Favourites from 2021

 The end of the year is a good time to look back at what we have accomplished in the past 12 months.  Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs hosts and annual "Best of..." party and so I will be linking this post up to her blog.  I have done lots of machine sewing, hand stitching and knitting this year and it is hard to pick out which projects were my favourites.  Here is my best effort!

1. My favourite hand stitching project was "Love Birds"--a counted cross stitch picture that I made for a friend's daughter and her husband as a wedding gift.  They have it hanging on their wall and were very pleased to receive it, even if it was several months after their wedding before I finished it! 

2.  I participated in the Colour Blocks challenge this past year as a way to use up some scrappy 2.5" squares and made several quilts--I still have lots of squares left so there may be more quilts assembled using these colourful scraps! I had lots of blue scraps and made this baby quilt with them. 

 

I also really loved my gray and yellow colour blocks quilt. 

3.  Last year, I made a scrappy red and white Modern Snowflake quilt for a friend.  I wanted to make one for myself this year and used stash fabrics to make this Buffalo plaid version.  I finished hand sewing the binding this week and it is now in use in our great room for the winter months. This was the only sewing I did this past week so I will be linking up with Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching party on Sunday morning. The pattern is by Modern Handcraft. 

4. I am happiest when just playing with fabric to make up my own designs and I want to do more of this in the coming year.  I made a wall hanging for a friend for Christmas this year doing just that.

5. I had a couple of sewing goals this past year --use only stash fabrics and try not to buy any fabric except backings and backgrounds. I made lots of quilts using my stash this year including some baby gifts and quilts for family members. Many of them had pieced backs in an effort to use up what I had. Here is one of the quilts I made with only fabrics from my stash, including the backing and binding. I made it to match the colours in the family room of the recipients. 

I bought some fabric online during QuiltCon in February and have been using lots of it in my projects--many of which are still UFO's on my list to complete in 2022. Stay tuned--there should be some finishes early in 2022. 

Happy New Year, everyone!  

I can't have a blogpost without a picture of my favourite grand-dog, Finn and his new squeaky Fox toy!

Some Gifts Revealed!

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!  Happy Holidays!  I am taking a few moments away from working on a new puzzle with my husband and our daughter to write my weekly blogpost.  Finn is curled up on the floor in front of me.  It is so nice to have them home.  (our daughter tested negative for COVID before coming to visit) We have had a quiet day at home...it rained in the morning and we took Finn for a walk after it stopped.  

I wanted to share some Christmas gifts that I made for some friends.  I dug into my very large selvage collection and sorted some of them by colour before making many hot pads.  I had a couple of pieces of insul-brite which I cut into squares (and one rectangle). I kept making them until I ran out of insul-brite!  Here are a few pictures of my creations: 

I ended up giving all of the hot pads away and did not keep any for myself.  I will have to buy some more insul-brite and make a few for me!  I have no shortage of selvages to use to make them!

I knit a hat for my daughter and finished it just on time for Christmas!  It fits well and will keep her warm when she is out walking Finn. 

I finally finished the snowflake dishcloth too.  I made a counting error in one row and did not notice until 2.5 rows later.  Un-knitting is not fun.  The snowflake does not show up as well as I had hoped, but that's ok. 

Another hat underway...

I added black binding to the modern snowflake but in the flurry of knitting, I did not get it all hand sewn yet.  This will be a project for the next few days. I have to work on it in good light as black thread on black fabric is not easy to see!

Finn has a new squeaky toy which he really likes.  We know exactly where he is when he is playing with it!  He wore himself out with all the excitement today. 

Books are a popular gift at our house.  Here are this year's book stacks.  The first one belongs to my husband.  The second is my daughter's and the last one is mine.  I have lots of reading to do!

I will link up with all of the other Slow Sunday Stitchers at Kathy's blog in the morning.  I hope to work on the snowflake binding tomorrow. 
 

Three Finishes to Share

Like many of you, I love to make gifts at Christmas for my friends and family. Sometimes, a block I see on someone's blog or on Instagram catches my fancy and I print out the instructions.  This was the case this week with this Peppermint Twist block from @runningstitchquilts.  I made this block into a little table mat for a friend.  She has already opened it as I thought she might like to display it this year.  I used a snowflake print for the backing. 

I finished the binding on my batik disappearing nine patch quilt last weekend.  This one is being given to a family member of a friend who has cancer. It's just the right size to keep her warm while she rests on the couch.  

I put this wall hanging together at a retreat in November and quilted it at home.  It has been given to a friend for Christmas--she opened it early so that it could be put out for this year. The backing and binding fabrics were in my stash--leftovers from another project but perfect for this little quilt. 

I have finished off all of my Christmas gift sewing now but still have a few knitting projects underway.  I will be able to complete these gifts over the next couple of days. No pictures for now. 

My Buffalo Check Modern Snowflake quilt is back from the long arm quilter's house and now I just need to make the binding and sew it on.  She used a snowflake pantograph and it is perfect for this quilt. 

I took these pictures while out for a walk one day this week--such interesting seed heads on these ornamental grasses. 

Finn is always excited when a parcel comes in the mail, especially when it is for him! (even if its just poop bags!)

I will link up with Kathy's gang of Slow Sunday Stitchers in the morning. 

Retreat Report

 Last weekend, I attended a quilting retreat, my first in two years.  Everyone in attendance was double vaccinated and our tables were spaced apart.  I brought along 4 projects plus some mending to work on over the three days of the retreat.  My husband gave me a nifty folding cart for my birthday in February 2020 and this was my first chance to use it since I got it.  With the cart, I was able to bring in all my sewing stuff in one trip as well as my overnight bag. 

My first project was my Buffalo Check Modern Snowflake quilt top.  By the end of the first day, the top was together!  I have already purchased a flannel backing for this quilt so I will be able to take it for long arm quilting soon. 

Next up, I worked on my black and white colour block quilt top.  I made these blocks a few months ago and they got put aside for some reason--it was time to get them made into a top!  I chose to make the sashing and outer border with a fuchsia cross-stitch print.  I like the way the black and white blocks look like a checkerboard. There are all kinds of interesting prints in the little squares that make up each block.  I have chosen a backing for this quilt from my stash, and will quilt this one myself, after Christmas gifts are made. 

I took a break from quilting and shortened two pairs of pants for myself next.  A friend pinned them for me.  I used the extra fabric that I cut off the bottom to repair a hole in a pair of jeans that my niece ripped while climbing a fence.  

Back to quilting!  I brought along some Christmas prints that I bought a couple of years ago.  I had started a project with them at the last retreat I attended and then they never saw the light of day again until last weekend.  I managed to finish off a wall hanging and then did the quilting and binding when I got home.  Here is a sneak peek at this project which will be a Christmas present so I can't show the whole thing. 

I made a pompom for the hat I showed last week, and started a new knitting project this week, another gift. I got started this morning on this gift while I was attending an online seminar on Zoom. The knitted snow person also saw some progress this week. 

I spent the remaining time at the retreat cutting and organizing the blocks and sashing pieces for my lupin quilt.  You may remember me showing my lupin blocks months ago--I got stalled on this quilt when I stopped to make a bunch of gifts.  I would like to have this top put together and to the quilter before Christmas.  I made 4 more lupin blocks at the retreat:

My husband and I crossed an item off our bucket list this week--we got to ride in a combine at a family member's farm while he was harvesting corn. It was a beautiful day and lots of pictures were taken. 

We went hiking at a local conservation area on Tuesday morning and enjoyed a colourful walk in the woods. 

I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday Stitchers in the morning.  I hope to do some more knitting tomorrow. Have a great week.   Finn says hello!

Modern Snowflake and some Knitting

 The Modern Snowflake quilt is growing!  I made 10 more blocks but only have a picture of the first 8--all sewn together.  The next four blocks are made, but not added to the quilt yet. Part of the snowflake is starting to appear!  The buffalo plaid is looking good too.  I'm hoping to finish this top in the next week or so--I have purchased some red flannel snowflake fabric for the backing.  I love a cozy quilt with a flannel back!

 I also managed to re-knit the hat I started last week and had to rip out due to sizing issues.  Fewer stitches on the needles did the trick and it fits fine this time round.  I may add a pompom... I think it can be worn with the lower edge turned up or just left down for a slouchy look. 

We had our first snow this week--just a few flakes.  While out on my morning walk, I took a few pictures.  The ice in the puddle may inspire a quilt some day!

My husband and I put away all of the patio furniture and emptied the flower pots this week.  He took down the wasp nest that had been in our tree all summer.  The wasps had moved out when the weather got cooler.  I hope they find somewhere else to make their home next summer!  The scientist in me had to open up the nest to see how they had made it.  More quilt inspiration inside!

There were four layers of this structure inside. 

The outside layer was paper thin and the whole nest was very lightweight.  Amazing engineering. 

Finn is his usual happy self this week. 

I will be working on getting this Libs Elliott "Weight of Love" quilt top quilted and bound this month for my UFO challenge.  I have some backing in my stash and will get it pin basted in the next week.  I took this class with Libs exactly two years ago this week.  It is time to get this one out of the UFO pile!

This weekend, I am going on a quilt retreat.  Everyone is double vaccinated and the tables will be spaced far apart.  I have several projects packed, ready to go.  I'm looking forward to a productive weekend.  For my birthday, just before the pandemic started, my husband gave me a rolling cart to use for my sewing machine and supplies when I go on a retreat--this will be my first opportunity to use it!  

I will link up with Kathy and the Slow Sunday stitchers on Sunday morning.