Table Runner For Geo

Geo said he would like a large table runner that had animal prints on it. I dug around in my stash and found a few such prints. This is a very easy table runner to make. It just requires six inch squares, one inch sashing and some triangles along the edge. I started this a few days before Christmas, now it's finished.

Throwback Thursday; Nativity Scene By Linda H.

This was originally posted in 2014, but I thought it deserved another look. Linda made this paper pieced nativity scene. Paper piecing is intricate and precise, I avoid it like the plague, but Linda does a beautiful work. Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm In The Mood For Green

I've been working on these blocks in cream and green. A long time ago, one of our guild members made a quilt with this colour combination. I liked the one she made and thought I would use the idea someday. I can't remember what pattern she used, the Split Nine Patch seems like a good choice. I'll keep making blocks until I'm tired of them, that's how big the quilt will end up.

Placemats

I made a set of these "Take Four" placemats for a gift. Not being able to find the pattern I bought a few years ago, I had to measure the pieces in the placemats I made before. Eventually the pattern will show up in the sewing room. It looks like a bomb went off in there with all this gift creating.

Bowl Cozy

Last year I bought a bolt of WrapnZap batting for making bowl cozies. The package hadn't even been opened, so I thought I better use some of it. I made this bowl cozy for my friend who love cats. I forgot the proper measurements of the darts, the sides of my cozy are a little steep, haha! Note to self- only make the darts one inch wide, not an inch and a half.

Potholders

I'm going to give these potholders to a friend. It's funny how the Christmas fabric stash goes on and on for years, it never seems to diminish.

It's Gift Bag Season

It seems like I just made gift bags, but that was a year ago. Christmas seems to come around faster every year. I made this bag today. I've made many different kinds over the years, but the one with boxed corners is the fastest and easiest. Yesterday was cinnamon bun day. Too bad there are no pot luck dinners to go to. It looks like Geo and I are going to have to eat all of these. 2020 has been such a weird year.

Product Review; Creative Grids Mask Template

It doesn't look like this pandemic is going to end anytime soon. I ordered a mask template from Dinkydoo Fabrics, I like to shop from Canadian retailers whenever possible. I tried the template today, it worked well. It's nice to be able to cut with a rotary cutter instead of pinning a paper pattern and cutting with scissors. The templates didn't skid around as I was cutting because there are grips on the back. There are three size options on the template, I made the large size. I don't think I would make the smaller sizes unless they were for a child. It looks like I didn't sew the pleats evenly on the sides. Oh well, if anyone is going to get close enough to measure my pleats, they can go away, haha!

Getting Back In The Swing Of Things

I'm finally able to free-motion quilt for more than fifteen minutes at a time. Yesterday, I worked on this quilt for over an hour. The physio exercises for my wrist are paying off, now it has more strength. Hopefully, I'll be able to get some of these projects finished.

Pin Basting Without Igor

My wrist is doing well enough now that I can do some pin basting. It isn't the same without Igor, the quilt inspector. He passed away in the veterinary hospital the other night. The poor guy got sick all of a sudden and there was nothing they could do for him. Igor was always "helping" with every quilt I made since I adopted him in January 2016. It seems strange to work on a quilt without my buddy sprawled out over it.

Jack In The Pulpit By Linda H.

Hot off the press! Linda just finished this "Jack in the Pulpit" quilt that will be given to her friend. Briony loves this colour combination and has a double bed, so Linda thought it would be a good quilt for her. I think blocks always look fantastic when they're set on point.

Thermos Bag By Linda H.

Linda designed and made this insulated bag to hold a thermos. Her friend, Joanne was using some quilt batting to wrap around her thermos because she said it didn't stay hot long enough. Joanne was absolutely thrilled when she was given the bag. Linda told me that it was time consuming to construct and doesn't want to make another one anytime soon. :)

Making Some Progress

Today was the first time in more than two months that I've been able to hold down a ruler with my left hand while cutting with my right hand. I've been faithfully doing the physio exercises to get mobility back in my hand after breaking my wrist. Slowly but surely the swelling is going down and I can do a few more things. Today I tried this tutorial on making a mask with vertical pleats.

An Adjustment On The Mask

The mask I made the other day had gaping sides. I solved the problem by putting a tiny pleat on each side. It fits much better now. This is the one I made today,

I Sewed Something

I started physiotherapy on my hand yesterday. Having a cast on my arm for six weeks made everything seize up. It's going to take a long time to get everything functional again. I made a mask today from this tutorial Unfortunately, there is no ink in my printer, so I drew out the pattern by looking at the picture on the screen. My version of the pattern probably isnt the best. It was a struggle to sew because of my limited mobility, but it felt good to create something after not sewing for so long.

The Cast Is Off

The cast was removed from my arm yesterday, the bone is healed- yay! I don't think I'd able to have a career as a hand model, though. My hand looks like an inflated rubber glove and is all discoloured. It's going to take some time before I can get back into the swing of things. Physiotherapy is next on the agenda. When things get back to normal, I'll be spending many hours in the sewing room to make up for lost time.

Jazz Cats By Linda H.

I got this message from Linda today: "Here is a photo of a small quilt top that I made about two or three years ago. It is a version of Jazz Cats by Janet Kime from the book The Cat's Meow. I don't know when I will quilt it or what I will do with it when it is finished! I pinned it to my tool board and took the picture with my phone."

Nine-Patch Blocks

The nine-patch blocks are slowly coming along. This quilt is going to be for one of our neighbours near our cabin in the Yukon. Hopefully, I'll get the quilt finished so we can give it to him next summer.

A New Cast

On Monday, I got a different cast put on my arm. The other one came up too far and dug in when I bent my elbow. I thought the new one would be lighter because it's fiberglass, but it still seems like a brute to lug around. I can only sew for about fifteen minutes at a time or my hand swells up like a balloon, it has to be elevated. I've managed to make quite a few nine-patches, maybe Ill have enough for a quilt top by the time this cast is removed in about two and a half weeks.

Step Aside By Linda H.

Linda made "Step Aside" to donate to her quilting group. They give quilts to shelters and other worthy causes. The pattern came from Quilting Quickly magazine, September/October 2018. The designer was Terri Vanden Bosch. Linda said it was fun to make. I think I'd like to make one too.

Linda used Glide thread for the quilting.

Cutting Fabric

I couldn't stand the thought of not being able to quilt for six weeks because of my broken left wrist. Where there is a will, there's a way. I've been holding the ruler in place with eight pound weights. Doing everything with one hand is slow, but at least I can make some quilt blocks.

Baby Quilt By Linda H.

Linda made this baby quilt for the neonatal unit at the Nanaimo hospital. She thought the horse print fabric was too cute to cut up so she put a border around it. The quilts for that unit have to be a certain size and require a dark backing, Linda followed the guidelines. I'm sure the little quilt will be appreciated.

I'm Back

We had a lovely two months at our Yukon cabin. There was lots of rain, but that didnt bother us. When we got home, I crashed my bike and broke my wrist. That'll put my quilting on hold for six weeks.

I did a few repairs on some clothing at the cabin. There were some bleach splashes on a top, so I covered the dots with embroidery.

A pair oj pyjama pants had a burn hole in the leg from a campfire spark. That too was embroidered.

I also did a lot of crocheting until the carpal tunnel in my hand started screaming. Until this wrist heals up, there will be lots of reading and dreaming of what hundred quilts I want to make next.

Vacation Time 2020. I will be back at the end of August

Red And Yellow Quilt Is Completed

This quilt is so bright, it'll blister your eyes. It began eighteen years ago as a challenge for myself to make a quilt entirely from red and yellow prints. I finished sewing the binding today, it's nice to finally get it finished. On the back, I used a coffee themed print. Nobody will want this one, I'll have to keep it for myself. 🤣