Kringle Trees - H2H Charity Quilt

Woo hoo! First finish in the new house, new sewing loft!  This quilt fulfills two obligations: Hands2Help at Confessions of a Fabric Addict and my May goal for OMG at Elm Street Quilts.

I won this fabric, the post is here, "Kringle Krossing" by Shelly Comiskey for Henry Glass Fabrics, in December, right before Christmas.  So far, I've made 3 projects using the fabric: Holly the Christmas Hound, Jingle, and this one, all three given or to be given away.  This one is one of two quilts I pledged to make for Sarah's Hands2Help charity quilt drive.  It will go to the Windsor Sexual Assault Centre, a quilt for a child who should not have to ever deal with such trauma.  Hopefully, holding onto and keeping this snuggly quilt will help comfort and heal.

DrEAMi! Moments

I am introducing my very first linky party, a monthly one, to be held the last Saturday of each month.  It will be in celebration of being sidetracked, aka swept off your sewing chair, aka snagged by a squirrel kind of mayhem.

DrEAMi Moments have happened to the best of us. I'm not talking that time in English class when you totally embarrassed yourself because you drifted off to Alpha-getti 9 because your were imagining some alone time with the boy upon whom you had an insane crush, and you totally missed the teacher's question, all heads turned and eyes bored into you, no. I'm talking about
Drop
Everything
And
Make it!

Whether the fabric you ordered (or won) arrived and spoke to you,

or a technique or effect in a quilt intrigued you to the point that you had to try it,

Rows in my second project for the RSC2016 - a quilt in Kim Schaefer's Cozy Modern Quilts made solely of rectangles, fascinated me

or someone started a fabulous Quilt Along and it pulled you in, hook, line and sinker,

First 12 blocks in 150 Canadian Women quilt along project

or you saw an amazing quilt on Pinterest or on Instagram, or on someone's blog, or in a magazine, and you HAD to make one,

The quilt on the left I saw on Pieced Brain; the one on the right on Fat Quarter Shop's Jolly Jabber
both of which were donated to charity in Hands2Help last year

it's true that we probably all have experienced that feeling when a quilt project grips you, you get tunnel vision and laser focus, and your best laid plans get pushed to the side until you get this quilt out of your head and into fabric!

This is my new planner for 2017.  I'm a list maker, a lover of checking off items on those lists, and I like to be organized.  The saying on the cover of my planner is very true, but I do know that some of the best experiences I've had in quilting have been a result of DrEAMI moments.  The examples above are just a few of the many.  Heck, the one and only for sale pattern I have in my Craftsy shop is a result of a DrEAMi! moment!

So just what am I proposing for this party?  It's pretty simple: on the last Saturday of every month, I will host a DrEAMi! linky where you can link up a post about your own DrEAMi! moment for the month. Wait, this seems like an encouragement to be sidetracked...😬 Well not exactly...but I do know that not being too regimented and allowing a little whimsy into your life can often lead to some amazing learning and growth.  Plans are good, but they need to be somewhat fluid.

What counts as a DrEAMi! ?  

• Maybe it's a cool new-to-you technique for a quilt block that you made.
• Maybe it's an entire quilt top.
• A goal, whether monthly or quarterly, would not count. A DrEAMi is a diversion, unplanned.

Does my DrEAMi! project have to be a finished project?

• Nope!

Are there prizes?

• Nope! Unless you count discovering other squirrels or DrEAMi! possibilities!
• That said, I may or may not have a few fat eighths left of the Henry Glass fabric I won for those who do link up for this first party...

What do I write in my blog post?

• Tell us where you discovered your DrEAMi! because you never know, it may attract someone else; tell us why it snagged your attention so intensely; tell us if you learned something new, or grew as a quilter in some way; tell us where or for whom the DrEAMi is destined; tell us anything else about it that you'd like.

When do I have to write the post?

• Anytime during the course of the month!  So the January DrEAMi! linky will be for any DrEAMi moments that occurred in January 2017.

Here is my January DrEAMi! moment:

It arose because of the Wild Card Surprise from Molli Sparkles' Honey Pot Bee

You know that I won a bundle of fabric from Henry Glass Fabrics in December which arrived right before Christmas.  I petted it a lot, and its cheeriness kept beckoning me.  Holly the Christmas Hound cushion was made using the white holly fabric and red reindeer fabric, and then I used the stocking fabric, reindeer fabric and holly fabric to make Jingle, a small ornament.  However, the fabric still wriggled and giggled at me, and that, combined with seeing the Modern Christmas tree blocks in a quilt top on Amy Smart's blog that would not leave my head, led to this little quilt.  I will most likely donate it once I finish the quilt top and quilt it up.  During the past few days when I was obsessed with making these blocks, I should have been writing up my Q1 Goals post, should have been writing up the directions for Windfall, should have been testing the Parliament Buildings block for Cindy, should have been doing my Meadow Mystery and the Honey Pot Bee January blocks, should have been working on another design for the Designs Challenge, should have been working on oh, three more rather pressing quilt commitments, but nope, HAD to sew these happy little stack 'n slash (à la Karla Alexander) tree blocks.

Did I learn anything making these blocks?  Well, one, I am less hesitant to slash fabric that I didn't pay for, ha, and two, a panel can be used in ways other than the shapes on the panel. By this I mean that there is a 6 stockings rectangle on the top and bottom of the huge Santa in the panel, and rather than keep it a rectangle, I cut the 6 stockings into an 8.5" square, which meant only four of the stockings would be in a block.  Using that part of the panel did help to add a little variety to the quilt.

I take no responsibility for missed deadlines by hosting this party! 😉 The first one will take place Saturday, January 28. Hope to see you there!  I wish you at least one DrEAMi! moment this month!

Linking up with
Cooking Up Quilts
Patchwork Times

Holly the Christmas Hound

When our good friend John was last over, her told me how much he loved Myrrh, my Christmas cow.  He wanted to see her in person, and commented on the Santa Claus fabric.  An idea hatched in the back of my mind.  But then, it evolved into not making him a Christmas cow, but a Christmas dog, since he is a dog whisperer extraordinaire, and 'papa' to red-nosed pibble mix, Brandy.

The flimsy

I have wanted to make Sew Fresh Quilts Lorna's Dog Gone Cute dog blocks since they first came out, wanted to join in the QAL, but just could not squish it in.  For John?  You bet I could squish in a final project for 2016!

The stars do align on a regular basis: I won a bundle of "Kringle Krossing" by Shelly Comiskey for Henry Glass Fabrics last week.  I did not bring any Christmas fabric to Florida except for the few pieces to make Myrrh the Christmas cow.  Luckily I had enough of the Santa fat quarter left that John especially liked for Holly's face and then I used Henry Glass prints for her blaze, muzzle and background.  Just love that background fabric especially!  The dark green for her ears is triangle scraps, and small rectangles (one of which is pieced to make the 6.5" required strip) all from John's quilt I made last year for his 75th birthday.  I'm into connections, symbols, double entendres, deeper meanings, in case you haven't noticed.

And woo hoo!! I'm also into meeting good friends for breakfast that evolved into visiting two quilt shops! Quilt Lovers' Hangout is fabulous!  As is the Go-Go Diner for breakfast, in case you may find yourself in North Fort Myers sometime...

Despite that foray into fantastic fabrics with a fabulous friend, Julie of Pink Doxies, and despite another blip in production from the QC (quilty cat) department...

I managed to get the cushion quilted this morning and photographed for today's several Finish Friday parties.

Flat Holly

and a fitting photo resting against one of John's two potted Christmas trees, which he gave to us after Christmas 2014 and 2015 to plant. They are thriving.

Holly has an ear tattoo, not a number ID but her name, FMQ-ed with Sulky Blendables in 30-weight.

I kept the quilting simple, doing Lorna's trademark wavy lines with Sulky metallic thread.  I tried to catch the sparkle...

Actually this one shows it pretty well.

I also tried to give her eyes a little more definition by using the Sulky Blendables I used for her tattoo to quilt a spiral in each eye.  It helps somewhat.  Aren't those reindeers adorable? I made sure to centre one on her muzzle.

The back:

Envelope back with that beautiful Holly (LOL just realized it this second) on white fabric, and a label.

For once I actually remembered to sew in my mmm! quilts label before I sewed on the binding.  I used the reindeer fabric, such a great strip it has in it!

I am not a machine-binder, but I am becoming more and more of a convert, and I have to tell you that I didn't have to go back on any missed spots on this cushion, woot! woot!  I used white Gütermann on the top and red Essentials in the bobbin.

I thought I'd share a couple of tips for sewing with metallic threads that I learned in a Sulky threads class taken many years ago.

First, be sure to use a Metallica needle, no not the band, although you could be playing one of their songs; I sometimes do listen to them on a rock playlist, ha, bet you didn't think that of me!  Metallica needles by Schmetz (no affiliation) have a teflon-coated eye to reduce friction.  Smart! They also have a much larger eye than a regular needle, which is on the left, Metallica on the right.

Second, you cannot sew as fast as you would with cotton or with polyester.  Think metal on metal and what do you get? Friction.  I only had one thread break, early on, and it was because it did a coil and double-hooked itself around my take-up thingamajig.  So I rigged up my system (some of MacGyver is rubbing off on me, clearly) that I always use for Holoshimmer threads, which are flat threads and need to feed off the spool like a roll of toilet paper, from the top.

Arrows point to the cone threads guide which helps to lessen tension as opposed to feeding the thread right from the spool into the take-up guide. The other arrows point to the spool itself, lying horizontal on a child-sized knitting needle, which is propped on the finger holes of two pairs of scissors.  This way the thread feeds off the top of the spool à la toilet paper, up to the cone holder thread guide, and from there to that take-up guide at the back of the machine.  No more breaks once I did this.

John saw the flimsy on Wednesday when he was here for a dog walk and lunch visit; I couldn't wait to show him.  Now I cannot wait to give Holly to him, and I kind of have a feeling there might be an Ivy 😉 coming to my own house soon!

Quilt Stats:
Pattern:  Dog Gone Cute by Sew Fresh Quilts
Size: 18.25" square
Fabric:  scraps and leftovers, except for the Henry Glass Fabrics "Kringle Krossing"
Batting: Pellon Nature's Touch 100% cotton
Quilted: on my Bernina
Threads:  pieced with Gütermann; quilted with Sulky Metallic 142-7027 and Sulky Blendables 30-wt 733-4022

In case you haven't stocked up enough on fabric deals, remember the Craftsy one still on until midnight Dec. 31! That is an affiliate link!

Many quilt shops both bricks and mortar type as well as online type are having end of year sales.  It's a great time to pick up backings or treat yourself.

Linking up with
Crazy Mom Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIFF at Arabesque Scissors

Walter 2

Always a favourite fish to eat when we were in our camping/fishing days as a family, a favourite to catch (they fight hard!) and a favourite to look at, marvel over...those EYES, this fish ranks #1 in my MacGyver's mind.  This was another goal on my Q3 FAL list.

So of course I had to make him one.  We have Walter #1, who measures just over 25" long, weighed between 8-9 pounds, and whom we got mounted many years ago.  He lived in Jackson Lake in northern central Alberta when my husband caught him.  He is a big fish for an Alberta lake.

I made this mainly using Henry Glass fabrics from the Desire to Inspire Challenge I did in June.

This was another idea I'd had to do using the fabrics, make a hotpad/potholder but I ran out of time.  The backing which you see above is one of the squares in the panel I received.

I used a double layer of Warm 'n Natural batting because I didn't have any Insul-Bright left.  The water fabric is an old one out of my stash that I do not know whose it is; only a "Y" and the colour circles are left on the selvage.  That fabulous black I used for binding (of which I had a 3" strip left, that's all) is a Michael Miller.

I cannot for the life of me recall where I used this fabric, something that is not like me; I can usually place every piece!

Walter 2 is not exactly true to colour, but pretty darn close. That dark green Henry Glass fabric for his main body is really perfect for walleye skin/scales.  Love the random placement of a gold star near his tail.  Speaking of his tail, MacGyver it was who told me I had to make that white 'chunk' on the lower fin.  I didn't know they had that!  The gold Henry Glass fabric worked well for his fins.  For the fish shape/outline, I used a line drawing I got off a free online colouring book.

You know me with my quilts in trees pics so just had to do one, trying to get the lake in the far background.  It blends into the sky though.  I see our clematis is trying to climb up the Nootka Cypress! Better get it back on track on its trellis.

This potholder that could actually double as a mini, was all done with Lara's Crafted Appliqué method.  Love it for no fraying crisp edges.  For those that like to zoom in on photos, you may notice a teensy bit of fraying on one of the brown reeds I freehand cut.  Guess I missed getting the fabric treated right up to the edge, doh!

For quilting I just followed random lines in the water fabric and outlined all the fish parts as well as stitched in some gills detail.  Most of it was stitched with Exquisite thread in green with the white and grey stitched in Madeira Polyneon in silver.  Both of these threads have a lovely glint to them when the light catches them.

Speaking of getting back on track, the quarterly Finish Alongs really do help me, cough, try to stay focussed.  I have Dayna's quilt to blog about yet this week for another from that list!

Quilt Stats:
Pattern:  Original Design
Size: 10.25" square
Fabric: scraps and stash
Batting: Warm 'n Natural 100% cotton
Quilted: on my Bernina 180 Artista
Threads: appliquéd with Exquisite 100% polyester in olive green, and Madeira Polyneon in silver.

Linking up with
Connie at Free Motion by the River
Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts
Leanne at She Can Quilt for the Q3FAL
Nicky at Mrs. Sew & Sow for Scraptastic Tuesday

My Happy Place

This was the second quilt I made for the Henry Glass Desire to Inspire Challenge in June.  I ran out of time to get it fully finished by the end of June, but it is done now!  I used up almost every bit of the fabric I had left to make it.

I'm pretty pretty pleased with how this turned out.

I was happy that the seagulls stayed on the beach or in the water, and not overhead for the photo shoot!

The colours are so saturated, aren't they?

Here is the flimsy:

This is based on a pattern in Pam & Nicky Lintott's book, More Layer Cake, Jelly Roll and Charm Quilts

 I got creative with piecing some of the 5" squares, cobbling together strips.

Here I pieced strips of the fabric that separates the blocks on the panel, as well as strips of one of the trees and words fabrics. I was pleased to include the name of the fabric line and almost all of Janet Rae Nesbitt's name in one of the squares!

One of the panel blocks is in the lower left corner of the quilt.  This block led to the name of the quilt.

Bella approved:

I'd set it down on the basement floor as I prepared the binding.  But of course that is an invitation for a kitty to inspect, play (her grey 'mouse' that holds wonderful homegrown catnip from 'Jake' one of my readers - sadly Bella seems to be snobby in that regard too, not too bothered and doesn't go too crazy after nuzzling it, like how??)  Anyhow she loves the backing, brown and blue...

Here it is before washing, on the patio in the shade:

I was pretty pleased with the health of my stash; I knew I wanted a navy blue binding, but when I found this 1/2 yard piece with tiny white stars on from who knows where/when....yesss! Fist pump!

I echoed 3 times in each star centre after ditch-stitching it first. Then I did a 5-pointed star in the very centre.  Was I blown away to find that in the dark green fabric there are the same tiny gold 5-pointed stars!  How did I not see that in all the other projects I made??  In the background squares, I did six different motifs along the wavy lines, separating them with a plain wavy line of quilting.  This covered half of the quilt, so I repeated the pattern once.  I also ditch-stitched every other row to give it stability since it isn't heavily quilted.

Here you see words, a 'pea pod' motif and a double leaf motif. Did I mention how much I love the woven fabrics in this line? You see all three I received in this shot, the gold, the pale blue plaid and the red.  There was not enough of the twill weave ones left.

This row of writing says "lake erie" twice, lower case intentional.  Above it is one of Christina Cameli's motifs, waves and intermitent cursive e's.

The other row of words:

The first row of words says 'sun' and 'warm' and then reverses the order in the repeat; under the leaf motif is a row of intermittent swirls to evoke water.

Little sprinkles of sand kept hopping onto the quilt...ha! which is how you pronounce my name!

Sandra like sand on the beach :-) Sneaked it in among the last row of swirls. 

Here is the back, all flannel; the chocolate brown is scrap from one of Dayna's quilts, which in turn, was scraps from a niece's quilt! It is totally gone now except for one 2" WOF strip.

I made my own label with scraps from the front; I had to unpick the binding a little to sew in my mmm! quilts label, nearly forgot.  The blue flannel was stash, and the leaves flannel is part of a fat quarter I had.

Written with a Pentel gel roller pen.. The handmade label is not supposed to be near the top edge of the quilt; somehow I rotated the back when I took it off the design wall and placed it on my cutting table for writing...Ah well, I actually do prefer this in the end; stars are up in the sky right?!

Sidenote about fabric quality: notice the pilling already on the blue flannel? Although it is a gorgeous mottled blue, I bought this at Fabricland quite a few years ago. It's got a lovely hand and weight and colour.  It compares very well to the brown which is from a quilt shop. However, two things: one, the first wash and it's already pilled, and second, good thing I had a colour catcher in the washer, as it came out quite blue! I know the Henry Glass Fabrics did not bleed at all, because I washed the first quilt I made with them, didn't have a colour catcher in, and even had a cream background for that quilt.

Exactly 4 weeks ago I displayed the fabrics here on this hall table.

I used Gütermann thread to piece the quilt, Fufus rayon for the wavy motifs and ditch-stitching.  It blended so well with all the fabrics.  I used Essential from Connecting Threads for the stars.  I have to say once again how much Avril the Avanté loves this thread. No breaks.  The rayon did from time to time but turning the needle to the '5:30' position instead of the '6:30' (eye straight on) position works like a charm.

Hey! Have you been taking advantage of the terrific summer sale this week at Connecting Threads?  No affiliation, but there have been some screaming good deals much like those in the spring (when I ordered uh...3 separate times...hey I was still state-side, so free shipping with $50.)  Today is up to 50% off wide backing fabrics.  They have extremely good shipping rates and DRUM ROLL OMG I JUST CHECKED: FREE to Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom with a $75 order.  I knew about Canada, because I've taken advantage of that, but did not realize they did this for the other two!

One last lake shot:

Should've taken a video so you could hear the perfect waves sounds...ahhh, happy place indeed.

Oh! Nearly forgot.  What am I reading? That one shot gave you a peek.  Here's a closer look:

I savour the May issue of Quilt Sampler throughout the summer; it's just a 'thing' to slowly soak it up.  I'm re-reading Dragonfly in Amber along with watching Season 2 (I have the last two episodes to watch yet, speaking of soaking it up; just loving it, even if Claire isn't quite 'right' in my mind, looks/body-wise).  Why The Railway Station Man, set in Ireland, is on my 'to read' pile, I don't know, but I am enjoying it and plan to watch the film.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern:  based on a Pam and Nicky Lintott pattern
Size: 43.5" across by 43.25 long ... not square! I wonder if it has to do with the crosswise/lengthwise grain of the flannel on the back? Interesting....
Fabric: scraps and leftover pieces from the Henry Glass Challenge fabrics, "Better at the Lake" by Janet Rae Nesbitt
Batting: Pellon Nature's Touch 100% cotton
Quilted: on my Avanté
Threads: pieced and quilted with Gütermann; quilted with Fufus rayon olive green and Essential #21252 Tea Dyed

Linking up with
Sew Fresh Quilts with Lorna
Scraptastic Tuesday with Nicky and Leanne
My Quilt Infatuation with Kelly
Confessions of a Fabric Addict with Sarah
Crazy Mom Quilts with Amanda Jean

Sunday Stretch For Sewists #10 Toes

Bernie Clark says in his book that there is an old Daoist saying, "A person with open toes has an open mind."

The feet is the first place we start to age, so putting some tension on our toes or our ankles, arches, balls of the feet or tops of the feet is good.  Long hours with one foot on a sewing machine pedal, or standing at a longarm, can mean your toes, feet and ankles will love this massage, but go easy.

Ankle Stretch and Toe Squat
Start with Ankle Stretch by coming to sit in Japanese sitting position, bum resting on your heels.

If this won't work for your knee health, then sit on a block or a cushion that is between your feet, or put a rolled up towel acros the calves and behind the knee joint which helps to decrease the bend in the joint.  Begin with the tops of your feet resting on the floor (blanket or yoga mat).  Relax here, finding your breath, pulling it in through the rings of your nostrils, tracing its path up your nose, down your throat, into your lungs and back out that same pathway, counting to 2 or 3 or 4, slowly on the inhale and same slow steady count on the exhale.  This is called a yogic breath.  While steadily breathing, notice a tug along the tops of your quads maybe, in the front of the ankles as they press into the mat, more so with your weight on your feet.  You may feel the top side of the toes as they too, press into the mat.

In the beginning, you don't want to stay here very long, maybe 30-60 seconds.

Come out by coming forward onto all fours, and staying still while you enjoy the 'ahhh' release as the blood rushes into those areas where you were feeling tension.

Next, go into Toe Squat from all fours simply by tucking your toes under, and raising your body to an upright position.  Depending on your toes' and ankles' health and flexibility, you may need to stay on, or mostly on, all fours for the first several times you do this.

Ease back onto those toes, trying to get all five on each foot in contact with your mat.  Enjoy :-) the tension and tug on the arches, every toe, the ball of the foot and even through the ankle.  Hold for 30-60 seconds, but eventually work up to 2-3 minutes.

You can juice each of these poses up, but do it slowly and mindfully, never forcing or going into pain.  You just want a tension, or tugging, a traction hold, kind of feeling.
For Ankle Stretch, lean back onto your hands, lifting one knee at a time, or both together.

This is very strong through the tops of the feet and the ankles, so don't hold it for very long in the beginning, maybe just a minute maximum.

For Toe Squat, see if you can balance on your toes.

Just a few minutes maybe twice a week, and you will notice a little more freedom of movement through your feet which should lead to a happier you!

Here is my work so far this holiday weekend in both Canada (July 1, Canada Day) and the US (July 4, Independence Day):

A flimsy finished, another Better At The Lake project for the Henry Glass Fabrics Desire to Inspire Challenge

If you didn't see my previous post, then here is a link to the Henry Glass Fabrics blog, where I revealed the projects I had completed (well, the above quilt was still on the design wall!) for the challenge for June.  There is a giveaway of two small projects, so be sure to enter on their blog for it!  I do have the backing pieced and hope to quilt this up this afternoon.

Oh, and as a small nod to Sunday Stash, here is a fabric I picked up to make some summer pj shorts for the best grandson in the world:

Too adorable!  He loves Minions, and with his English roots on my side of the family, I could not resist!

Better At The Lake - Henry Glass Fabrics Desire to Inspire Challenge

It's HERE!! The day you get to see all that I did since the June 9 post which is when I received the fabrics!  You can motorboat on over right now to the Henry Glass Fabrics blog, and read about me and see all my projects in detail, or you can read through this short teaser and then jetski on over, wink!

Here was what I received:

and here is a peek at almost all the projects all together taken yesterday down at the beach:

Lap quilt, coffee koozies, lighthouse pillow, coasters, this one with a sandpiper on it, drawstring backpack

The quilt flag was missing from that photo, but that's because MacGyver was MacGyver-ing up a quilt flag holder from a shepherd's hook plant pot holder for it:

What is on the back of this quilt flag?  (which, I may add, could double as a table centre)

One more quilt is in the works, at the almost-a-flimsy stage as I type! You can see it on their blog...

So paddle on over to Henry Glass Fabrics' blog and see the post of all the projects!  There is a sweet little giveaway there too I might add, and I will ship internationally!

I had SUCH FUN and this challenge really pushed me to thinking of projects to show off this rich colours fabric line.  Thank you so much to Henry Glass Fabrics for the fabric and the challenge!  If you would like your chance to show them your sewing stuff, follow their blog, (they'll be announcing the July challenge tomorrow I would imagine), their fabric company website, sign up for email notifications as I did, and toss your rotary cutter into the ring!

Now, I have a certain house to clean, some actual meals to cook for my MacGyver, some blogs to visit....and lots more sewing to be done!

I will be linking up with:
Sew Fresh Quilts
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Crazy Mom Quilts
TGIFF at Celtic Thistle Stitches
Cooking Up Quilts