Christmas Countdown

The Christmas countdown has been on for me for a while. I have been a busy Elf making Christmas gifts. It is a fun thing to do and puts me much more in the holiday spirit rather than buying lots of gifts which I need to do too.

One of my projects has been making this advent calendar. I love Snowmen and it was a sweet project to make. The panel was given to me by a friend to make for my children. I added some stars into the night sky for quilting. I think this will be a treasure for years to come!


Linking up to TGIFF, Finish It Up Friday and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop!

Forward Momentum

I have started getting my momentum back. The first sock was done in a week and a half.   That is pretty fast for me, considering the limited amounts of time that I have. It always seem to take the longest to get started, but once you do the ball keeps rolling! (Pun intended)! It feels like that is the same with life as well. I am looking forward to taking a break at Christmas and having time to spend with my children in our homemade socks.

My son bought this bag for me at his school with his own money. He gave it to me last week and I love it. It fits my sock project perfectly. My children are very thoughtful. Life is good!

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at The Needle and Thread Network and Freshly Pieced.

Hard to let Go

As I near the end of a project I always find it hard to let go. After all the time, sometimes months that go into a quilt or project it is hard to realize that it will soon be over. Part of my quilting retreat focused on getting these projects done and letting them go. I also have a tendency to take my time getting labels on quilts that I make for myself. I am committing to getting all of my labelling done by the end of the year. The quilting retreat made me realize that it is time to let go and move on to other things. I am going to use this in my life as well.

Linking up to TGIFF,  Finish It Up Friday and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop.

Thankful for friends

Today is a day to be thankful for friends! Thankful to my friend who encouraged me to go on the quilting retreat and thankful to my friend who I saw today who I hadn't seen for a while. You know a true friend, when you talk as if you had only seen each other yesterday. Thankful as well to my friends who take the time to listen to me. I feel as though I talk to them, more than I listen and I appreciate them so much! While I continue to feel as though I am a Work in Progress, they always point me in the right direction and get me moving forward.

Part of my quilting retreat weekend was spent putting together some old projects and using up some blocks.

These had been made for a larger size quilt that got turned into a wall hanging. Now I have a beautiful table runner to go along with it.

I also worked on My Oh Cherry Oh quilt.  I had bought a couple of charm packs years ago and started working on it. I loved them and wanted to make it bigger but could never find any more fabric for it. I decided to work on it again. I have a couple of ideas of how to make it bigger but I am not sure which way I will go with it.

Linking up to WIP Wednesday at The Needle and Thread Network and Freshly Pieced.

Moving Foward

Life can be hectic. I am definitely feeling the moving one step foward, two steps back lately. I can't seem to get any momentum. Life has not been that nice lately, but I am trying to keep it all in perspective, especially since I have so much to be grateful for. That is one of the things I love about crafting. Usually, with persevance, and joy you can see something beautiful being created. I am hoping to apply that to my life as well.

I suddenly realized last Tuesday that Christmas is fast approaching. While I don't have any quilts that need to be done for Christmas, I do have a number of small gifts that I want to make. I decided I had better start working on a pair of socks for my son. I had gotten the yarn in the summer time when they had a sale, and it was picked out by him. It has a very nice feel to it. It has been a while since I have knitted plain socks and it feels good to get back into it and know that I am knitting faster and easier than before. It reminds me that I am moving forward!

Linking to Linky Tuesday.

Patches - Design Wall Monday

A couple of weekends ago, I got to go on the most amazing quilting retreat. I got some projects done, and got further along on some others.

These were 3 1/2 squares that I had been given to by a friend. I was originally going to use them as sashing in a different quilt. It did not work out so I decided instead to turn them into 16 patch squares. I have seen quite a few cute patterns using these squares and I am going to turn this into a baby quilt for a friend who will be a grandmother soon.

I also got further along on my Under The Stars project. I had lost the middle squares for the stars, so had to find a replacement fabric for them. I had lost my mojo to work on this project and it was great to have the retreat to get it back.

Linking to Design Wall Monday.

Dresden Quilter - My Stop on the Blogathon Canada Tour

Welcome to my corner of the quilting world! My name is Michelle aka Dresden Quilter and I have been quilting for over 20 years and blogging for 5 /12 years. It's in my blood, and while I get frustrated sometimes it is something I am never going to give up. I chose the name for my blog as the Dresden Plate was one of the first blocks I ever learned how to make.

How would I describe my style? Simply a potpourri of love. Whether it be traditional, or modern, whimiscal or straightlaced if I think the receipient of the quilt will love it and I will enjoy making it I do.

 

 

 

 

 Sometimes I stick to a pattern, sometimes I add some sugar and spice to it and sometimes I make my own patterns. For me quilting, is my raison d'être, a way of bringing beauty to the world and leaving stress behind, and I would rather do it, then spend lots of time defining it. If you enjoy what you are quilting, then that's good enough for me!

 

 

I also enjoy other crafts such as redwork, which have seeped into my quilting.

 

One of the best parts about quilting and blogging is all of the amazing quilters I have gotten to know, and all of the quilt alongs, bees and exchanges I have gotten to participate in.

I would not have been able to do any of this without my three loves, my children and husband who are my inspiration, my support and part of my creative process.

Now that you have gotten to know me, please continue on your journey of the Sew Sisters Blogathon Canada. I am so proud to participate in and get to know such amazing Canadian quilters!

Woodland Trails

My Woodland Trails quilt is finished and I love it. I was trying to create a bit of a camoflauge effect and I love how the fabrics blend in together. I have never made something before using these colours, but as always with the help of a wonderful pattern it looks great. The pattern is Northern Lights by Jaybird Quilts. Her patterns are always fantastic and go together so easily. This will be going to a special person in my son's life. Gratefulness is something that is very important to me, and I like to share my gratefulness with others. I would not consider myself a hugely emotional person but the people that are dear to me I hold very tightly.


Linking to TGIFF, Finish It Up Friday and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop!

My Three Loves

For the Blogger's Quilt Festival I am presenting My Three Loves quilt which I have just recently finished. I started it over four years ago. I would do a bit of it and then stop as I would realize I would not have enough red scraps and then buy some more. At my quilt retreat last year I brought it with me and got motivated to get it going again. It was quilted for me, and I love the feathers and hearts in the quilting design. It represents for me the love I have for my husband and children as well as my love for Family, Friends, and Faith. It has become one of my favourite quilts. I like for things to be neat and tidy and with this quilt I had to get over wanting to be perfect with every piece. It was the love that I have for the things that matter to me that carried me through.

 

Quilt size:  34 X 50
Pattern: Heart Throb by Lydia Quigley
Pieced by me, Quilted by Tammy Spencer
Category: Small Quilt




Linking up to TGIFF, Finish it Up Friday and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop!

Pinky Owl

For the Blogger's Quilt Festival I am entering My Pinky Owl quilt into the Scrappy Quilt category. All of the pinks for the quilt came for my stash. Pink is my favourite colour, but I must admit I still had more pinks than I thought. This is going to someone who had a big influence in my daughter's life. I had so much fun putting this together and seeing the Owl come to life.

Quilt size:  48 X 56

Pattern:     Hootenanny by Boo Davis

Pieced :     by me, Quilted by Tammy Spencer

Category:  Scrappy Quilts 

 

Always room for Love

I participated in the Friday Night Sew In. It always motivates me to get something accomplished. My Moda Love is now a quilt top. I found a fabulous fabric at my LQS that I am going to use as a border to turn it into a sweet baby quilt. It is great to get things off of my to do list and I find it encourages to me to keep going. I also found out that the family I made this for is now going to have a second. I will be keeping busy!

Linking up to Design Wall Monday!

Getting My Loonies Worth

These two loonies represent something special to me. They mean I sold something I made. I am not sure if I have ever sold anything before. Selling my items has never been a huge inceptive to me to craft. I understand that I am never going to get the real value for what is made, so I have always preferred making things for the ones I love and care about. There can be exceptions to the rule, and my son's teacher from last year asked me to make her son a pencil case. I had made her one last year as a thank you gift. She said that her son liked navy blues or blacks, and I found some great fabric in my stash.








I decided to charge her the $2.00 for the price of the zipper. I did not want to charge a lot as she has been a wonderful teacher to my son, but it did seem fair to charge something. In some ways the loonies represent the same as the $1 bills you see, or use to see in Canada at stores for their first dollar made. I am very proud that someone was willingly to buy my work but I definitely am not planning on making a habit of it.

Just Wing It - Moda Love

I always enjoy reading your blogs for inspiration and ideas for new quilts to make.  On Friday, I saw a blog post from someone talking about a Moda Love pattern that was going around. I really liked her quilt and decided to check out the pattern. I had been looking for a quick but impressive looking baby quilt. When I saw it I knew I had some charm square packs that would be great for it.

 

I pulled out this Just Wing It charm pack and then found a great Nature Elements to use as the background. Here is the result:

I really like it and have decided I am going to make the bigger version with a layer cake that I have.

Linking to Design Wall Monday.

Sunday Stash

I had some left over gift certificates and got to spend them this summer. I decided to buy the Quick Curve Ruler and some of the patterns. I am looking forward to trying it out.

I also bought some beautiful aqua and indigo fabrics. My son had bought me some last year for Mother's Day and I have been collecting some more, to make a quilt for myself. I have a couple of patterns in mnd that I would like to try out.

A couple of weeks ago when I dropped off my spool quilt to be quilted I saw this beautiful fabric on clearance. I knew it would be perfect for my Catcus Wreath quilt so I buy it. I am anxious to see it all finished.
 

Owl Appreciation - Pinky Owl

My Pinky Owl quilt is now finished. It is to go to someone who had a big part in my daughter's life. All of the pinks were in my stash. I really enjoyed making this quilt. I have made two patterns now out of the Dare to Be Square book by Boo Davis and they have been fun to do. It is always nice to appreciate something that someone has done for you, and as usual while I would love to keep this quilt I am happy it is going to a good home. The quilting was done by my wonderful quilter Tammy. She does beautiful work, and helps my quilts come to life.

Linking to Finish it up Friday, TGIFF and Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop.

Design Wall Monday - Catcus Wreath

The Friday Night Sew-In gave me the boost I needed to get some log cabin blocks finished. After I was done, there were a couple of them that I did not like but seeing them all laid out makes them look better. I have one more set of blocks to do and then I can start sewing them all together. I might finally have a quilt that doesn't have to sit around for a couple of years to be finished!

Check out other quilts at Design Wall Monday!

The Unblocking of Perfection

It is fun to have time to relax and do some quilting, though trying to obtain the perfect 1/4 inch and seams matching can sometimes be frustrating. Last week I finally took my spool quilt in to be quilted. I had agonized over the border for so long, but when I looked at the pattern the border was similar and I loved that quilt enough to make it. I was watching a show and one of the people on it said that writer's block was caused by trying to be perfect and you are never going to be perfect so just keep on writing. I realized that the same thing could be said about quilting, so I got my Spools quilt out, made the backing and sent it off.


 




I participated in the Friday Night Sew In. I worked on some binding, my red work and some of my Log Cabin blocks for my Catcus Wreath quilt.

Design Wall Monday - Catcus Bouquet

I have all of the catcus flowers done now for my Catcus Wreath. I am really happy with how they turned out. I would love to have a bouquet of these! Now I need to start working on the log cabins.

Linking up to Design Wall Monday.

Not Sharp to the Touch

Here are my Catcus Wreath blocks in various stages of completion. I can tell that it is a quilt I will enjoy using and cuddling under. Definitely not sharp to the touch! I am also working on binding another quilt right now, and I always have to be careful where I place the needle. My children like cuddling with me while I bind quilts and I don't want them to get pricked!

As an aside, I was on the way home after a day trip with my children the other evening and it had gotten dark. My daughter had been reading, so when it got dark she used her DS as a flashlight so she could keep reading. I was quite impressed with that.

Linking to The Needle and Thread Network.

The Allure Continues - Catcus Wreath

I got all of the individual sections sewn together, so I decided to put together one block to try out my Catcus Wreath quilt. I really like it. It is gratifying when all of the care and attention in putting the smaller pieces together ends up with the block being the right size. I can tell it is going to be a lot of fun. I think the hardest part will be deciding which greens to put together.


Linking up To The Needle and Thread Network.

Oh The Allure!

Oh, the allure of a new project! I think it is so enticing because you get to start fresh ; no mistakes have been made. Everything looks perfect and there is always the hope that nothing will go wrong. Normally, I start a new quilt every summer but I thought I would be able to resist this summer but I was incorrect.

I bought this fabric in June at a quilt show. I had originally intended the majority of it for a watermelon log cabin quilt but the pattern called for smaller sized strips, and I was not sure if I wanted to cut them all individually. I remembered a pattern I have had for quite a while that used the 2 1/2 strips. I have really enjoyed making the Cozy quilt patterns. I find them intricate but not too difficult to do.

 

I did have some greens in my stash but decided I wanted to add some more variety. I used a gift certificate from work to buy some more of the greens. New fabric is always part of the allure as well!

For me, one of the longest steps, but one of the most important is the cutting. Everything is ready to go! I think the hopes, and dreams of a quilter should be bottled and called Allure! It would definitely be a beautiful scent!