Monday, April 27, 2015

Winter Ice Quilt

Last year I challenged myself to finish projects.....I am still working on that list.

I am pleased to say I've quilted Winter Ice, but not entirely happy with the end results but its another project that just needs finishing.



This quilt started as a scrappy swap that I ran at Needleworks in 2008.  The participants brought a listed amount of FQ or specific sizes of fabrics in the required colours.  In this case I think it was 11" strips or FQ of blues (darker) and whites.  We cut the fabrics into sections and shared them around.  I wanted a bigger quilt than a lap size, so I added more fabrics as I worked on the blocks.  We sewed Buzzsaw blocks. Here's a good tutorial.  

Because I like really big bed quilts, I added a 10" border to the quilt.  The quilt measures 113" x 113".  I had to take it to church and hang it over the balcony to take a picture its so big!

Then on to the quilting.  When I originally wrote the pattern/instructions for the Scrappy Swap quilts I made a prototype or practice quilt.  I had this top floating around, so I loaded it on the frame and started playing,  I was fairly satisfied with what I had come up with and took the quilt off the frame to load my big blue.   Then I went to Kamloops and took 4 classes with Claudia Pfeil and came home with completely different ideas.  So, I went ahead and just started quilting.  I stitched a variety of "snowflakes" in each white block and then a meander feather in the border and blue blocks.  While the stitching is not as nice as I had planned or hoped, it's done.


Claudia uses her plastic templates to mark her quilts.  I used my half circles and drew lines along the inside and outside of the curve.


I spent a bit of time planning the insides of the "snowflakes" as well as a different variety of borders. The plan was to work my way across the quilt and in each block stitch a different centre, inner border and echo'd outer border.   

I stitched the centres in a variety of different patterns.



I stitched the ring.



I echoed around the ring design.



I then stitched a variety of motifs on the outside to fill the white blocks.

The borders and blue blocks were stitched with an all over bump back feather design.  I feel fairly competent stitching these feathers now, although they are not my favourite.



I used the Faux Piped Binding to finish the quilt.  I have learned to ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS prepare my binding when I'm doing the quilt top.  That way I never have to hunt for binding fabric. 

Friday, April 17, 2015

So many things.......

I've been feeling overwhelmed a bit lately.  Done some travelling...a week in Winnipeg then out to Kamloops for Easter weekend to take classes from Claudia Pfeil.  I also have a number of projects that I want to start/complete as well as Handi Quilter Studio projects.

I have started a new calendar and to do list method.  Its called a bullet journal and so far I think its helping.  I was spending a few minutes surfing pinterest last month and came across this video about using a bullet journal.  I thought it had a some merit...so I'm trying it for a while.  The basic premise is today. Deal with today, what I have to do and if I don't get it done its still there for tomorrow.  I have tried other things over the years, but I was planning weeks and months in advance and by the time I got to those dates, priorities had changed.  I really like the bullets or boxes I get to draw and colour in when the project is done!!!!  Maybe its because I am a list maker and I really like crossing things of my list.

On today's bullet list is
  • Paola's quilt.  I should be able to finish this customer quilt today.
  • Meadow Rose Quilting blog post - half way there!
  • Calgary Thread Girls blog post - up next
  • look for laser square.
  • Supper at home with hubby (probably don't need to include that, but it sure feels good to cross it off the list reminding me that I did do something with him today.
Tomorrow, I get to carry over what didn't get done today or decide it wasn't that important and cross it out. 

I even have a note book for work at the WonderFil Threaducation Centre/Handi Quilter Studio so that I know what projects I need to work on while I am here.

My notebook also has pages for planning ahead.   I still need to figure out a monthly calendar format I like.  The bullet journal one is a 1 page list.



I am visual and kind of like the usual calendar approach, but I do see the value of the list as I can write more on a line.


My journal is not as pretty as some....its practical and messy (that's why I've copied pretty pictures already posted on the internet).  
Cute Notebooking

It seems to work for me.  I do like the idea of being able to move pages, so I have my journal in a customizable system from Staples. 

I do have a couple of highlighted pages (I've wrapped post it notes around the edge of the page!) for specific jobs or events....I have a page for my Church responsibilities.  I have a page for my custom quilting so I know what's coming up next.  I start with the lovely big box and then write the date and some details about the project/job.  I can leave a little space or more after each item.  I even has sub-bullets for the specific tasks in a job.

So far its working....check back in a month or so and I'll keep you updated.