Quilters' Meet and Greet Blog Hop

Welcome to the Quilters' Meet and Greet hosted by Benita @ Victoriana Quilt Designs.  This is a great way to meet new bloggers.

I'm from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, and began quilting in 2003 when I took a class at my LQS to make a quilt for my nephew.  It was a flannel rail fence quilt that was tied.  This quilt has gone on to quilt heaven because it was loved so much.  But my nephew has received many, many more quilts over the years to make up for it.

I started my blog in 2014 -- partly due to the encouragement by a quilt friend and partly because I wanted to win a prize for a quilt along that I wanted to participate in.  😂

You can find quick links for my 2018 finishes in the 2018 Finishes tab.  It's too hard to pick a favourite, so I'll just randomly pick a couple to share with you.

This is the Lisa the Unicorn pattern by Elizabeth Hartman.  I like working with Kona solids, as you'll be able to see if you take a look around.

I've been trying out some new quilting motifs.  I really like the boxy stipple motif that I used on the Digital Wave quilt -- a pattern by Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl.

I've been learning EPP, and this is a current project I'm working on.  I have to make some decisions on border sizes and colours.

I encourage you to visit some of the other blogs participating.  And there's a prize!

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you take a look around my blog.  If you are interested, you can follow me through Bloglovin' or by e-mail -- sign up is at the top right-hand sidebar.

TGIFF - Lined Drawstring Bag

Welcome to Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday.  TGIFF is your opportunity to showcase this week's finishes.

One of my favourite go-to patterns is the Lined Drawstring Bag by Jeni @ In Color Order.  Jeni shares a free tutorial for one of the sizes, but you can purchase the pattern to get eight different sizes.

I decided to try the Tiny size.  I need a small bag to carry my mouth guard when I travel.  It's usual plastic case is too bulky and cumbersome (includes a repair kit built into the bottom).  I love the fabrics!

I decided to use fusible fleece on the exterior panels for some padding.  I was going to put more fusible fleece on the interior panels, but I didn't feel that it would be padded enough.  So I jumped in with both feet and used Pellon Flex-Foam instead.  I didn't have a clue what I was doing, so I made it up as I went along.  I think things would have gone a lot more smoothly with a larger-sized bag.

I'm happy with the results, but I'm not sure it's padded well enough.  But really, it just needs to be protected while in my luggage.  So all is good.  The bag finishes approximately 4.5 x 3.25 inches.

Do you have a finish this week?

Link up your blog post showing your finish by using the linkup below.  Don't forget to visit a few blogs to spread some quilty love and encouragement.  Please include the TGIFF button or a link to the blog in your blog post so your followers can also view all the great finishes.

An InLinkz Link-up

Here are other ways you can share your finish:

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hand Quilts 

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation 

WIP Wednesday - Playing with EPP

Two years ago (where does the time go????), I saw an amazing project by Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal.  Click here to take a look.

I prepared everything as a travel project when I went to a national Girl Guide camp in Alberta in July 2016.  What was I thinking???  There's never time when you're working as Core Crew.  😪  The poor project never saw the light of day at camp, and I only just recently remembered it.

I started piecing small sections together.  One section was torn apart and re-done because I wasn't paying attention to colour placement.

It started to slowly come together, as I pieced one small section to another.

And here's the top section.

And then finally the third section.  The end was in sight!  By this time, I was really enjoying EPP.  I glue basted and used Glide thread.

Voilà -- a finished mini.

I'm stalled at the moment as I'm unsure as to next steps.  I was hoping to add some borders, but I don't have any more of the linen-y navy blue.  I forgot to write down the Kona colours for the two lighter blues, but I can easily match those with my colour card.  But I'm not in a rush to finish because then I'll have to make the hard decision on how to quilt it.......

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

TGIFF - Sleepy Fox Pillow

Oops...I made another pillow.  😊  I had a Dreami (Drop Everything and Make It) moment this week.  I've been wanting to make the Sleepy Fox pattern by Andrea @ 3rd Story Workshop for some time.  And this was the week I had to make it.  This will be a birthday gift, and a pillow will be more appreciated and used than a wall hanging.

I followed the colour scheme in the pattern:  Kona Creamsicle, Flame, Paprika, White, Black, and Silver.  Here's what he looked like before quilting -- adorable.

Some simple organic wavy lines for a quick finish.  And besides I didn't have any other ides on how to quilt it.

I've been putting bindings on my recent pillows so there are no raw edges inside to become frayed when the cover is washed.

And because he's so darn cute, a few more photos.

If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Dizzy Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

WIP Wednesday - August Blocks of the Classic Meets Modern BOM

We've made it to the eighth month of the Classic Meets Modern BOM hosted by Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation.

I'm using the following Kona colours:  White, Steel, Turquoise, Berry, Pool, Parrot, and Royal.

Dutch Pinwheel is a 10.5-inch block.  Lots of HSTs and a few Flying Geese...a fun block to make.

Chevron Diamonds is also a 10.5-inch block.  This block is made with Flying Geese.

I've been enjoying this leisurely-paced BOM -- it's not too much work each month, and it's been fun making all these new-to-me blocks.

You can follow my progress:

• January blocks  
• February blocks 
• March blocks 
• April blocks 
• May blocks 
• June blocks 
• July blocks 

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

TGIFF - The Last Pillow

...at least for the time being.  😊

This is the last of the three blocks I managed to finish from the EPP Party hosted by Mister Domestic last year.  This was Block 2 -- Equilateral.

Simple diagonal straight-line quilting for a quick finish.

I used Kona Curry for the binding to see how a contrasting colour would look.  The Curry matches some of the Xs in the pink print.

I really like this pillow.  And the design can be created by traditional piecing -- EPP not required.

If you have a finish this week, consider sharing it at:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Powered by Quilting

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict 
Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hands Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

WIP Wednesday - Fireburst Mystery QAL, Block 1

There's still lots of time if you want to play along with the mystery QAL being hosted by Tish @ Tish's Adventure in Wonderland.  You can get the fabric requirements here.

The August sewing instructions can be found here.

Block 1 is made from the half Flying Geese and HST's previously made.

Add some background pieces, and voilà a 20.5-inch block.  It doesn't take long to make the four blocks.

Now to wait for the September instructions.

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

OMG - August Goal

It's been a few months since I set a One Monthly Goal, but I'm back.

This is one of my FAL 2018 Q3 goals.  It's the Retreat Bag by Emmaline Bags.

It took me some time to decide on fabric, but I figured I might as well go for my favourite colour -- orange.

And some blue for the lining.

Now off to my LQS to get the required interfacing.  My guild mates tell me that the pattern is not hard.

TGIFF - It's All About the Pillows

Welcome once again to Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday.  TGIFF is your opportunity to showcase your finishes from this week.

I am one of the four monthly TGIFF managers.  Each of us is responsible for managing the weekly linkup three months each year.  We host TGIFF once monthly, but are responsible to host when someone else has not signed up.  So if you'd like to host TGIFF, click here to see the schedule and sign up.

Now on to my finish for this week.  As I mentioned last week, I didn't finish sewing along with the EPP Party hosted by Mister Domestic last year.  This is  Block #7 -- Chrysanthemum.

I lost some of the points when I added a border to make this into a 14-inch pillow.

For a quick finish, I stitched in the ditch from the centre out to the edge and all around the middle.

One more pillow to make, and then I need to get back to making quilts.  😊

Do you have a finish this week?  Link up your blog post showing your finish by using the linkup below.  Don't forget to visit a few blogs to spread some quilty love and encouragement.  Please include the TGIFF button or a link to the blog in your blog post so your followers can also view all the great finishes.



Here are other ways you can share your finish:

Finish It Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finished or Not Friday @ Busy Hand Quilts 

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation 

WIP Wednesday - Stellar Stars BOM

I'm slowly, very slowly, making my way through the Stellar Stars 2018 Block of the Month by Cristy @ Purple Daisies Quilting.

I forgot to show my third March block -- Shadow Blossom, which is a 6.5-inch block.  I had trouble adding seam allowance to turn under for the applique, so I drew my cutting lines.

A little extra work, but I had plenty to iron under the edges.

Machine applique went well, thanks to glue basting.  I didn't think I'd like glue basting, but I think it's my new favourite technique.

And voilà...a finished block.  The petals are not as round as they should be, but I'm happy with it.

Now on to the three April blocks.  First up was the Ohio Star, another 6.5-inch block.  Perfect seam and point matching thanks to glue basting.

And the other two April blocks are paper piecing. There are 16 Flying Geese sashing blocks.  I cut fabric for all the blocks, even though we only make two blocks per month.

These are two of the eight B sections (4.5 x 6.5 inches) that are sewn to the A sections (4.5 x 10.5 inches) to create the sashing blocks.

And we make eight more of the B sections in a different colour scheme.

I love the the Quilter's Newsprint by the Electric Quilt Company.  It's thinner than copy paper, but it's not as see through.  And it tears away a lot easier.  I'm hoping that I'll be able to finish up the rest of the April blocks more quickly now that I have all the fabric cut.

Linking up with:

Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
WIP Wednesday @ The Needle and Thread Network

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss @ The Inquiring Quilter

You're Invited

In partnership with Anagram Interactive, I was given an opportunity to do a review for Paperless Post.  I was given free coins to play around the site and to provide a review.  Please note that this is my honest review based on my experience.

Paperless Post is a great site to create invitations, birthday cards, etc.  There are lots of free options, and there are lots of great options to customize your card.

The Post Box lists all your invitations, including your drafts.  From here, you can see who has responded to your invitation.

Once you have chosen your template, you can customize the text, the font, the background colour -- the possibilities are endless.

Here's the draft of my 50th birthday party.  I had to postpone my party and details are not yet finalized.

It's easy to upload or copy and paste the e-mail addresses for your invitees.  You can also update your guest list and send out additional invitations.

You can preview your invitation before sending, but I love that you can send yourself a test invitation.  This gives you the opportunity to see exactly what your guests will receive.

You can even customize the inside of the envelope, if you choose to include an envelope.  I think the envelope is a nice touch.

I encourage you to head over to Paperless Post to take a look.  There are also greeting cards, thank you cards, and stationery.  It's a great way to save on printing and postage costs.