Showing posts with label Growing up QAL. Show all posts

Thursday, January 15, 2026

Starting Things and I Quilted This!

Bonjour and welcome! 😄 It's been raining, snowing, raining and snowing for the last week. I'm sure that the January cold will eventually come back but it is nice not bundling up to go outside! I've been busy with all kinds of things, but not much sewing. Oh well, there's always tomorrow 😉.

Stay At Home Round Robin (SAHRR) 2026

I pulled out blocks that had never been put together - of course they were made in a Quilt-Along from a long, long time ago. Specifically, the Growing Up QAL with Alida in 2017.

Blocks from the Growing Up QAL from 2017

The blocks were supposed to be 12½" x 12½" but the New York Beauty style block was smaller so I ended up trimming them all. The four blocks measure 23½" square.

The blocks that I chose are block 5 - improv piecing, block 6 - Famous Jane Style block, block 7 - EPP, and block 11 - New York Beauty style block. If you want to read more about the Growing Up QAL, all the links are posted below.

A Quilter's Cove QAL

As I mentioned in my planning post, Kat of Scrapbox Quilts is hosting a QAL. We'll be making houses in the monthly colours of the 2026 RSC. This month it's blue! Kat has already made her lovely blue house block. I have no idea what I'll be making, except that it will be a blue house. Since my goals for 2026 are scrappy, small, playful and experimental - that's exactly what I'll be doing. 😁

If you want to join, just check out the colour of the month at soscrappy (see link below) and make one or more house blocks. The linking party will open the last Saturday of the month for 7 days. So come back between January 30^th and February 6^th to link up!

Cowboy Panel Quilting (SAHRR 2025)

I have started the stitching-in-the-ditch of the Cowboy panel quilt. I'm almost done! Then starts the fun part - FMQ. I used the walking foot with cotton thread - it worked wonderfully.

Proof of the work being done!

Here's the backing flannel fabric.

Backing flannel fabric

What I learned

It was so cool going through my blocks. I can't say that they are orphan blocks, they just haven't been put into a quilt yet!
I was pretty impressed with the sewing that I had done. At the time, I was doing a lot more blocks, so my block construction wasn't quite as wonky....also, I think that I cared more about accuracy back then, than I do now😊
I think that the SAHRR 2026 has lots of potential. I'm hoping to add some awesome fabric that will hopefully play well with the more sober solids.

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.

Donnalee has been busy making a lot more Christmas placemats. Here are some of them waiting to be bound.

Donnalee's placemats, quilted and ready for binding

Gwyned Trefethen made this very lovely piece, Holiday Sparkle, for Project Quilting. She used her embroidery machine to stitch these ornaments to the fabric.

Holiday Sparkle by Gwyned

See the stippling on the back of Holiday Sparkle by Gwyned

It's now your turn! 😍

Thursday, December 07, 2017

Finished Growing Up QAL

It's been a fun year participating in Alida's Growing Up QAL. Each month we tried a new technique and made some fun blocks. Alida was well organised and gave us a couple of options for each block. I usually chose the easiest one :-)

For my colour palette, I chose Kona solids in different grey, pink and maroon. I did add a few prints in the improv log cabin block.

Here is the list of the blocks and techniques we learned (as well as the links to the posts):

All of the blocks from Growing Up QAL with Alida (2017)

As you may have read in a couple of posts, my blocks 1, 2 and 3 have disappeared! I still haven`t found them, so I may end up remaking the blocks. At least I have the pictures and the lessons learned in the posts!

CBC logo

I am really fond of block 3 since it almost looks like the CBC logo (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). I'm a huge fan of the CBC Radio and CBC Radio 2 channels. If I have time, I really would like to see if I could make something resembling the logo using the curved piecing in block 3.

Alida has also supplied us with all kinds of options for the sashing. I've only read a couple of her posts but hope to catch up on my reading during the holidays, and before Alida begins her next quilt-along which will be the Starry Bright Sky QAL.

Check out her Starry Bright Sky QAL page. There are some wonderful blocks. She's made a gorgeous pillow from one of them. The link is below in the Related Links. Check it out!

To-Do Tuesday

✓ I'm not setting any more goals for the week, rather I'm reporting on my finished item from my to-do list.

Block 37 - Monette

As I mentioned in my last post, I took out the bag of Christmas scraps and made my first hexagon block based on Katja Marek's book, The New Hexagon, 52 Blocks to English Paper Piece.

I bought the book and EPP shapes a while back, but wanted to focus on my hexies before starting something new. I have also basted the pieces for block 38 Sonja. I should be able to sew it together soon.

I'm really looking forward to appliquéing these onto fabric to make something (maybe Christmas mug rugs).

What I learned

With the Growing Up QAL, not only did I make blocks, but I learned and tried many different things.
I learned that there seems to be a limit to the number of curves I want to sew together!
English Paper Piecing is very difficult if I use my own hand-made templates. Pre-cut shapes are not a luxury but a necessity for me!
If I want my blocks to finish at 12½" x 12½", I have to start with a 13" block. My blocks are officially only 12" x 12".
I think I got one block finished early - the rest of them usually involved a mad scramble near the end of the month.
It's not a big deal having to pay for a pattern if I posted late, but I knew that it would probably be a good excuse for me not to finish the QAL. That's why there was a mad rush at the end of most months!
It was difficult doing EPP with shapes other than hexagons. Those little extra flaps of fabric are a pain to work around. I was sort of disappointed that after working so hard at basting and sewing hexies, that I wasn't really good at working with these other shapes :-( I know, it's just another challenge and something else to learn :-)

Related Links

Sashing ideas for the Growing Up QAL quilt
Starry Bright Sky QAL main page
Alida's pillow from one of the Starry Bright Sky QAL blocks
Slow Sunday Stitching and a sore finger, December 3, 2017
The New Hexagon, 52 Blocks to English Paper Piece by Katja Marek

Linking Parties: I'll be linking this post to Alida's Growing Up QAL link-up page, as well as many other excellent linking parties. Join in the fun! Needle and Thread Thursday, Midweek Makers, Monday Making, Main Crush Monday, Design Wall Monday, Linky Tuesday, Oh Scrap!, Let's Bee Social, Quilter's Monday, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, Finished or Not Friday,

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Lots of curves

Block 11 - New York Beauty style

Growing up QAL

Block 11 featured both foundation paper piecing and curves. It was a New York beauty style block

I love foundation paper piecing and can tolerate putting curves together, but having to put 5 of them together was long.

I have to admit that the last two were easier, but I also didn't care as much by then! It's a miracle that they came out ok :-)

For the colour choice, since I had quite a bit of the light purple, it got the honour of being the background colour. The other pieces were added, mostly based on the size of scraps I had. I did deviate from Alida's two blocks by using the Block 1 pattern piece for the bottom curve, while the rest is from the Block 2 pattern.

I had originally thought of making both blocks but after the curves of this one, I was done!!!

Block 11 - foundation paper pieced and lots of curves

To-do Tuesday

Sergeant 150!

I have to make a label before Friday for my Sergeant Sesquicentennial wall quilt (and here I was hoping that I would never have to write that 150 word again!)

Each year I donate a small quilt to our Workplace Charity Campaign. This year, the Sergeant is it!When I was getting him ready to take to work, I realized that it didn't have a label.

I'll be making a 3" foundation paper pieced block that is a variation of the maple leaf. I can either make the leaf in a light colour so that I can print within it and have a colourful border, or I can make the leaf in one of the Canada 150 fabrics and just add a piece to the block to print on. I guess it will depend on what fabric I find first!

I just want to mention that I get many of my 3" foundation paper piecing patterns through the Quilting on the Square newsletter. (See Related Links)

Update: I just finished the quilt label and quilt sleeve. It's all ready for the auction - and that's a project crossed off my To-do Tuesday list!

What I learned

One or two curves is fine - 4 is excessive!
My curves did get better by the fourth one, even if by then I didn't care much about accuracy.
I've had a great time making Alida's blocks in her QAL. It hasn't always been easy to get it done within the month, but I'm quite happy that I managed it.
I haven't decided how I'm going to sash and finish the quilt yet. There is no hurry since I still haven't found my first three blocks yet!

Related Links

Alida's Growing up QAL
Sergeant Sesquicentennial, June 4, 2017
Quilting on the Square - sign up to their newsletter for great monthly 3" foundation paper piecing patterns.

Linking Parties: I'm linking up to the last link-up of Alida's Growing up QAL. Come see all of the amazing blocks! I will also be linking up to To-do Tuesday. It's nice having a little goal for my week :-) I am also linking up to these great linking parties. Check them out! Linky Tuesday, Let's Bee Social, Midweek Makers #100, Needle & Thread Thursday, Finished or Not Friday, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop?, MOP Monday,

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Labels, Image Transfers and Slow Stitching

Last week in my Art with Fabric Blog Hop - Fall 2017 post, I mentioned that I would write about the use of a photo transfer medium to put the image of the statuette on fabric. So here it is, with a few other things thrown in!

Image Transfers

Mod Podge
Photo Transfer Medium

I've wanted to place images on fabric for a long time but the one attempt by my son to do this didn't end well for either the image or the printer! I'm not bad with technology and will eventually have to buy a new printer - and then I'll do the research required to get the proper printer and transfer paper. However, I'm just not there yet.

So when I heard about a photo transfer medium, I got pretty excited! I did a little bit of research, mostly to see where I might buy this type of product in Canada. Turns out that Micheal's sells a product made by Mod Podge.

I originally wanted to use the photo transfer medium to make a label for my art quilt, Reason & Passion, created for the Art with Fabric Blog Hop - Spring 2017. The idea was to place the image of the original quilt by Joyce Wieland on the label as a tribute to her and her work.

Photo Transfer Medium applied to two images

For this particular image, since it had writing on it, I had to "flip" the image before printing it. Turns out that you can do this in Paint (click the Rotate button and choose flip).

Final two images of the original
Reason Over Passion Quilt by Joyce Wieland

Once I had figured out how to use the photo transfer medium (see "What I learned" below), I was ready to try the product on the image of my Gaïa statuette. I chose to use the black and white image since the original statuette is made of a grayish clay.

Gently rubbing off the dried photo transfer medium

Final photo transfer image of Gaïa on Kona fabric

It came out great, except for a white spot (see "What I learned"). I would probably have redone the image except that I was able to use a pencil to cover and shade the finished image. If you can draw, I think that it would be easy to draw over and/ or add colour to the image using colouring pencils.

Gaïa image on the finished piece

Attaching the image was simple. I very carefully cut around the fabric, placed her on the quilt and using the silver silk thread that I was using to quilt the piece, sewed around the image. I then FMQ around a few features to better attach it and to give it depth.

The finished image on the fabric is a little rubbery, sort of like the way t-shirts were years ago. Depending on the look you want and the use of the piece (you wouldn't want to use this for items that you would wash a lot), the Mod Podge photo transfer medium works fine.

Quilt Labels

If I have time, I like to be inventive with my quilt labels. At the very least, I try to use fabric from the quilt. For Anna's Black & White wall hanging, I actually cut away a piece just for the label, while I was doing the improvisational piecing. I'm really happy that I was able to find it when it came time to sew on the label! (I think that I've learned a valuable lesson from the still missing Growing Up QAL blocks!)

Improvisational piecing

Label made from the
improvisational piecing of the quilt

For the Neutral lap quilt, I wanted to make a smaller version of the original block used in the quilt.

Label based on block

Original block

Growing Up QAL

I have finished block 10 of the Growing Up QAL. I enjoyed making this one, probably because it used one of my favourite techniques, foundation paper piecing. I just love the accuracy of the technique. With minimal effort, I can make pretty accurate blocks - gotta love it!

Block 10 of the Growing Up QAL

Slow Stitching

With company around and just being tired after finishing the Art with Fabric QAL, I've been spending my evenings embroidering or doing English Paper Piecing (EPP). I do this while being read to since I've downloaded a whole bunch of audio books from our local library.

I started another embroidery piece with the same type of pattern as my previous (unfinished) piece. I've brought it to work a few times to stitch a little during lunch time. This one is also mostly practicing the stem stitch.

Embroidering FMQ motifs

Here is my EPP to date - seven large flowers completed, with 3 or 4 in the works.

Seven large hexie flowers so far

What I learned

When you buy photo transfer medium, check out the product's instructions for how to use it! Each product is different. It took me many tries to get it right, and it was only after checking out the instructions for using the brand I had bought that I got it right!
It's important to very gently rub off the dried photo transfer medium. The "Reason Over Passion" image on the left is a little less crisp because I rubbed a little to hard. It's best to remove the medium in several stages than to get it all off at once.
Turns out it's VERY IMPORTANT to keep your fingers off of the photo transfer medium once it's on the image. The white spot that you seen on the Gaïa statuette (where her heart would be!) is from my finger when I was placing her onto the fabric! I added extra medium but it didn't really help.
My stem stitch is getting better, but still needs work in tight curves. That's mostly my lack of patience since you need to use very small stitches in tight curves

Related Links

Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium tutorial and YouTube links
Joyce Wieland and Art with Fabric, May 14, 2017
Anna's Black & White wall hanging, Learning QAL - October Goal Setting Link-up, October 1, 2017
Neutral Lap Quilt Finished, September 29, 2017
Embroidery, Progress, June 30, 2017
English Paper Piecing, Lots of Projects, September 12, 2017

Linking Parties: I will be linking to a number of great linking parties. Check out what others are doing! Growing up QAL - linky month 10, Slow Sunday Stitching, Oh Scrap!, Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? Finished or Not Friday, MOP Monday, Monday Making, Main Crush Monday, Design Wall Monday, Off the Wall Fridays,

Sunday, October 01, 2017

Learning QAL - October Goal Setting Link-up

Welcome to the third month of the Learning QAL. I've been learning a lot of things, from dyeing my own fabric to focusing on some free motion quilting (FMQ).

Two eager participants, Em and Mel have joined in the fun. In August Em made a small collage and sewed it into a useful coupon caddy and in September she worked with crumb fabrics and made a great looking zipper pouch.

In September, Mel successfully tried her hand at organic quilting. Everyone learned a lot - from technical details to learning what they liked and didn't like. Thanks so much Em and Mel for participating and learning.

So in the order of posting their September finish, the giveaway goes to Mel of Mel's Quilting Blog - for her organic quilting! She gets up to $20 towards a book (ebook or printed) to learn more stuff! Congrats!!!

Since my October learning goal involves batting from Connecting Threads, the giveaway for October participants will be a $20 (US) gift certificate from Connecting Threads. If you want, you can buy your own batting to test (or anything else to help you learn!)

My October Learning Goal

A week ago Connecting Threads had a sale on batting. I've always wanted to quilt with different types of batting but I always quilt with the same 100% cotton and as thin as possible, usually a Warm and Natural. I love it since it's not too hot and very versatile. I can use it for lap quilts to wall hangings and placemats. But there is so many other types of batting available that it would be nice to try them out and see the difference.

I also know that if I don't compare them at the same time, I might not even notice the difference. So my learning goal for October is to practice some FMQ using different types of batting. I bought 2 types of Hobbs Tuscany batting, one is a silk and the other is a cotton wool blend. I may pick up something locally to add to the mix.

I'm not sure what I'll be quilting, but since I want this all done by the end of the month, it will have to be fairly simple.

Another September Learning QAL Finish - Anna's Black & White wall hanging

I finished FMQ Anna's wall hanging a couple of days ago. I was all set to do a quick post about it yesterday since it was also my September OMG (One Monthly Goal) whose deadline was yesterday. As you can see it didn't make it - I couldn't see any of the FMQ details in the pictures, so there was no point in a post. :-(

Anna's Black & White wall hanging

As I mentioned in my last post about this project (see Related Links), FMQ with white thread on a white-on-white fabric was nearly impossible. I couldn't see what I had done or where I was going. As I was complaining to my daughter, I was inspired - I realised that I could quilt it from the back! Since the thread in the bobbin was the same as the top and my tension was good, there were no issues.

FMQ from the back - much easier!

Here are some details of the FMQ from the front. These are all techniques taught by Christina Cameli in Wild Quilting on Craftsy. She does much more echoing than I did - I just kept forgetting!

Details of the FMQ

More details of the FMQ

By the way, this is Anna, my niece. She came over a couple of weeks ago to have her t-shirt shortened. Lucky for her I had just done the same thing for my daughter a few months back, so I knew what I was doing :-) I don't usually work with knits but it turns out that my Jag (my sewing machine) does that very well!

Anna in her t-shirt

Growing Up QAL

Here is block 9 of the Growing Up QAL with Alida. We made our own bias tape.

Block 9 of Growing Up QAL

What I learned

I learned a lot from Christina Cameli's Wild Quilting course but I really want to practice quilting less densely. I seem to quilt densely naturally but it's just too hard on the eyes and let's face it, it's never ending!
I am really glad that I quilted the Black & White wall hanging from the back. It was so much easier to do.
Making my own bias tape wasn't difficult, I just didn't like having to iron it down. Between the hot iron and my uncooperative fingers, it was a bit of a challenge.
As I was making the block, I was really proud of the fact that my three blocks turned out to be the same size as the larger block (remember, I am accuracy challenged!) Then I got careless and sewed the wrong side to the right side. That's what happens when I'm mentally congratulating myself and not paying attention to what I'm doing.

Related Links

Connecting Threads batting
Posts related to Anna's Black & White wall hanging

Learning QAL - September Sum Up, September 25, 2017
Lots of projects, September 12, 2017
Learning QAL - September Goal Setting, August 31, 2017

Christina Cameli's Wild Quilting course on Craftsy

Project Details

Anna's Black & White wall hanging
12½" x 21"
Materials: cotton
Techniques: improvisational piecing, FMQ

Linking Parties: I will be linking this post to the Growing Up QAL as well as other great linking parties. Check out what quilters around the world are doing! Oh Scrap! Can I get a Whoop Whoop? Finished or Not Friday, Monday Making, Main Crush Monday, Design Wall Monday, Midweek Makers, Linky Tuesday, Let's Bee Social, Needle & Thread Thursday, Free Motion Mavericks,

An InLinkz Link-up

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

August Finishes

Growing Up QAL with Alida

It's been a huge month of finishes. And here I was worried that nothing would get done!

Growing up QAL for August

Getting block 8 done on time!

I had to write this post to link up my finished Growing up QAL block which is a Bargello block. This was the first time that I had done one, although I have admired them from afar for a long time.

Block 8 - Bargello

I love the gradual changes in colour but I knew that it wouldn't be easy. I'm sure that if you're piecing is accurate and your good at following directions that it's not so bad. But since I'm not so great at both of these things, there was a lot of re-arranging of blocks behind the scene! But it's done and I'm very proud. Thanks Alida for this learning opportunity.

I've posted all of my finishes but if anyone has missed them, here's a recap.

One Monthly Goal for August

I managed to finish my August goal early! It was my lovely Hexie Table Topper.

I've been working on a few ideas for more hexies. After playing around I figured out that I like the pieces that have some consistency in the colour combinations.

I've been making more hexies with at least 6 hexies of the same fabric, so that I'll have at least one flower of the same colour. I love playing around with combinations and should have a few ideas to show you soon.

Neutral Lap Quilt FMQ block

One Monthly Goal for July

My goal for July was to finish quilting and binding my Neutral Lap Quilt - Take 5 Loves Coffee Milk. It didn't happen in July, but I did finish it this week. I only have to make a label for it. I'll be posting the results of this project within the next couple of weeks!

Learning QAL Goal for August

Whimsical Daisy appliqued block

Finally my goal for the August Learning QAL was to dye my own fabric. I was very good at procrastinating! I cleaned up and inventoried my quilting supplies, made an cute applique block and finished the second Classy and Scrappy placemat!

Classy side of the placemat

But I did it! I finally got my act together and dyed my own fabric!

It took quite a while to get it to dry but it's done. Now I just have to make something with that amazingly colourful fabric :-)

I couldn't resist - I took a picture of Chevy watching me lay out the fabric to dry on the lawn. She was not impressed with the fact that I wouldn't let her join me outside! Can you image a hand-dyed doggy?

Chevy - not allowed to play
with the dyed fabric!

What I learned

Procrastinating can be very productive. Maybe not for the project you're supposed to make, but for everything else that you procrastinate with!
I was getting tired of making hexies with no goal in mind. Now that I've picked out a few fabrics to make a few hexies from, it's given me some encouragement. I can't wait to see what combinations I can come up with. It's like making a puzzle but with fabric - how can it get any better?
I've been thinking about my month of September since I have an Art with Fabric Blog Hop coming up in early October. I hope that I'm not being overly ambitious but only time will tell!
I also have to come up with a learning goal for the September Learning QAL. The easy thing would be to make the Art with Fabric piece the goal, but then I wouldn't be showing it off till two weeks later, so I don't think that's going to work. Well, I have a day to think about it. No pressure :-)

Related Links

Hexie Table Topper, August 6, 2017
Whimsical Daisy in Cleaning Up and Procrastinating, August 13, 2017
Classy & Scrappy 2, August 23, 2017
Learning QAL August Sum Up - the dyeing process, August 24, 2017
Results of Learning to Dye Fabric, August 28, 2017

Linking Parties
I am linking this post to the Growing up QAL link-up. I will also be linking up to many other linky parties. Join in the fun and see what others are doing! Linky Tuesday, Midweek Makers, Let's Bee Social, Needle & Thread Thursday, Off the Wall Friday, Finished or Not Friday, Can I get a Whoop Whoop?, Oh Scrap!, MOP Monday, Main Crush Monday,

The September Learning Goal Setting Link-up will be open from September 1st to 10th, 2017. You have a few more days to figure out what you want to learn this month. Join in the fun - you can even win a terrific learning prize!