Happy Happy Studio Day

Happy happy studio day today to me.

I have my pieces, cut and labelled for tomorrow's start of the 3 Day Mystery Class with Marj O'Hara at Central Sewing. Stop in and say hi and check on which way 11 students will interpret the Casting Call for colours and themes.  I am using a collection of Australian themed fabrics brought back for me by my buddy Douglas Woodhouse when he traveled there...~8 years ago.  I have been waiting for just the perfect project and this is it.  I will be posting some pics of my/our progress on a daily basis. Next year you should consider joining us.

I also carved out a bit of time to make two more lovely block for my Sow-a-long with Randy over at the Barrister's Block.

# 68 Leaf Block

#69 Streaks of Lightning

Wishing you all a very relaxing day doing what ever suits you the best.

love and hugs

kas

Found a name for this FWQ...

I found the name for my farmer's wife quilt...A Farm Girl at Heart,and I know just the girl that will receive it.

I love this little block, and yes I see that I need to better job of pressing that bottom row.

#67 Railroad

But tonight was Vegetable Somosa Night....Nummy!!

Easy Street - Part IV

I have had pieceful/peaceful hours alone to work on Easy Street Part IV and watch the pieces come together and the colours dance. 

The greens are cut and ready to play.

And I have used some of the leftovers on the table to make another in Randy's Sow-a-long blocks. A random one picked from the pile of those still waiting to be made (I am so far behind)...Missouri Star. It comes to together in a snap though using those great easy angle rulers.

#65 Missouri Star

I took part in a scrap-booking class on Saturday afternoon making a 2012 Christmas Recipe Album, taught by Kelly and her assistant/bff Sandra at the Urban Scrapbook. They did a terrific job steering all of us (10) through the many techniques and hunting through our stack of papers to get this almost to completion in 4 hours. I look forward to taking my own family's pictures and collecting the recipes that will make this a keepsake for years to come. 



Another project has been languishing in the bin since 2009...a bargello quilt for oldest son. He quietly (sometimes not so) watches the other quilts parade from studio and out the front door. So I have deviated from the original idea (as is my prerogative) and this will be a version of Trip Around the World (using Bonnie's lead here).

The highlight of the weekend has to be birthday supper with my beautiful granddaughter Tanea. So so precious. I have had the most enriching weekend...quietly and spiritually embracing everything around me and so thankful for all my family and friends.

My heart goes out to all those families grieving their unbearable loss.

#66 Connecticut Star

 Check what other quilters around the world are doing here on Bonnie's Linky Party.

Merrilly I Sew-a-long..Dec 13, 2012

Time at home tonight to rest, knit and to make one more block in Randy's Sow-a-long.

I have been playing with the ideas of setting as I go.  Now with 64 made it would be impressive, however then I would have to take all 64 out of the special casing I have them. Arranging them on the design wall and start taking some pictures of the settings I like the most. Not to worry I would share those pictures with you.

#64 Boxes and Baskets

Merrily I Sow-a-long

I have got to get back to Randy's Sow-a-long and get caught up. I present to you tonight, courtesy of that pile of scraps from Bonnie Hunters' Easy Street....

another beautiful little block using these purples...

#63 Dove in the Window

Two of my favourite tools aside from the Easy Angle Ruler and the Companion Ruler is Mary Ellen's Best Press (lavender scented) and a dry Iron.

Tomorrow it is off to Ponoka to watch Tanea and Odessa's dance recital...Grandma can hardly wait.

Scrap User System

While making the flying geese for this week's clue over on Easy Street I was left with some snippets that to anyone else (some exceptions) would have gone in the dumpster.

I measure and cut these bits into 1 1/2" inch 'strips' and using my Easy Angle...viola a collection of purple hst bound triangles to make the 28 hst's for another block for my Farmer's Wife Quilt sow-a-long lead by Randy at Barrister's Block.

I love the fact that I could use those bits up and work on two great quilts simultaneously. Of note, this beautiful block finishes at 6".

#62 Indian Plume

Oh Bliss...it is Friday!!

#59 End of Day, a good block for a TGIF

Giant May Day tree at the end of the block

  I am very lucky to live in such a beautiful blooming city.  Right now there blooms at every turn. I do enjoy the city at this time of year.

Double Flowering Plum starting to flower in my neighbor's front yard

Theissen Saskatoon Bush in my backyard.

Smoky Saskatoon...not doing as well as its neighbor Theissen Saskatoon. Keep this in mind if you are shopping for a saskatoon bush this spring.

Evan's Cherry in my front yard just starting to bloom

Nanking Cherry at my transfer point

#60. Economy

#61 Kitchen Woodbox 

a few quiet moments alone

After last night's emotionally charged guild meeting, I am spending a few quiet moments in the studio tonight.  Stitching.  Thinking. Being very thankful.  For family, for work that I enjoy, for my good health and for a passion that puts me in touch with so many wonderful friends.

I continue to work on my FWQ blocks.

#55. Yankee Puzzle

I love the look of that orange/blue/violet plaid! I only had one six inch square, there was creative piecing to get enough pieces to finish this off. The background fabric is the backing off my new quilt "Love on a hot afternoon".

56. Whirlwind, pardon the loose bits of thread.

57. Aunt Sukey's Choice: I love this raspberry scrap that came through the garage sale.

58. Linoleum

I wish you all the time and heart to do the right things.

Happy Mother's Day

I have spent a few glorious hours in the studio this morning sorting and cleaning.  I have started to get my "kit" organized for going to Quilt Canada Halifax 2012. Karen Menzies' Mystery Art Quilt requires a variety of black/whites/and colourful grahics...this should be fun.

Also with Karen is Fun with Silks, a lovely pile of dupioni silks are ready to be packed, along with a few self-painted silk scarves (what was I thinking?).

I have also found a few scraps (2.5" x 12" is enough) that had to be made into another of the Sow-a-long block.  Like a recovery program for fabric-aholics..."One Block at a Time".

#54 Hooker's Hat Patch...who comes up with the names for these blocks?

Happy Mother's Day to you all...wishing you all the best...cheers

Make a few at a time...getting it done

The world greatest Bring & Buy sale is over and I am slowly getting back into my studio to carved out a little more time to make a few blocks for my FWQ.  The name of the quilt still eludes me, but I know it will be worthy of my efforts.

51. Dutchman's Puzzle

52. Evening Star aka Sawtooth Star

53. De-Constructed Battleground

I look forward now to getting out into the yard and doing a bit of rose pruning and soil turning in the garden boxes.

Wishing you all well...kas

Keeping on with the Sow-a-long

I have been taking a few minutes out of the world's greatest garage sale sorting to get back into the studio and TRY to get back up to speed with the Sow-a-long.  So here are a few more blocks, taking me to 50...only another 61 to go.  Randy over at the Barrister's Block is doing a great job shepherding this group.  I still haven't settled on a name for mine...but the answer is out there somewhere..

48. Milky Way

49. Union Square

50. Battleground

Farmers are a Blessing Quilt

I continue to sow along on the Farmers are a Blessing Quilt. I apologize to Randy, the Master Sower who is shepherding quilters from around the world as I quilt out of turn.
35. Ozark Maple Leaf...interesting construction and layout.

36. Fruit Basket...another great basket block.

37. Pine Tree...introducing a pine tree that has not been infested with the nasty pine beetles.

38. Whirlwind

39.Palm for Easter (paper pieced that I found on Just Takes Two)







 
 40. Steps to the alter

41. Cups and Saucers..Randy taught us a very quick and accurate way to make tiny (1" x 2") flying geese.

42. Propeller...bonus of an adaption the propeller block I saw on Bonnie Hunter's posting today.

Barrister's Sow-a-long fun= Farmers Are a Blessing Quilt

I have been sowing along with Randy over that the Barrister's Block.  First and third Wednesday of the month she posts public domain patterns (finish 6").  I have also bought the  The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt where many of these patterns are also found, albeit with out cutting or sizing instructions.  In any case, there seems to be scores of quilters following along as well and I enjoy looking at the choices that others have made for their blocks. Through their links that take me back to their home blogs...something like the virtual Alice and falling in a hole in the stratosphere that not only takes me to wonderful places but it can also eat up a huge amount of time.  Back to quilting...

1. Contrary Wife...using some red hst's that are a cut-away from a 

red thread's spool quilt that is on the design wall.

2. Box...also using up some bonus red hst's from above mentioned quilt.

 

3. Basket weave...using a strip set that was in the scrap bin.

 

4.Attic Windows...really digging in the scrap bin here.

 

5. Autumn Tints...more scraps that come from G knows where, because I sure have not used these in any other quilt I have made.

 

6.Basket...I love basket blocks

 7. Bat Wing...I had to draw this out and do some paper piecing...pink bats are not all that scary!  Whoa that is a lot pink too.

8. Big Dipper...introducing the qst's now (quarter square triangles).

9. Birds in the Air...should have used a stronger contrast or accept the fact that the birds are so far up in the sky that they are hard to distinguish.

 

10. Bowtie...just a fun little block.

11. Broken Dishes....accomplished handily through the use of my new favourite tool...the 6.5" Easy Angle Ruler by Sharon Hultgren. Awesome results every time.

12.Broken Sugar Bowl ...more broken china...opa!

13. Butterfly at the Crossroads...this surely is  a good sign of spring.

14. Calico Puzzle...made with some calico scrap stash.

15. Churn Dash...one of my favourite all time pieced blocks; done scrappy and using bonus red hst's.

16. Cut Glass Dish...one of the non-broken remaining.

17. Flock...there are several traditional pieced blocks that refer to fowl...here's another one.

18. Flower Basket...love making these basket blocks

19. Friendship Star...there is a lot of pink in this quilt.  Time to toss in something a little stronger ...let's try cheddar.

20. Homeward Bound...another pink block!

21. Maple Leaf...bring on the cheddar again.

22. Peace and Plenty....so thankful for my easy angle ruler, it kick's the stuffing out of these tiny hst's.

23. Postage stamp...perfect corners and yes yet more pink.

24. Practical Orchard...calming soothing greens.

25. Prairie Queen...hang on here is more pink.

26 & 27...with the careful placement of fabric you can have either a Snowball

or a Shoo Fly (more bonus red hst's).

28. Wedding Ring...oh look pink and cheddar together.  I like it.

29.Whirlpool...have I mentioned how much I like my easy angle ruler for making these 1.5" hsts?

30. Wrench...if you go back and look at #15, it is the same block.

31. Bonus Basket Block...love baskets.

32. Sickle...yes I am looking for the connection too!

33.  Cross between a basket and an leaf...love it.

34. Stars...another block favourite.

well that get's you caught up on my progress for the Barrister's Sow-a-long, and because of my A-type personality I have done a few more blocks than have been called for at this time. 

cheers