"the July post": 3 finished quilts!

Wham! Betcha weren't expecting THAT after my long radio silence, eh? Haven't made it to the blog (or visited many of my faves in a bit....hello, friends!) but I did manage to pound out a few quilts in the last few weeks, and have 2 more on the brink! Instead of separating them into individual posts, I thought I would bypass the foreplay and just do one Kristie-style rambling post with the three of them, and call it a month ;)

Quilt 1: laid my granny to rest


Finally finished off my granny square quilt, and I must say, as many have before me who have made this, I love it. It was made entirely by stash and scrap fabrics, including the backing and batting, so it was fun to resurrect some favorites from quilts gone by. I have never really made a block quilt before, believe it or not, and it went quickly....a block here or there when I had a spare moment, and suddenly there was a big enough stack for the top with what felt like no effort.


At first I wasn't keen on the backing fabric (from the Bell Bottom line by Jennifer Paganelli for Free Spirit), but in the end I think it is the perfect cheery match for the top. The orange binding, just from my local Fabricland and in my stash since my first quilt, was the perfect frame.


This quilt has travelled a distance! Twenty years ago, I did an exchange trip to Japan with a girl named Wakako (embarrassing photo was shown here). We have kept in touch over the years, and she visited and stayed with us for a week in early July, along with her husband and 2 children! We shared a frantic week that surely included every landmark in and around Winnipeg, and I think my favorite part was watching our children bond, despite not speaking more than a word or two of eachother's languages. Wakako's birthday was on the last day of her visit, so I gave her this quilt as a birthday/good bye gift. I got the response any quilter would dream of- happy tears and an exclamation that this was the best birthday gift she had ever received! Can't ask for more than that :)




Quilt 2: Children at Play quilt


I started this quilt way back, intending it to be a double sized quilt for on our guest bed. But, even though I loved each and every fabric and the pattern, I wasn't feeling it all together. Then I added borders and loved it even less. I decided to put it away for a bit until I determined where to go from there.

I found it again when cleaning out the guest/craft room in preparation for Wakako's visit. Then a lightning bolt struck- Last But Not Least is finishing up with our wonderful babysitter this summer before heading off to Kindergarten in the fall, and what could be more perfect as a thank you gift than a quilt containing Children at Play fabrics?? Upon inspecting it, I was clear that the borders had to go, so I picked them off, then recut the cute red floral fabric to use as a binding- much better.


I backed it with my favourite grey dot fabric, and quilted it in a soft stipple, my favourite, to get a nice crinkled effect. Voila! And now I love it. The End.



Quilt 3: a wonky baby quilt


Baby quilts are always a favourite for me as they come together so quickly and they celebrate something so special! I decided Esther Mae needed a quilt to go along with her Sunshine hoop.


Her mother is not a fan of pink, so I opted for some pretty blues, yellows and greys, made in a random wonky pattern using Kate's stack and slice tutorial. I opted to flip one block horizontally just to add some interest. I quilted it in a wonky, random, organic grid to match the style of the quilt and I love it.


On the back, I framed a strip of the wonky blocks on either side with my favourite grey dot once again. I applied some black fabric paint to stamps to personalize the quilt with her name on the back. I love the back as much as the front.


Then I did some hand stitched binding in one of my favourite fabrics of all time, from Hunky Dory...have to use it up sometime!



So that is a tale of three quilts. Now, I am off to enjoy summer skies before the snow flies (hey, that rhymes!). I will pop in again with some more projects eventually, in the mean time, take care :)

rhubarb, grannies and sex

Today, I am having a really good day, and I am feeling a little sassy, truth be told ;) It is my day off work, the sun is shining, and we have a day with NO SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES. Flipping unbelievable. Don't worry, the chaos resumes tomorrow, but tonight, we are lighting up the BBQ, riding bikes to the park, you know, summer stuff!

Even baked a rhubarb crisp for dessert. On the weekend I cut up a pile of rhubarb from my "such an incredible will to live that I can't even kill it" rhubarb plant. So it went from this....

...to this.....

...and then to these:

5 rhubarb crisps

10 jars of apple rhubarb jam (tastes like apple pie in a jar)

6 dozen rhubarb coconut cookies with cream cheese icing

(sounds odd but are the best. cookies. EVER!)

Seriously, these are good eats! I have linked all the recipes, I highly recommend them. The cookies especially have become a bit of a tradition that my kids look forward to every year as they watch the plant grow. Well, there was a little meltdown one morning this spring as we watched some huge labroador which was walking through the neighbouring park unleashed come bounding into my yard and piss all over the plant. I actually ran outside and hollered at the owner, as my kids sat crying for their potentially lost cookies...sheesh. But anyways, we won't speak of it!


On the crafty front (because Lord knows, you people must be starved for any quilty behaviour out of me by now), I am happy to report that I have finished off my remaining granny square blocks and have assembled my quilt top. So, in all, 3 quilt tops done, 2 sandwiches basted, and one half quilted...there is hope for some finishes out of me this June. Just don't hold your breath!



I have actually been enjoying lots of time reading of late, and I wanted to update you on 50 Shades of Grey...quite a few people were wondering my thoughts about this "unique" trilogy. Well, let's just say I enjoyed it (*wink*). And my husband ALSO enjoyed me reading it, and was wondering when the fourth book was coming out pretty please?? ;) Think of me what you will! But I do recommend it as a fun, stimulating read.

Have a great day!

Kristie :)

I'm on the granny bandwagon.

I couldn't help myself. Those cute little granny squares were tempting me, all over blog land.



So I have been slowly making them here and there.



I am getting a bit of a collection. Not sure where this is going, but I am enjoying the process!