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Have you caught up with your Bountiful quilt? I have been a bit behind in posting my blocks so here is Release 4. It is the beautiful butterfly pattern, which I have to say was my favourite block. Release 5 has a video and instructions on how to finish the quilt top. You can find all the FREE instructions here and to make it easy for you FQS is offering the full kit for the quilt top and the backing. My quilt has been made using Beyond Bella by Annie Brady for Moda. The FQS has pre-cuts, yardage and patterns ...

Marrying someone from halfway across the globe has its perks.  There is always something new to learn. Recently Paul introduced me to the Addams Family.  I fell in love with Wednesday and she is the inspiration for my May project! 

Wednesday Mock-Up in EQ8

Download your FREE block pattern for May and join us for a worthy cause. These 24″ blocks are the second instalment of the Bountiful Charity quilt. Read about the wildfire and centre blocks at the Jolly Jabber blog. You can learn about the sew-a-long and where to download all the blocks as they are released on the Fatquarter Jolly Jabber blog and don’t forget to tag your beautiful blocks when posting to social media #BountifulQAL Donations to the Make a Wish foundation can be made here

When Janet in my Modern quilting group showed me a photo of her daughter’s house tiles and asked me to draft a pattern, I immediately said, “Yes”. This straightforward pattern uses a simple method to make the star points. The pattern contains templates and a no-waste solution for the leftover pieces. The pattern can be purchased here For my sample, I made a 9-block version using Bella Solids and Grunge and pieced and quilted the project with Aurifil 50wt cotton.

Download your FREE block pattern for April and join us for a worthy cause. These 24″ blocks are the second instalment of the Bountiful Charity quilt. Read about the wildfire and centre blocks at the Jolly Jabber blog. You can learn about the sew-a-long and where to download all the blocks as they are released on the Fatquarter Jolly Jabber blog and don’t forget to tag your beautiful blocks when posting to social media #BountifulQAL

 Day 13 of my Christmas Countdown and it's my Holiday Patchwork Forest quilt. 

This quilt still makes me smile because it started out as just a few test blocks from scraps in my stash.  I didn't have an overall colour plan before I started, but I really like how it's turned out.  

I did some basic machine quilting on it, but then accentuated the trees with hand quilting. Both Kaffe Fassett borders were from my stash, and the thin red strip border adds a finishing Christmas touch. 

It's another small lap type quilt that I can ...

With snow on the ground and the neighbourhood decorations going up, it's starting to feel like it's time we get serious with our gift lists.  If you are like me, you want to include something hand made... or hand-makeable.  These small stitcheries work up very quickly, by hand or machine. (Mine are all done on the sewing machine).

A simple poinsettia shape is outline stitched in 12 weight Aurifil thread. You trace the design onto your fabric and layer with batting and backing as you would a quilt.  

Set your regular sewing machine up as for free motion ...

My Kawandi is finished!

I took a one day Kawandi class with Lorena Uriarte at Quilt Symposium 2022.  We learnt to make Kawandi and here is mine.  

Kawandi are meant to be scrappy, but I used a charm pack of Koi Pond by Ruby Star Society.  I knew the colours would all work together and I'm pleased with how it turned out.  

This week we will embellish the cornucopia Wool Stitch Along piece using floss and beads. You can add whatever you like, embellish as much or as little as suits your fancy. I use DMC floss for the leaf accents, cornucopia details and pumpkin lines. I mentioned last time that I like Aurifil’s wool thread for doing the applique stitching, and you can also use it for the accent lines.

Starting with the cornucopia, I mark lines using a Chaco Marker. It makes thin chalk lines that easily brush away.

Then, stitch along those lines using a back stitch.

Mark ...

I chose to use some gorgeous fabrics called "Neptune and the Mermaid" by Tokyo Milk for Free Spirit Fabrics.  And some Tula Pink too as required.  

I finished the ...

I’m a big fan of Sam Hunter (website -- IG) so when she put the call out for a community stitching project I opted in. I don’t generally do hand work, but the initial details assured us that it would be minimal and easy to complete.

The prompt arrived and I took a very literal, mathematical approach to it. In the moment, I wasn’t overthinking it at all. I was simply following the instructions.

I mailed my block from San Jose, California read more

My lovely friend, Pat has designed a new collection and I am so grateful Pat has asked me to be part of the tour. Join me today to showcase Pat Sloan’s new collection Bird Song for Benartex ( @benartex_fabrics ). A delightful collection of birds, florals, dots and strips. Imagine a spring garden, heavily scented...

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I've been enjoying a return to what started as my 100 day project, hand piecing my Merrow Croft quilt (pattern by Margaret Mew). If you haven't done any hand piecing before, I have a how-to with lots of tips in my hand piecing tutorial. Using some of my treasured hand printed fabrics by Karen Lewis and Lucy Engels, I'm enjoying the neutral cool vibe of these pieces.

So I'm using up my stash but I'm also adding to it...

Sew alongs and stitch alongs are always great fun! I enjoy seeing people make a pattern their own or even if they follow the pattern exactly, it's nice knowing you're creating something with others and it helps keep you on track for a finish.