Showing posts with label Beaver block. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 01, 2020

July is here!

I can't believe that July is already here. It must be Canada Day because it's really hot and muggy in Ottawa. It may get lively in the burbs today as people who usually head to Parliament Hill stay home and have small parties. I watched a few fireworks from my studio last night - that was a treat.

Happy Canada Day!

Fireworks in July (2015)

I thought that I had only made one other Canada Day quilt, but when I looked at my old posts, it turns out that I made quite a few Canada minis for Canada's 150th in 2017. I must have forgotten them because I gave them all away except for my Canada 150 Art Quilt.

Canada 150 - Beaver block
designed by Sew Fresh Quilts

Canada 150 Logo
Designed by Dana Szucs Hayden of SeaSew

Sergeant Sesquicentennial block
from Quilting Pleasures

Canada 150 Art Quilt

I hadn't planned on doing a Canada Day quilt show but here it is 😊

What's on this week

I'm working on all of my hand stitched projects right now (Meditation blocks, Traveller's Blanket and the Community Stitch Challenge - Week 2 Re-do [I need a better name for this one!]).
This week's Stitch Club 2020 is hosted by Sue Stone. We are making a woven background with stitching. I'm really hoping to get most of it done by Friday. If you're wondering, "ciboulette" is chives - but it sounds so much nicer in French!

Ciboulette Stitches in progress

What I learned

I was pleasantly surprised by my collection of Canada Day minis. In 2017 I hosted several months of linking parties for Celebrate - Fêtons 150! It was great to look at those posts again - I also remember how much work all of this took but I really enjoyed it.
It even had it's own page and button!

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Getting Things Done

When I come home from our monthly Out of the Box Fibre Artists meeting - I was all hipped up and didn't get to sleep until late. So many quilts, techniques and ideas....and never enough time!!!

This month's speaker, Sharon Collins, sure wowed me! For whatever reason, I'm totally intimidated by paint and fabric dye - but after seeing her work, I just have to learn this! She is creating these amazing landscape art quilts with her hand-dyed cotton, silk and silk organza. Some of her pieces have 4 or 5 layers. She uses a technique called flat dying. This summer, I'm going to learn more about this and let you know what happens! Check out her website in the Related Links below.

It's been a very busy March so far. I've made progress on a few things. Here they are:

Beaver Block (It's my March OMG and being made for Celebrate - Fêtons 150)

I've been working very hard on Lorna's (Sew Fresh Quilts) Beaver block. I have to admit that I was pretty anxious about making it since piecing is not my favourite thing to do. Well, I am thrilled to say that it was a really great experience. The pattern was easy to follow and her technique was great. I finished piecing it in a couple of days. I am very impressed!

Now I'm quilting it. That's the fun part of the process - where the quilting gives it that extra boost.

FMQ the Beaver block

Details of the FMQ of the flag and tail

England Souvenir with JoJo Hall's World Quilting Travel Adventure

Progress on the England Souvenir

England was the fourth location in our World Tour. I'm a little behind, but slowly catching up! I love this Tea Room wall hanging and it's going to hang in my kitchen.

World Quilting
Travel Adventure

I used the Crafted Applique technique and as usual, it was a success. Since I want to make it an art quilt, I visited a local beading shop and found some black chain to use to hang the sign from the post. I can't wait to start the embellishing, but I should probably clean up those loose threads and sew down the applique first!

Growing Up QAL - Block 3

Block 3 of Growing Up QAL

The third block in Alida's Growing Up QAL is all about circles. I'm really proud of myself. I took my time, used tons of pins and it went very well. It reminded me of why I disliked sewing sleeves on garments! I can't see myself making an entire quilt of circles, but after making 8 of those suckers, it was getting easier.

Postcard from Sweden Quilt Along

I know, I really, really don't need another QAL project - but in my defense, I started this quilt top over a year ago.

Half-Square Triangle

I saw a finished version that was incredibly FMQ somewhere in Internet land and fell in love. Any excuse to make something to practice my FMQ on, even if it involves half-square triangles (HST)! I bought two Hoffman Bali Snaps packages - Sea Glass and Gemstone to start with but once again my planing and math skills were off :-) That's ok - I have lots of potential batik fabrics in my stash.

What I learned:

I'm not sure if it's because it gets darker later but I now feel like working on my quilting after supper. I've been able to advance a lot of these projects.
I enjoy having projects at different stages of completion - it gives me the chance to FMQ, piece or plan - depending on my mood.

Related Links:

Out of the Box Fibre Artists Group
Sharon Collins Art - check out her landscapes
Sew Fresh Quilts Patterns and Beaver Block Pattern
OMG setting for March - Celebrate - Fêtons 150 in March (March 1, 2017)
Beaver Block - More Celebration the Quilting Way (March 13, 2017)
Visit England with JoJo Hall's World Quilting Travel Adventure
Growing Up QAL - Block 3 link-up
Postcard from Sweden Quilt Along (scroll down past the links for the QAL info)

Linking Parties: Here are the link-ups that I'm participating in. Check out what everyone is making! Postcards from Sweden QAL, Growing Up QAL Link-up, World Quilting Travel Adventure - Travelers' Souvenirs, Let's Bee Social, Linky Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Needle & Thread Thursday, Finished or Not Friday, Off the Wall Friday, Free Motion Mavericks, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, Main Crush Monday.

Monday, March 13, 2017

More Celebrations the Quilting Way

Celebrate-Fêtons 150

Since I've been writing about the many ways that the Quilting Community is celebrating Canada's 150, I've been finding all kinds of great events and patterns. I've also discovered that some of the quilt designers I've been following are Canadian!

Before I get into more Canadian celebratory patterns, here's an update on my March OMG (One Monthly Goal) the Beaver block by Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts. I'll write more about this project in an upcoming post, but I did want to show you my progress. It's now ready to quilt!

Beaver block designed by Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts

I've also made three more slab blocks for Canada's Big Quilt Bee which is co-hosted by Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts (isn't she a busy bee!) She got her own Sew Fresh Quilt Bee going on - so make sure to check out the amazing variety of slab blocks (see Related Links at the bottom of the page).

Three more slab blocks for Canada's Big Quilt Bee

Canada Eh?
Mystery Table Runner

Here are a few more Quilt-Alongs and patterns that celebrate Canada's 150th.

Quilter's Connection Magazine as a contest and free pattern called Canada Eh? Mystery Table Runner. The link at the bottom of the page will take you to the contest details (deadline April 15, 2017) and the free PDF pattern.

I generally avoid mystery quilts because I like to know what I'm quilting and I rely on the finished picture to keep me oriented. I did download the pattern and saw the finished quilt somewhere in blog land. I was hoping to provide a link, with a spoiler alert warning, but I can't find it - so no need for the warning. I will say that it's a lovely table runner, worth putting the time and fabric into it. Make sure you link up to Celebrate - Fêtons 150 if you make one!

Canada 150 pattern by Kathy K. Wylie

Award-winning quilter and pattern designer Kathy K. Wylie has a pattern out. Canada 150, that uses reverse appliqué with a strip-pieced patchwork maple leaf block. She calls the technique “Peek-a-boo Appliqué“. I've bought the pattern and am looking forward to using her technique. Kathy will be teaching this, along with other courses, at the Quilt Canada 2017 in June.

Canadian Sampler BOM

Sew Sisters asked 20 Canadian quilters to create blocks for a Block of the Month celebrating Canada's 150th. It's the Canadian Sampler BOM. If you want to join in, round II begins July 2017.

Oh, Canada! pattern by Cheryl Arkson

Another pattern that I couldn't resits is the Oh,Canada! quilt pattern by Cheryl Arkison. I just love its scrappy look. I have been following Cheryl's blog for a while, but obviously not closely enough since I didn't realize that she's Canadian.

What I learned:

It looks like I'm going to be spending 2017 making quilts to celebrate the 150th. That's not at all how I expected to spend my year but then, I may as well, since I may not be as productive when the 175th is here!
Making the slab blocks has been fun. It looks like I may be in for more fun than I thought since the small quilt calls for 12 blocks, not 9! Oh well, if I don't get the quilt top done on time, I'll just hand in my blocks at the Common Thread Quilt Guild since they will be sending tons of blocks to the quilt bee.

Featured Links: