On My Quilty Way...

Remember these blocks back here? Well, they've been altered slightly and are presently being used to make the gift pictured here... These photos have been altered slightly as well. I'm showing them in black and white 'cause I'm trying to be discrete. Until I give the gift to the recipient family, I won't be showing it in all its colourful glory. So patient you must be.

I'm free-motion quilting (FMQ) the quilt. I created one design. Started quilting it. Hated it. Unpicked it. Let me state firmly. I do not like unpicking. However, I'm trying to deal with irksome predicaments such as unpicking with a little more calm and restraint than I normally would. I'm trying to remember that I don't have control over a lot of situations, only how I respond to them. So, yes, it took me two hours to unpick the two squares I'd FMQ-ed. And yes, I had to re-design the quilting pattern. But the good news is version 2 of the quilting pattern is much better! So, you know what? It's all good, right?

Also, I sometimes worry that Betty, my old White sewing machine, won't be able to handle the job of quilting, but there too I needn't get my knickers in a twist. She is up to the task. Take a gander at what she's done so far...

Not too shab for the old girl, eh?

♥M

Shadow of Doubt

I don't like to talk about this much. But here's the lonely truth. Whenever I make anything, it never fails, there's always a moment in the process when I'm overcome with feelings of doubt about the whole thing. Does it look right? Did I mess it up? Am I making a mistake? Why don't I love it? Should I just scrap the whole thing?

If you've stopped by here within the last week, you probably know that making this quilt left me questioning my decisions at least once. That orange sashing... I don't know... I was SO wobbly about it. And to be truthful, the struggle didn't start with the sashing. This quilt top has been a struggle from the get-go (way back here), and continued to be a struggle to the end.

When I started it, I told myself I wanted to make a quilt top that was beautifully different. I made it as part of a free class so I knew that many people were going to be making a similar one. I decided I was going to push the colour envelope to ensure that my quilt was unique. However, sticking to my weird colour scheme came at a price. All year long as I made my monthly blocks, every time I added a new one to the pile, I was uncertain about the mix of colours, I was uncertain about whether the blocks would complement one another, I was uncertain about whether I could even use them in the same quilt. Month after month I disliked the mix. All that colour!... It wasn't until I had completed the 20th - and last - block that it came together for me. Creating the matrix of blocks (the first photo in this post) was what turned me around. I love that matrix. In that picture, I see the cohesive beauty of these quilt blocks. That matrix makes me glad I stuck to my odd little colour scheme.

And now, since our discussion and since I've attached the purple sashing, I feel better about the whole quilt top. My fears over colour have pretty much evaporated. I have YOU to thank for that.

But all of this uncertainty? It leaves me feeling weary. I wish I was confident for once. Because the truth is, I'm not. I wish I could get through one project without feeling like I don't know what I'm doing. Or should I just accept that if I'm hell bent on taking creative risks (even small colourful ones), then uncertainty will necessarily follow? Is that the key to getting beyond the shadow of this obstinately persistent doubt?

♥M

Previous posts about this quilt here, here, here, here, here, here, here.

I'm Sorry. I Should Have Listened To You.

And I thought: "Well... it matches some of those oranges so well... Maybe I'll just give it a go." And then before I knew it, I'd created this exquisitely hateful Halloween quilt! And I mean no disrespect to Halloween quilts. It's just that I never wanted this to be a Halloween quilt!!!

So I apologize to you. I apologize to you a LOT. You overwhelmingly chose purple. And I didn't listen.

So I will unpick THE WHOLE THING. I will consider having A SHOWER. I will get into something that's NOT made of FLANNEL. I will go out into the world amongst ACTUAL PEOPLE and find some PURPLE fabric. I will PURCHASE said fabric. Then, I will COME back. And I will START AGAIN.

STUPID Halloween quilt.

♥M

It's a Colour Crisis!

Alrighty... so here are all the blocks for the Craftsy Block-of-The-Month 2012. Yep that's the lot of them. Finally. Crazy how long it took me to finish them all. But hey, it's all good. Better late than never, as they say.

Given that they are a titch colourful, I'm in dire need of some expert help... Before I can go on, I need to figure out what what what colour I should use for the sashing. And, just in case you're not familiar with the term "sashing", it is that grid that the blocks sit inside. See what I mean?

It could go so many ways... The possibilities I'm toying with are:

Perfectly PURPLE:

A nice light GRAY:

Your basic BROWN:

Screamin' YELLer:

WHITE/GREY mix:

YELLOW/GREY mix:

And just plain WHITE:

What do you think? Ideas, thoughts, suggestions, comments? Let me have it. I'm all ears over here!

♥M

Previous posts about this quilt: here, here, here, here, here.

At Long Last, More Craftsy Blocks

Tacha Bruecher's Hexa Go-Go book giveaway is still going on HERE! Enter if you dare...

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Alrighty. Where was I?

Oh yeah. Behold! More of my Craftsy Blocks of The Month for June and July. Remember these? These are the blocks I've been knocking off bit by bit since January? I kinda got sidetracked with other stuff and fell behind on this monthly task. I still have August and September to catch up on. Hrm.

You know, at first I thought this vibrant colour scheme would be really fun, but now I'm not so sure. I'm committed to it now though, so I intend to finish up the year but I'm very very very very (times 2) skeptical about this quilt and how it will turn out... Sigh... I wish I could just believe...

On the bright side, I have found a new love! The Dresden. I adore adore adore both wheel and plate versions of this block, and promise to dedicate some serious playtime to it someday.

Have you ever tried making a Dresden plate? If not, I highly recommend trying a scrappy one. SO VERY PRETTY (and about 100 times better than the pictures too)!

♥M

Previous Block-of-The-Month blocks: January, February, March, April and May.

Woman at Work - Hexagon Quilt in Progress

Wouldn't this make a great scarf?... I'll get right on that...

See that?

I took a bloggy break. Actually, I took a complete, out-and-out, computer-free, internet-free, blog-free, totally unplanned, completely out-of-the-blue, yet immensely satisfying VACAY-SHUN.

Huh... I think I needed it. I feel refreshed. It's nice to be back here.

My hands have remained busy however. I continue with the hexagon quilt. Everyday, I add to it. I've been working on it for 49 days straight for a total of 750 hexies. 49 consecutive days!!! That's a tiny miracle.

The above photo shows only a third of what I've pieced together so far... WHAT?! You didn't think I'd reveal the whole thing did ya?? Nuh-uh. No way Jose. I ain't showing you the whole thing until I have the whole thing to show you... I'm sorry. But bits and pieces is all you're getting until then... I know. I'm a very mean and cruel person.

And you? How've you been? Did I miss anything good?

♥M

Previous posts on this quilt:  here and here.

Other hexagon projects: here.
While I was away, I was featured in IspirAzioni Magazine! 

Flimsy On Fence

Quilt flimsy, that is.

Are you familiar with the term "flimsy"? This is another bit of quilt knowledge that I've picked up only recently. A flimsy is the as-yet unsandwiched, unquilted, yet completed quilt top. It's a cool term; I like it. But I've come to refer to this stage of quilt-making as the "stained-glass" phase. On a sunny day, I like to run the flimsy outside and let the sun shine through. I always relish seeing my work in this new light. The colours so bright. The seams like leaded framework holding it all together. Though perhaps not worthy of a church window, it still inspires a little bit of awe, don't you think?

Happy weekend!

♥M

Quilt Block Piecing Trick For Matching Seams

I LEARNED SOMETHING!!!

I'm shouting, aren't I?

Sorry 'bout that.

Let me start again... a little more calmly this time perhaps...

Ahem.

I have learned something.

Yesterday, or was it the day before... hm... I can't really remember  now. The day before seems most likely though... Anyway.  I learned how to line up seams while piecing my quilt blocks!!! YAY YIPPEE!!! YAHOOOEY!!

Sorry. Sorry. Yes I know. I cannot contain my excitement! But here's why. I have been piecing quilts on and off for a FEW YEARS, but it is only NOW that I managed to make my seams match. It's incredible! Also a little disconcerting that it took me so long... See, I had learned about nesting the seams and pinning and such before, but the day before yesterday the stars aligned, the heavens opened up and, I UNDERSTOOD. As I was sewing together this quilt (the completed quilt is HERE by the way), I finally figured out the trick. Now, there are likely millions out there who know this trick already. If you're one of them, you may click away and come back when I'm sharing something worthy of your time.

If you're just learning (as I seem to be), you can stay. Are you ready?

THE TRICK IS:

Line up the seams and then pin directly through the seams or as closely as possible to them.

It "seams" logical doesn't it? Of course it does. Why do you think it took me so long to figure it out? Here's a little schematic I put together. Hopefully it makes some kind of sense...

As it turns out, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Correct your history books and cite this day as proof.

♥M

Work-In-Progress: Baby Boy Quilt

What have I've been up to the last few days?... Designing, choosing fabrics, cutting, marking, pinning, and sewing together a quilt for a boy babe.

It's coming along... slow and steady. I'm enjoying the quiet process.

♥M

All Caught Up!

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been doing the homework for the free Craftsy Block of The Month course and I'm happy to report that I'm back on track, all caught up, and ready for show and tell! Above are the April Blocks, my new favourites. We first practiced our new English paper-piecing skills on the Hexi Stripe Block and were then challenged by our teacher to design our very own block using hexagons. Michele's Block is what I came up with. I enjoyed playing with the hexies immensely and highly recommend you give them a whirl if you haven't already. But fair warning: you may fall under their six-sided spell. After that, resistance is pretty much futile...

For May's assignment, we experimented with two varieties of log cabin blocks: a Modern and a Wonky. Both were a breeze to make and came together lickety-split.

Sigh... I'm still in hexagon mode however. I just want to keep making those colourful little hexies. I'm smitten, I tell you. I think only of my hex-quisite little hexies. Is anyone else afflicted with the hexie disease?

More BOM blocks here: January, February and March.

Have a great weekend (and happy Mother's Day to all you lovely moms)!

♥M

Catching Up On Craftsy BOMs

This here post should have been done back in March. Only, I didn't get around to making the blocks until a few days ago... I guess I've been busy or something? Who knows... Anyway, they late but they done. Yip yip.

Out of all the blocks in the free Craftsy BOM (Block of The Month) Course, these March foundation-pieced blocks are my favourite so far. I think it's because there's an element of magic and surprise to them. You never quite know how they'll turn out until the very end. And the result is just so fun. I can imagine whole scrappy quilts done in both these blocks.

My only two issues were: 1) lining up the Broken Spider Web Block in the end. I will have to unpick my final seam and give it a second go 'round, darn thing. And I'm not fond of unpicking. No sir. And 2) the Broken Spider Web makes A LOT of waste. I'm wondering if there's another (and equally simple) way of doing it? Take cover, I may have to put on my thinking cap for that one...

But, yay, I made a start on April's offerings which involve English paper-pieced hexagons. When I first saw that we were doing hexagons, I sighed heavily... I was under the impression that I'd find them tedious and difficult. But oh Boysie, was I wrong! In fact, I may well have found a new love... The little hexies are so cute and they're actually quite simple to make and put together. Not to mention that they are perfect for using scraps. I mean really, you silly Michele, what's NOT to like?

I'll post the April blocks soon I hope. Wish me well...

Oh and FIY, my completed January and February blocks are here and here, respectively. And FIY2, Catherine made a stunning string block quilt HERE and Mona completed a broken spider web quilt HERE. Aren't they beauties?

Have a lovely lovely day!

♥M

Table Quilt Top Together

I am under the impression that the block I used to make this quilt top is called the "siggy block". However, I assumed that if it was a siggy block, then there would be signatures in it... And there are no signatures in these blocks... None. So are they still siggies? I do not know.

I used an old thrift shop 100 % cotton bed sheet as my base fabric. It gives the top a very soft texture. However, once I had pieced the siggy blocks (?) and put them all together, I had a tough time liking it. It was so bright white and lacked warmth. Soooo, I tea-stained the centre and then added the grey and soft pink borders! It is so much softer and warmer looking now. And I like it, thank goodness. I now have to figure out what I'm going to do for the backing. But that is for another day... Have a lovely one!

In the Making: Red, Pink and White Quilt

I started working on a new table quilt! This quilt has been in my head for eons so I'm glad to finally (finally!) be getting it made... This will be another scrappy hand-quilted quilt (my favorite) using no new fabric. I am using ONLY stuff from my stash, darn it!

The table quilt's colour choice is inspired by the lovely red and cream quilt my sister Ariane is working on. As well as red, my quilt will incorporate some pinks and purples too. For some reason, I've decided that red and pink is my favourite colour combination this season. It seems like red and pink figure into EVERYTHING I am making! It just keeps happening... I must like it or something.

Quilt Finish: So Early in the Morning

The big reveal... This baby sat unfinished in the closet for many moons before I got around to quilting the poor thing... Finally, I found the motivation to bring it out and started working on it for real about a month ago. I call this one "So Early in the Morning" in celebration of all the stitching that was done in those wee hours...

Here's a long shot:

It is machine-pieced and hand-quilted by yours-truly and is, in all likelihood, the girliest quilt I have ever made (I'm making a concerted effort to embrace my pastel pink and yellow side). As you can see, it is a scrappy quilt.

Here's a close-up:

A shot of the hand-quilting and girly-pink binding:

And finally, the flannel backing:

And it is going on Lo's and my bed because we really need a summer weight blanket and this will do the trick!

A Quilty Sneak Peek

Here's a peek at what I'm busy at today... some handquilting... a little everyday... and eventually it will get done... patience patience... okay, back to work...