Hello Canada - I am here

Yes - I am in my motherland.  I have no internet on my phone and have found that not having access to my emails, BBM and Instagram is driving me insane.  I can't even do the daily spin on Candy Crush!!!!  Disaster, I know!!

My rental car is a Fiat 500 soft top so I have been driving from Kinburn to Arnprior with the roof down and the radio on!  My hair is now a mess and has been wind-whipped into knots but I sure am enjoying the flat, long stretches of pothole-free roads.

**Just a quick check in to tell Katy that I can't wait to meet her tomorrow along with the rest of the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild - I am so excited!!  See you at 7:15pm or so right?

Since I have no way to share any pictures with you from my camera at the moment, here is a picture of something I have been craving and can now finally purchase here in Canada:

I never did understand why they are called Swedish Berries but boy oh boy they are "gud".

Happy Monday to you all wherever you are!

Schnitzel and Boo mini quilt

I accomplished my June ALYoF goal - to complete my Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap mini quilt.  Yay

Can you believe that this particular swap has over 600 participants - wild.  This also makes it hard to determine who may be making you a mini but this makes it fun to keep guessing until the work of art actually arrives on your doorstep!

For my partner, Tula Pink was listed as one of their favourite designers.  I dug through my stash (one of my promises to myself in the Fabric Fast was to 'use what I already have') and I discovered a few lovely Tula Pink fat quarters.  I cut a few 5" charms and sewed them to some white charms and then cut them and cut them again and once again and ended up with a whole bunch of 2" half square triangles.  I really had no plan except to cut and see what could happen!

With a few of the scraps I also made a Thumb/finger pincushion ring and a needle book with some pins in it.  I hope my partner loves this set as much as I do.

For the quilting I used my Hera Marker and quilted some relatively straight lines on the diagonal.  I like the book of it - especially from the back which shows a grid on point effect.  What a great feeling to have it completed before I depart for my holiday and before the deadline.

Linking to Fiber of All Sorts.  TOO LATE to link!  Boohoo.

The 'Gator Quilt - Blog Hop

Welcome to my stop on The 'Gator Blog Hop!  I was fortunate to be a pattern tester for Louise of I'm Feelin' Crafty whose blog I love!  She has designed a very cute quilt pattern with three paper pieced alligators on it.  I tested the large alligator and made a small quilt, 48" x 49".  I am quite smitten with this fella - isn't he cute?  I had some sunshine on the day I took the picture so my apologies that this picture is a bit washed out, even in the shade!

Green and grey together are my favourite colours at the moment so I decided to use those to make the alligator.  Looks like a popular colour combo as Louise's quilt it also green and grey!  This pattern was fast and easy to make.  My top tip would be to get out your pencil crayons to mark which colour fabric goes where so you can piece with confidence and speed!

I attempted to do some pebbling on his body for some major texture (achieved) but I still have a looooong way to go with my free motion skills.  I went around and around thinking more circles would make it better - not so sure about my logic now though!!  I used a 40 weight Aurifil (my favourite) in #2882 green.

For the wadding, I chose to use a product I have not used before and I will definitely use it again!  This wadding is very light in weight so the small quilt is light and feels in proportion to the size.  The brand is Quilters Dream Angel "Heavenly Batting Made 100% with Flame Retardant Fibers".  Ideal for a baby quilt.

As you can see, I used the [now discontinued] Ikea Britten Nummers for the backing.  As baby grows up he/she will be able to learn numbers!

Thank you for letting me be a pattern tester Lousie - I love my new 'Gator quilt!

You can find Louise's pattern for sale on Craftsy and if you want some more 'Gator inspiration, check out the other bloggers on the hop:

June 10th- I'm Feelin' Crafty

June 11th- A Quilter's Table

June 13th- Marci Girl Designs

June 14th- I'm Feelin' Crafty- showing off other Testers work!

June 15th- Made By Amanda Rose

June 16th- Wombat Quilts

June 17th- Wips and Tuts

June 18th- Shaffer Sisters

June 19th- [Amy's] Crafty Shenanigans - YOU ARE HERE

June 20th- I'm Feelin' Crafty

And one last picture of the 'gator sandwich before quilting and showing the green fabrics:

 Linking this finish to the Littlest Thistle Q2 FAL.
Check out my original Q2 FAL post HERE.

Month of May in review

May is always a busy month.  I participated in the Sew Mama Sew giveaway week, celebrated my 40th birthday, sold a quilt and wall hanging at the local church fete and was quite busy all month at my day job.  A lot of time was spent playing with learning how to use my new android phone and playing Candy Crush.  The new phone also meant that I could finally join the crazy world of Instagram so I have been exploring that new avenue of media too.

In other news, my nephew had his birthday and I sold a quilt.  This is a miracle of miracles I know!!  I am totally pleased with myself!

A fabric challenge, quilt along, swaps, a bee block and a competition for the month of May!

My favourite make in May was my Citrus Triangle quilt.  Green, grey and white with a hint of teal/aqua in the binding - what is not to love!!?  I tried spiral quilting for the first time and have a long way to go to make it look perfect but I LOVE the effect.  I will definitely be using this method again.  Can't wait to see it all washed and crinkly!

I also love the plaid shaggy edge quilt too [EDIT:  this quilt was completed in April].  There will always be room in my 'modern quilter heart' for a bit of old fashioned plaid!

 
Now that it is half way through the month of June, I am relieved to finally get the May post completed! Hopefully I am not so tardy for my month of June report!

Have a great night!

ALYoF June goal

What?  The 7th of June already?  Time is whizzing past so quickly for me!  I still haven't done my May recap. 

I have a huge list of things I MUST do in June so I have picked a fun one for my ALYoF goal.  I picked my #schnitzelandboominiquiltswap.

My partner likes Tula Pink fabrics so I went with some Tula Pink fabrics!  I had so much fun playing around with these 2-inch HST blocks.  Here are just a few of the other ways I could have gone:

This mini quilt is my June A Lovely Year of Finishes goal.  Fingers crossed I can get it done because I go away in less than two weeks and will need to post it the day I return from holiday!  Nothing like a bit of pressure to get things done!

Linking up to Fiber of All Sorts.