His

I was in a panic 3 weeks before Christmas. I had a date with a quilter and did not have my brother's quilt ready. I called her up on a Thursday and got a week's extension. The only problem with that is that I knew the quilt I had started making for him would not be ready in time. I had to scrap it, and come up with something quick. I started searching the Internet desperate for an idea, when I happened to look in the sidebar of Piecemeal Quilts, a blog I read on a regular basis. There was this gorgeous quilt that Sandi had designed for her mom to make for somebody else. It was easy to make and had all of the same colours that were in my sister's quilt. I could not believe it. It felt like the angels were singing. I had quite a bit of fabric left from my sister's quilt because I had bought fat quarters. It was going to be used for my nephew, but I could easily change and give the quilt I started for my brother to my nephew. I started on it right that night. I changed up a few of the fabrics from my sister's quilt and I had a great brown that did not look good in her quilt that looked great in his. I did not have enough time to get a good fabric for a border but it was still big enough for a lap size quilt and it allowed me to use that great green/blue fabric that I had gotten 3 yards for $11. My brother was thrilled with the quilt and I think quite stunned. Anyhow without further ado, here it is:

I love how it turned out and so did my husband. We both wanted to keep this one. I think another one will be in the works.

Patchwork Times UFO Challenge 2011

Swaps - 2009, Bees - 2010, 2011 - UFO's

I have decided that 2011 will be the year of the UFO. I am joining Judy's UFO Challenge. What happens is that you make a list of 12 UFO's you would like to get finished. You get to decide what finished means to you, whether it be as a quilt top or a completed quilt. For me it will mean quilt top, since I have mine quilted by someone else. Each month she will post a number, and whatever quilt matches with the number on your list will be the one you are working on. My husband did question whether this would increase my stress level for this, feeling as though I had to get them finished by the end of the month but since most of these quilts are for me, I think I will be okay. I do have my nephew/niece's quilt on the list to finish and I will have a new niece or nephew come February.


Here is my list:

1. Mountain Mystery
2. Wandering Star
3. Butterfly
4. Jelly Roll Sampler
5. Tulip
6. Fresh
7. Red/Aqua
8. Cameo
9. Cherry
10. Snowmen
11. Snowman Applique
12. Purple/Aqua

There is still time to sign up. The first number will be posted January 1, 2011.

Jill was the winner of my Mystery Giveaway.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I wish you and your family a happy holiday!

Advent Calendar

I love Advent Calendars. With young kids around, it is hard to keep the chocolate ones around.

This is one that a great friend made me years ago. I just love it!

This is an advent calendar I got today. It was not quite my husband's style, but it was mine and the cashier's so it came home with me. I can't believe there are only 5 more pompoms waiting for an ornament!

Friday Night Sew-In

Well, my arch nemesis has been conquered. I don't think I will ever be making a quilt out of it though. After all of the frustration I decided to do some mindless sewing by creating more of my 4 patches.

I really need to get to my binding, tomorrow!

Arch nemesis

 

This block more commonly known as the asterisk block is my arch nemesis. It is the October block, for my Sew Modern Quilt Bee. We were given fabric to make 2 of them. The first time I tried the block I had left the selvage end on because I was trying to use the least amount of fabric possible because the scraps were asked to be returned. Well, I  had not left enough of the end and the selvage would have become part of the block. So then I cut off the selvage end and then tried it a second time. Still not enough. Set it aside and worked on my quilts that had to go to the quilter's. Picked it up for a 3 time, found some other instructions for it and managed to struggle through. Last week, started working on the second one.  Got busy and picked it up again on the weekend to finish. Can't find part of the fabric. Look everywhere. All my quilting bee stuff is organized together so I knew it had to be in my quilting room. Still can't find it. Ask my daughter who is a fabric hoarder. No, she did not take it. Then my son pipes up, are you looking for a green piece? Yes, I say. Well, it turns out he had taken it to use to make a net for his air hockey table. My husband found the fabric on the floor all  covered in tape, assumed it was garbage and through it out! So short story long, that's how the asterisk block became my arch nemesis.

I am hoping to rectify this tonight as I am participating in the Friday Night Sew-In. I will finally finish the long saga of the asterisk block and hopefully get to work on some of my other bee blocks.

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full. 

Well, I don't have 3 bags full but about 2 projects.

I won this amazing wool applique kit from Paula Stoddard of Pacific Patchwork. She is the designer of the pattern.  I have also being making her free redwork Love Is patterns. I have never worked with wool before and I have not done much applique so I am excited to be able to try something new.

Knitting is something I used to do lots.  With all of the great Christmas movies, and Christmas travelling I got the itch to do some knitting again. My husband asked me if I needed to start another project. No, not really but I always like have something to keep me busy. I  started making a scarf for my daughter on the weekend. I love how she thought I would have it done in a few hours, and then I could make her some mittens too!

Mystery Giveaway

In blogging with my  artist friend, Michele, I teased her about having 500 followers and suggested that she should have a giveaway.  She, being more astute and greatly more talented than me, figured out that this week Sew Mama Sew was organizing another huge blog bonanza. I somehow missed the boat on that one. Since, she is having one, I feel it is only right that I have one too. Michele made me have this giveaway! You should really check out her blog. She makes things with household items that I did not think were possible. Plus she makes it look easy, even though I know it is not.

Anyhow for this giveaway is going to be a mystery for you and me. I definitely know it will include fabric, and maybe some other goodies as well. I am going to have this open until December 24 at 7:00 pm EST. The winner will be announced December 25 and the package will be mailed out before the end of the year. If you are a no-reply blogger, than you need to leave an email in the comments, otherwise I will have to choose someone else. Winner will be chosen randomly.

To enter this giveaway, I want to know what your favourite tradition is at this time of year, no matter how you celebrate. My son is learning about traditions and celebrations right now in school and I thought it would be fun to find out how other people celebrate.

My favourite tradition is to get some Hot Chocolate ready and go for a drive with my husband and children to look at all the beautiful Christmas lights. Good luck in the giveaway!

12 Days of Postings

I have not posted in a while. Life has been crazy and I really have not quilted very much either. I have decided to catch up on my postings by having the 12 Days of Postings. A little pressure before Christmas, is good, isn't it?


Here is some fabric I have bought in the recent while.

The dots are for my Jelly Roll Quilt, the flower fabric is for my Cameo quilt, I got the stripes for binding, and the dark blue for binding.  I love the Lizzy Dish fabric, and I got 3 yards of the green fabric with stripes  for $11 US. That is a huge deal for fabric in Canada that is $17 a metre. It became the backing for a quickly made quilt.

I have gotten 2 of my quilts back from the quilter's and they look amazing! Next week will be spent binding and then they will be all ready for Christmas.