June's Block of Inner Peace and incorrect pattern directions

I am now all caught up on Planet Patchworks 2008 BOM, woot!

For anyone that is making this quilt, the pdf file is incorrect. The green and yellow rectangle measurements in the directions state 4.5 x 2 inches, it should be 4.5 x 2.5" I am not sure if they have fixed it since I downloaded this a few weeks ago, but double check if you are making this.

well at least I accomplished something today even if it is a small thing, I think I will work on some more D9P blocks, have the first 2 rows of that stitched together.

And OMGosh, I hear chewing right behind the wall as I type this...do I have a mouse?!
Must go secure fabric! to heck with the food...its the fabric that counts!

Summertime Fun!

Great contest here
for the cutest sandcastle quilt kit!
Unreal how generous people can be! You need to leave a comment and if you have a blog and
link to it from your blog you get to be entered 2x =) I want to win this one! o.O that sounds terrible doesnt it? lol

In other news, idk whats wrong with me the last few days =( just can't seem to get motivated.
Today I think I will 'just do it' instead of looking at every link on the cyberquilters list and dreaming of 3 million quilts I want to make....I love the net, but ugh I sure can waste a ton of time here! lol

one more coffee....save me from myself someone! =)

Another one done

I got May's block of the Planet Patchwork BOM done today, one more and I'll be caught up ready for the July block when its posted, woot! =)



I played a little bit with a tumbling block paper pieced pattern from Quilters Cache today, not sure if I'll have the patience to do a full quilt of those tho, I'll have to think about that =) While researching the block I did come across some interesting reading tho. Apparently it is thought that the tumbling block may have been part of the Underground Railroad Quilt Code. Interesting theory, altho it would seem the whole code thing has caused much controversy amongst historians. Still, I enjoyed reading both sides of the theory.
Here are the links of the things I was reading the other day.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/02/0205_040205_slavequilts.html

and a lot of very detailed reading at the next one basically taking apart the book that introduced the idea of this quilt code theory, however, some really interesting facts about that time in history I thought.

http://www.ugrrquilt.hartcottagequilts.com/rr3.htm

No wonder it takes me so long to make quilts, I seem to have a great need to read all the history of each and every block I stitch, not to mention look at a gazillion pictures of ones that have been made. it is fascinating tho, quilts really do tell a story of our historical and societal journeys. Wonder what the quilts we made today will tell future generations about us?

Making the disappearing 9 patch blocks

Thought I would share how I've been doing these blocks, seems to be going along quickly.

I stitched 3 different strip sets of 3 strips each, each strip 4" wide. Dark, light, dark; dark, red, light; and light, dark, light.









I cut the strip sets into 4" sections.










I did this with all 3 strip sets.






stitch one of each into a block (the center, my red here, will become the lil squares when done)







Cut the block thru the center both vertically and horizontally.





Turn the upper right and lower left pieces as shown. Stitch everything back together and ur done =)

Using up the proverbial stash

Well, I admit I got a lil bored with the b,w and red blocks, I will finish them tho =)
I found a BOM from planet patchwork that I really like the look of, it started in April,
but thats ok, I'll work at doing them before July hits.

Here is my April block that I finished this morning.



Darn camera won't show the colours properly, if I get the purple to show more like the purple then the yellow looks orange! lol anyway, its purple, blue and a mottled lemon yellow.

I would have liked a deeper yellow but I am determined to limit my fabric buying and use whats in my stash. Overall when the other blocks are done (there are reds, greens, black, b&w), I think this yellow will be ok.

Back to piecing I go, laterz =)

The Weekend

The weather was great this weekend, finally got around to patching the grout in the brickwork, however, I have learned that I suck at using a caulking gun....still, a lot of hot water, my finger and a rag made it look while not exactly professional, at least passable. Why Rona feels that everyone in the world has grey grout I do not know, but hopefully Benjamin Moore can match the colour with some paint, and I can hide that "yup I am the worst handy-woman in Canada".

After such an ordeal I busied myself putting the binding and hanging sleeve on this, and hanging it in the kitchen, it felt great!



Sunday I went to the cemetary. I took some flowers and reflected on how much your life affected mine. Living without you is the hardest thing I've ever faced, it still hurts so much yanno? The nightmares are less frequent but the pain in my heart still stabs at me. Perhaps because of my mood, the black and white fabrics appealed to me, but just like you taught me, the red punches will signify that life is full of surprises and finding joy even in the darkest moments is what makes us who we are.

I don't care for the featured quilt too much from this quilt kit so set about making up a pattern. Here is my prototype block, I've since made 8 of them.



and....I think I've figured out how to put the pictures where I want them! ok so next up, take better pictures! lol

Ok back to my strip sets, itunes blaring, sun is shining, does life get any better than this? =)

oh and Hi Cara!!! have an awesome day!

I know its odd

This is my interpretation of the Turning Twenty quilt pattern. I've called this one Turning Twenty One as it was for a 21st birthday and actually includes 21 fabrics. All the fabrics are remnants from things made for the birthday boy over the last 21 years. I know its odd to see so many completely different fabrics, that seem to have no rhyme or reason, but they actually do to the person who received it.

In fact it brought about some watery eyes by the receiver, that really did make my day.

The only new fabric is the border, thats to signify the future.

You can't see it in the picture (refer to earlier posting about my inability to take a decent photo) lol, but there are many words from this persons life quilted into the quilt, scattered in the all over meander. The borders are quilted in piano keys, music having been one of many bonds we share.

The other picture is the label for the quilt, made but /sigh needing to be stitched on lol I did give the quilt, but took it back to finish the binding and attach the label. My goal is to someday give a quilt that is completely finished on time before I die....I know I can do it! =)

I can't for the life of me figure out how to insert the photo where I want it, oh well, maybe next time =)

Announcing "Vicki"

Here she is =) well, if I could take a decent picture that is. I do get this lousy picture taking ability honestly tho, I don't believe my Mum has taken a picture that ever included heads yet. She does however have some outstanding shots of unknown people from the neck down =)

anyway, here is my new baby, I've named her Vicki, in honour of a very special person who touched my life.

As you can see I've been using up scrap batting and fabric to practise with her, she is indeed a great playmate so far.

6 hours

well....thats 6 hours of my life I'm never gonna get back! but...d-d-d-drumroll please.....the new machine is together! woot!!!! and better yet, I *think* its even together more or less correctly...double woot! No spare parts anyway, so hey, that's gotta mean something?

And...it works! wow...does it ever work! I'm loving it so far, although she is a lot bigger than Ultii, but can you say electronic channel locks!!! and....fabric advance! omg, I've died and gone to heaven =)

I'll post some pics soon, when I find my camera that is, amongst the packaging, directions, tools, I mean really, you didn't expect me to tidy up before I put some fabric on her did you? =)

Farewell to an old and faithful friend

I wonder if it says something about me to have become so attached to a machine? but I actually felt sadness as I disassembled Ultii to make way for her new big sister.

I suppose its not really that odd, considering her and I worked through so many quilts, each one
depicting some aspect of my life at the time. Joyous moments putting the finishing stitches on a welcome to the family baby quilt, sadder ones when with each stitch I remembered something of my Dad. I think only another quilter might understand.
I hope to find her a new loving home.

In the meantime there are 7 gigantic boxes in my studio, a manual I could use to become the next Miss Muscle Universe, and what looks like a whole lotta hours ahead of me using strange contraptions like allen wrenches. Who calls a wrench Allen anyway?

I will repeat over and over, patience is a virtue, maybe I will even put it to some awesome beats and rival the likes of Lupe!

Wish me luck! =)