Adios 2016

You may or may not remember this quilt.  It was an Irish Chain variation that I made awhile ago.  It will be one of the featured quilts in our upcoming Blue and White Book with Martingale.

To make a long story short...... when I first made this there wasn't a pattern for strip piecing it.  And believe me - if you want to make it - you want to strip piece it.  A plan was hatched to re-do the quilt - take lots of notes - and come up with a strip piecing pattern for it.  That was my plan for the week between Christmas and New Year's and I made it!

Instead of the 2 color version you see above - I wanted to test the pattern in a 3 color version using the Snowfall fabric collection and some extra red fabrics.

Strips were cut, an audio book (or 2) was put on, and I strip pieced......

I pressed all my seams open because I plan on hand quilting this quilt - just like the blue and white one - and pressing the seams open really helps with that.  That said - pressing all the millions of seams open on this was time consuming.  

The blocks started to pile up.

Soon I had the 99 blocks made.

As I said earlier today on IG when I posted this picture of the "sewing of the last seam", the last seam is like wrestling a goat.  

Here is the 3 color version. Unlike the traditional Irish Chain quilts that have sharp lines, I wanted this variation to look washed out and blurry.  It seems to work.  Note that lots and lots of mis-matching seams also tend to make it look blurry :)  That was my plan all along. Heh.  It will take a few weeks to get the pattern up and running.  I'll post here and on IG when it is ready and in our Etsy shop.  

I call this a wrap for 2016.  See you on the other side.

Laters,

Laurie

Christmas Day

We hope you all are having a peaceful day, surrounded by friends and family.   I'm still a little under the weather, but feeling well enough to work on a quilt.  Sadly, I think I'm still contagious so a little confinement is in order.  All is good, though and a holiday spirit is even more contagious.

I have lots of strips sets to keep me company.

This project will progress this week and I hope to have a top early in 2017.

This project also helped my convalesce.  I purchased a Needle Plus pattern to make the Granddaughter's Needle Box.  This was fun to make and I'm delighted with the end product. 

Have the Merriest of Christmas and take time to relax and take a few stitches.  It is very easy to over-do this time of year.

This is a reminder that we still have a little sale going on.  Use the coupon code THANKYOU in our Etsy store before 2017 and you will get 20% off any order over $75.00.  

Merry Christmas

Laurie

We hope all your holiday plans are going smoothly.  Both Polly and I are home bound (me by sub zero temperatures) and working on projects.  I hope to have pictures of my "in progress" quilt soon.  Today I am starching and cutting strips.

Here is what has been happening lately.....

There was a weekend trip to Toronto and we toured the Hockey Hall of Fame.  This is the entrance.

I took a picture of some of my Christmas quilts after our first snow.  From left to right it's Pieceful Journey, Lake Effect, and Patrick's Patchwork II.  Lake Effect and Patrick's Patchwork II patterns are in our Etsy shop.  Pieceful Journey was in a McCall's magazine many years ago and that issue is unfortunately sold out - BUT we have a smaller version in our Etsy shop titled Christmas Past.

Waiting for supplies to arrive for my next quilt..... I worked on this one.  This is the center finished and the borders will come later.  This is one of those projects I work on in fits and spurts.  It's called The Rowdy Flat Library Quilt designed by Susan Smith.  I bet you think it's a bit different than my usual quilts. It is.  I wanted a quilt that could use a bright orange toile - and this seemed to be the one.

If you need supplies for an upcoming quilt - maybe we can be of help.  All Miss Scarlet pre-cuts in our Etsy shop are on sale 30% - Just use the coupon code MISSSCARLET when you check out. The pre-cuts can be found in the Fabric Bundle section.

I'm using a bit of Miss Scarlet right now in my new wintery quilt (I'll post pics very, very soon)

Laters,

Laurie

Lake Effect

My Lake Effect quilt is quilted and bound.  It was expertly quilted by Kari Ruedisale - thanks Kari!

I wanted to get a picture outside, but the weather wouldn't cooperate.

We have the pattern in out Etsy shop HERE.

We are also taking reservations on the complete kit HERE.  The kits will ship in April when our Snowfall fabric ships to shops.

Patrick's Patchwork II is also available HERE.

It's feeling quite wintery here lately. I am currently sipping on my first cup of hot chocolate of the season.  Bill and I just spent a lovely weekend in Toronto.

This almost looks like a real photographer took this photo, doesn't it? Nope, it was me.  This is the entrance to the Hockey Hall of Fame.  

We also spent a grand afternoon at the Christmas Market.  

And last, but not least - here is a peak at something else happening in April of 2017 - our new book with Martingale Publishing.

Laters,

Laurie