2011 in Review

It's New Year's Eve today, and time for a look back at where 2011 took me.

Calgary has become home! Yes, I never thought I'd be confident driving in city traffic, specially as I'm cursed with the worst sense of direction on the planet, but it happened. I've lived in 3 houses in 2 years, quite a change for someone who lived in the same small town for 25 years. So feeling settled is BIG for me.

I've had so much fun learning more about quilting and changing my goals and preferences as I went. I'm sure there'll be lots more changes to come as I continue to experiment with different colours and styles.

Here's a few of my finishes for the year. Maybe there were more, but these are my favourites.

Then there was the busy Christmas sewing:

The WIPs

And there are some older UFOs and some quilts in the planning stage.

To my quilting friends, travel companions and blogging friends, thank you! I'm looking forward to a happy and productive 2012.

Happy New Year!!

Sue

Linking to 

Are you in a joining mood?

Seems like there are some awesome groups to join that will be starting in the New Year. And at the moment I feel like when Christmas is over I will have loads of spare time to do lots of projects!
That may change, but I'm hopeful...

First up, Japanese +and x bock exchange.
You can see some of the blocks and discussion here on Flickr

Here's a pic of some of my first blocks. The exchange is in groups of 5, and the joy of it is that I will have someone else's fabrics to mix in with my familiar ones. Fun!!
The blocks are quick to make, and I cut the squares when I'm making other things, and have them separated in containers on my sewing table, ready to pull out.

Next is the Oh My Stars Quilt Along.

Here's the plan of the finished quilt.


 

Isn't it great?!! I haven't made a single star yet, but I've spent happy time planning the fabric, and when it comes, I'll be sewing up a storm! I've decided on turquoise, coral and white in a mix of fabrics. Can't wait!

Lastly, I joined a Pay it Forward. Christmas seems like a good time of year to be thinking of this, passing on some joy to another.
Want to join me? The information about it is here.

Pay it Forward

I'm so excited to do a Pay it Forward!

I'd thought about this for a while, and 2012 (because realistically this will never happen before then!) is the time.  So when I heard about it from Kate at a sometimes quilter I decided to jump right in!

Here are the rules I copied from Kate:

1. Important! You have to have a blog.

2. I will make a little something for the first 3 blog owners who comment on this post. It will be a surprise and I will make it and send it to you some time during the next 365 days after you have commented.  (just don't expect it for Christmas!)

3. Make sure you let me know your email address, or that you aren't a no-reply blogger so that I can get your contact details.

4. To get a handmade present from me, you have to play too! This means YOU pledge to send a little handmade something to 3 readers of your blog. It doesn't matter what you give, as long as it is handmade by you!

5. Once you comment here, you need to post about your Pay It Forward on your blog(within 48hrs) to keep the fun going! *you can just copy the rules from me and please include the Pay It Forward badge in your post. Also, feel free to join the Flickr group to see what else is being sent!

6. Follow my blog - I'd like that but you don't have to :)



That's it, simple! And a chance to make another quilter smile, (hopefully with delight)! That can be my New Year's resolution too, the smiling part, and a whole lot more attainable than my usual :)


Till next time


Sue

Bog Hop Party, woo hoo!

Have you checked out the Blog Hop Party? Michele at Quilting Gallery is hosting the fourth annual party. It's fun, there are 242 blogs participating. You can browse different blogs until your eyes get dry!
Best of all, everyone is offering a giveaway! And there's so much variety.

Here's where you find it:

Blog Hop Party

The party runs through December 17th, so there's lots of time to browse like crazy!

Till next time,

Sue

November revisited

Here's a photo collage, my first!, of the quilty things I made in November.

Sorry, I haven't figured out the little captions. One thing at a time!

So that is :

Two quilts
Four table mats
Six Christmas tablemats
Four Swoon blocks
Mug rug
Interlocking stars

Funny, it seemed like more when I was doing it.

Linking to

Fabric Tuesday!

It can't be a week since I last posted! I've been sewing, but there doesn't seem to be much done. How did that happen?

I should be doing only Christmas projects, but instead I've completed another two Swoon blocks.

The second block was done twice, because I didn't have enough contrast between the fabrics. That's the challenge of this block for me, and I don't seem to be able to tell early in the cutting if I like it or not. I like my main patterned fabric, the trick is getting enough of a solid for it to shine against, and guess what? I've ordered some more possibles!

Here's a work in progress

It's got to be trimmed and bound. I like it, hope others will too!


Still in the works: (and due by Christmas)

mini quilts for gifts
dress for my younger GD (I've been putting it off, zip, lining, Oh help!)

Hope you are progressing faster than me!

Linking to




  

find it at http://http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/


Till next time,

Sue

Christmas Countdown

Time is speeding by, and I still have lots to do. I am making progress, what a relief!



My dear MIL's quilt is finished. It finished at a nice manageable size, 61" x 68", and I quilted it diagonally and with a swirly pattern on the border.

I made placemats for our Christmas dinner table. There are 6, 3 each of two designs. Really there should be at least 8, and if I have time...  They are large, 12" x 18", and there needs to be room for food on the table!

How are your Christmas plans coming?

Till next time

Sue

Linking to





find it at http://http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/

A Retreat brings projects forward!

Last weekend I went on a quilting retreat with 3 friends at the beautiful North Bow River Lodge.

Here's our room

The lodge is right on the river, great views.

But the BEST is the wonderful food, appearing regularly, so that we could just sew our little hearts out!

I finished piecing the top of MIL's quilt

and I still had time to make two Swoon blocks. Oh, I love them!

Mary was quilting her blue quilt

and she found time to make these stars and the string blocks (Terrain, wow!)

Marilyn pieced two quilt tops

Yvonne's quilt top is together too!

Altogether a very fun and productive weekend!

Linking to

  

Till next time

Sue