Happy Birthday

This is to wish my daughter, Jill, in Chicago, a very Happy Birthday!

Linky Parties

Back in August, I linked up to a Linky Tuesday at Freemotion By the River. Since then, I've come across several different Linky Parties for different days of the week.

• Finish It Up Friday by Crazy Mom Quilts (my sister told me about this one and I have mentioned it before)
• Needle and Thread Thursday, My Quilt Infatuation 
• Whoop Whoop Friday, Confessions of a Fabric Addict
• Off The Wall Friday, Creations... Quilts ... Art ... Whatever
• Hodgepodge Patchwork Tuesday, Crafty Sewing & Quilting 

Now for the jackpot link for everyday of the week! Courtney, at A Diamond in the Stuff, has found lots of them. Note - they aren't all quilt / sewing related. I didn't have time to weed them out but you might enjoy visiting them anyway!

Enjoy!

Joan's Latest Quilt

This gorgeous 'scrappy' quilt, is the latest made by my sister, Joan, in Tennessee. She said it would have fitted in quite well with my previous post. This one is 78" x 90".

On Wednesday, I also linked up with The Needle and Thread Network. Please drop by to see what our Canadian quilters are doing.

Scrappy Quilting Projects

I have been noticing lately that a lot of the quilts people are blogging about are Scrappy Quilts. It would seem that using up fabric on hand or using up leftover pieces from other projects is the key. If this is your thing, check out the links below:

• 3 & 8 Tutorial made with 3" and 8" squares 
• Checkered Arrow quilt pattern 
• Bullseye Baby Quilt   
• Cosy Post Triangle Quilt 
• Festive Christmas Tree Skirt  
• Scrappy Rainbow Placemats 
• 25 Things to do with Fabric Scraps     
• Scrappy Pillow Tutorial   
• Scrappy Fabric Bowls 

The quilt below was featured in a previous post HERE

Pattern Writing Blog Series from Meadow Mists Designs

I subscribe to a number of blogs (actually a lot of them). Meadow Mists Designs just sent out an email about a new series, starting sometime today, called How To Write A Quilt Pattern. I realize that most of you aren't about to start writing your own quilt patterns however, you probably modify an existing one or combine several to use in the one quilt. I searched through the email and could find no mention of a fee so I'm assuming this series is free. Someone please correct me if that information is incorrect. In any event and if you're interested, drop by Meadow Mist Designs and meet Cheryl, a chemical engineer / patent agent by day and a quilter / family person the rest of the time. You might find this series interesting.

Also, check out Cheryl's Best of 2015 Linky Party. Lots to see!
Enjoy!

Christmas Gift!

Since the new year came in, I have taken some down time from most studio related activities. I have managed to get some Shimmer Ornaments ready for the Wholesale Show in March but not much else.

Before Christmas, I had every intention of sewing up another Sewing Wallet for my sister using my glitzy, fantasy fabric. She has spent so much time making stuff for everyone else, that I was feeling guilty by not doing something for her. But time marched on and it didn't get done. So instead, I included the one I had made for myself, with her parcel. It was filled with my newest shimmers.

Here's the piece:

Ideas!!

There is not much going on in the studio this week due to a nasty head cold. I've tried to do a few things but after having to ravel out a few rows in a knitting piece, I gave up. However, I did manage to surf the net and found a few things of interest.

• A cool Owl Hat Free Knitting Pattern and a Crochet Pattern
• Eye Candy from Jane Blair Quilts, click on gallery  
• Canvas Tote to make
• Applique Lessons - interesting
• Mouse Pincushion Tutorial 
• Mexican Waves Scarf (pattern on Revelry)   I think the colours caught my eye!

Enjoy!

 

I Won a Magazine

On December 26 / 15, Monika Kinner Whalen, of My Sweet Prairie, had a giveaway on Face Book. She had 5 extra copies of Noro Magazine, in which she was featured. She used the blended colors of Noro to create intricate details of plant life in her embroidered works of art.

Well, I was one of the 5 winners and just received my copy. This is a new magazine to me and I must say, it has a lot of impressive looking modern style patterns using Noro yarns. Check them out on their web site above.

Drop by My Sweet Prairie too, as you won't be disappointed. 

Thanks, Monika!

 

More Quilts

Here are the last of the quilts that Joan made for Christmas gifts in 2015.

The first one is an original design. For each diagonal row, the center snowflake square gets 1/2" larger while the outer white border strips get 1/4" narrower. The back is very colourful. Matching pillow cases were included. This one was sent to Chicago.

 

This next one is an Irish Chain Scrap Buster Quilt by Rita at Red Pepper Quilts. 

I was there when this one was opened. Our sister-in-law was gobsmacked! She loved it!!

Both quilts were quilted by my sister.

Christmas Quilts

Here's a couple more quilts my sister made for family this Christmas. The first is called, Christmas Plus, and the other is Christmas Chevrons. Each quilt also has matching pillow cases and are in Chicago. If you click on the photos, you will see all the Christmas fabrics used.

Back of the Christmas Chevron quilt above

Day 1 of a New Year!

Happy New Year's Day! 

 

We had snow overnight and it looked like a winter wonderland today.  Here's a few WINTER projects that I found to celebrate the new year (did you think I was celebrating about the snow?) Yikes!! Not me! I'm ready to fly south with the birds except . . .

Anyway, here are the links"

• Fleece Snowman 
• Winter Sewing projects on Pinterest HERE, HERE,
• 101 Sewing Tutorials for Winter
• Snowmen Patterns on Pinterest, more HERE
• Trapunto Snowflake Pillows

 Enjoy!!