A finished quilt! Alert the press!!

I went to a quilt retreat last weekend organized by a wonderful retreat hostess. It was her first time hosting a retreat at a hotel and it turned out to be a great venue! We had shared accommodations and the sewing was set up in a conference room. The lighting was excellent and everyone had their own six-foot table. There were lots of design walls so it was like an evolving quilt show as new projects were laid out and shared!

One of our goodies was this really cool threader from https://snagmagic.com/. It allows you to quickly bury your loose threads in your quilt. It makes this task so quick and easy! (Not affiliated, just like this product!) https://www.facebook.com/Snagmagic/ 

There were 32 retreaters from all over the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley and I was thrilled to get reacquainted with a number of ladies from a guild I used to belong to. Small world! 

It was a lot of fun and there was so much creativity and inspiration! The best part was, I sat beside my friend, Deb. She encouraged and coaxed me to persevere and finish the quilting on this quilt . She might have complimented me on my whining, too! Ha! 

I quilted it with an overall meander loopy pattern. Done is better than perfect!

And it’s done! And I am sooo happy! Now that it is finished, I really like it! I finished hand stitching the binding when I got home and finally got a chance to get pictures outside (well, for my husband to take pictures!). And what better way to spend Family Day than going for a walk with two of the grands!

All ready to gift! After three years, my only concern is this little girl may have a sibling by now! 😊 This quilt is number 2 on my Q1 2019 Finish-A-Long list! 

I also made progress on these two sets of blocks on my and got them sewn to the flimsy stage! Yay!

I had a little helper to hold the quilt with me today. So fun! Her little brother was sleepy and just chilled (literally) in the stroller. 

Happy quilting!

~ Kat

Linking up with: 

Sew Fresh Quilts - Let's Bee Social

Busy Hands - Finished or Not Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict | Can I get a Whoop Whoop?
Free Motion by the River - Linky Tuesday

Cherry Pit Heating Bags

I made six cherry pit bags for our upcoming quilt show boutique! These are number 4 on my Q1 2019 Finish-A-Long list. My goal was to make 4! Woot!

Why use cherry pits you ask? 

Cherry pit bags can be used hot or cold. The pits have a centre (seed) inside the hard shell that has moisture and natural oil. The centre heats up and the shell holds the heat, providing a moist penetrating heat to soothe aches and pains. And, the bags can be washed by hand or on the gentle cycle in your washing machine. You can’t do that with a rice bag!

I bought 3 boxes of cherry pits back in 2012 (here's one of the bags here). I have made and gifted lots of bags, and they have been really appreciated by everyone who's received them. I used this tutorial by V and CO.. These six bags have finally used up the last of my supply of cherry pits. Unfortunately, the farm/website I bought them from no longer appears to be in business.

I haven’t yet found another supplier in BC yet, but I'll keep searching. Cherry pits seem to be much more available in the US, and although they’re not cheap, the benefits are so worth the extra cost.

This is our little Bella! Have you ever seen a kitty resting their head on a table, and falling asleep? 

Happy Quilting!

~ Kat

Secret Santa Present

I can't believe it's almost February?! How has the time flown by so fast?!

One of my colleagues is taking art classes, learning how to paint and draw. She has shared her paintings and drawings with me, and I just love how passionate and enthusiastic she is about it. I mentioned how much I liked a painting she did of a sunflower, and she gave it to me. I have it hanging in my office at work. I love it!

We have a Secret Santa exchange in our office each year, and I was lucky enough to pick her name! I was so excited as I knew exactly what I wanted to make for her! A bag to carry her art projects and supplies and I had just the right fabric for the bag lining in my stash. Her sister also works at our organization, so I asked what her sister's favourite colour was. Purple/Amethyst. Yes!

I wanted to make the bag extra special, so I searched online for a quilt block pattern featuring a paint brush and found this pattern designed by Soma Acharya of ShopWhimsAndFancies on Etsy. Could it be any more perfect?!

I used the Newport Tote pattern by Lazy Girl Designs. I have probably made this bag three or four times before, but I've never actually made one for myself. Hmm, I will have to rectify that one day!

Of course, I couldn't resist buying this print featuring tubes of oil paint when I saw it! Ha!

The bag turned out fabulous, and she just loved it!

~Happy Quilting!

Kat

Linking up with: 

Sew Fresh Quilts - Let's Bee Social

Busy Hands - Finished or Not Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict | Can I get a Whoop Whoop?
Free Motion by the River - Linky Tuesday

My First Finish for the Q1 FAL 2019!

Yay, my first project to check off my list! Key fob wristlets for our quilt show boutique! 

These are #9 on my Q1 2019 Finish-A-Long List!

I was planning to make 6, but I ended up making 17! And I only had one blooper where I messed up the hardware. I’d say that’s pretty good! 

I also started organizing my sewing room and I hung up all the quilt tops that need to be finished. Bella thought these would be great fun to lie underneath and start shredding and kicking. Um, no, little one! 

Linking up with: 

Quilting is More Fun than Housework! Oh Scrap!

Sew Fresh Quilts - Let's Bee Social

Busy Hands - Finished or Not Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict | Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

RSC 19 January Red Scraps - Week 3

Happy Saturday!

It’s been a busy week at work, and I’ve had bootcamp, running and yoga three nights this week, but I have managed to squeeze in a bit of fabric play!

I was able salvage part of the block I cut into last week. I took the block apart, and added the whole section to a new web section. All is not lost!

I have an idea percolating for the spiderwebs, and I am thinking a rainbow string border might be fun. So I pieced some string blocks. We’ll see. 

I cut some of the bigger scraps into useable block sizes using Bonnie K Hunter’s Scrap Users Systems. I don’t want to make them into orphan blocks, so it’s better to add them to my organized sizes. I’ll use them eventually!

My red scraps are really shrinking! I’m excited at the progress! 

Here’s an outtake! Furbabe helpers! Haha!

Linking up to Scraphappy Saturday at Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap! on Sunday.

RSC 19 January Red Scraps - Week 2

I’ve been sneaking in some sewing time here and there, and I’ve made some progress on the red scraps this week.

I’ve made almost 3 1/2 more spiderweb block centres.

I say almost, because this blooper $#@&$ happened! How could I have missed that I had two blocks together when I was squaring up the edges. Seriously, WTF!

I also made a string diamond for a telephone book challenge my friend and I started a few years ago. I’m afraid neither of us got very far before life and “squirrel” distractions got the better of us.

I’m really happy so far with the the progress I’m making, but I’m afraid the scraps are breeding overnight, because they never end, haha!

Linking up to Scraphappy Saturday at Rainbow Scrap Challenge and Oh Scrap! on Sunday.

Q1 2019 Finish-A-Long List

First Quarter Goals to Finish

I have so many UFOs, I don’t even know where to begin! This is my first time participating in a Finish-A-Long, so I hope I can figure it out and that it will help me stay focused and motivated to complete some of these projects! Realistically, I know there is no way I will get anywhere near finished, but it will be fun to see what I can get done!

Since we have a quilt show coming up in April, my number one goal is to finish at least one quilt for the show and to make some items for the boutique. It would be a huge accomplishment if I could manage to finish two quilts!

Here goes!

1. Coffee Quilt

This quilt was started at a guild workshop taught by 2012, I think, eek! The top is finished, but it’s been soooo long since I’ve looked at it that I don’t know if it needs another border added Or not. Once I figure that out, I'll need to piece the backing and get this bad boy to the long-armer (scheduled for the end of January!!). This one’s too big for me to tackle and I want to put it in the quilt show in April.

2. Baby Bento Box

This is also my OMG for January. Posted here.

This baby quilt has been half-quilted for-ever! I think my colleague’s granddaughter is turning three very soon, or maybe she’s turning four?! I need to finish this ASAP!

3. Crabapple Scrappy Quilt

From Bonnie K. Hunter’s book “Adventures with Leaders and Enders”. (I misplaced the book and so I had to ask my friend for the setting triangle measurements so I can figure out how to finish this one!)

4. Heart Pillows for Cardiac Patients

One of our guild members is coordinating a community project to sew heart pillows for a local hospital. These pillows are given to heart patients after surgery as a keepsake and the pillow is also used to help in their recovery. (Goal is 10 pillows)

5. Baby Girl Quilt and 6. Baby Boy Quilt

The blocks are all pieced. They need to be sewn together, sandwiched, quilted and bound (for two coworkers). The furry culprits who messed up my layout are nowhere to be found!

7. Apron - make another apron like this one. It turned out so cute, I want to make another one.

Using these fabrics:

And for the quilt show boutique:

8. Reversible children’s apron (goal is 2) - Using this tutorial by Leila Gardunia on Moda Bake Shop

9. Key fobs (goal is 6) - I have the supplies, I just forgot to take took a picture.

10. Wool Felted Soaps (goal is 12) 

You can see a finished sample on the top of the wool pile above. I just need to wait for the soap to go on sale.

11. Credit/gift card wallets (goal is 6)

I can only show you this very well worn version I still use and made about a zillion years ago at our LQS. They offered free sewing demos to try out their sewing machines and this was a Make and Take. I’ve made a lot since, but given them all away. I want to try them with some cork fabric!

12. Cherry pit heating bags (goal is 4)

I made some of these for a previous show and they sold really well. (And to answer your question, no we did not eat all the cherries and spit the pits! Ha! I ordered these from a cherry farm from the sunny Okanagan, BC. I use this tutorial by Martha Stewart.

13. Bunny treat bags (goal is 6)

I'll be trying this tutorial and using some of these yummy fabrics!

14. Carrot treat bags (goal is 6)

I'll be trying this tutorial and some of these fabrics, I think!

15. Clothesline bowl or trivets (goal is 1 to 3)

Linking up with the 2019 Quarter 1 Finish along at Sew of Course.

#2019FALQ1sewofcourse

Happy quilting!

~Kat