WiP Wednesday: the one with Volume

Here is a true story. Four days ago I had given up on getting this quilt top done. If you are even a bit of a regular here, you will know that I have been struggling with this project since March! March People!

But on Saturday at the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild Sew In, after seven hours of sewing on another project, I went home, had some dinner, unpacked my Sewing Circle Tote and hit the machine again, until Midnight. I was officially on a mission.

More sewing on Sunday, Monday night and last night and this top is done! And I am completely smitten. When you have something you really like on your design wall do you sneak into the room for peeks? I do. A lot. I will probably peek in again tonight before I go to bed. Just to make sure it is still there. And still fabulous.

So of course, this baby is still not done, but after all of these seams, quilting and binding seem like icing on the cake.        

The good news is, is that this was my A Lovely Year of Finishes Goal for August. I cannot believe that I did it! Of course my goal for September will be to finish it all!

Going off to link up with A Lovely Year of  Finishes and WiP Wednesday, because it's Wednesday!
Adrienne

TLP August Winner!

Holy Hannah I forgot to draw for this month's TLP Winner! I have all kinds of excuses like in-law visits and summer colds, but crap sorry folks! Let's get right to it shall we?

The winner of a $25 Gift Card from

is... Jeanette from Stamp Stitch Create!

Thanks for continuing to play along folks! And to those of you with summer colds. I feel you. I feel you.
Adrienne

Sew Canadian

Mad About Patchwork has been hosting a fabulous series this summer showcasing sewing spaces of Canadian Quilters / Bloggers.

This week I am on the roster. So welcome to my sewing space!

Pam asked us some specific questions about our sewing space - which you can head on over to read, but I am all about pictures here.

I have been in this space for a year now and I am smitten with it. Two big windows means lots of natural light and I have the whole room to myself which is even better!

Cutting, sewing and apparently computing all happen on this sturdy table. I usually pull the ironing board right over so I just swivel in my chair as I am working. Height of laziness. I am not ashamed

 

 

My stash lives here - Ikea bookcase and containers! I sort by color. And I asked myself why have I not ever made a rainbow quilt before, it is all laid out for me already! Oh and that is my Oliso Iron. My newish baby. LOVE LOVE LOVE

 

Larger cuts, batting and fabric scraps live in this great dresser I rescued from a yard sale, the old singer on top was also a yard sale find which my generous quilting friend (and all over perfect friend really) let me have even though she saw it first!

I have a wee closet that is great storage for WiPs, movies, batting etc etc. Movies you ask? I never sew without a movie on. Or maybe some TV series binge watching.

Another Ikea gem is this "kitchen" cart. This is one of my favorite things. It hold all of my notions right where I need them and can follow me around on wheels. Basting supplies live on the bottom, middle holds EPP and odds and sods and on top everything else that I use all the time.  LOVE

And of course no tour is complete without the design wall. I had never had one before I moved into this space and it was the first thing that I did. I duct taped panels of foam insulation together, covered them with batting and nailed them to the wall. Awesome. I have some batting droop at the bottom that is mainly because my cat Penny attacked it one day. Sigh.

So that's it. A quick tour of my sewing space. I love this room. It truly is my happy place. Whether I am actually quilting or just fussing around organizing fabric, I am in heaven.

What is your sewing space like? Are you in love, do you long for more? I would love to hear about it. And don't forget to drop in at Mad About Patchwork to check out some more amazing creative spaces!
Adrienne

The Library Project QAL: August Report

I swear I feel fall coming. These last few night the temperatures have that little bite. And I have to tell you, I am ok with it. I love the fall! Meanwhile, while seasons motor on, The Library Project does to! I have made a personal goal to finish the Volume Quilt top this month. As the teens arrive I fear I might have bitten off more than I can chew. But I am still hopeful!

I did throw what I have done so far up on the design wall, and it has renewed my resolve for this project. It is going to be awesome!

So how are you doing this month? Still hitting the books and keeping up with your Library Projects. Tell me all about it and you could win! A...

 

$25 Gift Card from

Woo Hoo Shopping! So link up below and tell me all about your progress. The Link will be open until next Friday and I will let Mr. Random Number Generator Guy pick a winner.

Happy Last days of summer. Make them count!
Adrienne

An InLinkz Link-up

All Right Already. I'm Doing It!

Man, I don't know why you have to keep nagging me! Adrienne just quit your whining and make the Volume Quilt your August Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes! You and I know that this is the only way it will get done.

When you're right, you're right.

 

I have no idea why I have hjad such a mental block about working on this project. I still love it, I want it, I have a decent start on it. And yet, I do anything but! Does this ever happen to you?

Either way, I think I need a push of a solid goal to get this baby done.

Now mind you I don't have time to quilt and bind etc. But I know I could finish the top.

So finishing the Volume top is my Goal for August.
Rock On People
Rock On

Throwback Thursday

Are you one of those folks positing high school pics on Facebook for Throwback Thursday? I'm not, who needs to see that! However, last week when I was at camp I found myself folding up my very first quilt and thought, now this is a throwback!

I really don't know when the quilting bug bit me, it was just something always there. My mom and sisters are all sewers, but no quilters (that I know of) are in my family. I just wanted to make one. So I took myself to a class and the rest as they say is history. This quilt is the result of that class and perhaps is why I still have a love for HSTs!

The label on the back (I think actually made for me by Jenn from A Quarter Inch from the Edge) tells me that I was a tender 21 year old when I stitched this baby, and we have been using it ever since. It has been on every camping trip I can remember and has been a staple at our family camp forever!

It has some lovely wear happening now. I think it just adds to it's charm...

Yup - that is polyester batting in there...yikes! But you know what, that thing is light, warm and fluffy all at the same time, so I should not be ashamed:) The other funny fact about this quilt, the teacher never mentioned a thing called a rotary cutter. Every pieces was either "ripped' or cut with scissors. Not that this is a bad thing, but man am I glad I found Olfa!

This was Charlie's very first trip to camp and somehow he ended up on this quilt after an exhausting trip to the beach. This quilt seems to welcome everyone!

It's fun to look back at what we have made. For me, my choices and tastes have evolved over time. While I know that the colors in this quilt are likely never something I would chose again, I think I would still make the stars, but perhaps no sashing. Would that make this quilt Modern? Who knows. All I know is that I liked it then, that's why I made it, and I continue to create that way  now. If I like it, I make it!

Do you ever look back at your first quilt? Think about how you got there and where you are now? I would love to hear about it!

I am going to head over and link up at Needle & Thread Thursday. I love to see what folks are working on.

Happy Throwback Thursday!
Adrienne

Charming Lush Uptown

I have been having a great sew-y week! I tackled this pile of Lush Uptown

and made a Charm Pack Cherry Quilt (from Fat Quarter Shop) top.

I really like this pattern. A modern twist on a traditional nine-patch, it is simple to pull together. I ended up making twice the blocks called for in the recipe so that I could have a bigger top.

I took this project to camp with me this week. My dreams of a Feather Weight continue as I lug machine et al to locations other than my sewing room. I used a little child labour to help count out the squares (nephews are good to have around).

I added Kona Seafoam to the prints. I am not sure I am completely sold on the color, I feel like I want something with more punch, but it does give the whole top a soft earthy feel which is also good. Maybe I will get wild with the back or the binding...

You may notice that this top is not all quite together, and that's because I have decided to QYAG, so I will attached blocks and rows as I go. This baby is just a little too big for an all over quilt job.

Getting this top done was my July Goal for ALYOF - Yay Me! and since I will continue to work on it this week, it gets WiP Wednesday action too at Freshly Pieced and Needle & Thread Network!

What are you working on this week? Tell me all the gory details!
Thanks for stopping in
Adrienne