Double Celebrations!

Today is my 1st blogaversary! I know, shocking isn't it, that I only started blogging 1 year ago. To every one of you, who have shared my random ramblings, thank you for coming back, leaving your comments of encouragement, I really do appreciate them. It's so nice to know we are on this journey together.



This sort of crept up on me, I haven't had a chance to prepare, forgive me, I will sort myself out for a Giveaway soon!



Secondly, and this is what I was going to blog about, I have completed my January UFO Challenge! Now that is cause for celebration! So today, Angela, Tina and I celebrated with home made cake!

So this is Boston Detour, made with the left overs from The Boston Quilt. A detour from the original pattern. A detour with the yellow fabric, this is more a cream with a distinct lemon tinge. And a detour from the pattern in the book, I managed to sew half the blocks the wrong way round. Fortunately, I happened to be on a quilting retreat at the time, so a friend, Joan came up with a cunning plan for a design opportunity. Didn't she do well!

I got this quilted just after Christmas (along with two others I might add!) It's such a satisfying feeling to complete a UFO, don't you think. Thanks Nancy for keeping us all focused!

Happy Quilting!

A little Something!

I'm expecting a couple of parcels in the post. So the postman calling at the house was nothing unusual. Until I saw where and who the package had come from. I can't tell you how surprised I was to receive this beauty in the post today from V of Bumble Beans Blog.
I love this little quilt, all the retro fabrics, the thoughtful quilting and on the back is a really wonderful label too! If you are a regularly reader of V's blog you will know this little quilt just oozes her character, in both colours and style.

I particularly LOVE this little nine patch in the corner!

Thank you V! You made my day!

Fall Mini Quilt Swap

I can finally reveal my Fall Mini Quilt, which went in the post yesterday! This was foundation pieced using all batiks. I'm really pleased with this little quilt that measures approximately 15" x 22", not my normal size, that's for sure.
I free motion quilted this on my domestic machine with all over leaves. It's been a while since I've done a quilt this way and I'm quite pleased with the results too! I hope my swap partner will be happy with it. I also sent a few other things from where I live, just for interest.

I've also started on the Expedition Quilt Art Challenge quilt for January, this is a sneak peak of how far I've got. I've also got another block done, but these little blocks are only 4 1/2" in size.

But then it's only going to be 12" x 24", again outside of my comfort zone! Small = scary! Thanks Tina!

Happy quilting!

Snow Dyeing

This is my favourite piece I think, though I love them all :)
This one really is pretty! Both these pieces are about 15-20 inches across the width of fabric.

These two pieces are much bigger at least 1.5 meters of the whole width of fabric. This one has so much variation in it!

And lastly this one!

I have to say that these pictures really don't do the fabric justice, there's nothing like seeing the real deal is there! There is one more small piece that is really soft yellow but I didn't get a pic of it today. I'd definitely do this again if we get snow. It was a long process but well worth it, so much so I was lucky enough to get away home with them from my quilt group meeting this afternoon. They almost got hijacked from under my nose!

And more good news, I got the binding sewn onto my Boston Detour UFO Quilt Challenge today, I'm busy sewing it down by hand :)

A bit of this and a bit of that...

Today I finished of piecing my Block Lotto blocks for January. I'm pretty pleased with them. I particularly like the lime green and the thinner sticks.
And thanks to Angela, I did a little (well quite a lot actually) of this....

Snow dyeing...

It was great fun. I left this outside for the day, and as it barely got above freezing I moved it into the garage overnight. This morning it was still pretty snow covered, though the dye had worked its way down pretty much. So I moved it inside onto the draining board. (unfortunately I don't have a utility so we had to work around it )

The fabric has all been rinsed, washed and ironed now, but as it's late I'll get some pictures in the morning and post the results. I'm really quite pleased :)

Just for Sweetiepie!

Purple/Kaffe UFO ..

I have been through my photo's and cannot find one with the whole layout, I have all 80 or so blocks made and laid out on a flannel sheet, folded up in my box ready to piece together. But this gives you an idea of what I'm talking about when I say 'purple/Kaffe'. Just for you Sweetiepie!

I quite like that you ask to see things, so if there's anything you'd really like to see or even know, please ask.

After more snow last night, a raging blizzard this morning and heavy snow forecast for tomorrow, I'm taking a leaf out of Angela's book and am going to give Snow Dying and go! There's certainly plenty of it about, might as well while I've got the opportunity :) Thanks Angela!

Modern Siggy Swap

Rachel over at PS I Quilt is hosting a modern Siggy Swap, are you interested? You need to get over there and sign up quick, those 100 places are going fast! Quick! Go!

Happy Quilting!

Sign ups are now CLOSED! And I only just managed to blog about it! Sorry folks.

Slowly, slowly ...

Back to work today, my first full day since mid July 2009, and I'm a little pooped!

So this is the sum of my evenings work! Slowly is the order of the day :) But progress all the same!

Happy Quilting!

2010 UFO Challenge

Part of my goals for this year is to work on my UFO's, and believe me, I have plenty! I was reading Nancy's blog over and With Thread in Hand, and she mentioned the 2010 UFO Challenge hosted by another Nancy at Patchwork Penguin.

So I am saying OUT LOUD in the list on the side, that these (are just some) UFO's that I commit to finish this year! One a month shouldn't be that difficult, should it? Nancy (the latter) picks a number at the beginning of each month, and I have to work on the that UFO in my list!

This month I am working on my Boston Detour quilt. I pieced this quilt last year from the fabrics that remained from the Boston Quilt. Now it's not the same design as the original quilt, which was always the plan, but half way through piecing (well more than half way) I discovered I had pieced half the blocks in reverse! Doh!!! Thankfully my Friend Joan came to the rescue with a remedy to the design opportunity. Thank you Joan, I love the resulting quilt!

I am pleased to say that I spent New Years Day quilting this one, I just have to trim it and add the binding. This months challenge is achievable at least!

How are you doing on setting your goals?