Bags, Bags, and More Bags

Maritime Modern Quilt Guild held a retreat last weekend, and we did a secret swap partner.

I forgot to take photos of the projects I made, so I borrowed photos from my partner.  Oops.  I converted a Sandhill Sling into a cross-body bag and made an open wide zippered pouch.

Photo from @nested_seams_studio

I added a fun zipper pull.

Photo from @nested_seams_studio

I received gifts from Becky, and I am thrilled with the goodies I received.  A wonderful zippered pouch.

And then a matching Buckthorn tote.  ♥

This was our first time doing a secret swap at retreat, and we can't wait to do it again.

I'm linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Slice of Pi Quilts

Finished or Not Friday @ Alycia Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

TGIFF - Mini Mini Swap

There was a mini swap at our guild meeting this week.  The mini had to be 6-inches or smaller.

I chose to fussy cut this cute little tiger.  I choose a simple block so I could practice free-motion quilting on my Babylock Accomplish.

I received this amazing painted fish mini from Deb.

I'm linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ By Hilary Jordan

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

Finished or Not Friday @ Alycia Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting 

Free Motion Mavericks @ Quilting & Learning - What a Combo!

TGIFF - Coastal Pouch Swap

My quilt guild, Maritime Modern Quilt Guild, did a pouch swap with the Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild.  The theme was coastal -- we're on the east coast of Canada and Vancouver on the west coast. 

I choose the Inside-Outside Pouch by Aneela Hoey.  My first version of this pouch was made at Sewtopia Seattle in November 2019.

I turned these 2.5-inch HSTs into fish.  Fish and fishing are important to both coasts of Canada.

I paired the front and back fish panels with some Island Batik fabrics.

A great turtle and seaweed batik for the inside.

I hoped that the vinyl on the front would make it seem like the fish was in a fishbowl.

I'm linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Chris Knits

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

Finished or Not Friday @ Alycia Quilts

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting 

UFO Busting @ Tish's Adventure in Wonderland

WIP Wednesday - What Was I Thinking??

I signed up for the Atlantic Bubble Mini-Mod Swap, using the Mini-Mod Swap pattern by Berene @  Happy Sew Lucky.  The participants are from the four Atlantic Canada provinces:  Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

But what was I thinking??  Paper piecing and 2-inch unfinished blocks.  Oh my......

I pulled out my curved templates by Jen @ Betty Crockerass.

The swap involves sending six 2-inch blocks to four other people, as well as making six blocks for myself.  I'm in a group that requested white and cool colours.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the blocks.  I didn't make my own blocks yet as I wanted to wait to see what I receive from the others in my group.

MQG Swap 2020

I participated in the Modern Quilt Guild mini swap.  My partner and I swapped at QuiltCon.

I combined two paper pieced patterns by Quiet Play.  Kona colours used were:  Rich Red, Mango, Buttercup, Kiwi, Everglade, Lake, Wisteria, Heliotrope, Sangria, and Pomegranate, with Kona Silver for background.

Star and loop free-motion quilting in grey thread for a quick finish.

I received an improv mini showcasing bright colours.

A fun bright backing.

I'm linking up with:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Home Sewn By Us

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

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting

TGIFF - Canadian Modern Quilt Guilds Swap

Welcome back to Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday here on the east coast of Canada.  TGIFF is an opportunity to showcase your finish from this week and to see what others are creating (and to share some quilty love).

September was an unproductive sewing month and an even more unproductive blog writing and reading month.  But it's now October, and I have high hopes for increased productivity...because I am so far behind.  😃

I had an opportunity to participate in a mini swap amongst the Canadian Modern Quilt Guilds.  I used Kona solids to make the Colour Wheel Wall Hanging pattern by Mari Martin for Connecting Threads.

I had the top finished in early September, and then Hurricane Dorian hit the weekend I had scheduled for quilting.  Two days without electricity messed up my routine for several weeks.  I am late getting this in the mail, but I hope my partner understands.

This is the mini I received from Maureen in Ontario.  I love the binding fabric.  It gives the appearance of a wavy edge.

Maureen handquilted this with lots of colours.

Here's a close up of her beautiful hand work.

What did you finish this week?

Link up your blog/Instagram 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 TGIFF blog in your blog post so your followers can also view all the great finishes.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

You can also link up your finish with:

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

Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty 
Friday Foto Fun @ Powered by Quilting

OMG Finish - Wire Flowers

It's finally finished!  I'm linking up my July OMG finish with Patty @ Elm Street Quilts.

I was procrastinating because I didn't know how to quilt this 25-inch project.

So I decided on an all-over flower and loop motif in light grey thread for a quick finish.

An orange binding seemed like the sensible thing to do.  😊

It feels good to get this project finished.

July OMG - Wire Flowers

I almost forgot to set my goal for the July OMG hosted by Patty @ Elm Street Quilts.

My goal is to quilt my Wire Flowers quilt top.  I did piece the blocks together but realized just now that I haven't taken a photo of the quilt top.

I sewed the blocks together in the layout I shared here.

It's a small project, about 25 inches square.  I need to take my sewing machines in for service this month, so I'll be limited with my sewing time.  I think an all-over quilting motif -- time to stop overthinking and get projects finished.  Stay tuned.

WIP Wednesday - Wire Flowers

Back in January, I shared all the Wire Flower blocks I made for my group in the Sew Along hosted by Karen Lewis Textiles.  But I just realized that I did not share the blocks I received in the swap.  If you're interested, you can purchase the Wire Flower pattern here.

This is the block I made for myself.

And these are the eight blocks I received.

Love that bold orange background! 😊  My friend Dena knows me so well.  We were surprised to find out that we were in the same swap group.

We have to give three colours, so I said orange, blue, and red.

There are some great prints in my blocks.

Blocks were received from Canada (2), United States (4), United Kingdom (1), and Germany (2).

Here's a possible layout.  I like that bold orange being front and centre.

Time to get these blocks sewn together and then decide on a quilting plan.

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 - MQG Mini Swap

Back in the fall, I signed up for the Modern Quilt Guild mini swap.  My partner is Linda from Vancouver.  She said:

Like improv, paper piecing, really just about anything modern and adventurous. Like the Scandinavian vibe. Also a big fan of whimsy, irony and anything that brings a smile in these troubled times.

Hmmm...what to make???  I Googled...and Googled...and Googled some more.  I finally made a decision -- a free tutorial by Caroline @ Sew Can She.

I combined both the gnome and tree tutorials -- 12-inch finished blocks.

I used Kona:  Snow, Alegria, Poppy, Leprechaun, Shell, and Jungle for the binding.

I decided to follow the pattern and do organic wavy lines up and down, rather than side to side.

This mini finishes 24 x 25 inches.  I hope Linda doesn't mind it's an inch larger than it's supposed to be.

I hope I was able to meet Linda's wishes and that she enjoys this fun mini.

Giveaway Winner:  Thanks to everyone who commented on my Turnabout Patchwork post last week.  Congrats to Izzy @ Dizzy Quilts for winning the e-book.

If you have a finish this week, here are some ways to share:

Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday @ Lisa in Port Hope

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

Brag About Your Beauties @ From Bolt to Beauty

Show Off Saturday @ Sew Can She

Wire Flower Sew Along

My January OMG goal was to piece all my blocks for the Wire Flower Sew Along hosted by Karen Lewis Textiles.  You can purchase the Wire Flower pattern here.

I made nine blocks -- eight to swap and one to keep.

The first two took me a long time to make.  But then I had a feel for the pattern and was able to make each one in about an hour.

I had fun searching my stash to find colours to match everyone's preferences.

And here are all nine blocks together.  In case you didn't figure it out, the last orange one is mine.  😊

I can't wait to start receiving blocks in the mail.

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