Life’s a beach

Or a least I wish I was back on the beach

missing the warm Florida sun

On Feb 14th, DD#2 and I headed off to Florida to visit Papa and June! We had to fly via Houston so we had a long day of travel.

But we left this….               and came to this…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember these? Well they went to Florida to brighten up the dining room table and bar area…

 

 

 

 

 

 

on board this boat!

 

 DD and papa loved riding around in the dinghy too.  She loved the speed and wind in her ears!

 

 

 

We even managed a little quilt exhibit at a local museum!  I just cracked up at the these jail birds!   And the pineapple quilt is so lovely with just two colours!

 

 

 

 

 

I wish these were blooming in our backyard, but no we are back to –20*C temperatures and more snow in the forecast.

More on our trip and some finishes too later!

Hope you are having a lovely Sunday!

catching up

Hi everyone,

I am just returning from a week in sunny, warm Florida with my daughter, visiting my Dad and his wife on their boat. 

So needless to say I am playing catch up around the house.  hope to be back to quilting tomorrow as I have a few tasks that must get done!

pretty in pink

Another quilt top awaiting batting.

So cheery! This will make a cute 18 month old very happy in her new big girl bed!

‘Seeing Stars’

Here is a project I started as I am a waiting for my batting to arrive from Connecting Threads to finish off the other tops I have on the go.

The pattern is from Bonnie Hunter’s Scraps and Shirttails bookof Quiltville.com

Since I now have a AccuQuilt GO Cutter and the 2.5” strip cutter, these are so easy to make.  Can’t wait to finish these. 

I started this project to use the fabric I got from my Brown Bag Quilt Contest partner.  Can you spot the uglies? 

Breath of spring!

 

You’ll never guess where these fun placemats are going!!!

Or can you?

Happy Valentine’s Day

 

Hope you all have a great day with your sweeties!

Hexagon Tuturial

(If you are visiting me from the AQS Facebook link, leave me a comment to say hi! I would love to know where you are from and what you are working on. Thanks for stopping by. )

At our last guild meeting the program director asked if I would give a demonstration on making hexagon flowers.  First I was flattered and then I was nervous.  With some encouragement of fellow bloggers I have put together a tutorial of how I make my flowers.  What I have figured out when I was learning to make them, was that there are dozens of ways to make them.  I think you just have to find out what you are comfortable with and go for it.
Here goes:

Hexies

This is a great website about the history of the hexagon flowers: http://www.womenfolk.com/quilt_pattern_history/mosaic.htm
1. Determine the size of hexagon you would like to work with. Mine are 1.5” hexagons (measured on the outside edge). You can download templates for hexagons or buy pre-cut hexagons at your LQS. When I run out I cut my own by tracing onto card stock and cutting them out. There are also plastic templates.
2.  You need 7 hexagons to make a flower. You can use more depending on how many rounds you want your flowers to be. I am using just two fabrics, one for the center and another for the outside ‘petals’.
3. Cut your fabric into squares wide enough to have ¼” over your hexagon. For my example 3.5”squares work well. (also one of my Accuquilt Go cutter dies) You can also cut the fabric into hexagon shapes, but I find squares faster to cut.
4. Place the paper hexagon in the center of the square on the wrong side of the fabric. Some people will use a bit of glue or a pin in the center to hold in place, I just squeeze harder.
5. With an alternate colour thread (an ugly one you aren’t using) you are going to baste around the hexie. You can knot your thread or not, you decide. Holding a 1/4” fabric over the edge, I come up from the back in the middle of the straight side, through the paper and the ¼” folded over the paper. Go down at the corner which has been folded over the corner of the paper and held down by your thumb

6. Continue in this way all around the hexagon. Cut thread and continue with the next hexie. .
Once you have all your hexies basted you are ready to make them into a flower. (Oops missed taking a picture of the center hexie)

7. Take one center hexie and one petal right side together (or two petals). Using a matching thread, knot one end. Starting at a corner go through both hexies very close to the edge. This time DO NOT go through the paper. Make two close stitches together to secure corner.

The object is not to see your stitches on the front side. (After you do a hundred few you’ll get the hang of it!). So you want to take tiny stitches as close to the top edge as possible. Continue whip stitching along the top edge to the other side.
8. Stop, grab another hexie, right sides together with the center hexie and continue stitching with tiny stitches, catching just the back few threads. After that side is stitched you will have to go back and close up the side between two petals in the same manner.
9. Grab another hexie and attach it to the others until all the hexies are stitched together. When attaching the last one you may need to bend the paper in order to get the sides flat together, try not to crease the paper too much.
10. After all the hexies are together you may remove the basting stitches of the center hexie only and remove the paper. The remaining papers must stay in until they are either surrounded by other hexies or you use them.  (the papers can then be reused)
11. Since I have used squares of fabric there are some extra ‘points’ of fabric that you may choose to trim to ¼” to tidy up the back.

And Voila you have successfully made your first hexagon!

You can join your flowers together in many different patterns. Use them as an applique on bags, placemats, patches, blocks, or as a pincushion.

Sweet Canadian treat

 Blogging friends Dana over at Old Red Barn Co and Jodi over at Pleasant Home have been posting some delicious recipes lately.  

I thought I would join them.  For those that don’t know, Butter Tarts are a very unique Canadian dessert; flaky pastry  filled with a golden sugary filling of raisins and/or nuts. Sometimes these can be tricky to make, and time consuming. 

Years ago I found a recipe in Chatelaine magazine for Butter Tart muffins. (it actually won the 1997 muffin of the year!).

These are so delicious and so easy to make and the taste is wonderful .

Here is the recipe:

Butter Tart Muffins

1 1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine cut into chunks

2 eggs beaten

1/2 c. milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1 tsp soda

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375*F. Place raisins, sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla in a pan over medium heat.  Cook stirring frequently, until mix is hot and slightly thickened, about 4-5 min.  Cool slightly, uncovered in the fridge (or outside these days). Line muffin cups with papers. 

Stir dry ingredients together & make a well. Add cooled raisin mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts if using. Fill muffin cups.

Bake for 15-17 min. Let cool in muffin pan on rack. Drizzle with some maple syrup.

Makes 12 muffins.

Let me know if you make these and like them!

Play, relax, work!

Well that is Lily’s philosophy.

 As soon as I go down to my sewing area, I have to play  fetch with this very squeaky toy for a least 15 min. She drops it right by the pedal, so I have no choice.  But if we play long enough then she will sleep and give me time to sew. (just like a kid!)

I did manage to finish this little table topper that will go on my kitchen island!

 

Enjoy your weekend!

Jewell’s Easter Swap

 

I am choosing my swaps very carefully this year so I don’t get overwhelmed and stressed about deadlines.

My newest follower Cheryll alerted me to this fun Easter swap from Australia, but open to all countries.  Sign up open until Feb 28th.

Head over to Jewells blog if you want to sign up.