Lookie What I've been up to...

Nope, not knitting. I’m quickly realising that Baby doesn’t much like sewing. Well, to be precise, Baby doesn’t much like the bending Mommy does when she sews, cuts quilting fabric, trims quilt borders, etc. I’m sure all you babies out there (and those of you who used to be babies) can sympathise. Therefore, I’m not knitting in a desperate attempt to get some quilting done before Baby learns to squirm any harder in protest and do both of us damage. Thank goodness for the protection of amniotic fluid…Baby likes knitting therefore knitting will occur when sewing becomes impossible.

I am going to tease you again today. Remember I said I was over at H’s sewing on Friday? Well, I’m working on yet another pressie for someone who may occasionally look at this blog. Therefore, I can’t blog full pictures. However, I decided I would live on the edge and give you a sample of what I’ve been working on anyway.

I’m even giving you a link to the pattern because A) the recipient doesn’t know who s/he is yet and B) the colours I’m using are so crazy different from the pattern page that it almost doesn’t even look like the same quilt top.

The quilt design is called ‘Magic Tiles’ and was created by Kathleen Bissett. It’s a lovely, quick (if you sew every day. It takes a bit longer for those of us with several hundred – yes, that’s hundred – WIP’s on the go) quilt. I started this project with my Aunt J in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland…um...last Christmas (that’s 2005, not 2006). She had taken a class on how to make this quilt top and completed the most gorgeous quilt. Therefore, last Christmas when DH and I were home, my aunt and I had a sewing day. Well, she was entertaining and making supper while I was playing in her sewing room with her sewing machine, rotary cutter and cutting board. She did come down to supervise every now and then though. Today I finished sewing on the first of four outer borders. I’m making my quilt a little larger than the original. I’m a little stuck at this point as I now need to go to the quilt store and - gasp - buy more quilting fabric to finish the project.

After I finished sewing on the border for Magic Tiles, I cut this stack of material for another, new project.

I have to admit that I don’t really care for cutting material for quilting at the best of times. I’m a perfectionist and I never get a perfect cut. I’m enjoying this process even less now that I have a big belly. However, I’m trying to cut in small increments as H and I get together again this Friday and I want to have some new fabric to sew up for our latest ‘together’ project. Cutting in small increments also helps to keep Baby happy (see paragraph one).

I purchased this fabric in Hindeloopen, The Netherlands during our time in Germany. I really wanted to make a blue and white Dutch quilt and am finally starting it. I’m blaming the timing strictly on H (sorry, H!). Ever since H and her sweetie moved to Ottawa (from Germany, where we met. Her OH is military too), we’ve been talking about making this quilt together. Not only did she have the same idea for a blue and white quilt but, we had even chosen the exact same pattern for our project, ages in advance of ever discussing it! We do not have the same fabric, though, so our end results are going to be very different.

The pattern we’re using is called ‘Peppermint Swirl’ by Lynette Jensen of Thimbleberries (from her ‘The Thimbleberries Book of Quilts’ book).

The swirl of the pinwheel blocks reminded both H and I of windmills – thus the inspiration for a Dutch quilt. Forgive the picture – our scanner is still not hooked up from our upstairs to downstairs move.

Off to putter!