Change of Plans

I've been at it until it was done. I am so pleased with it. 

The original plan was to add some appliques on the border. I find the border pretty "naked" at the moment.

The mitered corners are almost perfect. Only one is off-centered. For a first try, I think this is excellent.

 

I had cut the fabric 7.5 inches, thinking I will have enough to add a diamond unit at intervals on the border. I didn't know the hexies were to eat 2 inches of that border.

A replica of the diamond will never fit "nicely" on this narrow border. So ideas for plan B are churning. 

Photo 1 for top and bottom

Photo 2 for top and bottom

Photo 3 appliques on the sides 

Photo 4

Photo 5

Which idea would you go for? Or if there other treatments you think of, please let me know.  There's always the possibility to quilt the border so that it makes its own design. Thinking ...  

 

Personally: 

For those of you who don't follow me on Facebook, I had a very fun week. NOT! I started my vacation on Monday, August 31. During the weekend before that, I was suffering from stabbing pain in my head and I could barely touch my skin, it was that painful. Saw the doctor on Monday who said I might be suffering from "Giant Cell Arteritis". It's an infection in the cell tissues of the arteries. So, got a prescription, order a blood test, and a biopsy. The next day, went for the blood test. Back home, DH said the hospital called for the biopsy. It is scheduled for tomorrow. I'm like "wow this is going so fast. It must be really bad". The next day, (Wednesday) at the hospital, told the doctor I only been taking the pills for two days. (The pill did work instantly on the searing pain, btw.) She didn't seem concerned and proceeded with the double biopsy. Yes, one on each side of the head. She removed about an inch for the artery above the temple. Needless to say, I have a different kind of headache now. Lol. 

The swelling is coming down real nice. Still waiting for the result of this test. So, sewing hasn't been on my mind lately. 

How about we finish this post on a happy note? Care for some reds? 

A dear friend gave me a big bag of scraps right before my vacation. Perfect timing. There were also magazines in the bag and I spotted this quilt. 

Dreaming in Dutch. If I could I would start that one right now. Instead, I tried to work on a crumb block. 

Here's my humble beginning with the colour red. 

Have a great long weekend everyone. 

;^)

Joining 

Angela at So Scrappy

Frédérique for Patchwork and Quilts

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching

Progress in the Heat

It was very hot in my neck of the wood. We've reached 31C with 46% humidex this week. The perfect recipe to stay inside and sew. 

And sew I have. I've finished all the 13 missing stars for the flannel quilt. I forgot to take a picture before mixing them with the others so here's one of the last three. 

I immediately started working on the square blocks and only 14 left to do from 42. 

I won't bore you with lots of crumb block pictures, but here's the last batch I sewed.

Why didn't I finish all the square blocks? They will be strategically planned to fit in a specific spot to harmonize the colours. To bring a splash of yellow where there isn't enough, etc. The blocks in the above picture, still have a lot of shuffling to do I'm afraid. 

I've discovered something that might end up to be my doom. I found a website where I can watch, for free, all the seasons of Project Runway. I so love that show and we don't always get it up here. Yesterday, I watch the entire first season! I'm so doomed. 

Today, they are calling for high humidity again (49% with a high of 29C). It's like walking through a bowl of hot soup. Instant sweat weather. Yuck! So I am stuck inside. Who will win? The sewing machine or the net? 

Take care everyone. 

Happy Independance Day to all my American friends. Enjoy! 

;^)

Joining

Angela at SoScrappy

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts

Happy Canada Day

to my fellow Canadian friends! 

It is a gloriously beautiful morning here. Unfortunately, it is too muggy to be outside for my taste. Maybe it will get better through out the day. 

On Sunday, I made a big batch of spaghetti sauce; Monday, I cooked lots of chicken strips on the bar-b-q; yesterday, I cooked 24 hamburger patties. Today, since there's enough food in here for the boys to survive for one day, (hahaha!) I have the day off to sew. :^D

To sew some more crumb block stars. 

(Took the picture this morning in the shade as the sun was washing out all the colours.)  Only 13 missing. The marathon is on! 

Enjoy your day, no matter where you are! 

;^)

Giving Lots of Attention ...

... to my rotary cutter. 

Not a lot of sewing but Hippy Ya Hey! I'm having fun playing with fabric. Mostly flannel. In every colours I have. 

What am I going to do with all these freshly harvested pieces? 

(This is a nice image of whom I call my Super Seam Ripper btw.)

For one, I need to finish this crumb block quilt. 

I did a few more crumb blocks, 

all the while, I had a nagging feeling that the crumb part was done. Sure enough! I found the crumb blocks, chilling on the shelf, waving at me while I search every drawers!  Well, I now have too many blocks done. Care to guest what will be part of the backing? 

That's what I love about making quilts. It's like homemade cookies. It never goes to waste. 

I needed a break from all this cutting and looked at blogs. I visited Marly's Quilts page. She has a new project and Oh! My! Gallbladder is full! This is an easy and quick quilt to make with my flannel. 

Armed with a new blade in my rotary cutter, I took off, head first, into the jungle of flannel and  ...

... it's fun!!! This corona-coaster is really doing a number on me because cutting is my least favourite thing about quilt making. 

You wouldn't say that seeing this, now would you? The plastic bag on the right is full of little pieces for more crumb blocks for a one-day-I-will-make kind of project. 

Of course, it didn't just disappeared. It is piling up somewhere else but it's in neat piles. I'm so happy! 

Lots of bigger pieces, big enough to be folded. Some long pieces that are wide enough to become a scrappy binding so I am leaving them like that. 

Then, there's this. I am only catching up with the bigger pieces as I forgot to cut those sizes at the beginning. If I were to put the 2.5 X 4.5 pieces in one pile it would be over 4.5" high.  Maybe I'm cutting for two quilts? Haha! 

I took another break from cutting and got these done. 

Split 9-Patch for placemats. Only half of one placemat is made. Not even assembled. At that speed, we might have new placemats for Christmas. 

This is what Marly made me do, lol. (kidding) Don't expect too many like this one as all these pieces were given to me. I don't buy pink flannel for good reasons. The layout will have to be different from what Scrap Snap shows. Something will come to me eventually. Right now, I'm enjoying the fact that the flannel is being used. 

Have a great one. 

;^)

Joining 

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun than Housework

Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts 

Judy at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Christmas Party and Show N Tell

Le Club Artisanat had their Christmas party on Tuesday, Dec 3. It was a lot of fun and a little sad since we lost three members this year. (Some of the ladies are well into their 80's and they still participate. I'll be happy to be half that smart at their age.)

Cue in the pictures.

 Lots of people came this year. We were 74 members present. We have almost 100 members all together.

The show and tell tables. 

We also take in gifts for children in needs and items for the food bank too. These people are so generous.

This is our funny Julie. During the "meeting" part of the evening, she had the responsibility to talk about the origin of the "Christmas Tree". She decided to dress up for the occasion.

She took her responsibility very seriously. But the things she said; we were all in stitches. 

Finally came the time for the show and tell. This is Lise, our treasurer, who doesn't like the camera, so she was showing the items very rapidly in the hope that I wouldn't take a picture. Got to love a girl like that.  (Note the giant star or snowflake behind her. You will see it again in other pictures.)

 This afghan was knitted and I thought it was just magnificent. WOW!

Then came Sylvie's quilt. She is a master at quilting.

Look at this red block. In the plaid, the red lines are all lined up to meet with the red line from the next piece. Isn't that something? She is just awesome! She quilted it on her long arm.

Three little knitted gnomes. The red one kind of fell over a little bit (a little bit too much beer.) I thought they were so cute.

Again, here's Lise trying to avoid the camera once more. She is showing bags but they are hard to see with all the gifts behind. Yep, we all get a gift. Every one present gets a present. 

The next few pictures are tops. Lots of time we bring in the top as it is less heavy for our two "Vanna White".

 This one was huge!

There were quite a few quilts made from this design in different colorways.

The next two are quilted. 

This is a weaved afghan. It was so incredibly soft.

Another weaved afghan. 

Someone knitted this cradle with a blanket and the baby had a pajamas too. So cute.

I tried really hard to take a good picture of this one as it had real lights in it. Unfortunately there was always someone in front of it so ... I snapped a picture anyway. Sorry, Françoise. I'm chopping your head off.

Now that wonderful star or snowflake you saw on the wall mesmerized me all evening long. Then I found out it is my good friend Lucie, sitting right next to me, who had made it. So I asked her pointers for making one for me and voilà ... 

... got my very own star made out of plastic cloth hangers. White tie-wrap are holding it together. It measures 36 inches across. It took 10 minutes to whip this together and I asked DH to get a set of lights to add to it. It will be giving to my In-laws sometime this week. DH will hang in up outside their house for them.




We will now return to our regular programming ... on another post.



Cheers! \_/

;^)