Easter Weekend Aftermath

 The Easter Bunny had generously left a fluffle of golden hazelnut bunnies.

Two were from different warrens....

Lindt hazelnut

V.S.

Ferraro Rocher hazelnut

I felt there was a taste challenge needed....

I exposed the ears....

Ears are always sacrificed first....

Due to the graphic nature of the following programming.... That's about all I can show you!!!

Actually.

 Multiple tasting was required. 

The consensus was that both excellent 

BUT

 Mr. Lindt bunny won by just a hair 

Hope your Easter was filled with family

and

a bit of chocolate.

(free calories at Easter...in case you didn't know that!)

Christa 

From the Coast, With Love

No...I am still home...

But my love for the ocean is why I had to do this quilt!!

When I saw it in Houston,

 it was not even a question of 'Did I need it??'

First....

It's a McKenna Ryan Pattern!!

Second.... 

It reminds me of all my favorite vacations!!

I quilted it myself....Probably shouldn't have.

But my longarmer, Terry Whitman is super busy.

I wanted it to look like a post card.

I included a stamp from my country...Canada

A postmark from my province....Saskatchewan

Finished in 2016!!

Mckenna Ryan makes the most beautiful fabrics

These were my first love when I started quilting. 

Batiks by Mckenna

Still my absolute favorite.

The only thing missing is my footprints in the sand......

Might have to some more quilting!!

Oh yeah... And fix this guy's eyes...

The two gulls on the other end of the log are looking at him like....

'Did you eat a bad clam, Joe??'

Hope everyone has a great Easter!!

Christa

Baltimore Autumn...Take 2

I have loved this pattern for a long time.

I would love to do it needle turn 

but

 unlike Colleen Winter's FABULOUS work....

Mine looks like a child did it!!

So...

I decided to try it with a new technique

 we learned in Minot

by 

Chris Lyn Kirsch

Step one... 

Photocopy the pattern

Step 2

Center on the back of your background piece of fabric and pin

Step 3

 It's kind of like paper piecing....sort of.

Place desired fabric on the front where placement needs to be...

then flip and stitch on the back side following what you are out lining.

This was a part of the wreath...

Trim close to stitching...

This pattern is excellent as it's like paint by number 

and 

indicates what is next...

Just continue the process...

Building your picture..

For the sunflower,

 I used one piece for underneath 

and 

one piece one top rather that each petal.

One thing I may do differently is to use invisible thread on the next one.

This worked up in 3 hours!!

One 6" farmer's block took me the same time!!!

Some people are geniuses!!

When I am done all the blocks,

 I will satin stitch all at the same time.

Legs, berries and eyes will be later.

If you desire the exact layout be sure to reverse your copy

It didn't matter to me if the crow was looking east or west!!

One down...11 to go!!

Christa 

Meadowlark Crescent

Nothing says Spring like the chirp of a Meadowlark!!

It was great to hear one singing 

on my way

 to do chores this morning....

ON the first day of Spring.

My mom was raised on Meadowlark Crescent in Calgary

AND

my grandma still lives there 60 years later!!!

I love this card we received in Minot at the Show

It was one of the MANY gifts we received at each meal...

Two of their members made all the gifts for up to 250 people!!

A thread catcher...

We already saved the date for next year!!

Minot puts on a fabulous quilt show!!

Gudrun Erla of GE Designs was the trunk show speaker.

I kind of feel like I am going backwards 

but

 I am going to give her new book a try!

Her Strip ruler is amazing!!

I have been working 

on my

 Rabbits Prefer Embroidery by Bunny Hill.

After seeing this one in purple, I really wanted to finish mine for Easter!!

I was ironing the ones I had done

only to realize.....

I had not finished the chicken and the ink disappeared!!

I started this in 2014...where does the time go??

I used up scraps of Paris Flea Market by 3 Sisters

It's looking very 'Eastery'

I am going to try to incorporate the selvage but it might be tight!!

Now for the border...

I thought I would give Chris Lyn Krisch's technique a try...

I sandwiched the background and the border together

 and

 laid out the scallops

Stitching along the line...

Then trimmed the scallops close to the stitching...

Satin stitched around the scallops locking in the raw edges

No need for fusible!!

I just quilted it myself...

Some Bunny is ready for Easter!!

Happy First Day of Spring!!

Christa

Classes in Minot

 

It was a fun weekend away from calving!!

 

One of the speakers was Chris Lyn Kirsch.

 

She is amazing with compass quilts and architectural appliqué 

 

She showed us a fast way to make your own compass....

 

One day..... when I have it figured out I'll try to show you...

 

 

She even made wonky ones....

 

 

 I took a class was on creative borders

 

I am so guilty of just calling it quits

 when

 I think the middle is 'finished' but she encouraged us to use up scraps and orphan blocks 

 

 

Or piece it right to edge like this cat quilt...

 

800 little pieces of cat fabric to make this one!

 

 

She used a slightly darker shade to make it hardly noticeable 

 

 

Spots of red to bring some of the poppy color out to the edges...

 

Appliquéd some flowers on the edges...

 

 

 

Continued the vines right to the edges...

 

 

Half square triangles on the corners...

 

 

Used up the small leftover flower fabric in small squares...

 

 

Scalloped edges...

 

 

Make it look like a wood frame ....

 

 

A skinny border in a bit and continue the quilt to the edge...

 

 

Latticed right to the outside edge with a skinny flange

 

The outside flowers flow over on to the green

(sorry....not a good picture)

 

It was a good class to help you think outside the center!!

Christa