#52 Celebrating 500 Instagram Followers with a Giveaway!!!!!

I can't believe that I posted my first Instagram picture 72 weeks ago (Dec 2/12.), 

and now 835 posts later, and I have 500 followers and counting!!

 I love the quilting community, and I have learned so much from following other quilter's blogs and joining QAL (quilt alongs) and BOM (block of the months) . When I first started  quilting I signed up in my local quilt shop for their beginner blocks series, but too many of their other classes weren't what I was looking to sew. Which sent me searching online where I came across Craftsy.com One of my first projects was the Craftsy 2012 BOM, which is free, and taught by Amy Gibson!! Bonus for me, she is a great teacher! I learned so much doing that sampler quilt!! Then I joined any quilt along or block of the month that looked fun and interesting and different!! I have learned from so many talented quilters over the last 2 years !! Amy Smart Diary of a Quilter (virtual quilting bee), Amy Gibson Stitchery Dickory Dock (Sugar Block Club), Lee Heinrich Freshly Pieced (Bloom Bloom Pow) and can't wait to tackle Vintage Quilt Revival! and I have to mention Julie Hirt 627 Handworks (Block Rock'n -paper piecing) fantastic learning experience!!
I have tested patterns for a paper piece pattern designer, Kristy Quiet Play, so fun!! I have participated in a few blog hops too.One for an online friend, Frances Newcombe, who was introducing her first line with AGF. Who now has two more coming out, Cherie and Utopia!!! Amazing, so much talent out there!!! And another hop, Holiday Hullabaloo, for Jacquelynne Steves that inspired me to create a pattern I shared here. And I have virtually met all of you too!!!

So don't let geography limit you from enjoying and learning  more about piecing and quilting, check out your local shops, but search around online too, and have fun learning and sharing!!!

*I want to add here that I do not have any sponsors for my blog, I receive nothing from any company or product I may mention in my post today, I just wanted to share what I have liked and learned from my quilting journey to date. 

Link Here

Saying that, I did round up a sponsor for my giveaway to celebrate and say thanks for  "500 Instagram Followers" and counting!!!

I love Pam and Mad About Patchwork and she is celebrating too!!

 I shop here all the time! Love the speed of delivery, love the fabric and ever growing products she carries, love the customer service, love the fact that I can buy Kona by the bolt!!! 

So for those of you who may not be familiar with Mad About Patchwork here is a little bit about the online company....

 Mad About Patchwork is a Canadian online shop with a focus on fabric and patterns for modern quilters. With personal customer service, fair prices, and same day shipping from Ottawa, it’s a sweet deal for Canadian shoppers. (Pam ships everywhere, though)

Lots of modern basics are always in stock – Kona cotton, Essex Linen, Westminster shot cottons and Marcia Derse Palette. You will also find fabric from popular designers, along with patterns, books and notions. Recent arrivals include Meadow by Leah Duncan, Fox Field by Tula Pink, and Mormor by Lotta Jansdotter.
Take a look at the Curated Bundles – fresh fabric mixes from Pam and her team, as well as the Stash Bundles – helping you augment your fabric stash by colour or pattern.

Mad About Patchwork is celebrating 6 years in business with a series of weekly sales throughout the month of April. Save 16% on polka dots until April 23. 

So if you haven't checked out Mad About Patchwork, or her Blog, or FaceBook Page, you should!!

What I've Been Up to:

My check list!! 

1. Sugar Block Club 2014

2. Sew Kitschy BOM

3. Classic Meets Modern BOM

4. Modern Blocks BOM Top Complete!!

5. Globe Trotting BOM

6. Layer Cake Sampler QAL (Only 2 more blocks to go)

7. Triangle QAL Top Complete!!

8. Scrappy Trip Around the World Bee (still waiting for 3 blocks from this round!)

9. Modern Insta Bee (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan)

10. Diamond Tread (quilt )

11. Batik Quilt (just moved from UFO to WIP!!) Top Complete!!

I haven't sewn the Layer Cake Sampler blocks (17 and 18) yet, so I will post them later!! Only one more week to go!!

The Give Away: (2) Twenty Five Dollar gift certificate from Mad About Patchwork!!!

Give Away is open to everyone, Canadian and international!!! Good LucK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#36 Holiday Hullabaloo Has Started

The Hullabaloo has begun!! I will be back on Wednesday with my Post/Tutorial and give away. In the mean time, check out all the other Bloggers and maybe get inspired and increase your chances of winning!! Every blog has at least one prize draw and Jacquelynne has the grand prize available on her blog. (Link below house)

Monday Dec. 2              Lily Pad Quilting  http://lilypadquilting.blogspot.com/

Tuesday Dec. 3             Sew Cal Gal  http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/

Bejeweled Quilts by Barb  http://bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com/

Wednesday Dec. 4        Upstairs Hobby Room  http://upstairshobbyroom.blogspot.com/

Freemotion by the River   http://www.conniekresin.com/

                                                               

Thursday Dec 5              A Quilt & a Prayer   http://aquiltandaprayer.blogspot.com/

                                                 Tami’s Quilting Adventure  http://tamichaulk.blogspot.com/

Friday Dec. 6                  Needled Mom http://needledmom.blogspot.com/

Jacquelynne Steves The Art of Home

What I've Been Up To:

I only have a few projects that I can actually share today. I have mainly been working on Blog Hop projects over the last week. 

Modern Blocks QAL Crosswalk

and City Sampler Blocks!!

#32 New Beginnings....

Let me start with the fun stuff.... more  to come after the Bride and Groom receive the pictures or I can get my hands on some of the guests! Unfortunately  my phone died, right after I took the above shot (the big reveal!! The pictures were taken before the evening ceremony  in order to get outside pictures, and its November in Canada, so let me tell you it was cold! But at least it wasn't windy!! My daughter was too in love to feel it, but the rest of us sure did!! lol!!!) It was worth it to witness Ryley's reaction when he saw Amanda for the first time though!! It melted my heart!! (just didn't get down to my toes, which I thought might snap off!!!! lol)

What I've been up to:

Made the Bride a Groom a card basket...and remembered to add a label!!

Made my first Chalk Board Table Runner:

 Made some  Mug Quilts (I bragged to my husband that I made 6 quilts in one day!! lol)(very mini quilts)  I followed  the Wicked Blog Hop Tutorial found at My Quilt Infatuation

 and than made the mini quilt holder following the tutorial over at Noodlehead . I used 10" squares for lining, backing and fusible fleece; 5 1/4" square for the Peltex. I measured in 2" to sew up the corners. It made the perfect holder for the 6 mini quilts! (now I need to make some Christmas ones!! I think they would make great gifts!!)

 City Sampler:

and  a late entry: Modern Blocks QAL Pogo Stick Had a directional pattern cutting issue, and didn't have enough fabric to change the mistake, so I improvised, and I like it!!

#28 Fall....ing Behind!!

It's fall here in Canada, my favourite season....all the colours are so amazing!! I love those crisp days when the sun is out and I love to snuggling up with a hot drink and a good book (and now I can add a quilt!!) I love the way the leaves fall in the breeze and the way things smell!!! It just makes me smile!

And there are still flowers!!














Better late than never, though truth be told I hate being late!! I would rather be 15 to 20 minutes early!! There is a lot going on right now...  my daughter is getting married in approximately 4 weeks! We hosted a meet the family and friends event on Saturday, and I finally got around to shopping for an outfit, Monday morning (don't really like to shop) and got really lucky and found a dress I really like in the first shop I went to. Went on line ordered 3 pairs of shoes (not keeping them all, just options!! lol) So got that off my to do list, hip hip hurrah!!

So back to......


 What I've been up to this Week:

 Made 3 Halloween table runners! 2 gifts, one for me!!

               

Followed this tutorial I found online and made a handled basket for treats!!

Finished the last block of the Virtual Quilting Bee at Live a Colorful Life and she liked my block enough to post it on her blog!! How cool is that!!

Sugar Block Club October's Block:  Love how this one turned out.

Modern Blocks Quilt Along October Block

 Started to applique the numbers on my Count Down to Christmas , and it was just one of those days!! Was half way through cutting the wonder under numbers out when I realized I was going to be cutting them out again in the fabric and only needed to rough cut them at this stage! And than proceeded to iron them all on the right side of my fabric instead of the backside!! What was I thinking???
Oh well, all fixed and starting to sew them down.

(late addition!!) I forgot to add my City Sampler Blocks

Last but not least I started a new project (because I don't have enough to keep me busy, lol)  for Quiet Play, another pattern test!! This one is called WinterBound! I am testing a full pattern this time not just the block!!   These blocks go together so fast, (I completed 6 in forty minutes today...that is just sewing time, I precut rectangles of the white and colour) and it is such a great pattern. Just click on the link above to see the quilt on Kristy's Blog!

2 of 6 colours completed!

(Hey, Kelly if you are reading this post...this is a prime example of over buying fabric!! hehe!! bought for  Bloom Bloom Pow QAL and I have so much left over I am making this quilt top and will still have some left!! lol)