Curve It Up - Quilted

I quilted one for myself!  I decided not to fold this top up and put it in the cupboard and just get it quilted before our local quilt show this September 28 & 29.

I used the Dream Puff batting so it is really light and cuddly.  I used the Ginseng Panto and a gold Magnifico thread called Clover Honey.  I decided to keep with the metallic feel of all the fabrics of the quilt and use a shiny thread.  I love the results.  These pictures don't really do the thread justice.  I LOVE this thread.  It is smooth, and shiny and did not break once.  It comes in a huge range of colors too.  I hope one of my clients wants shiny thread soon as I can't wait to have a reason to order more!

Here are a few of my the blocks up close.

And here is my favorite part of the whole thing - the back. I had one extra block that was just a little too light in color so I decided to put in on the back.  I  pressed the edges under 1/4" and top-stitched it to the backing before I loaded it on the longarm.  I think it makes an otherwise boring back a little more interesting.

Now isn't this the cutest pincushion!  My friend Robin is a fellow owl lover and was just in town visiting.  She made him for me.  I am so spoiled! Thanks, Robin!

 Kendra caught another shot of our baby robins.  They are hard to see, but she told me how much their feathers are changing.  One more month of summer - where is the time going?

Curve It Up Top Complete?

There wasn't much quilting going on around here this last week.  I took the girls to Winnipeg to pick these with my Mom and Dad.

We shared some with, froze some, made jam and had lots to eat with cream - my favorite.

I did get to do a little fabric shopping on the way and picked up fabric to add borders to my Curve it Up quilt top.

Before:

After: (sorry for the late night poor photo)

This top went together without a grand plan in mind.  I probably would have added six purple cornerstones if I knew I was adding purple to the border.  Should I leave well enough alone, or should I try to add a little purple to the sashing?  Hmmm, definitely need to sleep on that one.

Curve It Up Quilt Along Top (Almost!)

Jenny over at Sew Kind of Wonderful challenged the Curve it Up Quilt Along participants to have their quilt tops done by July 1.  Well, I almost made it, this is what I had done at 11:30 last night.

  I believe another shopping trip will be in order before I can call it done.  This is the fabric that I had purchased for the outer border.

  

It is not speaking to me now that I see the top together so it is back to the drawing board.  

 I used most of the background fabric I had left to add a small frame to the blocks to allow them to float.  I didn't like the darker fabrics right up against my sashing fabric.

The top looks unfinished to my eye,  but I don't have any other metallic fabrics in my stash, and I really don't want to add a non-metallic fabric at this point as everything including the background has metallic gold on it. I only have very small pieces of the fabric I used to piece the blocks.  Not sure where I will go from here...

I just have to share one of my best ideas of all time... Last summer we started a family tradition and it is back up and running now that school is out.  One day a week during the summer my girls (ages 15 and 12)  are responsible for making supper and dessert.  It is totally my favorite day of the week!  They check the flyers to see what is on sale, pick the recipes, make the grocery list, and come shopping with me, do the prep, cooking and clean up.  They have really learned a lot.   I am always around if they need a second opinion on the "doneness" of the meat, of what "soft peaks" look like, but they really like doing it without me.  This week the menu was rolls and butter, green salad, mashed potatoes and cream chicken (a "recipe" from grandma  - you know the kind, no real amounts or set cooking times, more like a vague description of how she does it).  

And for dessert - chocolate mousse!  I might have to step up my game so they don't outdo me all the time!

Curve it Up Quilt Along Block 12 and a Spare

The last set of instructions for the Curve it Up Quilt along came out this week.  The last blocks was spools.  You can see the original here.  I really didn't have much fabric to choose from that would work so thought I would try four spools instead of eight.  Mine aren't as elegant, but do seem like spools to my eye.

Here are the 12 blocks together.

I also had a lot of left over pieces from the previous blocks.  When I realized that I has 16 "HSTs", that coordinated,  I knew I need to make an extra block.  But what layout to choose? HSTs are just so versatile!!

I was really indecisive, so after a round of voting by Kathy, the girls and Nolan I settled on this one.

Here are the 13 blocks.  I am waiting to see what layout ideas Jenny and Helen come up with before I put the top together. I think I will pull the block that isn't playing well with the others and put in on the back for the label.  Which one would you send to the backside?

Curve It Up #10

Here is the latest block in the Curve It Up quilt along. Only two more to go!

 Work on the basement renovation continues, but weekends just aren't long enough. No school here today so helper #2 did her part and removed the wall paper backing to help speed things up!

What I've been up to lately

I spent the early part of last week reorganizing all of my fabric and notions (that was no small feat!) I purged, then sorted and refolded every piece of fabric I own.  I came across a piece of fabric that was just the right size for a roman blind for the downstairs bedroom.  I made it using the guts from a commercial mini blind.  There are many tutorials out there, but I found this one quite helpful.

This old dresser has been used in many places over the years.  I believe it was in Nolan's room when he was a baby.  It was in our baby's room and now it houses my thread and pantos.  Nolan helped me add a removable ironing surface to the top.  Birch plywood, batting and 1/2m of fabric leftover from a kit somewhere along the way.  I am really enjoying this latest recycling project.  

  I also completed the last block in the Curve it Up Quilt Along - the Dresden Plate.

Here is the first block in the the Bullas Bears Block of the Month Quilt. It is called "Joy Bearer". There is a little more embellishing that will happen after quilting.  Snowflake buttons and some shading on the bear's cheeks and muzzle.  This pattern is found in the Quilt Pattern Magazine.  It is designed by Nan Baker, and is based on the artwork of Will Bullas.

And the basement... we have decided to hold off on the flooring in the studio until the rest of the basement is ready for flooring.  This weekend consisted of some paneling removal.  Remove the paneling and what do we find?  The chimney clean out for the living room fireplace!  Even though we don't have intentions of using the wood burning fireplace, I think we will leave it accessible!

And the framing and drywalling of the bulk head.

 

I was enlisted to assist with the drywall.  (I do help occasionally.)

 Apparently I seemed a little weak and shaky, so for the second sheet I was replaced....

My job became just getting the T into place.

  All in all, not a bad week!

Weekend Progress

Here is the latest in the Curve It Up series of blocks - fans. When I first read through the instructions I was a little worried that this one might be difficult, but it went together quite easily.  

We had a great weekend.  More forward progress in the basement and a nice evening out at a local fundraising gala with some friends.  We started with the flooring in the bedroom.  Turns out that the best thing to cut the underlay was a rotary cutter!

This was where we had to leave things Saturday so we had time to get ready for the party.  Close, but not quite!

And here is the bedroom tonight.  Baseboard up and ready for furniture.

And we solved one more issue.  See the eyesore of an electrical panel that lives in my studio?  How about this old bulletin board that was just a little too good to make it from the office to the dump?

 Give it a little tweak and add some snow dyed fabric that was lying around and this is the result.  I am thrilled with my new art/bulletin board/door combo!