Just a quick note

just found out about a giveaway that closes tomorrow, so if you are interested in some Robin Pandolph FQs head on over real quick to Mama Spark's World, as the giveway closes soon!

(I'll have some pictures and a sewing update, hopefully tomorrow!)

Finally!

I've been threatening for weeks - months???? - that I'm going to get started on my Bunny Hill BOMs. Finally, I can say that I have! Started, at least.

January - please excuse the lack of pressing in these pictures!

February

March

I was really torn about wanting to do it all with hand applique, but reality has set in and I've re-sorted back to my machine where I am much more comfortable, and stand a really good chance of actually getting them done. I also decided that I was going to make them all scrappy - using whatever bits and pieces I had left over from other projects. Where possible, I was going to try to use "unconventional" quilting materials - the snowman is fleece, the bunny is ultra-suede, and try to incorporate themes of each month into the fabrics. February's background has tiny little hearts scattered across it. As you may have noticed, in my haste to actually get started, I neglected to flip my patterns over, so things are reversed! Make it yours, right?! I've got the applique done on these, so now its just a matter of adding the embroidery, and then on to the next.

While other people have been extremely busy putting up this year's crop, I have only done a couple of batches of jam - a blueberry and a plum, and have frozen about 15 lbs of blueberries for winter time treats and baking. The blueberry crop this year is incredible, so I just might get out a gain to pick some more.

I did manage to finish off all the quilting on my Summer Sunset quilt (in this post), except for the label, which will be done soon!

What comes next?? More Bunny Hill BOMs! and a couple of swap projects.


'til next time,
Happy Quilting!


p.s - I also want to tell you about a fabulous give-away - quilts!!! going on over at Trends and Traditions. Its Heather's way of celebrating her first blogiversary. Go here to check it out and see some pics of a really cutie helping with the celebration!

Don't you just love giveaways and savings?

Before I go do some more quilting, I thought I'd let you know about a terrific giveaway that Rachel of p.s. i quilt is holding to celebrate the 2nd birthday of The Quilt Shoppe - a $50 gift certificate! That's what I call a giveaway!!!

There are all kinds of ways to enter, so go check it out here!

Happy birthday to The Quilt Shoppe! Go check out their website for details on how you can save!

Happy quilting!

do you like a challenge?

I do! I find if I have a challenge, I'm more inclined to try something new, or different colours, and I'm also more inclined to actually finish a project!

My quilt guild has a summer challenge each year. This past May we were given the following pictures, told to pick one, and then pull all the fabrics in our stash that matched those colours. I picked the winter scene with the blues, greens, cream and a bit of pink, and pulled out my fabrics. At the end of June we were given the next directions - make a quilt, any size greater than or equal to 9 blocks, 10" finished, using the Shoo Fly block and the Chain and Knot Variation block. We were given a diagram that we could copy and then colour in until we arrived at something we liked. The idea is to bring your finished top to our first meeting in September.

(sorry, picture quality is not great!)

I have EQ6, so I decided to play with my colour variations on there. That is so much fun! I'll never get anywhere near making all the quilts I "design" with it. However, I did come up with an arrangement that I liked for this project, and this week I've put it together. Here is the top all laid out

and here are a couple of pictures of it all sewn together. I'm pretty pleased with how it has turned out.

But, I had set myself a commitment that if I was going to work on this one, I had to get last year's Summer Challenge quilted for the same September meeting!

It is a very colourful quilt compared to this years, and I wanted to try some free motion quilting on it. I have Valori Wells' "Radiant New York Beauties" book and I used that as inspiration for some of my quilt designs. I've done some free motion in the past, but this is definitely my biggest project to date.
So far, I'm liking what I've got. I've only had to pick out two areas that just were not working for me and try a different design. I also need to make sure I take lots of breaks as I'm quilting as I get very tensed up, and the stitching gets jerky. Practise! and lots of it, to follow. Or maybe I just need to pour myself a big glass of wine???

Here are some pictures of my progress.

I'm hoping that I will have this finished by the end of the weekend, and then lets see What Comes Next!

Happy quilting!

very cute wall hanging

and its a giveaway over at Sipiweske Quilt Designs. Marlene is celebrating her 200th blog, and the wall hanging she has made for me is just stunning! Oh, you want to try to win it? You better head on over there!

Friendship Bag Swap

I've just joined my first swap! I'm so excited! I usually see ones I want to join after they are already filled.

I found this one thru Rachel's site p.s. i. quilt, where she also has a great tutorial to make a bag suitable for the swap. The swap is hosted by the Quilting Gallery. Registration is open until August 20 - you should check it out!