Fall Blogger's Quilt Festival: Nantucket

Amy's Bloggers Quilt Festival sort of snuck up on me this time around and I almost decided not to participate, but then I noticed that I had a few hours left so I'm adding Nantucket to the other many great entries.















This one was a very spur of the moment project that I started in September of 2015 and it was finished and on the bed for us to enjoy by Christmas, joining my small pile of Christmas quilts. If you follow my blog at all, you will know just what a small miracle that timeline is for a quilt of mine. They tend to simmer quite a while as I flit from one project to another and eventually (often a few years later) a quilt is born.

Long before I knew the name of this quilt I had printed a tiny black and white version of it which had been kicking around my sewing room for a few years. Suddenly, it seemed, it was time to make it. I couldn't resist all of those little red and cream nine patches any longer.

I like my quilts large so there were more rounds of nine patches added than the pattern called for and I still think I could have added another round and not have had it too large.

It's backed with a whimsical red and cream toile,

and Roberta at Cocoa and Quilts worked her magic on it, quilting it with this fabulous feathered swirl that has become an all-time favourite pattern.

It spends much of its time on the guest bed so that we can enjoy it whether it's Christmas or not. Be certain to check out all of the other Festival entries - there's always so much to enjoy....M

Growing Up

I've got a real beauty to share with you today. Linda has been working on this amazing quilt for a few years now and it has just crossed the finish line, ready to be enjoyed. Isn't it spectacular???

It's a wedding gift for one of her daughters and very appropriately called Growing Up; it was designed by Wendy Williams. Ironically, the pattern is in the same issue of Quiltmania as the Anna Levens quilt that I'm working on.

This organic riot of colour and energy is rich in both colour and detail, and it's all hand sewn. I never would have thought of using grey as a background, but it works beautifully - those colours pop.

And that narrow, striped sashing and binding is just so perfect for it. She added a four patch border to the sides and a double four patch border to the top and bottom to get it to the size that she wanted. That meant elongating the appliqué panels as well.

The photos are a bit dark but she has used the most amazing collection of fabrics. I thought I had a close-up of them that I had taken a while back so that I could show them to you but I cannot put my finger on them. Trust me, they are beautiful.

She had Roberta at Cocoa and Quilts quilt it for her and, as usual, it was beautifully done.

Here's the lovely and talented Linda with her masterpiece. Looks happy, doesn't she? ...M

My Blue Period

It's been more than a little busy here lately with one thing or another, but I'm determined to fit some some time in to work on table toppers for the Holly Bazaar.

I had prepped a pile of toppers to quilt for whenever the mood struck me, including the Old Italian block runners, and happily that happened this week.

I liked the size of the blue and white one (4 blocks x 4 blocks) ...

but when I looked at the scrappy runner it just looked waaaay too large for a runner.

So I ripped a couple of seams out and made two smaller 3 x 3 toppers that I'm much happier with (plus I now have three instead of two!). There's three blocks left over so I may work those into another topper, but I wanted to see some progress so I just set them aside for now.











All three are quilted and a pile of blue binding has been made so all are now ready to stitch down the binding on - I've got the first one half finished. That will be my hand stitching today.















I wanted these three ready for next weekend as we are baking pies at the church and one of the gals is interested in buying one, maybe two, for a friend that she will be visiting out in the Maritimes in early October, so they will be 'advance orders' that I will take to her. I'm happy to do that for her but it means that I will still need to make several more for the bazaar table, so I need to keep the pace up 😊....M

Like Minds

The very same day that I started working on my Holly Bazaar star table toppers I got a call from Anne for a quick tutorial as to how to assemble them - she wanted to work on a few too. You will recall that she and I got together several months ago for a sewing session and she still had pieces cut but needed a little refresher in how everything went together.

She also had several Disappearing Four Patch blocks that were ready to work on, so they went together as well and will become another runner.

Not a bad result for a few hours work, I'd say. She's making them for the Madonna House gift shop and they will soon be looking for Christmas items. If I can swing it I will help add to her stack of toppers.

She also found the time to whip up this little treat and drop a few pieces off. Peach Almond Upside Down Cake. Can you say delicious??? The Official Cookie Tester's eyes popped wider not once, but twice - first when he discovered there was cake in the house, and second when he found out there was Amaretto in it. Still warm, and sooooo good....M

Whites

Betty has started hand stitching another beautiful quilt. The simplicity of the colour palette and the block are combining to create a spectacular result.

It's a simple little block and she's relying on the texture of embroidered vintage white linens to make it sing. It's working!

There's a sprinkling of colour in each of the block that keeps your eye moving and looking for more.

The blocks will finish at about 3" and she'll lay them out in a woven pattern, creating just a little more texture as she goes.

It. Is. Stunning!

The heavy embroidery on some of the pieces combined with lace are spectacular. She is toying with tea dying it when it is all together to give it a more golden/honey tone but has some time to decide on that. In the meantime, she's having fun painting with whites....M

Gettin' Serious About Santa

It happens every year about this time. I sit bolt upright in bed with the realization that the Holly Bazaar is just a little over two months away and I have a lot of sewing to do! This year my favourite niece is getting married at the end of September, so that takes a sewing weekend or two out of the mix. Then there's Thanksgiving... I think I need to take a leave of absence.

What to do? Make a list and get busy. It's always too long but I like to pick and choose from a few options in case I get bored with what I'm working on.

So, with list in hand, I pulled a selection of Christmas fabrics to cut blocks for the ever popular Scrappy Star table topper; I'll make three or four of them. It's always fun to find a favourite that you thought you had used up.

A pile of blocks from last year's blitz was still on the corner of the sewing table (hard to believe, I know 😉) so I laid them out, found a few white scraps for the stars, and put it together, so it's ready to quilt. One down. Hopefully my quick start doesn't make me complacent....M

Rainy Days & Sundays

Remember the song 'Rainy Days & Mondays' by the Carpenters? Well, today it's a rainy day but... it's Sunday. Close enough. It's the perfect day to sit in a comfy spot and work on Anna Levens; she's been neglected of late.

The corners have started to fill in a just little more...

But I think that they need a few more stronger colours mixed in with them. A quick consult with Betty last weekend confirmed my thinking.

So, in celebration of Labour Day, I will be turning under more hexies and adding to Anna. If this is a long weekend for you, enjoy it, even if it is raining today....M