English Paper Piecing

English Paper Piecing, EPP to most. Hand sewing. Basically, everything that has scared and intimidated me since I began quilting. I used to think, “Oh, I could never! Who would have the patience for that kind of nonsense?” Well, as it turns out, I do.

I have always loved the look of hexies, and can remember a Smitten quilt hanging in one of my favorite shops in Calgary. I loved the details, the itsy bitsy stitches, and how beautifully it came together. It was the last thing on my list of “I should try…”. Until it wasn’t. I picked up the pattern and clear plastic templates shortly before leaving Calgary, because where the heck would I find those in the Maritimes? Good call, because I still haven’t found any here.

So, for over a year, they sit on a shelf in the sewing room, until an Instagram post of someone’s Smitten quilt catches my eye and a little voice in my head yells, “Go for it!”. So, I go for it. Hubby and I were taking the kids camping, so I wouldn’t be able to take a machine anyway. What perfect timing. He takes credit mercilessly. 🙂

It turns out, hand sewing, and EPP in particular, are incredibly relaxing and calming for the mind. Which, when you suffer from PPD and PTSD like I do, is a Godsend.

It’s perfectly blissful work, and I’m loving getting to cut up some of my favorites in my stash. I have every reason to believe that this will be an absolutely hideous quilt to the eye, as the mix of patterns, prints, and colours are going to be an assault on the senses. But I’m not letting that get to me. I started in May, and figure I’m about 85% of the way with my blocks. And since I’m putting so much time into this quilt, I may as well go big or go home and am planning to quilt it by hand as well. Yes, I know. Right? I swore I would never. Could never. But I’m going to. And I’m going to use the most obnoxious boldly coloured threads I can find.

Here are some pics of my progress so far. Your retinas have been warned. 🙂

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Patchwork Swoon, Done.

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As part of #swoonalong2017, I finished the top for this Patchwork Swoon quilt relatively quickly, but didn’t get it quilted and bound for ages. It’s finally done. I backed it with some fuzzy flannel as requested by Little #2. Little #3 quickly stole it to use in a fort, but once she’s gone to bed, 2 has said she’s stealing it back because it’s ‘so cozy’.

The pattern is a variation of @ThimbleBlossoms  http://thimbleblossoms.bigcartel.com/product/patchwork-swoon-pattern-200-paper-pattern original Swoon quilt, and comes together beautifully. It’s perfect for jelly rolls, and since I had found a long lost Scrumptious jelly roll hiding in the shelves at my LQS, the timing was just right.

Swoon, one is finished. :)

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Swoon patterns, Bonnie and Camille fabrics, the two go hand in hand like that perfectly sweet couple who have been in love since they first set eyes on each other. Over the last couple of years, the original Swoon pattern has been tweaked by Camille Rosekelley to include a mini pattern, a patch work pattern, and a Swoon 16 pattern. FYI, they’re all gorgeous and look so beautiful using any of the fabrics from the countless B&C fabric lines.

My love for Instagram is no secret (hello inspiration) and the #swoonalong was the push I needed to complete not one,( well, okay, I’ve only actually completed one so far) but two of the Swoon patterns. I managed to finish the original (that I started last year -whoops) and get the top done of the Patchwork version. Love them. They come together in such a beautiful way, and if  you haven’t done one, I highly recommend it. They are a classic.

 

I Heart You Mini – A Free Pattern

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Instagram strikes again. Cluck Cluck Sew is a great, and I mean GREAT sewing blog. (You can find it here ( https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiOxKayjf7RAhWm3oMKHVDGBl0QFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcluckclucksew.com%2F&usg=AFQjCNE88-dPIIJdjJY9Ql3RGvXN70mJEg&sig2=wPMlDBLnCoPJFn-89Ca2lg )   There’s a plethora of information, tips, patterns, knowledge, and encouragement. Best of all, inspiration. I’ve used a version of this free heart pattern and made my heart quilt. The hearts are really cute, and come together quickly. That’s a must for this busy mama.

Here is a link to the pattern ( http://cluckclucksew.com/2016/01/i-heart-you-free-mini-quilt-pattern.html ). For my fabrics, I stuck pretty close to the norm and used a few Bonnie and Camille pieces I had. I quilted it with simple straight lines and left a heart shape in the upper right hand corner in-quilted as I have seen done with this. It’s cute, easy, and adds a fun simple element. Plus, my helper enjoyed tracing a fridge magnet to get the shape and then using my Fons & Porter 1/4 inch rulers to draw on the straight lines for me.

To see lots of different versions of this super cute mini, search out #iheartyoumini on Instagram. 🙂

Patchwork Swoon, Part 1

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It’s no secret that I adore Instagram. Endless inspiration comes from every angle there. As it turns out, so does a swift kick to the arse to get me sewing. There are several sew alongs that I would love to participate in. What’s a sew along? On Instagram, it’s where who ever would like to, commits to completing a project and updating their progress with  photos using the same hashtag as others who are committed to the same sew along.

One of the ones I joined this year is #swoonalong . Swoon is a quilt pattern designed by Camille Rosekelley of Bonnie & Camille. Currently, there are four versions of the pattern. The original, mini, 16, and patchwork. I had started an original Swoon last year, but only ever finished three blocks. The blocks are big, and at the time I was sewing on my dining room table and packing it up each time we had a meal was getting frustrating. Eventually, it was placed in a bin for ‘later’. The #swoonalong was great for getting me back at it. It is so helpful and inspiring to scroll through all the gorgeous blocks, colour combinations, and works of everyone taking part. Kind of like how Show and Tell at a guild meeting puts you in the mood to sew, so can a sew along.

When I signed up, I had no intention of doing a Patchwork version, but after seeing all the photos of how beautiful they turn out, and having a jelly roll of Scrumptious on hand, I started and was finished the top in just a few days.

Here’s some photos of the process.

 

That’s a Wrap.

Christmas and quilts. I love ’em both. I am lucky enough to be an aunt to the most amazing nieces and nephews a gal could hope for. My goal is to gift each of them a quilt over the next 2 or 3 years. I managed to get one done this year, and hope that with this goal in mind early, I can do 2 or 3 more for next year.

This year’s is another Missouri Star Quilt Company pattern, called All Wrapped Up, which I found in an issue of their Block magazine (which I highly recommend as each issue is packed full of great patterns). I used some Christmas-y fat quarter bundles I had picked up from various places over the past year, and some solids for sashing I had stocked up on in Calgary before leaving.

This quilt comes together quickly, and works really well for showcasing the fabrics we all fall in love with. I kept the actual quilting pretty simple, thanks to a tight time frame, but it works. In total, I have three All Wrapped Up quilt tops made, one completed and gifted, and two for my own little family that I’ll finish and keep for two of my own girls.

Tula Pink Cloudy Days – Part 2

It’s done! It’s done! Tula Pink’s bold designs came bursting onto my radar about a year ago when a lovely in my guild was selling some fat quarter bundles of one of her lines. I stopped and stared at the bold, colourful, completely out of my norm colors and patterns, and then realized I needed them.

Cloudy Days pattern is my second quilt using one of Tula’s collections, but my first time using a pattern of hers. I found myself somewhat limited with this one, being that I only had fat quarters and one print of yardage to work with. I quickly found out that the largest of the raindrops is not fq friendly, so I just made more of the small and medium ones.

It’s taken forever for me to get this one basted and quilted thanks to so many other projects catching my eye, and very limited time to work on quilting thanks to four happy healthy kids. That’s one reason I never balk at not having enough time. Those girls are my world, and I’m so happy that the two oldest, who are big enough to sew now, seem to enjoy spending time in the sewing room as much as I do.

Thanks to that limited time, I did no quilting in the grey borders/sashing etc. I simply did continuous inside tracings of the raindrops using my BSR and free motion quilting. Still not comfortable with my FMQ, but they say it takes practice, so we’ll go with that.

Little Ruby, and Courtyard Tiles

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The name Ruby is one of my favorites. But, that isn’t surprising to me because one of my favorite people ever was named Ruby. My Grandmother. So, when Bonnie & Camille released the Little Ruby collection, naturally I was drawn to it. The colors and patterns go so well together.

I held on to this fat quarter bundle for a long time, for me anyways, waiting for just the right pattern. When I saw Courtyard Tiles, I knew it was the one. This pattern cuts quickly, pieces quickly, and looks very much like curved piecing, something I haven’t attempted since the Meadow quilt.  http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.ca/2014/10/courtyard-tiles-pattern-is-finished.html

I’m pleased with how well this one has come together so far, and how the pattern leaves very usable scraps. Lots of 2.5 inch strips remain, and I will probably use those for a scrappy border. I’ve even held onto a baggie of teeny tiny triangle scraps thinking I may attempt my first mini quilt. I guess I just can’t bear the thought of wasting any of Ruby. ❤

Tula Pink Cloudy Days – Part 1

If you’re familiar with Tula Pink fabric, you know how gorgeous it is. If you’re not familiar with it, you should take a look. Her prints are rich, bright, and bold. My first dive into her lines was the result of a great deal from a member of my guild, and that left me  hooked. Her fabrics are so beautiful, and were so far out of my comfort zone, but now, I find myself pulled to each line she releases.

I also picked up a copy of one of her books (Quilts From the House of Tula Pinkhttp://www.tulapink.com/quilts-from-the-house-of-tula-pink/ )  , and tried one of the patterns in it – Cloudy Days. I buy my fabric mostly in fat quarters, and while I loved this quilt, the large size rain drops were not fat quarter friendly. I had a bit of yardage from one of the prints in her line, Chipper, and did manage to squeeze out one large, but the remainder were a mix of medium and small drops. I still love it. Not sure how I’m going to quilt this one, but I think I’ll give free motion quilting another shot on it.

Heart Quilt

I recently discovered a stash of Scrumptious in a local quilt shop. I’m talking a serious stash. Layer cake, jelly roll, and several charm packs. I picked up the layer cake, not quite sure if I would use it, or even keep it. But, it didn’t take long to see why the attraction to this Bonnie and Camille collection is so wide spread. It’s gorgeous.

The heart pattern is one widely available for free, and I used the one provided by Cluck-Cluck-Sew. It’s a fast and easy pattern, great for beginners, and my two oldest kids loved making their own. Not sure what they’re going to turn their hearts into, maybe pillows or pot holders, but I turned mine into this.