Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! I finally put my Halloween swap blocks up on my design wall. I love it! I really like all the blocks look all together. I had been thinking about putting some sashing around the blocks but now I am not sure. I hope you have better weather than we do for tonight's festivities. It is very wet and windy here.

Indulgence

 

I splurged on a milk jelly roll basic from moda. When I figured out the cost of yardage there was very little difference in price. I have lots of ideas on how to use it. One of them is my red/aqua swap that I have completed and mailed.

I did not put it up on my design wall this time because I was definitely afraid I would keep it. I have a great idea for this quilt. I bought a some fabric for the border that I think will work really well with the red and aquas. If not I can always find another use for it.

I would also like to say a big thank you to Ariane. I had originally wanted to make presents for my Christmas block swap but I could not find any patterns large enough. Ariane bought a maple leaf pattern from Piece by Number. I went there to check things as I love paper piecing and I found Christmas presents! I was so excited and now that is the block I am going to be making for the exchange.

Finally, for my friend Julie, Go Phillies Go!

Wishful Thinking

It was wishful thinking on my part that my career as a swapper as ended. It is just too enticing to swap and swapping pulls me in new creative directions. I had originally joined the Holly Jolly Christmas block swap hosted by Aunt Pitty Pat last week but realized I did not think I would be able to make the early January deadline. She has extended the deadline to the end of January and so I have rejoined. I am going to be making Christmas trees. I already have the block picked out and some ideas on how to enhance it already. If you are interested in joining the swap, go over to Aunt Pitty Pat's.

Serendipity

I watched a Canadian documentary series a while ago called The Nature of Things which focuses on science and the environment. The program they had on a while ago was called Gone Sideways about serendipitous moments in science. Some of the most influential scientific discoveries were discovered by accident. The program talked about whether these were truly accidents or was it because the scientists were able to recognize and be open to new and different ideas while working on completely different research. At the time I thought that quilting was very similar. Many times we can be working on a quilt when an idea will take us into a new direction, or we find a fabric that we never thought would work in the quilt does and adds a completely new dimension to our quilt.

This past weekend I had that serendipitous moment. I was making a block for Terry's quilt. To learn more about it, visit A Yankee Quilter. It had to be 9 /12 unfinished. Well, I went to my favourite block site Quilter's Cache and there I found a block I liked called Wandering Star. There were colour suggestions given for Terry's block, and I chose blue. After I made it the moment came.

I realized it was the quilt pattern I had been looking for, for my brother. I had wanted to make him a blue quilt and something not too fancy, nor overly fussy. I love how this one block, makes such great secondary patterns. I really like the hourglass block in the middle as I have been wanting to move into using more triangles in my quilts since I have done squares and rectangles for quite some time. As well I have really been interested in individual blocks since I did Jane's rainbow quilt. The best part of all, is that I have 2 rolls of 3 inch Half Square Triangles on a roll which I have owned for years. My sister had bought them for me as they were on my Christmas wish list but they never got used for their original purpose. This block calls for these 3 inch half squares. Now I get to use it. It was definitely a goosebump moment.

Of course, back to reality! I only have a fat quarter of the background fabric and a 1/4 metre of the dark blue. I do have lots of the medium blue. I did get them from my LQS at some point this year so I am going to check if they still have them.

Wishing you serendipitous and goosebump moments,

Pumpkin Patch Primitive Giveaway

Brenda is having a fantastic giveway. She is giving away 27 fat quarters of Red Rooster's Pumpkins & Spice Fabrics by Whimsicals. If she gets over 250 entries she will giveaway a second bundle.

Eight is Enough!

With everything else going on, I have not had much of a chance to talk about the red and aqua disappearing 9 patch swap I have joined hosted by Jane. I am so happy she has gotten Kindle. This is my eighth swap of the year and my final one for the year. I have learned so much from each one of the swaps. Next year, I will be working on putting together all of my swap quilts!

I have really been enjoying the Blogger's Quilt Festival. Already I have fabulous ideas for new quilts and have been frantically sketching them.

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Here is my quilt for the Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy. It is the latest quilt that I have finished. Tammy did the quilting for me.I have named it Red, White and Blue. It was made for some family friends who have a baby boy. The wife is American and the husband is Canadian. I liked the idea of combining the colours of the 2 countries into one quilt.

The quilt is special because it is one of the first quilts I started after I started my blog in March. Originally it was going to be a rail fence quilt, but then I found Amanda Jean's zigzag tutorial and decided to do that instead. Since then, I have used my fellow quilting bloggers for much inspiration. I have met many friends from all different countries and have been in awe of what people create. I have participated in 7 swaps, and am now working on my 8th swap. Many of my quilts have been altered or changed completely from all of the inspiration you have provided me. It was also one of the first quilts where I used most of the fabric from my stash. This quilt is a reminder of all the friendship, support and help I have been given.

Thank you all!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Canadians. I hope you are having a wonderful and relaxing weekend with family and friends!

Works in Progress

I am finally getting around to making my list for October and posting pictures.

1) Finally bind my zigzag quilt. DONE
2) Complete the red and aqua swap.
3) Get ready for Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival. DONE



4) Cut out fabric for the snowmen class I am taking. DONE



5) Continue working on my pinwheel quilt.

6) Get the bento box quilt ready for the quilter.

7) Organize something as a giveaway gift.

8) Cut fabric for the retirement quilt.

9) Think about what I am going to do with this quilt.


10)Try to make a smaller list for November.

Design Wall Monday

I have been playing around with a couple of swaps I have been in to see if I can make one large quilt. The large blocks are from the 1st swap I did with Jane and the colour blocks are from my 4SQS Summer Swap. I have not yet made up my mind how I am going to put them together.

Friendship Bag Swap

Here is my finished bag for the Friendship Bag Swap. I like bright colours but this is definitely brighter than I am used to. As always, it is another swap that I would love to keep for myself. Luckily I have lots of leftover fabric, and I have already cut out the material to make one for myself. I used some of my decorative stitches to do the machine quilting. It was great to actually get to use them. One more swap left and that's it for the year.