Finish! Table Runner

Just a small success, but a success nonetheless.

I bought this table runner as a kit.  I loved the bright colours!  The background is also a batik - mostly white, with a little purple. We have a table in our front entryway, and my goal is to make a table runner for every season and/or holiday.  So far, I have Christmas, summer, autumn and now spring.

I quilted this with a mulitcoloured pastel variegated thread.  I did loopy things to look like petals in the coloured parts, and an all-over meander in the background.  When it came to pick a fabric for the border, I was looking for green, to look like the leaves or branches going with the flowers.  I found a green batik that has the exact shades of blue and purple in it as in the quilt itself.  Perfect!

I'm still working on my son's Blue Bayou quilt - that I've been wanting to finish all year.  I am quilting it now, so should have it done shortly.  (Shortly, for me, means a couple weeks!)

Layout Ideas for Freebie Fifteen

The instructions for finishing the Freebie Fifteen quilt have the blocks sewn together side by side, along with some extra blocks with those awful template pinwheels in them.  (Awful to make, not to look at.)  Then, there are two rows of 3 inch hourglass blocks at the top and the bottom.  I should have thought to take a picture of the partially finished quilt top in the store, but I didn’t.
I think, though, that these blocks are far to busy to be sewn together side by side.  I’d like to put some sashing between them.
I’ve laid them out on my deck, with some of the deck boards showing through to look like sashing.

The deck boards are a light grey.  I would use a taupe sashing, as I think it will match the grey and sand in the blocks best – but I’m wondering if it should be light, like the boards, or darker, like, say, the darker colour in this block:

What do you think?

Freebie Fifteen - the Penultimate Blocks

Do you have some words that you just like?  One of mine is "penultimate".  I don't get to use it very often, but when I do, I smile.  OK, I'm strange that way.

I've got 3 more blocks done for the Freebie Fifteen.  Here is the actual freebie block:

I cheated like CRAZY on this block.  I am so tired of these teeny tiny templates.  I have decided that I am not a template girl.  So, I just cut those darker strips and fused them on.  I didn't even stitch around them - I'm planning on having the quilting hold them on.

And here are the other two - these are companion blocks:

Again, I cheated on the pinwheel blocks.  They were supposed to be those narrow pinwheels made with (aargh) templates, but I just quickly did them with half square triangles.  And, I made them by cutting a square and sewing on either side of the diagonal - which is why the pinwheels spin in different directions.

So, then, I went in to get the final blocks and the finishing kit, and the nice woman at the checkout tells me to make sure to keep certain of the fabrics separate, as "You'll need them to make a whole bunch of these pinwheels" - pointing to the dreaded template pinwheels on the wall.  Yikes!  I think I'm going to find another way to finish this quilt.

And to finish this post, a nice picture of the turning leaves in the park behind our house.

Why We Quilt

When I ran the Quilters Gallery Blog Hop giveaway, the question I asked was why you quilt.  And the answers I received were amazing!  I had such fun reading through them all, that I thought I'd share some of the best with you today.

Heather said:  It is my creative outlet.  Well, actually it started because it was much better than continuing to take anti-depressants. I also have far too many ufo's but that will give me lots to do without having to go shopping except for backing, binding, batting, borders... (anything else with b?)

I think perhaps you like the shopping part of it too, Heather!

Samantha said:   I quilt for many reasons. Some quilts I make so we have something to cover up with! I believe in making lots of pretty but functional (utility) quilts that get used and used and eventually fall into tatters and can't be used anymore. Stress relief is another big one. The last reason I quilt is because sometimes someone deserves to have time spent making something special just for them. 

Absolutely, Samantha!  Sometimes we get caught up in the idea that our quilts are heirlooms and shouldn't be  damaged.  But aren't they intended to be a symbol of our love for someone? And if they are used to tatters, then we should be happy that the recipient loved the quilt as much as we love them!

Cathy said:   I quilt because I have to. It is my creative outlet. My drawing and painting skills are sadly lacking, but with fabrics as my "paints" and all the various patterns as my "drawing" I can be as creative as I wish, with endless possibilities. Just like no 2 original paintings are the same, no 2 quilts are ever the same.

I feel the same way, Cathy.  You would never call me an artist - I can't draw stick people!  But I do love to be creative, and quilting allows me to create beautiful things.  I feel great when someone asks, "Did you make that?"

Richard said:    We had a baby girl this year and I started quilting to make her a quilt. My wife did not know how to quilt and told me to make my own if I wanted one so that is what I do.

And thank you, Richard, for doing what your wife told you to do.  You're a keeper!

Quiltn Mama said:  I quilt because homicide is frowned upon ;) 

No comment.

Renate said:  Why do I quilt? Hmmm I think it is because I love to fondle ... fabric that is. Nope it's because it brings out the artist in me. Nope, because it has expanded my social circle. Nope it's all of the above. and because I get to meet others on the internet highway that share the same interest, just like you.

Thanks Renate.  I agree with all of those reasons too!

Donna said   Why I quilt? Well let’s see back in March of 2009 I fell off my Concrete Mixer Truck. (that’s right I was concrete mixer driver and loved it and the pay wasn’t shabby at all). However when I took the fall I fell backwards unto asphalt road and put a goose egg on the side of my head the size of a softball, ended up having surgery on my arm, cracked 5 ribs, and the worst part left me with horrible back pain. I’ve worked hard my whole life and found myself in deep depression do not too able to have the life I use to have because of back pain. So in Feb of 2011 so fed up with TV and FB games, I decided I would see if I could quilt to keep from going stir crazy. Now sitting long periods of time makes my back hurt but I just keep trying to keep my mind off my pain. And found out that I could quilt and love every minute of it. Especially when it comes out right…LOL

And this is the reason I quilt!

That is the most unique reason I came across!  I'm glad that quilting is helping you recover, Donna.

Nanbon44 said:   I quilt to bring smiles to a seniors face when they feel forgotten, I quilt to bring laughter to a child who is fighting for their life, I quilt to soothe a new baby when she enters this world, I quilt to bring comfort to a woman as she tries to make sense of the abuse she just escaped from.. I quilt for others as my mother before me did.. I have some big footsteps to fill.

And that about says it all, doesn't it?

Thanks everyone, for your wonderful and inspiring comments.  I'm going to compile all of the answers and put them in a separate tab at the top of the blog - as soon as I figure out how to do that.

We Have a Winner!

I loved participating in the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop this time around.  I've used Mr Random to help me choose a winner, and (drum roll please)...

The winner is TANYA at Second Chance.  I've contacted Tanya by e mail, and will be shipping the fat quarters to her in the UK as soon as she sends me her address.  Congratulations Tanya, and thanks to everyone who entered.  I enjoyed reading all of your entries!

Fairview or Bust!

This past week, we moved my DD to Fairview, Alberta.  She will be teaching there this coming year.  This is her second teaching post - the first was in a fly-in community in northern Saskatchewan.  She was there for 2 years.  I'm glad that she is moving closer, although it's not much closer!  It is an 8 hour drive north from Calgary.

But what a beautiful drive!  We couldn't have asked for better weather - sunny and warm the entire time.  The farmers are starting to swath their crops, and my DH delighted in seeing the great crops that seem to be out there this year.

A highlight for me was going through Dunvegan on the Peace River.  I have never been through that area before.  I didn't get a good picture of the river valley (which is gorgeous), but here is the Dunvegan Bridge.

Dunvegan is not a town any more - there is a park and a restored historical area.  It used to be a mission along the Peace River (which was used for transport in the early days).  Here is the mission church.

Apparently, after the mission closed, the church was used for various purposes, including to store grain and as a tire store!  It has now been restored, along with the rectory behind it.

Anyway, we got DD settled and checked out the town a bit.  It seems like a very nice town, even though I didn't find a quilt shop there!

Welcome to the Quilting Gallery Blog Hoppers

I'm excited to participate in the Quilting Gallery Blog Hop for the first time.



This is a Back to School Blog Hop party, and I DO have a child going back to school this year.  My DS, after taking a couple of years to learn that working at minimum pay jobs is not what he wants in life, is going to SAIT this fall, taking "New Media Technology".   Maybe he can fancy up my blog a bit, as homework!

A bit about me. I'm a 50-ish quilter, having loved the hobby for the past 12 or 13 years.  I'm a traditional quilter, so far, but I am loving many of the modern quilts that I see.  The problem is - I have so many UFO's that I started in pre-modern quilt days, and I am a thrifty kind of person - I have to finish those up first, before I will allow myself to start any more.  (Maybe.  I have been known to start a project or two without finishing up the old ones - hence the many UFO's!)

In my real life, I work at a government department that helps separating and separated families deal with court matters - custody, access, support, protection, etc.  It can be a very stressful job, but I have learned, over the last 28 years, to leave work at work.  It helps to have hobbies that you can absorb yourself in, and quilting is that for me!

I have a wonderfully supporting husband, who is recently retired, and two adult children.  My DD has, supposedly, moved out, but has left a surprising amount of stuff here, for someone who no longer lives here! My DS still lives at home, while he completes his studies.

Now, on to the good part.  My giveaway consists of 10 fat quarters, from Northcott.  The line is Nature's Glow, by Ro Gregg.

They are lovely Asian fabrics.  They have been pre-washed.  I will ship internationally.

 To enter the giveaway, leave a comment telling me one reason why you quilt.  I will choose a winner on Saturday, September 1.