Quilters Christmas Party

Sew Cal Gal is having a Christmas party, with lots of great prizes!

We had our office Christmas party last Friday.  Actually, this was party number 1.  Our team reserved space in a restaurant, and went out after work for drinks and nibblies.  It was great fun.  I work with a great group of gals!

Party number 2 is a building-wide lunch, complete with our IT guy dressed up as Santa.  What a hoot!  That is this week, I think.  (I have a ticket - I'll have to check that to make sure I don't miss it.)

Party number 3 is our monthly "special lunch" - that celebrates the month's birthdays.  Usually, we all bring our own lunches, and one person brings a special dessert.  This month, we are all chipping in for pizza, and the lunch will have a combination birthday / Christmas theme.

Lots of fun!

To keep this quilty, I'll show you my Christmas quilts.  (I can't show you any decorations, as I have none up yet!)

This is a tablerunner that I made from a Patrick Lose pattern.  I love the whimsy of it!

This is a panel that I used for my first free motion quilting class.  Sorry about the fuzzy picture!  I got really good at stippling when I fmq'd the sky.  Real good!   Too bad I didn't quilt the rest of the quilt that heavily - the bottom is wavy as a result of the difference in the quilting density.  Oh well - I learned a lesson and the quilt is still cute on the wall.

And finally, the tree skirt.

And that's it for my Christmas craftiness!   I'm looking forward to seeing what others have done.

A Quilter’s Proud Moment

My daughter (who teaches Grade 6) posted on my facebook page: 
“I used one of your quilts in class today to teach about angles.”

Awww, thanks!




She's got lots of angles to choose from with this one!

Tag, I’m It!

I’ve been tagged by Sam, at Quilting Curve.  Thanks, Sam – I hadn’t seen your blog before and it’s a real treat!

 

Now on to the tagging.  The rules are:

• Every tagged person has to tell 11 things about themselves.
• The person who tagged you asked 11 questions over at their blog, answer these questions in your post.
• Ask 11 questions of the people you tag (any quilting blogger with under 200 followers).
• Mention the person who tagged you (but don't for goodness sake tag them back!)

 

So, 11 things about me.  Hmmmm

1.  I’ve been a lawyer for almost 30 years, but only in private practice for the first 7.  I found it hard to ask for money from people in crisis.

2.  I met my DH in my law office.  He came in to get a Will done.  I asked him if he had ever been married, and he said, “No.  Anyone who married me would have to have a pretty good sense of humour.”  I thought, “I have a pretty good sense of humour.”  We started dating several months after that, and he has kept me laughing ever since.  He has a pretty good sense of humour too.

3.  I threw up on his shoes when I was in labour.  He has never let me forget it.  (And yes, he laughs about it.)

4.  I talk to myself.  Whenever I am alone.

5.  My secret ambition is to write a novel.

6.  I have not started to write a novel.  And yes, I realize that starting is the first step.

7.  I love to bake.  Nothing too fancy; just comfort food.  I think I’m a pretty good cook.

8.  I need to lose some weight.  I wonder if that has anything to do with #7?

9.  I have a 25 year old daughter, who is a teacher, and a 20 year old son, who is a tech whiz and a student.

10. My kids are so much more well adjusted than I was at their ages.  How did that happen? 

11.  I am so much like my Mom – in personality, and appearance.  Whenever we are together, someone says, “Well, I can sure tell that you are mother and daughter.”  I kind of like that, and I think she does too.

 

And now to answer Sam’s questions:

1.  Did you have an artistic background leading up to quilting?

Gak!  (That was me choking on my laughter.)  No, I have absolutely no artistic talent at all.  I always wanted to be artistic, but it is just not there.  I have always been creative, though – I’ve crafted my whole life.  But, almost always following a pattern.

2.  What would you change about your quilting studio / space?

Make it bigger. (Wouldn’t everyone?)  I am lucky that I have a complete room for my sewing.  My DH put it in when he finished the basement, and it seemed like there was lots of room when I moved my stuff in there.  But, my stash has grown a lot, as has my book / magazine collection and that space is filled up!

3.  If you could describe your quilting style in one word, what would that word be?

Careful.  (I am very slow and methodical, and like to think through each step.  I was going to use the word “precise”, but, to tell the truth, my quilting is not all that precise.)

4. Fess up – how many UFO’s do you have?

Oh gosh, I haven’t counted them for awhile.  If unopened kits don’t count, then I have about 5.  OK, 7.

5.  What inspires you to quilt?

It used to be classes and magazines.  I haven’t taken a class since the LQS near me closed down (5 years ago), and I don’t get as many magazines now.  I’d have to say that these days, the blogging and podcast communities are what inspires me.

6.  What kind of information, quilt wise, have you had trouble finding on the internet?

I looked for a pattern to make a Mariner’s compass quilt and could not find one.  There are lots of Mariner’s compass variations out there, but not the basic pattern.  I ended up buying a book.

7.  What is your favourite organization technique (quilt wise)?

If I have purchased fabric for a particular pattern, I keep that fabric together with the pattern.  The fabric that I purchase “just because” is sorted mostly by colour.

8.  What colour would you like to paint in your quilting studio / space?

Yellow.  (It is currently white.)

9.  If you could visit any country / place, where would you visit?

I’d like to go to London, England.  Well, actually, all over the UK.

10.  What is your favourite meal right now?

Some kind of pasta, with marinara sauce.

11.  Where do you buy your fabric?

If it’s something that I need to finish a project, I will usually go to a quilt store in Calgary.  However, I usually like to visit every quilt shop I come across when we travel, and, of course, I have to buy something in very one, so that is how I have built up my stash.

 

And now, here are my 11 questions for the people I tag.  (Sheesh!  This is getting to be a lot of work!)

1.  How did you discover quilting?

2.  Have you taken formal quilting classes?  If yes, what did you like about them, and what did you not like?

3.  Has the fact that you blog inspired you to quilt more?  Or has it eaten into the time you have available to quilt?

4.  Tell me the truth – are you just a teeny bit jealous of those bloggers that seem to have a quilt completed every week?  (Or are you one of those quilters, in which case, I’m a whole lot jealous!)

5.  What is your favourite part of quilting – cutting, piecing, quilting the quilt, handwork (applique or binding) or something else?

6.  Is there a quilting technique that you would like to try, but haven’t?  Why not?

7.  Is there something that you like to watch or listen to while you quilt?

8. Do you quilt regularly – or in spurts?

9.  Are you working on a Christmas gift right now?  If so, what?

10.  What are your other hobbies? 

11  What tempts you more – chocolate or chips?

 

And here are the blogs that I am tagging:

Amy’s Free Motion Quilting Adventures  Lots of tips and some videos.  She shares as she learns free motion quilting (but, really, she’s pretty darn good already!)

Wilma’s Craft Corner  I found Wilma because she was doing the same Block of the Month as me.  She has finished hers – I haven’t.  She has lots of photos of great projects that she has completed.

Capitola Quilter  Karen has a wonderful modern style.  She participates in lots of swaps and bees, and that is always fun to read about.

LIfe is a Stitch  I’ve been following Nancy-Rose’s blog, I think, since she started – and she was an early blogger.  She has a great sense of humour.  And, she has created some beautiful quilts, often out of thrift store scraps.

Books and Quilts  Heather combines crafting (quilting and knitting, mostly) with book reviews.  And the occasional recipe.  It is a very fun mix.

Stars Around The Garden - Finished!

I've got the binding all sewn down on Stars Around The Garden.  I couldn't be happier with the way this quilt turned out!

The pattern is by Bits and Pieces Designs.  I did it as a Saturday Sampler at local quilt shop that is, alas, no longer in business.  They provided all of the fabrics for the blocks.  I bought the sashing, choosing brick red instead of the green they had in the shop sample.  The quilt is huge - this is a queen size bed.  I'll have to measure it again, but I think it's around 96 x 108!

The quilt was quilted by the very talented Chelsea, at Pins and Bobbins.  Here are some close-ups of her quilting.  Click on the pictures for a better view.

She echo quilted the applique, then some free motion stippling around that:

The pieced blocks each had a stencilled design that mirrored the gorgeous feathers in the sashing:

In the borders, she quilted leaves and flowers to mirror that applique, then echo stitched around them:

More of the border, and you can see the feathers better:

Thank you Chelsea - you have helped me create an heirloom!

Saturday Morning Sew In

Brye Lynn, over at Sew Stitch Create is organizing a Sew In for Saturday morning.  The details are on her blog.

Since it is supposed to be -19C on Saturday morning, and since it is currently snowing heavily outside, it seems like a good plan.  Maybe I'll see some of you there too.

Finished Blue Bayou!

Finally, finally, I finished the Blue Bayou quilt for my son.

This was intended to be a graduation quilt for his high school grad.  Well, that happened 2 and a bit years ago, so it’s a little late!  However, he should not feel bad, because his sister’s high school graduation quilt was about 4 years late.  Think I should get started on wedding quilts now?

You’re may be thinking that my son has a very tidy bedroom.  Ha!  I thought about photographing it in his room, but decided you really didn’t need to be punished by having to look at the chaos in there.  Actuallly, I put the quilt on the guest bed to photograph it.

It feels so good to get a big quilt like this done!  When I decided to make this, I spent a lot of time collecting various fat quarters, as I wanted it to be really scrappy.  Many times, I came home with some fat quarters, only to find that they really didn’t go with the other blues I had chosen.   I had decided to lean towards teal, and there are even some bits that are green, but they don’t show up so well in the photo.  I spent about a year collecting the fabric – that’s really my favourite part of quilting, so why rush it?  Then, cutting hundreds of squares! 

The pattern instructions were, in my opinion, annoying, as they told you to cut the squares into half square triangles, then sew them together in various combinations of dark, medium, light and white.  I would use the “draw the line diagonally across the square, then sew on each side” method, so I had to calculate myself how many of each combination I needed.  I do a fair amount of technical writing at work, so when instructions are vague or confusing – or not as efficient as they could be, it bugs me.   It’s not easy writing good instructions!

Here is an end-on photo that shows the pattern and quilting a little better.

I just did an all over pattern, as the quilt is so busy, the quilting would not show anyway.  And, it’s easier!

The pattern is from Fons and Porter magazine – the January-February 2008 issue.  I made the mistake of throwing away the magazine without writing down the name of the designer.  I e mailed F & P to ask them, but they have not got back to me yet.  If any of you save old magazines, perhaps you’ll be able to tell me.

Today is a glorious day – sunny and above freezing.  We had about 6 inches of snow a week or so ago.  That’s a bit early for us, although we usually have snow right around Halloween.  Then, it was cloudy and foggy for an entire week, which is REALLY unusual for Calgary.  We’re so dry, we rarely get fog, and we usually have lots of sun in the winter.    But, the fog has lifted, the sun is shining, and I have an extra hour today!  What could be better!

Fourth Quarter Finish-A-Long

Well, it's time to set goals for the fourth quarter for the Quilter in the Gap Finish-A-Long.  It's hard to believe that this is the last quarter - I sure haven't finished up as many projects as I had wanted, but I have finished up some (without starting any new ones), so I'm happy.

First goal (surprise!) is my son's Blue Bayou quilt.

Yes, I know - this quilt has been on the goal list every quarter so far.  But this time, I know I will finish it - I'm at the binding stage, so I have no excuse!!

Second goal is Stars Around the Garden BOM quilt.  (I really am going to have to do some digging before this is done, so I can tell you the designer's name).

This one, I know I will finish as well, because the quilting is done, done, done!  Chelsea at Pins and Bobbins has done a beautiful job and I got it back in the mail yesterday.  So, all that needs to be done is the binding.

Then, there is this quilt:

 

and its border:

That shouldn't take too long to finish up - once I actually get to work on it!

And, if I have time, I'll work on the Freebie Fifteen:

I have three more 12 inch (complicated) blocks and a bunch of 3 inch quarter square triangle blocks.  And sashing - which I think I've decided to make light grey / taupe, so as to keep the overall quilt in soft colours.

So, that's it - four goals.  Will I accomplish them?  Who knows?  I am the slowest quilter I know!  But, if I don't, then I'll just move 'em on to the next goal setting period.  It's not a race, right?