Ticker Tape Quilts

So I googled Ticker Tape Quilts and knew this was something I had to try. I should have read the instructions but it will turn out in the end. What I didn't do is sandwich the layers and then sew the scraps on, so I will have to quilt it in the end, and if I had of sandwiched it ahead of time the quilting would have already been done. I started out with these squares and each square having it's own color.

I plan to put borders in solid colors around the squares matching the color they are. So I thought I would do 8 squares across and 10 squares down with one color in each row. To save time in pulling out fabric, I decided to do all 10 black squares first and then move on to the next color.

I can't wait to see this one finished, it is different like the selvage quilt, not sure what it will look like in the end, but know that it has the potential to look great.
I will keep you updated.

Sharpening your Rotary Blade

I have not tried this so if doesn't work ignore this post, but wouldn't it be nice.

Everyone has this in their kitchen, right? And what has the aluminium foil to do with sharpening rotary cutter blade, you ask ?

Well, you simply fold a piece of foil a few times and just slice away with your blunt dull rotary cutter…pausing a few times to test it out on your fabric scraps …till it starts slicing away your fabric too!

In the meantime quilt

I have made progress on my in the meantime quilt that I had posted about earlier.
I even added borders with leftover fabric I had.
First here is what I started with, wanting to use my twister ruler again.

I added borders to it and this how it looks now.

Not sure where I will take it from here but I will figure it out using a fabric I have left from a previous kit.

Selvage Quilt Finished

I found the perfect fabric when in the States to put on the back of my selvage quilt, but first the border fabric came in the mail and it did not disappoint.

I added a running shoe border to the quilt because of the special person it is going to. I even moved my sewing room temporarily upstairs to used the space, I have a pole in the middle of my basement that interrupts my bigger quilts. 

Here is the finished project a long time in the making, Dylan and Sam are back there saying cheese and smiling for the camera. 

I also put a label on the back and shortly will publish who it went to, not sure if this person reads my blog or not...

Toadstool

I am officially hooked on Mosaic glass, I took another class at Vintage pixie and again I was trilled with the result of my project.
This class was using a cement toadstool and decorating the top with mosaic glass.
I really enjoyed taking this class, and I have put my finished toadstool in my garden in the backyard.

        

Road Trip

Yesterday a car load of us headed to the states for a quick fabric run. We headed out n the morning, and were back that evening. There are 3 quilt shops from here to Beaver Bay, except one is closed on Tuesdays.
For any of you out there who have been to Behind the Seams, it is a fantastic shop but they are closed Tuesdays and Sundays.
I really enjoy going to the Quilt Corner in Beaver Bay, it has so much variety and all the colors inspire.

First stop was Crystals Cabin Quilt Shop in Grand Marais. There I bought some great buys and 2 perfect 10 kits. The colors are so pretty. 

We drove down the road to Behind the Seams Quilt Shop only to find it closed on Tuesdays. So on we went to Quilt Corner in Beaver Bay. I think this is my favorite shop, the colors, the patterns and all the choices.

I also enjoy collecting Fat Quarters here and there along the way, and I use them on scrap quilts. Fat quarters allow for such a variety of colors and patterns. I have quite the collection.

Now I must get to work finishing my selvage quilt, I bought the above florescent green flannel fabric to put on the back.

We are planning a road trip again for the Fall.............

Road Trip

Tomorrow is road trip day to quilt stores from here to Beaver Bay and back. I will post my treasures when I return.

Mosaic Chair

I said if it stood still long enough then I would glue glass to it. After taking the class I came and took inventory on what I would mosaic. I had this old wooden chair that in my mind was getting closer to the a new home everyday, I had just got sick of looking at it taking up space. My grandmother had given it to me and I saved it from the landfill.
It needed a makeover.

I went to Vintage Pixie to pick out the glass I wanted to use and I was so excited to get home and get started.
I finished this glass gluing portion in one afternoon and then I left it overnight to dry so I could grout it.
Here is the non grouted version, a pixie had a great idea since I wasn't using it as a chair to put a pot in the center for planting.

As hard as it was to just leave it alone and let it dry, I left it overnight. I got to it the next and grouted it which  turned out really well. I then the chair back in the garden where it belongs.

It turned out nice and I found something else in my garden that will have the glass treatment too, the roof of this well.

Mosaic Window

I know this is my quilting blog but I thought I would share my most recent projects. I took a mosaic class at Vintage Pixie and learned that anything can be made beautiful with glass. We were told to pick a picture that we wanted to make in our window. I have always loved the Van Gogh painting "A Starry Night", so I thought that was what I would do. I had planned from the beginning to hang the window from my trees in the backyard no matter how it turned out, it was art. I first had to draw the picture outline on paper because my sample was smaller then the frame, then had to tape the paper on the back.
This is the start, I cut the glass to make a really abstract look to look. I was so thrilled I was able to do the Van Gogh Painting.

We had 8hrs to get the glass cutting and gluing done, which I thought was a long time but since I was cutting my pieces so little it had taken me longer.
The 8 hrs had gone by and I was not done, so thankfully Leslie let me come back the next day to finish up, as we were grouting the piece 2 days later.

We came back to her workshop 2 days later to grout our masterpieces, and they all turned out really nice, I was surprised at the transformation just by having grouted it. I hung it in my back yard from the trees and the bets were on to see how long until someone walking down the back lane would either break it for fun or steal it. It is still there weeks later.

In the Meantime

I thought that while waiting for my special border fabric to show up in my mailbox. I have a few piles of fabric leftover from quilt kits that I have made. I was just saying the other day that I wanted to make another quilt using my twister ruler.
I cut my leftovers into 5 X 5 squares and then sewed them together adding a 3 inch border.

Using the twister ruler I started to cut the squares along the seams. Here is how it turns out.

I plan to make four squares that look like this final product and then sew them together with a border in between.

I will keep you posted.

Selvage Quilt

I was just checking back to when I had started this quilt and my last post was Nov 5th 2011, it is about time that I can say it is just about done.
I like deadlines because it puts me into high gear to get things done. I had to get the top off the floor to use the space so that I did.

I sewed all the squares together and then the rows. I have ordered a special fabric and I am waiting for it in the mail to sew the borders on.
I even like the backside of this quilt when ironing the seams out. The backside view will be gone forever when the quilt is finished.

I will post again when this is finished and it will be finished in less time then last time I posted about it.