October’s Island Batik challenge is “Top It Off.” We were told to create a holiday themed table runner or table topper that includes appliqué. Well, you all know how much I love applique (NOT!!). However, with my Janome 500E embroidery machine, applique has become SEW much easier!
I realize that i missed the July update … so those that are working on their PHD in 2019 can join the linky party below and update everyone.
With being away, I did not work on any UFOs in the past month. Continue reading
Design WallAfter being away, I wasn’t sure where to start with my sewing. I made the little bags (just to get them out of the way) that were cluttering up my ironing board. Continue reading
I have done a little sewing. These 2 little zipper bags are done. They are photographed on the back of my October, Island Batik Challenge … which is still in progress. And all I can show you is the back …
Oh me, oh my!!! What an awesome trip I had. I spent a week in England/Wales, a week in Johannesburg, 3 days in Zimbabwe (Victoria Falls), 5 days on Safari in Namibia at Etosha National Park, 4 days in Cape Town, and finally 2 days in Paris. If you ever consider an African Safari – let me know, and I will give you the name of a fabulous company and the most wonderful guide!
Visit my YouTube video HERE to see pictures from my trip that may inspire future quilts. These pictures were all taken with my phone and were chosen from over 3,000 pictures that I took.
This is a sewing machine that was in a store in Cape Town, where the owner makes all of the clothes for sale right in the store. This machine was one of the “newer” ones. The ones they use on a daily basis were in the back and unfortunately, I didn’t get to see them! Somehow, I suspect that the decals are not in the prestine condition of this machine!
Those that sew with me, know that I am almost anal about cleaning the lint from my machine. (OK … I can already HEAR you saying, “Gail, you are anal!”)
I have a personal rule that my sewing machine gets the bobbin case cleaned after every two bobbins.
By the time you read this post, I’ll be getting ready to leave the UK and head to South Africa. My sister is speaking in Johannesburg and asked if I wanted to go with her. It took me about 10 seconds to say, “yes.”
We are stopping in England on the way to visit some cousins of my mothers and I thought I should make some “Canadian” gifts to take with me. I had a few bits and pieces left-over from my Canadian Quilt of Valour and so it lead very nicely to these bags.
The maple leaves were cut at the same time that I cut the big one for the Quilt of Valour. The bottom right white one is the trimming of one of the leaves. The red & white bags are all made with Island Batik fabrics (except for the lining) and the “O Canada” bag is made from my stash. The smallest bag is 5″ x 7½” and the largest is 7½” x 8 ¼”.
I made 4 travelling pillows in all. When my sister saw that I was making some, she asked for one … so, she got one.
Nothing like sitting by or in the pool to “Beat the Heat!” This is the finished quilt, just chillin’ by the pool! Continue reading
I’ve been trying out the arrangement of my sewing room. So far, just a few minor things have been moved around. And I’m loving it! If you missed the tour – check out this Blog Post.
It’s not quilt related. I’m working on some travelling neck pillows. I made them before, but didn’t have a loop/button at the front and it was a real pain in the neck to not have it. (did you get the pun?) As well, I’m making them a little bit longer. I put zippers in the top and we stuff them loosely with clothes. It gives us a little bit more room as we try to only travel with carry-on. These are being made out of flannel.
I am mostly moved into my sewing room!!! YEAH!!! It’s a big room, but I still don’t have everything in it! All of my batting will eventually find a spot. But at least I have all my machines (except a treadle, named Stella) and my tools in one room! My treadle is named “Stella” after the lady that gifted it to me!
In the video, you will see the serger on a table behind my Janome 8900 – the machine I do all my quilting on. When I move the serger, it gives me a bigger table space for my quilt! Which is perfect for quilting those large queen sized quilts!
As I move into my new sewing room, my hubby knew I wanted a design wall against one wall at the end of the room.
I’m sure you’ve noticed a thinning of blog posts lately! I’ve been away – not sewing (very much) and have not had internet connection for most of the past 2 weeks.
However, I do want to let you know about the fabulous blog hop that is happening NOW. This blog hop is featuring the Spring 2019 fabrics. And there are give-aways! Be sure to enter each week for your chance to win some of the wonderful fabric!
Click on BEAT THE HEAT BLOG HOP to go to the Island Batik site to see the schedule of events. My day to post is August 22 and this is the wonderful fabric I’m making a quilt with:
It is a fun line of fabric! And my quilt will showcase each and every fabric!
When I was sorting through all my fabric, I found a bunch of 6″ squares. All blue fabric (my favourite colour!). I found it totally weird that I had cut 6″ squares, not 6 ½”! Sew, with the help of a friend (thanks, Dawn), I was able to figure out how big to make the quilt.
Dawn had made a quilt with 5″ blocks. She started with 6 blocks across and 12 blocks down. Then she cut it diagonally, in 2 places. Then she sewed the 3 triangles together, resulting in a small quilt, wth the squares on point. Even with using 6″ squares, I knew the quilt would be too small for my purposes. The pattern idea originated at Quiltwoman.com and can be found HERE. Their demo page shows a slightly different method.
SEW – I stared out with 8 squares across and 16 squares down. Cut them in the same manner that Dawn did. (Drats – I should have taken a picture.)
But here is the finished quilt! 
I received another box from Island Batik. Watch the video to see all the wonderful Island Batik fabric, Aurifil thread, Hobbs batting and the Accuquilt die that I received!
The video was filmed in my new sewing room … I’m still in the process of moving in! WhooHoo!!! Continue reading
We had some delightful company from Ireland visiting! It was a lot of fun to visit with them. I did get a little bit of sewing done when they went to be tourists in Vancouver! But, I’ve also spent a LOT of time moving into my new sewing room. Yes, I’ll show you pictures when I have things where I want them. I did sort through ALL my fabric … and I have a ton of it ready to go out … I mentioned it on our guild’s FB page and a few people have showed interest in it. I just need to get organized and get it to them!
I did manage to sew up three little bags. The white fabric is “colouring fabric.” My daughter gave the plain, uncoloured rectangles to a couple of little girls. They came for dinner the other night and I had them pick out zippers. It was lots of fun to watch them pick out the colours they liked, with no regards to the finished project! They just picked out what they liked! Perfect! I stitched their initials on the tabs. It was a fun way to stitch them!
Continue reading
OK … so how did you do? Did you complete 26 hours of focus sewing on your intended project? Here’s how I did:
In the spring, at our guild, I demo’d how to web a quilt. They asked me to provide written instructions. Well, that proved extremely difficult for me. SEW … as I was webbing my demo quilt for the Baby Quilt Marathon, I decided to do a video. You can see it on YouTube HERE. The quilt in the video is below.
Quilting Gail 