New Quilt Start

Sometimes Often I find a quilt that I want to make and want to start right now but sometimes have to wait until I get home, get the pattern, choose the fabrics and check my daytimer to see if I indeed have time to start it. When I was in England back in October, I read about this project and could hardly wait until I got home to order the book. What can I say? Its the history part that draws me in.

And, Craftsy had an amazing sale in November so I bought the Kaffe Fasset shot cotton fat quarter bundles at a mere 40% off. Can you blame me?

 Today, in blog land, I discovered an 11 month quilt along 1718 Coverlet QAL for this amazing project. And since I already have the project box loaded and ready to go, why not? The original coverlet was made of silk and hand stitched, of course. Will I try to be as authentic as possible and hand piece and hand applique? Probably not. There are only 9 blocks for this month and they are all small and simple. Do I have to preshrink all that fabric first?? I much prefer to do hand applique with pre-washed fabrics.

Impulsive Blessings,
Chris

A Little Prep Work

I completed all 43 cherries on Block #20 and they turned out pretty good. Not all were perfectly round but real cherries aren't either. I was encouraged so cut out 42 more 1 1/8th inch circles with my GO cutter for Block # 7 which is almost the same as block #20. I am using the Appli-Glue this time since the last time the glue I used soaked into the fabric and spread a bit too close to some of the edges of the cherries.

BTCT # 7

 Not to be daunted, I cut out 3 different sizes of purple circles for block #16. I used the Roxanne applique glue for these. I wanted to see if there was any difference. I used the tiniest little drop. Well - this glue soaked through the fabric just a bit and stuck to the paper pattern underneath. Good thing I was paying attention and moved it right away. Now stitching these 1/2 inch finished circles is a piece of cake. There will be about 30 grapes in each cluster. I glued in 10-12 to start and will add more after they are stitched in place. Some of the grapes touch, others overlap.

BTCT #16

 Completed the chilies block for CCCQ. Now only 7 1/2 more to go.

CCCQ #28

Temperatures dropped down to minus 29 Celsius today. Once it gets this cold for a few days, spring cannot be too far away.

Chili blessings,
Chris

40-Bags-in-40-Days

Today is the first day of Lent. My granddaughter phoned me to ask if I knew what yesterday was. She informed me that it was "Fat Tuesday" and they had pancakes served for breakfast at her school. She is in grade 2. She said that we are supposed to give up bread and sugar for Lent. Okay. I do not as a rule "give up" anything for lent. However, I did give up bread and sugar and a few other things for 30 days last month, lost 12 pounds and the swelling in my knees went away. So maybe I should take up her challenge to give up bread and sugar for Lent. Hmm.

Another challenge two of my facebook friends took up last year at this time was the 40 Bags in 40 Days challenge to de-clutter and de-crapify their homes. This year I am in. Will I post about it every day? Now that is a challenge in itself. I could. I might.

Day 1:
I emptied the trash boxes under the tables in the quilt room. I did not want to overdo it the first day. I have printed off a plan and progress chart. I will make a plan. Will I stick to it? Check back here and see if I do.

In the meantime, after completing BTCT block #20 , I was encouraged greatly by some of my blogging friends and so have begun prepping 2 more blocks. Using the GO cutter, I found several sizes of circles and cut out 42 red and green for the cherries for Block #7. It is very similar to Block #20.

1 1/8th inch circles

And because I do like a challenge, or a dare, I cut out the nearly 200 grapes to appear in 2 other blocks.

1 inch, 1 1/8th inch and 7/8th inch circles

I will be flying out to New Brunswick in another 3 weeks so I am ahead of the game in prepping a couple of blocks to take along. I usually prep them as I am packing my bags the day I leave.

It's-snowing-again blessings,
Chris 

Another Beyond The Cherry Trees Block Completed

BTCT # 20

I tried for days to make a post and on 3 different computers. Finally.
This is how I decided to do the cherries. I have not been babysitting quite as often lately so this block has taken longer. Now only 457 more cherries and grapes to go.

Its-freezing-out-there Blessings
Chris

Trrouble with Blogger

Is anyone else having trouble uploading photos, saving and publishing?

I'm Going to Australia

Yes it's true. I am going to Australia in April. I was doing research for a business trip to New Zealand for April next year and thought how much fun it would be to just plan an extra week and slip over to Australia for a few days and  . . . oh  . . . by the way . . . the AQC is mid April . . . and isn't Esther Aliu teaching her Love Entwined class at the AQC this year  . . . anyway, my Sweet husband said I could go to Australia anytime I wanted. So, I am going this April. I will be attending the AQC on Fri April 17 then heading to Adelaide to visit a friend who interned at our church a few years back. She even came to the Farm for a weekend retreat and made her very first quilt. I think it was a purple and white single Irish chain.

But that isn't all . . . It occurred to me that there might be some Guernsey farms in the area so I posted on our Farm facebook wall about my trip and . . . by golly . . . I have a few new facebook friends and half a dozen farms that I can visit . . .  Sweet . . . Now which applique blocks will I prep to take along? Not this one since I finished it already.

CCCQ # 29

Not this one since it might take me until April to get it prepped for machine applique. These pieces are not yet glued under. This is the only block that has blue in it. Oops!! I just realized that the center star is supposed to be red. What to do? What to do? I might just leave it. sigh.

Ben Biggs # 13

I tried something different for the wreath. Cut out the skinny circle using floriani fuseable. Ironed it onto the underside of the green fabric. Cut only the outside part then glued the seam allowance over. I thought this would keep it from distorting too much. 

Then cut out the inside of the circle and snip the skinny seam allowance before gluing it on. Seems to look okay. Now to get at the 21 tiny leaves.

 Blessings,
Chris

Q@F Winter Retreat

Leslie squaring up her blocks

  Everyone helping Leslie arrange her Sunbonnet Sue blocks

 Robin hand quilting a Double Irish Chain wedding quilt for her daughter. She is using a 360 degree rotating wooden hoop on a pedestal and sitting on a stool. Sometimes she quilts standing up because she is short and likes to keep moving.

 Janice appliqueing

 Daiva working on GORF

 Esther adding sashing to her sampler blocks

 And me machine quilting GORF now that my machine is finally home after 3 months in the repair shop

I only got a few stitches in CCCQ # 28, probably because I was talking enjoying myself so much

We have to do this more than once a year

Winter-is-half-over blessings,

Chris