Progress on WaveRunner

I think I've mentioned once or twice that I love freeform and curved piecing!  I'm having fun piecing and experimenting with layouts for my Bumble Beans WaveRunner quilt along quilt!  I'm still piecing more blocks, and trying decide when to stop!  Are you participating?  How's your's coming along?

Just what was I working on?

I've had a reasonably productive week - I've managed to complete two preemie donation quilts,

and have almost finished the latest dance dress, although I have been a bit distracted with being away.
 I've also been busy sorting through my stash, trying to pick out fabrics for the Bumble Beans WaveRunner quilt along (button on my sidebar), and for Don't Look Now's quilt along - a beautiful and Kellie promises! easy to do pattern called Joseph's Coat.  Isn't it lovely?

picture from Don't Look Now site

  For the WaveRunner I'm thinking I'm going to tone it down a bit from my last two quilts - they were very bright - and go for more muted tones, with a little bit of punch thrown in by way of the orange.

I'm probably going to use a few more fabrics than Victoria used, but as I'm working solely from my stash, and have quite a few FQs, I'm okay with that!  Time to start slicing and dicing!
For Kellie's quilt along (which starts Nov 1) I'm also working out of my stash, and am thinking of going red and white.  I think I've got enough variety in my reds to make it interesting, although I may have to seach for a few more.

colours appear more orange than in real life

I've also spent an awful lot of time cruising in the blogosphere!  I just don't know where the time goes!  I just pop in for a few minutes to see what everyone has been up to, and before you know it, HOURS have gone by!  It's cutting into my sewing time!  Will I stop?  Not on your life, but I do have to start setting time limits for each sitting, I think.

Monday's perusal has brought to light the latest Under the Gum Trees freebie - its a real nifty doorstopper.  Very cute. This week's designer is Vicki at Tozz's Corner.  Some people are just so creative it kills me.  I can think of a number of places where this would come in handy.

And the latest giveaway from Geta.  If you haven't checked out Geta's blog then you owe yourself a trip there!  She does incredible shadow trapunto work, and makes the most gorgeous bags among other things.  The October giveaway is this magnificent minature quilt.  Can you imagine?

Then I stopped by Crazy Mom Quilts.  Can you believe that Amanda Jean has completed at least 29 quilts already this year?!  Looking back through all the pictures, she has made some gorgeous quilts, and I've added a few more to my gotta make it list.  Thanks Crazy Mom!

Rachel at Not So Plain Jane posted a Spirit List.  Rachel has a lot of very interesting things on her list that she wants to accomplish.  Her list challenged me to think about what my list would look like.  My "Will list" (as in I will achieve this!") follows

I will:

• 
  
  move to Nova Scotia and own a house on the water, preferably an old farmhouse
  
  support myself through sewing and creative endeavours
  
• travel to Australia and New Zealand (I promised myself when I moved west that I would not move back east until I had visited down under!)
• rid myself of clutter
• be positive and supportive of family and friends (and myself!)
• not wish for more than I need
• have faith in my own abilities

Thanks Rachel for putting the challenge out there!  What would be on your list?

Happy quilting!

Playing catchup!

Cape Breton

Lots to cover!

First up is a huge thanks to Ankie in Sweden who is my Stitcher's Angel swap angel.  She sent the following package of goodies - two beautiful bags, a sweet needle keeper, a heart pincushion and a package of Glogg spices with instructions (I love Glogg in the wintertime!)  Not sure if you can see them or not, but on the larger bag the ends of the zipper pull are covered with heart yoyos - so cute!  I know I'm going to get lots of use out of these. Thanks Ankie!

My package for my partner is in the mail today - hope she likes it!  I wish I could hand deliver it as it is off to New Zealand!

Speaking of "down under", go check out Kellie's blog at Don't Look Now! She's got a fabulous giveaway going on - her patterns are incredible, and her work gorgeous.  You could win both of these patterns!  There are several ways to enter, and there's a  possibility of also receiving a pillow.

 

Kellie's an incredible inspiration!  She also has a quilt along starting the beginning of November.  Check here for all the details.  I'm going to give it a try, how about you?  This one will make me practice my hand applique, and get a gorgeous quilt to boot.  Kellie promises that it is an easy technique, but I still maynot be able to make as big a quilt as she is making - maybe a wall hanging or table topper, hmmmm?

And, because I just seem to have SO much spare time (haha), I've also signed up to do a quilt along with Victoria at Bumble Beans.  Check here for the details on it.  This one will let me play with curved piecing some more.  So much fun!

This past weekend I was at a machine embroidery retreat - there were lots of fabulous things happening, but this is what I was working on:

Eventually, I'll have 9 of these and I'll make a quilt.  The design is from Embroidery Library and is called Art Nouveau Floral Squares.  I'm staying pretty true to their colours, and am stitching out on dupionni silk.  Very pleased thus far, but it'll be awhile before I'm finished!

Yesterday was a great mail day - I received my Stitcher's Angel package AND I also received a wonderful little package in the mail from Dawn Hay - a beautiful piece of Christmas fabric and a skein of varigated blue embroidery floss.  Thank you Dawn!

Dawn is one of the "Among the Gum Trees" designers - if you haven't yet, you really should check out their blog - fabulous projects on the go for Christmas, and they're free!

Are you looking for a quick gift for someone, and also want to support a very worthwhile cause? Check out Danoda - Linda's Gift Ideas.  Linda makes a variety of gift items - coffee sleeves, potholders, and flat iron holders for now, with 10% of all proceeds going to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. How cool is that?

Happy quilting!

p.s. I had a fabulous time in NS - lots of friends, family, food and fun - what could be better???

I can't believe it!

Its been weeks since my last post! 

I'm still around, but have been visiting family in Nova Scotia, and then on a machine embroidery retreat this past weekend.  I will get organized and get a proper post done soon!  Promise!