Omygosh.

One of the many reasons so many years ago, when I join RSC yearly colour challenge was to get some of the blocks done for this quilt. I was hoping to use up most of my scraps of fabric? Did it work? Nope, the scrap bin is still filled to almost the top. Pineapple blocks use a lot of fabric, maybe that will be my next challenge blocks for RSC?

It is not finished yet, it needs trimming and binding. Thank you to RSC colour challenge this quilt became a reality and are scraps no more. A fellow quilter who saw it, thought I was crazy to make it in the first place. Was this an insanity project? Many years ago I saw on at the Quilt Show in Ottawa, which inspired me to want to make one too one day.

All this was possible because it was done with no stress. Make a couple of blocks in the called for colour each month, then put them away in a box. This happened over the course of three years, then it was all laid out and sewn row by row. Those border fabrics did not want to play nice and was unpicked a few times. It is now quilted, one of the projects I got to practiced on the longarm machine. August has been a busy learning curve month, for which I will be grateful for a long time to come.

Michigan, a mystery quilt along with Laundry BasketQuilts a few years back and made with Da Gama quilting cottons from South Africa also got quilted. It has aqua and blues in it too! The binding is on and it is a finished quilt.

The hummingbirds keepcoming to the feeder and they chase each other, as they do not want to share the feeder.

We went for a picnic yesterday not far from where we live.

Dragon fly.

A finish, it includes so many shades of blues and some aqua as well. This pattern is Indigo Way mystery from Bonnie Hunter a few years ago. Just after I started this one, my friend told me about her nephew whom had just had surgery to remove tumours from his spine and that this 21 year old was diagnosed with cancer. I knew then this would be his quilt.

Michael has been fighting hard and the chemo was not working, recently he started radiation therapy which he is responding to positively to!

I teach classes occasionally at my local quilt shop. A few months back the owner asked if any of us wanted to learn how to longarm quilting, two of us raised our hands. I am currently learning this skill and it is exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, but a lot of fun. It is all about the practice, training the brain. Quilt number six was one of my own, what to quilt on this one? When it is one of your own the descision of how to quilt it, is so much more difficult.

All over waves to represent water and to anchor the base for quilting a giant dragon fly ontop of the waves, a dragon fly flying over the water. Dragonflies also represent transformation, hoping that it will help this young man to beat this disease. Last weekend he received his quilt, he loves it and it is now on his bed. In going about our days, please take a moment to say a prayer for Michael and all others who are in need of healing. Our prayers are powerful!

Precuts, we all have some.

Have you ever bought a precut of fabric? The charm squares, a jelly roll or a fat quarter bundle. They have all those pretty fabrics and you get home, with no project in mind. Then you wonder what to make with it? Now what? It sits in the cupboard, or on a shelf with no plan in sight.

A few years go by and you have an aha moment, it then gets used. Prices have increased over the years, so how far can you stretch a fat quarter bundle? A challenge for sure, some you can use all the fabric with no waste if you make a trip around the world. What if you want to use it for applique? A conundrum for sure, unless you want to make that project bag, a baby quilt and maybe something extra?

Adding some background fabrics can stretch one fat quarter bundle to make quite a few projects, be it to keep or to gift. Lets begin, first is a project bag, then a birthday quilt, a baby quilt and a chandelier quilt. Not bad and how much is still leftover?

Yes they can seem expensive, it is all about how creative you decide to be and to utilize the fabrics to create more than just one item.

Butterflies and wedding quilts.

One wedding quilt is now with the happy couple, that all happened this past weekend. It was one very busy weekend and sunday was our rest and recovery day. Today was housework and wash the floors. Perfect opportunity to pin baste the next wedding quilt on the kitchen floor.

Walked to fetch the mail and then check on the lavender on the side of the house. Two little butterflies was playing tag in the lavender. With the extreme the heatwaves the lavender needs the flowers trimmed in order for the plants to manage in the heat. So many of the flowers will be removed but not all, as the bees and butteflies need flowers too. A few years back these bushes had to be trimmed back for the exact same reason.

Baked South African custard tart and dessert requested by the groom to be.

Wedding quilt.

The wedding quilt is done and washed. It just needs the label on the back, before it will be wrapped and gifted on the weekend.

The back shows some of the quilting, this is from before it was finished.

With the heatwave and bad air quality from the wildfires, we are satying safe indoors. Started to trace the first house for Amsterdam on the Canal. This is on heat and bond light.

The quilt is hanging over the top bannister drying overnight.

It is raining.

It started to rain and is just perfect for stitching the binding on this wedding quilt.

Enjoy your sunday with a bit of slow stitching...

It has been a busy few weeks.

Summer heat arrived and so a few projects on the go, to work on and get done sooner rather than later.

Hand quilting on the frame has commenced with the heat of summer. It is just easier to quilt with it on a frame,

One wedding quilt is getting close to being done quilting on my sewing machine.

Learning to quilt on a longarm machine in a practical and hands on way. This quilt, a group of us worked on for a Mother and fellow quilter whose adult son passed very unexpectedly. It was just so very important to make sure this gets to her as soon as possible.

The mystery stitch a long is now up to date for July. Some tidy up happened and sorting out of fabrics and projects. Finished baby blankets and a diaper bag left for its forever home for a mom who is having twin boys in about 8 weeks time.

Finally got a chance to sort panels together, pieced tops and smaller projects. Found some more binding, the leftover binding box is full again. Have one large rubbermaid box with just leftover fabrics from finished quilts. All the little bits is now grouped together and is in one place, making it easier to find. The Serengeti can get some more slow stitching as well.

Purple quilts at the show.

As July is Purple, these quilts are grouped together.

They were eye catching.

Some had bits of purple and others lots.

A few others which may have or may not have any purple in the quilt..