Addicted

I took these...

And I added these...

And then I CHOPPED THEM ALL UP (you guys wouldn't know anything about that, now would you??!!!)

But not to worry 'cause I sewed them all back together...

And I made some of these. And they are ADDICTIVE. So I made some more.

And now I have enough of them for a quilt.

Yay me! How's your week been?? Happy Friday all!!!

~Lisa

Colour Story

This year - the most important thing I have learned about myself as a quilt artist is that I love (and I mean whole heartedly, arms open wide) colour. I never realized how MUCH I loved colour until I began playing around more with design and fabric.

In my first few years of quilting I was really focussed on learning the craft. This is definitely not to say that I don't have any learning left to do, but more to say that after a few years I felt comfortable with the basics of quilting - (the 'how the heck do I turn this machine on?' type of learning) and was able to set myself free to be able to play more.

And MAN have I had so much fun in 2013!!! I have dappled in all SORTS of colour and realized that brighter is better (well to my eyes anyways!!). So I share with you this...

A quilt of many colours. Made for my BFF who loves waaaaaay on the other side of Canada. A friend I have had since grade school. One of those friends that when you meet up - it's like time has not passed. There is something to be said for having someone in your life that knows your life story - all your happinesses, saddnesses and in-betweens. There is something to be said for not having to explain anything, you know?! - cause they just know. So ya, this quilt was made with a lot of love (and colour, did I mention colour?!!!)

My girlfriend's house is decorated with colours like brick red, butter yellow and avocado green. Really beautiful vintage, country colours. I made this quilt with inspiration from both the colours in her house and from a quilt in THIS book (have you read this book? I think it is most fabulous).

My friend has an affinity for dragonflies. So when I saw this fabric at my local shop - it was a no brainer. It absolutely HAD to be included.

I had a lot of fun picking, choosing and arranging all these colours to make them fade just right. I used a mixture of scraps and purchased fabric. I bought a whole lot of small bits. The lady who had to cut it all was very patient with my artistic vision haha!!!

Happy New Year all. I wish you only the best (and many sewing adventures of course) for the coming year!

And I leave you with this...a little secret was unveiled when we had a light snow last week. Guess who's been lurking in my yard???

~Lisa

PS. My blog New Years resolution is to challenge myself to find new and exciting locations for my quilt 'photo shoots'. Wish me luck, I was already eyeballing the barn down the street and wondering if the farmer (not to mention the cows) would mind if I pinned a quilt up on it. It's really close to the street and I would be really quick...

Winner! Sew Mama Sew Giveaway...

Hello all! So happy to be mailing off a package of fun mail to one lucky winner - Mr. Random Number generator spoke and it will be #144 - MELISSA who answered my request of book recommendations with her comment:

"I just finished a young adult fiction called Everneath. It is a 3 part series of a modern retelling of the story of Persephone. Loved it :)".

Sounds interesting - I really like young adult fiction, just might need a trip top the bookstore to pick this one up. 

Melissa - I will email you for your particulars and get this package of goodies in the mail to you asap!

Thank you to everyone that entered the giveaway, I have such a wonderful and diverse list of  books from all of your recommendations. I love to read - so it was great fun to read through the comments and see what books you all have been getting into.

Happy weekend everyone!

~Lisa

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway! Yay!!!

Hello all! Happy Sew Mama Sew Giveaway day. I love participating in this event - what a fun way to meet new like-minded sewy people and have a chance to win some cool goodies. Sounds like a win/win to me!


For my giveaway I am offering up the following:

After all, who doesn't love Aneela Hooey, white Aurifil and white Kona cotton (1 yd)?!!! I imagine you could stitch up some real fun with these goodies.

To take part in the giveaway:

1. Leave me a comment telling me something you have read lately. Any good book recommendations?

2. For a second entry - let me know you are a follower in a second comment. New friends welcome!

EDITED: THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. THANK YOU TO ALL WHO ENTERED.

The giveaway is open until December 13, 2013 at 5 pm PST time. International entries welcome! I will pick a winner randomly and announce it here, as well as email the lucky person.


Good luck all!!! Enjoy the Sew Mama Sew fun - pop on over here to find all the other blogs who are participating.

~Lisa

Star Keeper

I have been working on this quilt for a while now...pulling out it out now and again to piece, add my corner diamonds and do some straight line quilting. I finished up all the straight-line quilting last week and pulled out the fabric I had ordered for the binding. I had planned on the dark Chicopee Simple Plaid in lime on the bottom here...

And this is where the  dilemma began. I just wasn't really feeling the dark border anymore. I made the binding anyways and let it sit overnight before I began to sew. By morning I had decided that I really needed to try out the lighter Chicopee Voltage Dot in lime (which happens to be my all time favourite fabric, even mentioning it makes me want to head on over to Etsy and buy more...). So I made that one too. I held each up to the fabric and was all hmmmm, with no idea which one was the winner at all??!! This had never happened to me before. Usually I just hold up a few pieces of fabric and know which one I want. Now I had two fully made bindings and still no AHA!

So I took pictures, thinking I would post my dilemma here.

And you know what...the strangest thing happened. As soon as I was looking through the lens of my camera, I knew which one it had to be.

And I haven't looked back. This binding is perfect for this quirky, totally me - now my all-time-favourite quilt.

I began making this star quilt because I so enjoyed making this star quilt and felt like I just wanted more...I had no plan for gifting it or any idea what I might do with it when it was complete.

53' x 66' 

Then an opportunity came up for me to gift this quilt - and you know what, once it was finished - I just couldn't. I think because usually I make quilts especially for a certain person and I think of them while I make it. It seems to make it easier to give - as it was theirs from the start. I guess I secretly felt like this one was mine from the start. So a keeper it is!!!

I used the Ikea numbers fabric for the backing - you can see it peeking through in the sunlight.

We have been so lucky to have some beautiful sunny days this week and as you may know, I have a beautiful big old tree in my backyard, so with inspiration from this post of Martha's at Weekend Doings (isn't her photography just gorgeous! Not to mention that awesome quilt...) I had some fun photographing my quilt in the tree.

And I will leave you with this. The view from the top of the hill we live on. These mountains are called the 'Golden Ears' - very aptly named I think.

Hope you all had a wonderful week! Happy Friday. Linking up with 'Finish it up Friday' at Crazy Mom Quilts.


~Lisa

Mailing off my Plus

This little pretty is heading to Guatemala. How fun for her!

Last week, I read this post written by Valerie at Between Quilts about her passion for Lemonade International, a foundation dedicated to helping the people who live in La Limonda, Guatemala.

Valerie wondered if anyone would be interested in sending quilts to the children in Mi Casita Safe House, a project of Lemonade International  - and instantly I thought of this quilt, which had sadly been sitting in my sewing room waiting for binding for over a year now. Valerie's post motivated me to bind this baby and give her a new (and might I add exciting!!) life. I am thrilled she will be snuggled by someone special in Central America - how cool is that?!!!

She will be popped into the mail tomorrow! Does anyone else have any quilts that they would like to donate to Quilt Lemonade? I know Valerie would love to have them. Happy Halloween all! Linking up with 'Anything Goes Mondays' over at Stitch by Stitch.


~Lisa

ABC - a Quilt for a Special Friend

Some of you may remember the progress of this quilt, it went something like this:

And finally a finish to share:

A closer look at that fabulous sashing...

And a look at the straight line quilting going all the way from top to bottom...

 A cool light denim blue with gold spots for the binding and a fabulously soft (and thick!!!) dark turquoise blue fleece for the backing - nice and cozy for snuggling.

 One last day of sun for a backyard photo op...

48 x 67

I gave this quilt to my friend yesterday. We are not working together this year, so I think it will serve well as a reminder of all the fun and giggles we had together last year.

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend. Linking up with "Finish it up Friday" over at Crazy Mom Quilts.

~Lisa