Second batch of pictures from the Etobicoke Quilt Show 2015

This is the second batch of pictures from the Etobicoke Quilt Show 2015.

This first one I took for a couple of reasons.  First was that I thought it was beautiful in it's geometric shape both as hexagons, and also that each hexagon is accurately made with stripes.  The effect of the second row of hexagons looks as though it is spread out like a deck of cards, each overlapping the next.   The maker achieved this affect by using a striped fabric and fussy cutting each and every triangle.  The second triangle from the other side of the strip, gives you a different coloured hexagon.  Just beautiful.

The second reason is that I am now addicted to hexagons.  I see them everywhere.  I hold my cousin responsible for that.  Since working on a commissioned quilt for her and her husband called Rose's floret quilt, I haven't been able to get enough of hexagons.

The size of this quilt is for a large table clothe/cover. I am not sure if you noticed, due to my bad picture taking, but the actual shape of the table cover is also a hexagon.  In person the stripes are clearer, as you see the definition of each strip and pattern.  Like I said, beautiful.

This next picture, I took as a pretty example of a setting for sampler blocks.  Each one of these blocks is very intricate and not for the beginner.  I especially like the sashing, which has the effect of a chain going across the quilt.  Lines on a diagonal really keep your eyes moving along.  I thing I might have toned down the chains just a bit, so that the fancy blocks could stand out a little more.  Overall this is a gorgeous quilt.

I took a picture of only a portion of this next quilt, because I was interested in the pieced border.  I felt it was a good way of taking the main block and incorporating it into the border.  They are miniatures of the main block.  These little blocks are also used at a sashing crossing.

This next quilt, again I only took a picture of a small section.  This one was all quilted by hand.  The fabric itself was just bricks in navy blue and black, plus grey squares going across the quilt on a diagonal.  Nothing fancy, but what made this quilt extra ordinary was the tiny hand stitches in a light grey throughout the quilt.  The centre was done with the same flower and the small border was done with a horseshoe type shape with circles and dashes.  

There is something about the little dotted lines that make you want to take you finger and trace each one.  This was done by a seasoned hand quilter.  All the tiny stitches were so perfect.

Final pictures of the Pleated Log Cabin quilt

These are the final pictures of the Pleated Log Cabin quilt.  The lighting that I had at the time was making this whole quilt picture look muted and greyish, but in reality the log cabin blocks are bright.

This closer picture of the centre is a bit better colour wise, but still not true.  I really love the fabric selection in this quilt.  If you look at an individual block on its own, you see the most unlikely fabrics placed side by side, with only the light side being consistent to hold the quilt together.  But as a whole the quilt looks fantastic.

An even closer picture of the quilt shows how gorgeous the quilting is.  Very simple design but very effective at highlighting the fact that this is a pleated log cabin quilt.  I love it.  The close up pictures also highlight the true bright colours used for the dark side of the log cabin blocks.

When I say the dark side, I mean the side that has all the colour, because there are some light fabrics used in the dark side too.  Everything went into the dark side.  Rose was able to get away with the lights on the dark side because she used the same type of white fabric for the light side.  There are some variations with the colour printed on the white fabric, but it was the same printed design of x'es and animals, just different colours.

This next picture is a close up of the border.  For the border I chose to go with the bright red that seems to be repeated throughout the quilt.  I added the multi coloured pleated small border to carry the quilt's pleated log cabin theme out into the border and finished it off with a grid fabric that resembles the screening on a screen door.

If you enlarge this next picture you can see all the grid type fabrics that were used in the blocks.  This is only a small sampling.  Many fabrics have geometric shapes.  If you enlarge the picture really big you may be able to see the screen pattern that mirrors the last border, as a filler.  It's the one with green paisley on a white background right next to the pink floral fabric.

The last picture I will leave you with is of the label, so the you can read the history of the quilt.

The cutting band wagon

When I was at my mom's place last Friday, I noted that she has gotten on the cutting band wagon.  She has decided to take my example that I have taken from Bonnie Hunter, which is to cut up the scraps into usable pieces.  She has two quilts that she wants to make.  One of them is all in blues and neutrals and the second one is all scrappy.

Both patterns use 2" strips and one of them also uses 3" strips.  Mom has gone through Her containers of real scraps and pulled all the pieces she could use for the quilts.  When I went on Friday she was starting to cut up her larger pieces of scraps that are just about a fat quarter size.  While she is cutting the strips into 5" length, if there is anything left she will cut 2" squares for a someday quilt.

Me, yesterday before I had to leave for an appointment, I was working on cutting my pieces for block two of Tiny Town.  Today. I am hoping to at least sew the background together.

Yesterday I managed to finish sewing together the top row of my floret quilt and have it back up on the design wall.  I am trying to clear off my sewing table so that I can start quilting my daughter's Easy Street quilt.  This was taking up a large area of the table. 

I also ironed all the stuff that was on the sewing table and cut up my three light fabrics for my Texas Braid quilt that I will eventually be making, by Bonnie Hunter.

Now, what is left to clear off my sewing table completely?  Well, there is the sun shine Mariners compass wall hanging to attach the background so the block is square and the four pot holders that still need quilting and binding.

No appointments today, so as long as I don't get any distractions,  I can get them done.

First batch of pictures from the Etobicoke quilt show 2015

I must apologize in advance for the quality of the photos.  I forgot my tablet at home, so had to use my phone instead.  It is just not the same.  

Today my mother and I went to the Etobicoke Quilters' Guild quilt show.  There were sooooooo many beautiful quilts.  I only took pictures of  a small sampling. There were many many more.  I divided up the pictures into four post, not to overload and crash the post.

The first two pictures were I Spy quilts.  The first one was set as a square within a square and in rows with a colour family per row.  It almost looks like a rainbow across the quilt.  The second one is also set as a square within a square, but this one was set with random colours throughout the quilt, but with the sequence of the outer block colour placement as one light and the next dark.

These two quilts are loved by the children and keep them occupied for hours, as they play games of I Spy.

This next one was a good use of scraps.  The background was a very deep purple and the kaleidoscope blocks were completely scrappy.  I like that you get a circle affect out of each block without having to sew any curved lines.

The last picture for today is a striped quilt.  This quilt was done in black and white with a little bit of red for highlights.  This quilt could be done in any colour way.  I think I may make this quilt as a scrappy.  With all the colours of the rainbow.  This one can also be made using shortcuts or fast piecing methods to help get it done faster.  The border on this one is a piano keyboard affect.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the second batch of pictures.  I tried to take pictures with a variety of styles.  I am saving the best for last, or at least in my opinion.  The great part about quilts is that there are so many different styles of quilt to suit many different tastes.

Hope you enjoy the sampling of pictures I took to share with all of you.

Mom's old Crazy quilt

I am just getting back from a visit to my Parent's house.  It has been a very busy week.  With late nights at work trying to cram everything in before my vacations. Or as they say now, staycations.

Mom made dinner and we sat and chatted for a while.  While talking to my Mom, I was telling her that due to the overtime, I haven't had much time to do any quilty stuff, so that I could post about it.  That is when she asked me if I took a picture of her Crazy quilt.  

I didn't remember the quilt she was talking about.  She went upstairs and brought it down to show me.  I had completely forgotten about it.  This is Mom's Crazy quilt.  It is what most people would call a utilitarian quilt.  It's not a fancy heirloom quilt.  It's more of a memory quilt.  She made this quilt about ten years ago.  It consist of all of her scraps.  The blocks are large and sewn together at random, and sewn together in rows.

After the top was completed Mom took some blue embroidery floss and stitched a vine, all along the seam lines.  She layered the quilt and tied it.  At that time Mom wouldn't have known how to quilt the layers together.  The quilt is colourful with random placement. No rhyme nor reason.

The close up shows some for the stitching.  You can also see the ties that hold the layers together.  The blocks are approx. ten inches in size.  It doesn't look like much, but for us, the family, it is a composition of memories.  Most of the fabric scraps are from clothes that my mom made for one of us.  From pajamas for my nieces, a dress that my Mom wore, shorts for my daughter, and so forth.

This quilt will never win a ribbon in a quilt show, but we don't care.  This quilt holds many memories and can create more.  We don't worry when taking the quilt outside on a picnic or letting the kids use it to make tents or forts.  It gets thrown here and there.  We will use and enjoyed this quilt until it's last days, until it disintegrates.

That is what some quilts are meant for.

Floret number two for the bottom border row finished

I took the last few lunch breaks to finish this floret that goes on the bottom row.  It is the second floret from the left.  I am slowly working away at this quilt when time allows.

I have a couple more days of overtime this week, and next week I am off on holidays.  Or what I call holidays.  There will be some renovations to do at my sister's house, hopefully some renovations here at home, I have to do the five sets of taxes, appointments at the bank and between all this I want to make head ways on some quilting.  Hoping to finish my daughter's Easy Street quilt.  In the quilting department if I only get the Pleated Log Cabin quilt washed and set, plus my daughter's quilt finished, I would be very happy.

Maybe if all goes well I can even start on my log cabin quilt that is already done in he ditch, but I am not holding out for it.  I think the list I have already going will be tight on it's own.

Snowmen A to Zzzz.... P is for Plum Pudding

Today unfortunately would be another day that I haven't been able to do anything quilt wise, this time due to working overtime.  So again, I thought I would share with you another one of my daughter's letters for her Snowmen A to Zzzz.... quilt.  This one is P is for Plum Pudding.

The colours on this one are also not true, they are a bit brighter.  If you look closely at the white fabric she used, you can see the white on white snowflakes.  My daughter decided to do the background fabric in a few different snowflake fabrics or star fabrics.  Scrappy, but not too noticeable as they are all white on white.  But it will provide some subtle texture.

Another pretty block.  My daughter told me today that she has nine blocks done so far and twelve more blocks to go.  Some blocks have more than one letter on it.