In Loving Memory

I've come to the conclusion that blogging helps keep me accountable! I can't even remember all the quilts that are laying about in various stages of completion. Honestly, there are around a dozen I believe. With stacks of fabric just waiting for their turn to be called "unfinished". It's all they know...poor things! They need to strive for more. ;)

There was a finish this weekend. A very special finish. A four months late finish. But who's counting? My goal is to donate a quilt to a local NICU every September in memory of my friend, Amber. I don't want to get into it too much...but Amber was a beautiful young woman, filled with light & love that was taken away from her family and friends much too early. Oh, and cancer really sucks. I am refraining from using the curse words that scream in my head when I think about cancer. You're welcome.

This is the second quilt I've donated so far (my friend is actually dropping it off at Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario tomorrow for me). The fabric is happy; with trees, turtles, squirrels, cozy sweaters & scarves and playing children.



The photos aren't great, I didn't have too much time with it after it was finished & washed up.

        Stats   

    Fabric: Little Apples by Aneela Hoey
+ Kona Medium Grey, Coral & a random pink

    Pattern: The front is from the Sparkle QAL hosted by Megan & Jeni

    Size: 36 x 36"

I hope it provides some comfort for a family in need. Amber will be smiling down on them, of that, I'm sure. <3    

 

Swoon, Sparkles & Swap!

Well...let's see...I feel like there's lots to update you on this week!
I signed up for the Craftsy Block of the Month. It's free, so I am only going to do the blocks that appeal to me most, or that will teach me something new. They will most likely be made with Modern Meadow & added to my 'summer sampler' quilt, which is turning into a catch all for random blocks!

Yesterday I made it into the Polka Dot Charm Swap! Whoo hoo! I have a few of the fabrics that will be included, mostly the 'Ta Dot' prints. So, I might decide to make a fun little quilt for the playroom. Or possibly just a ton of new bean bags! However they get used up, it's exciting to know all those dots will make it here eventually!


Some progress was made on my Sparkle quilt - too much maybe, as in the quiltalong, we are still piecing the HST's. Oops! I am signed up for Curves Class starting Feb. 1st, so I have been trying to finish up what I can before then. I am not used to having so many projects on the go. My usual style is to make a quilt start to finish & then move onto the next! Having the option of which project to work on is nice, but I worry this way will mean more things sitting unfinished!
Anyway, I have done all I can of my Sparkle until more Kona Med Grey arrives in the mail. Here is a mock up of what I have so far.

I placed what I could finish of the white block over my blue for a better visual

Swoon. Oh Swoon. Here is my one lone block. It is SO large, the next two regularly sized 12.5" blocks I made after it seemed way too small. I measured them to make sure, they just felt tiny by comparison!





The plan was to show you all my Summer Sampler blocks to date, but maybe I will finish off another one tonight & save that post for tomorrow...or Saturday.

 

w.i.p. - my first of the year

Now, I listed & linked to my plans for the immediate future in my last couple of posts, but here are some photos I took today. You know, the proof!

Swoon. I am really unsure as to how many of these blocks I will do. My 3 yr old niece was looking through my flickr favs of this block & saying, "that is so pretty", "I love that one", "look at those pretty colours!". She basically said every. single. one. was her favourite, and I feel the same way! It confirmed that my original swoon idea of making her a pillow was a good one. It also got me wondering if I should try some hand sewing with her soon...the fabric love seems to be there!
Here is my start. Medium Grey Kona & some Heirloom...

 


Next up - solstice star #1, ribbon star. Made up with Modern Meadow to fit in with my Summer Sampler blocks from last year. (Missing some background Raffia Kona in this pic, as I forgot to cut it out! Laid the block pieces out like so & thought, "how did I miss those?!"


 


These are the fabrics I've picked out for my Sparkle quilt. I hope to make it a baby sized (9 blocks) but am starting with these 4 to see how I like it. I believe cutting instructions come tomorrow, so my 1.5hrs of nap time is already spoken for!





I also have to vent just a little bit. My local quilt shop does not carry the types of fabric that I love. It's okay though, internet shopping is good to me! What I would love to pick up locally are things such as Best Press (or something similar, since I don't know the difference yet), an assortment of rulers (a square smaller than 6.5" specifically), fusible interfacing, insul-bright & quilting gloves. That was my list & the shop had nothing I needed. The woman working there told me to check walmart. Um...really? I was a little surprised that 1- she thinks walmart has all this stuff & 2- that she would rather I shop there. (Has anyone in a Canadian Walmart ever seen Best Press on the shelves?) I wish my LQS was more impressive. It would be so nice to purchase some items in person (no stalking the post office) & in CAD!

Linking up at Freshly Pieced today :)  

Why not, there are more hours in the day now, right?

Here we are, a whole day later...and I am adding two more projects to my 'to do' list!

I've decided that I need to make a Sparkle quilt with some of the Little Apples fabric I bought over the holidays. The large center squares will be perfect to showcase some of the cute little scenes of children playing/trees/turtles. I knew a pattern that would allow me to avoid chopping it all to bits would be best & I think this is it. I will make the baby size & then hopefully find a baby who wants it! It's generally not a good idea for me to make quilts without recipients in mind, they tend to just hang around & look lonely.

The second addition isn't a whole other quilt, thank goodness! Faith of Fresh Lemons is doing tutorials for solstice star blocks. My Summer Sampler quilt [in progress] needs a few more blocks so I can finish it up. I had a couple picked out already, but have not started on them. The completed blocks are sitting in a pile in my studio, gathering dust. I finished them up (um, pretty much...) with the help of Faith & the other bloggers who hosted/taught us how to make them - maybe I need to follow along with these too! You know, to increase the odds of them actually being finished. Maybe I need sewing buddies, even if they are only on the computer & don't even know who I am. I like the push it gives you to get going!
 I'm kind of into peer pressure. You should be too.