of the year. 
For this one, she used her walking foot in a diagonal grid. 

Kat's first lil bear hug quilt of the year

Donnalee made a Christmas Runner with the left over fabric from her many placemats. Isn't it cute?

Donnalee's  Christmas Runner 

Deb, a Scrappy Quilter finished her first quilt of the year - and it's a large one! It's the second of three 8 x 10s quilt. 

Deb's finished 8 x 10s quilt

Anne-Marie of Stories from the Sewing Room did some custom quilting on parts of this gorgeous purple owl quilt for a client. She custom quilted the owls and the branches. 

Owls quilt partly quilted free hand by Marie-Anne

Diann of Little Penguin Quilts made these two lovely placemats. The dark blue and light blue placemats have contrast that really make them pop! Diann used her walking foot to quilt them in a variation on Jaquie Gering's Echoed Curves.

Diann's lovely blue placemats

Gwyned Trefethen found a plaid fabric to participate in last week's Project Quilting Challenge with Posies on Parade. She quilted the plaid and then machine appliquéd the posies.

Gwyned's Posies on Parade quilt

Melva, of Melva Loves Scraps made a lovely quilt using vintage roses cross stitch blocks that were given to her. What a wonderful quilt!

Vintage Roses quilt- by Melva

Sandra Walker of mmm quilts finished a gorgeous tree quilt. She quilted the blocks in two different designs. Sandra alternated quilting designs using a "large jigsaw meander" in one block and then lines, "à la ripples in water" in the next block. 

Sandra's gorgeous tree quilt in the snow

The back of Sandra's tree quilt to see the quilting

Sally of Crafts, Cavies and Cooking created a woven plaid postcard for Project Quilting's last challenge. She did the weaving and the sewed on top of it. 

Sally's woven plaid postcard 
It's now your turn! 😍

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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Monday, January 26, 2026

SAHRR Round 1 - hour-glass block

Hi and welcome 😎 Today is a short post to share with you my hour-glass blocks from the Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR).

Hour-glass blocks


I want to thank Brenda at Songbird Designs for the links to a great tutorial for the hour-glass block. Since I can make half-square triangles, two at a time, I can make an hour-glass block. Yay! Simple is my idea of fun 😁

Centre block and hour-glass blocks

It  took me longer to take the above picture than it did to make the four blocks! Crazy 😏 The blocks may end up on the corners, where the horizontal and vertical rows meet, but it turned out to be much easier to take the picture this way. Like I've mentioned before, my design wall is small.

Below is the fabric that I've curated for this project. Of course I reserve the right to change my mind at any time.

Basket of potential fabrics

This weekend Poppy visited with my son & DIL. We had a great time. 

Poppy trying to ignore us 😍

What I learned & updates
  • You may have noticed that Project Quilting (PQ) didn't get done here. Sometimes you have to prioritize family 💗 and rest.
  • I was able to make the hour-glass blocks easily. Thanks for the great tutorial (see Related links).
  • My hour-glass blocks are roughly 5½" but I won't trim them until everything is done.
  • I have some lovely fabric picked - even a few from the original blocks.
  • I was thinking of making some tiny hour-glass blocks within a block....we'll see.
  • Poppy was so happy to visit but didn't get to run in the back yard - there's over a foot of snow and not much wildlife hanging out, except the rabbits.
  • I haven't made my first blue house, but it'll be ready by Thursday. I took out some fabric scraps. We're half way there 😁.
  • The Cowboy panel quilt is coming along...but I have some unstitching to do - the backing fabric got folded under and needs to be fixed 😓
Related links

Linking parties
I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties, including the SAHRR Round 1 link up and I Quilted This! Design Wall Monday, Put your foot down, 


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Thursday, January 22, 2026

Getting stuff done and I Quilted This!

Hello and welcome 😊 Has your winter started yet? Apparently the weather here is cold enough for the Rideau Canal to be open for skating - so it's officially winter in Ottawa. The weather inside my studio is lovely so stuff is getting done! My plans for 2026 are ambitious, but at least I'm working on them.

FMQ the Cowboy panel quilt (SAHRR 2025)


I stitched-in-the-ditch most of the quilt and it was time to start quilting the blocks. I used the walking foot for the quilting that was straight lines and then switched to the FM or darning foot for the rest. I'm very happy to report that my tension was perfect even with the cotton thread.

Here are a few of the blocks. Some of them were quilted in straight lines with the walking foot.

Straight line quilting

Other blocks got a mix of straight line quilting and then FMQ. 

Straight line and FMQ for this block

Some blocks were FMQ.

Lots of fun FMQ

FMQ with dark variegated thread.
The cow will be outlined in another colour.

FMQ with the possibility of adding
more details on the hat and boots

I worked through the quilt by colour. The straight lines were mostly done with blue thread. I then started FMQ with the dark variegated thread and finally a soft gray polyester thread. Once I finish quilting the blocks, I'll tackle the panel. I really don't mind following the fabric's pattern but I have to be careful to actually stitch on the line! 😁

First baby quilt in the making

My youngest adult child has three friends who are having babies so we are making them baby quilts. JJ helped me decide on the patterns and the fabric. This first quilt is from the Martingale book, Modern Baby. We chose the Square Dance pattern because we want to include fabric that relates to the parents' hobbies and lives. 

Square Dance pattern
Modern Baby by Martingale












I'm using my stash of Kona cottons to make the shapes while the squares within will be novelty fabric to reflect their interests and of course baby.

This is what the quilt looks like so far. Unfortunately my design wall is not wide enough, but you get the idea.

The first row of the quilt

The first block is a Star Wars fabric, the second is cute dinosaurs, the third fabric has a rainbow and flowers and says "Be happy, be kind, be you" and the fourth fabric is adventure themed.

It took me a while to figure things out because the pattern assumes that you'll make all of the same pieces at once. Since I'm using the fabric I have, I had to figure out how to make each block. The trickiest part was to make the half square triangles with three different fabrics. It took a few tries but I got it!  I'm happy to report that I didn't have to use the seam ripper much 😁

I've made a rough plan to keep me organised. 

The plan to keep me on track

Embroidery

Yesterday I finally put away our Christmas tree. Now I have my slow stitching space back in our living room. I started by stitching the year in the next square of my Not so daily stitching project. I couldn't help stitching it in white 😀 as a nod to the silly colour of the year, but I then had to add a bit of colour!


I also experimented with the turkey stitch. I stitched it in beautiful silk yarn. Our local yarn store is closing since the owner is retiring. I've been in there a few times in the last couple of months to pick up some beautiful yarns to embroider with. You can get quite a bit when it's 40-50% off.

Practicing the turkey stitch with silk yarn

before the haircut!

Turkey stitch with a trim











This was very much a practice block, but I guess I should add a little something to make it more cohesive.

I've been wanting to practice this stitch but didn't remember its name. Fleur Woods, the textile artist that I took a course from last year is offering the same course again and since I registered last year, I can participate in this one. I reviewed parts of the course and found the turkey stitch. I want to use this in the last coiled project that I was working on to add flowers to the piece. The turkey stitch will be perfect! 

What I learned
  • I've really enjoyed quilting the cowboy panel quilt. With so many blocks to quilt, it's fun to jump from one to another to use the same coloured thread.
  • Since my tension is doing great, I don't even have to change the bobbin thread except from dark to light to match the top thread.
  • I do enjoy FMQ by following the lines in the fabric images. It's just getting harder to stay on the line but I'm OK if I take it slowly.
  • I'm also FMQ with a strong pair of reading glasses, that has a clip-on magnifier attached to them. What a difference it makes. I now have two sets (upstairs and down) and use them to embroider and get that darn thread/yarn into the needle!
  • I really enjoyed figuring out the Square Dance baby pattern. I should be able to use the Kona solids from my stash. We also have some really cool novelty fabrics to choose from.
  • I've been really scattered and overwhelmed during the last week. Today doing some slow stitching really helped to calm me down. I feel so much better. 😊
Coming up
Things are getting busy so I'm going to use this space to keep myself organised!
  • This week's prompt for Project Quilting is plaid - the finished project is due Sunday.
  • Round 1 of SAHRR 2026 is now out - it's the hour glass block. I need to get fabric from my stash and make at least one block. The linking party closes on Monday.
  • The Cowboy panel quilt is my January OMG - I have until January 31th to post it.
  • The blue house for A Quilter's Cove QAL needs to be done by January 31th so that I can host the linking party!
Related links
Linking parties
I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. Why not check some out, after you've linked up below? Put your foot down, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday, Patchwork & Quilts, 15 Minutes to Stitch 2026, Oh Scrap!, Slow Sunday Stitching, Monday Musings, Sew & Tell, 


I Quilted This!

Welcome to the I Quilted This! linking party. I'll be  featuring the projects from last week's  party that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting. Thank you everyone who linked up. Feel free to grab the button. 

Kat of Scrapbox Quilts quilted another charity quilt with a donated flimsy and backing. Kat quilted this baby quilt in a continuous circle.

Baby quilt quilted by Kat

Melva, of Melva Loves Scraps, made a quilted panel for her t-shirt. Melva quilted the block before adding it to the t-shirt using a reverse appliqué technique. If you're interested, read her post to find out how to make your own!

Melva's finished t-shirt with a quilt block 

Melva and her Arches National Park t-shirt

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts participated in the Starry Seas Blog Hop. Her quilt, Dawn to Dusk, was inspired by her commute. You'll want to check out her post for more details of the story. 

Preeti's Dawn to Dusk quilt for the Starry Seas Blog Hop 

It's now your turn!😍

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
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