Patchwork Olympics extended quilt top

My Four Patch Work, a Patchwork Olympics pattern by Temecula Quilt Co. is finally a completed top. 

I added one more row to make the quilt long enough to enjoy as a lap quilt. Although I'm seriously considering hanging this one in my bedroom.

Making the last two blocks of one inch squares felt overwhelming - I almost quit. Then I started thinking about how to make piecing all the little units easier. I had almost no small light colour scraps left to use so I ended up cutting strips of fabric. Then I sewed the dark and medium squares to each strip. It was easy to then press to the dark seam and cut the units apart at 1 1/2" intervals. It was still alot of piecing, but it felt like it went quicker!

Now I'm really glad I kept going! I love the added length. This quilt reminds me so much of the quilt I have from my great grandmother. Simple patchwork can hold so many memories! I'm looking forward to finding the *right* backing fabric and putting this one on the list to quilt next year.

Speaking of Temecula Quilt Co. - There's a new magazine being put out by the family behind Primitive Quilts called Quilts We Love. The premiere issue features a quilt by Temecula Quilt Co. on the cover - I love the green! I think they are going to be putting together kits too ;)

Do you have a favourite place to look for quilt inspiration? A magazine, a blog, pinterest? Share in the comments below and let's create an inspiration list together:)

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Patchwork Olympics - a quilt top

I know the Olympics are over, but it took me a little bit longer to get my Patchwork Olympics quilt top done. 

And really, it's still not done. I asked my husband to hold it up to show the pattern size of the quilt as designed by Temecula Quilt Co.. I'm planning on adding one more row to make it a little longer and a more usable length in our house.

I love the small pieces! I really didn't think I had any light color scraps - let alone enough - to make this quilt. Was I surprised! It's amazing how little the pieces were that I kept over the years - or is it?

I made this bin several years ago. I keep baggies in it full of leftovers from projects. Little pieces that I cut, spare blocks, test blocks, random bits of fabric that I fussy cut and saved. . . 

Inside the bin I found this tiny baggie full of 1 1/2" squares - the right size for this project! 

I also found a lot of fused scraps kept from several projects. I threw out quite a few - the real skinny ones - and kept a few with a project in mind. In the end the bin's goodies probably shrunk in half from this exercise! 

That means I have room for more scraps, right ;)

I recently received the new PFAFF Performance 5.2 to review for QUILTsocial.com. You can read my posts over there this week. Thanks to this machine's features I was able to zip through and sew a lot of patches in less than an hour! It's helped me conquer that I'm too tired to quilt feeling - I can sit down and sew precise seams and feel good doing it. I find it tricky to describe the physical ease of using the PFAFF machines - you might just have to try one;)

I'm so glad I took on this Olympic challenge. Yet another quilt in my home with a story - a birth story. So many memories of other quilts I've made came up as I cut out and sewed together scraps from them, joining them together in this quilt. 

The abundance of gifts from scrap quilts is tangible with every cuddle. I've got two more blocks to make to finish the last row of this quilt and I'm looking forward to scrounging through what's left of my scraps to piece them. I know there will be enough. And probably more!


Do you like to make scrap quilts?




With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Mid-August Update: Splendid Sampler, Secret Garden and Scrap JOY

Last week went by in a blur! Where has the summer gone? Actually, I've been savouring the summer and finding that it's almost time to pick up the pace again as the new school year approaches. But before that happens I plan to spend a lot of time quilting!

I did get to enjoy visiting blogs of several Splendid Sampler block designers last week as the 50th of 100 blocks was released. I took some time to make my block 50 and one more pieced block.

Block 46 was fun to do, playing with the lights, darks and medium prints in this line to get some of the swirling effect going. I will spend some more time catching up in another week or so - I have quite a bit of writing and designing to do in the mean time.

Of course I did take some time to make this month's My Secret Garden block too! I actually wanted to use some of the blue Denyse Schmidt fabric that I'm using as the background in this block for another project so it was the perfect excuse to cut out this block at the same time.

Here are my My Secret Garden blocks. Remember last month Pat gave out two blocks - the one in the bottom row is the first bonus block. I have a plan now for the sashing that I started cutting this week. Hopefully I'll add it to my blocks next month ;)

THIS is what I was cutting scraps for - Four Patch-Work by Temecula Quilt Co. I find it irresistible! The pattern is free on their blog  until the Olympics are over. It has been absolutely delightful to cut patches from fabrics I'm using now in various projects as well as from my scrap bin to get this many blocks made. I might get to another post this week with some more progress. The next step is cutting more than 500 11/2" squares to make into four patches.

Did I mention I was busy writing too?!

Yes, a new PFAFF machine arrived for me to review! Plus we worked on renovating the bathroom last week and I ended up with this new-to-my-space storage cabinet. This photo shows me trying to get the right light on the sewing machine without any shadows behind it. On the design wall behind it is all the 8" four patches from the Four Patch-Work top.

It seems like my sewing space has picked up the pace. I'll get my writing done so I can get back to quilting - and sharing here! 

How are you spending the rest of August?


With Joy and Gratitude,

Sarah V.

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Works in Progress Mid-January 2016

We finally have snow! Two snow falls and it's hard to remember we could see the grass at Christmas time.

My first official finish of 2016 is this Temecula Quilt Company mini basket quilt. It's been sitting stashed away waiting to be quilted and I finally just did it. Although unexpected, I'm pretty delighted with the odd binding prints that add a little bit of colour and help bring your eye back to the baskets.

The colours are a little off in this one - that's what happens when all of your quilting time happens after hours! This block from Friends on Chelsea Lane (by Pat Sloan) snuck under my needle. I needed to finish blanket stitching around the leaves. I still have to stitch the ric rac down. This is how I'm trying to resist joining any more Block of the Month programs this year - I have this one to work on and I love it. 

I AM trying to stay on track with this quilt. My Halloween 1904 (by Blackbird Designs) quilt blocks received a lot of attention over the New Year's Luau/online retreat. I have now pinned one of the panels in preparation to quilt this weekend. A reward for surviving supply teaching in kindergarten this week :) Actually, teaching kindergarten is pretty rewarding all on its own!


There's my week or two of progress so far this year!


I'm linking up with Needle and Thread Network this week - check out some more Canadians making with fibre this winter.

With Joy,


Sarah V

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A Mini Christmas

Thank you Temecula Quilt Company for the We Wish You a Mini Christmas! 

A daily surprise mini block.
A mini quilt in 12 days.

Hard to resist!

A fun treat at this time of year. 


I bribe myself with it - 

get your projects done and you can play with your scraps and the wonderful mini traditional blocks!

It worked this year! I have a finished quilt to gift - and I've been finishing some smaller gifts too :)

I'm even staying caught up! They're like little chocolates - can't make just one. 


Remember to reward yourself with something that brings YOU Joy - and it doesn't have to be big ;)


Linking up with the Needle and Thread Network WIP Wednesday.



With Joy,


Sarah V

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Finishing up June and Finding UFOs

June Aurifil Block of the Month
Aurifil flickr link - view pics and find links to block instructions for each month

6 inch chicken feet block

for my Quilty Barn Door block!

Quilty Barn Along flickr pool - links to Lori's blog posts are here too


This morning I went on a hunt for some fabric I KNEW I had! I found it and quite a few more little UFOs to add to my list. They might be my summer pile, or teacher's college pile, or they might just get added to the list (wink!)

In no particular order. . . 

 A fused swan scene, made up a few years ago now with fused fabric scraps from the Layer Cake Quilt Along and my Prayer Flag fabric.  I will machine quilt this I think. It's less than 12 inches big.

My Follow Your Bliss Makealong top! Ugh! Is this from last summer (or the one before!) Most of it is quilted down now. I think I was considering more embellishing, and adding some purple stitching to the yellow words.

North scraps. Again I know this started out using fused scrap leftovers. Quilty Cat just made this  amazing prairie point pillow which has given me some inspiration for what I want to add to this. I think it will become a pillow too!



And the last one, which has been on my mind lately,

Blessings Baskets from Temecula Quilt Co.

Look at the fun stash of fabrics I have tucked away with these blocks! Another incentive to finish!


If you got this far, remember to enter my Canada Day Giveaway!

With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Baby Quilt Reveal

I can finally reveal this baby quilt because my nephew has arrived!

You can find the free pattern for these 5 inch blocks at the Temecula Quilt Company blog. (It's in the left hand sidebar with the heading 25th anniversary)

I quilted it on my domestic machine with straight lines to make a checkerboard over the entire quilt. This way the quilting would be even over the entire quilt top.

You can see the quilt with the baby on it at my sister's blog, Stitch 2, Write 1.
She has photos of the flannel monsters I put on the back too.

You might even want to encourage her to pick a name for my nephew, already!


With Joy,
Aunt Sarah Vee

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Row 4

This might be my favourite row! I loved making these blocks.



Here's my photos showing the four completed rows.

The final row and the finishing directions are up now.
You can find them at the blog of the Temecula Quilt Company.


With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Two More Rows

I have been managing to keep up with the weekly rows for the Temecula Quilt.
Here's the first two weeks.

Here's row three. I was able to use up some different scraps this time.
The contrast is not as strong in some of these blocks, but I'm okay with that.This quilt will be looked at up close mostly and I'm enjoying adding fun prints for a baby and siblings to look at together.

Time to cut scraps for row four!


With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Sewing Along with Scraps

Pat Sloan will be starting another scrap busting quilt through her newsletter. You need the newsletter to get the directions and you can sign up here for Pat's newsletter.

While I was going through scraps to cut up these 400 2.5 inch squares, I found even more squares already cut up and waiting for me!

Which gave me the perfect excuse to dive into another sew along!

Temecula Quilt company has been teasing and enticing me with their blog posts. They are starting a mini quilt - it will finish at 40 inches square - celebrating Judy Rothermel's 25 years of fabrics. Their quilt is using a special line of prints made for the anniversary. You can check out the instructions for this first row of blocks on their blog. Temecula Quilt Company. (You'll have to scroll back a few posts to get them - for some reason I can't link to the individual posts just the blog!)

Are you sewing along with your scraps this season?
 It's a fun way to keep yourself occupied and busy in your sewing stash!

With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Little Leaps of Joy

I did a wee little bit of fabric shopping on Leap Day. 

One of my favourite Canadian online shops was having a sale.

Sew Sisters

 

I was lucky enough to spy some Melissa Averinos fabric.

Love the possibilities here.

 

I think it's going to play nicely with my Madhatter Tea Party blocks. 

{freebie from Pat Sloan}

 My heart did a little leap when I saw this fabric still in the online store.

I love this line from Denyse Schmidt.

Hope Valley.

I needed some little sewing to get me focused again.

blessings basket

I think I took a little leap into this mini quilt

from Temecula Quilts.

Everyone in my family said it looked like a coaster!

Here's the block beside a coaster from my sister.

With Joy,

Sarah Vee

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