Author: quiltinggail

Hearts on Fire: Blog Hop

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Carol, from Just Let Me Quilt, posted about this blog hop way back in December. I figured I had lots of time and signed up right away.

Here’s what she said about the challenge:
Make something with a heart in any color, BUT NOT RED…get creative! It can be big or small, in a quilt, a bag, or whatever.

SEW … what to do? I knew I wanted to make a donation baby quilt. I had a pattern in mind I went through my stash and nothing was talking to me … until, I pulled this panel from the bin and it clearly said, “Cut me up.”

This had become a “What was I thinking?” panel. A good one to cut into. I needed (20) 6″ squares and (10) half-square triangles … should be easy … right? Well, when you’re thinking it’s 10 squares … it can become a problem. But, I managed, even if the squares and HST are not all fussy cut to my liking … it’s good. It’s cut!

And this is the result! I used a ruler from Silly Moon called Cupid and made 3″ and 6″ hearts all over the quilt. It was fun to make … and I enjoyed practicing my ruler quilting.

Blog Hop Bloggers

Many bloggers have already posted … make sure you visit them and see what “heart” they came up with!

January 18

January 19

January 20

January 21

January 22

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting! 
Gail 

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SAHRR – Round #1

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If you missed the previous posts about this year’s SAHRR – you can see it HERE and HERE.

Today is the day that Chris @ Chrisknitssews told us to add piano keys for our first round.

Here’s my Centre Block with the first round added. As you can see, I didn’t add them in the corners. With the skinny border added, it made my block 11″ x 11″ … my piano keys were cut at 2.5″ x 1.5″ and will end up as 2″ x 1″ when the next round is added. I continued to use a variety of fabrics from Island Batik’s Ohana collection.

Make sure to visit all of the other co-leaders and link up to Chris’s linky party to show us your blocks!

Here’s their links:

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

Grey and Dull Sunday

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The perfect day to stay inside and quilt … or write blog posts!

I have another UFO finish!

This is my Holiday Seclusion Mystery … scrappy Island Batik fabrics (from Stashbuilder bundles) and Island Batik solid grey. Graffiti or Wild quilting was done … lots of different motifs, swirls, feathers, flowers, vines, McTavishing, pebbles … It was SEW fun to quilt! Hobbs fusible batting was used. I LOVE it! No shifting at all. This will be a comfort quilt, so I backed it with a grey flannel … so cosy!

Yes … I made this bigger … However, I started planning the design with 9″ blocks and quickly realized that most people would not want to make a quilt with smallish pieces in such a short time frame. I then switched the pattern to a 12″ block for the mystery. But of course, I didn’t want the work I had done to go to waste, so I just continued piecing the smaller blocks. Same pattern, different size!

For Instructions on the Holiday Seclusion Mystery, see the Holiday Seclusion Mystery tab at the top of my blog HERE.

Continue reading →

Island Batik Placemat Challenge

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January’s Island Batik challenge is to make a set of placemats. My boxes from Island Batik had not arrived when I started to make these. I began by pulling out some blue stashbuilder bundles that I received last year. Stashbuilder bundles are 5″ wide by width of fabric. And the white with dots is a fabric from the Faded Blue Jeans collection. Blue is my favourite colour, so these placemats will definitely be loved and used!

Last fall, I was able to purchase “Wing Clipper” (for making flying geese) at a quilt store in Edmonton. The Wing Clipper is a Studio 180 (Deb Tucker Designs. I thought this would be the perfect time to try it out. The stashbuilder strips are 5″ wide, so that limited the size I could make the flying geese. They ended up 1 ½” x 3″ finished in the table runner.

I LOVED using the Wing Clipper!!! Each and EVERY flying geese came out PERFECT!!! Or should I say “each flying goose?”) I’d say for this project alone, it was well worth the money!!! (And you all know that I’m NOT a perfect quilter!!!)

I added 2″ strips of fabric to each side of the flying geese … and these are the placemats!

They can be placed with the geese heading up or heading down … which way do you like best? The picture below, taken on my design wall shows the true colour, better than the picture of them on my table (above.)

They are 12.5″ x 18.5″. Hobbs Thermore was used for the batting. It was quilted with Aurifil #1128 and the binding attached with Aurifil #2311, using Schmetz microtex Chrome 70/10. Why 70/10?? Batik is tightly woven and sometimes the larger gauge needles struggle with sewing batik fabric. My machine tech told me to use a smaller needle. SEW … I did and I was very happy!

Disclosure: The fabrics, thread, batting and needles were generously supplied by the following companies:

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting! 
Gail 

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Stay At Home Round Robin: Centre block

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If you missed the previous post about this year’s SAHRR – you can see it HERE.

Today is the day were each of us shows you our centre blocks … Make sure you visit each of the co-leaders and see what their centre block is! And, it’ll be easier if you follow each of them! Here’s their links:

Here’s my Centre block: It’s called an Interwoven Star … The fabrics are Island Batik fabrics from the Ohana collection. It measures 9″ x 9″ and for it to fit with the next round, I’ll be adding a skinny white border around it.

Continue reading →

January Stitchin’

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I’ve been working on a few things … A few Zoom quilting days keep me focused! And steadily sewing away!


Design Wall

Piecing:

I’m still working on the SAHRR but can’t show you any pictures. Want to know more about the SAHRR check it out HERE. We start the reveal of our centre blocks tomorrow. So make sure you return and visit each of the SAHRR co-hosts!

AND … Hearts on Fire quilt just needs borders and the RSC21 Rainbow Scrap Challenge table runner needs to have a fabric pull!

Quilting: 

January Island Batik project is almost done! Pictures to follow later in the week!

A Winnie the Pooh panel is in the process of being quilted. I thought I was done with the quilting – but there’s a few areas that need something.

Holiday Seclusion #1 Mystery was finished this week:

Continue reading →

PHD in 2020: End Results

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Here’s the list of participants in PHD in 2020 … and links to their blog posts where they tell about their success …

There may be more successful participants, but these are the ones I know about! Didn’t they all do a fantastic job! It’s not easy getting your PHD … especially in Quilting! There are so many new designs, patterns, techniques … the list goes on … and we want to try them ALL!!!

Anyhow … visit these awesome quilters and congratulate them!

My First UFO finish of 2021

This was my 2 colour quilt for the Seclusion Holiday Mystery. I finished the binding while Zoom sewing with my sister and cousins on Sunday! It’s nice to have one finished so early in the year!

This quilt measures 42″ square. It is quilted with a light pink Aurifil thread. The fabric is Island Batik. The peach/pink fabric I bought years ago and the white is Island Batik solid. It is backed with the peach/pink fabric. There is no point in showing you the back because the quilting does not show at all.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

Linking to:

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How were my 2020 stats?

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Every Sunday or Monday, I give a recap of what’s on my Design Wall, a Stash Report, Stitchin’ Time, a “To Do” list and my PHD … SEW … here’s what’s happening in the studio and a summary of 2020.

Design Wall

Piecing:

First off, one person asked me how I was doing with Bonnie Hunter’s Mystery Quilt. The answer is simple. I’m not doing it this year. I felt that I had too much on my plate. I think this is the first time in 17 years that I’ve not done the mystery. In some ways I feel guilty for not doing it, but I also feel a great relief that I don’t have to sew like crazy to try to keep up! And, it’s also one quilt that isn’t on my 2021 UFO list!

I’m adding borders to the scrappy Holiday Seclusion Mystery. Borders are also being added to the guild mystery quilt. Sorry, no pictures. It’s a surprise for the guild mystery quilters.

Continue reading →

PHD in 2020: Last Edition

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My wish is that 2021 brings you a year of HEALTH and HAPPINESS as we quilt together!

2020 has come to an end … what a year it has been!

But I just want to focus on quilting … and how have you done with your PHD in 2020? Did you get at least 12 of your UFOs done and did you get all of your Starts in 2020 done? (All, except for those that carry over into 2021 or were started late in December.)

Here are the UFOs I completed …

Linky Party … not happening …

OOPS … I have too many linky parties happening at the same time and am not permitted to host another one at the same time (unless I pay for it … and I don’t make any money from this blog … and it already costs me $$$ to have a blog with lots of pictures) SEW …

If you were a PHD participant in 2020 – please email me with a link to your final PHD post and I’ll post the links at a later time. You have until Jan.7, midnight Pacific time to let me know. quiltinggail@yahoo.ca

Thank you!

Are you interested in PHD in 2021?

You can read more about it and sign up HERE.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

Linking to:

Holiday Seclusion Mystery Clue # 6

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Now I know you are curious as to what Clue #6 could be. You have the top together and the borders on, right?

Now … we don’t want to add this little quilt to our UFO list, do we? SEW …

Part 1

Make your label

Part 2

Layer or sandwich the quilt. The 2 colour quilt has Hobbs Fusible 80/20 batting. I’m loving the batting. There is absolutely NO shifting!

Part 3

Quilt as Desired. Oh – I literally HATE it when the directions say that! I have to show you what I have done … And the quilting was totally inspired by Dorie Hruska’s book “Making Connections.” This book can be found at Dorie’s website: Forever Quilting! And I HIGHLY recommend this book!!!!

And a close up of the quilting:

Part 4: Confession #1

Bind the Quilt. OK … this 2 colour quilt is not bound … hopefully that will happen early in the new year!

Part 5: Confession #2

My scrappy version of the Holiday Seclusion Mystery does not even have it’s borders on. I decided to make it bigger. So this will be a UFO going into 2021!

Here it is without it’s borders.

Part 6

Add either your finished top or your finished quilt to the linky party: You have 3 weeks to finish your quilt and post a picture!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
https://fresh.inlinkz.com/js/widget/load.js?id=a3325ea8d75a7b860d96

   Want another idea?

One of my pattern testers, Heather, took this pattern and she not only made it bigger, but she made it into a 3 colour quilt! Isn’t it fun? I love the lime green!

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

Disclaimer … the Island Batik fabrics (for my quilts) were provided by Island Batik and the fusible batting was from Hobbs.

Holiday Seclusion Mystery Clue #5

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Part 1

Gather   Step 3 and Step 4 units.

Assemble blocks.  If you pressed according to the directions, the seams should nest nicely.

Make 9

Press towards Step 4 blocks. Hint: Place a pin in the top centre of each block

Place the blocks on a design board (or bed). As you lay out the blocks, pay attention to where the pins are. By doing this, your seams should nest nicely. (Provided you followed the pressing directions accurately).

upsideup
sideupside
upsideup

Part 2:

Web the quilt blocks together. If you don’t know how to web a quilt, I have a tutorial. Click HERE. 

Add the borders. For an easy way to measure and add borders, check out this tutorial HERE.

This is my scrappy Holiday Seclusion mystery … although I didn’t get the borders on today! But I hope you manage to!

Here is a picture of Heather’s quilt (she’s one of the tester’s). She decided she wanted it to be a rectangle, so she made 3 extra blocks.

Clue 6 is tomorrow

Come back tomorrow for the next clue!!! I know, I know, you’re thinking we’re putting the top together today, what more can there be?

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

My Quilting Resolution Blog Hop

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Carla from Creatin’ in the Sticks is hosting this blog hop! It’s a one day blog hop … and all we have to do is fill in the blank for this statement:

My stitching resolution for 2021 is _____________________________.

Well, when I got to thinking about this statement, I thought:

  • do I fill in one word?
  • Or many words?
  • Do I talk about my lofty goals of reducing ALL my UFOs (highly unlikely)
  • Do I talk about what I’m going to try that’s new-to-me?

One word

Quilt

Can you think of another word that would fit? I can’t!

Many words

Another 365 days of planning, creating, sewing and quilting!!! Sounds good to me!

And Blogging … yes … many many words are in my blog posts …

And continuing to designing EQ … here are some of the designs with Island Batik Fabric (and some of them did not come to be finished quilts …

And also learning more about and designing with Artistic Digitizer. These 3 pouches were designed by me!

Lofty goals

Along with PHD in 2021 – which includes finishing 12 UFOs … and completing NEW projects … is it remotely possible that I could finish ALL my UFOs? Now that would be LOFTY! A Dream … but who knows what this year will bring?

Something New to Me?

I’m going to join in Joyful Quilter’s Rainbow Scrap Challenge. I’ve joined the “Table Scraps Runner Challenge.” Sew … each month, I will make a table runner or a table topper or a mug rug … with each of the monthly colours.

Here’s what Joy says about the challenge: In the interest of fairness to ALL tables, the rules will include quilted mug rugs.  I know it’s a stretch from the standard table runner, but  those of us who live in small homes may not have use for a larger quilted runner or topper.

SEW … are you going to join me in this challenge????

Blog Hop

Check out how other bloggers are answering the question:

My stitching resolution for 2021 is _____________________________.

Just Let Me Quilt
MooseStashQuilting
Words & Stitches
Sew Many Yarns
Websterquilt


Cocoa Quilts
QuiltFabrication
Stitchin At Home
Ms P Designs USA
Life in the Scrapatch
Kathy Kwilts and More


Karen’s Korner
Quilt Schmilt
selina quilts
The Joyful Quilter
Becky’s adventures in quilting and travel 
Karrin’s Crazy World


Quilting and Learning: What a Combo
VroomansQuilts
Cynthia’s Creating Ark
PamelaQuilts
Quilting Patchwork & Appliqué
Kathleen McMusing


Quilting Gail YOU’RE HERE!
Homespun Hannah’s Blog
appliqueand…
Songbird Designs
Storied Quilts
Susie’s WorldShe’s Stitchin Again
Creatin’ in the Sticks

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!  
Gail 

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2020 Island Batik Projects

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Some of the projects were monthly challenges from Island Batik and are projects that I did on my own. Island Batik is very generous with their fabric, so there’s always extra available for other projects.

Island Batik is a wonderful, wonderful fabric line!  I absolutely LOVE it!

Enjoy the eye candy!

January

I started out making pinwheels, but wasn’t totally happy with them, so I made a bag for my AccuQuilt Go! Cutter.  The picture shows the front and back of the bag. You can read more about it HERE.  This was not my official entry for the Island Batik challenge.

Continue reading →

Holiday Seclusion Mystery Clue #4

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Gather

  • (36)  HST from Step 1
  • 18  Squares made in Step 2  (Coloured and Background)

Sew a HST onto each end of a Square from Step 2.

NOTE: Ensure that the points of the Coloured HST meet with the Coloured portion of the square. I won’t tell you how many I had to rip out and reposition!!!

Press towards Step 2

Make 18    

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

Holiday Seclusion Mystery Clue #3

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Gather           

  • Step 3   (9)  4 ½” x 4 1/2” Squares
  • (18)  Squares made from Step 2  (Coloured and Background) NOTE: You only need 18 of these!

Sew:  The coloured side of  Square from Step 2 onto each side of the Background square. 

Press towards Step 2

Make 9

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail 

The Best of 2020

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This post is inspired by Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs. We are encouraged to share our top 5 blog posts of the year. It’s up to us how we choose them. Oh, but it was SEW very hard to narrow it down to only 5!!! So much of my quilting is totally fun and I LOVE it. How to choose? How to choose? Scroll down and enjoy!

#1 Favourite Quilt Picture

The blog post with my favourite quilt picture is the one from February with the Island Batik Log Cabin Blog Hop. My husband and I went to a local park (Campbell Valley) and took a picture of the quilt with it’s reflection in the water.

#2 My Proudest Quilting Accomplishment and a fun Pandemic experience

This POST talks about International Quilter’s Day and how we were all disappointed that we couldn’t quilt together. So many people hung quilts outside for others to enjoy!

The same blog post talks about how I learned to piece curves with CONFIDENCE! I took a workshop at the guild and used the Accuquilt die to cut out the pieces. I no longer have a fear of curves!

#3 Elephant No. 1

I love Elephants. A fun baby quilt got a lot of attention. This POST shows it’s finish,

I find it amazing that this simple quilt was loved by so many!!! But I must admit, I love it, too!

#4 Elephant No. 2 is quite different

This quilt took a LONG time in coming to it’s final being. It did sit for a LONG time on my design wall. However, when it was finished it was well worth the wait! Visit the post HERE.

Ellie the Elephant

Is quite different from the other 2. But I love her all the same.

#5 The most fun quilt a-long

The Winnie the Pooh Quilt-a-Long was a LOT of fun! And I ended up with the CUTEST quilt! Thanks to Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts with the free pattern and permission for me to host the Quilt-A-Long. (You can access the pattern HERE.)

Make sure to visit Meadow Mist Designs and see what other quilters have chosen for their “Best of 2020!”

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!  
Gail 

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Holiday Seclusion Mystery Clue #2

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This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is screen-shot-2020-12-12-at-3.11.42-pm.png

Gather  Step 2    pieces      

  • (36) 4 ½” x 2 ½” Background rectangles 
  • (36) 4 ½” x 2 ½” coloured rectangles 

Sew each coloured rectangle to a background rectangle along the 4 ½” side.

Press towards the dark.

Yeild: (36) 4 ½” squares.

One who sleeps under a quilt is covered by LOVE!

Happy Quilting!    
Gail