Which left me with this….a nearly empty dark string bin.

Some conclusions:
I think all colours have been represented and not one is more dominate then another
I like using different techniques
I like small projects
5 of the projects went to charities
7 projects were commissioned pieces ($$$)

Of course there is always more that we want to finish or start, but our regular lives (whatever that is) often stands in our way of our quilting lives.

Hubby finally gets his own quilt.

As he said "I have seen many quilts leave the house, but now I finally have my own". I hope it keeps him warm and snuggly on a cold night watching hockey.



Made from homespun cotton. Sewn similar to to 1600 quilts using jelly rolls.

Wishing you all much PEACE and JOY during the holiday season with your family and friends.

Safe travels as you go visiting and merry making. 

May Santa be good to you too! 

Merry Christmas  my dear blogging friends and followers.

If you get a minute to relax I hope it is with needle and thread in a comfy chair!

 

Lee

p.s. this runner/wall hanging was a commissioned piece

What a great time to have a giveaway.  Everyone is in a festive and giving mood so I thought I would join along.
We are celebrating The Quilting Gallery’s 4th anniversary…yahoo…..such a great resource for so many things like quilting blogs, quilting stores, patterns, contests, swaps.  Michele is always coming up with something new and exciting.  If you have never visited, it is a must.  www.quiltinggallery.com
There are over 250 participants from all over this world in this amazing blog hop party.  The links will be posted on Saturday, December 9th (midnight EST).  Click on this thumbnail and it will take you to the list of participants.


And now for my give away…….








For two chances to win all you have to do is:

1) leave me a comment telling me about your favourite holiday cookie.  I recently surveyed my family to see what their favourite was and they all chose the same one.  (Figures it was the one I like to make the least!) They all had a different second favourite, so I guess I better get baking soon.

2) why don’t you become a follower?  I love hearing from fellow bloggers from all over the world, so be sure to tell me where you are from too. (leave a second comment telling me you are now a follower)

I look forward to hearing from you.   I also look forward to checking out all the other BLOG PARTY participants tomorrow.

I will announce the winner on December 17th. Good luck everyone
Until next time,
Happy Stitching,

Lee
p.s. if I hit 110 followers I will add a little something extra to the giveaway!!

COMMENTS NOW CLOSED

 

I think this might be one of my most favourite quilts that I have made so far. Originally, it was meant to be just a bed runner for my sister’s guest room.  However, I enjoyed making the blocks so much, it grew and it grew. She chose the colours and pattern in April when she was here visiting.  I had the top done by June, but with a busy summer I didn’t get around to quilting it until October.

I quilted this more then any other quilt I have done. I loved doing these loopy flowers in the center. I also added arches/fans to the border and some stippling too.

Looking great on my antique round chair.

Lily of course has to have final inspection…..I think it passed!

I made two pillow shams from the border print as well. (oops forgot to take pictures of them). 

I can’t wait to be a guest in her room!!

So my good friend Ria gets to escape winter every year by leaving me and heading to Phoenix. Lucky her.
A couple of days before her departure she asks me to make her a pouch/sleeve/bag for her laptop that she would be travelling with.  Let me just say she is a PINK girl through and through.   She has a PINK winter coat, PINK shoes, PINK mitts, hat etc. She even has a PINK laptop.
Yep you read correctly. This funky PINK laptop needed a cool fabric and I had just the one. (sorry I am not a fabric line name knowing kind of person, I just buy what I like or what is on sale) 

As promised in yesterday’s post I have pictures of completed projects, yahoo

I actually made something for us,  6 placemats using up the rest of a honey bun and other scraps from Kansas Troubles by Moda.   I used the ‘Quilt as you go’ method on some of them and some were traditionally pieced & quilted.  They all have different bindings. 

I hope it is warmer wherever you are.  Winter has arrived in Calgary!

(insert scratching head, what was I thinking??)

These are some of the blocks that came home with me. I had to think about how to put these together, which took a lot of time…..fast forward….

April top is completed.  When my mom was here visiting, she wanted to see me ‘do’ some quilting. so i put these blocks together, sandwiched it and started to quilt it. Then life got busy and it sat. Fast forward again

October…..completed

I quilted it last week.  I even managed to dive into free motion feathers.  I love the look of them but was always intimated by the process.  I persevered and dove in to get them done. Once I got the rhythm of the motion they weren’t too bad after all. I do need to practice some more but I now look forward to doing more.   I don’t know where this quilt will end up, but I hope it brightens someone’s life.

The rest of the little 9 patches went into this preemie quilt for the neo natal unit our hospitals.

I feel good about contributing to those in need or who just need comfort. Have you done any charity stitching lately?

Happy stitching

Lee

Happy stitching everyone!

Lee

Wow can’t believe it is time for another Blogger’s Quilt Festival.  Didn’t we just do one a month ago???….no it was in May…time flies doesn’t it?
I am featuring one of my last quilts I managed to finish. I think all quilts are special but this one has it’s own story.
I have a dear friend that  has always been fit, runs marathons, in triathlons, does sports of all kinds.  The kind of person I have envied most of my life, (I have never been athletic). So back in March I asked her if she would like to barter.  If she could get me on the path of fitness I would make her a quilt.  (I have made her kids all a quilt) She was delighted with this bargain.  So off she went to think of work-out routines and fitness circuits for me and I was off of thinking about patterns for her.  She knew the fabric she wanted hers made out of, which made it even easier for me.
I did really well this spring and summer doing my circuits twice a week and walking like crazy.  My longest walk was 10km.  I was feeling good and beginning to see the difference.  I didn’t loose a pound which was not my goal, but rather to have better endurance.  Although getting fitter is not over, (and i have fallen off the band wagon lately). Her quilt is completed and I just love it and more importantly so does she. I used a combination of patterns and my own spin on patterns. I stippled the top and free motioned loopy daisies in the white border.

Busy Busy Busy!

seems to be a pattern these days in my house....always on the go.

• I am still working on the Silent Auction for the daughter's dance studio (event date Oct 22nd)

• I made a wall hanging and matching ballerina pillow for the auction.

oops forgot to take a finished photo

• walked 10km (6.2 miles) last Monday through our beautiful provincial park just outside my door

Saucony shoes fit me best

• sewed a few placemats which will be given to Meals on Wheels thru our Guild at Christmas time.

front side for everyday, back side for Christmas or vice versa

• I continue to go to physio for my hip.  unfortunately I am most uncomfortable when I am sitting, thus less computer and sewing time. 

• I got all my fall decorations out last week. Our weather has been so nice so far. I wish it would last and last.

• this weekend it is Thanksgiving here in Canada.  I don't have any family in town so a few friends are coming over for a small dinner.  My son is coming home too, we haven't seen him since Labour Day  :)