Basting is done...

Good morning! I've been hard at work with my hexagons. I have basted the edges of 112 in all. I'm not sure if I want this project to be much larger than a lap sized throw and I didn't have a clue how many hexxies I required so I decided to lay them out to get an idea of where I was at.

I trialed the actual "daisy hex" look (above) which I thought might be a nice way to highlight the little motifs, but after looking at the pictures I thought it looked a bit cheesy so I reconsidered.

I also had thought about adding another colour to the mix to punch it up a bit - but the red flattened it out instead.  I think the black gives it the just the right amount of depth / contrast I need.  In looking at this now I think it might be great option for making an "I Spy" type quilt - hmmmm - future plans?

It took about 1 and a 1/2 hours (plus one beer) to get things where I wanted them.  I've labelled and re-bagged my hexxies and will start to whip stitch them into strips...

This weekend I'm off to a quilt festival for a bit of "walk & awe" inspiration. Day 1: I'm going with my mom. Day 2: with some friends. It's been raining and cloudy off and on all week - but the skies are clear and blue this morning. The goddess of quilty goodness is smiling down on all of us!

Basting is done...

Good morning! I've been hard at work with my hexagons. I have basted the edges of 112 in all. I'm not sure if I want this project to be much larger than a lap sized throw and I didn't have a clue how many hexxies I required so I decided to lay them out to get an idea of where I was at.

I trialed the actual "daisy hex" look (above) which I thought might be a nice way to highlight the little motifs, but after looking at the pictures I thought it looked a bit cheesy so I reconsidered.

I also had thought about adding another colour to the mix to punch it up a bit - but the red flattened it out instead.  I think the black gives it the just the right amount of depth / contrast I need.  In looking at this now I think it might be great option for making an "I Spy" type quilt - hmmmm - future plans?

It took about 1 and a 1/2 hours (plus one beer) to get things where I wanted them.  I've labelled and re-bagged my hexxies and will start to whip stitch them into strips...

This weekend I'm off to a quilt festival for a bit of "walk & awe" inspiration. Day 1: I'm going with my mom. Day 2: with some friends. It's been raining and cloudy off and on all week - but the skies are clear and blue this morning. The goddess of quilty goodness is smiling down on all of us!

Happy Birthday to the Queen...

... in which we take a long weekend and eat cake!

Upstairs Downstairs 

So what am I up to? Well Old Guy is out of town for a high school reunion. It's a bonus weekend of sorts in that pizza brochures and burger menus are once again emerging from the nooks and crannies of drawers and Bordeaux cherry ice cream swimming in Nestle's Chocolate Quik Sauce can be freely eaten and in copious amounts. I'm on day 3 of a cottage cheese and Miss Vicki's potato chips binge extravaganza. This has all come at a most inopportune time as I am supposed to be training for a 10k race next weekend.

It was with great sadness that I finished watching my Upstairs-Downstairs DVD collection (Christmas present) - so much so that I actually watched all the Bonus features which included cast and crew interviews, plot development, musical score information etc etc... I just did not want it to end! Funny when I started Season 1- I thought "oh gawd this is dated..." but as the story unfolded and drew me in... it seemed the perfect period piece for my hexagon quilt hand sewing project.

I'm not sure this happens to other people but I always seem to find myself watching shows in which someone is knitting (ie Mrs Bridges in "Up & Down" - as us groupies call it). I watch her technique. I replay it backwards and forwards to see if it's the "real McCoy" or just fudging. By the end of Up & Down I saw that Ruby's quilt was a hexagon quilt - just like I was making! How special is that?

Well time for Saturday morning chores (really how can I call these chores?)

• pick up my starter heirloom tomatoes from my Tomato Guy
• meet 2 good friends for coffee and knitting talk
• pick up my BRAND NEW sewing machine!

Come home... and... hmmmm -  the world is my oyster. Cottage cheese and chips anyone?

Tis the season... for quilt shows!

I'm getting alot of email reminders this month about upcoming quilt shows... I only went to one last year - but it was stunning! The weather was glorious - the location superb - and best of all it was being held concurrently with a classic car show. Being the eldest daughter of a used car salesman (yes I really am) I have always had an affinity for cars. I'm big on fins and chrome. And whitewalls. And hood ornaments.

And so without further adieu - may I present a few of my favourite pics from the 2011 Rumplequiltskins Quilt Stroll and the Okotoks Classic Car Show & Shine. (I've saved the best pic for last so make sure you scroll down to the bottom!)

PS: Click on the pics for a bigger picture with great stitch definition and details.

 

... and last but not least - for the couple that quilts and shines together!

Tis the season... for quilt shows!

I'm getting alot of email reminders this month about upcoming quilt shows... I only went to one last year - but it was stunning! The weather was glorious - the location superb - and best of all it was being held concurrently with a classic car show. Being the eldest daughter of a used car salesman (yes I really am) I have always had an affinity for cars. I'm big on fins and chrome. And whitewalls. And hood ornaments.

And so without further adieu - may I present a few of my favourite pics from the 2011 Rumplequiltskins Quilt Stroll and the Okotoks Classic Car Show & Shine. (I've saved the best pic for last so make sure you scroll down to the bottom!)

PS: Click on the pics for a bigger picture with great stitch definition and details.

 

... and last but not least - for the couple that quilts and shines together!