It was a long time getting done!

I can't believe it's done...three years after starting it. It saw me through the worst time of my life and it saw me through picking up the pieces and it helped...more than it could ever know...

And now it is on my bed and I am happy to report that I had sweet dreams last night!

This quilt has consumed me for the last couple of weeks. As I got closer to finishing all I wanted to do was quilt and quilt and quilt some more...I was a little obsessive in fact.

And so what is a quilter to do when it is over? How about clean up her sewing room and look to see what is on the neglected pile?

So today I cleaned and was tempted by the call of some geese...

I got to work on my sashings!

It is going to take a lot of geese..

I also found the pieces for a quilt I started that I'd like to donate to the

 Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

Here is a possible layout..

What a great week! Happy Stitching!

Last 5 Blocks!

My last 5 blocks are finished...

Now I am ready to start my flying geese sashings. I have started cutting so sewing will begin very soon. Too bad sewing time is competing against big stitch quilting and gardening season.

 I am thinking it will take just as long to do the sashings as the blocks themselves! I guess this quilt will not be ready for this summer...

Happy Stitching!

For my Neighbour!

My neighbour reminded me today that it has been a long time since I blogged. She wondered what I have been working on and although she is welcome to come see anytime I will save her the long trip across the driveway! She was right-it has been quite a while since I blogged...I have been working quite hard on my hexagon quilt..in fact almost every night is spent in front of it, trying to get as much quilted as possible.

See that door behind my quilt frame?

That is our seasonal front porch and where we love to have morning coffee, read a good book and watch the town drive by. We open it up in April and close it up in October. This weekend we will get it opened up again for the summer, but my quilt is in the way so I'll be taking it off the frame this weekend and finishing it in the hoop.

Up in my sewing room I have been working on these pink and brown blocks.

I started off with a collection of pink and brown fat quarters. Two fat quarters will make 8 blocks total- 4 of each combination.

Here is what I have done so far by just finding a little sewing time here and there...and don't forget to multiple each block by 4- that's 48 blocks done!

I also have the rest of the combinations started and ready to finish.

When I am done it will be another 40 blocks!

And good news...another week and I'll be at a quilt shop...that means fabric for my flying geese!

Happy Stitching!

Still Quilting...

My hexagons are slowly getting quilted but I find I have spent so many hours working on it already that I can only quilt for an hour and a half or so and I need to do something else.

So I have a couple of something else's I have been doing.

First I finished another pair of socks. Can a person have too many hand knit socks? These were the Spring Forward socks from the Summer 2008 Knitty. And yes, I did make 2 of them!

When I finished them I went into my yarn box and discovered many small scrap balls of sock yarn. I have been wanting to make another pair of bed socks so what better to use...

And here is the first ugly sock all done and the next sock started. They are going to be easy to take off in the middle of the night when my feet get too hot! And the best thing is that I'll only see how ugly they are when I put them on.

And yes, I needed to start a new quilt. I had been eyeing this Wild Geese Quilt from the Bloomin Workshop and then saw a couple similar quilts in a magazine and online somewhere (of course I couldn't find it again!). I figured it was meant to be! I love the setting. The wild goose chase block is so often set on the diagonal and that's ok too, but I really like this setting.

So far 8 blocks are done - many geese left to make including all the sashing!

And 2 are on my little design wall that is behind my sewing machine.

I'll be making 25 blocks set 5x5 and it is going to be perfect on my bed!

While I am asking questions, how many bed quilts is too many? Is it ok to make one for every month?

Happy Stitching!

A Little of This...a Little of That...

It's been a while! Now that my quilt is in the quilting frame most of my free time has been devoted to big stitching it! So far, I'm loving it!

I'm using 1/4" masking tape and quilting just beside it on each side. It is coming along slowly, but it is a satisfying process. The downside is that I don't have much else to show!

This weekend I did go to my local quilting retreat. Remember those hand dyed fabrics from long ago? Well I used them all up this weekend sewing log cabin blocks.

There are 2 of each color combination. I had 30 colors in all. My mission for the weekend was to piece all 30 blocks and I did! Yeah!

It will take me some time to figure out the best way to lay them out, but that is the fun part!

I wasn't very smart this weekend though because I forgot all about my camera until I was home and there was lots of show and tell! Next time...

Thanks ladies for the fun and productive weekend.

Some of you may have noticed I didn't get around to doing the Free Motion Quilting Challenge this month. I'm afraid that for part of the month my sewing machine was behind boxes of my belongings while we put new flooring down in my bedroom.

It is so much nicer than the carpet that used to be there and so much easier to keep clean. My bedroom is just through a doorway from my sewing room and I had a lot of threads tracked in. Now a quick Swiffer and it's all clean! Well worth missing a Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I`ll make it up though!

Happy Stitching!

Finally Ready to Quilt

It's basted and ready to quilt! I am so excited to be starting the quilting...finally! And I measured it too! As it turns out, it is a little smaller than I thought it would be but it will still fit my bed-

 it measures 83" x 97".

And while I am not at my quilt frame, I'll be finally using those hands dye's from long ago.

After so much debating I have finally decided to make a log cabin quilt from them. I have started cutting them so that means I must be committed to the project!

Happy Stitching!

It's a Puzzle!

I love this part of a large project! 

The anticipation is almost too much to bear.

My hexagon puzzle is coming together. I can now see the end of the endless nights sewing them together...to be replaced by endless nights of big stitching! Another week and I'll be removing the freezer paper.

And another project finished! I am smitten with how cute this pineapple is...it's just 18" square!

Now it is time to dig out the next UFO....

Happy Stitching!

Time for a Nap!

I'm done my big stitched napping quilt. It is washed and dried and cozy and ready for a long winter's nap. I can hardly wait and I am so glad I decided to keep it for myself!

 I am very happy with it but I don't think I will ever be silly enough to quilt (even big stitching) through flannel again. And it was thick flannel!

Slowly I have been stitching my redwork Santa and it is looking like I will have a stocking in time for Christmas! My Dad asked me yesterday if it was going to be big...I think that's a good sign!

We decorated the house yesterday, so we are finally looking festive. Christmas is a time for memories so I thought I would share some craft memories from many years past. This nativity is about 25 years old. I made it for my parents when I was in my very early 20's. It still goes out every year! My family enjoys pointing out that baby Jesus has no nose! Who would want to smell a manger anyways?

And not quite so old are these paper mache Santa's, though they are getting close to 20 years old!

Back to my secret sewing...

Merry Stitching!

Paper Piecing is a Dangerous Thing!

I just realized that it has been a while since I posted...a hazard of Christmas coming and having a few secret projects. I have been slowly working away at some things I can show though!

First though, I thought I would show where my awl landed while I was picking out the paper from the Christmas quilt I have been working on. I dropped it right between my feet- missed my right foot by an inch. I think I was lucky it missed because I am sure it would have stuck quite nicely in my foot!

But look at the results! I made enough blocks to make two Bows and Boughs quilts (from the current McCall's Quilting magazine)

I was hoping to get one done by December 1st to hang in the kitchen but seeing that tomorrow is December 1st, I am thinking I may be looking at next December 1st!

The other one will be a gift for next year ( I am hoping my brother will forget all about this by next year!)

My big stitch quilt is coming along too.

I have just one side left to quilt and then I'll be ready to test it for winter napping. I can't wait!

Back to my workshop I go!

Happy Stitching!

I'm almost half done!

My big-stitched winter nap quilt is almost half quilted. Every night I try to spent time quilting it. The perle cotton color is perfect too...it blends right in.

Here is a peak at the back...it is a soft thick flannel.

And the front, though you can't really see the quilting because of the chalk marking lines and how well the perle cotton blends in.

And in the queue waiting for some attention ...

I cut strips for another scrap quilt. This time I cut up all the floral scraps.

As soon as I have a sample block or two made I'll post it, but it will be a week or so. All my extra time is spent big-stitching.

I also cut out all the pieces for the Margo Handbag. I am still debating the zipper color- blue or green but either will look great. I think it will be whatever my hand grabs when I need it.

 I starting getting my new Christmas stocking organized and when I opened the pattern, the stocking was a little small for my Santa wishes, so I did a little enlarging. Now it should work just fine!

And that isn't all that is in my queue...I may just have too much going on!

Happy Stitching!

I have a LITTLE guilt....

I had a great weekend sewing and cut into some of the fabric I bought while I was away to finish piecing this quilt. I love this fabric and had a very hard time slicing into it.

So here is a confession of my guilt. This quilt was going to be a Christmas present (and I will not say for whom) but after piecing it I think I need to keep it for myself. As soon as it was done I could see myself all wrapped up in it for a winter's nap. I can almost feel the flannel backing (I have to go shopping for that!) and see the quilting. And it is the perfect nap size- 60" x 67".

This one will be another big stitched quilt so it will hopefully be ready to use by the time the cold part of winter arrives.

So I am thinking a clam shell pattern with a nice brown pearl cotton.

And although I will not get another quilt made before Christmas to replace this one I will begin work on it's replacement for next Christmas...

And in the meantime, and despite my selfishness, maybe a little Christmas spirit has found me after all...

Happy Stitching!

Sweet Dreams Last Night!

After many months of sitting at my quilt frame, my quilt is finished and on my bed! 

I am in love with it as I am with all quilts that I quilt by hand.

 I finished the 'big stitching' on Friday morning and by yesterday morning the binding was on! Here is just a small look at the back of it.

I thought I would show the size of needle I use for big stitching.

The big one is a 'big stitch' needle and the small one is my regular quilting needle. I think the quilting needle is a size 10 because it was a bit easier to thread but I do use both size 10 and 11 for regular hand quilting. Now the hard part will be trying to get used to a small needle and a small stitch again.

So I am back to more time in front of my sewing machine. I think it may have missed me a bit!

Happy Stitching!



Pineapples and Big Stitch Quilting

My pineapples are done! I made another 13 blocks this weekend and even got them put together! They are so cute- just 3" finished. I love how this little quilt turned out. I don't have much left of my fat eighth pack of taupes and greys so it's good that I didn't want to make it any larger. It is 18 inches square. I have a couple of ideas on how to quilt it but I'm undecided so I pinned it to my bulletin board and at least there I can enjoy looking at it until I figure out the quilting design.

One thing about making pineapples... you really get into a groove and it can be pretty mindless, especially using such neutral colors. It gives you time to think and look around at all your UFO's , of which I have too many. And I'm not sure how this happened but most of mine are LARGE quilts. Oh, what to do?

Now here is a peak at my big stitched quilt. It is coming along well. I try to quilt at it a few times a week usually just an hour or so at a time. I am falling in love with it...that is the magic of quilting it yourself.

I am using a fan pattern and pearle cotton ( used up 1 spool already) with Fons and Porter Utility Quilting needles. I also have a pack of Chenille needles I will try.

Big stitching is easy and you see results quickly so it is satisfying too. The hardest thing is keeping your stitches uniform especially if you are a hand quilter. My stitches keep trying to get smaller, but it is a rather rustic looking technique so it looks fine!

And speaking of big stitching...I think that quilt is calling to me!

Happy Stitching

What a Productive Week!

I have no idea where it came from, but it happened! I got things done and what a great feeling it is!

I had been knitting at the beginning of last week. I finished the Diagonal Lace Socks I started at Christmas and the Hemlock Ring Throw I started just two weeks ago!

A close up...can you see the different shading? Sometimes hand dyed wool drives me crazy! But it was so soft and my feet will love them!

I went from my smallest needles (2mm) up to 6.5mm for the throw.

No wonder it took just over a week to knit! It took less knitting time than the socks did!

And yes it is my prerogative to change my mind about the miniature double wedding ring fabrics. Now those beautiful greys and taupes are going to find their way into a mini pineapple (3" blocks) and because I have gone pineapple crazy I am going to make a scrap one with 2" blocks.

And I FINISHED piecing my "History of Ann" 9 patch scrap quilt! Here is a sneak peek of it on the ironing board. Once it is quilted is is going straight onto my bed! I can hardly wait.

And still there is more to tell...

I spent yesterday on my hands and knees basting this quilt. I am 'big stitching' it so I hope it won't take me forever to get it done.

And finally in my mail box this week, a new book and I am in trouble because I need to make every quilt in the book. The question is, which do I do first?

So now I am off to clean up my sewing room before starting something new.

Happy Stitching!