Thursday 31 July 2014

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

Tuesday 29 July 2014

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!
http://www.freshlypieced.com/

http://fiberofallsorts.blogspot.ca/2014/07/july-lovely-year-of-finishes-finishes.html

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

Monday 28 July 2014

TLP July Winner!

Well I am a couple days late getting out this month's Library Project Winner. Oops! Vacation gallivanting took me to some off-line places. I have to admit, it was nice. We are such slaves to the on-line world. At least I am!

Anywho, without further ado, the winner of this month's Library Project Link up is...
 

Jenn, you get to pick a book from my library!

Thanks for linking up this month folks. I love our little group!
Adrienne

Saturday 19 July 2014

SEWjo Saturday!

Kim over at My Go-Go Life hosts SEWjo Saturday and I have had some great sewjo today so here I am! My day started withy a trip to a LQS It's Sew Time where I picked up a few treasures. A half meter of Kaffe Fasset's  Aboriginal Dot and a great text fabric from Samarra Khaja. Oh, and a jelly role of Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander! I have never bought a Jelly Roll before. What!? That's right. But I could not walk by this one. I have wanted some of this fabric FOREVER. I have no idea what I want to do with it yet, but it will be awesome!



Once I got home from a lovely brunch with my girlfriends I hit the machine and got to work - housework be damned! I pulled the Charm Squares baby quilt off the design wall and got to quilting

And binding


And then it was done!





This is an Elizabeth Hartman pattern, so really how can you go wrong. Super simple to put together and I think a great beginners quilt which is what it is for! I made this as a quilt sample for a local fabric shop soon to be opening, Patch Halifax.

So, some good SEWjo all around I would say, and the night is still relatively young. What shall I start on next? Have you been sewing today? You should totally hop over and link up with Kim - I am!
Adrienne
http://gogokim.blogspot.ca/

Friday 18 July 2014

The Library Project QAL: July Report

Welcome to The Library Project QAL! It's July. It's sunny. It's warm. And yet I still want to be snuggled in my sewing room quilting away! Sometimes during the summer months I walk away from sewing and onto the beach for long periods, waiting for the fall "nesting" season to begin. But not this year, I want to quilt. All. The. Time.


And so I have been :) I talked about recent going's on earlier this week, and my only disappointing news for you is that none of these projects have been on my TLP list! BUT I am heading on vacation...T-minus one hour...and I plan on bringing this with me...



There will be piecing on the deck. True Story. This will be my view, I think it will help with the sewing Mojo. I so want to finish this volume quilt. I am in LOVE with it and I want it on my wall!


So, how is your summer going? Any progress on your TLP Projects?

For those of you who are already participating - it is perfectly ok to switch up your picks throughout the year. Things change, feelings for projects morph, sew what makes you happy! And if you have been following TLP and would like to join - you can join any time -  No need to be in on it from the very beginning.

So now for the fun stuff - prizes! This month's prize is a book from my personal Quilting Library. And you get to pick which one you want :) Here are the choices:




Happy Mid Summer! Now off you go, get linking! The link will be open for a week and I will draw a winner next Friday.
Adrienne

Monday 14 July 2014

Quilty Bizness

There hasn't been a lot of talking here has there? But I am happy to say that Summer so far has brought some great quilty time. At the June MMQG Sew In I got a head start on a new order for some Union Jack Pillows:



Then at the July meeting of the MMQG, we heard all about the new modern fabric store coming to Town, Patch Halifax. I cannot tell you the excitement this little shop has caused! I can barely wait for the doors to open. But in the meantime I am making a sample baby quilt for the Proprietress Chris for a future quilting class.
 


Look at those owls! Joel Dewberry Barn Owls to be precise -  Kind of  sad to have them only for backing!

At the same meeting we had a very special guest drop in, M-R Charbonneau from Quilt Matters . I don't know about you, but meeting other quilters/ bloggers is such a thrill! They really are rock stars. M-R was gracious enough to give us some behind the scenes info on the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild. So great to share ideas!

M-R hanging with some MMQG members: Dominique, Anja, Linda, Karen and Ann

Then, at an another Sew In I hit the Bee Block pile. First, this block, a custom house for an Improv Bee mate in California. She actually sent me fabric for the blocks, and man I love the color combo!



And then some aqua and red for converging corners
 


Yup, there has been some good quilty bizness going on around here. This week I am all about finishing that baby quilt and getting ready for a vacation from the day job - just four more sleeps! I wonder what projects I should bring to the camp?

I hope your summer is treating you well so far!
Adrienne


Sunday 6 July 2014

Sew Canadian

Are you ever curious about where your favorite quilters / bloggers spend their creative time? I am! I love to see where the magic happens. When a blog post gives a window into sewing room spaces I just love it. No, I am not a stalker, I just find it so interesting to see how and where others create.

So I was super excited to be asked by Mad About Patchwork to participate in their Summer Series - Sew Canadian. Every Sunday in July in August they will feature the sewing spaces of bloggers across Canada.
http://www.madaboutpatchwork.com/canadian-quilt-fabric-blog/sew-canadian/

Today is the very first day of the amazing schedule:

July 6th – Patti @Retired to Quilt and Krista @Poppyprint
July 13th – Dominique @The Running Thimble and Cinzia @Deux Petites Souris
July 20th – Anita @Daydreams of Quilts and Lorna @Sew Fresh Quilts
July 27th – Shena @Apple Pie Patchwork and Katherine @Sew Me Something Good
August 3rd – Felicity @Felicity Quilts and Josee @The Charming Needle
August 10th – Janet @What Comes Next and M-R @Quilt Matters
August 17th – Erica @Happy Fabric, Jacqui @Treadle Quilts and Adrienne @Chezzetcook Modern Quilts
August 24th – Leanne @She Can Quilt and Jaclyn @Jaclyn Quilts
August 31st – Pam @Mad About Patchwork and Laura @Waffle Kisses

As you can see, I am up in August. IN the mean time, I will be spending Sundays checking out the spaces of some fellow quilters. Oh and I need to get to some quilting myself. I need to turn this pile of delish into a quilt top. This will be my A Lovely Year of Finishes Goal for this month. It's going to be a push but I can do it!


Happy Summer Stalking - I mean touring!
Adrienne