Spring

I've forgotten to tell you that my Disappearing Four Patch has been quilted and bound and is now ready for the giving. The Official Cookie Tester kindly earned his keep by helping me get a full shot of it, but I have to say that this pic really doesn't do it justice.

It's a very soft, traditional and feminine quilt and the swirl that Roberta used to quilt it just finishes it off beautifully - thank you Roberta! All of those florals really evoke the blossoms of Spring and a reminder that we will soon be able to get into the garden.

I backed and bound it with a very traditional blue floral but just about any colour would have worked because there are so many colours in it.

This one is all ready to deliver. I have to say that without Roberta offering to quilt it for me it would still be sitting in a pile of flimsies, but now it will have a new home.  It is a great pattern for charity quilts because it looks like you've put in lots more work than you really did 😊 and it could have lots of different looks. I'd make this one again....M

A Canada 150 Quilt Along

There's been a fair bit of Canada 150 stuff in my blog lately, and here's another little nugget (you only turn 150 once, right?). This week I received an email from the gals at Modern Bee with an invitation to join the Canada 150 Quilt Along with Lorna Costantini. She has designed an original pattern to commemorate the occasion and created a Facebook group with step-by-step tutorials where less experienced quilters can follow and/or share your progress. Easy peasy.

This is one that you quilt using your domestic sewing machine. Large individual blocks (24 x 24" is the largest) give you lots of room for quilting large open negative spaces using your walking foot. It's finished off with a few appliquéd elements and large stitch hand quilting.

If you prefer a smaller project, she's designed this matching pillow as a bonus.

The quilt and pillow can be admired at Modern Bee's shop and the patterns (both printed and PDF download) and kit can also be purchased online here. And, just to sweeten the deal, there's free shipping on Canadian orders over $100.

I like this quilt because it strays from using only red and white fabrics yet it is still very Canadian - think those Canada Flying Geese have anything to do with it?

So if you are keen to join in the fun and celebration of an important Canadian milestone and make a memorable, treasured family heirloom, have at it....M

The Girls Are on a Roll

Anne joined the gals at the church earlier in the week to quilt on Martha's Star and took some great photos of their progress to share with you.

It made my fingers itchy just looking at these busy bees - I would much rather be quilting with them than going to work.

There is so much speed infused into today's quilting scene that it does your heart good to see and remember the slower time of fellowship that seems to be disappearing.

Do today's new quilters even know what C clamps are for?

It just reminded me so much of working on quilts with mom and her friends.

















In my heart of hearts I just know that she was with them - looking over their shoulders with nods of appreciation.

They had a great turnout this week, which meant lots of progress; so much so that the edges were turned not once, but twice!

I've been teasing them that it will be done by Easter, which they hesitate to agree on, but I think that they might just be on pace. No rush though - I want them to enjoy quilting it as much as I enjoyed making it....M

Spring Stitches

Spring appears to have arrived just as the calendar turned over to April. The last couple of days have been bright and sunny and lots of snow is finally disappearing; now we are impatient for it to all go, and fast. Hand quilting is the perfect antidote for impatience, so it was back to the hoop yesterday.

Candied Hexagons is moving along beautifully.

I spread it out to get a sense of how much I might have quilted to day and it look like I might be almost half way there. This was the block that I got to work on - isn't that fabric beautiful?

This is one of the blocks where I experimented with a pattern other than the star motif - there are a few scattered throughout.

At the risk of repeating myself, this is going to be one quilt that I will miss when it comes off the hoop - it's a really nice one to work on - but I suspect that there will be more to come!...M