Blog Rejuvenation

We've took the plunge and decided to spice things up and give the blog a facelift. We are testing out the new layout and design. Took some time to bring it all together, but overall we are pleased with the end result.

Stay tuned ... who knows we may switch it up again.
Let us know what you think of our newly rejuvenated blog

- The Youngest -

Fabric love and Quilting Momma's update

 

Back in February, when I was still majorly depressed about my difficulty sewing -- lookie what arrived in the mail. Being limited in using my hands, I would enter a few giveaways and I fell in love with this adorable line!

Can you believe it! I won this fat quarter bundle of Flying Colors by Momo!

The fabric is just adorable! It brought me back to when I was pregnant with my oldest and her dad and I were wallpapering the nursery! At that time we almost got a divorce fighting over putting up wallpaper while I was on a chair 9+ months pregnant trying to hang it! Lo and behold we got the wallpaper up on the one wall! It was beautiful! It wasn't until the week later when I was showing off the nursery to my sister. She asked me, "Why are the rainbows upside down?" GASP! They were! The fabric is an exact replica of those rainbows with the exception that the wallpaper background was yellow instead of the blue!

You can take a look at the fat quarter bundle here. I think this is going to make a perfect lap-quilt for my oldest -- she can then have the rainbows any which way she wants!

On the homefront -- I am healing, albeit a bit slow. I am able to do a bit of stitching, as tolerated [which isn't much]. I am wearing splints on both hands now as my dominant right hand has been overworked! Tomorrow I see a neurologist to see what we can do about pain control. In June, I will be going for an MRI for the surgery hand as I still continue  have pain. I am hoping to head back to work in the next couple of weeks {crossing my fingers and praying!}. I work for an amazing company that is helping me come back without causing further damage. I have had a rehab specialist, a kinesiologist, hand specialist, surgeon, family doctor, and of course equipment set up to help. Thankfully for Canada, I am able to have all this. Without it, I honestly don't know what I would do.

 The plastic on top of the thumb is to hold my thumb in a place where I don't hyper-extend it.

My new nifty keyboard! The components are meant to be in odd positions, including hanging off a bit off the tray. They are very solid and heavy and will not be moving. The ergonomic specialist set this up for me last week.

My surgery hand [left] is still troubling me. The base of my thumb is drawing into my palm, but splinting and exercises are sure to continue to help [I am hoping!] Otherwise, my left [with the ring] is looking really great!

Happy Quilting and making all!

You have to do double for now until I can join you!

Margo!

Presents Given and Received

Today's Blog post is dedicated to Gifted Quilts

Quilt # 1 - Mom's Creation  

 1st up is my Mom's quilt. This quilt has been a labour of love for her. More labour than love ha-ha. I say more labour as it took her over a year to complete as a result of her hand surgery. This Scrappy half square triangle quilt is for my moms best friend the retired judge. This year she is celebrating her 70th Birthday☺A big driver for my mom to have this quilt completed.

Lucky for my Mom she had the top ready to go before her surgery. All that was left to do was the machine quilting and binding. I shouldn't say "all that was left" because the end sometimes is the hardest and most tedious part. She is more adventurous than me and usually machine quilts the top herself however in lieu of her hand not doing so well I dropped it off to be quilted for her.

Once she got it back from being machine quilted it took her over a week to do the binding, little bits at a time. Usually she can have the binding done in no time .... I know this because I used to always pawn off my quilts on her to bind (still not my favorite part). The funniest part is that even with my mom basically using one hand to do the binding it still looks professional and with invisible stitches. HA mine look more like a kids 1st sewing project.

HOPEFULLY next up for Mom is a Wedding Quilt for her FAVORITE DAUGHTER

(PS. I can write favorite daughter cause I am writing this blog post =P )

Below is my moms Scrappy Half Triangle Quilt Enjoy!  

 

 What a great pattern, has such dimension. Almost looks 3D.

This back brings a modern twist, very versatile. Would look great on a bed with the back being displayed.

A hot new trend is the word print fabric ... I am jumping on the train for that trend. I can not get enough of the word/script/newsprint fabric. I am always drawn to it in the fabric stores.

The first look when she opened her gift

She looks thrilled! 

Mom says sorry it's so blurry!

Mom's best friend and then Mom - they both look pretty happy!

 I think she likes it!

****

Quilt # 2- The Youngests Creation 

2nd is my latest quilt. This quilt started out as a kit my Mom bought me about 5-6 years ago. I have been slowly picking away at it. I started putting it together 2 years ago at one of the quilting retreats.

With this quilt I had to use You Tube a little as the instructions that came with the quilt were basically in another language. This was the first time I have ever attempted a Y seam. My mom "seams" (ha-ha sewing joke) to think that me doing Y seams is impressive. Honestly I did not find them very difficult, I had a couple seam ripper moments but that is normal in any project. You Tube really was a big help.

This pattern made small windmills however I decided not to match up the fabric to form noticeable windmills. The reasoning was that I did not like the look of the defined windmills. When it was all laid out the windmills ended up very asymmetrical and not evenly distributed. I just felt that it would look better more evenly distributed. If you look close you can still make out Red and Black windmills. They are still there just less defined. All in all I like how this quilt turned out.

Since this blog post is all about "gifted" quilts I should probably tell you where this quilts new home is. I decided since my Mom was so impressed with my Y seams that I would finish this quilt and give it to her for Christmas.

I played a little trick on my Mom to throw her off. I am a big supporter and volunteer for the United Way and my original plan was to complete this quilt for our 2015 campaign and have it  raffled off. HOWEVER ... time managed to get away from me and I was no where close to having it completed in time for the end of the campaign. So I decided to complete it for Christmas and present it to my Mom. (I knew she would love and cherish it)

The funny part is I never let mom in on the little fact that I was no longer doing the quilt for United Way. She would ask me how the quilts coming along and when can she buy raffle tickets. I may have even told her at one point I got her raffle tickets and not to worry. (a little white lie, but I think it was necessary).

Check out the great quilted swirls. Really adds depth - and possibly a little bit of the twilight zone. ☺

 So I am told this quilt will be living on the living room wall in Mom and Chef's house. That makes me a tad bit nervous, reasoning being now people will REALLY be looking at it. Hopefully no quilt police come around! They might just get kindly kicked out of the house ha-ha Just Joking.

And so concludes our lil' gifted quilt post.

Please leave a comment we love hearing from our readers.

Until next time

 - The Youngest -