Quilt update from the Champagne Quilters

Bound and done!

Ann put on the binding and we can now call it complete.

A while ago, Kate, of Kate's Quilting (and other arty stuff) showed several quilts on her blog. It was on January 28th when she offered up eight quilt tops free, to a good home. The only stipulation was that the finished quilt had to go towards a charitable cause. Well, since that's all the Champagne Quilters do, I requested the first one she showed on her blog.

 

It was this one (photo taken from Kate's blog - without permission.) I loved the colours. Isn't it gorgeous? 

Well, lo and behold, true to her word, it arrived in the mail. I brought it over to Marg's house which is where we quilt. We were busy finishing the big quilt (see photo above) and waited until it was done before we decided to see what we could do with the top. We don't do many lap sized quilts so we bantered around some ideas. Border it as is, add a row or two to make it into a lap quilt, or make it into a single bed sized quilt. We got all our scraps together in greens and purples, along with some orange and some solid for a border. Fun times we had choosing the fabrics. Anyway, we were going to make it bigger  - into a single bed size. We split the top in two and then, while we started making blocks, Marg thought we could just add one row and make it just a lap quilt size. Well, something happened between that week and two weeks later (we missed a week of getting together.) After all the blocks were finished, I laid out everything tonight and guess what? 

 We are now back to making a single bed sized quilt. Our blocks have blended in well. 

We are taking a break for the summer so we won't get back to this until September but since there is no rush, it can wait.

Thank you Kate. Once it's complete, it will be given away to some charity so that they can raffle it off.

New stuff

I have started a new project. It's just a small one and once it's finished and delivered, I shall post a picture of the final piece. But for now, here's how far I have done. This is a lot of fun.

It looks kind of funny but it really will be cute once it's all done.

I also went out and took a look at what Fabricland had. They had a 50% off sale all this month and I was looking for some flannel.

It's a nice light blue. I didn't care what the designs were nor did I much care about the colour. I will be cutting it up to 24" X 24" squares and finishing the edges. There is a charity that I found and that's the size they have requested. They also need 36" X 36" square blankets, hats and socks for infants. These become a kit for new mothers in third world countries. The flannel is a fairly good quality and was only $2.44 metre. It was the last of the bolt and there was a bit more than 3 metres. I also picked up some white cotton for quilting but that would be boring to take a photo of and show you. I didn't need the quilting cotton but at 50% off, I thought it was a good deal - just over 5 metres.

I'm off to put labels on some of the things that I have been busy with and then I'll be getting back to putting together a quilt. Once it's a flimsie, I'll post a photo.

Shelf shopping

I have a stash of fabric and it's not just quilt related fabrics either. I have been sewing for years having made my own clothes as well as a  lot of my children's clothes as they were growing up. I love fabric and would purchase yardage of something or else remnants or small pieces thinking I could make something out of them or incorporate them in a bigger item of clothing. I have slowed down on the making of clothing but I still do sew whenever someone requests something. Maili, my middle daughter, had a shift dress that she had purchased and she liked the way it fit. Next month she and her significant other are going to Scandinavia for two weeks and she wanted another one of the shifts to wear. Since it's such an easy thing to make, she asked if I could replicate it - and since there was so much fabric on my shelves, she wanted to use up some of it. So there comes the phrase "shelf shopping." 

This is the fabric she chose. I'm not a red person but I did like this fabric when I bought it. It's relatively crease resistant but not totally.

So, I've been busy with trying to make an item of clothing using another item as a pattern. The paper pattern above, was used only to mark a dart at the bust line. I'll show you what it looks like once it's all finished.

While looking for something else in the sewing room, these fell on the floor. Luckily, I know why I bought them so I just have to find the bin that holds the project and put them safely away.

I had to take a photo of this because it's not often that I get a nice cluster all together. Usually, there is a stem that's in bloom and right beside it are some dead or dying blooms.

There are other projects in the works and once the recipients receive them, I'll post a photo. 

I hope everyone has a safe weekend with great weather. Ours is supposed to be sunny and warm.

Next Project?

Pieces on the floor. Some of the blocks were already done and you can see the book on the bottom left. It's by Kim Schaefer and the book is called "Cozy Modern Quilts." The quilt finishes at 50 inches square. I found some of the blocks done and all of the little black squares cut already. I'm debating as to whether or not to finish it right away or get down to quilting another baby panel. I was looking at either tops (flimsies) or parts of quilts that I could finish since there are 3 upcoming quilt shows. 

Last weekend I visited a couple of needle art stores. I wish there were more around but I guess people aren't much into cross stitch, needlepoint, petit point, crewel or any of the other needle arts. I was looking for needlepoint wool. Wow, what an education. While I wasn't looking, embroidery floss has taken over and it's more popular than wool yarn. 

 I took this and...

 this with me so I could match colours. I ended up changing the green in this. I got a lighter, prettier green yarn at the second store I went to after I purchased a whole skein of Persian yarn that is a really close match to this green. I just don't happen to like the colour and wanted something a bit brighter.

The ladies at both shops were really nice and helpful. Both of these canvasses were bought for $2.99 each at ........Simpsons (a Canadian department store)

 (http://departmentstoremuseum.blogspot.ca/2010/05/robert-simpson-company-ltd.html). 

If you're a Canadian, you know that Simpsons closed its last store in 1991. It's sad. Both Eaton's and Simpsons were great stores.

http://www.hbcheritage.ca/hbcheritage/history/acquisitions/retail/simpsons

There are other things that are keeping me busy and many more things that I could work on. I just have to decide which one is next.