Friday, June 4, 2021

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 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!

With several trips back and forth to Toronto regarding adopting of and treating heartworm for Xena, I decided the collection of selvedges needed to start getting made into another rug. Here's the progress thus far. About half the bag has been knitted up and it feels good knowing they aren't in a landfill but will be useful. I used the first one I made all winter to stand on while on my longarm.
Bernie asked in the comments, and it's a great question, about joining. This rug is much smoother than my first one, thanks to a joining tip from Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting. That will take you to her post!

In other projects, here are the first five months of 2021 in my temperature quilt, a free pattern at Canuck Quilter Designs:

May was an odd month. Usually it's pretty stable; April is the all-over-the-place month. We had a week or so of high temperatures (a few days of 29/30C which is 84-86F here by the lake, 32/90/91 in Windsor) followed by a week of unseasonably cold highs, one a think set a record, on May 28, of only 8C/47F!

Here are my red bowtie blocks for my Project #1 RSC:

Somehow these never put a dent in the strings. They really are fun to make though.

Just before I give the PHD updated charts, I wanted to give my readers a heads up that Bernie, of Needle and Foot Fine Fabrics, has decided to close her shop and retire. Her post is here.

Bernie is one of my sponsors for this year's QAL, and it isn't the first one she has sponsored. 😍😍🙏 She carries a wide range of fabulous fabrics, now at 20% off! If you want to buy a remaining bolt or a lot of a particular wideback, just email her and she will work out a special price for you! I particularaly love her selection of Art Gallery Fabrics.

All right, the final subject of this post is my PHD progress update:

I am pleased that I am on track, and I'm pretty amazed at how many starts (19!) I've had in 2021. That could be a reason the UFO list has 22... (full confession: more if I listed them all). I've updated the UFO list with a couple of purchases I made at Connecting Threads recent 20% off sale, partly so I'd remember what I'd purchased the fabric for and also to give me a nudge to finish. The package is on its way, was in Illinois yesterday so I may have it today! Thank you so much to those of you who clicked through my links to purchase; it means a lot, and will (hopefully) enable me to cover shipping costs around the world for my QAL.

I had thought I'd finish up Pebbles and Bark for my June UFO, but I've reached out to Victoria's Quilts to see if they'd like the top as it is close to their size requirements. In that case, I'm leaning towards a smaller one to finish like the Arrows mini, though in my heart of hearts I want to finish my 150 Canadian Women quilt. However, I have two big project quilts to finish or nearly finish in June: one is for an upcoming issue of Make Modern, and another is for Cheryl's (Meadow Mist Designs) blog hop in July, so I hesitate on that, much as I'd love it to be done for July 1, Canada's birthday. 

Speaking of birthdays, 😁 (that famous Canadian's on June 15😜) I have another big project due in less than two weeks, my throw-sized quilt for FYOP QAL! My plate is rather full this month methinks.

Linking up

13 comments:

  1. The gingham quilt looks great and like it would be really fun and satisfying to see come together (I love the magic of blocks becoming rows becoming a quilt top)! It's also really fun to get to see your progress on the temperature quilt. Do you work on that every day or once a week or does it vary?

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  2. This is really pretty cool, I love how it really has a gingham look but up close you can see all of the different prints that make up each fabric.

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  3. Love the gingham quilt! A green one would be neat. I don't know where you find the time to get so much done.

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  4. I'm getting the itch to make one of those gingham quilts, but I have to wait for a little bit (saying this to the squirrels). Love your temperature quilt, too, as well as the other projects you are working on!

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  5. You read my mind! I have been looking at Nancy's gingham quilts and wanting to make one. I even have the fabric in mind already. I just love them. Love yours as well. Great job - all of your projects are wonderful.

    Curious - when you knit the rag rugs, is it a trick to hide the places where you know the selvages together? I made one but it is clunky because of the joins. I wasn't sure what to do with them???

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  6. Also, Thank you for sharing my news about retirement and the close out sale. I appreciate that!!!

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  7. progress, progress, progress! You are doing fantastic with your UFOs and Starts in 2021! And the newest DREAMi is looking great!

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  8. Love that gingham quilt, such an effective design. I have knitted two selvedge mats so far, and use mine in front of the laundry tub. Although I've used a heap if selvedges so far, there are still quite a few left, hibernating in the bag.

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  9. Hi Sandra! Another gingham quilt. If I make it through the month without starting my own, it will be a miracle. I've been drooling over Nancy's shares, then Vicki made some table runners - I'm weak in the knees seeing your version. I'll be thinking long into the night about which fabrics I should use. I think there is a young boy who is going to just adore this! Great job and I can't wait to see it finished. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

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  10. Your gingham quilt is beautiful, Sandra!!! Love the coordinated scrappiness! I love your knit selvage rug. I've been crocheting them. I've made three and have enough selvages to make a couple more. Making it a road trip project sounds like a great idea! Neat temperature quilt. Yes, how often do you work on it?

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  11. Great job on the gingham; I am sure I will do one too once I get to cutting up my scraps. The knit rug is a great idea....I just started some hats for the grandnieces, but not in love. I do have selvages waiting for something to be done; this may be the solution!

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  12. So many great projects on the, but that gingham quilt has caught my attention! A perfect squirrel. 😉. I’m happy for Bernie that she is retiring, but sad for all who love her shop. Now I’m thinking of selvedges. Knitting them up just might be a perfect project so I’m off to check out the links you so nicely shared. 😉

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