At it again

Oh look, more scraps. Already sewn into 4-patches. 

So, I sewed a couple of them together. They were just taking up space in one of my little boxes. I knew I had some but I didn't know exactly how many there were. I made them a while ago thinking that one day they would come in handy as a border treatment for a scrap quilt.

They have hung around long enough. I even forgot about them until I started thinking of making doll quilts. That's when I remembered that they could be a starting point. This is all in an effort to get rid of what's been hanging around way too long. I think I have enough for about 3 doll quilts. 

This is just the start so stay tuned...They are cut 2 inch square so that one 4-patch is 3.5 inches. Another nice way to use up bits and pieces.

I will be linking up with the all Canadian Needle and Thread Network. Go have a look to see what others around the country are doing.

Continuing on

Last year, I decided I would go through this book...

Modern Basics by Amy Ellis making whatever quilts suited my fancy while at the same time using up only my stash. Here's the original post. I did complete one quilt  and now I have continued on making...

this quilt that is on the cover of the book. I opted not to add the flowers, even though it's called Posie Patch, since I didn't really think they added anything to an already busy quilt.

Oh, but that's not all. I had already put aside these fabrics.

I liked the combination and thought it would make a nice modern baby quilt. Some of the patterns in the book have yardage requirements for several sizes of quilts and I had already decided that I would make a crib size quilt if that was an option.

 This was the pattern in the book - 1,2,3. I have no use for a pile of lap throws.

So, here's the baby quilt. If, and when, a baby is expected, I will finish this but until then, it can stay a quilt top. Or perhaps I will finish it and donate it to Linus quilts. We'll see what the future holds.

I'm still quilting away on the Juniper Hollow quilt but this post was a diversion since I didn't think anyone wanted to see the progress of the quilt on the frame.

I'm linking up with The Needle and Thread Network
Esther's blog and W.I.P. Wednesday at freshly pieced.

Blue Jays

No, not the bird kind, the baseball kind - the Toronto Blue Jays. It was family day at our house yesterday since those of us that live in Toronto got together (it was actually a Father's Day gift) and attended the Jays game at the Rogers Centre (formerly known as SkyDome.)

We all met at a venue not too far from the stadium since I had all the tickets. The Jays were playing opposite the New York Yankees and I can tell you, it was a very good game. The Toronto Blue Jays won 10-7.

I always like looking at the artwork outside the building.

There was a bag piper trying to make a few dollars.

There was also an artist or two selling their wares. This was just one of the 3 displays there.

Carrie Underwood threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Oh look Maili, it made it to the blog. This is the compulsory photo. That's Casey beside her.

Mom with 3 of her young'uns - Eric, Maili and Mark.

This is the third of three photos Eric took - trying his darndest to just take his photo, with the baseball field in the background, but without his sisters. He didn't quite make it.

Casey quickly sneaking in to the shot with Ayla and Kate.

I don't know why my children have to have their mouths open as soon as they see a camera pointed at them. That's Ashlee beside him.

Watching or snoozing? The roof does open up but there was a hint of rain so the roof stayed closed.

After dinner at our house. Great time. Family time. Nothing beats it. Maybe an annual event - with the B.C. part of the family,,,

Smaller and Bigger

Smaller: There's been a few turns taken and now I think I'll work on this side just so I can quilt something besides trees and rectangles with Xs in them.

I mark my quilting lines with a pencil crayon. It usually fades during the quilting process. I made a boo boo on one side border a couple of days ago and I knew I didn't have a really good eraser so I went to Staples to see what they had. I could have gone to my local art store which is just around the corner but I didn't think of it.

I did buy a Pentel product also but decided to try this one first. It comes in a two pack and it worked extremely well. Not much eraser residue either. I must remember to let my quilting buddies know. We have used a couple of different erasers and they did an OK job but this one got every mark out.

Bigger: I needed a break from quilting. It's dark here because it's raining and I needed a colour infusion so I sewed up a couple more blocks. The dark green is scraps left over from cutting up the border for the quilt above. The squares sat around for a while because I had the light green in my mind for the other squares but it wasn't handy at the time. I have some red to cut up and some dusty pink. I like making these because they don't take long to do at all and I get to pair up fabrics. I love using up small pieces too. The red block above has one square that's different because I ran out of the other fabric.

Have a great and safe weekend whatever you're doing.

Another quilt on the frame

Juniper Hollow was a free online pattern from McCall's Quilt Magazine or Quick Quilts. It needed a border.

I had an odd scrap of some dark green that I framed the quilt with and then I auditioned various beige fabrics that I had.

This backing fabric just jumped off the shelf so I had to wash it and iron it before using it. There's still enough left for a smaller quilt or to use as a border for another quilt.

It's on the frame now and I just started quilting it. The star blocks just needed some extra quilting put in them.

A close-up of the quilting I plan on using for the sides.

This is what I used for the end of the quilt. I don't always use different quilt designs for borders but in this case I did. Sometimes the hardest thing for me in quilting is deciding on how to quilt it. With this one, I just wanted to have fun.

Since it's that time of the week again, I am linking up with the Needle and Thread Network and with Esther's blog. Go have a look at what other people are doing. You may get inspired.

Wednesday update

When I have some time I am putting fabrics together (scraps, really) and cutting 2.5" squares for these 16-patch blocks. I really liked the one that was at the outdoor quilt show. There is another scrap quilt that I liked too but that one will have to wait. 

I'm also adding borders on a quilt that I plan to put on the frame shortly but I will take a photo of it once the top is done.

A blogging friend, Hetty, was kind enough to send me some wonderful floral fabrics so I can...

make my bow tie quilt bigger. Pop on over for a visit. she has some lovely hexagon blocks completed.

Since it's Wednesday, I am linking up with

The Needle and Thread Network

and with

Esther's blog.