A Quilt Visited

When I delivered Sadie's quilt,
I had a chance to visit Arabella's Picnic Quilt.

It matches it's new home too.
I love the view it has out the window.

I'm glad it's being used.
What a happy ending.

With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Quilting Book Buddies

I've had this book for several years. I hunted it down to work on this quilt -

A Work in Progress picture of the anniversary quilt for my parents. My sister and I each made blocks with sashing and quilted them. I joined them together using the lap quilting method.

Now I'm using it to put my Birthday Baskets quilt together. These two panels are sewn together on the front. I still need to hand sew the back seam - it's pinned and ready for me.

Next book

I won this book by Kay and it has become my go-to book for applique. I used it to make the applique blocks in this quilt


a Picnic Quilt for my latest niece's first birthday.

I'm now using it to try out Back Basting. I'm using this technique for my Mystery Basket block.

In this photo, I've drawn the lines for the basket handle on the back of the background. The handle fabric is right side up on the front of the piece. The pieces were pinned together then I basted on the drawn lines.

This is what the right side of the block looks like before cutting . . .


This is after cutting. Now it's ready for me to stitch down.

I think Orange was the right choice!

Do you have books that have become quilting buddies?

With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Blogger's Quilt Festival

Welcome to my blog!
EDIT: I am now finished this quilt! Thanks to the Festival and all the positive responses, I have worked over the last week to finish this quilt. It was hand delivered Oct. 12, Canadian Thanksgiving. I have changed photos to show the completed front and back. Enjoy!

This is a first birthday present for my fourth niece. She has 2 older sisters so I thought a BIG quilt they could all play on was in order. It measures 58 inches by 58 1/2 inches.

This green children's print was my starting inspiration. All the fabrics used were from my stash. I loved making all the colours come out and play together!


This quilt is my original design. Each section of the quilt is made up of blocks or techniques from quilters I visit in blogland. The centre is from Yolanda at Urban Amish. This is a block design from Urban Amish lesson 2. The red with white polka dots fabric became a focus fabric joining all the different blocks together. (The polka dot fabric was from my husband's grandmother's stash that I inherited when she died. I love using her fabric in family quilts.)



I also got to finally make some cottages using Nanette's (from Freda's Hive) tutorial! I see more fun cottage blocks in quilts to come. Like a Halloween one! Here they are on my design wall beside the courtyard steps I made to go in the quilt.

I won a copy of Kay MacKenzie's new applique book and tried out a few of her fun flower blocks. Look, more red and white polka dot fabric! The background fabric in these blocks is from my mother's stash when she used to make us doll clothes.

I used the Quilter's Cache to find the perfect 10 inch block to put in each corner. Using THE fabric, of course:) Then I added the lime green sashing to make the border of blocks fit. Finally, one more round of polka dots. I measured this fabric out at the beginning when I had a rough idea of how big the quilt would be. I was so glad that I had enough!

Some may argue that this isn't a REAL quilt because there is no batting. I used the envelope method to sew the two layers together and thus - there's no binding either! But I think it's a real quilt. The love, joy and motivation were all there. The best wishes and intentions are still stitched into this lightweight, summer coverlet or picnic blanket, like many quilts made in times past.

It's real enough for me:)

I used some "cheater cloth" that I'd been given as the backing.

I was originally going to tie the quilt, but I ended up using my domestic machine to quilt it.

Happy 1st Birthday, Arabella
Made with love by Aunt Sarah
2009

Thanks for stopping by to see my special quilt.
Thanks to Amy for hosting this amazing festival once again.

ENJOY the show,
Sarah Vee

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Time Tip Tuesday

This is for all of us who would love to and NEED to find time everyday to quilt. To create. To make something new! This is a first attempt. Check back next week. No promises! Enjoy.

Time Tip #1 : Do NOW what you can't do LATER!

For instance; my goal right now is to finish quilting this quilt by the end of October. Some of you might sit right down and stay up late and do it! Yay for you!! For me, that's a no go. I procrastinate at this stage, but I'm working on it. What have I done to tackle this phobia of the finished product?

SEE it done then do it!

I have written out all my plans for quilting each different section of the quilt. When I get a chunk of time without interruptions (or toddlers ) I go for it. I don't have to rethink what I'm going to do or where I'm at. I check off each section as I go so I know where to start next time. You can even write down what thread you plan to use so you don't have to store that info in your brain (save some space up there for dreaming about the next quilt!)

So far so good.

Next Tuesday I may even show you this one done :)

Make a plan for getting through the parts you don't enjoy - or simply can't do during your normal time for sewing.

ENJOY the process (all the way to the end!)

Sarah Vee

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Monday Progress

October has started slowly around here. Mostly with rain outside and trying to catch up on sleep inside!


My design wall has changed recently. The blue and purple squares are the background to a block I'm designing. A spring block. I'm optimistic it will be ready then:)

Another lonely Lady of the Lake finished. One more September stocking finished.
The final instructions are also posted for the mystery quilt from my sister's guild that I have been working on.


Here's my table. The blocks on the left belong to the mystery quilt. The final ones. Maybe next week I can show the blocks all laid out? We'll see!

You can also see the stack of triangles. They are waiting to be ironed and will be made into more Lady of the Lake blocks.

The sketchbook has my notes for how I plan to quilt the Picnic Quilt. I did get an hour to work on quilting the Picnic Quilt this weekend. . .
still more to do, but looks like I can get it DONE this month!

The blue squares above are for a BIG project due next July. A collaboration with my sister. You won't see this reveal until then (someone who reads this blog will be receiving it! 'Nuf said)

Under (yes, UNDER) my rulers are strips of tan fabrics waiting to be cut down into various sizes of squares for the Hallowe'en 1904 quilt that I will be working on next year. My motivator fabric, if you will.

I am keeping on track with my list of projects to finish. I always put off the end step of quilting, but love to start things. Designing and picking out fabrics, then seeing the blocks come together. I just have to work on staying excited! I think I will now that most things I'm making are for me!!


One last picture today. I'm considering this light green with stars as my filler diamonds for this block. It's supposed to be white, but I think I like this combination. We'll see. I'd really like to try a bright turquoise!

Okay, that's my Monday report. Check the other quilters who report in to Judy!

Enjoy the week,

Sarah Vee

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Did You Know It's Monday ?!?

Well, it is Monday, and we're into the second last week of July! This usually means I go through my list of monthly goals and start pushing myself to get something done! Let's see what I've been up to:


I have the backing attached to the Picnic Quilt. It's a heavier weight 'cheater' fabric that I thought was a good choice since there is no batting layer.
I have to pin this and decide if I am tying or machine quilting it.
Original date for completion: July 5th.
Current completion date: soon!!!



I completed four more Lady of the Lake blocks done last week. Not my goal of 4 a DAY, but it is summer! That's all for my design wall this week so far.
Check out Judy's site to see what everyone else has up.



My box is full of more squares waiting to become blocks.
How many blocks left?*22*!
Original deadline to have all blocks completed? End of July!

Here's a link to some information about the beginnings of this quilt block.


Moving on!:)


I have decided to join Cherri of Cherry House Quilts and her Little Bouquet Quilt quilt a long. I've opted to do the small 10.5 by 10.5 version, because of time and limited stash quantities. This picture is close to 50 green strips light to dark ranging from 1 inch to 3 inches wide.
It should be fun! You can still join in too : here's the flickr site to see what you're getting into:)

I also did my first collage for my last week of the Studio Journal course! I had fun doing this - of course it helps when my daughter does it along beside me. This course has really helped me *see* design possibilities everywhere and given me real exercises to get me thinking about how to make them in textiles. Sharon is an excellent teacher with a great blog that features crazy quilting stitches and links to interesting textile sites. Check out her site - she teaches other courses too.

Okay, so I guess I've been busy:) Plus I have plans this week to make a bag for one of my daughter's close friends for her birthday.

I'm onto my second cup of coffee - Enjoy the links and have a good day:)
Sarah Vee

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Flowers Picked to Play With

Tip toe through the tulips....

Play peek-a-boo in the posies...

Daydream with the daisy. . .

Sweet summertime Sunflowers. . .

*blocks are from Kay Mackenzie's
Easy Applique Blocks: 50 Designs in 5 Sizes*

SEW Enjoying time with this quilt!
Sarah Vee

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How does your Quilt Grow?

Design Wall Monday and today, my design wall is working overtime!

My birthday Picnic Quilt is UP! I have all of my blocks completed except for the blanket stitching around the last 2 flower applique blocks. The whole quilt doesn't fit up here so I will have to resort to the kitchen floor again at some point to lay everything out.

I am now trying to decide if I love the lime green sashing between the blocks. I think it might be too light and get lost in the row. At the same time, the longer I look at it, the more I like it.
I think the green looks better than this purple option. I have another 'plainer' purple to consider as well. I don't have anymore of the red and white polka dot. Just enough for the outer border. As I'm trying to work with what I've got, well, come back again and see what I decide:)

I worked on more over the weekend as well, which I'll post later in the week. I also have a 'product review' of Mistyfuse scheduled for Thursday.

Enjoy checking in on everyone's design walls. Remember it was Judy who started it all!

ENJOY the week,
Sarah Vee
p.s. Happy 13th Anniversary to me and my hubby today:)xo

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