Celtic Solstice Mystery Quilt - Part 1

It has been quite some time since I started a quilt for myself, and this years mystery quilt by Bonnie Hunter was one I just couldn't pass up!  I mean just from the title alone, 'Celtic Solstice' it was enough to get me excited, but once you see her inspiration photograph of the gorgeous coastline of Ireland and her color combinations, I was hooked!!! I dove into my stash and ordered in a bunch of quarter yards from Traditional Pastimes to round out my fabrics.

I set them out in rows to make sure they all had good contrast with each other and began to select and de-select fabrics until I was satisfied. How fun do they look draped over the rails of my longarm quilting machine while I waited a day or two for the first clue.

 

Clue #1 arrived on Friday, Nov 29th and had us using our Tri Recs Rulers! I am making the king sized version so I had to cut 140 Orange base triangles and 240 Neutral base triangles as well as 380 pairs of both left and right facing triangles from the Blue fabrics.

All cut and ready to assemble!

I've been working on the blocks a bit each day as I am unable to sit and sew for long periods of time right now, but I managed to get all of my orange units sewn, pressed and trimmed and I'm plugging away on my neutral ones. Hope to get those guys finished up this week and start on Clue #2 which was released this past Friday.

Little Black Kitty is keen on supervising and must test out my fabric choices as they lay waiting to be cut...what I think he's actually saying is hurry up and get this quilt done already!!

Island girl now...

After yet another long hiatus from my blog I have decided it's time to reconnect with you all and catch you up on all that's been going on...quiltie and otherwise.

Last December I moved from Airdrie, Alberta to a mountainside in East Sooke on Vancouver Island in British Columbia...Canada.  I am once again back in my birth province and I couldn't be happier about it.  I've been referred to as somewhat of a gypsy, always on the go, never really laying down roots.  Growing up as a child, we never lived for more than a couple of years in one place.  Not only moving houses but moving from city/town to town and even moving across provinces.  There is something exciting about moving, choosing a new home, setting it up, making new friends and starting over fresh with everything, but believe me there is no shortage of stress involved in adapting to a new place.  In my adult life I have moved 19 times in the last 19 years.  Wow...somehow that sounds worse than it's actually been.  Regardless, I'm approaching 40 at a rapid pace and it's about time I started setting down some roots, and for the first time in my life I have never felt more at home and that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.  I have called the prairies home for most of my life but I have lived on the East coast of Canada and now the West coast and I can honestly say that there is no other place like this gem of an island.  I am perched on the mountainside surrounded by towering trees, overlooking the ocean and the Olympic mountains of the United States, in this little part of Canada's rain forest that I didn't even know existed until now.  I am in awe every time I take in the view, or the smells and sounds of the ocean...I could just pinch myself I am so lucky.  The forest lined winding roads that I was somewhat fearful of at the start, are so picturesque and now seem almost meditative and are so soothing to my soul.  I am always up for a drive and any excuse to get out and explore this beautiful island.

Here is the little bridge at Roche Cove that is on my drive home.

It took a few months, but my quilting studio is up and running and I absolutely love the new space!  Located in what was the attached over sized two car garage, it boasts high ceilings, 2 huge windows, a hand crafted pine loft and my very own xbox media center!!  Can I get a 'hell yeah'?! lol.  I've been busy quilting for my clients from Alberta and I'm lucky enough to have already gained a few new clients on the island.  In July I was selected to participate as a guest in the Stinking Fish Studio Tour and was pleasantly surprised to see 240 people through my studio over the 10 day tour.  What a great experience that was to meet my neighbours, fellow artists, and hopefully what will become new quilting friendships.  Looking forward to next year's tour and all the quilts and things I have planned to make for it.

I still have the heritage theme that I love so much going on in my studio, but I'm not sure now that my olde name fits with my new island surroundings.  Hmmmm...what to change it to??


Cheers!

It's been a while...

Even with the constant nattering from a few of my quilty peeps (not naming any names...Sandra and Shuna) and of course my mother, I've managed to completely ignore my blog for the past 6 months.  My apologies to those followers who got tired of waiting for a post.  A lot can happen in 6 months!!  I think by now, I've pretty much settled into the role of single mother yet again to my two boys...who are now 14 and almost 12.  Between hockey, bmx, guitar and all their other needs, I am finding the rest of my time is spent in my studio quilting away.  Well, and of course finding the time to inject a bit of fun into my life for which I have decided I CANNOT live without.  That, and the company of great friends!!  I have such an amazing group of friends who are so diverse and add a great deal to my life. 

As for work...my studio has been a buzz with oodles of quilts to quilt, summer classes being planned and hopefully I will find the time to work on a few projects of my own.  At the end of April, as a Representative for APQS, I teamed up with two other reps, Linda Lang and Matt Sparrow for Quilt Canada 2010.  This year it was held in Calgary and we were fortunate to have a double booth to show off three longarm quilting machines.

Matt, Linda and myself talked with hundreds of quilters that week and shared our passion for longarm quilting and APQS machines!  Matt and I have teamed up again for the Creative Stitches shows in both Calgary and Edmonton this fall.  If you've ever thought about owning a longarm, don't miss this opportunity to come out and test drive a Lenni!  You'll be amazed!  I'll post more details closer to the date. 

Thirties...

One of my clients pieced this lap quilt out of thirties fabrics for her grandmother.  Such a precious gift!  Her preference was to have no quilting in the stars and to fill up all the white space with a motif.  After a bit of trial and error on my part, a square shaped feathered wreath with a leafy addition was the final design of choice.

Photo Quilt...

Above is a pic of the custom photo quilt I'm just finishing up for a client.  I normally don't make quilts to order, unless it's a quilt shop sample but since it was my sister's neighbor who asked...why not.  She plans on giving it as a Christmas gift for her mother-in-law.  There are 24 photos in all and measures 56x76.  I just have to find time to quilt it now. 

I have been so busy in my studio lately I have lost touch with my blog.  I must find time to post again, I have sooo many pictures to share!!!

Strip Search...

I started this quilt in June for my sister's 40th birthday...and then summer got in the way and it got shelved.  Well, this past weekend I decided to dig it out and get it done.  I've got a pile of ufo's that are in dire need of some attention...perhaps finishing this one will motivate me to get busy with the others.  I used a Jelly Roll of Autumn Journey by Kansas Troubles that I had hanging around, some border fabric from my stash and the pattern Strip Search.

I finished piecing the top on Saturday....  Quilted it on Sunday, using a copper colored thread and the panto Falling Leaves II. 

I purchased this panto a number of months ago and have been avoiding it as I knew I would need a bit of practice time on this one before I would put it on a customer quilt.  The panto is beautiful with all the different leaves but the back tracking on all the veins is such a pain...looks like I'll need another practice quilt before I'll offer it to clients.

And then I bound it on Monday.  With the help of the pups of course.  They sure love quilts...as soon as they get sight of one they follow me around and just have to lay on it to test it out.  Yay!!!  Project complete!!  Happy B-day Sis!!

Copper...

What a sad little boy.  Copper had a sore spot on his belly that he wouldn't stop licking so after a quick trip to the vet, she sent him home with a cone.  Oh, he was so dissapointed and at first wouldn't move an inch with it on.  Poor little guy.