Happy New Year!!!

From my house to yours, wishing you all the best in the New Year.  I hope your life is filled with love and laughter, and of course, a little time to quilt.

I would like to share with you a few of my late in the year finishes.  First up, a couple of shorts and shirts quilts.

These were joint projects with my neighbour Joanne.  Her husband had passed away this summer and Joanne had asked me if I would help her make quilts from his shirts.  I had never made a t-shirt quilt so I was a little apprehensive, but I felt it was something we had to do together.  I think we both shed more than a few tears while making these quilts.  Joanne wrapped herself in the first one we finished, saying she felt like her husband was giving her a hug!  What a rewarding project to be a part of.

This fun little quilt was Doug's Christmas present.  I hadn't quite finished the binding Christmas morning.  This is a panel that Doug had picked out when we had made a trip to Winnipeg last year.  He had asked me a couple of times when his quilt was going to make the top of the list.  Well, it finally did!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Stash Busters Quilt Along Week 18

This weeks block was requested by JoAnn.  Thanks for the great idea!

JoAnn saw this "Grey Goose" block on Bonnie Hunter's blog.

This is an antique quilt that Bonnie had taken a picture of.

To make the block you will need 3 1/2" strips of fabric.  Read all the way through the post before you start cutting, I have given you a few different options for making the block.  For this version cut four Companion Angle units and eight Easy Angle units from each fabric.  Assemble as shown below.

When I was looking through a few of my books, I found the version below bookmarked to include in this quilt along.

This version needs six Companion Angle units and four Easy Angle units from the background fabric.  From scrappy 3 1/2" strips cut sixteen Easy Angle units.  Assemble as shown.

Just in case this isn't enough selection, check out this block.

It is another version that I just couldn't resist.

Now you have to pick which is your favourite and go for it!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!

As we all finished the last minute preparations for the "Big Day,"  I want to share with you my Christmas quilting project.

I made myself a Christmas tabletopper.  As I am the Queen of last minute, I just finished it and put it on the table.

I love the colours as they work for Winter, so the tabletopper can stay on the table past Christmas.  A friend had made this pattern and generously let me borrow it.  I made the full size version for a friend, then decided I wanted it a little smaller for my table.  I downsized to 2/3 size.  The math was a little funky with a lot of 16th of inches but it was a great challenge for my brain.

This is the original larger version.

And of course, the quilting.

I'm wishing you all the Merriest of Christmas filled with Love, Laughter and Family!

Stash Busters Quilt Along Week 17

With just a few more sleeps till Christmas, I hope you can find a little time to make the next block!

The first block was my least favourite colour combination, but it is the one I took pictures of, so here goes.

For each quarter of the block you will need one 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" Easy Angle piece, and it's reverse.  Lay 2 1/2" strip wrong sides together and cut once, to achieve this.  You will also need two 2 1/2" squares of a contrast fabric and from the background a 2 1/2" square, two 2 1/2" Easy Angle units and a 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangle.

Lay out as shown.

Sew the units together as shown, to make a quarter of the block.  Repeat three more times varying the fabrics however you like.

Lay the quarter units out and sew together.

Happy stitching!  I hope you have all your Christmas projects finished.  I have one more to bind and I am done.  Woohoo!

Stash Busters Quilt Along Week 16

This week's block is called Garden Path.

This is another very traditional block.  Your fabric choice will impact the look of the block.

You will need to cut eight 2 1/2" squares of assorted feature fabric.  These can be as scrappy as you wish.  From a 2 1/2" strip cut eight Easy Angle units for the leaf fabric.  From your background fabric cut a 2 1/2" strip into four Companion Angle units and twenty Easy Angle units.

Sew four of your squares together for the centre of the block.  Add the four Companion Angle pieces to each side of your four patch.

The fabric to be added to the centre should be cut from a 1 15/16" strip.  You need two pieces 6 3/16" long and two pieces 9" long.  Add to the centre square.

For each of the four corners you will need one square, two leaf pieces and five background Easy Angle pieces.

Sew together as shown.

Add the four corners to the centre and you are done.

Have fun playing with different colours of fabric!

A Little of This, A Little of That

The Postie Quilters got together last Sunday, and Katja showed us how to make these cute little buckets.  Great idea for little gift bags for Christmas.  The original pattern came from here.  Katja changed the size so that it would fit a Mason Jar.  A really fun and quick project.  Thanks Katja!

For those of you following along on the Quilt Along, this months prize is an autographed copy of the book "Strip-Smart Quilts II."  Be sure to post your pictures on Flickr for a chance to win!

The last quilt I showed on my blog was this one.  Matt had requested a quilt that was long enough to tuck under his toes and snuggle up to his chin.  I think it fits!

These are the close ups of the quilting.  I used Minky on the back so that it is extra snugly.

I hope you are all finding a little time for yourself on these last couple of weeks before Christmas.  Happy sewing everyone!

Stash Busters Quilt Along Week 15

This weeks leaf block is one that I saw on a blog recently.  I loved the block and wanted to downsize it for our purpose.  Lucky for us Julie over at intrepid thread was agreeable!  To check out the original block click here.  Her pictures are a little clearer than mine so use them for clarification.

To make each set of two leaves, you will need two pieced squares made from complimentary colours.  For each square cut six strips of fabric about 1 1/2" x 7".  Sew together and then cut into whatever size square you can get.  I used a rather scant 1/4" seam allowance so that I could get 7" squares.

Cut one square diagonally from left to right and the second square diagonally from right to left.

Line up the right side of one square with the left side of the other.

Cut a strip 1 1/2" x 9' of a fabric for the vein of the leaf.

Sew the first half of the leaf to the vein as shown.  The top is about 1/4" from the edge of the strip and the bottom matches the edge of the strip.

Trim off the excess vein fabric.

It should look like this!

Line the second half of the leaf up with the edge of the vein and sew.

After pressing this is what it should look like.

Trim the square to 6" lining the vein up on the diagonal centre of the square.

Cut two 2 1/2" squares of background fabric and apply to the corners as connector corners (sew on the diagonal as shown by the drawn lines.)

Repeat the process until you have four leaves.  I used 1 1/2" sashing so that my blocks would end up being 12 1/2" unfinished.  On block has a centre cornerstone that matches the vein, the other block doesn't.  You can set your leaves however you like.

Now, for the winners of last months prizes.  Donna S.  was the winner of the book, and Barbara D. was the winner of the fabric.  I will get this month's prizes posted shortly.

I want to share with you a finished quilt from our quilt along.

Peg has used nine of the blocks and made this fabulous quilt.  Click here for Peg's touching story of who she is giving this quilt to.

Happy sewing everyone!