One More Purse

This is a purse I made this week-end.  It is made in strips and only the bottom third is quilted and stitched in the ditch.  The casing for the draw string was a bit of a challenge but I think in the end it turned out okay.  The colours are bright for summer.  I always give gifts in homemade quilted or not quilted bags.  Stores today charge for bags so I hope that my bags come in handy for shopping or just having fun when used.  Stores in Canada charge 5 cents for a bag but this August when I was in Ireland they were charging 20 cents for a bag.  Lynda and I opted for no bag if we forgot to bring a bag with us if the parcel was small enough to fit  into another bag we already had.

Peggy

All my Christmas table runners

I have decided that since I have finished all the runners and mats that I would post them all together.  I tried to make different patterns but that didn't always work out.  I found it hard to find free placemat patterns to showcase fabric so I ended up with just 2 patterns for the placemats but I did find different patterns for the runners.  All the patterns were free off the Internet.  It takes a lot of searching but it is possible to find them out there.  I don't sell any of my quilted items, I just give them away to family or friends.  Quilting keeps me busy and sane.  (I hope)

Each set has 4 placemats to match the table runner.  The placemats are approximately 12 x 18 inches and the table runners range from 32 to 60 inches in length.  I think I would make the shorter one longer next time.  It is the one with the Christmas ornaments on it.  I like that pattern and wish that I had realized that it wasn't very long before I finished it as I could have made it longer but now it is too late.

Peggy

Happy Snowmen

My last tablerunner and placemats finished.  Each set has 4 placemats with it.  I decided this time that I would finish the binding the Cotton Theory way, so I sewed the binding onto the back of the placemats and then folded it over to the front just to the seam line and then did my fancy CT stitch and finished them off.  No hand sewing this way and I think it made a nice decoration on the front of the runner and mats.

I am not a traditional quilter, I have a very hard time doing freehand quilting so I use my fancy stitches on my Babyloc sewing machine to quilt.  Here is a picture of the binding that was sewn onto the front of the placemat.

I chose the pale blue so that the stitches would show up in the picture. 

Now I have to make bags to go with these gifts.  Everyone needs bags for the stores these days and I also prefer not to buy wrapping paper so bags it is.

Peggy

Cotton Theory Tablerunner

When we were in Kenora I just had to visit the local quilt shop, Quilt Corner, to look at fabric.  I couldn't walk out with out buying some and I had the Cotton Theory in my mind.  Just look at the beautiful fabric I picked up.

On Thursday last week I finished the Cotton Theory Tablerunner but didn't have time to post a picture so I will do it now.  I hope you can see how it is constructed - in pieces and then sown together.  The pieces are attached using a folding method called One Way Streets and The Highway.  It isn't perfect but it is my first one so I'll get better with the next and subsequent pieces.

The green side is the back of the runner.  This way of quilting makes the runner reversible. 

And you work with small pieces rather than with one large piece that is hard to handle.  Each pieces is quilted and then sown together.  A lot of thought has to go into how you are designing it and what colours you want to put together on each side.  It is was fun to make.

Peggy

Home from Kenora

We arrived home from Kenora, ON today.  We left home on Friday morning to go to a funeral at 2pm.  It is a 6 hour drive, 458 K, but it is something that had to be done.   Sharon's mom passed away on Sunday so we wanted to go and support Ray and Sharon and also Norm.  Norm & Ollie had been married 70 years so it was really hard on him, but he made it through just fine.  We left Kenora at 9 am this morning and arrived home at 3pm.  Not bad for travelling through a snowstorm on the way.  We stopped at Upsala and there was at least 6 inches of snow on the ground and about 2 inches here when we got home.  Tired and weary but safe.

Peggy

Another Tablerunner and placemats

I finished another tablerunner and placemats today.  This one is really large measuring 20 x 58 inches.  To put it in perspective I put 3 placemats beside it so that you can see the full size of it.  I also went over the poinsettias with gold laminated thread.  They don't show up too much in the picture but the gold thread really makes them pop. 

Here is a picture of the poinsettia even though the gold doesn't show up too much.

I have also been making mug rugs.  It is something I saw on a blog and thought that I would like to try it.  It was Pleasant Home .  They are really cute and fun to make.  I'm afraid that I copied hers because I needed the inspiration but next time I will try to come up with my own idea.  They are a nice extra Christmas gift or stocking stuffer.  Thanks Jodi.

I just have to put the binding onto my Cotton Theory Tablerunner and it will be finished.  Maria is coming over tomorrow and we should get them finished up then.

Peggy.

Cotton Theory Workshop

Wow, what a fabulous workshop.   We came home totally exhausted but full of knowledge.  Nancy was a wonderful instructor and took all our mistakes in stride, ripping out seams and ironing pieces for us all.  More than once I goofed and sewed the seams wrong but she just got me doing something else while she did the ripping. 

I didn't get the tablerunner finished, no one did, but the last few steps were explained and Maria and I will get together this week and finish it up.  I will post some pictures then to show you the difference between the Cotton Theory and regular quilting.

I was so enthused with this new way of quilting that I bought a book to make another tablerunner and the scissors used when doing this type of quilting.  They are very sharp so that they can cut through multiple layers of fabric.  (Like 12) You will understand that more when you see the pictures of the finished tablerunner.
What a great day.

Peggy 

Cotton Theory

Last night I went to a Trunk show put on by Nancy Eichel .  She is a Cotton Theory Certified Instructor. 

Cotton Theory is a very different way of quilting. 
Cotton Theory quilting is a new and different way to construct your quilt. It's backward!

Unlike traditional quilts, which are pieced together, layered with batting and then quilted, Cotton Theory projects are quilted first, one segment at a time, and then assembled using Betty Cotton's fold-and-finish procedures.

Most quilters enjoy piecing together the top of a traditional quilt because they can see the design as it takes shape, and the results are rewarding. The actual quilting, however, can be a challenge, especially if your traditional quilt is large. Often, quilting becomes the least favorite part of constructing a quilt.

The Cotton Theory method makes quilting easy, no matter the size of your quilt. You quilt each piece individually before you construct your project, so quilting becomes just as enjoyable as piecing together the design.

You can quilt pieces creatively and accurately to produce completely reversible quilts with decorative stitches and optional machine embroidery.

During Cotton Theory assembly, you sew the raw edges of your quilted pieces together, leaving seam allowances that are folded on the outside of your quilt and then stitched in place using one or more Cotton Theory techniques. This adds an extra dimension to the surface. The result is a reversible quilt that combines sewing, quilting and embroidery, if you choose. You end up with two quilts - one on each side - by constructing one project.

All work is done with a sewing machine; there's no need to do handwork.

I signed up for an all day workshop tomorrow.  It will be interesting to see the results.  I will post a picture of what I make. 
 
Peggy

Quilter's Guild Block

At the last guild meeting everyone was asked to make a paper pieced block that would be put into a quilt or placemat to be given away.  We were given the pattern to use.  Our guild gives placemats to the clients of Meals-on-Wheels and they also participate in a fund raiser for a local charity where they sell placemats.  Here is my block that I made.

It was made in 4 sections and sewn together to make one large 11 1/2 inch block.

Peggy

Dresden plate square

I went to class on Saturday and discussed with the instructors how I was going to sew my Dresden Plate  to my square and we/I decided to use a blanket stitch with invisible thread.  I have decided to make a small lap quilt out of the squares.  I chose 6 squares the same and put them on to the gold background that I purchased at Beaver Bay, MN.  I am going to make sashing the same colour as the centre circle and then try to find a border print that will bring it all together.

I think the gold really compliments the blues.  I hope I don't have too much of a problem finding a border to go with it all.

Peggy

Home from Duluth

We came home from Duluth, Minn yesterday in a driving rainstorm but with not mishaps along the way so everything is fine.  I made some fabric purchases for some things I will be working on.  I already have 2 quilts that have to be quilted and a tablerunner to finish and now I am working on a Dresden plate.  I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with the finished squares, maybe I will make a quilt, but still undecided.

The Dresden Plate called for 20 blades but when I sewed them together there were too many to lie flat so I took out 8 and then I had to add 4 more colours and I ended up with 2 different plates.  NowI will just make more plates the same as these two and figure out what I will make in the end.

I started this for the class that I am taking.  You can work on any project and the instructors will help you.  This is something I have seen before but never attempted so I thought it was a good opportunity to try my hand at it and get some help along the way.

Peggy

Dandy Bag

I made a new Dandy Bag today but I forgot to take a picture so I will have to ask Christine to take one when she gets it.  The fabric is Black & White & Current by Color Principle for Henry Glass.  It is black on white and white on black.  I do this all the time.... I got the parcel all put together and then remembered that I wanted to take a picture.  I am not taking the parcel apart so I will have to rely on Christine.

Peggy.

Work in progress

I have 2 quilts that are going to be finished this fall for sure.  The halloween one has been sitting there for a few years and it is still not quilted.  As soon as Mike gets home I will have him help me spray it and sandwich it.  It goes so much easier with 2 people.  The other one is the one I have been working on for the quilt classes.  It is finished but I need to purchase the backing for it.  We are heading to Duluth in a week so I expect to pick it up at one of my favourite quilt shops along the way.  The border doesn't show up very good in the picture but if you click on it and enlarge it, the colours come through.

This quilt is pieced and appliqued.  The cats, and the apples are pieced and the bats are appliqued.  I want to get this finished so badly.  It has been sitting there for ever calling out to me so this is the time.  The binding is the same as the small first border.  I will post a final pictue when it is done.  Maybe this is the incentive I need to get going on it.

Peggy

Water Bottle Holders

I finished 2 more water bottle holders today.  These are so easy to make and really neat to have so that you are not carrying your water in your hand all the time.  These were made for my nephews wife and for my daughter-in-law's sister.  The fabric for the purple one is called "river rock" and it looks like a rock bed at the side of a river.  It was a fat quarter that I picked up at the local quilt shop.  If you spend over $20 and belong to the "Stash Club" then you get a free fat quarter of your choice.  Charlene likes purple so I thought that was a great choice for her and Beth likes green.  The green one is a Batik fabric that looks like leaves.

I always make the shoulder strap adjustable so that who ever wears it can make it the length that feels good on them. 

Peggy

Angel of Joy

I started working on some Christmas projects this week.  I was starting to feel the pressure since Christmas creeps up on us so fast.  I finished the Angel of Joy today.  The pattern is from Patch Abilities .  It was in the monthly mini's group but with new patterns coming all the time it is under Christmas.  This is the third one I have made from this pattern.  I was able to use fabric from my stash and I am really pleased with the way it turned out.  It is for my daughter-in-laws mother.  I sure hope she will like it, I think she will.  I used blanket stitch for the applique with gold and silver thread and the fabric is gold and silver. Too bad the dress isn't showing up in the photo as it is silver swirls on the white background.

Peggy

The last 6 squares

I finished the last 6 squares so I thought I would post them side by side.  Now the 'fun' part is arranging them so that I can put the sashing between them and then the borders.  I think they turned out pretty nice.  My young sister says I should call it a Kakabeka Falls quilt because the colour remind her of clean stones you would find near a waterfall.  Kakabeka Falls is a very large waterfall we have near here.  It is almost as high as Niagara Falls. I wish I had that kind of imagination.

Peggy

Squares for my Class

I have been working on my squares for my quilting class.  I have 7 done but I took a picture of 6 of them.  Just because it was easier to lay them out and arrange them.  There seems to be a lot of burgundy in these 6 but I am sure the other 6 will complement them with the browns.  Each square is different, and there are only 2 actual squares and a centre square, it depends on how you lay out the pieces when you finish them.  I have tried to use all the 8 fabrics equally so that there is a good mix of colours when I am finished.  I would like to get the last 5 done before next weeks class but I think that I might be a bit optimistic.  We will see.  I also have to go and buy more fabric this week for the sashing as I don't have enough.  I haven't decided my borders yet either as I want to see the final result before choosing more colours or some of the same for the borders.

Peggy

Another set of Placemats

I finished the 4 placemats with the poinsettia and the Christmas balls on them and the tablerunner.  The tablerunner is a new pattern.  It is a little different but I think real cute.  I think if I make the same tablerunner again I would make it longer.

I sit at night and sew the binding on by hand so it always takes me a while to finish things up.

Peggy

My sister's birthday.

The place mats were finished a while ago but I just completed the tablerunner and sent it to my sister Carole for her birthday.  The placemats were a kit so I had to purchase more fabric for the table runner.  She wanted something with flowers and I think this really did the trick.

Peggy

Taking a Quilting Class

I started a new Quilting Class today put on by two ladies who are prominent in the local Quilt Guild.  We were to choose any pattern that we wanted to make for this course.  I thought it was odd that we weren't all working on the same thing but it worked out really well.  The instructors came around to see what we were doing and helped out with selection of fabric and cutting.  Some of the ladies are new to quilting, they have only made one other quilt so they needed a lot of help.


I bought a book by Atkinson Design called "Confetti in the Corner".  I am finding it quite challenging as they give you the general idea and then you have to decide how to lay out the blocks.  The main block is made up of three blocks:  Chip and Dip, Confetti and a centre square.  Because I am make a sampler block lap quilt it was suggested that you purchase 8 fat quarters and then have a background colour and make the squares out of these colours.  It is up to you how you set the blocks up once they are made. 

I sat down tonight and did some colouring and decided how I would use my 8 different fabrics along with my background to come up with some sort of design. 

Here are the fabrics I have chosen.

 The background fabric above looks yellow but it is really a motled beige.  I wanted a masculine quilt when I was finished.  Hopefully I will post some squares as they are done.

Peggy