Movin' on

We have two sleeps here at our winter home before we return to our summer home where it is apparently still winter?  It snowed at 'home' last night.  UGH. 

My machine is packed and I have taken pictures of my sewing supplies and equipment because I know I won't remember what I have here in this house when it is time to pack and return. 

In the meantime, I have completed my red/white maple leaf blocks and ready to create something for Quilts of Valour when I am home (and hiding from winter weather). 

Two weeks ago, I went on a shop hop with the quilters here in our park and we visited Patrick Lose's studio in northern Phoenix.  WOW.  He tapes his online quilting show in his studio and the walls were covered in his bright wall hangings, the fabrics were luscious and I was in awe.

One thing I am really going to miss is the glorious colours in my backyard as well as the newly developing oranges and grapefruit.  They will grow for 10 months and hopefully, by next January, we will have more juicy citrus fruit for our daily pleasures.

My last project before we head home was to use a package of 10" squares (cake plates) and stitch them together and use my larger Let's Twist ruler to cut the blocks.  This is sewn together now and packed, ready for layering, quilting and binding when I am back 'home'.  A great way to make a fun quilt.

Another UFO completed

I finished stitching down the binding last night on my Arizona peppers quilt.  This top was completed last year and I finished it a year later.  Much better to be all done than sitting on a hanger in the closet.

Today was busy... very busy.  I was one of the coordinators for the quilt show here at Sunland East and was in charge of setting up and getting everything organized.  This was the view as you walked in the door.

I had some quiet time in the middle of the quilt show so came home and finished up this apron for my granddaughter.  This was a panel that I cut out and started making when my niece was a child.  She is now 20 years old so this is a very old UFO.  My granddaughter is the perfect age for an activity apron so this is going to be for her for Easter.

A finish!

My Sunland 9 patch swap blocks quilt is finished... quilted, bound and labelled.

And, making progress on my Scrap Happy wall hanging - I added the borders last night since the tv was tuned to a hockey game and I find the Arizona announcers really BORING. 

So glad I decided to organize my project container

Wow... what a bonus for me that I opened up my rubbermaid container of projects.  Right on top was the fabric I need for the borders on my QOV quilts that I made a few weeks ago.  For some reason, I thought my perfect border fabric was back at home and I would have been very dissapointed and extremely frustrated looking for it when it is here!  I guess I was more organized that I knew!!

I also made pillowcases for two of my grandchildren for Easter. 

This weekend, I managed to get two of my quilts quilted, the bindings made and added so I have some handsewing projects for tv time during the evenings this week. 

Here are my snap happy bags made as demonstrations for a class teaching this fun way to make these cute purses.

Last but not least, I finished quilting and binding my latest Let's Twist table runner for St. Patrick's Day.

WHEW.... my sewing machine and I were best buddies for the last few days.

Should be quilting but......

I have a quilt layered and ready to quilt - my 9 patch.  But........ instead of quilting, this is what I have been playing with. 

Just getting started, have borders to add and all the stitching to do around the appliqué shapes but totally appealed to me so started playing with it. 

Busy Sunday

I managed to accomplish something today in my sewing room.  After playing tennis in the morning, decided to tackle my latest project and get the borders added.
This is a Yellow Brick Road from Atkinson Designs (see previous picture of pile of blocks on my ironing board) and I used all wine related fabrics to create a quilt for a good friend who has a vineyard in California. I think this is large enough to warrant taking it home to quilt on the B-line rather than struggling with it here on my machine, pushing and shoving it around.

After that was done, I finished off two pillowcases for donation to a friend who knows a little girl who is going through some health issues and wants pillowcases to take to the hospital ward where she is undergoing treatment.  

I also spent time on my knees, layering my 9 patch that I finished earlier this year, getting it ready to quilt.  And since that was a boring job, I saw a picture that inspired me to copy and create.  This is the first step, any guesses as to what this will be?

Quilt of Valour

I have been busy and actually finished another quilt top (flimsy) for Quilts of Valour.  Last summer I cut up a lot of my red and Canadiana fabrics into 2½" strips and this is the result of playing with them. 

And one more project now in progress... what will this be?  I am making my most favourite 'go to' pattern out of a bunch of fat quarters with a wine theme.  Any guesses?