Quilt Finish!

I have a lot of unfinished projects in various piles in my studio. It's not that I can't finish things, it's just that life and shop priorities sometimes get in the way. Right now, I'm trying to actually catch up on finishing some of them, as I clean up little areas in my studio.

This weekend I finished my Strip Pieced Rainbow Quilt, which only took me about 3-1/2 years! It all started with challenge blocks made by my quilting group. Then it took me over a year to decide whether to make one larger quilt or a couple of smaller quilts. I decided to use fleece as the batting and the backing to make it a cozy quilt, and I bought the fleece just after I sewed all the blocks together. And then it sat as I made quilts for both my daughters in the meantime...

...until my quilting group met in a church basement over a month ago, with large tables available to pin quilt sandwiches together. Yay, I don't have to do this on my hardwood floors! My knees and back were happy.

I quilted it myself on my sewing machine with my walking foot, first along the grid lines of the pieced blocks, which are 6" square. I thought it still needed a little more stitching, so I stitched across each block on the diagonal seam line that was closest to the centre. I did this in diagonal rows, meandering from one block to the next. I like the asymmetry of this look.

I followed this tutorial for how to fold over the edges and mitre the corners. It was very easy to follow, and worked well!

And this one's a keeper now. It's already found a place for snuggling and cuddling in my living room.

New Colourway

The latest coiled items to come off my sewing machine have been rainbows! Rainbows turn out differently each time because of the different fabrics used, but each one is beautiful.

Do You Have a Clue?

When a couple of vintage Clue game boards came into my hands recently, minus the game pieces, I knew I had to recycle the boards into new journals. Aren't they fun?

Now I wonder what the person who took the game pieces has done with them!

New Colourway

There's a new colourway of coiled items hot off my sewing machine! These are made from a set of cotton curtains and I love the bright happy colours. I'm calling this one Fiesta!

Available in my PrairieThreads Etsy shop.

Mini Accordion Books

They look like beautiful little presents when they are closed up and tied up with a ribbon! When you open them up, you will find a little accordion book or card that you can decorate with photographs, make a little art in, write your own greeting or use however you see fit.

Perfect for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Birthdays, or anytime you want to show someone they are special.

I'll have these for sale at the local craft shows I'm doing in the next two weeks, and I'll get a few listed in my Etsy shop too!

Spring Craft Shows

I'm participating in 2 craft shows in the next two weeks, and then one later in summer.

The Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library Spring Artisans Market

Saturday April 27 and Sunday April 28th, 10am - 4pm

Hosted at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People at the Forks in Winnipeg

Vendors include: aeliosdesign, Artrocks, Blue Parrot, Blue Star Studios, Clear Energy Glass Studio, Cloverleaf Art and Fibre, Custom Leather Creations, Paula Delgado, Fibre Artistry, Julrei, Lady Bug Creations, Prairie Peasant, Retro Glitz, Marla Robert, Soft Touch Photo Art, and Upland Enterprises.

The Winnipeg Etsy Street Team

Handmade and Vintage Sale III

Saturday May 4, 11am - 4pm

RA Steen Community Centre

980 Palmerston at Ruby in Winnipeg

Both of these shows are going to be amazing, with very talented artisans at both! Hope to see you there!

The 45 cent bag

On a recent trip to one of my favourite thrift shops, all fabric was on sale for 50% off the ticketed price. This meant that these 24 inch upholstery samples in black and gold were reduced from their regularly ticketed price of--wait for it--$0.30 each!

I had been wanting to make a large bag to be able to carry a quilt or other light but large projects. I had some smaller upholstery samples at home, but they were paper backed, and I didn't know if my sewing machine would like sewing through the extra layers of glue and paper. I picked up three pieces that were similar in colour for a whopping $0.45, and with less than an hour of sewing, I had this made up:

Not bad for the price, eh?

Once There Was a Shirt

Once there was a shirt.

It was worn by a dapper young man

who loved the texture 

and softness of the linen

when his friends were wearing

polyester.

Gasp.

But even the most fashionable young men

grow older

and their tastes change

(along with their waistlines).

So the savvy recycler

snatched it up 

and loved the colour

and texture

and softness 

of the linen.

But she didn't have a problem

cutting it up into strips.

Lots and lots of narrow strips.

She knew that she could upcycle the fabric

into more beautiful 

and useful items.

She made her biggest basket ever

finished with a swirl

and a vintage button.

And a smaller basket

with beaded handles,

perfect for the table, perhaps?

New life for an old shirt.

Available for sale in my PrairieThreads Etsy shop.