TGIFF! Be a Unicorn FYOP and Pattern Release

Today I am happy to present my third version of my Follow Your Own Path quilt design that was originally featured (on the cover!) of Benartex's ezine Modern by the Yard issue #15. This was also the quilt for this year's annual quilt along that I host each year. This year was the fifth QAL! It always begins on my birthday, April 3, and ends on June 15, the birthday of a 'famous Canadian', my dad, who would drive my mum crazy by writing 'birthday of a famous Canadian' on his date on each year's calendar. We kids loved it. 

I am also pleased to host TGIFF here on the blog today where we link up our finished quilts!And, I am very pleased to release the pattern today which has directions for both the baby and throw sizes!

Follow Your Own Path QAL Parade of Quilts

The day is here! It is always a thrill to see the variety of quilts made in my quilt alongs, and I know year 5 will not disappoint. I know some of you have made two quilts! I have made three myself. Please link each one up separately if you did make more than one. I've also seen some ingenious creations with the leftover HSTs, and I do believe I will be sending a choice of pattern to one or two of you who really have wowed me. Once again here is the original quilt, as seen on the cover of issue #15 of Modern by the Yard, Benartex's ezine.

Gingham Quilt for J

This is my OMG for June, probably the fastest one I've finished since declaring and finishing.

About two weeks ago, our daughter Brianne called us to let us know the son of one of her neighbours had just been diagnosed with cancer. He is the same age as Brady, and the two know each other through school. Although they have played together over the years, they don't seem to be able to get along, and so they tend to go their separate ways.

However.

No matter the conflicting personalities, we all feel terrible for him, and I immediately wanted to offer comfort...in the form of a quilt. He starts chemo soon, and having something warm and fuzzy may help a bit.

I took this photo in the 'golden hour'. There are two each day: the hour that follows sunrise, which was when this was taken, and the one that precedes sunset. That glow is actually the sun coming through the trees.

OMG and PHD Update...With a Dash of Squirrel

The squirrel is all Nancy's (Grace and Peace Quilting) fault. I've been taken with her gingham quilts over the past couple of months, and knew I wouldn't be able to resist for much longer. Well, as soon as Whimsies was done and blogged, into the blues I went. And didn't stop (yeah, it's a DrEAMi) until I had a top.

This is going to a young boy whose colour t preferences and interests I do not know. I thought the planes fabric adds a bit of woven effect to the quilt. There are six different medium blues, a blueish/white Island Batik, and four navy blues. I can definitely see more of these in my future. More on the story of this quilt when it is finished. It will be my OMG for June, and in keeping with its DrEAMi nature, I'm not stopping until it's a done and useable quilt!

Whimsies

This quilt ticks two boxes: my OMG for May and my PHD finish for May. I love how it turned out, and I love the motivation I got TO finish it by making it both of those!

This was one of the RSC challenge projects that Angela at so scrappy came up with in 2019. I was quite late to the party, but in actuality I was behaving, focussing on Island Batik challenges and other projects I was supposed to be doing. But then that little turquoise pinwheel in the second from the bottom row grabbed me (thanks Mari) and I just had to make it...along with three others, and I was smitten. Here is the post. We were deep in the throes of the major renovation so it was a welcome and fun little diversion to make a little 4.5" finished block each month. However, although I'd pretty much decided on using the Kona Ice Frappé as the background, I never did put any of them onto the background because I had no clue how I'd arrange them all. Enter PHD and OMG!

DrEAMi! #52

Has the month of May contained beautiful weather and the only squirrels you've chased are those of the furry kind, out of your bird feeders, or has the weather been a little iffy and you've managed to chase squirrels of the fabric kind in your studio? Sarah @fabricaddictquilts has a squirrel who is at Olympic levels at her bird feeder. Click that link or the still to watch the little video; crazy!

Sometimes I feel like that squirrel, living on the edge with a deadline looming, but just needing to sew on a particular oh-so-fun quilt. Can you relate? It happened this past week!

Blossoms Every Which Way

I have finished my third version of FYOP, aka Follow Your Own Path, before my second! I am in love with it.

I got a lovely surprise seeing the new weigela bushes in bloom!

I'll be linking this post up on June 15 when the final parade of finishes opens. I decided to make the throw size blocks but less of them to end up with a baby quilt. It went super-fast!