Creative Slump leads to deconstruction...

I haven't sewn a stitch since my Saturday sewing 2 weeks ago.  I've spent some time in my studio but more organizing than creative pursuits.  I've had a baby quilt on my design wall for weeks trying to decide how to fix it.  Today it was like a bad hair day.  I pulled out the scissors and chopped it up, salvaging the main squares and discarding the rest.  Here are the before and after shots:

BEFORE (I actually placed the squares back in the frames.  The blue border has already been cut off.  This is a reasonable representation of the 'before' picture.  Yuk!

Now, here's the blocks I salvaged:  (the 2" blue borders are in my 2" strip drawer; the balance of the 'flimsy' is in my bag of scraps that goes to the Win Thrift Store to be recycled into new fabric, so it's not really waste, right?)

Any ideas on what else I could do to finish this baby quilt?  I'm toying with framing them log cabin style but they already measure 9".

I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas about these blocks...

Until next time,

Mavis

Baby Bricks & Stepping Stones - UFO done! or IFFI!!

This quilt was created especially for a beautiful baby girl in our church congregation named Monroe.  She totally suits her name and I think this quilt totally suits her.

Baby Bricks & Stepping Stones

It is a free pattern from Bonnie Hunter's website:  www.quiltville.com called "Bricks and Stepping Stones".  It is very quick to put together.  I machine quilted on my friend's Little Gracie with a Janome 6600 and then did a machine binding using the faux piping tutorial at http://tlcstitches.blogspot.com/2010/07/faux-piped-binding-tutorial.html.

It will be presented to Monroe sometime mid-September along with some other presentations by other quilters in our church quilting group to the other babies born to families in our church...and there are many!

We're kinda behind in getting our quilts done so I'm very happy to have found time to finish this quilt this weekend and to have discovered this snazzy new binding method.  Thank you to Trish from Seattle for sharing this tutorial on her tlcstitches blog.

Until next time!
Mavis

Playtime!!

I am a fan of "Quilting Arts" on TV and the Web.  I usually tape the show and watch is Saturday mornings.  Last Saturday I did just that and was so inspired by one of their projects that I bought some dissolvable paper and created this portrait of my dog, Sara, Saturday afternoon.

I loved this project!  I will use a lighter background next time because it's not easy to see Sara, but my whole family recognized her right off the batt so I must have done something right.  There are some more advanced doggy portraits on the downloadable .pdf on the website.  You have to register on the site to download the document but it only takes a few minutes.

You can check out this project at http://www.quiltingartstv.com/projects/600/projects_600_9.htm. It's Project 609-1.

Supplies Needed:  Scrap of batting 8.5 x 11"; Scraps of fabric (batiks work great), all in analogous colours; Temporary adhesive spray; dissolvable paper/stabilizer (I used Sulky brand); image to print on injet printer.

The directions are on the Quilting Arts website.  This was so much fun!  It gave me lots of ideas about other applications of this design.  I hope it inspires you too!

Blessings,
Mavis

Strawberry Fields Forever - the photo!

Argghhhh...I bought my daughter's laptop with the dreaded Windows Vista on it.  I'm trying hard to upload the photo of the quilt...let's give it another whirl....

Ta da!!  Off to make the label now...

Until next time...
Mavis

Strawberry Fields Forever

And ANOTHER UFO done.  Woo hoo!  Am I on a roll or what??!!

Guilt played a part in getting this quilt done.  When the second anniversary of this lovely young couple had passed and I hadn't yet finished their wedding quilt, I knew it was time to do whatever it took to push past the creative block and get 'er dun!!

I will upload a photo when I get a picture taken of the quilt but here's a teaser...it's an original pattern using about 3 charm packs.  Each charm is surrounded by sashing.  The border is neutral and has appliqued strawberries and a vine on it (hence the name).  What was making me 'stuck' was the thought of satin stitching around all of those blessed berries and strawberry tops/leaves.  I broke free and did raw edge applique which will hopefully add some texture when it gets washed and fluffed/frayed a bit.  This has given me one less excuse to finish my Tuscan Hillside quilt which may very well be the next project back on the machine. It also has a vine and some grape leaves on it.

I am so pleased with the final result of this latest IFFI (I finally finished it!) and I hope that this wonderful young couple will get much enjoyment from their Strawberry Fields Forever quilt.

Until next time... when I will hopefully have snapped a photo and uploaded it...but not tonight.

Mavis

Attack of the Scrap Basket!!

This is something I've wanted to do for years!  I've dealt with new scraps as I've finished projects and determined not to let my scrap basket overflow.  But yesterday was the day I decided to attack my backlog scrap basket.  I first looked into Bonnie Hunter's Leaders and Enders book to see what her common scrap usage sizes were.  I decided 2" strips and 2 1/2" and 2" squares were the most useful.  That said, I also thought about the 5" charm packs and the new patterns available for them.

Here are the before and after pictures:

Before

After

I've still got a ways to go but I figure I'll be all set to start some scrappy projects in September!

Happy Little Quilting Dance!!

Until next time,
Mavis

Another UFO finished!!

I am more shocked than anyone that I have actually machine quilted two quilts in the month of July despite a full work day and a few guests visiting the B&B.

This latest one in yellow and purple (love, love, love that combo!) was started a few years back when Margaret Miller taught her "Strips that Sizzle" class here in Victoria.  The instructions were to choose two colour families (mine of course were yellow and purple) and in those families choose three different values.  There are a number of different layout options for this quilt.  It was on my design wall for a LONG time until I was satisfied that the quilt was talking to me.  I wanted it big enough for a bed quilt but I didn't want to introduce additional fabrics to make more blocks.
The result was adding a purple square to the center of each 'pinwheel'.  I liked it and the decision was made!  And I was amazed as I stood back and watched the yellow 'lattice' making a secondary design.

About half way through making the quilt top, I decided this quilt would be for my dear mother-in-law suffering from Alzheimers.  She is now in long term care (after living with us for about 9 years).  I wanted to make her a quilt that would brighten up her room.  If this sunshiney quilt doesn't do it then I don't think anything will.  I made the label large enough for her to read where it came from.  I know she doesn't understand that I made it for her.  It was just important for me to express my love for her with a handmade quilt and I pray that somehow she can feel its comfort.

And here it is ....