So.....

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New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada
Welcome to my world where I try to figure out what I'm going to do next! These days, it is mostly quilting, but you never know what it might be... come find out with me!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

distractions and progress

I hope you all had the chance to go check out some of the beautiful Winter and Christmas quilts over at SewCalGal's 2011 Christmas quilt show!  There are some fabulous distractions over there!


Warning - here follows a long post - that's what happens when I don't post regularly, but then blast you with it all at once!


First up, I need to report on some finishes!  Way back in October I actually finished this one, but because we weren't revealing them until our November VMQG meeting, I only gave you a sneak peek at my Habitat challenge.  Here's the full picture.


Habitat Challenge table runner
Sorry, I need to take a better picture!
I kept the quilting really simple on this one - some SID and then some simple echo quilting.
offset ends simple quilting


And, I am very happy to say that my African Collage quilt is done - this must be a record for me - taking a workshop and within a month of finishing said workshop actually having finished the project!  I am thrilled with how it has turned out, especially since it was such a stretch for me.
African Collage - finished
paper beads and quilting


Unfortunately, it was my only finish in the entire month of November - I can not believe how November has already flown past  Sheeesh!  I do think that December will be picking up the pace a little - I still have a ton of ideas of things I want to make as gifts. Ha!


Now for some of my in progress projects - we had our sew-in day at VMQG, and I wanted to work on something different - I mentioned it back here, but I never showed it to you.  Last year I finished up my "Figgy Duff" quilt made from a charm pack of Figgy Pudding, and I had a few of the brown and blue charms left.  I thought they would make a nice table runner - possibly as a Christmas present.  I decided to border and then place the squares on point, and started with this
Leftover Figgy Pudding charms
Then it grew to this
it grew
and it will finish off like this!  Who would have thought that 9 - 5" charms would grow to a runner that is 84" long!  That's right, it will be 7' long!  Know anyone with a Harvest table than needs a long runner for it???
long runner


At work, I share an office with another lady, and I always have a quilt up between our desks.  It is time to put a Christmas quilt up, and I didn't want to put the same one up as last year, my Cranberry Salsa.  This summer, while on vacation we stopped into the Quilt Patch in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.  Fun fun fun!  I didn't have a lot of time as my DH was itching to hit the road again, but I did manage to pick up a bit of fabric and this book



What a fabulous book full of all kinds of wonderful projects - and did you know the authors of the book, Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks are the owners of the Quilt Patch and are just the nicest folks, and they are fabric designers to boot?


I love the cover quilt on this book, but didn't have room for the full size version, so I scaled it down a bit and came up with this.
tis the season wallhanging
I am doing some really simple quilting on this one, and hope to be able to take it to work with me tomorrow and get it up on the wall.
Christmas for the office


But, what is keeping me from a lot of quilting this weekend is this:


We replaced our old fireplace - oh about a year ago, and I've decided that that wall has to be patched and all painted before Christmas this year. (see my WIP list is much bigger than just my quilting!)  We replaced some window trim as well, and in the spirit of keeping things fresh, I've also decided that I am changing the wall colour, so that means I have the living room, dining room and front entry to paint, oh my.  I may get a little sewing in while waiting for paint to dry?!  Wish me luck!


 Happy quilting!

9 comments:

Renate said...

My but you have been busy! Love the table runner. I have a table with three extensions...I could use that table runner..., but then I also have a 3-drawer dresser that could use a new runner. LOL!

felicity said...

That's QUITE a WIP list, Janet! I love all your projects and look forward to the "after" photos of the new paint!

Joan said...

Well - you have certainly been busy! IT all looks great! Have fun with all that [aionting - it will be fantastic when its aol done too :)

elle said...

Lots of good stuff here and I hear ya about the deadlines on deco projects. pant,pant

Maggi said...

Looks like you have been very busy. Good to know that you are allowed to hang your quilts at work. The latest one is a great adaptation.

Christine said...

Wow look at all your projects! I love the table runners and the Christmas quilt. Very pretty! :)

Michele said...

I love your Habitat project :-) The simple quilting looks wonderful on it!! Your Christmas quilt is beautiful. I'm sure it will look great in your office!

Barb said...

I just love what you are doing on your blog...such fun things.

Nancy L said...

My husband's cousin has a long table that could use that runner. She also lives in New West too. Hmmm. We need to talk.