Same but different - and DONE

Was a quick turn around on Clue # 4 this week.  I took a stack of these

and sewed them together to make something very similar but different. But the best part (times 40 each) it is done!

Finished the binding on Devin's Spidey Web quilt, ready to gift.  Insert "Happy Claps" here for another quilt finished (thank you to my friend and LA Kim Caskey) and thank you to Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville for your generousity, industry and talents for another free pattern.

On Sunday night I assisted with the cookie baking at my daughter Cynthia's, who lives on Candy Cane Lane. A little fund raiser for Slow Food Edmonton and the Edmonton Food Bank. The RULE is to make sugar cookie, but I never have been known to colour within the lines. So I made Double Chocolate Chip cookies (the recipe right off the Chipits bag), which took less time to get on the cookie sheet and a lot less room on the cookie making counter with 5 other busy cookie makers rolling away.

The dozens of fresh baked cookies were whisked out of the kitchen to the crew at the sidewalk who were also serving hot chocolate to those enjoying the light displays of residents up and down 148 st (aka Candy Cane Lane).

Check out what other Mystery Quilters around the world are doing over at Bonnie Hunter's Part 4 Link Up

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas


Hugs
Kathy

2 x 4's Like My Dad Never Used

Week 3 clue is out and I was all weekend making 2 x 4's like my Dad never used. These greens are marvelous and so refreshing to work with.

I did have one small mishap with the iron however on Saturday night. Or rather a tipsy can of spray starch did. The can is empty (and btw how long have I had this) and has for a long time been waiting to be banished from the studio forever. To be replaced with this quilt piecer's best friend - Mary Ellen's Best Press. I recently won at guild a $50 gift certificate from Central Sewing. So off to cash it in this weekend and used that as the down payment on a gallon of the stuff which the sticker price is $70. So thank you very much Central Sewing for a great supply. Wonder how long this is going to last?

Back to the mishap with the iron and SS. While it was still hot I scrapped it off with a putty knife and cleaned both on newsprint. Good as new.

In between birthday party for beautiful 10 year old granddaughter and an Edmonton Police Service volunteer brunch I did get all of my 2 x 4's completed.

I also have been having a great time sewing together mine and Lou's 2" squares into 9 patches for  Ty's Tumalo Trails quilt (leaders and enders).

With a few left over ends from the 2 x 4's trimmed and put into these 9 patches, they will have not spent to long languishing on the cutting table between projects.

 For more fun than you can possibly handle on a Monday night, head on over to Bonnie's Linky Party for more gorgeous and inspirational GI's Mystery Makers.

Hugs
Kathy

Trying to stay caught up

But trying to stay caught up with what...there are so many choices this time of year. Concerts, shopping, baking and of course the online MQ Grand Illusions. I was so busy piecing this past week to get Step # 2 before Step # 3 was published, and even I did not have time to write and post at the Linky Party. 

But I learned a few things along the way. Clean as you go, cut a few to get you started the next time you have a chance to sit in front of the Bernina and a new way to turn parallelograms into rectangles. The 100 blocks are made and marinating in the bin along with the 200 Broken Dishes blocks and 80 hst's. The clips only stay on for the counting part of the process and then then help to clip the next step.

I am very happy to report that in Step #3 that 50 of the required 120 8-patches are pressed, counted and clipped together.

While I am doing all that I have started (leader and ender) a Tumalo Trail with assorted (and lively) nine patches. Pictured here the first two blocks. I LOVE THEM as much as I LOVE the GRANDSON this quilt is intended for. 

 I promise the next posting won't be so long, but I had a lot of catching up to do this time.

So much to sew and so little time.
hugs
Kathy

Grand Illusions: This Chick's been busy

This chick been busy. There are a lineup of UFOs facing me, however this does not prevent me from starting the much anticipated yearly offering of the new mystery quilt from Bonnie Hunter. There are 8 weeks of intensive sewing to stay caught up (if that's what your life allows) or to simply get the cutting and a few sewn each week.

So what is the difference between this project and the other UFO's languishing on the perimeters of the desk top? Perhaps the fact that there is a Linky party on Monday mornings, and virtual Show & Tell of those that are participating from around the world? It is very motivating to be up to speed (so to speak) with 100s of quilters around the world, to oooh and aaah over their prowess with colours choices/substitutions and sewing accuracy.

In any case this chick has chosen to go scrappy all the way with this mystery. You will note the vintage pink calico!! As an aside will I ever in my lifetime get all this sewn up into quilts for my family, friends and community.

Broken dishes blocks made (and some awaiting a final press)
and the 80 hst's set aside for later.

Have a great week all and see you back here next Monday. To see other Grand Illusion MQs head over to Bonnie Hunters Linky party.

Hugs
Kathy

Back to the studio

I have been procrastinating long enough. Time to get back into the studio and working on my blog. Tackling THE list of UFO's should be a priority this coming fall and winter. (Will post that another day) And then there is the guild's bi-annual show coming up next June 2015.  http://edqg.ca/index.php/edmontonfestivalofquilts Must make something special for that.

But first there was the garden to start cleaning up.

My grandchildren will be so happy that there are more 'ponkins' to be making more pies with. All I have to do is make sure there in mash in the freezer when they get to Aunty Cyndi's and an hour later...let there be pies.

Lezley Zwaal, Coordinator of Quilts of Valour-Canada had a wonderful idea to put Northcott sponsored fabrics and a pattern into these wonder autumnal-maple-leaf cups and for a nominal donation, you came away with enough fabric and instructions to make the enclosed square. These blocks are then distributed across Canada to quilt-top makers/finishers. That way a quilt for an active or retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces receives a quilt made by quilter from across the country. http://www.quiltsofvalour.ca/ Very well done my friend Lez.

It is de-cluttering time in my studio and every week I have another bundle of either books or fabrics to share with my vast and varied friends in the quilting world around me. Happy quilting and hugs

Kathy

Art & Sewl

This past weekend I participated in the Art&Sewl weekend. Traditional Pastimes name for the ART FEST this spring. This was a bender of a weekend, extended hours 6 - 11 on Friday, 10 - 10 on Saturday and a final push of 11 - 5 on Sunday.

Oh, but wait to see what we have created. Lusious and encrusted, fabulous pages times 12. Two instructors, Kim Caskey, fabric artist and Kathleen Sundby, paper artist. Two mediums meeting on the path to gloriousness. Enough build up, here are some of the pages and the techniques we used.



This Fairy Page we were given the ribbons, papers, buttons and picture to laydown and sew to the canvas backing.

 

This particular page could be one of my favourites, especially as it shows the fantastic difference a little layering can create. Rumage around in the bin of little bits of lace and gifts from other artists, add a few buttons which I just happened to have with me, and viola...and most beautiful presentation.

 

 

There will be more pages to share tomorrow, and let us not forget the cover!!
love and hugs
Kathy

Take inventory...!

I am reminded to have a good hard look at my studio, and who am I kidding. In how many life times do I think that I will get all this beautiful fabric sewn up into quilts. I shall commit right here and right now that there is a 4 month ban on fabric purchases, with the only exception to be the fireside backing required for Devin's quilt. Making it manageable chunks of 4 months at a time is more achievable than anything longer.

Devin's Spidey quilt

Because if I don't sew it up, how much will it sell for in the great-here-after garage sale? Better that my granchildren and friends have quilts to remember me by, than the work of cleaning out my studio!

Also my buttons, while they are love conversation pieces, I have got to get those incorporated into some are pieces. I have a (what I think) is a fabulous idea to do with my mother of pearl and best red and pink glass buttons. Good friend Wanda Cracknell and I have put our creative heads together and I am sure it is going to be delightful. Well that will take care of 200 buttons, now what about the other 2000.