The Ugly Ducklings
A friend of mine told me that every quilt is beautiful. I think she was a bit optimistic because I've made some ugly ducklings that not even a mother could love! Another friend told me that a quilt isn't a good quilt unless it has at least one ugly piece of material in it. I've mastered that art too. The Ugly Ducklings wont make it to this page.
Bear Country Designs
Bear Country Gallery in Kalispell, MT features Jeff Fleming's full collection of artwork from the loveable Bearfoots, bronze sculptures, paintings, and wood sculptures. Jeff's original woodcarvings can be found in many private and corporate collections around the world, including National Parks, and Disney World.
The loveable Bearfoots have been produced in many forms such as cast resin figurines, dishes and cookie jars, furniture, blankets, ornaments, and now - QUILTS. Bear Country Designs by Angie Fleming and Nancee Olszewski is a creative new take on Jeff Fleming's world famous Bearfoot Bears.
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| Hap |
Hap is part of the Bearfoots collection by Jeff Fleming. While visiting Kalispell, MT in January, 2016 I took an appliqué class at Glacier Quilts featuring two patterns from Bear Country Designs. I chose to make Hap but also bought the pattern for Dancing Under the Stars.
Buggy Barn
I'm addicted to Buggy Barn. Over the years, I've collected most of their books and taken several lessons. The technique to say the least is unique. It was hard to get beyond the fact that nothing matches but once I was comfortable with it, there was no turning back.
Bramble Baskets - December 2014
I travelled to Spokane, Washington several times to visit the shop which was truly in the country, on a farm, in a buggy barn.
Sadly the shop has now closed, but the patterns will go on for a long time with me. I can only hope they will open again.
Nine Patch
The Nine Patch block is one of the traditional and easiest quilting blocks to make. It has been around for hundreds of years. From the simple Irish Chain to an elaborate self sashing quilt, the nine patch is my "go to" pattern. Great samples and tutorials can be found at the following sites:
Disappearing Nine Patch - Sept 2014
The Disappearing Nine Patch is great for using up scraps. It is also great for obtaining a variety of different designs simply by changing the way you put them together. Pattern (pdf)
From the simple Irish Chain to an elaborate self sashing quilt, the nine patch is definitely a "go to" pattern. I make all my scrappy charm pack quilts using a nine patch block.
Irish Chain Nine Patch - Sept, 2011
My introduction to quilting was the Irish Chain Nine Patch in Sept 2011. I was so inspired with quilting that I took off on other projects and two years went by before I had it professionally quilted.
Then it was another year before I finally had the binding finished. I was officially a member of the UFO Club. More information and tutorials can be found at the following sites:
Log Cabin
My next big project was a Log Cabin quilting class. The Log Cabin pattern is great for variety. Easy to make and easy to keep square, the log cabin quilt goes together fast and looks very impressive.
Barn Raising Layout - Jan, 2012
Rearranging the squares creates entirely different looks. This one has a distinct southwestern look but I wasn't creating it. It just happened and I liked it.
Courthouse Steps
Nuts & Bolts - March 2015
Courthouse Steps Pattern is a variation of a Log Cabin Pattern. It has two symmetrical strips on alternate sides of the center square, instead of wrapping around the square like the Log Cabin pattern.
This is a very simple pattern - basically Courthouse Steps starting with a 5 inch center. The fabric I used is Be Jolly by Deb Strain. I originally purchased the material on my fall trip to the States.
Lucky Stars
Lucky Stars was a course I took at Addie's in Cochrane in September, 2016. I was away for the first week but managed to get my cutting done and blocks ready for the second session. I really like these stars. They are floating and size is not a big issue as they are all squared after they are finished. Perfection! It certainly beats having to deal with exact points any day.
The fabric used was Farmhouse by Fig Tree Quilts for Moda featuring country blooms, classic dots, modern checks and a grouping of versatile & fun fillers.
Quatrefoil - May, 2015
My friend Nancy gave me 12 darling kitties, embroidered in bright colours. I cursed her for a while searching for the right size fussy cut pattern that would show them off. Finally Missouri Star came to the rescue with the Quartrefoil pattern.
I took the kitties with me on my quilt away in May, 2015 and spent my week in Vegas making the quilt. Originally, I chose the fabric from Berenstain Bears Birthday for the quilt but it was a bit too busy for this quilt. I'll use it in another quilt. When I visited Quiltique in Henderson, I found the perfect pink and turquoise instead. I picked two different fabrics for the black both with multi coloured flecks or stars.
Cornerstone Catastrophe
I ran into problems with matching the cornerstones. I didn't have experience with half square triangles and it was quite frustrating. I knew there had to be a simple way to do them, but I was lost. Unfortunately, the corners rarely lined up but I love the quilt anyway.
Ruler Bag
I affectionately named this ruler bag "My Girls". This 27" x 20" bag has a shoulder strap and carries all my rulers, cutting board and ironing board. The front has a zippered slot to carry my 6" x 24" ruler.
The pattern for the ruler bag can be purchased from Carol's Creations.
"My Girls" - 2014
The ruler bag was a class offered by My Sewing Room in the summer 2014 and was designed by my friend Carol because I was always complaining about having to carry all my paraphernalia and not enough hands to do it. She named the pattern "Doreen's Tote". I guess it pays to whine!
Something Shiny
Something Shiny is a simple lap quilt pattern I worked out with 24 rectangles surrounded by sashing, a zinger and border. Since I started making this pattern from left over scraps it just seemd right to call it Something Shiny - by definition, an unplanned distraction.
The Urban Dictionary defines Something Shiny as:
"A phrase used to explain a personal lapse in memory, coordination and/or good judgment by falsely attributing it to the phenomenon of being distracted by bright, pretty things, especially where the desire is to make light of it."
Canada 150 - With Glowing Hearts
Trend-Tex Fabrics asked Grace Noel to come up with a great new collection highlighting some special and iconic things about Canada.
With Glowing Hearts covers everything Canada, including our National Anthem, the Maple Leaf, Canadian Geese, Provincial Flowers and Hockey. So far we've made four Canada 150 Quilts - one for Marilynn, one for Sally, one for Sharon and one for myself. Sharon's quilt has a little extra fabric in it to satisfy her "moose" infatuation.
We also did some wall hanging quilts using the Yellow Brick Road pattern but it was unanimous - we didn't like the effect.
Lil' Red & The Big Bad Wolf -
March 2017
March 2017
The big bad wolf only has eyes for Lil' Red. This whimsical line is designed by Stacy lest Hsu for Moda. It brings the classic fairy tale to life.
I only used two fabrics - the tossed Lil' Red and the Big Bag Wolf on white and the Small Hearts on red. The border is Caravan Roundup Big Sky by Mary Jane Butters for Moda.
Tablecloth
When I put my Christmas tablecloth on back in December, I said I wasn't going to take it off until I made myself a new tablecloth. It was almost Christmas in July but I managed to put the new one on my table on July 1st, 2017 - right on Canada's 150th birthday. Now that just seems appropriate.
I worked on my tablecloth at our Guild Retreat in June. In addition to the tablecloth I managed to make three table runners. The fabric used was a mixture of several Kansas Troubles fabrics. For the back I used Black Berries from Bees and Blooms. The pattern is Flowers in the Garden by Sweet Jane.
Wall Hangings
Karen bought me a quilt hanger for Christmas a couple of years ago. I finally had it mounted in my living room in December 2015. I decided I would change the quilt for every season and any other special events that come along.
Christmas Tree - December 2015
My first hanging was a Christmas Tree quilt. It seemed appropriate since I don't put up a tree anymore. It was getting too hard for me to lift and put the tree together so after last Christmas, I hauled it to good will. Now I'll still have a tree every year.
Hap - January 2016
A second hanging found it's way to my wall in January, 2016 in the form of a bear - Hap. I made Hap while on a quilting retreat in Kalispell. Hap is also my first real effort at appliqué. I have Jeff Fleming's Bearfoots all over my house so Hap fit right in.
Halloween Pumpkin Party - Oct 2016
I found this flannel panel "Pumpkin Party" at the Quilt Cabin in Colby, Kansas. We stopped there on our road trip last summer. It was a bit too long so I had to cut off the bottom section. The panel was designed by Bonnie Sullivan for Maywood Studio
A Stitch in Time - April 2017
I made up my mind not to remove my Christmas Tree until I've made a new handing to replace it. April 16th - finally! The fabric line is Stonehenge - A Stitch In Time by Deborah Edwards for Northcott. The back is beige pins and the binding is red buttons.
Early to Rise - April 2017
The Early to Rise collection by Danhui Nai for Wilmington Prints features colourful roosters in red, blue, green and gold. I used tossed roosters for the back and the matching red for the binding.
Yellow Brick Road
When My Sewing Room had Yellow Brick Road as a class, I jumped at the chance. I was still sewing my blocks when everyone else was on the home stretch. Undeterred, I kept sewing and sewing and sewing. Finally, when I was done I realized that the kit was for a king size quilt! Now I have three lap quilts and I still have blocks to spare. For the back I used Tweet Others with Kindness by Kelly Mueller for Red Rooster Fabrics.
Farm Country- Jan, 2016
I purchased this fat quarter bundle a couple of years ago from Glacier Quilts in Kalispell and the sample quilt they had was Yellow Brick Road.
I love the deep colours and country feel. Yellow Brick Road pattern by Atkinson Designs is great for fat quarters or using up scraps.
Play Your Song - October 2016
I really like the way these fabrics play with each other, truly having distinct light, medium and dark with great transition fabrics making a good combination for the Yellow Brick Road pattern. Play Your Song is a classic collection designed by Wilmington Prints TRD Portfolio with musical motifs in black, gray, white, ivory, & golden tan. I added a few extra blacks and dark golds to deepen the overall effect. For the back I'm using The Celestial Collection by Jason Yenter for In The Beginning Fabrics.
A friend of mine is a fiddle player. He's retiring soon and one of these days he will be moving home to Ontario. I decided this musical fabric would make the perfect going away quilt for him. Once I get it finished I'll post a photo of the completed quilt.
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