Giveaway Prizes Revealed and a Winner!

Okay, here we go ... a winner has been chosen, but first here are the fabrics that matched my clues -- so you can decide if you are disappointed or relieved ;-) if you didn't win.

Above are the "Dainty and Pretty." Those are half yards of Jennifer Paganelli fabric. Everything she makes is pretty in my opinion, but these two fabrics are also kind of dainty as far as her designs go. They are a smaller scale with tinier details.

Now "Banana" ... I don't know how well this colour will show on the computer, but it is a cheerful sunny bright banana yellow. It is a yard of a nice solid Northcott Papillon. Here's "Mix (and maybe not) Match." You can see they don't match. Those are FQs of Pure by Sweetwater for Moda, Flea Market Fancy yellow tiles, Mendocino fish by Heather Ross, and a Canada-only exclusive print of postcards of Canada. Here's my favourite. "Giant Mutant Grandmother's Flower Garden." Since the Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt pattern is made up of hexies, you can see that this fabric has huge ones (8 inches across) And each hexagon has subdesigns in it. It is also a Jennifer Paganelli fabric from the Dance with Me line. That is a yard cut. And finally, for those who were willing to take my dare ... hee, hee ... one yard of Michael Miller Goth Girls. Not for everyone, I know, that is why it was the dare, but pretty cool in my opinion. (Also out-of-print now) I love fabric with faces and these ones have great style.

Aaaaannnndd, the winner, with the help of Random.org ...

3

Timestamp: 2011-03-30 22:03:16 UTC

Commenter # 3 Andrea from the UK who said "I think I'll live dangerously lol" and chose #5

Yay! Congrats Andrea!!! I'll be emailing you!

So hopefully I'll be back to regularly scheduled blogging soon. I think, fingers crossed, that I'm getting my sewing machine back tomorrow. I hope so as otherwise I may end up slicing and dicing my whole stash! Since it's been in for repair I've cut 350+ I-Spy Squares, 190 border pieces, all the strips for a strip quilt, and I've even cut binding! Yes, yikes, binding strips, the ultimate tedium!

Thanks so much to everyone who helped me celebrate my Blog-O-Versary! I loved reading the comments for all the giveaways -- lots of laughs and encouragement. Until next time, Happy Quilting!

Blog-O-Versary Giveaway 3 of 3

For my final giveaway in celebration of completing one year of blogging, you can pick your prize ... with a twist of course. You will only have the clues below to go by. Each option is the equivalent of a yard of fabric -- part of the surprise will be what cut it's in (I have that pre-determined)... is it a single yard of one fabric ... four FQs ... two half yards ... ?????

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Just leave a comment below with your number choice should your name be selected (by random draw). Just one comment per person please. Giveaway is open worldwide. Please be sure your email is either linked to your profile or that you leave it below so I may contact you should you win. Giveaway is open until Wednesday, March 30 at 7:00 PM AST.

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So here we go ... Which of these five would you like?

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1. Dainty and pretty.

2. Banana.

3. Mix and (maybe not) match.

4. Giant Mutant Grandmother's Flower Garden.

5. I dare you. Really. Double dare. Hee, hee.

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I'll reveal what each of the choices were (with photos) when I post the winner.

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Good luck!

Comments are now closed.

Snip. Cut. Slice. Dice.

My sewing machine has not been cooperative at all lately so I had to take it in for repair. That means no sewing for now. I've been cutting instead. I don't mind cutting as long as it's just a little bit at a time.

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First in line for the rotary blade are the strips above. Those are the leftover scraps from my Scrappy Random Railfence Blocks, which I will be using in the border of the quilt.

I'm also going to throw a few of the scrappy sewn pieces into the border for variety. The quilt will be queen size, so I need about 200 border strips for a nice piano key border.

Speaking of 200, that is also the number of 4 inch squares I'm cutting for an I-Spy Swap I've just joined. I am cutting 20 squares each of 10 different novelty fabrics and I will end up with 200 different I-Spy squares after the swap! Yay! Above is what I have done so far. That clock fabric is my favourite novelty fabric ever so I just had to share some. I really like the fabric with the little presents too. And the candy .... okay, so I like them all. Novelty fabrics are definitely my thing.

And since I know I'll have 200 different squares after the swap, I thought I'd get more of my own ready to add in, and make the biggest I-Spy quilt I can. Above are 5 inch squares that I've had put away (cut from scraps). Now I'll just trim one of each pattern down to 4 inches square.

And here are more fabrics that I don't have enough of to cut twenty squares from for the swap, but I will cut one of each for myself (and maybe a few bonus squares for the swap hostess ... *wink* Crystal)

And if all that cutting doesn't keep me occupied until my machine is returned, there are always selvages to cut for both my Selvage Heart Quilt and the Selvage Countdown Quilt.

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So happy weekend everyone. We are off to the sugar bush this weekend for maple taffy on the snow and pancakes with maple syrup. Yum! And earth hour is Saturday night. We are going to an earth hour potluck at a friends which should be fun, so I won't be at home cutting by candlelight ...

Giveaway Winner

Wah, my giveaway is over. No more chuckles for me while reading the comments suggesting sewing and quilting Superheroes. I was talking to my Mom today and we were laughing about how I now had enough characters to create a quilting comic book. You know, there could be The Piecemaker, Stabilizer Stan, Disappearing Nancy Ninepatch, The Stack Whacker with her sidekick The Binder, and husband-and-wife-team Wanda and Walter Walking Foot ... Those were just a few of the hilarious ideas. I have said this before, but I am never disappointed by the creativity of quilters!
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So, without further ado, courtesy of Random.org, the winner is Commenter 119

Here are your random numbers:

119

Timestamp: 2011-03-23 22:11:08 UTC

who said

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"Comfort Creator who makes quilts for those who need a bit of cheer."

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Congratulations to Dolores!

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And thanks to everyone for being such fabulous sports about this and joining in. I'll be starting my final Blog-O-Versary Giveaway over the weekend.

Operation Complete Scrap Depletion: Progress

I've been making more of the scrappy random railfence blocks (tutorial is here). More, as in lots more. I have 36 now, which is enough for a quilt.
I am really happy with how they turned out. I find them to be fast and fun to make, and I really like the step-by-step assembly line aspect of them. Plus, they really are scrap eaters! My pile o' scraps is shrinking, shrinking, shrinking ...
They are definitely a bit on the busy, lively side though, so I decided that rather than simply place them all block to block I am going to add some sashing between them. This will also make the quilt larger as I'm aiming for a queen size quilt for our bed.
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The dots above were the three fabrics I decided to choose between for sashing. They will be the only thing in the quilt that isn't a scrap. Now, if you're thinking: Didn't she just say the blocks were already busy and lively, how on earth are any of those sashings going to calm things down? Well, I admit the quilt will be far from calm, but at least the blocks will be separated, and set apart as individual squares rather than just a big sea of scraps.
Here's a picture of the sashing test run. Some notes on my thought process:
1. The yellow looks great.
2. I thought that the green would be my choice, but surprisingly it seemed to just zap the life out of the colours of fabric around it. You know how that seems to happen sometimes.
3. The pink looked wild and crazy and way over the top.
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So I asked my family what they thought.
1. The colour I ended up going with was my husband's third choice.
2. It was my six-year-old son's second choice.
3. It was my three-year-old daughter's first choice.

Hint, hint ...
Hee, hee. We'll see. (Those pieces aren't sewn yet, they're just hanging on the design wall)
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Thanks for stopping by.
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Welcome to my new followers. Per usual, I pledge to work hard to attempt to keep the content here creative and fun.
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Happy Quilting!

Green and Blue Times Two

So, I kind of had to make a little neonatal version of my son's blue and green birthday quilt. I wanted to make a little donation quilt that a new baby's father would like (as well as the mom) -- something cute but definitely boyish.
I think this one fits. There are golf motifs in there, and soccer, and an airplane and a moose and deer.

I practised my quilting on this by adding some extra diagonal lines. I just eyeballed them, rather than marking, but it went pretty well.
Here's the back.

We went back to the qplex for the pics, but the wind was just not helping us out at all. In this pic you can see that the building is still under construction, but getting closer to being finished all the time!

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I think this is likely my last neonatal quilt for this year. I have five now, three for girls and two for boys. I really enjoyed making these! And please forgive me if this is too corny, but it's true: when I was done this little blue and green quilt and was showing it to my three-year-old daughter, she took it from me and hugged it. She said she was putting a special hug in it for the little baby. (I tell my kids that I put hugs in the quilts I make for them, so when they are cuddled in them it is like having a hug from me). Awwww.
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I'm linking up with Sew and Tell Friday. Just click the button below if you'd like to see lots of other great finishes from other quilty sorts!

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Quilt Story Feature

The lovely Heather and Megan of Quilt Story are featuring my 2010 Selvage Sampler Quilt on their blog today. Click the button below if you'd like to surf over. They have a great site with lots of quilty inspiration.

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-My Blog-O-Versary Giveaway Post is below if you'd like to enter. Or if you just want a laugh, read the comments so far. I asked for a suggestion of a quilting or sewing superhero and I honestly sit at my laptop and laugh out loud. I am never disappointed by the creativity of quilters. Although I must say there are a lot of mean sounding superheroes suggested -- lots of cutting and seam ripping ;-) !-Happy Weekend! Spring starts on Sunday. Yay!

Blog-O-Versary Giveaway 2 of 3

My one-year Blog-O-Versary celebration continues. Since I consider my quilting style eclectic, this time I'm giving away 3 Moda Eclectic charm packs to one lucky winner. Each pack has 35 squares, so that's 105 squares total -- enough to make a little quilt.
To enter, just leave a comment on this post. To make it a bit more entertaining to read the comments, if you'd like you can suggest a name for a new quilting or sewing superhero. For example, Sally Super Scissors. She cuts villains down to size! (See, just something silly, it's all in fun).
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Giveaway is open worldwide. International entries are welcome and encouraged. Just one comment per person. Open until 7:00 pm AST Wednesday, March 23, 2011. Please be sure your email is either attached to your profile or that you leave it in your comment. Winner will be chosen by random draw. Good Luck!

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Comments are now closed.

Giveaway Winner!

Thanks so much to everyone who participated. We had a lot of fun learning about the places you're from!

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Now, without further ado, with the help of Random.org, the winner is ...

Here are your random numbers:
34
Timestamp2011-03-16 22:05:57 UTC:

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Commenter 34 who is Linda from Halifax, Nova Scotia! Which is actually not that terribly far from me, pretty funny since it could have been anywhere! I wouldn't even need a map to get there. ;-) So congrats Linda!

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New giveaway starts tomorrow! The Blog-O-Versary Celebration continues!

Wordless Wednesday: Selvage Countdown Quilt in Progress

Mendocino and FMF Neonatal Quilt

I think I have a new favourite neonatal quilt. I just love how this little strip quilt turned out. I hope it brightens a new mother's day! I used some Heather Ross Mendocino paired with a bit of Flea Market Fancy.
It measures 20 by 24 inches, which is the measurement for these little donation quilts that is specified by our guild. I cut the strips from fat quarters and there was very little waste (cutting the 20 inch strips from the 22 inch side of the FQ).

It is bound in the yellow seed fabric from the Flea Market Fancy line.
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I quilted it with wavy lines in a pale yellow thread. Per usual, I just used the regular foot on my machine. I don't have a walking foot. The wavy line is a stitch on the machine, not my handiwork. I just try to hold the fabric flat and straight as the machine goes along. ;-)

The backing is also the yellow seeds from the FMF line.

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This quilt was fast and fun to make. Our guild is gathering these little neonatal quilts to donate to the regional hospital at the end of April and I think I may have to make another one or two before then. I like this strip quilt version just as much as the little patchwork ones I made, so I may have to try another strip one.

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Happy Quilting! And you may wish to stop by Fabric Tuesday over at Quilt Story ...

Blue and Green Birthday Quilt Finished

All done ...
... and in other news, do you see that perfectly co-ordinated building in the back? That is Quispamsis's new qplex, which is still being built. Yesterday was the first time I saw it with these colours put on the side. I had no idea it was going to look like this. We just drove in to have a peek -- and I was WOWED by how fabulous it is. It is so modern and cool looking. It will be amazing to hang out there when it is done. And of course those modern stripes inspired a new quilt which promptly got added to my to-make list.

But, back to the birthday quilt. I love it. My son loves it.
It is quilted with wavy lines in a variegated thread. It is bound with a lighthouse fabric which gives just a nice peek of red here and there. The backing is a raindrop fabric in light blue.
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Happy Quilting!

Blog-O-Versary Giveaway 1 of 3

Guess what? I started this blog in March of last year and I am still here! Thanks so much to everyone who stops by, follows, comments, emails, links ... my morning coffee is so much more enjoyable when I see that my follower number has increased and I get to read kind words about what I've been doing.

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Above is the first quilt I posted. The Lighthouse Quilt. It was my first attempt at free-piecing and the third quilt I ever finished. (You can read about the first two disasters in The Story of How I Started Quilting). A friend and I looked at The Lighthouse Quilt the other night, and although I am really proud of it as an early quilt, it makes me realise how much I've improved in the past year.

Anyhow, to celebrate, it's giveaway time. Times three! I'm going to run one giveaway a week for the rest of the month. Why not? It's fun! For the first giveaway, I thought I'd share some scraps since I've been sorting through them lately. One winner will win all the scraps shown in these three photos. The ones above are about fat-eighth size, give or take.

These are smaller.

And some squares I cut but didn't use.
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To enter, just leave a comment on this post and tell me where you're surfing in from. My son loves geography and loves to look up places in his atlases or on his globe. I asked for this same information another time I had a giveaway and he had so much fun finding the places.
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Giveaway is open worldwide. Open until 7:00 pm AST Wednesday, March 16. One entry per person please. Also, please be sure that your email is either attached to your profile or that you leave it in the comment. (I have to be able to email the winner.)
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Good luck!
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Comments are now closed.

Selvage Quilting Update

It's Work in Progress Wednesday, so I thought I'd show what I've been up to on the Selvage Heart Quilt. The last time I showed the pieces above they were just blocks I believe, but here they are pieced together ... and guess what, being 100% honest, I don't like them.
I like the idea of them, but it is how they actually turned out that I'm not in LOVE with. The pink background bothers me, but more than that, in the word above, there is too much empty space between the L and the heart representing the O. I also don't like how skinny the bottom of the V is.

The 2011 is nice, except for the pink. So we'll see what becomes of these. They may get incorporated in the quilt in some different form, or they may go in the reject pile.

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Anyway, that's it for the posts on this quilt, until probably September. As I think I mentioned before, I am making this quilt for our guild show so I probably should keep the rest of what is happening to it as a surprise until then ... but, in the meantime, speaking of both selvages and our guild ...

We had a guild meeting last night and look what I was given! A selvage mountain! Thank you so much Nancy!

For a size comparison, see the car! I will be starting in with these if I can grab a few minutes later today. I've been wanting to make a nice straight ahead simple selvage quilt (no snowman faces, no latticing, no fancy borders) and these are perfect. I will have more than enough selvages for a whole quilt even though I am planning to use mostly just the colour window dots on this next quilt.

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Happy Quilting!