Another Thing off my bucket list for this month....

Been catching up with the Cozy Holiday Sampler QAL by Apples and Beavers. I bought this last year and only had time to do 5 of them.  So I gave up.  Now I'm back on track, doing one a week with email prompts from Apples and Beaver.   Sometimes even 2nd one for the week. There are 20 paper piece blocks.  I had 7 of them done before this, so now I have 10.  I wanted to do 4 of the following this month and I marked which ones I have completed.:

• Teddy Bear
• Snowflake - done
• Ms. Santa Claus - done
• Female elf
• Male elf
• Sock wasn't on my list but I got it done.

Sock in blue.

Star with two colors white, one is shiny.

I had fun with this one and the eye glasses were so cute.

I also am in a challenge of the week for water coloring that I found online.  So I completed the following as a practice of a YouTube video I found online.  Below is mine and after is the YouTube video:

Then I purchased some acrylic tubes on Facebook (6 of them but one was bad so I threw it away) and she also gave me some huge canvases for free.  Right away I wanted to use the colors so I painted this:

You can see the sun set better with a light shining on it.  There's also birds in the top left corner.  It was about 30" wide and 46" length.  It really was gorgeous but I didn't have room for it, and my husband said no....   You have to understand I have tons of pictures all over the place, mine in acrylic, mine in watercolor, and my mom's in both watercolor and acrylic (she was a professional artist - she did portraits and landscapes of the prairies.) so I have no room.  I circulate my pictures (take some down and put up new ones).  It's funny how many I have.

So I offered it to three people and all said no.  It's the size.....  Finally I told my husband "Hey listen all I wanted to do is try this out, and I learned something about it, so it's OK, lets give it to a second hand store as a donation".  So off I go to do this and while in the elevator of our condo another person steps in, says she likes it and my husband says "you want it?  It's yours" and she says yes that its a beautiful painting, I say thank you and she's impressed that she knows the artist.  So that seals the deal, she takes it.  Funny hun???

But in the end when I offered the painting to one friend she said no it's too big but she really likes this other one in my place, and I end up giving her that one.  I have way too many pictures, so one less is enough.  But it wasn't enough apparently because I finished another item on my goals list.  This ended up on a wall that my husband said "No pictures are going up here, I want one wall clean, nothing on it".  Not any more:

This was the 2nd part of my challenge of the month to finish a quilt, but really I always wanted to make it, but was always scared to do so,  It had so many little details to add, and then to embroider.  But in the end it's done, and in my own style.  I didn't make it exactly like the pattern, but I still like it and so does my husband.

The 1st part of my challenge of the month to finish was the Cat in the Hat quilt, which I completed a week ago.  You can read about it here at this link but I've included a picture of the quilt below.  Really, it turned out great for a gift for a brand new mother.  She'll love it.  And I'm gifting it with a couple of Dr. Seuss books that I bought at a used book store.  It's perfect!!!  All flannel.

Those two things were what my goals were when I hooked up with  Stories from the Sewing Room One Monthly Goal for completing so much and also for starting a new one (that's the one that I mention below)  and finishing that new one in one month....  Can't believe I did that   Here's my goal stating blog post from the start of the month.  On to planning Septembers goals but I start subbing again and school starts, so I have to make it small.  

This month I joined the Summer Block Party 2025.  It was a free BOM with some really cool blocks that were 18" big.  The blocks were  so cute I could not resist (and I should of because I was going to add another UFO to the list!!!!).  But instead of a quilt I wanted to make a bed runner, and that's exactly what I did.

There were 9 blocks in total by a great group of people.  I was following A Bright Corner for her links and getting emails from all the girls who were putting this on.  It's over with but I did complete the quilt.  I quilted it, and did all the blocks in a month.  I AM SO PROUD of myself.

Love the bathing suit, but it turned out to be bigger than the other blocks so I had to cut it down a bit.  The hardest block to do was the umbrella with the chairs, something that I really wanted to complete but I made a mistake.  Can you see it?  I want to do that block again so next time I'll do it right, hopefully.

That's it for quilts.  I'm following Crystal Coast Quilting Guild for the numbers of the quilts to do for the American Quilting Society UFO challenge.  I'm sure I covered 2 of them, and the Summer BOM was an extra that I started this month and completed this month. 

Now the next month's challenges:

my watercolor challenge:  to paint sea life so this is what I want to attempt.  The video I'm looking at is below:

As for the next quilt, who knows but it will definitely be a new one and one that I started and need to  finish, like the girl with the red blocks all around it (the blocks are from RB and the applique was a piece I found in a 2nd hand store.  It's a quilt I want to make for our bed with no batting, so it's nice and light, especially after this heat wave in BC we're having.  We are in the north, and here the town of Lipton  was in the 40 degree mark, breaking another record.  What the heck.

Good luck to everyone finishing their UFOs.  Take care.  Have a great September.

One Monthly Goal Completed for June

 Well, I got it done, the giant Medallion Quilt.  It's made of scrap white/off white background and a number of fat quarter Kaffe fabric bundles I bought from Dinkydoo (a quilting store in Maple Ridge).  Yes it's bright and gorgeous, "YELLING" look at me!!!!  I started it with the Medallion challenge rom --------------- and I did all my rows.  It was a generous lap top then (65" by 65") but now it's 98" by 98".  OMG!!!    It was part of the Stay at Home Round Robin that was on online.  I found it at Kathleen's site, and the link up is at Quilting Gail's site (click on the link here to see the finals)  if you want to see all the finishes.  They're amazing.

It's a king.  I added another row of 15" blocks of more flowers.  The pattern is from the Block Head series, free.   Stacy Iest Hsu made this block in a 12" size and it is just the cutest, but I made all the flowers face the same way, and I put a 1 1/2" divider between, with a 1 1/2" section either on top or at the bottom, to alternate them in placement so they were not all in a row.  You can get the flower pattern here.  It's part of the Block Heads 3 Block 46 rose alternative.

And every garden needs a cat.  I put a heart in it.

After the 14th flower, I was getting tired.  So I decided to add the bee and the bee hive.  This pattern was on sale at one point from Heather Valentine of the Sewing Loft.  She made a very cute group of blocks (size 6 or 12") of the bee hive, the bee and some flowers that I did not use.  You can see them better on her site at this link.  It's so easy to make and I just loved these bee patterns.  

So I made two of the bees to add on the size of 6" and the bee hive at 12".  Then I wanted to try another quilt block free from the Moda Bake Shop, a block that is part of the Summer in the Garden, another quilt on my list of quilts to do.  I just love this coneflower.  It's by Jen Daly.  It comes in 6" or 12" block and of course I made the 12" one.  You can find this free block on this link.   It's at the bottom of the page.   I put two coneflowers, one on each side.  You can't see the pictures well here, but there are two reds in this one) a different red in the middle, and it just pops.  I GOT to make a quilt of all these flower blocks!!

So that's the additions I made to enlarge this quilt.  Really it looks wonder.  The flowers pop with everything else I added.  I added another wheel for the top, then a line of divider that I used around each row.  The first line of flowers was where I ended it, and the addition you can see at the bottom

At the end of the bed quilt I added another row of log cabins with scraps, and then I added the ribbon, just to add some spice (and quite frankly, I was really tired of this quilt).  I used quilt as you go on all of these additions, because I was using my domestic.  Yeah, you got it my little domestic.  I used the border at the end of each row to add the new row.



And in case you forgot the original center piece, this one takes the cake, the colors that just go crazy.  That's it, that's my finish.

Will be hooking up the UFO challenge finish with Sewing from the Sewing Room.

As for the extras I said I would do, I did catch up with the Christmas quilt from Apples and Beavers.  It's all paper piece as you can see.  There are a number of designs, all 12 1/2 by 12 1/2 unflinished.  The skill level goes from beginner to confident in a building skills level.  I love their patterns, all fantasy, and most paper piece.  Some are stitch and flip.  But see for yourself at this link.  Look for the dragon one, that's a pattern I already purchased and can't wait to try.  There are also free patterns here!!!  Look for the sunflower pattern.

In the end it is suppose to look like the below:

Hope mine looks so good.  

I also did what I said I would do, I sewed up three Cacti from the pattern "Oh My Cacti" by Paper and Pen below.  

It's difficult, with small little pieces as well as I'm doing four different colors, so you need to cut out the right amount for each cacti, then make sure they're all together, and you can find them.  Also there are so many pieces, so it's hard to find the pieces, you need a lot of space to place them all out somewhere to find the pieces.  This  one will really really take a lot of time.  If I do three a month, I'll be happy.  It will be an extra thing to complete each month.  I can only do no more than 2 in a sitting, the pattern gives me a headache.  I love love her patterns, but this one is hard.  We'll see.

Happy with what I've completed this month.  Lets see if I can keep it up.

One Monthy Goal for March

 Well I have tons of different quilts that I need to finish or at least start when I've gathered everything up in a neat little package, but for two weeks I'm working full time at the start of the month.  So I'm hoping to do the following...

Here are the three I'm looking at completing:

The bird pattern is from SewFresh, an Ontario quilter and pattern designer.  I'm looking at the larger one for my aunt for her larger living room table, where the cat will live on it  lol.  She uses the sew and flip method which I really like.

Look at that material, the colors are so vibrant.  They're from another quilt I made 20 years ago, so this will get her done, and get that material finished.  The background will be gray, like the picture.  The rest is all scraps, and I love using all of my scraps.

Another one I want to complete is the pods you see here.  I got the pattern off of Etsy.  I've made 4 of them already, and sent them out as gifts and christmas gifts.  It's quick and easy.  

Here's a better shot of the pattern by Pen and Paper on Etsy.  I already made the snake as a surprise for my husband when we came back from a trip to Scottsdale Arizona.  And he loves it.  Sorry about the terrible picture.  I'm doing the cacti and then in the corner the snake again.

Here's my material, all left overs but not the backing, which looks like sand.  It's the same material I used for the pattern.  It's half cut out, so I need to finish that and then sew it, and the designer uses stitch and flip as well, my favorite way to make a quilt.

Here's the pillow that I was talking about.  And the material that's brown is my background for the quilt I am making.  I'm going to use it as a hanging quilt to match the pillow.  I'm excited about it but unsure if I have the time to do these.  The one that's definite for this month is the cacti one, that's the goal, the others are bonuses.  This is my plan.

Joining up with One Monthly Goal at Stories at the Sewing Room, with others.  Hoping this will motivate me to finish a few quilts this month.  Wish me luck.  :)

Changes - swap exchange, quilting gift, and changing my quilting room....

A lots has been happening.  I'm still subbing, and that means I'm still working as a substitute teacher for a little extra cash, but I'm also traveling.  First the traveling.    I've been to Palm Springs a week ago and it was amazing.  We had wind storms, then a rain storm, then gorgeous days while Vancouver was pouring rain and with some snow....  So I lucked out.

Second thing is the mini quilt swap from the Modern Quilt Guild online.  I did a great switch with Michelle Cuomo from Ontario.  She did such a beautiful job. 

The colors are fantastic, the stitching so well done.  Where there's a blank there is some stitching that completes the circles in different colors.  The rules were it had to be smaller than 25" and if you want you can see mine.  Mine is on the left.  I received the one on the right.

Here's a better picture of the one I made

Here is one of my February finishes as well.  A late Christmas table topper.

 

The final thing is the Round Robin club online that I joined two months ago.  I always wanted to make another medallion quilt but never really got around to it until now.  The info is below and it shows the people who are involved.  

• January 13:   Center Block Reveal.
• January 20: 1^st Round:   Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing
• January 27: 2^nd Round: Anja @ Anja Quilts 
• February 3: 3^rd Round: Gail @ Quilting Gail 
• February 10: 4^th Round: Wendy @ Pieceful Thoughts – Link up below!
• February 17: 5^th Round: Brenda @ Songbird Designs
• February 24: 6^th Round: Emily @ The Darling Dogwood
• March 24:  Parade: showing all of your finished SAHRRs!

here's my center one, which was 25" for the start.  

You'll have to wait until the next entry to see the entire finished quilt.  I'm really laughing here because I said I would not join other quilt a longs, and since then I've joined two of them, so really I have to stop.

Finally, this is my February finish.  It's a wedding gift for a nephew in Utah for May, and I'm happy to have finished it early.  Here's some pictures

I still need to add the veil for the bride.  I'm cutting a piece from my wedding dress that's been sitting in my closet and moving for years now.  I also have to add the label for the back saying the year and who the quilt is from for the wedding.  I'm so excited for them to see it.  I loved that background material, it really is talking to me.  The front is a light purple, very very light.  It softens the quilt which is good.  I'm behind the quilt so you can imagine how big it is.  The dark blue of the comber bun and the wedding accessories really makes it all come together.

And last but not least, the cause of my shoulder injury, and the reason I have to give quilting a rest for a while because of my sore arm and shoulder.  My room.  I went over everything.  I purchased that armoire and filled it with tons of things.  I loved tons of things, packed it in the armoire, sorted things, and now it's a little more organized.  

I am way behind in the medallion quilt, but it will come soon.  I need to do three more rows, one is the cabin style, so that will take time.  I'll cut everything tomorrow so I can sew it in March, and that will be my quilt for March.  I'm working for the next two weeks straight so I'll be doing some of it at night and for the weekends.  So wish me luck, I'll need it.

One I missed and another done

 I’ve been cleaning my sewing office and I have been noticing how any UFOs I have but that’s ok because I’m retiring soon and all of the projects will keep me busy.  The kits are all together except for batting and backing.  So it’s a win win.  But I’m getting an overflow, too much stuff around to the point  that it's overwhelming me.  Like everyone else in the quilting world I can’t resist a new BOM or a bargain so I keep on starting new ones but I’m resisting ladies (hello my name is Nicole and I’m a fabricaholic.).  This past month I’ve been finishing off a lot of quilts (see last couple of blogs) but today I’m showing you one I did this month and another BOM from this year so it doesn’t become a ufo.  Here she be….

End of bed quilt.

This pattern is free at Riley Blake Design, on this link.    The squares are 10 and a half in size.  Their pattern did not include the blue line I put in, a 1 1/2 inch fold.  Stitched between the blocks, a 2” piece and the side borders.  It made the quilt bigger.  Side edges I enlarged to 4” instead.  Overall it’s colorful and fits a queen nicely.

Here’s the (not one but) two I missed blogging about….

The back of the large lap top (I used extra blocks)

The front of the laptop, very modern, a modern quilt BOM from last year that I found online at All She Can Sew.  Here’s her link.  “Kitchen Sink”. Well it was very well designed.

And my gift to a very lovely niece who just had a baby boy, so congrats to them for a wonderful child in this world.  Love to you all.

All the quilts are bonded and completed.  What have you been doing this month?  

Unfortunately I'm still behind...  lol.

Have a great week.