Sunday, September 30, 2012

End of Summer...

Summer - it came and went so quickly!  It seemed like I was pretty busy so didn't get that much sewing time in - but I did manage to get a couple of quilts done - and a top is ready for Harley although I'm not including it here as I don't have a pix yet.
 
This is "Follow Your Dreams".  I made it for my very good friend Pam.  We were in a fabric store and she spotted a bundle of 1/2 meter cuts and liked them so bought them.  That was probably about 3 years ago.  I said I'd make a quilt for her with the fabric - I just didn't say when!  It started to call to me so I thought I'd better get down to business and get a quilt going for her.  This is what I ended up with.  I cut the panel of six "tiles" up - then used a block called antique mosaic or something like that.  It seemed appropriate.  If you've ever worked with a panel, you will know they are notorious for being NOT square so the challenge is to match them up with something to add on and square up.  I ended up working with 12" * 12" blocks. 


***********

 Then there is "Into the Mystic" - a quilt I made for another very good friend of ours - Marlow.  Same panel issue as above.  the large block at the bottom left is the entire panel.  Then I cut up another part of the panel into separate animals and put those into the centre of some wonky log cabin blocks.  I think in this case I was using 8" blocks.  The animals reminded me of native west coast art of mystic animals, hence the name, which is also the name of a Van Morrison song.  It was only after I had the name when I noticed that the fabric on the back is actually called Mystic Animals!  I guess it must be pretty obvious...




*********
In other news, Harley is in the shop awaiting a tune up.  I have pretty much decided to upgrade so in anticipation of selling Harley, I thought I'd get it tuned up.  It turns out that for machines made within a certain three year period, they are replacing all the electronics under warranty.  Harley falls into that category so the "tune up" is taking longer than anticipated as the parts are still en route from somewhere in the US.  They were to have cleared the border last Tuesday - then of course they have to be installed.  One of these days I'll get it back - none too soon as I have a backlog at this point. 

Joan, Kristie and I have signed up for our first ever quilting retreat.  This one is nearby in a local community centre hall and coming up on Oct 19.  I've booked the Friday off from work and we are all looking forward to three days of sewing.  In anticipation, I've got two quilt tops cut and ready to go - I am going to try for a third.  I expect three is quite ambitious and I probably won't get three done, but I'd rather have it and not need it than run out of things to do!