I have always wanted to participate in some Block of the Month clubs hosted by quilting blogs, but have always remembered about mid year.  Too late!  This time January came around and I didn't waste any time signing up.  I'm doing two this year and I'll have two great quilts to show for it around December.

The first BOM is hosted by Elizabeth at Don't Call Me Betsy, a wonderful quilting blog.  Hers is a paper pieced star quilt that will roughly be about lap quilt size.  I'm using my latest favorite quilting fabric, Saltwater by Tula Pink, and I've added some Flea Market Fancy, and random reds.  I've also ordered some blues to coordinate.

Here is the January star, Funky Star:



The second BOM is hosted by Gen X Quilters and is called the Sisters' Ten quilt.  You make two blocks per month, for a total of 10 blocks and spend the last two months of the year putting it together.   I love the traditional blocks set in a modern layout.  I think my very bright and happy Amy Butler fabrics, from her Lark range, are a perfect choice for me.   Set against the white background, they really pop and make a nice fresh look.  Those fabrics are quite daring for me, but do make me smile every time I see them together.

Here are the January blocks, called Grandmother's Frame:



I am doing the larger version of the quilt, which is an oversize twin, but I will probably add a white border around the whole thing to make it much larger.

To see the finished layout of either quilt top, click the link buttons that are found on my right side bar.  I can't wait to get started on February.  Now enough fooling around, I am trying to make handbag patterns, but I keep getting distracted by this gorgeous quilting fabric! 


Thanks for looking!
Janelle

It's been a busy few days of WAITING for my fabric orders to arrive so I can get my handbag patterns, January Block of the Month(s), and other little mini projects started. I'm glad to be finally at it though, most of my fabric arrived in the mail this week. Yay!

What I'm working on:
I filled some time waiting with Lego, after seeing the cute sewing machine Carrie from Such Designs did, I just had to make a mini Pfaff so after asking my son if I could borrow some legos, I made this little cutie. My son was so thrilled, and loved our little lego session so much, that I have to think of other little projects to make so we can have some more of that lego bonding time.

My Lego Pfaff

My January block for the Lucky Stars BOM hosted by Elizabeth at Don't Call Me Betsy (cute button links to this on my right side bar) was just finished this morning, so I can officially call this quilt a WIP. This star is called the Funky Star and I used some of my precious Saltwater fabrics from Tula Pink, some Flea Market Fancy and a few random reds. I'm loving January, but not sure what fabrics to choose for Feb yet...

January Lucky Star Block

This is the fabric I've chosen for my other BOM, and I hope to actually put the two January blocks together today - after I finish my vacuuming.  And maybe the mopping.  It's all Lark fabric, by Amy Butler and I'm going to put it together with a white background for the Sister's Ten BOM by Gen X Quilters.


Knitting!  It's been a while since I've done any knitting, but my daughter wanted to knit together and wanted me to show her a how... Yay!  I bought some beautiful Italian wool at our local wool store and started working on a scarf and hat set for myself.  I am finding upon returning to Canada, I have not nearly enough scarves and hats, so this is a perfect knitting project for me - nice and small.  We had our little knitting session, but was a little impressed/disappointed that I couldn't help her knit much because she had already be taught by youtube!  She's using circular needles for the first time and didn't know how to do that, so I was able to show her that at least.  I like to spin in circles....

Hmm... the colour is brighter in person.  Must take better photos!

Handbag Patterns!  I have three on the go, but you'll have to wait for the sneak peak photos - I am not ready, but I'm focusing on one with piped handles, detachable strap, and cute little bag feet first and I'm thrilled with how it's turning out.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading.  Remember to take time to play with Legos, so fun!
 

A of couple months ago (October 2012), I was eager to try out my new sewing machine, a Pfaff Ambition 1.5, but I didn't have any fabric or projects available.  My meager stash was still - stashed - away in boxes from my move home to Canada and wasn't to be opened until moving into our new house in November.  My good friend, Sheila, invited me over to sew and raid her fabrics.  I could use anything I liked. Yay!  So I brought over a pattern for a paper pieced owl found on Shape Moth here, and my shiny new machine.

Here is Joanne's, from Shape Moth, Otis the Owl Pattern.  How does she get her trees straight?

 
I decided to make my Otis a Snowy Owl, in honor of my return to Canada, and found all the necessary fabrics in Sheila's overflowing sewing room.  I sewed most of the block that afternoon, but we ended up upstairs eating Scout popcorn and drinking tea so it didn't get finished.

After I got into my house in November and finally set up my sewing room, I finished piecing it, and only just yesterday I did some quilting and turned it into a little art quilt for my sewing room wall.

This was just the project to put my new sewing machine through it's paces.  I learned that the STOP/START button is exactly where my Needle up/down button was on my Janome so at the end of a seam when I would normally put my needle up or down to turn a corner, I would press the START button by accident and take off like a bullet - as I always keep it on high speed.  It made me scream every time and Sheila would come running... A very frustrating habit to break!  I am not happy with the reverse buttons either, it does permanent reverse and I always seem to start out in reverse when I don't want to.  Also, I'm not sure the IDT is that great on this machine for machine quilting.  It seems to push the top layer a little, so I will have to work out how to manage that.  Perhaps letting up my presser foot pressure will work?  Oh, I also got to try out my alphabet for the first time too, what fun!


I also learned that it's been way too long since I FMQed and I SUCK at it.  I may need to learn to draw my pattern on with erasable marker instead of trying to do it 'freehand'.   I may need to rip out all of the quilting in the white areas of the owl because I went a little crazy with the cheeze whiz and overdid it by a mile.   But for now, it is done... so it will stay as is.

The background is a nice blue/grey with gold. Click to zoom!

Hop over to Shape Moth and see her beautiful projects.  Joanne is a very, very talented sewer and her quilts and projects are very inspiring.  I had the honor of having her review my Emmaline Bag pattern for Purse Palooza 2012 and it turned out beautifully.  You can see that post here.  Oh and check out this and this!

Thanks for looking, and always press to the dark side ;)

A long time ago, as a new mother of 2 daughters, I had daydreams and wondrous plans of sitting down to the sewing machine to teach my Barbie playing, dolly dressing, girls to sew baby blankets, clothes and the odd pretty pencil pouch.  While my oldest girl dabbled only a tiny bit in sewing, my youngest daughter - who just turned 20 - has never touched a sewing machine.

I, long ago, gave up these sewing dreams and pursued my own craft.  More time for me?!  I love to quilt, sew handbags and clothes.  I also know how to knit, crochet and do embroidery.  "Handiwork", as my Grandma called it, will always be a part of me and I love knowing that my Mom taught me and I wouldn't have these wonderful hobbies without her.  Why can't these girls let me pass some cool and not so nerdy hobbies onto them?  What's wrong with them?? Whatever.  I gave up.