Jungle Joy

Don't you just love Fall?

I have been working like a busy beaver this past week and now have 'Jungle Joy' quilted.

All that is needed is to put the label on, bind it then give it a quick wash.

This was a fun and quick project and I am very pleased with the results.

I did simple geometric quilting on this quilt. 

Lovin' the way the triangles turned out.

For the backing I used a piece of flannel that I had left over from my nephews quilt.

It was just the perfect size.

I wasn't blogging back when I made my nephews quilt so can't show you right now.

Perhaps one of these days I should I post on my former quilting life before blogging.

I love this piece of flannel!

And one last view.

Enjoy your weekend and all that it will bring!

I'm linking up with AmandaJean at Crazy Mom Quilts.

If you haven't checked out her blog, you should do yourself a favour and do so.

Shauna

Finally a Friday Finish

It's nice to be able to report a quilting finish . . .

It is very colourful and bold but 'happy'.

I chose to do a scrappy binding - kind of ties everything together.

The size is:  87" x 99"

Pattern is from Quilts and more - Spring 2009 edition.

This is the biggest quilt that I have done from start to finish.

Linking up with Finish Up Fridays with Crazy Mom Quilts.

Hope you all have a great weekend!  I know I will with both of my grown children home,

two weddings and three days off work.

Shauna

Sweet Dreams

Feels so good to have a finish to show this week.

Sweet Dream quilt top finished and I'm lovin' it!

I originally blogged about it in this post.

It's for a friend at work.  This is her first baby and so very excited to share in her joy!

 It was very quick and easy to put together and I'm very happy with it.

I've decided not to put a border on it (a first for me) and had it confirmed by a couple of my blogging friends.

Started quilting this quilt and still not 100% sure how I'm going to quilt it 

nor how it's going to turn out.

I need to get it done by the August long weekend and have a week of holidays coming up so . . . .

I know what I'll be doing.

 I do love the bright colours in this quilt . . . it's happy and that is just what I named it - "Happy".

 I'll leave you now with a quote I read recently.

In our daily lives, we must see that it not happiness that makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy.  

- Albert Clarke

What are you grateful for this weekend?

I'm linking up with AmandaJean at Crazy Mom Quilts.  I'm very appreciative that she allows us to link up our finishes on Fridays. 

Shauna

Finished

 Start to finish this quilt took me three weeks.

I have enjoyed the journey of making this quilt. . . 99% of the fabrics were from my stash.

I bought the light pink thread to quilt it but other than that a very economical quilt for me to make.

I even got it done in time that I could snap a couple of pictures outside.  I'm very pleased with the look of this quilt.

What I love about this quilt . . .

  . . . the scrappy binding.  I have decided that I really like the look of this and have done it on a couple of my quilts.  The fabric that I used was remnants from what was left after I cut out the material for the blocks.  Most of the material with exception of the polka dot was Beach House by Robin Pandolph.  It was very nice fabric to work with and has a really nice feel to it.

I also splurged and bought some nice thread to quilt it with and used the same thread to hand quilt the binding on.  It is Mettler silk-finish - loved working with it for the hand stitching.  

It didn't ravel nor get all matted.  

Will definitely use it again!

The size is 68" by 54" - just a nice size.

Now to get this in the mail to a very special aunt of mine and I pray that it reaches her in time.  

She is suffering from cancer and this will be sent with much "love, hugs & prayers."

I'm linking up with AmanadaJean from Crazy Mom Quilts.  Check out her blog, she just finished the most beautiful Bohemian Garden Quilt.  I just love the colours!

Have a beautiful weekend!!

Shauna

Quilting Retreat

Wow!  

What a weekend!

There is so much to blog about this past weekend.

I had a fantastic time at the quilting retreat that I went to with a really good friend of mine, Wendy.

I drove down to her place and we loaded up her vehicle with all of our quilting tools, fabric, machine and of course the most important thing . . . . snacks.

Wendy made ham and egg cups for breakfast on Friday morning with a fruit tray and english muffins... mmmm... good!

Wendy reads my blog so I couldn't show you my bag that I made for her birthday. 

We hadn't seen each other since her birthday in February.

We stayed at a lovely lodge called Mountain View Inn.  

The name is very appropriate!

Just look at the beautiful views!!

As a group we made Neonatal quilts for one of the hospitals in Calgary. 

It was so interesting to see all of the variety that was made.

Wendy taught us a new block (buggy barn star) so we used that to make our 'little' quilts 

that are only 17 x 25 inches big.

Using the block, it makes two and then we added borders to make it the right size.

When I was putting this post together, I realized that I didn't have a picture of the finished with the borders.  Our small quilting group created 25 of these quilts.

This group of ladies have been meeting for a few years now and they have been doing a block of the month.  Again, it was very interesting to see the variety of colours.

I'm excited to join in if they do more blocks.

Aren't they all so beautiful?!

I also worked on a quilt and am happy to report that I finished the top.

It's very soft and has the most beautiful pinks and light aqua colours.

 It's so wonderful to look up and see all the wonderful quilts on display.

All of the ladies there are very talented and I felt honoured to be a part of the group.

 The lodge lends itself well to displaying all of the quilts.

Just look at the variety and colours.  

Can you see mine?? (top left picture - right hand corner)

We did a fat quarter exchange - well it was in the form of a game and one could steal . . . 

but was lots of fun. 

As with any quilting retreat, you sometimes get to sneak away and go to a quilt shop or two.  We went to the one in Cardston and I ran into two good quilting friends of mine (Marge and Dorothy) . . . unbelievable!  So good to see them . . . they are creating some really beautiful and fun projects.

Being down in Cardston area, you are close to the mountains and with mountains in spring time, you sometimes get snow.  Well this weekend was no exception . . . we got 11 inches of snow.

Looking forward to my week, hope you are too!

Shauna

Having Fun . . .

 . . . with paper piecing

Been wanting to try it for a while and this week was the week.

Have had my eye on this tutorial and pattern from Fresh Lemon Quilts

It was very clear and best of all I was able to do it!!

Love, love, love the colors!

Bought this material a while ago while I was in Victoria, BC at Satin Moon quilt shop.

I can only find writing on one of the fabrics which is called 'Feel the Difference' by Art Gallery Fabrics.  I bought them in a FQ bundle so would imagine they are all from the same designer.

I wasn't sure that I wanted to make a whole quilt but merely wanted to try my hand at this so I decided to make it into a 16"x 16" pillow. 

Another feat for me - I made an envelope back for it.  

I know, it's not all that difficult but another first.

I used this tutorial online from Cluck Cluck Sew to put the pillow together.

I often wonder what people used to do when they didn't have the internet - it sure is handy.

A peek at the back.

Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Shauna

Hidden Stars Quilt

I finished the top for the Hidden Stars quilt . . .

at least I think I have.

I am considering putting a white border on it and scalloping the edges.

I think it would work on this quilt but still not sure.

I'm loving the softness of this quilt . . . kind of has that scandinavian, clean and fresh look.

Just perfect for spring / summer!

It has a nice range of blues with a lovely sprinkle of yellow and a dash of green.

 

Couldn't resist a picture with one of my favourite pictures that I have hanging.

It's been a wonderful weekend sewing, visiting friends, spending time with family listening to music and best of all celebrating the resurrection of my Lord.

Hope you all have enjoyed your weekend also!

Shauna

'S' is for Spring . . .

Last week we had a huge dump of snow and it's been a little cold too

but today . . . . .

is absolutely beautiful 

The sun is shining, the snow is melting, the mountains look gorgeous 

and the birds are singing.

Can it get much better than that for a Saturday off??!!

My front door has been looking a little bare since the Christmas decorations came down.

I decided that I needed something 'springy' to hang on the door so went down to the local craft store to see what inspiration I could come up with.

I came home with a large 'S' and painted it a nice 'springy' green colour.

Then added the daisies at the bottom and a lovely bow.

Here it is hanging on the door.

Here's hoping that Spring is really around the corner and not just teasing us today!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend and all it brings!

Shauna

Cuteness Personified!

My sister's birthday just past and I made a little bag to house the mug that I purchased for her.

I think this bag is the cutest thing ever . . . 

The colours are so delicate and remind me of spring!

As you can see it was just the right size for the box and as an added bonus I added the butterfly plate.  She loves butterflies as they have great meaning for her.

 

One last peek from above.

Hope you all are having a great evening!  As I speak it snowing again - oh I am ready for spring to come.

Shauna

Bagged . . .

. . . in more ways than one!

I've been sick for the last couple of days so I feel like I am literally 'bagged'.  

Only working two days this week but it feels longer than it should 

. . . looking forward to the weekend for sure.

Since this is a quilting blog, there is another reason why I am 'bagged'.

 I have caught the bug and have been in love with making bags . . . just last week I made this fabric basket.

My latest is based on the friendship bag by Rachel at ps i quilt.  I found a bigger version of it somewhere in blog land.  I'm sorry, I should have taken note where I found the bigger dimensions but didn't so am unable to give credit where credit is due.

But . . . .

 I think this the cutest bag ever!  

I just did a very simple zig zag stitch for my quilting.

Every hand work project should have it's own hand made bag, right?!

This one now holds my hexies so that I can carry them with me to have 

handy to work on where ever I happen to be.

 Linking up with Finish it Up Fridays.

Enjoy your evening!

Shauna

First Finish of 2013

I am determined to finish up some of the quilts and projects that I have had sitting around for a while.  2013 is the year to finish what I have started.

I affectionately call this quilt the 'Ugly Quilt'.  Poor thing!!

I ended up with these fat quarters that I purchased on line and when I got them I was not enamored with the colours and pondered what to do with them.  They are very different than what I would normally pick.  I'm a soft and delicate or bold colour person.

I think I found the pattern for this quilt in a magazine, not even sure now, it's been so long since I have had it on the go.

I spent a fair amount of time quilting it thinking what a waste of time on a quilt that I had determined was 'ugly', however, the more time I spent with it, it began to grow on me.  I even sat with it today around my shoulders and you know what, I kind of like it now.

I chose to stitch in the ditch around the lighter pieces and then do geometric shape in the darker, bigger squares.

The backing and binding is an oatmeal colour called Quaker Cloth from Walmart.

All said and done, it's not a bad little quilt.

The size is 59 x 49.  Just big enough to cuddle up with and take an afternoon nap.

I guess I should rename it, but for now, it shall remain, 'The Ugly Quilt'.

Update:  One friend suggested I call this quilt 'Quaint' and another friend says that it reminds her of the wind and sea eroded buildings on the maritime shoreline.  I can totally see that so yes, it is growing on me.

I'm linking up with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts.  I sure appreciate that she hosts our finishes

Shauna