This is another pattern test for The Quilt Pattern Magazine. It will be published in the November 2021 edition of the magazine. The finished size is 44 1/2” square so it’s a nice size for a baby quilt or wall hanging. The pattern is written by Donna Westerkamp.
Click on the photo to find The Quilt Pattern Magazine.
I printed the templates and pattern for Nora, pulled some fun winter themed fabric from my stash and started by taping the templates together. I used fusible, one side Pellon interfacing on the back of my pressed fabrics. I trimmed my pieces using the templates, and then started placing my appliqué pieces in place. Once I had my checkerboard borders added and the final border, I then completed the appliqué by stitching things down with a matching thread to make my stitching disappear.
I finished the flimsy June 16 and added it to the To Be Quilted Pile with the binding pressed and folded with it.
It will be a fun quilt to finish on the longarm. I have a quilting plan worked out and I even remembered to put my notes with the flimsy and binding. Then I plan on playing with some hand stitching to complete this sweet top.
Thanks for stopping by to read my post. If you are looking for another fun source of patterns, information and some awesome QAL’s do pop over to The Quilt Pattern Magazine. 😉 Carol
Thank you to Carol from Just Let Me Quilt for hosting the spooky Ghastly Ghouls Blog Hop this month.
I had to jump in to do this hop once I realized it would fit in with a project I’ve had in mind for some of my grandkids and great grandkids.
Fabrics were pulled and some cutting and pressing, interfacing and sewing began.
Bag fronts were fun with some free hand appliqué shapes being attached and the kids initials were put on the bags so the kids (heaven forbid) would not get their bags mixed up. I always chuckle because the littles gather round their pile of goodies and trade their not-so-favourite Hallowe’en treats with each other trying to get more of the goodies they like! 😉
It took a few days to do the appliqué work using the stitches on my machine in a black thread to define the shapes. then I boxed the bottom seams, added my lining. Here they are all lined up just waiting for the lining to be stitched down and handles attached. Then all that’s left to do it some embellishment for the eyes.
Just a word of advice; double check your appliqué placement so the initials are better placed than mine! 😉
The handles are going on when I am teaching at my Guild on Thursday and being mailed on Friday. I’ll update my post with the finishes as the parcels are better GM readied for mailing
Here’s the calendar of participants who are and have prepared some spooky fun for our viewing pleasure;
Next year I will make bags for the two youngest great granddaughters. They are too young to be out trick or treating this year with Covid still being rampant in their part of the world their Mom says. Here’s hoping that next year will see them able to take part in a tradition that has long been part of our lives.
Thank you to Carol from Just Let Me Quilt for hosting another fun hop, to all of the participants in the hop that I’ve been getting around and seeing, and to you for taking the time to visit my blog. 🎃💀👻 Carol
I was very fortunate to be asked by Gail Sheppard who you might know by her blog name Quilting Gail to do a pattern test for her. Of course I was thrilled and started pulling fabrics. I was not satisfied with the first pull and switched out fabrics. I was thinking of a subtle fall colour palette. This is what I came up with after thinking of our October with a surprise freak snow storm.
Cutting was simple and only took a couple of hours.
The pattern is straight forward and clearly written. Piecing happened over a few days because life does get in the way of my quality time with my machine. 😉
I enjoyed using some favourite IB fabrics along with some other batiks for this project.
In short order I had a completed quilt top.
This quilt finishes at 68” x 68”. It’s a wonderful pattern and one you’d enjoy making either in a two or three colour palette or very scrappy.
I did manage to have a lot of fun quilting this on the longarm, using a lot of ruler work with a neutral beige thread to put some emphasis on the pretty pattern.
A flanged binding (which luckily Gail included instructions for in the pattern) was made in preparation for the top to be sandwiched and quilted. It was the first time I had used a machine stitched binding. I usually machine stitch to the front and hand stitch to the back. I really enjoyed doing the machine binding and am positive I’ll do it again.
I had just finished the binding when a friend stopped by and needed a quilt for a young couple who had lost their home to a fire when the chimney on their wood stove caught fire. I didn’t even have time to get a photo of the finish. 😢
The quilt is part of some secret sewing that Gail did for Island Batiks. You can read about it and see her gorgeous version of the quilt here.
I’m so glad you stopped by to read my post. Do swing over to Quilting Gail to see her quilt and get the information on the pattern. 😉 Carol
Thank you to Carol from Just Let Me Quilt for hosting the spooky Ghastly Ghouls Blog Hop this month. Here’s the calendar of participants who are preparing some spooky fun for our viewing pleasure;
I’ll be linking up with To-Do Tuesday which is now hosted by Texas Quilt Gal! I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on or have finished and can’t believe I missed posting last week. I had to go help a friend who was having surgery, but also managed a couple of days with my longarm. Add our Canadian Thanksgiving and my 65th birthday to the mix and it’s not hard to figure out how my days got lost. 😉
Last To-Do list:
1. Keep progressing my scrappy leader – ender project. A bit of progress!
2. Play with the pile of orphan blocks to see if I can make some progress including them in projects. I love jigsaw puzzles so this was fun! I think I have some layouts figured out. 😉
3. Keep working on my projects for the next 3 blog hops.
Ghastly Ghouls is almost finished, No Ring November is finished being cut, and the Virtual Cookie Exchange is decided on.
4. Continue to enjoy hand stitching my EPP Project(s). A few more hexies finished.
5. Finish deciding on a pattern to use to clean out some of the strips in my scrap bins. Pattern is chosen but I haven’t had time to start.
6. Continue prepping the second box of tshirts which I received in the mail, for a memory quilt. At this rate, Shawn’s quilt will need to be king sized and double sided/reversible or even 2 quilts!Every single tshirts is cut and ready for interfacing to be applied. I counted over 130 pieces to choose from. 😳
7. Decide on the date for my next trip to the studio. My friend needs me there for her surgery Oct. 12th. My birthday (65) is the 15th. My son, daughter and their families really want us to go to Alberta to celebrate. With DH and I having underlying health issues it’s wise not to go even though we are vaccinated. Then my son suggested they would come to us. With our tiny apartment that could be interesting. 😉I was in Oyama for 6 days. The surgery was a success, recovery went well and I made it home the day before my birthday. None of the kids could make it here, so DH and I had a quiet day and put up our carport for the winter since I drove through snow coming home! While I was at the studio I managed to quilt two more UFO’s.
These two beauties were quilted with SITD method to leave the soft and cuddly. They just need to be trimmed and then bindings put on.
8. Try to avoid those busy little squirrels that are running around my sewing table with so many wonderful ideas. 🐿🐿🐿The little darlings got me again when I volunteered to do a couple of pattern tests for a wonderful designer I admire and also my pet squirrel, Samantha volunteered me for a fun new Blog Hop! 🐿😄🐿
This week’s goals:
1. Continue with my scrappy leader/ender project.
2. Finish getting those orphan blocks in a layout and get the last blocks I need sewn.
3. Get four Blog Hop Projects made and blog posts written.
4. Keep sewing my pieces for my EPP projects.
5. Sort my scrappy strips to get ready to start on my next scrappy quilt top.
6. Get the interfacing on the tshirt pieces after I decide which ones to use in the layout and get everything squared up.
7. Get the two quilts squared up and put the binding on.
8. Get the two pattern tests finished.
9. Do better at avoiding the squirrels for at least a couple of weeks. 🐿
Now that I am looking at this list, I think I am crazy!
Stitchin’ Time
I’m trying for at least 15 minutes a day, but also want to at least spend 15 minutes tidying up and dealing with scraps.
Previous time – 261/283
This 2 week period– 5/14
Year To Date – 266/297
To see how our blogging friends are doing check out Kate’s blog: Life in Pieces
Stash Report:
Fabric previous balance: 15 Yards
Fabric Used: 0 yards
Fabric Bought: 0 yards
Balance in stash: 15 Yards
* my goal is to lessen my stash by 100 yards. 😅
* any fabric used from the scrap bins, was gifted or a prize; doesn’t count as stash
Gail at Quilting Gail created and hosts the PHD in 2021 to keep us finishing those UFOS.
This has been one of my favourite Blog Hops to participate in. This year it is especially poignant as the Quilting World lost Marian Pena March 15, 2021. Her Row Along was the first I had ever joined and she was so wonderful to work with. She taught me via email to create links and set up Rafflecopters and so much more. A wonderful group of creatives agreed to continue presenting the RAL in Marian’s memory and Mel from The Quilting Room With Mel stepped up to spearhead the group.
Our theme for the hop is the Seaside or Ocean. With so much damage being done to the water and sea life with pollution, climate change and the increase in traffic we were all thinking it might be a good chance to draw attention to these issues.
I started thinking of the beautiful, colourful fish I saw while snorkelling or scuba diving many years ago on vacations in several places.
I knew I didn’t have the skills to write a pattern for appliqué (I normally just use a page from children’s colouring books or a photo I find on line to draft my patterns) so I thought of a pieced block that could also be used for spacers when making my Seaside Adventure quilt.
I used my Tri Recs Ruler Set from Darlene Zimmerman to cut my fabric pieces since I didn’t have the right sized Accuquilt Dies. My trial run was coming along just the way I wanted 😉
Once again Northcott Fabrics is sponsoring the RAL and so generously donated fabric to some of the participants.
For my project I am using the following Northcott fabrics;
1/4 yard Sunshine 9040-52
1/4 yard Marmalade 9030-55
1/4 yard Lagoon 9020-610
1/4 yard Monarch 9020-571
My camera doesn’t quite capture the richness and vibrancy of these fabrics 😢
Once I had made my test blocks and double checked my measurements I then cut my lovely Northcott fabrics. I just love the texture and feel of these fabrics.
I wanted my fish to be able to be used for filler blocks if needed since I know that I am going to want to make several of the other rows for this hop. This row does come together quickly and it was fun to pick out fabrics and colour placement.
Once it was all together it came out like this:
Just click on the photo to get a separate printable copy of the directions.
It can be used both vertically or horizontally or even just portions of it for a spacer block. Here is the link to the pattern.
I didn’t get my eyes put on the fish yet since I’m waiting until I finish my other rows and get it quilted. I’m still trying to decide on embroidery or beads. What do you think?
Please stop in to visit the other designers who are scheduled for today. Don’t forget to show some love by commenting or following their blogs. Take some time to look around their sites. They are very talented and have such pretty eye candy to share.
I’d like to thank Melissa Meek-Shields fromThe Quilting Room With Mel for jumping in and taking over heading the RAL when we lost Marian. It’s wonderful knowing the RAL she put so much work organizing carried forward in her memory.
I’d also like to thank you for spending some time with me today. I enjoy reading your comments and do reply to each one. 😁 Carol
Carole from My Carolina Home has started her annual fall hop with so many sweet, inspiring projects from cooking, to stamping, to quilting and several crafts in between. She has an incredible number of sponsors who are donating some wonderful prizes. Just click on the link for more information.
Be sure to mark your calendar for the “Oh Look, An Inner Squirrel Party” on Friday, October 29th. Darlene and Sally are hosting this fun Blog Hop at Creative Lattitude and will be sharing more info on their blog. If your Inner Squirrel would like to take over your blog that day and participate as a blogger in this event, please let Darlene and Sally know. And don’t forget even if you don’t have a blog, or don’t have an Inner Squirrel, everyone is still invited to join Sally and friends and have fun at this party
Kim and Tom, over at Feel Good Fibers, are once again hosting their Declutter to Destash Challenge. It begins October 7th, and if you officially sign up, there are prizes! I can just imagine the fun, sharing common goals to clean, clear out and finish some projects with another on line bunch of like minded people.
On Thursday last week I received an email that a parcel was waiting for pick up at the post office. I had to go to town to get DH’s meds and do a couple of errands so I headed out. Unfortunately I was later leaving so went by the post office at lunch. Then everything in town took so much longer so I missed the post office on my way home. Friday had me down with a migraine since our weather changed again to a lovely few days of Indian Summer. I finally managed to pick up my parcel on Saturday but couldn’t see what was in the box because our power was out and the battery operated lamps aren’t very bright. The power did come on about3:30 Sunday morning.
Just look at the goodies Denise sent me:
Leftover blue and white bits, beautiful, bright coloured strips,
and
Pretty blocks and orphan bits, more fabric scraps,
and
finished flimsies to get quilted and on to new homes with some of the charities I try to support.
It’s so hard to behave myself and stick to my To-Do List with all of the pretty bits and pieces just calling out to get finished!
So I’m sending a big thank you to Denise for doing some more purging in her sewing room and sending the cast offs my way to make use of!
Hope you enjoyed seeing the happy bits as much as I did! 😄 Carol
I’ll be linking up with To-Do Tuesday which is now hosted by Texas Quilt Gal! I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on or have finished.
Last week’s list:
1. Keep progressing my scrappy leader – ender project. Some Progress
2. Play with the pile of orphan blocks to see if I can make some progress including them in projects. No Progress
3. Plan and get started on my projects for the next 3 blog hops; the final 3 I’m participating in this year! I’ve started on all 3!
There might still be openings if you would like to jump in😉
4. Continue to enjoy hand stitching my EPP Project(s). Some more hexies finished!
5. Since September included Jelly Roll Day, I really need to find a project to use up the bin of strips I’ve been hoarding saving for the perfect project. If you have a suggestion for a pattern please leave me a comment. Thanks for your suggestions. I have narrowed my choices down but not quite decided yet.
6. Start on prepping another box of tshirts which I received in the mail, for a memory quilt. At this rate, Shawn’s quilt will need to be king sized and double sided/reversible. 🤔 Some progress
7. Start getting things organized for my next trip to the studio. Ready to go!
8. Try to avoid those busy little squirrels that are running around my sewing table. 🐿🐿🐿
This week’s goals:
1. Keep progressing my scrappy leader – ender project.
2. Play with the pile of orphan blocks to see if I can make some progress including them in projects.
3. Keep working on my projects for the next 3 blog hops.
There might still be openings if you would like to jump in😉
4. Continue to enjoy hand stitching my EPP Project(s).
5. Finish deciding on a pattern to use to clean out some of the strips in my scrap bins.
6. Continue prepping the second box of tshirts which I received in the mail, for a memory quilt. At this rate, Shawn’s quilt will need to be king sized and double sided/reversible or even 2 quilts!
So many black tshirts! I’m beginning to think I’ll never get to the bottom of the box 😳
7. Decide on the date for my next trip to the studio. My friend needs me there for her surgery Oct. 12th. My birthday (65) is the 15th. My son, daughter and their families really want us to go to Alberta to celebrate. With DH and I having underlying health issues it’s wise not to go even though we are vaccinated. Then my son suggested they would come to us. With our tiny apartment that could be interesting. 😉
8. Try to avoid those busy little squirrels that are running around my sewing table with so many wonderful ideas. 🐿🐿🐿
Stitchin’ Time
I’m trying for at least 15 minutes a day, but also want to at least spend 15 minutes tidying up and dealing with scraps.
Previous time – 254/276
This 1 week period– 7/7
Year To Date – 261/283
To see how our blogging friends are doing check out Kate’s blog: Life in Pieces
Stash Report:
Fabric previous balance: 15 Yards
Fabric Used: 1.5 yards
Fabric Bought: 0 yards
Balance in stash: 15 Yards
* my goal is to lessen my stash by 100 yards. 😅
* any fabric used from the scrap bins, was gifted or a prize; doesn’t count as stash
Gail at Quilting Gail created and hosts the PHD in 2021 to keep us finishing those UFOS.
It’s that time again: time to set a goal for the month of October and link up with Patty at Elm Street Quilts.
October is always a fun month as we transition from fall to the start of winter. The snow has already started to fall on the mountain ridges as I saw on a recent trip to New Denver.
Can you see that pretty white up top?
Most months I find it easy to set goals but this month just has too many choices!
1. Keep prepping the massive box of tshirts for a king size, two sided quilt for my oldest son and start figuring out the layout.
2. Finish my project and Blog post for:
3. Take some time to travel to my studio to get some more of my UFO’s finished on my longarm. My goal is to get at least 3 or more finished, depending on how much time I can spend at the studio.
This is a small selection of the quilt tops needing to be quilted on the longarm. I’m not sure I want to know how many are in the bins waiting their turn to be finished and re-homed!
Wish me luck and plenty of studio time this month! 😉 Carol
Gail from Quilting Gail introduced me to her PHD Challenge and Tracker.
I love being held accountable and keeping track of my projects and Gail’s tracker sure helps.
In spite of spending so many days preparing/training for and working our federal election I managed to have a good month sewing wise.
I finished 2 different versions of Sandra Walker from MMM Quilts sweet pattern “Let Your Star Shine”.
This one was one of my projects for the I’m Falling For You Blog HopI added an extra border to this one to make it a little larger.
I used up some leftover HST’s and made a bed for Roxy, the sweet little Blue Heeler pup I get to watch while her Dad is playing golf with my DH.
I think I might need to make her a larger bed this winter.
Then I managed to take some leftover bits from a pattern test and the “Let Your Star Shine” that I made for the I’m Falling For You Blog Hop and completed a lap quilt for a friend that is in a wheelchair.
The backing has a couple of pockets for his wallet and phone and I stretched the bottom star points out to differentiate bottom from top.
I was also happy enough to start and finish 2 pattern test quilt tops, one of them is a month early!
I can only share peeks of the fabrics I used, but they were both fun and totally different colour palettes.
I wasn’t able to get away to my studio to get any quilts finished on the longarm, but hope to get away next week. All in all, I’m happy with my progress this month. While I didn’t get any UFO’s finished I did manage to complete most of my starts this month. 😉
Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. It’s nice reading and responding to your comments. 😄 Carol
September is done already? Was your month a good one?
On a personal note I was busy this month with working for Federal Elections. The 12 – 14 hour days at the polling station, and days of travelling and training, which meant my time with my machines and fabric was limited.
I did have a few little things to get finished up:
1. Replace the background fabric that didn’t work for me on the Flat Topped Scrappy Pyramid quiltDone!I really like the background fabric I used. I wasn’t sure if it would be too busy, but to me it works! Now it’s in the To Be Quilted bins.
2. Finish my blog post for the Seaside Adventure Row Along. Done!
3. Finish my project for the I’m Falling For You Blog Hop.Done!
4. Indulge the squirrel that is driving me crazy with a project using these fabrics. Done! I even managed to get the outside border on to make it a little bigger.
5. Try to get away to my studio after working the Federal Election to finish some more charity quilts on my long arm (and of my UFO/PHD List); DH and I had appointments and the car had to go in for servicing and struts, so my trip is postponed until the end of next week. 😢
6. Research to find a good pattern using leftover 1 1/2” – 3” strip pieces. I have 2 bins of strips this size that need to be gone. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please leave me a comment. 🤔 I’m still looking?
Thank you for checking out my post. I do appreciate reading and replying to any comments. 😉 Carol
I was too late to link up with Patti but wanted to post my success (or not)!
I’ll be linking up with To-Do Tuesday will is now hosted by Texas Quilt Gal! I’m looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on or have finished.
Last week’s list:
1. Monday – Supervise 5 polling desks in one station from 6:00 am until the count is done. Keep my fingers crossed that all goes well and I can get home before midnight. 🤔Finished with a decent turnout and I was home with a cup of tea made at 11:00! 😄
2. Tuesday – Take all of the election supplies, ballots, etc. to the office 2 hours from home. Complete.
3. Start a new pattern test. 😄Not only started; but finished to flimsy 😄
Sneak peek at some pretty fabrics I used!
4. Keep working on my scrappy leader/ender project. Some progress.
5. Play with some orphan blocks and HST’s to see what comes of the pile of goodies. No progress on this one.
6. Keep playing with my EPP project(s). Some progress.
7. Try to avoid the squirrels 🐿😉
This week’s goals:
1. Keep progressing my scrappy leader – ender project.
2. Play with the pile of orphan blocks to see if I can make some progress including them in projects.
3. Plan and get started on my projects for the next 3 blog hops; the final 3 I’m participating in this year!
4. Continue to enjoy hand stitching my EPP Project(s).
5. Since September included Jelly Roll Day, I really need to find a project to use up the bin of strips I’ve been hoarding saving for the perfect project. If you have a suggestion for a pattern please leave me a comment.
6. Start on prepping another box of tshirts which I received in the mail, for a memory quilt. At this rate, Shawn’s quilt will need to be king sized and double sided/reversible. 🤔
7. Start getting things organized for my next trip to the studio.
8. Try to avoid those busy little squirrels that are running around my sewing table. 🐿🐿🐿
Stitchin’ Time
I’m trying for at least 15 minutes a day, but also want to at least spend 15 minutes tidying up and dealing with scraps.
Previous time – 251/269
This 1 week period– 3/7
Year To Date – 254/276
To see how our blogging friends are doing check out Kate’s blog: Life in Pieces
Stash Report:
Fabric previous balance: 17.5 Yards
Fabric Used: 2.5 yards
Fabric Bought: 0 yards
Balance in stash: 15 Yards
* my goal is to lessen my stash by 100 yards. 😅
* any fabric used from the scrap bins, was gifted or a prize; doesn’t count as stash
Gail at Quilting Gail created and hosts the PHD in 2021 to keep us finishing those UFOS.
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