Stepping Stones IV

Although I've made three previous Stepping Stones Table Runners (a pattern by Krista Withers and me) in my book Make It, Take It, they've all been gifted. It is a project that people always respond to very positively at my trunk shows, so I thought it a good idea to make another one for my upcoming teaching trip to the Maritimes.

The other ones were also made with Heather Ross prints; they are so cute, visually interesting and fun to fussy cut!  I've traded the froggies for unicorns on this one, using the Far, Far Away line.  As with the other runners, this one has Essex linen in natural for the background.

I've quilted it just like Krista's accompanying instructions in the book for Ghost Shape quilting using a walking foot. I marked the ghost shapes and a few of the long, straight lines with a Clover disappearing pen (that evaporates in about an hour, depending on the level of humidity in the air).

I don't often buy fat quarter sets of fabric lines, so when I do splurge it is usually because I have an idea and want to use the prints together in a project. What I always forget to do is also buy a 1/2 yard of one of the prints to use as a binding for that project. Luckily, I had this two-tone Carolyn Friedlander print that works perfectly with the blues in Far, Far, Away. Hopefully, next time I won't forget the binding!

Chilcotin Wild - a mini quilt

A last minute finish before departing for QuiltCon tomorrow, this mini quilt is a gift for my friend Kristie's new sewing room.  Seriously, I can't get enough of this mini Lonestar Circle (full-size lap quilt pattern by Lynne appears in my book).  The ombre effect with the Cotton and Steel basics is striking as long as you don't stare at it too long. I found that the skinny border helped to reduce the pulsating effect a bit by reining in the points.

The centre seams of this one didn't turn out quite as accurate as my first effort, I think in part due to the fact that I had to fussy cut the horses individually instead of strip piecing them in to the sets (this would make more sense if you had the pattern in front of you).  I think there is enough going on with the horse motifs and quilting to divert any critical examination of seams though, haha.  I'm contemplating making 9 or 16 of these sized blocks for a queen size quilt. Call me crazy but I love making them - it's a bit of a shock considering how intense the piecing and seam matching is after all of the improvisational work I've been doing lately. At this point, it is only a "plan". You are quilters....you know what that means. At any rate, I need to make at least one of these minis to keep as this is one of the projects I'll be teaching on the Alaskan cruise in June!

I quilted with straight lines to define wedge shapes on each side and in each corner.  I then filled the wedge-shaped areas with a free-motion ribbon design that I'm super happy with. All of the thread is 40 wt Auriful in hot pink and aqua.  I just love how the quilting looks on that Essex yarn-dyed linen.

For my 40th birthday (cough,  many years ago), B surprised me with a long weekend trip to British Columbia's Chilcotin region for three days of trail riding at a small dude ranch. We didn't see the famous wild horses of the Nemaiah Valley, but I would love to, one day. This quilt is named for them.

Chilcotin Wild, 22 1/2" x 22 1/2"

Snowblossoms

Here are all of my snowblossom blocks. Seven of these are for other members of the Quilting Divas (mini) Sampler Bee. In this bee, we all make the same block for the other bee members, but each person set their own colours + one Kona solid background. I requested jewel tones plus any shade of Kona grey (I made myself the block that is second from the right on the bottom row).

I like this bee because it's all wrapped up in a month! These blocks were super fun to make once I got the size organized (they needed to end up 12 1/2"). There is a lot of fussy cutting in these blocks (check out the Eiffel Towers!) which is a terrible waste of fabric, but so much fun!

For a closer look at any of the blocks, click on the mosaic and you'll end up on my Flickr photostream where there is a close up of each individual one. You can find the foundation patterns here, thanks to Marcia Hohn of the Quilter's Cache!

Unlike everywhere else in North America, Vancouver is completely devoid of snow (except for up on the local mountains). In fact, the Snow Drops have bloomed in my front yard and my hellebore isn't far behind! You lucky Texans!