Moda Block Heads 4 - weekly block sew along

 This week the Block Head 4 sew along started. This is a sew along that will give a new block every week and this is my first time joining. This year there are 2 different block sizes. You can choose one of the sizes or do both. I am going to try and do both, at lease of some of the blocks. I will see what my time allows and just how tiny the pieces are. 

The first block is put out by Lynne Hegmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters. She chose the Square Wheel Block.

I am using 2 layer cakes. The Compositions line from Moda, funny because it is a Basic Grey line, which was one of my favourite scrapbooking paper lines. The three bottom fabrics are from the layer cake.

The blue and black fabric is my background fabric. It is City Lights from Northcott.

Pieces cut and ready to assemble.

These are for the 9" block. The pieces for the 4.5 inch block are going to be TINY!! 

This is the 8.5 inch block. 

This was fun to put together and good practice for a kit I have that is completely this block.

Below is the smaller 4.5 size. 

I added a playing card and the dime to show JUST how tiny some of these pieces were to work with. This block, this was a challenge!

I have to say, Lynn Hagmeir had some great tips to make this block a little easier. The pressing with Best Press and putting some weight on the seams after pressing definitely help create a flatter block. This in turn helped get the correct size in the end. Thank you Lynn.

 Now that I have found my Blog again, I had better start updating it. 

This morning I went through some links, deleted the ones that were no longer relevant and added in my Quilting interests. I added a couple blogs and  I will add more as time goes on.

 I added some amazing CANADIAN online quilt/fabric stores. There are some wonderful online stores in the U.S. but the shipping to Canada is completely outrageous! So, just incase anyone ever reads my blog and is looking to support Canadian, I hope these links lead you to some fun shopping.

I still do my best to support my favourite pattern designers from around the world by going to their stores and purchasing their digital downloadable patterns. I think this is important as they have put the work into designing the pattern, creating a finished product to test their idea, and they spend hours writing the pattern in a way that is easy for us to follow. Some designers even provide multiple methods to achieve a certain block unit. By purchasing directly from them, they get more of the proceeds from that purchase.

Now, to add some visual interest to this update blog post, I will add one of the quilts I finished before Christmas. This one was for me and I used the Tula Pink flannel collection called Holiday Homies with a few added pieces to get the quantity of fat quarters needed. This is a  Gudrun Elra pattern called Teen Spirit. This was fun and easy to put together. and with Flannel backing, it is SO warm on our cold winter Canadian Winter days.

Finally found my blog again!!

 

Wow, 2014 was the last time I posted! I have tried many times since then but couldn't get back into my account! 

Today I was checking out Lynne Hagmeir's Kansas Troubles Quilters blog for the details on the Moda Blockhead's first Block for BH4 and low and behold, I noticed I was signed in!! Taking advantage of this by creating a blog post.

A lot has happened and my blog needs an overhaul. I am no longer scrapbooking, am now quilting. I started 8 years ago and have MANY projects to post about going forward. 

Some of my favourite quilt designers are Gudrun Elra of GE Quilt Designs, Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville), Tula Pink, Tim Holtz (Fabric designer for Free Spirit)(YES he has amazing fabrics that are the same as his scrapbook deigns)and Jackie Kunkel. There are more but theses are the few that came to mind first. 

Now to get my photos off my phone and onto my computer so I can add then to my blog😀

Forever Changing

Wow, I look at my last post and it was from 2012! So much has changed since then. My oldest son is now taller than I. I have not scrapbooked in a couple years, I think due to moving and the new house being so Dark inside. I started learning to quilt last January and have really enjoyed sitting in front of my sewing machine again. I went from 1 sewing machine to 7 in a matter of a few months. I now have a treadle machine that I just have to figure out the timing on.

  We are trying to find a house to buy close to where we are living now. I am sick of paying someone ELSES mortgage, I want to be investing in our own future. Though finding a house is proving to be very difficult in our price range. We have put offers in on 3. Two we lost to other offers and one was not willing to budge on their price so we walked away.

I am going to try and record my progress in quilting  here. I have pictures to post but need to get them onto my new computer before I can upload them.
 
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah or Happy Holiday if you do not celebrate one those. I also wish for everyone to have a wonderful New Year full of fun and exciting adventures with those the love.

  Wow, I can't believe it has been over a year since I last posted on my blog. I do believe it is time that I catch up and document the past year. SO much has happened and there are pictures to go along with most, of course, lol.

  Some of the most recent events are, we have started Geo caching again. I didn't realize just how much I had enjoyed it and missed it. The boys have been taking a "Steve Nash basket ball" course. Owen has thrived and really caught on to a lot of the skills he has been taught. Gavin has just been playing to have fun. Both boys are in a mountain biking course on Sundays as well. Gavin now wants his next bike to be a mountain bike but Owen is still thinking BMX is his way to go, lol.

  One of the more important accomplishments this past year was Owen reaching his goal. A goal that has made both Kevin and I extremely proud. Not only because it had been 2-2 1/2 years in progress, but because it was such a selfless thing for him to do. He cut his hair for Cancer. Even with years of growing it and, near the end, getting ridiculed for his long hair he NEVER waivered in his decission. there are pictures and much more to this story to come soon.

  This is a little teaser of what it to come.

Bad Bad Mommy

Ok, so here it is,
I am a bad Mommy.

It is now the 31st of March and the only pictures I have taken ALL month are the ones I took of the purse I made to post here.

I know, you are all shaking your heads. I am too.

I had better pull up these big girl pants and do much better in April!! At least the weather will be nicer and the trees should start getting some green buds, if not whole leaves.

I think March is just so dreary and grey that I have no gumption to take pictures. I just want to crawl into bed and read all day long.

One thing that has me VERY happy though is the weekend forcast. By Saturday we are supposed to be up to 22 C with only cloudy periods. AND we just might get out first outdoor egg hunt this year. Sunday is a little cooler at 14 C but it is still calling for SUN with cloudy periods.
I just hope that bunny remembers to put the chocolate INSIDE or the critters are going be running sround on sugar highs. I picture the squirrel from Over the hedge after having caffine,
lol.

Kevin and I are hoping to take the boys to see How to train your Dragon over the Easter weekend. We have been waiting for this one for quite a while. The first time the boys saw the trailer was when we took them to see A Christmas Carol. They are excited to see it but wewill leave it as a surpise!

Sewing again!

With all the hard work my sewing Machine did before Christmas, it decided to go on strike. I guess 12 pairs of flannel PJ's in a month was just too tiring. After a couple weeks away at Gertie's Sewing Machine Repair Service getting oiled and pampered was all it needed. I now have it back we are hanging out at the dining room table together,lol.
I just finished making my own purse. Thisis the firt timeI have attempted anythinglike this and I am happy with how it turned out. I used Ashley's instuctions for her Portable DVD player tote at Make it and Love I just made it a litte larger to suit my needs.

One of the reasonsI liked this tote was the sections inside.I have been reading alot, and I mean a LOT lately and my book goes everywhere wtih me. Having the divider inside is perfect because I have one side for my book(keeps it from getting marked or bent) and the other side for everything else.
I added a little loop inside with a small hiking clip to attach my key to. This will save me having to dig at the bottom of the bag to try and find them.

I liked the pocket on the back that Ashley used for the cables so I added it to my bag. I use this pocket for my phone I-touch. My earphones will fit in there as well but it is a little snug.

It has a top cover like a message bag so that things are not openfor al to see. I am still contemplating added a button or fastener of some sort to it.

I made a nice wide strap in hopes that it will stay onmy shoulder better. I generaly hate carrying a purse because the straps never stay onmy shoulders and I end up carrying inmy hand which is a royal pain.

All in all I am happy with my first attempt and I am checking out ideas for a second one.

I have to say thank you to Ashley(even though she will never see this) for her Make it and Love it blog!! She has amazing ideas on it and simple, easy to follow instruction with LOTs of pictures.