2013 Year in Review...19 Quilts!

The year 2013 has been a great one for me, and that included lots of sewing (though not these past few months). Considering my first ever quilt I started in January of 2012 it is hard to believe I actually finished 19 (!) quilts this year! When I saw them all written down I was even a little shocked. How did I find the time?

Hopefully in the new year, with the addition of a new baby girl, I will get lots of quilting time. I'm hoping she is soothed by the sound of a sewing machine. Am I a crazy dreamer?

Left to right, top to bottom: Things That Go, Ice Cream Truck, Foxy Blocks, Bouncing Bunnies, Giraffe Love, Bluebird's Song, Superhero Mashup, Spring Garden, Purple Patchwork, Thank You Kate, Comma Sutra, Plus One, Lily Garden, Jungle Jewel, GeoBaby, Little Red, One is Fun, Jungle Jam and A Zipper in Time.

Above is a collage of all my quilts this year. I also did some smaller projects, but I usually forget to take pictures of those. I need to be more diligent about that this year.

I would say that the quilt I am most proud of is A Zipper in Time, a complicated, large quilt that ended up looking amazing for my father-in-law's 60th birthday. For sentimental reasons, I love Lily Garden because my grandmother, who has been very ill, loves it so much. She was hospitalized for many weeks this past winter and she insists on her quilt being with her all the time. I love that (even if the quilt itself is not to my personal taste). Really, I have love for all these quilts, made for other people (only one in this collage lives at my house, in my daughter's room) and gifted with love.

Now I have to put together a 2014 quilting To Do list. Last year's list was a wee bit adventurous (my friend C says I am totally nuts with my quilting goals) so I think I might try to be more realistic this year. I would say 12 quilts plus a few on-the-go projects like finishing Sugar Block Club blocks from 2013 (I am so behind!). I'll do a 2014 goals post soon.

Hope your 2013 was filled with lots of crafty time!

Lynn

Jungle Jewel and Jungle Jam: TWO Finished Quilts

When friends of ours found out they were expecting twins, I knew I wanted to make a pair of quilts that went together but weren't identical (much like the twins themselves!). I ordered Bungle Jungle fat eighth packs and picked the Tagged pattern from Cluck Cluck Sew's book (Alison Harris) Growing Up Modern.

The babies were due in October. They ended up arriving at the end of September. Alas, I am only just now finished (and delivering the quilts to the babies this afternoon so they don't get lost in Christmas chaos when we see that whole group of friends (including 14 kids) on New Year's Eve).

Here is a very picture-heavy post about Jungle Jewel (the grey and turquoise and white version, destined for the little girl twin) and Jungle Jam (the red, blue and green version for the little boy twin).

Jungle Jewel

Jungle Jewel- The binding is the grey crossword fabric from this line.

Jungle Jewel is FMQed using a very light blue Aurafil and doing a loose meandering stipple.

Back of Jungle Jewel- turquoise crossword print with some grey prints down the edge for interest.

How cute are those elephants?

This gives you an idea of the weather conditions during this shoot- right after a major ice storm. This little Alberta Spruce was solid ice and right next to where I am shooting (in my backyard).

Jungle Jam

Jungle Jam was FMQed with loops through the white and red strips and a spiral at the centre of every block. It took FOREVER.

Jungle Jam- back is grey crossword, the binding is turquoise crossword and the edge of this one has some happy yellow prints.

I loved pieced backings, and you can really see the FMQ pattern here.

Another ice shot to remind you how COLD it was while I was taking these pictures!

A pair.

Jungle Jam at the back, Jungle Jewel at the front. I love how they look like they belong together and yet are not exact (which would be boring).

I hope the mom and dad love the quilts, and that the babies get lots of use out of them. These will be the last quilts I finish for 2013 (and hopefully I'll get one done for my baby before she comes, with an expected due date of January 16, before the end of January).

Look for a post of all my 2013 quilts coming over the next week.

Lynn

Last Shop Hop Before Baby

Yesterday I got to go on a fabric shop hop with some quilty friends. The weather was cold and cloudy but the company was awesome and we all had a good time. We even had a total newbie quilter with us for the first time. We (C and I) were worried that newbie quilter would be like our friend A who only buys fabric when she has a specific project in mind. Crazy, if you ask me. But the newbie was awesome and when she loved things she picked them up. She was stroking fabric and matching thread like a pro. I think she's going to be hooked!

On a good note, I have my old machine back and she is running very smoothly:

I missed you!

I managed to fix a dress for my daughter, FMQ the last of the one twin's quilt and make all the binding for both twin quilts. Hooray! Progress!

Rolls of binding are satisfying.

But back to the shop hop...

Our first stop was Bee Modern Fabrics at the new location outside of Niagara-on-the-Lake. They have tons more room and we loved their tiny store when we went in the summer so we knew this was a must stop.

So adorable, right?

Tons of fabrics that appealed to all of us.

I am a lousy clothing maker. But A is awesome at it. I fell in love with this little dress, so I bought the pattern (It is an Oliver + S pattern) and A will make it for me once I buy the fabric. LOVE!

There are also these super soft Bamboo baby wools at Bee Modern, and A is making a sweater for me for the new baby. Those two aqua/teal/turquoise colours are gorgeous.

We then had lunch at a bakery and cafe across the street from Bee Modern. I don't remember the name, but the food was delicious! Check out the baked goods!

Our next stop was The Quilting Bee in Thorold. C and A had been there before so they knew what to expect.

Quilting Bee

Two floors of fabric? Yes please.

Much of the fabric selection was more old fashioned than I would choose, but I found this shelf of Ann Kelle flannelettes and I knew some would come home with me.

How could I resist?

They had about a thousand things on display. I liked this modern Christmas wall hanging:

Applique is beyond me yet!

And there was one section that seemed destined for C. She is a Kaffe Fassett, Tula Pink, Amy Butler nut. This whole set of shelves was on sale! She picked up some beautiful fabrics for 20% off!

So much colour!

Some of the piecing on display was so crisp and perfect that I was jealous!

Such tiny little pieces!

Next up was Waterford where the Quilt Junction, housed in an old train station, was waiting for us as the sun began to set.

Charming!

It was really quaint, but mostly fabric not to my taste (civil war, batik, etc). The atmosphere was dark (which is nice for being cozy but not great for trying to see the colour of fabrics).

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Christmas lights were sparkling!

Tired and happy with our purchases we then made our way home. Want to see what I bought?

1m each of these two Ann Kelle flannelettes in Urban Zoologie (for the soon-to-be-here baby!)

A few adorable fat quarters:

Turquoise seems to turn up everywhere!

A 60 degree ruler, which I have been looking for. This one was from The Quilting Bee. I'm thrilled!

Wait, you say. That is so reasonable. Why so little?

Well...

Earlier in the week A was at two stores in Guelph, Triangle Sewing and Greenwood Quiltery. And thanks to the wonders of texting, she sent me photos of things (including the machines on sale- thanks A!) and I got her to buy me some things. Ooops.

Three spools of Aurafil and 10 fat quarters from the new Charlie Harper line of fabric which is sooooooo cute. I just wish they had the cardinals in stock.

And my second-to-last Blogger bundle of the month from Fat Quarter Shop just arrived. While I'm on maternity leave we are stopping my monthly bundle. I will miss them!

I love, love, love this bundle!!

So, with that last shop hop under my belt (ha! Like I could wear a belt right now!) I can perhaps get down to some sewing (I want at least one quilt for baby done before she arrives!). And there is a potential road trip in June to see a quilt show with these same fantastic ladies. I'll be looking forward to it!

Lynn