A Paper Piece Challenge

My local quilting group issued a challenge to its members for our Annual General Meeting in August. 

The challenge was to make an item using English Paper Piecing. Of course how could I refuse a challenge like this. It happens to be one of my most favorite things to do.

So I put my thinking cap on and came up with my project. I've decided to play around with baby blocks and 2" hexagons using solids. The fabric is Kona solids of course in the color way for Quiltcon. When I saw these fabrics at the Fat Quarter Shop I could refuse them.

My challenge is only going to be a mini quilt so that I can have it finished in time. Stay tuned to see how it comes out. I'm going to start playing this week.

Making a commitment

I'm making a commitment to my little girl. 

As part of her becoming a permanent member of our family (it was supposed to happen in May but has been adjourned off till October) and at a request made by her in 2010 for a "Love Quilt" in purple, I have finally pulled out a long awaited W.I.P. to finish off her Love quilt.

The love quilt is made up of 9 stitchery blocks designed by an Australian designer, Rosalie Quinlan. The quilt was called "Love Is". Hence Miss A has called it the "love quilt". My Mum and my friend Michelle have already completed their quilts. Here they are.

Michelle's Quilt

Mum's Quilt

I have stitched the first block. It is actually block 6.  I used a variegated purple thread (DMC 52) to stitch. In the original pattern, the designer back stitched various hearts in the blocks to fill it in. I have decided to use applique with blanket stitch instead.  I will applique all the hearts on each block for variation to the pattern.

Here are blocks 1, 2 and 8. Traced and ready to stitch or have started to be stitch. They are a bit hard to see but hopefully they will be clearer once these are fully stitched.

The next round of blocks are waiting to be traced. This will be done at my next Sunday sewing group.

So I have a deadline to have a finished quilt by the end of September in anticipation of Miss A becoming a permanent member of our family.

Hello

Sorry that I've been away. This month was supposed to be a celebration but our reasons to celebrate have been postponed until later in the year. So over the past 2-3 weeks, I have been picking up the pieces in our family. We have been living with tantrums, defiant behaviour, sleepless nights and periods of pulling hair out (figuratively speaking). Life has been a roller coaster. 

I have been checking up on all my favourite blogs even though I haven't left my mark around. I have been sewing away both on my machine and by hand just to keep my sanity.

I have been enjoying the May for Me Bingo though I haven't had any wins as yet. 

So I just dropped by to let you know that I've been around but I've had some reasons to be away.

Mother's Day Raffle Quilt

I have started the month of May with a raffle quilt that will hopefully raise some money for my son's Playgroup. It's another jelly roll race quilt. This time I used Mix and Mingle by Sandy Gervais. These quilts are so quick to put together. I used Moda Marbles in purple to back and bind the quilt. It is a really nice dark purple. The quilting is my usual with this one. I love the straight line quilting either side of the seam lines that go horizontally across the quilt.

The finished quilt measures 49.5" X 63".

May for Me - Bingo Week 1

Well it's started, the May for Me Bingo. There are 98 card holders out there.

May 1st - I placed 2 buttons on my card. Not bad for a starting day.

May 2nd - I placed the third button on my card. Still excited.

I've had no more buttons to sew on this week. Oh well. Here is how it is looking.

I plan to update the Bingo card progress each week. More items will be called this week. My fingers are crossed.

Good luck participants.

W.I.P. - April Finishes

I known that I've been a bit absent this month. I've had a great time away with the kids over Easter. I have even managed to finish off a couple of quilts, a bingo card, my modern mini mystery round robin and a wall hanging. This month has been very productive indeed. I also have a raffle quilt bound and have nearly finished sewing the binding by hand.

So as it is Wednesday I thought that I would head over and visit Lee at Freshly Pieced to link up with W.I.P. Wednesday.

First quilt finished was Rectangles and Patches. It has been made as a baby quilt. It doesn't have an owner as yet but it was a pattern I played with after seeing a picture in a magazine. The best part was I used up some stash to make it. Because its only a baby size, there is not much fabric that goes into the quilt overall. But in saying that, I only had small quantities of the brights so it was a perfect pattern to use small pieces up.

Rectangles and Patches

Finished Quilt Size: 40" X 44'
Fabric:  Scraps from variety of Jan Mullen's fabrics and white solid. Binding was Seascape in Yellow and Orange and I used a theme fabric for the backing from the movie "Cars".

Pattern: Inspired by a quilt I saw in a Magazine for a shop advertisement.

Quilting: Straight line quilting. I echoed the seam lines of the quilt top. The overall pattern looks like a plaid pattern.

Completed: April 2012

Daydreams was my second Jelly Roll Race Quilt that I made on one of my Midday to Midnight Madness sessions. They are such a great quilt to make as you get some instant satisfaction knowing that you can go home with a finished quilt top.

Daydreams

Finished Quilt Size: 48.5" X 65"
Fabric:  Daydreams by Deb Strain for Moda in a jelly roll. Backing is fabric from the range Toys, toys, toys and the binding is a gorgeous pink from Anna Griffin.

Pattern: Jelly Roll Race Quilt

Quilting: Straight line quilting.

Made for: Yvonne. She recently lost her husband and when presented with the quilt was so honored. Her first comment was how lovely it would be to keep her warm.
Completed: April 2012

I love quilt making and watching the process evolve. Its nice to see them finished too. I have a few projects that are close to the end and I want to get them done and dusted so I can play around with more fabric and some patterns I have floating around in my head.

Month 1 - Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin

I received my first block in the Modern Mini Mystery Round Robin. It came all the way from Pippa in France.

Here is the block I received. I love the colors. I don't normally work with batik fabric so it was a nice change.

Anyhow without divulging too much. I'm thinking purple and off centre. After all it is a modern mini challenge. (P.S. Pippa, I love purple too)

I will post pictures of my completed blocks for each month between April and October after the swap has ended. When we signed up for the swap we were asked not to show too much of what we were doing, so our partners had a surprise at the end. I hope they all like their surprises from me.

I'm sending the block off to the United States this week. Here is what else went in my package.