"Be My Neighbour" Finish

This was a Block of the Week Quilt-a-Long with The London Friendship Quilters Guild to keep busy during the summer.  

You can still get all the blocks from MODA 

 I was planning to work on the handquilting for most of the winter, but it's already done!  

All washed and wrinkly from the dryer, just how I like them :)

A few of my favourite blocks:

Backed in more blue,  it was screaming at me for a red binding!

Started :  @ May 2020
Finished:  Nov. 5 2020
Size: 63.5 x 79 unwashed
60.5 x 74 washed

Here's the first four blocks in the next Quilt-a-long:

g:

Linking up with Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

SUNSHINE & HEXAGONS

 

This one started last summer (2019) with some 9" friendship stars and grew from there.

The first blocks were made from the flowered yellow fabric which was from my neice, Mel's, wedding decor more than 5 years ago.   Then I had hexagon flowers that no longer fit in with my vision for "The 5 Year Plan" red and white hexie quilt mentioned here.

After auditioning some different red prints, yellow and blacks ... a simple red binding won out.

I named it without overthinking the issue.  The old song with Sunshine and Lollipops was in my head and wouldn't let go!

Hand quilted.

Washed  ...successfully ..... with 5 colour catchers.

"No fabrics were damaged from bleeding in the washing of this quilt."  lol

Whew!!!!

The backing needed  a bit of piecing to stretch out what was available in the stash.

Finishing at 51.5 x 60 after washing and drying.

I think it shrunk about 3 or 4 inches in each direction.

Links:  Peacock Party

            Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

           

SUN-ROOM REDO

This was the second time I've re-covered this metal furniture set.  It's just so sturdy and in great shape that I couldn't justify buying new .... the  crazy high price of a good quality replacement also helped give me the kick in the butt I needed to get me sewing!

Jim painted over the yellow walls with fresh white paint and added some extra insulation in the ceiling so hopefully we can make this into more of a true 3-season room, not just a summer room.

I was so ready to be rid of the orange flowery fabric from the last re-do.

We cleared out a lot of the clutter, now there's lots of room for the grand kids to play.

We found the "Home Sweet Home" sign and the metal bicycle at Parks Blueberries near Thamesville.

The bike reminded my of my dad and his love for bicycling, especially in his retirement.

Still on the lookout for a few special items to fill empty wall space.

Three blocks were stolen from a current project to make the wall hanging.

The blocks are from Moda's Be my neighbour free quilt along.

Links:

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop

CHARITY FINISH, UFO ROADBLOCK and BLOCKS   of the WEEK 

    

Some free-motion practice on this quilt that was pieced by another guild member.  I think this may be a free pattern on Bonnie Hunter's blog.

I worked on it with the backing facing up, so much easier to see where I was going !!

Four more blocks finished on the Block of the Week Sew-along with the guild.

...And the lingerng UFO roadblock

I'm determined to get to the applique or as the pattern calls it, "broderie perse"  this summer.

Links:   Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?

What's Happening?

Sewing has been happening on and off when the mood hits. It's taken about a year, but this flimsy is nearly done.  The last bit of applique is almost stitched down.  I had no idea where I was going with this when I started making the friendship stars.  All I knew was that I had some extra yellow that needed to be used. No material was bought for this specifically, mostly leftovers and rejects from other projects.  My favourite part is the smaller corner flowers and the chunky border.

I've been off from my part-time job since the middle of March, about 3 months now.  The first month I was sick with a cold and persistent cough, whether it was Covid 19 or not, I'm not sure .   I didn't get tested since at that time they were only testing severe cases.

I quilted and bound this finished top that someone from the Guild peiced. Since I had lots of time I handquilted it with a Baptist Fan design.

Same story for the one below, only I think it was done before the New Year and I forgot to post about it.   This one I practiced some free motion loopy swirls.

Our Guild decided to start an online Block of the Week for the summer.  We are 4 weeks in of 16. They are using Moda's "Be My Neighbor" from a few years ago which is still available for free.

My "keeping it honest" shot of the sewing room ... 2 of the many  projects on the go

The remaining 2 months of  my time off work I've been spending time with the grandkids since the parents are all working full time still

The girls live only a few minutes away so I've been watching them a lot.

Our little man is 90 minutes away so we have only recently had backyard visits.

Last week I actually let my husband cut my hair !!!!  I love my hair quite short and having it tickle my neck and ears was driving me bonkers.

Before and after :

After a long winter,my husband is now usually outside in his happy place (yard, garage, garden)

I take no credit for the yard or garden, Jim does a great job and thankfully loves doing it .. since I am no green-thumb!

Hoping to start work again part-time next week. The number of Covid cases is not too bad here right now, but I have to admit that I'm still a bit nervous about it.

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

Linking up with:  OH SCRAP !

         Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?

WHAT'S BLACK, RED AND WHITE?

A stack of black and white fat quarters has been taunting me since last summer.  I had planned on pairing it with some pink, but after using the pink in another project recently .... well, I didn't want anything to do with pink for a while!

'

I was inspired by Gundrun's Elvira Quilt,  I didn't have the srtipology ruler they were using so I just decided to change it up a bit with some applique and embroidery.  It doesn't really look like all the Elvira quilts, but that was my starting point.

I'm curious to see how the embroidery will hold up in the wash.

Handquilted ....  during this Covid lockdown handquilting has definitely been a stress reliever.

Extra hexie flowers from another project ..... why not ?? 

The binding is some Tula Pink Fabric I found on sale at a store closing last summer.  I've been waiting for a project this might work with.  Love, Love LOVE  me some TULA fabric!

Backed with a super soft pink minky to maximize the coziness factor !!  Yes pink did sneak into this quilt after all :)

Yay, just enough "Je t'aime" material to piece  a bit in.

Timeline:  March - April 2020 (Covid-19 Lockdown)

Size: 42" x  54"  (40" x 52" after washing and drying)

Inspiration: Gundrun's Elvira Quilt

Links:

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

DOUBLE DOUBLE

Inspired by Amy at " A Quilting Sheep", I began making 4-patches with my 1 1/2 in squares, then matching those 2 1/2 inch 4-patches with  2 1/2 inch squares to make double 4-patches. I took it one step further and added 4 1/2 inch squares to make "double-double 4 patches".  

These are 8.5 inches (8 " finished). 

From there I decided how big I wanted this to be.....  64 x 72 it will be!

Ok so that meant I needed 288 of the small four patches,

....288 2.5" squares  and

....144 4.5 " squares.

Exactly what I wanted, an easy scrap project with no triangles and no specific background colour.

I did find it easier to attach row by row rather the constructing each 8.5 inch double-double 4patch separately.

I love to hand quilt and decided to use a clamshell design for the first time.  I made a template from a cereal box for this step.

While handquilting I did notice one little square had a tear in it :(  

Raw edge applique heart to the rescue!!

64" x 72"

Timeline: Jan-April 3, 2020

Handquilted (during the first 3 weeks of Covid Lockdown)

Links:

OH SCRAP

CAN I GET A WHOOP WHOOP