1-Hour Basket for Hunter

I became a grand-mother for the 3rd time over the weekend! Little Hunter was born Sunday morning at 4:39 AM - both baby and mommy are back at home now and doing really well.

Before he came along, Hunter's mom asked me to make a basket for his room. Something that could sit on a shelf right under his changing table and in which she could put baby wipes and a few diapers. I was more than happy to make that happen of course!

I wanted blue fabrics for this little basket, but couldn't find anything in my stash that would be appropriate for a baby's room. So I was going to order something, but then I discovered the perfect half yard cut sitting in a 1-hour basket I made a while ago. (I was actually looking at the basket to try and figure out what I had used to make it stand up!)

This is fabric I purchased from fellow Montreal MQG member and fabric designer Tamara from Tamara Kate. Aren't these zebras adorable?!

I had some blue Kona cotton leftover from Hunter's baby quilt so decided to use that to make a contrasting bottom and handles.  And because I had a half yard of the zebras, I went ahead and used the same fabric for the inside of the basket.

I'm super happy with how this basket turned out and I think my daughter will be pretty happy too!

Stats:

• Pattern: 1-Hour Basket by Kelby Sews
• Size: 6.5" high by 12" wide 
• Fabrics: Origami Oasis by Tamara Kate and Kona Algeria 
• Thread: Pieced with Aurifil #2600 in 50 wt 
• Recipient: Little Hunter

I will be linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Musings of a Menopausal Melon for TGIFF.

A new table runner from leftovers!

During the holidays, I had some time off work and decided to clean my sewing room. I found a little pile of triangle trimmings from a quilt top I was working on and decided to make HSTs with them instead of putting them in my scrap bins.

I decided to set them in a fun zig zag layout and before too long I had a fun block.

I used up some of the white tone on tone fabric to add a big border and enlarge the quilt top to about 24" x 40".

I used my walking foot to echo the piecing with Auriful #2021 (white) in 50 wt.

The backing is a piece of fabric I had left from another project. And the binding is also scraps in different shades of purple.

And as soon as it was done, I knew it was perfect for my step-daughter's dining room table - she loves purple!

Quilt Stats:

• Pattern: No pattern
• Size: 24" x 40" 
• Fabrics: Lace Elements in Plum by Art Gallery and Carolyn Friedlander's Doe in White 
• Thread: Pieced and quilted with Aurifil #2021 in 50 wt 
• Recipient: My step-daughter

This is my first finish of my Q1 FAL for 2018!

I will also be linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Negligent Style for TGIFF.

The Colour Block Pouch x 10

Every Christmas, I make a small item for every lady in my family: my daughters and daughters-in-law, my mom and step-mom, my sister and my sister-in-laws (that's nine handmade presents). I usually choose one pattern and make nine items from it - changing the fabric choices to fit the recipient.

This year, I chose to make the Colour Block Pouch by Svetlana of s.o.t.a.k handmade. I had used her tutorial once before to make a pouch for myself so I knew this would be fun and quick to make.

I was so excited when I finished all my pouches (the day before Christmas!) that I forgot to take pictures of them all before I gifted them.  BUT I made an extra one for myself (you can never really have too many of these things!) so here it is!

I used some Zen Chic fabric for the pouches and paired them with fun coloured zippers. This one has a really cool blue zipper that doesn't match the blue in the Zen Chic print perfectly, but close enough is good enough right?

The lining is another Zen Chic print which I love!

These pouches didn't require any quilting because I used fusible fleece so they came together really quickly - I basically had a production line going!

The pouches were very well received by their recipients which is always good! 

If you're looking for a quick and yet super well designed pouch, I recommend you get this tutorial and make one... or ten!

I will be linking this small finish to Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes. for TGIFF.

My 2018 FAL List for Q1

I made my list of projects to finish during Quarter 1 of the 2018 FAL. Many of these are piles of fabrics and a pattern or design so I don't know how many I'll actually finish, but I've got a list!

1.  Magnolia Mystery Quilt

I completed my top and I ordered my backing so I'm pretty confident I can have this one done in the next three months.

2.  Cross Check Mini

I purchased this pattern by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl a while ago and I really want to make this quilt. I pulled my fabric for it so I need to cut, sew, quilt an bind.

3.  Secret Project

I can't really say anything about this project yet but it has to be done for mid-March so it's going on the list.

4.  Aeroplane Bag

This bag is on my list of goals for this year. I've got my fabric pulled, I've got all my supplies so now I have to get sewing.

5.  Easy Tee

Making garments is also on my list of goals for 2018. I signed up for an online class and learned how to draft a T-Shirt pattern for woven fabric based on my own measurements. I made a muslin which fits pretty well - next up is to cut into my precious fabric.

6.  Josef Albers Mini #1

Also on my goals list for 2018. Colour exploration chosen, design completed and fabric pulled! Completing this mini in the next three months should not be a problem.

7.  HST Table Runner

I had lots of scraps from my Magnolia Mystery Quilt so decided to make a table runner with some of them.  The top is complete, it's basted and I started the quilting last night.

There's still time to link up your Q1 list here on my blog or on the blog of any of the global hosts.

2018 FAL Q1 Proposed Finishes

It's time to link up your list of unfinished projects that you propose to finish in Q1 of the Finish-A-Long.  We are hoping that the FAL community will inspire you to work on your unfinished projects this quarter (and throughout the remainder of the year) and to get them finished!

The FAL is hosted by a community of bloggers across the world.  Our hosts are:

• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA 

• Sandra (also Social Media Director) - Studio Sew of Course - Ireland

• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada

• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA

• Felicity - Felicity Quilts - Canada

• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA

• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada

• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA

For those of you who are new to the FAL, it is a place to find motivation and encouragement to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging about.  At the start of the quarter you post and link up a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months, and then at the end of the quarter, you link up each successful finish from your original list.

Each linked up finish is an entry into the draw for wonderful prizes from our sponsors.  There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list long or short, as you wish.  The 2018 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent FAL page, let me know if you have any questions.

Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q1 of the Finish-A-Long - you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo (think about visiting them and saying thank you):

$50 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

$25 Gift Certificate

2 PDF Patterns

$20 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

3 Six Month Subscr.

$25 Gift Certificate

$25 Gift Certificate

A Minikins Bundle

$50 Gift Certificate

2 PDF Patterns

$30 Gift Certificate

Join Us!

So, now it is time to round up those projects you want to finish over the next three months!  Take a photo of each one and make your list.  Please ensure that you have at least started your projects - pulled fabric with a pattern is considered a UFO, and remember it is only finished projects that will get you an entry toward the above listed prizes.  So while we love to see your bee blocks, the "finish" is when they are a completed, usable project. 

If posting on social media (Flickr, Facebook & Instagram,) it will be very helpful if you tag your list with #2018FALQ1yourname (where yourname is unique to you.)  Using the same hashtag over the quarter when sharing project progress or finishes, helps the host to make the connection to your original list quickly and easily.
IMPORTANT: Don't forget to link up your finishes when the quarter closes!

The 2018 Q1 link for your list of proposed finished is now open below on my blog and each of the hosting blogs.  You need only link your list once, on one blog - the link will show up on all of the blogs.  If you are using Facebook, Flickr or Instagram, post a mosaic of your projects and put your list in the description.  Don't forget to include your unique hashtag.  Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link-up if you need it. 

We also ask that you become part of the FAL community.  Please check out the links of others - visit and comment on their lists.  We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too. If you want you can follow us on Facebook: Finish-A-Long and/or on Instagram @finishalong, too.  We'll post encouragement during the quarter, and reminders when the finishes link-up opens at the end of the quarter. 

When creating your list there is one thing to remember...No deductions for not completing something so...Aim High!  Nothing to lose!!!  Well Now...Get those lists together and get linked up.

The Q1 proposed finish linky party will stay open until 11 pm EST, Monday January 15, 2018 - as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link (you can also see how much time is left below the linked up images on the right.)
Remember: you only need to link up at ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs.
 

An InLinkz Link-up

Orphan Block Transformation

I cleaned my sewing room over the holidays and found a few orphan blocks I wasn't quite sure what to do with. Then I remembered reading a post by Paige who blogs at Quilted Blooms - she had made a really cute fabric basket with a leftover practice piece.

I found her blog post, downloaded the pattern and got to work.

Within just an afternoon of quilting and sewing, I had three super cute fabric baskets.

The blocks weren't super big so I ended up using two for each basket. I made the cuffs with scraps and used two different fat quarters for the linings.

I took the opportunity to practice my FMQ skills and quilted each basket differently.

One with flowers...

One with paisleys and pebbles...

And the last one with swirls and pebbles...

I'm not really sure what I'm going to use these for, but they are adorable on my cutting table!

Linking up at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday and at Anja Quilts for TGIFF.