Eggo Inspired Quilt

Breaking it up in a percentage of colours

Eggo box-top

The Common Thread Quilt Guild's challenge this year was to use a box-top as inspiration to create a quilt. We had to use every colour found on the box-top.  My randomly picked box-top was from a package of Eggo Waffles. Aren’t those amazing colours? There’s even a couple of blueberries and a raspberry to go with the yellow, red, oranges, white and brown.


Quilted details



I calculated roughly the percentages  of each colour and came up with this lap quilt.

Since I also want to learn to machine quilt, it was the perfect project to practice on.  I don’t have a machine that does free-motion but I got to practice my “sewing in the ditch” several dozen times. By the end, it was getting pretty good.  I also tried to get fancy and machine-quilted a couple of flowers.  It wasn’t too difficult to do on a practice piece, but then there’s a whole quilt that needs to be rotated under the sewing machine...well, that’s another matter. So the rest of the strips got wavy lines!

 

Eggo Inspired Quilt



I've linked up to Sarah Goer's Show Me Something Orange linking party.

Learning to Paper Piece



Paper piecing - the back

I recently had the opportunity to try my hand at paper piecing as part of a group project.  For those of us who had little or no paper piecing experience, we got to do the easiest pieces. It will eventually be a double wedding ring in blues and white.  I’m sure the final result will be incredible.

Final result

What a learning experience!  I enjoyed how the process was similar to making a puzzle. The only really difficult part was remembering to think backwards in 3D!  I’m not usually that careful or worried about matching things, which unfortunately usually shows. Paper piecing really does give very precise results.

I suspect that as a beginner, paper piecing a double wedding ring is probably not recommended. I hope that eventually I’ll find an easy project to paper piece, or an easy class to take.

Update: August 1, 2013

The bride-to-be receives her gift

Our quilting group had a picnic and gave the bride-to-be her quilt. Isn't it wonderful?

Christmas is finally over

I did a crazy thing this Christmas.  I attempted to make 3 Christmas runners as gifts.

Close up of the runner

As you can guess from the "attempted", only 2 were done by Christmas...so Christmas was finally over last week when I finished and delivered the third runner. Of course, I was sewing the binding in the car on the way....it's a good thing that our friends live about 45 minutes away. I almost finished it before I got there!

Of course, in my rush to get the other two delivered before Christmas, I forgot to take pictures. Oh well, maybe my friends will take pictures of them next Christmas! They had snowmen on them!


Since I'm on the subject of Christmas, here are a couple of small wall hangings that I completed.

Scrappy Christmas Wall Hanging 2

Scrappy Christmas Wall Hanging 1

These are made based on Rayna Gillman's book, Create your own free-form quilts - a stress-free journey to original design.

Christmas tree skirt

The last two pictures are older Christmas projects that I finally photographed. The one on the left is my Christmas tree skirt,  Honestly, when I put up the tree this year, I thought I might have made a skirt... I'm just glad that I found it! The project on the right is my first ever Christmas runner.  I've gotten a lot of mileage from this pattern.

My First Christmas Runner

Remembering Jeannette (1915-2013)

Two weeks ago my grandmother, Jeannette Belanger, passed away at the age of 98! It wasn't a sad affair since she had lived a good, long life and wasn't really having anymore fun.


She particularly loved flowers, playing cards, good food and being active.  There were many funny stories.  As one of her grand kids said, "she was a card shark"! She did love to win! She wasn't impressed with my card playing since I couldn't count fast enough (still can't).

Flower Applique

In her last few years in the home, I did what I do best - I made her a few small quilts.  Nothing fancy but since she loved flowers, it wasn't very difficult.

Memere, as she was known to her many grandchildren and great-grand children was generous and loved to laugh.  We all, in our own ways, said goodbye.  It invariably included a few drinks and food in her honour. 

Wheelchair Quilt

We will miss her but she's having a much better time on the other side.

Crazy Nine Patch

Watch over us, Memere.


Nous t'aimons.  Tous tes enfants

Finishing Quilts!

Fall is almost over.  I've been in the mood to finish things. I've almost finished piecing that Quilt-Along quilt  - there's just the border to do. But since I want to make a piano keys border, it'll have to wait until after Christmas.

Alexandre's Quilt

I did get two quilts completed.  This colourful quilt is for Alexandre. I sure hope he likes it!

Kai's Tiger Quilt

This tiger beauty is for Kai. He loves tigers.  I hope that they will keep him warm and comfy.

Summer can't be over!!!

Can you believe it? It's mid-August, the kids are getting ready to go back to school and I haven't done half of what I wanted to get done this summer. Every year it's the same thing...hmmm, isn't that the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? Oh well, maybe next year!

I have been busy, but not necessarily quilting. I did buy lots of fabric :-)  I guess that counts for something.

Eleven Blocks Completed!

Here are the eleven blocks in our Beginner's Quilt-Along. I was running behind, but am now caught up (for now).

I've really enjoyed making these blocks. After making 8 blocks with half-square triangles, I can safely say that I am now comfortable with the technique that makes two half-square triangles at a time. Here's the link if you want to find out how to do it. The only problem was that I actually got over confident and then forgot to trim all of my half-square triangles. Pulling block # 10 apart will probably remind me for the next time!

Block # 11 using quarter-square triangles

I then learned how to use the same technique to then make quarter-square triangles. That was very cool. Here is the link for the quarter-square triangles.

This whole project has been done using tone-on-tone for each block.  It's been a really fun experience.  Those fabrics are not that easy to find, especially when looking for contrast. This block was all in golds and I was lucky to find fabric that had more white in it.  My favourite colour is burgundy - try finding a light burgundy! It's probably called pink!

We only have two blocks left, so I know that one of them will be lighter, brighter greens. The other one will probably be purples, cause you can't have too much purple!

Keep on quilting and enjoy the cooler weather!

Gotta Quilt



Block #5 Count the stars



It's been a crazy summer - too much heat and too many changes. AGHH! When you can't sleep because your mind is spinning, get up and plan a quilt or two!  Of course, once you start thinking about math, squares and yardage, don't be surprised if it then takes you another hour or two to fall asleep :-)



I've got two quilts planned, as well as my fall wardrobe. I'm going to Fabricland as soon as I get home tonight for their sale. Hopefully I'll be able to show you the results in a few weeks.



Block #6 Go on a picnic



I have, however, finished a couple more squares for the Quilt-Along. This is too much fun! I just love the fact that I only have to make one block per week. Sampler quilts are fun, but when I think about all of the different blocks I have to make, it becomes way too daunting. One block per week is definitely the way to go!

I should be getting my Mom's sewing machine back from getting its (probably 1st) cleaning. My old trusty is still great, but I can't use my 1/4 inch foot. What a disaster.

Keep the faith (which ever one works) and keep quilting.