Swapping Pincushions

Last week at the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild meeting we swapped pincushions.

This was really fun, albeit a little nerve wracking to make something for someone else. Especially another quilter! We had a whole Pinterest Board up for inspiration and yet, I wanted to just do my own thing. Something simple, but a nice big pincushion.

 

So I picked some fabric and raided my Selvage Jar. It was going to be simple, but I wanted to give someone some of my prized selvages. Why are they so hard to actually use?!

I was quite happy with how it turned out. It was a nice substantial size and weight. I filled it with crushed walnut shells. And before you are, because everyone does, I found them at a pet store.

I think Sandra was pleased with her pick. Purely by chance I picked the one she made. Look how cute!

 

I am having hands down the best fun with this guild. Besides pincushions, we are starting to work on our Guild Banner with some donated fabric from Robert Kauffman AND we are starting to plan for our very first Quilt Show, which will be on display at the 2014 Fibre Arts Festival this October in Amherst, Nova Scotia. Our Display will be at Festival Headquarters in Town hall! Can You believe it! We are on the Program and everything!

 

Photo Credit Linda Smith-  Scrapmaster

One last photo of Penny helping with my pincushion photo shoot. Now I must go do something guild-ee. You can do so much when you are inspired.

Adrienne

WiP Wednesday: the one with no binding

I should be working. Not fun at the sewing machine kind of working, but day job working. But I so want to show what I have been working on this week. Soooo, here I am :)

I have been working on my Michael Miller Challenge project for the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild. Look Ma I made a curve! It's a wall-hanging, improv style. There is a lot going on in this baby and as I was finishing off the top I was stumped about how what to bind it with. A solid may distract the eye, a print, this thing does not need more prints. I really didn't want a binding at all.

I have been using the book Quilt Improv by Luci Summers for this quilt so I hit the book to see what  Luci did for binding, and low and behold no bindings there either! Following her advice I made a quilt sandwich like this...

Sandwich your finished quilt top with a piece of batting. Trim batting to the size of the top.

Lay the top and batting right sides together with the backing fabric

Sew all around the batting leaving a 5" to 6" opening. Trim off any excess backing and the corners

Turn the pocket right side out and press all around the edges to get a neat seam

Hand stitch the turn-through hole closed and quilt at will!

Now, the whole issue of quilting did not escape me. If there is no binding, where do my quilt lines stop and end without a whole lot of work on things like burying stitches and the like? Simple solution, I didn't end my lines. I did this

Yup, I think this works.

I am almost done this top, so I will reveal all very soon. But this whole, no binding thing, very good deal. Mind you I don't think I would do it for a quilt that would get a lot of use, but really, for everything else, Heck yeah!

So this was fun! I love talking about something new that I have tried. But now, I must get back to the day job. Have you tried anything new lately?

Linking Up with Lee at Freshly Pieced, because I can :)
Adrienne

P.S. those quilting lines are not meant to be straight. I call this organic straight lines. You heard me. Organic.

And the Goals Go On...

It's June and I have a crap load of things on my to do list

So many things in fact that I am in serious need of some prioritizing. Pretty easy to decide mind you, you gotta do the commissioned jobs first right! So June is going to be about three projects, a baby quilt, a pillow and a fabric challenge.

First, the Baby quilt. A friends' friend has had a new baby boy and as we were choosing a pattern the clear winner was this lovely piece by Crafty Blossom.

She even wants the same colors, so I have collected the Konas and have been busy making HSTs. It is a good activity for work trips. Mind you I had to take the Oliso, hotel irons suck! Or maybe I just could not be parted from my new toy. Either way... there was a lot of this going on

Next up, a Canadian Flag Pillow. After a few Union Jack Pillows a friend has asked for a Canadian Flag Pillow for his daughter. I am going to use this pattern by Cheryl Arkison.

And last, but not least, I need to get cracking on my Michael Miller Challenge project, which is also on my Library Project List. I have fabrics in hand and Improv Quilt Selected, it's time to cut and stitch!

So, just a few goals, but for A Lovely Year of Finishes, I only have to formally declare one. So I pick the pillow! I know, I know, the "smallest thing" but the reality is they all need to be done by the end of the month and it will be nice to have a Canadian flag done for Canada Day!

Off I go to link up.

What are your goals for June? Do you have a giant scary list like me or are you way smarter and have one or two things on the go? Spill it.
Adrienne

Straight Baby: A Finish

Ready for this...wait for it...I made this quilt with no pattern! Ta Da!

Ok, Ok, quit your sniggling. Seems simple, but for those of us who would never think of putting strips of fabric together without a detailed diagram, this is big news! So funny, huge pats on the back for myself for strips, but I just love this quilt. It feels so geometric, straight and yet the colors soften it all.

I even did some fun details. A patch of color in the binding and the quilting was ombre out from the top.

I love the simplicity of this quilt. At the time, it was exactly what I needed. I hope that peaceful feeling goes to it's new wee owner. AND look at the krinkly goodness that just came out of the wash...

Yummy. Good news, this little baby business is my May Goal for a Lovely Year of Finishes! Look at me! So gonna link up over there, and gonna hook up with TGIFF!

Hoping you get in some sewing time this weekend!
Adrienne

Feeling Grateful

It's been seven months since I put the call out to my community to see if anyone would be interested in being part of a Modern Quilt Guild. There are now seventeen amazing women who make up the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild.

We are meeting twice a month for sharing, learning and sewing! I am feeling so grateful to have a group of folks who think like me! Who love to make things and are powered in their life by fabric, thread and the whir of their machines.

Yesterday was our May Sew In. We had three new members sewing in, a brand new member drop in to sign up, and we got to meet one of our original members (who lives a few hours from the city) for the first time! It was an amazing day.

But what really touched me yesterday... this

Linda, of Scrapmaster fame, made this Pillow to thank me for starting the Guild. Look at this amazing creation. She made with with scraps from a Sew In we held at her house and she pebbled it like crazy! My favourite. And how about my initial quilted in the middle! So cool.

I am not a religious, or even a spiritual person, but I am feeling blessed to be meeting and getting to know such amazing people.

So with a spring in my step, I am off for a week of travel around the Province for work. But in my suitcase I have some HSTs for pressing and trimming and some super warm feelings about this great quilty weekend.

How do you connect with quilty folks in your community? I would love to hear about it.

Adrienne

TLP May Winner!

Quick post for a prize announcement...The winner of The Library Project May Linky Party is....

 

Linda from Scrapmaster!

 

Congratulations Linda. You get to pick a book from my Library.

Stand Back I'm Doing It

I am entering the Blogger's Quilt Festival!

I love this festival! Amy from Amy's Creative Side does an amazing job coordinating the festival, showcasing the art of the on line quilting community. I have entered before, but it is always a bit nerve wracking. There are so many talented quilters out there, it can be a tad scary to put your skills out there to compare. But what have I got to lose? I say nothing! AND I love this quilt.

From City Quilts, this pattern is called City Tracks. But I call my finished bit Summer Tracks a.k.a. The Slasher. Making this quilt took a lot out of me. Mostly the tip of my finger that got in the line of fire of the rotary cutter during the creation of this beauty.

Three month's later, my finger is definitely on the mend (even typing with it right now) and this quilt is keeping me happy company in my sewing studio.

So, there it is, I am entering The Slasher into the Modern category. If you haven't already, hop on over and check out all of the entries. But get out the bib, because there will be drooling!

Press on the Button to go to the Festival!

Thanks for dropping in!
Adrienne