blocks from Claire

Here are my blocks for Jennifer, I hope you like them. It's such a pretty pattern, the girls will be lucky to get these quilts.
Claire

Squares from Rochelle and Amy

Hello!

Rochelle and I got together a couple of weeks ago to share fabrics. 

I found this square challenging. All of the hsts allowed for some variability... Hope they are okay. This is such a bright sweet square. I am happy it is going to two very deserving special ladies.

Happy New Year!

Jennifer's Block for January/February

Hello Everyone! I'm excited to get started on another year. Here we go!

In the next two months I am going to be working on two quits...with your help. They are for two wonderful little girls in my life whose mother died of cancer just a few weeks ago at the age of 45. The girls are 9 and 11. One quilt is going to be in blues and greens, the other quilt will be in pinks and purples. Please make two blocks (or more!) for either quilt. The finished size of each block is 9 1/2." I got the idea for this block here: http://www.purlsoho.com/create/2006/10/11/joelles-triangle-quilt/
But here are the condensed instructions:

To Make 2 Blocks Cut the Following:

16 of  3" squares using a variety of prints (modern florals/ geometrics in lights, mediums, darks)
16 of  3" square in solid white

1 of  6" square using a variety of prints (modern florals/geometrics a light, medium, or dark)
1 of  6" square in solid white

3 of 4" squares using a variety of prints(modern florals/geometrics in lights, mediums, darks) 
3 of 4" squares in solid white

Pair a white and a print of each size and make a line down the middle. Chain stitch 1/4" on either side of the middle line:

 

After all pieces have been stitched on both sides of the line, cut down the middle line and trim to the following sizes:

3" pieces trim to 2"

6" pieces trim to 5"

4" pieces trim to 3 1/2 

 

Lay out your two blocks, paying attention to placement of lights, mediums, and darks and making sure not to place two of the same fabric side by side:

 

Sew together in sections:

 

And here you are, a 9 1/2" block for the pink and purple quilt:

 

Both quilts have the same block, only the colors change. Here are the fabrics I'll be using for the blue and green quilt:

 

Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you for helping me with this project!

xoJennifer

 

 

 

Back to the Blog!

I'm so glad we have decided to continue for another year. I'm also glad that we have agreed to start the blog up again. It is such a nice reminder (all in one place) of what we have created.  I think I have most of my photos from this past year so I will post them now. Also, if there is not a schedule made yet for 2016, let me know. If it is OK, I have an idea to get us started in January/February. I could make a post for the first block in the next few days.

So a year in review...I will start with the blocks that I just made today for Michaela. I have so much fabric in my stash and have not bought any new fabric in a year or so. I feel, however, like my stash is getting bit stale. You ladies who have been with the group since the beginning will certainly recognize some of these fabrics! I did have fun making these and I hope that you like the color green Micaela!

And here are the rest of the blocks I made this year, starting with mine from Last January/February. I am very motivated to put these all together in January. 

 

I am also excited to say that Amy in Ohio has just finished long arm quilting two of my bee quilts from a year or two ago. As soon as I receive tham and get bindings put on I will be sure to post for everyone to see!

Happy Holidays everyone! I look forward to seeing your work on our blog very soon. 

Love,

Jennifer

PS: I am also going to update my profile on the "Who We Are" page of this blog. I hope you all will join me!

 

Katy Catching Up 2.0

I am slowly ticking off every line on my sewing to-do list!!

First, I finished Claire's framed pinwheel block, which I am delighted with. My new machine seems to be better at keeping things in line, so my points are FINALLY lining up... I put the extra HSTs in the card and will mail it this aft!

Then I tackled Donna Jo's flying geese. The turquoise solid is quite bright in real life but appears more navy blue in the picture (I'm just using my phone camera...) I love love love the floral print fabric, which is a Liberty of London print that my mom bought in London back when she was doing a sabbatical at Oxford with my dad and was pregnant with me (that was in 1974!)... it is beautiful...I'd like to make a blouse with it for this upcoming summer....

Then I started to go through my other piles to find out what else I need to do to complete the 2014 projects!

I need to make 2 more of my own stacked book block and will piece this together for a baby quilt for my brother and his wife who are due in June!

I also need to finish 2 more blocks for our 2014 Charity Quilt...I think I will end up top-stitching it with my own machine...hoping to get that done before spring is here... I am not sure who sent me the block with the little Holly Hobby girl, but the size is a bit off...I think I can salvage it by undoing the seams on the edges...we'll see! I ADORE how this pattern looks in bright colours of various shades with the fussy cut centres! I can't choose a favourite!

And finally...my quilt from 2013...it is Almost finished. I just need to finish the top stitching and sew up the edges. I think I'm going to use the 'fold over' method with the backing material.... I have promised this quilt to my mom for her birthday (in 2013...) so I'm way late. She bought me my new sewing machine for my birthday/Christmas and said very sweetly 'maybe now you can finish my quilt?!' soooo...this is first on the to-do list after I polish off Jennifer's January block!

smooches...it's cold and sunny here with a new blanket of snow on the ground, just the way I like a winter weekend. I'm off to cross-country ski with some girlfriends for a day/night away, and boy do I need it. I started a new job in January and it is leaving me a little bit fried by the weekend...

love to you all,
Katy

Katy Catching Up

Girls...
I'm sorry for the silence and the late arrival of my blocks from the end of 2014... My sewing machine went on the fritz, and then life got extraordinarily busy, and I lost my sewing mojo...but in December I got a new machine (yay) and I cleared my sewing space and mental headspace, and I'm slowly tackling all of my late blocks... here they are, all put in the mail over the past few days!

Much love and happy new year to you... Looking forward to the new bimonthly schedule this year! Just what I need to keep me motivated and inspired by all of you and your artistic visions.

xo
Katy

 Micaela's Blocked in Block in pink, my favourite colour...

 Jamie's stacked books block...I chose these fabrics as a children's book theme...

And a solid bear claw block for Pam...I'm so excited to see a picture of the final quilts.

More on their way!

Catching up...again! Blocks for Micaela and Donna Jo

Thank you Micaela and Donna Jo for the easy directions that you posted for your blocks. I loved working with the bright colors from my scrap pile. I put them in the mail yesterday!

For Micaela: I think our group will recognize most (if not all) of these fabrics from blocks I have made for them over the past three years!

For Donna Jo: What a great idea for a baby quilt! It was fun to experiment with different ways to arrange the flying geese.

Happy Holidays everyone!

xoJennifer