Sunday 25 January 2015

Grow Your Blog

N.B. The give away in this post is now closed. 
Thanks to all that have participated. 


Hello everyone,



Welcome to my humble little blog. I am so excited to participate in the "Grow Your Blog" hosted by Vicki from Two Bags Full. Thank you so much Vicki.


My name is Chantal.  I am a French Canadian girl, married and mother of three. I work full time for the government, in the Ministry of Education.  I started to blog almost a year ago and, like most blogger, I had to reading many, many wonderful blogs before diving in. No regrets yet :)

I have been painting and crafting all my life. Out of necessity, I learned how to sew to make clothes for my boys. What to do with the remnants? Quilts! My mother, grandmother, and foster mother (an excellent seamstress) and foster grandmother were all quilters. When all these talented women were alive, I was a teenager and believe it or not, was not interested in learning. Boy, do I regret that arrogance of mine. So, I learned on my own.

My style is piecing and some hand sewing. I love traditional pattern but admire modern too. After ten years in quilt making, I still call myself a debutante. I don't push myself too much but now that I have a support group via this blog, things might change in 2015. I am slowly learning about Civil War quilts and fabric and I foresee some of those in a very near future.

Here's a sample of the quilts I have made.


I love 9 patch block in all its variations. 


This is an on going project made with 1 1/4 inch hexagons. I call it the Quilt of the Century because I think it will take me that long to finish it lol. 

Blooming Stars finished in 2014.

Inspired by an antique quilt spotted in a blog.

This is where I hand quilt the tops I make.

This is what I am working on presently and what I am sewing with. A new (to me) Singer Model 237 from the 50's. I also have a Janome 423S that I use, almost, daily.

These are the ones I would like to work with :)  They need a little bit of repair and a good cleaning before I can take them for a "ride".

 

I hope you have enjoy this little post and that you will be back often. As a little token of my appreciation for your visit, I will have my very first giveaway. YEAH!!  In order to win a fat quarter, all you have to do is to leave me a comment.  I will announce the winner on February 15th.

Until next time .... ssssSSMiLE .... it looks good on you!

and good luck to everyone.

;^)





67 comments:

Val's Quilting Studio said...

Hi Chantal! I'm stopping my from the GYB event and am glad I did! I'm your newest GFC follower and look forward to visiting your blog and getting to know you! I hope ya stop by! Val from myplvl.blogspot.com

Paula Lemos said...

I just started following your blog on Bloglovin' and GFC. Thank you for the giveaway!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com

Angie in SoCal said...

Hi, Chantal - great to see you here. I participated last year and had loadsof fun. You will, too.
Thanks for the chance!

glassbylindi.blogspot.com said...

So great to meet you! Love your work. I am having fun and getting so much inspiration. Am looking forward to see what you will be doing. L

Shauna said...

Hi Chantal, I'm one of Vicki's helpers checking all the links for the Grow Your Blog hop. Love your work!!!! Have a great day.

Debbie said...

Hi Chantal, So nice to meet you via the GYB party. Your quilts are lovely!

CecileD said...

Et bien....deux posts en deux jours !! Wow !! C'est génial !!
Je suis ravie de te connaitre un peu plus à travers ce challenge que tu as raison de faire !
Le grand quilt en étoile est absolument magnifique !
Bravo et bon dimanche car ça doit être le matin chez toi ! ;)

Ali said...

Beautiful quilts! Ali x

Unknown said...

Visiting from Grow Your Blog party, section 1. Beautiful quits, such detail.

Unknown said...

stopped by from GYB section 17.
Your quilts are amazing, and i admire anyone who is dedicated enough to work on those hexi quilts. love it!

Shirley said...

Hi Chantal, I am stopping by from GYB Party and I am glad I did. Your quilting has brought back memories of quilting with my mother and my husband's aunt who both hand quilted. The old no offense intended Singer machines is what I learned to sew on at home. Most quilting now is done by machine, I am guilty of that because I had mine done that way. My passion is hand embroidery. Your quilts are beautiful. Have fun blog hopping. Shirley@shirleystitches

Kath said...

I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about you. I love your quilts, particularly The Blooming stars quilt.

Sheila said...

Nice to meet you , your quilts are just lovely and I'd like to get to know you a bit better so will be back again . I am visitng via grow your blog :-)

barbara woods said...

love your quilts, i am a quilter from Ga, following you now! Came over from Vicki's

Christine B said...

Hello Chantal! What beautiful quilts! I love those sewing machines too! I am here from the GYB. You visited my blog too... thank you! Can't wait to see more of your quilts so I'm adding you to my blog list! Hope you have lots of visitors and fun! :) x

Cozy Expressions said...

Hi Chantal! I so envy anyone that quilts, it requires a special gift of patience! Blog hopping with “Grow Your Blog”. Its so great to meet you. Wishing you the best!!

Diane E W said...

Visiting from Grow your blog. I will be following from now on. Nice work.

Sarah Goer Quilts said...

Visiting from Grow Your Blog. I love your quilts, especially that first one. There's so much to look at in all the different blocks. The overall giant star pattern is great!

Shelly said...

Brave one! Look at all those hexies, Oh my...And I love your blooming stars quilt, Blue is my favorite color.....Great to see you here at the party! Would love to join and follow you.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

You have a wonderful blog. Your quilts are out of this world. My grandmother used to hand stitch her quilts, including quilting the tops. I don't ever remember her using her machine to sew them. I love those old sewing machines you showed. I have my grandmother's which is a New Home. Loved everything I saw here.

Loved the visit, since this is my first time at GYB. http://alteredbooklover.blogspot.com/2015/01/grow-your-blog-blog-hop-event.html

Dasha said...

Some wonderful quilts there Chantal, and I love the quilt frame (and the quilt on it). Is that a Singer 99k I spy there in amongst your lovely antiques? I have one of those which I don't use regularly because it is knee operated, and I find I don't manage it well. I know, I know, I should practice!

Sarah said...

Hello Chantal, I am happy to find your blog. I really like your quilt style! sarah@forrussia.org

Fiona said...

great to read a bit more about you.... I love your quilts....
Hugz

Skootchover said...

Visiting from Grow Your Blog. Your quilts are beautiful. I have my great grandmother's Singer. She needs a new belt and the wood refinished. I haven't been brave enough to pull her out and test. Maybe some day.

PaintedThread said...

Beautiful quilts! I especially like the big 9-patch quilt of 9-patch blocks. Neat!

Joyce Carter said...

It has been fun visiting you and seeing what you do. You have made some beautiful quilts. Thank you for sharing them and thank you so much for your giveaway.

Anonymous said...

Very nice to meet you! Love your quilts :D
I'm following you on Bloglovin now

Sue Kosec said...

WOW - what beautiful quilting. Be proud because these are special.

I've become a Follower right here ... and hoping you'll do the same when you get to SuZeQ Creations.

Thanks!
SuZeQ

Cheri the Quilting Nanny said...

Wow... I'd love to have one of those old sewing machines! They have such character and personality! What a treasure to have!
Cheri
fabricandmemories(at)yahoo(dot)com

Heather said...

Hi Chantal! I have enjoyed visiting your blog and I, too, have has a beautiful treadle for almost 20 years that I'd love to take for a spin...right after it gets a little tune- up!

Sandy Panagos said...

I enjoyed reading through some of your older posts. You do beautiful work!

SuperMomNoCape said...

I loved seeing the photos of your Singer sewing machines. I have always sewn on a Singer but I fell in love with pre-60s ones after I purchased my Singer 15-91. She is just a joy to sew with. Your quilts are all lovely. My favorite of them is Blooming Stars.

SUGAR MOON said...

Enjoyed your blog. I love to piece and quilt. Your blooming star quilt is beautiful! I am following and will be back to visit.

Kathy L said...

Love your quilts! Would like to visit Canada some day.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

Good morning! Even though I've been following your blog for a while now, it was awesome to see some of your quilts that I'd never seen before ... I especially love the star nine patch quilt. Wow! It's fabulous!

Lin said...

Great post Chantal. xx

Judy Cooper Textile Artist said...

Great quilts.
Visiting from St. John's, NL, Canada via Grow Your Blog. I'm also having my first giveaway!

Barb said...

was fun to see so many of your quilts

MartiDIY said...

I love your quilts, especially the first one. Your comment about scraps from clothing made me smile because I still come across scraps from clothing I made for my children many years ago.

Joyce Clark Frank said...

Your quilts are wonderful, so pretty. There is nothing like a handmade quilt.
became a follower. Would love to win the fat quarter.
joycefrank@sbcglobal.net
http://joycesloveoflife.blogspot.com

africanaussie said...

wow I have quilt envy! I had many years sewing on a hand crank singer sewing machine. I like the electric now thank you!

Magpie's Mumblings said...

oooh - I'm so jealous of those wonderful old sewing machines! I would love to collect them but live in an apartment and there's no room (unless I kick my husband out...lol). Thank you for inviting us to visit!

Carol D. said...

Visiting you from GYB. Enjoyed seeing all your quilts. I quilt too and just started a small quilt with EPP hexies. I needed a portable project. Also I read your post about the rocking footstool and think I need to make one. Sounds great for the legs. New follower.

Jen said...

Came from GYB but stayed because I wanted to see more! Lovely quilts! I quilt but I've only been at it for a little more than a year. It's great to see fellow quilters!

Bquiltin said...

Hello dear Canadian friend... new found you are! Will follow... GYB 2015. Keep quiltin!

Addicted2Fabric said...

Hello from OZ, love those old machines, GYB

Laura Quaglia (Fun With This and That) said...

Your quilt are so nice. Have a great grow your blog
LAURA

Dawn said...

I love the first quilt. I am following you via Bloglovin (dawn743).

Rina Mason said...

Glad I foumd your blog thru the Grow Your Blog Hop. Now following on Bloglovin.

Zenia Rene said...

Hi Chantal. Visiting from GYB! You've quite the collection of machines! I admire your patience w/those tiny hexies and your Quilt of the Century!

Kim said...

Oh my...you have stitched many quilts filled with gorgeousness! Just a gal visiting from way down at the bottom of the world.... am so happy that I found your lovely blog!

nicolesender said...

Greetings from the Pacific Northwest! I love your on going project made with 1 1/4 inch hexagons! It is outstanding!

Renee said...

Your quilts are amazing! I am really good at wonky corners, so I truly admire your piecing.

I look forward to seeing more of your work!

Gill said...

lovely to meet you Chantal - I'm visiting from England
Your quilts are fabulous - I especially like your Blooming Stars

Chantal said...

Hi Chantal
Your quilts are lovely! Of course, I love the hexagon quilt!

Marly said...

Hello Chantal. Beautiful quilts and I admire your patience with the quilt of the century Slow and steady wins the race though, and you will get it finished, and it will be a beauty. Great projects.

Anonymous said...

Lovely quilts! Hello from Brisbane! via GYB.
www.addicted2fabric.wordpress.com

Terry said...

Hi Chantal, enjoyed your blog and your quilts. Look forward to getting to know you, I'm a new follower

Frances Lilly Designs said...

Hello Chantal, I love all of your quilts especially the hexagon quilt. Can't wait to see it finished.

tktl said...

Lovely quilts!

alexis @ cobcottagecraft.com

Terry said...

Hi Chantal!

I come visiting by way of Vicki's Grow Your Blog party. Your quilts are stunning! I tried quilting but discovered that it required too much precision for my liking. I am a knitter and felter. I look forward to seeing more of your quilts.

Terry

Maria said...

Lovely to meet you Chantal. Love the photos if your quilts...absolutely gorgeous! I especially I ally love your 'Quilt of the Century' as I'm sort of obsessed with hexagons! Lol

Sheryl said...

Hi Chantal, pleased to meet you via the GYB party. You do beautiful work, your quilts are impressive.

afistfuloflemons said...

Gorgeous work! I'm amazed you manage to find the time to create such beauties. Thank you for being part of the blog hop!
- afistfuloflemons @ gmail.

Charlene S said...

Beautiful quilts!

AppleApricot Wen said...

Hello Chantal, I very much enjoyed reading your stories. You're funny :) AND you make beautiful quilts! I especially love the Blooming Stars, so gorgeous! And oh my, these old sewing machines... yummy! Thank you so much for your sweet comment on my blog. Wishing you a beautiful day ~ Wendy of Apple and Apricot blogsvanwendy@live.nl

LittleHouseontheDairy said...

Came by for a quick visit from the blog hop. Your quilts are gorgeous and aren't vintage singers the best. I learned to sew and quilt a few years ago on a Singer 301 and it really is a fabulous work horse of a machine!