Ambers Quilt

I forgot to take a picture of the quilt I made for son's girlfriend for Christmas. It was from a Mystery Quilt Design by Blue Meadow Designs. However, everyone and their uncle are doing this pattern. It goes together so quick. I had used a Swanky charm pack by Chez Moi  for the centres and the pink is from Objects of Desire Line, then White by Northcott (nice fabric-has a linen look to it) and I can't remember who the brown dotted fabric is from but I want to say Timeless Treasures. The binding is a deep rose by Northcott (though it appears red in these photos). I had a different binding on but I totally screwed that up and I have no idea how, so Christmas Eve day the LQS was open and saved the day. I liked the new binding way better anyhow so it all worked out - but I was up on Christmas Eve sewing the binding until 2 a.m. My fingers were so sore..that will never happen again.

How do you decide?

I don't buy alot of patterns but I do get alot of ideas off of blogs and tutorials and pictures of quilts. It's not that I don't want to buy patterns..I just can't follow them well. When I use to crochet I would call stitches..small ones..funny ones..big ones. It is funny how we all  process info different. So when I see a quilt that I like..usually it is the colour I notice first and fall in love with and the pattern is secondary. Then I have to draw it myself for it to make sense to me. Then if a pattern is available I will buy it if I want to make it. Even at work I read blueprints for construction jobs and if it is anything other then square I need to draw little pictures for the drawing to make sense to me what we are building. I have asked for Lego for the last 10 years...I thought it would help to build it first. I am still waiting. So what's the point you say???
Well I think we all have our favorite designers..admit it..even if it's just to yourself. While we appreciate them all and like their work ....we do not idolize them all equally. I have my hands down favorite. Healther Mulder Peterson. Love her quilts. Love her blog. So anyhow..I was at the LQS and seen they have an upcoming class and they had a top completed up on the wall of the pattern they were doing and I thought.."I have seen that quilt somewhere" . I read the info and it was one of Heather's quilts that I just had seen on her blog the other day. I don't need to take the class to make the quilt, but all of a sudden I felt uhmmm..let's say "protective". The sample they had up was absolutely no indication of the actual quilts Heather does. I did not like the quilt sample and I would not have wanted to make this quilt if I had not of seen  this quilt  first. I wanted to say to the shop owner that I don't think she did this pattern any justice. So is that just me..are others able to look past boring and see potential?

One Down

The following quilt is the first one of the New Year. I ordered all the fabric from Connecting Threads..Fantastic Prices..The fat quarters were 12.80 for 22 pieces..the yardage was 5.96 and the thread was 1.59. Cheapest quilt I ever made. In Ontario we just do not see those kind of prices of a entire collection. I really liked the thread too.. I liked the fabric (though I haven't washed it yet) but I did not like that the selvage was the same colour as the rest of it. I am so used to the white selvage that I kept forgetting to cut it off so the blocks ended up smallers then I wanted. I knew when I ordered this that I was going to just make a big block quilt - quick & simple as seen on http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/ . So had to adjust the borders a bit due to my impatience ~ but it is one of my favorite.

First pic is of outside. Second shows the back. I just love the colours.

I took the entire crate of scraps I showed the other day and spent 3 days cutting them down into useful size pieces - anywhere from .75 to 1.75 inch. Then I cut the white stripes into 1.25" strips and put them down the centre with white on each corner to have one focus fabric to "ground" it or "neutralize" it. I want to use the scraps but I needed some kind of constant. I am going to make a string quilt, then pass on the remaining to my friend in town and then mail the rest to out of province friend. After that ... I do not want them back. It's funny how I can remember each and every fabric in there. 

I have decided that I am going to finish all my UFO's and use up most of what I have due to the price of batting. I use the Arctic Bamboo batting and right now it is $16.49 a metre..Crrrrraaaaazzzzy prices!! A friend of mine is going to Ohio at the end of the month and I am thinking of ordering the  Warm & Natural on a bolt but I don't really like it as much as the bamboo. I find it is thinner then it used to be and wonder how the hell is that think piece of cotton suppose to keep anyone warm.
That's all for now.

Take Care

It's a Sad Day

CrazyMomQuilts announced that she will be closing her blog.

And New Year Begins

I have been thinking lately that I need to get on the bandwagon and either post to my blog or delete it. I had started to do the blog so that I could stay in touch and show  BFF (who ditched me) what I am working on and also keep track of what I was working on...Oh yeah..and have somewhere neutral to bitch since no one in my family reads this any how . So I will be better at blogging this year. So I was looking through the blog....and thought.....not a hell of alot done.  I start things and do not finish.. I have lots of unfinished projects. It stresses me out having all this unfinished stuff. So change is needed and change will start ... today ....with this.....ahhhhh that feels better already.

Then I gave myself a pat on the back for the more important things that I DID accomplish. Quit smoking in June and joining the YMCA in October. I go to the YMCA  - Mon - Fri at 6 am and have not missed a day.Even though today is a holiday it is Friday so I went today..and did the gym and aqua fit.
I hope I NEVER start smoking again....I know people that started again after being smoke free for a long time...Please don't let that be me. Just before Xmas I went to my doctor to get the results of updated blood work..you know..to see how its all going. Well WTF was up with that? My cholesterol was down..impressively so -  if I do say so myself...my Vitamin D was finally on its way up after another 12 weeks of 50,000 i.u. (not an exageration). I did have the lowest count of any patient in her office but just recently got beat out by a patient that was 1 number lower then me...they now hold the record and they can have it...BUT my sugar was elevated and my triglycerides were elelvated and they have never been.. What's up with that shit?? Don't know but I am going to work hard to make sure they come down and get re-tested in March.

That's all for now .
Take Care