Wow, if you were wondering...

No water was spilled on the worktable during Jolina's visit.  She is not the capital A artist that her sister is.

 That is okay.  I am hoping for capital Q quilter as she is quite domestic.  ;~)

I took the border off the basket quilt and resewed it.  ;(  The problem seemed to be the skinny inner polka dot border.  I may look at this again when I quilt it because it never gets better, it gets worse.  This will be checked off as a finished top and awaits quilting which may become the focus of the months for next year. :(

I unearthed every pink I could find to get all my rabbits 'penned'.  As this evolves I see I need setting triangles.  ???  Solids to the rescue!   At least that is what I'm thinking.

awk, I was going for all different frames and I see I have a double.  I shall leave it.  But...   I am stopping with this photo as I may need to change those three darks.  ???   I'm also thinking that these sorta traditional and, lets face it, cute blocks are beginning to show where my heart is NOT!  Do I really want cute on my front room wall!  :0

Now this actually got a comment from the Rooster as he 'thought' this was kinda bright for me.  lol  I do LUV it.  The half square triangle's are small and I now realize are actually quarter square triangles that I am sewing into HST's.  I used the wrong die when I started cutting.  Die cutting is still pretty new to me.  I do hope I can get the bias edges to behave.  vbsigh  I fussy cut the last 18 theme triangles to get the finished size.  The print is an old fabric that has survived many purges.  I'm so glad that Vicki's HSTeria quilt along coaxed me into doing this!  Now this will go up as a wall hanging as I hate to think what it'll shrink to when sewn together!   I'm just not sure for which month.  September?  The good news is that I'll have all month to quilt it!  ;~)

July's idea is still up on the design wall.  I don't want another cute wallhanging!  I am linking up with The Needle & Thread Network.  I am wondering what everyone has been up to. If anyone else is wondering, well, wonder no more; just click the link!  :)  Yay for sunshine even if I still have my sweater on!

Wow, working...

The busyness of summer is spreading over all of my surfaces.  :0

Visiting with a friend, I said yes I do sew even in the summer.  I am not the best multi tasker but having to commit myself to blog deadlines really helps me stay motivated. I believe the theory about the rolling stone is easier to keep moving.  Sew...

I got all the applique finished and then hurried to get the final borders on for a finished May Basket top but that left hand border has to come off as it has a definite wobble in it.  I knew I should have had a couple of pins or my other machine foot on  Mini or at least used the differential feed on Nina.  drat. Haste makes waste timewise!  But it is fixable and I'm pleased.  The wee polka dot binding will be great!!!

And this fuzzy picture is showing how I feel about my quick bunny quilt for June. I am hoping the fuzziness can be like a squint as I re evaluate.  I changed out the alternate blocks once and now I am digging in the stash for more tone on tone fabric.  :(  

There is not enough light in the hall for these pinks and taupes. See above.  I took it down and spread it on the spare bed.  Better picture but I need to do lots more work on this one.  There is likely to be enough 'also rans' to do another project.  :(   But I found a full sheet of Styrofoam in the Rooster's stash and as he hadn't a ready answer for it I am confiscating it for a movable design wall.  :O The curtains I use for my design walls are a tight weave cotton and a real pain to pin onto.  So the rigid Styrofoam will  be a big time saver as I repin.  I also will appreciate it for the small half square top I'm trying to arrange.  There are some blocks on the worktable in the top photo.  I'm pleased with that one also. 

I am ignoring the fact that all the bunnies are not centred.  I think it is a design decision to add movement to the quilt!  Ha!

Maybe the July kites will be a less complicated quilt so I can actually catch up for August.  But there is no way I can quilt them .  I may be quilting a wall hanging a month next year!  vbsigh

Meanwhile I *am* working and I expect the other gals across The Needle and Thread Network are also working!  And speaking of work, the garden is calling!

Wow, where IS the worktable

Lots of company- Big company, little company and throw in lots of wet weather!

I had gotten each of the grand kiddies a Smash book.

But to keep Eliana from finishing up the book in one session flat  she and I made books.
We'll see if it works!  lol

The June wall hanging is in need of reworking!   I added a few pieces of taupe and only the taupe bunnies for alternate blocks. Once again I have the makings of a second project!  :(  I also had to move it as it fell on a new sewing candidate!

It seems the Grand kiddie would like to add sewing to her abilities!  :)

And that will be after we mop up after the ferocious winds that lifted shingles and 'pruned' trees, whether they needed it or not!  Happy Canada Day!

But first  Eliana and I are off to the city to see if we can get some more supplies to set out on the worktable. :O  But I'll be back to check out the aftermath of  TN&TN Canada Day celebrations!

Wow, the worktable bounce

To get to the June blocks I had to get the sewing machines humming and the cutting table cleared.

The HSTerical Quilt Along has helped get my Noah's Ark top completed.  The chopped off look kinda bothers me but I shall get the top into the gift cupboard and ready for a youngster.  My niece had a baby boy but I'm not sure Noah is appropriate.  ;~)   It floats here as we have rain forecast for everyday this week.

Then I had Mini motoring along.  I had thought dots for the sides but I have lots of this white.  I am keeping the stems to greens and a couple of aqua.  When auditioning flowers I decided to just use them all.  But there is a dirty fold in the background so I'll switch that out rather than take a chance. These painted tone on tones are a real pain to applique on but after the flowers it'll be all machine quilting.

I really hope I can use the dots for the binding.  I'll know for sure when it is all quilted.  I have been studying a site that uses long arm rulers on a domestic machine.  I am very intrigued!!!

My June bunnies needed to be fussy cut and that meant bias edges for three prints if I want to efficiently use the fabrics.

 I bought this ruler on sale somewhere, sometime and its day has come!  lol  I get ten centres from the fat quarters and there are a few that aren't centred but if I can live with chopped off waves I guess I can live with a few off kilter bunnies! :}

 I decided to just make my life easier and put strips around the centre.  I have THREE quarter inch feet but I was in such a hurry to get sewing that I didn't change Mini's foot.  grrr!  Since I am so enthralled with my sewing progress I decided that I can live with  seven and a half inch blocks.  This way I trim them all to the same size and NO problems.

  I do need to think about seams though because it'll make for faster assembling and this deadline is imminent.  :0  I prefer to sew my strips like logs around the cabin rather than pairs of opposites.  I just need to orient that one long strip to be opposite the seamed sides.  Since I have gotten a few quilts under my belt I've learned to enjoy the process and don't do near as much assembly line, chain piecing or peddle to the metal sewing.  :)

 My math is always dicey but I think I need about 50 blocks for this June wall hanging.   edit:  I multiplied and I should have added. vbsigh.  Now I have 20 extra centres.  :(

I'm bouncing around a couple of ideas for July and August.  ???

And now it is time to bounce around the country and see what the gals are doing on The Needle and Thread Network!  I hope there are places in Canada where the rain isn't bouncing off the peonies!  :)  

Wow! The work table is flooded!

 It has been just pouring rain these last few days.  The sun is out  now so I hope I am not tempting fate with the open umbrella!  I have baskets on the table, a Noah's Ark quilt and some bunny fabric ideas. oops, I forgot about the Rooster's mending!  :(   I've no time for anything other than a flood of ideas!

This was the general idea for the basket quilt.  I will put the applique posies at the top.

The wall hanging should actually be a bit wider but I could trim the sides down if necessary.  The background of these baskets is a white on white print, a tone on tone.  I like them but this has been in the stash a long time and I remember why;  the print is painted on and a real pain to applique!  :{

But the narrower sashing is much better as it is less busy and doesn't overpower the baskets. And I want to see those darn painted flowers in the TOT fabric background.  ;)  I really kinda want to leave my focus fabric of polka dots in the quilt.  :}

I got a huge selection of bias tape at a thrift sale and was thinking of a vine with circles.  But I had an aha!  What if I did flower stems?

 Looking through my paper circles for a size I found this checkerboard circle.  Cute.  I'm sure I have some checkerboard fabric.  :)

These baskets are proving to be a very time consuming quilt!  My ark needs floating.

And my bunnies are wanting to get hopping!  Cutting the most bunnies that I can may mean doing these blocks on point.  :O

My camera sure doesn't like focusing on dots!  But I do think I have a plan for finishing!

I need to stop the flood that is washing away my time! vbsigh  But I do wonder what kinds of floods (ideas,  projects, fabrics, finished projects, mosquitoes, etc.) the gals on TN&TN are experiencing

wow, what happened to the worktable?

I do try the KISS way of doing things.  I really do!  vbsigh  Let me share how I got to this photo.

May was very hectic due to weekly exploratory posts over on ...and then we set it on fire...!  I tackled the ambitious project of experimenting with Lutradur which was a new material to me.  Then I combined that with 12 x 12 inch pages themed mother and daughters which I put in a fabric memory box.   This was the prize winner for underestimating projects.  lol  Definitely worthwhile and I'll be finishing that all up.  But I made a horrendous mess in my Coop and Saucer Playroom.    I shut the door and went off to Winnipeg on Monday.  I planned a stop at my local Bernina dealer, Sew Inspiring, to pick up one small item that was amended to two before I even left.  As I was paying for them I overhead a conversation about Plexiglas inserts and a portable table.  That lead to purchase number three as I realized it was my birthday soon and this table opportunity had just fallen into my lap.  :) 

May's marathon helped me identify my priorities.  Mixed Media Art has seduced me away from my first luv, fabric.  I am missing my quilting.  Sew...

I have been thinking a lot about my passion.  What do I like to do and how do I do it???  And I do hope it doesn't turn out to be furniture moving!!!  ;~)

I want fabric and stitching to be in most of my work.  I like to stand to piece but to improve my MQing skills I need to sit and so does Nina.  I can indulge the messy stuff with dyeing/painting/stamping fabric as well as paper.  And journals can incorporate cloth. Really!  :)

Nina is a big girl and to shine at FMQing she needs to be down in a table.  I had the Rooster all convinced to remodel my traditional sewing cabinet which has the smaller opening when I saw this 'fidget' table at Elizabeth's store.  Look at all the work I'm saving the Rooster!!!  And the truth be told, I needed more leg room.

After trying to keep my lovely quilting surface as well as the new table I ended up folding the cabinet away and  butting up two old Ikea cupboards and an old wooden table to surround Nina.  The drawer even opens for some added elbow room.  It works.  I'll tweak the levels, order the Plexiglas insert, find a round stool and QUILT!  Nina will always be ready.

Mini is strutting her stuff from command central.  I cannot live without this cutting table.  I wish I could have it fully extended but the reality is I clutter half of it and only use the cleared part.  :(  Mini is near the wet area and can stitch a quick line.  She doesn't seem to flinch when I get to flinging paint like Nina did.  ;^)  She is set for quick piecing, ironing and fast runs to the design wall.  I did lose my ruler spot but I have also learned I am NOT a peg board girl so a shelf up there will hold my ruler stand.  The drop leaf extends over part of the MQing area and when I'm leaning on it, two plastic drawers nicely support the top.  They also store 'stuff'!  :}

Out of view and already filling the very back is all the stuff I need to find new spots for.  But, I have warned all my little playmates that if they don't fuel my passion and don't have a spot.....   SURELY, this has to be the last time for tweaking.  ahem, I am already eyeing up the fabric stash behind those curtains as fabric seems to be creeping over flat areas and gathering in corners because the shelves are quite stuffed.  Purge coming!  Well, I've purged to the minimum, maybe restacking will help!

Which brings me to the monthly wall hanging.  I am liking this commitment to myself.  May was a little harder to keep up with but I am finishing it up because Nina wants a crack at MQing it.  Her faster speed could help with the piecing but ya know, I'm learning to enjoy the process.  :)

June could beabout big wild pink roses but it is gonna be about pinkness, wee roses and bunnies!  I can't recall how I got the centre FQ's but they are kinda cute.  The two fabrics on the right are new and part of my reviving stash buying dilema.  Where are all these little critters coming from?  The left are oldies but goodies.  I want to feature the bunny motifs and I'll be thinking churn dash or ??? options while I finish up the May baskets.   I am liking the bigger wall hanging size and will be doing the dreaded math to figure out my design plan and size requirements.  I can't wait to chase bunnies after I get the baskets completed and the playroom all tweaked!

The applique block for DD#1's quilt was May basket but I didn't get to it.  It is a fairly complicated block with a woven basket.  But I'm not behind because I have this trapunto block finished and I was holding it in reserve.  :)  I might need to remove some stuffing though as it is quite distorted now that I'm actually looking at it.  hmmm  I need a rabbit or two to nibble on those flowers.  lol

I wonder what the rest of Canada is chasing this June? 

Wow - a wild fire...

Who knew this little block would cause me to burn my fingers a number of times. Not to mention sending steam out my ears!  :(

I spent Tuesday morning  arranging my basket parts on my design wall. I have a few very dark colours to spread around.  I think I am good to go but I need to applique the handles of one block to see if everything really fits.  While I sipped my coffee and sandwich I perused the early episodes of  The Quilt Show.  Show number 210  has Alex demonstrating how to make a four inch Postage Basket block.  She has a couple of good and time saving techniques.


I really don't mind hand applique.  But I must confess that this has been a busy month sew...

I had already prepared my bias handles so the machine stitching on one side wouldn't have saved me anything but a card board for positioning was wonderful.

The centre with the body of the basket measured a wee bit bigger than my drafted copy.  :(  Sew I did the expedient thing; it is my quilt after all.  I lengthened the white rectangle between those little footies an half an inch and it all works.  sheesh 

It is feeling a bit more traditional than I wanted which makes me want to change the setting.  Hmm, what if...

If you want to see what is hot in other areas of Canada, check this out!

WOW- mayhem!

Three tries and they are still not right!  :(  What am I doing wrong???

Aha!  These two patterns look the same but on closer examination it seems they are not the same. duh! 

I knew the two examples were different sizes so I was working with the 12 inch block.  The six inch is for a pillow case and has the actual layout I want.

Then add to the mix, overlapping templates that span three pages.  I can see I was sunk before I even began!  :O  (I went back and double checked- I think they have the wrong template letter.)

I did notice that the first pattern had an easier set up; the four handles are appliqued on one piece and the baskets are built around that centre.  I could make up for lost time here.  :)

So I drafted up my own full page block with the easier layout of the first and the size from the second.  I do believe the darn thing will now work.  If I can just pay attention to what colours go where instead of thinking one basket at a time this will actually be more visually pleasing.

The bad news is that I have made hash from a lovely white tone on tone fabric. vbsigh.  I chose a LENGTHY piece of white tone on tone for this next try and won't have the worry of fabric requirements for the border.   I only have a couple of coloured triangles to re cut because it was the smaller size of the white squares that were the ones causing trouble.  I even have enough handle to make another basket.  yay!  I'm so glad i hadn't got those handles done as planned.  phew!

MAYbe I'll have something accurate to show for next week.  ;~)  Darn it anyway;  why can't I just follow a prescribed pattern instead of trying to be cute!!!  LOL  I guess that is the nature of  'what if...'.

I'm sure my fellow TNTNer's are all successfully filling their May baskets with lovely projects.  You may want to check that out!