Hi-Ho... Hi-Ho... a quilting I will go!

Hi friends! I'm sorry it's been a couple of weeks since last update. I've been keeping myself real busy since my home nurse signed off, and my foot is officially healing so well now that the wound is closed, I don't need home care. I have the wound specialist coming, for the (maybe) last time just to make sure everything is still good.
So, what was I up to last time we chatted? Oh right, I had finished both my girls quilt tops. I ordered the backing fabric for both of them. It should be in this week some time. Hopefully next pay I can afford the batting.
At the same place I ordered my first 'kit' to make my best friend of 35 yrs a quilt. this is the pattern and the fabric I chose (with her approval) The only difference is I chose not to have black sashing, and opted to use the darkest color in the fabric palette shown. I think I will look around for some type of embroidered butterflies I can add for a special touch

  

March 27th Quilt top complete! 

I'm ordering this panel, and will use three of the squares to dress up the back :) 

I certainly wasn't planning on spending anymore money, but I needed thread so went online to Fabricville. I ordered most of my fleece and flannel there when making stuffies. At that time they didn't offer much in the way of Quilting cotton, and what they did have then was very pricey.

I asked my sister what colors she would want a quilt made with, so I could keep my eyes open for something on sale at some point. Guess what store is stocking a very nice selection of cotton now online? I bought this fabric at $6.99 yd (Canadian dollar) Not too bad, when the average cost in Canada right now is $13.99 yd and up.

I had my sister choose a block pattern she liked out of a few I had found.She picked this Solstice Star. They all seemed to be something I could pull off......and below are the 1st 3 blocks! I'm super stoked and I think there will even be enough to make another quilt top using the same fabrics for her 16 yr old daughter.One of my new quilting buddies sent me a pattern that might be perfect! I do love the online quilting community. For the most part, made up of women with hearts as warm and big as the beautiful quilts they make. 

That reminds me, I still have my very own quilt to look forward to. My secret quilting buddy is gifting me it all precut as a kit for me. I feel so totally blessed.

It is time for me to lay my head on my pillow and dream of quilts, quilts, and more quilts ♥

Sew much to learn , and loving it!

Elle's quilt top is complete. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Will have to wait for the $$ to purchase batting and backing for both the girls' quilts



So, my sister-in-law gave me a couple of bags of fabric and stuffing.... and these 2 baby panels already sandwiched. I am attempting to hand quilt the barnyard one right now for practice and if all goes well, I will do the lions and tigers... for a dear friends' 1st Grandbaby, a little girl in June. Wish me luck!

I started a conversation in Canadian Quilters (fb group) about what batting I should use and best place to purchase. Well, lets just say, quilting is no longer a poor womans' hobby, The most cost-effective way to buy batting would be by the bolt. The least expensive place so far is Sew Sisters' in Toronto.  They don't carry what I want, a bolt of Hobbs 80/20 but will gladly order for $300 -  25% (boltreduction) = $225.  That means I am paying $7.50 a yd, considerably less than buying one quilt at a time for at least $50 a pop. Time to start saving my nickels and dimes.

Catch up with you again, real soon,




March 20th Update
I  finished quilting both panels.
I only have the binding to finish on the barnyard one.
I doubled the batting in the inner square, so when I quilted certain parts of the animals it gave it an almost 3D effect. Pretty happy with how it turned out as it is the 1st quilted project I did on my own from start to finish. It is going to my dear friend Kim, who is having her first grandbaby this summer. A little girl ♥

Full steam ahead

Busy, busy, am almost finished putting together Elle's quilt.. It was a little more difficult than the 1st quilt, but is turning out pretty nice, I've already set my sights on the next quilt, which will be for me. Here's a pic of it, The pattern is called a french braid.

I'll probably post Elle's quilt top at some point today, 

Have a good one! 

My very first Quilt top al sewn together :)

This is my very 1st quilt top all sewn together, It will be for my youngest daughter,Laura. I am so pleased with how it turned out, but the best thing about it, is my daughter loves it too! next pay day will order the fabric for the back and the batting. 

I am going to try and quilt this myself using chalk and stencils hand stitching it. I hope to have enough dollars to buy pounce and stencils as well as a lap hoop. 

In the meantime I will be starting to put together my daughter Elle's quilt top.

 I'll post a picture when I finish hers. 

Sew long! ;) 

Moving forward....

I've been playing with the fabric sequence for my girls quilts. For Laura's I had her lay it out on the floor and do the order the way she'd like it. I think she did a great job!

Elle's quilt. 

The sashing will alternate using these 2 fabrics'

Laura's quilt. 

The sashing will be in a black pattern and 

white speckled pattern (looks like splattered paint. perfect!)

I need to wait until payday to buy some cotton thread. I plan on sewing in one hour sessions. I'm going to totally stop sitting at the machine if it starts to hamper the healing process of my foot. I want this healed once and for all so I can sew to my heart's content! 

Santa Claus came to town!

Is it Christmas again? I've been so lucky of late. well, unlucky my sewing machine decided to break... BUT sew lucky my bro-in-law, saw my post on facebook about it and went out and bought me this!

Can you believe it?!! It runs like a dream. and it's a Kenmore, they are built to last! I never met the man until he came to the door with my sister in tow. I haven't seen my sister since my Mom passed away 7 years ago! If it wasn't for connecting on facebook it never would've happened. Feeling very blessed. 

As if that wasn't enough,. the very next day, the mail lady brought me my box of fabirc, gifted me by a very special lady I met on facebook too!

The quilts with the fabric are the designs my girl's chose. The fabric, Cheryl asked me a few questions and she was off!!  She nailed it! Both quilts match the personalities of my girls perfectly, 

My eldest daughter, Elle's fabric and design choice.

My youngest, Laura's fabric and design choice

This evening I cut the strips for Laura's sashing, and will continue cutting everything I can before using my machine. The nurse doesn't want me sitting at the machine at all! This is almost 5 months it's taken so far. and my foot still isn't healed. It's almost there, but it just doesn't want to close. So, my nurse is requesting an higher-up to come and scrape the sides inside the wound to get rid of the dead skin. Maybe then it will finally heal. Fingers crossed and will gladly accept any prayers you might want to send my way. 

Cya soon!

Sew along the Yellow Brick Road!

I've been so blessed in the people I have met in the quilting community. I was gifted the basket of goodies from Tina and the rotary cutter and blades from Caryl. I'm still taken aback at the generosity of these women. I can't remember the last time I felt so welcome. Then I meet another woman named Cheryl. She saw that I eventually want to make a quilt for each of my kids and wanted to help. I guess she was a fabric merchant and has tubs and tubs of fabric. She asked me what colors my kids liked and the style of pattern.
She has put together all the fabric needed to make both quilts. The greens and turquoise fabric is for my oldest daughter. She loves green, my least favorite color (unless it's outside where it belongs) so I will make her this, and it will blow her mind lol My youngest is very much into painting and art projects so the fabric she chose is perfect. She is sending the solids in the fabric to go with it. As if that's not enough! This Angel has actually cut them to the size pieces I need for the patterns we chose. I cannot wait til the package arrives. I'll be sure to post a pic!

 

So, I decided to start this quilting journey by doing a Block of the Month challenge put together by Pat Sloan. Her facebook group is filled with amazing and super talented Quilters and more. It is the Secret Garden Quilt. This is my attempt at Block One... It's far from perfect and I've taken a few sections apart since taking this pic and straighten the points out. The challenge is 16 blocks, so hopefully by then I will have improved considerably. 

That's it for today. Sew long 4 now!