Postcards from Muskoka

Many moons ago (2014) I posted about a shop hop I went on with my friend (Part 1 and Part 2 posts). Well, I finally finished all of the blocks.

The quilt pattern, called Postcards from Muskoka, was designed by Joni Newman of Quirks and Quilts. Here is what her original version looked like:

Image taken from Quirks and Quilts blog

I love the look of stained glass and have done a number of stained glass projects now, but this is one of the ones that got me started. Joni has a tutorial on her website for how she does the stained glass technique that is very helpful.

Beach umbrella

I decided to complete each block separately instead of finishing them as a single wall hanging.

Muskoka chairs

I also decided to do a little experimenting about how I finished the quits.

I tried a blanket stitch as well as a zig-zag stitch (both in black and in a thread colour that matched).

I also experimented with whether I stitched just through the top and then quilted separately or not.

Pine tree

In the end, I decided that my preferred method was a straight stitch in a matching colour that went through all 3 layers to both stitch down the pieces and provide the quilting.

I did a few of these - enough to get my feet underneath me, and then I moved on to a few other ones that had purposes and timelines.

Heart-shaped in the sky.
Fabric just worked out that way.

I dusted them back off during covid and continued to work on the ones I hadn't done yet.

Northern lights

Speaking of covid, when we were set home over 2 years ago, for what seemed like it was going to be a short amount of time, I decided that I didn't need the shoes I kept at my desk (and my winter boots), but I did take these wall hangings that I had completed off the wall at work and brought them home (priorities :D). 

Cabin

They're a great project because they don't require a lot of planning (just picking fabric) and are a fairly quick finish (if you own the right thread).

Loon

I used batiks for most of the panels, but I did find on the loon that I wanted a few black and white fabrics and didn't have a batik that fit the bill. Instead I picked a couple fabrics out of my gramma's stash when I was up there :) (that's starting to be a theme of my blog :D)

Campfire

I like all of the blocks, but I think the campfire and canoe are two of my favourites.

Canoe

I used some of my more plentiful batiks for the backs of the projects.

I haven't decided how exactly I'm going to hang them (especially since I no longer have a wall at work to put them on). But here is the whole set.

Covid Quilt Challenge Round-Up: Part 2

It's been a while since we stop, but I wanted to make sure I was up to date on my record keeping, so here is the round up of the other half of the covid challenge quilts.

The first round up happened a while ago :). 

Challenge #11: Bobbin work

Friend

Me

Challenge #12: HSTs

Friend

Me

Challenge #13: Bluework

Friend

Me

Challenge #14: Improv lettering

Friend

Me

Challenge #15: Fancy stitches

Friend

Friend

Me

Me

Me

Challenge #16: Big stitch quilting

Friend

Friend

Friend

Me

Me

Challenge #17: Whole cloth

Friend (machine)

Friend (hand)

Me (hand)

Challenge #18: Improv piecing

Friend

Friend

Me

Me

Me

Another One Bites the Dust: HST Quilt finish

Many moons ago, my friend and I did a shop hop that took us to Quilt Junction, a lovely quilt shop located in a former train station. They had many very nice things, but there was one kit I decided needed to come home with me.

I don't normally buy kits (I'm too cheap), but this one seemed like a good deal (it even came with backing), so I bought it without a purpose :).

It was half-square triangles, with a border. And it came as a charm pack, so it was easy to put together. I was about to say fast, but given that the shop hop was in 2016, I don't think I can say fast :D.

I ended up changing the layout a little bit by switching the corners to go the opposite direction and highlight the inner diamonds a bit more.

It did sit around for a while waiting for me to decide how to quilt it, and then it sat around waiting for me to actually mark it.

This was a great putter project to have during covid. It hung out in the frames, and I would work on it as I had time.

One of the things I'm really going to miss about working from home is the opportunity to stitch my way through informational meetings. I found it really helpful having things for my hands to do, so that I didn't distract myself by checking my email or chatting with friends while I was supposed to be listening to the meeting. Plus, it was helpful for my progress :D.

I was quite happy to let it sit around for a while not finishing it, as I didn't have a purpose for it, and I didn't have another thing I was waiting to put in the frame. However, that changed when I heard that friends were having a baby. That meant I had to get my butt in gear.

I was able to finish and get it in the mail not long after the baby came into the world, which I consider a win.

It also in time for me to take it to my grandparents to work on the binding - always a good place to get things done.

This was my first quilt to send through the mail, so I was a little nervous, but it did arrive okay, so that was good.

I even tried to vacuum pack it a bit to be able to put it in a smaller package, but it didn't actually hold long enough to get it to the post office :D.