2012 in review....

Happy New Year!!!!

I hope that everyone is having a great holiday.

I haven't posted much this month.

It's been crazy busy.

Then, I went up north to visit my parents.

That was really nice.

But, I did get the flu when I came back.

I've been sick for the last 5 days.

When, I started reviewing the projects I completed in 2012, 

I didn't think I had accomplished as much as I had hoped.

But, I'm pleasantly surprised with how much I did.

Here are my completed quilts

and my completed small projects...

All in all, I had a very good year with lots of sewing and lots of blessings.

I don't have any specific goals for 2013.

I just want to take one day at a time, and enjoy it.

Be happy with what I have, and the company I'm with.

I wish you all the best for 2013.

Hugs

My Broken Dishes Quilt is finished!!!!

Hi everyone!

You've probably been wondering what I've been doing.

This is a very busy time of year for all of us.

But, I did finish one of my UFO's.

This is the Broken Dishes Quilt that I had tutorials for.

The top was done last year at this time.

It's a nice lap quilt.

Here it is all done!!

A close-up of the quilting.

This is a Christmas gift for my oldest.

He doesn't read my blog, so I'm not worried he will see it.

I used a really soft flannel on the back.

It's going to be a nice cozy quilt to cuddle with.

I hope you like it.

Hugs

Maple Leaf Medallion quilt is finished!!

Hi everyone,

Today, I completed my Maple Leaf Medallion Quilt.

This quilt was originally going to be bigger.

But, because I was making this quilt as a gift for my Mother-in-law,

and she likes her things to look a certain way,

I showed her the quilt after I put the log cabin border.

She loved it the way it was, and didn't want it bigger.

So, I quilted it the way it was.

Now, here it is all done.

A close-up of the quilting.

I love the way it turned out!!

Hugs

Holiday Lane Pillow Blog Hop.....

Hi everyone,

Today is my day for the 

Holiday Lane Pillow Blog Hop!!!

I hope you like my pillow.

I had a lot of fun making this pillow.

It is very cute.

Now I need to make a matching quilt.

Thanks to these special ladies!!!

  Jill Finley from Jillily Studios, 

the designer of this pillow pattern

 AND

 Pauline from Quilt n Queen, 

the hostess for Holiday Lane

 AND

 Madame Samm from SewWeQuilt,

 the QUEEN OF BLOG HOPS

who comes up with amazing ideas and giveaways.

Don't forget to check out the other blogs on todays list.

Here they are:

Sunshine Reflections

Free Motion by the River

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?

I Like to Quilt Blog

Briarside Lane

Ariane's Quilts

Meadowbrook

Buzzing and Bumbling

Mice in the Mix

Kwilty Pleasures

Cherry Blossoms

Hugs

Quilts In Everyday Life, a book review!!

Hi everyone,

I was recently contacted by Schiffer Publishing Ltd to do a review

of one of their newest quilt related books.

The book is 

Quilts in Everyday Life 1855-1955

A 100 year Photographic History

By Janet Finley

I was very excited to receive this book.

I love reading historical information.

Add quilts to that history and I'm in love. 

This is a beautiful hard cover book.

It gives information about photo's that were taken between 1855-1955.

Now these aren't just any old photo's, but ones with quilts in them.

She goes about explaining how she dated these photo's,

and what background information she had discovered about them.

Here are a few  photo's from the book.

Many of the photo's are of children sitting or laying with a quilt.

Some photo's are of deceased children or family members wrapped,

 or covered in their precious quilts.

In the late 1800's, photo's were very expensive and were often taken to have a memory of the deceased family member. 

Quilts were often used as backdrops for photo's, as in the one above.

Isn't that the cutest photo? And look at that gorgeous quilt!!!!

I also love the photo of the quilting bee.

This book has 192 pages of historical photo's with quilts and their background information.

It's a great reference tool.

If you have old photo's that contain quilts, 

you may be able to figure out what time period they came from. 

It makes me think of all those times I've looked at old family photo's.

I used to always go into the trunk of photo's when I was a little girl.

I would sit and hide in my parents closet

 looking through all the picture in that little black trunk.

I got caught doing that so many times.

Hmmmm.....I might just have to convince my Mom to let me go through these photo's to see if I can find any quilts.  

I'm visiting them at Christmas.
 I won't sit and hide in the closet this time though. LOL!!

If  you love historical quilt information,

you should definitely get this book.

It might inspire you to research if you have any photographed quilts 

in your family's photo box.

Thanks again to Christine from Schiffer Publishing Ltd

 for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

Hugs

Maple Leaf Medallion Quilt continued progress.....

Hi everyone,

I added the next border on my Maple Leaf Medallion Quilt.

I'm really loving this quilt.

I have the next border planned already.

I have to start cutting fabric for it.

This quilt is being made all from fabric from my stash.

I hope you like my scrappy Maple Leaf Medallion quilt up to now.

Hugs

Linking to:
 WIP Wednesday at TN&TN

Maple Leaf Medallion Quilt

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all well.

I've had a busy week.

But, I did get some sewing done.

First, I adjusted 6 pairs of pants and a winter coat for my mother-in-law.

She lost a lot of weight, but didn't want to spend a fortune on new clothes.

So, I offered to adjust them for her.

This was the first time, I did a full adjustment on pants.

I adjusted the full length of the legs, the crotch, and waist.

I was so surprised at how well I did.

You couldn't even tell that they were adjusted.

I also added another border to my Maple Leaf Medallion Quilt.

I really like how this scrappy quilt is coming along.

I've designed the next border and hope to get it done this weekend.

Hugs

Feature Friday on TN&TN

Hi everyone,

I am the Feature Friday Blogger on The Needle & Thread Network blog.

If you are new to my blog, welcome.

I hope you will all hop over to see my post over there.

It's a good way to learn a bit more about me.

I love to share my quilting journey here on my blog.

I've made so many quilts, bags, and other quilted items.

I just love to share and record those items here. 

Here are a few more items I've created over the last 4 years.

Log Cabin Beatrix Potter Quilt -2009

This was a gift for my brother Joel's first baby.

Fun with Bubbles Quilt - 2010

This little quilt was donated to a mini quilt auction.

Jack-in-the-pulpit Quilt - 2010

This quilt as made for my High School Best Friends Wedding.

Red Dresden Quilt - 2010

This quilt was made using scraps from the Jack-in-the-pulpit quilt.

Sail Away Quilt - 2011

This quilt was made for my nieces new born baby.

My A+ Quilt - 2012

This quit was made for my Godchild.

I hope you liked my little quilt show.

This is just a sampling of my projects.

Keep looking around and visit again.

Thanks for visiting!!

Fallen Leaves Postcard

Hi Everyone!!

Today I made another postcard.

This postcard is also for my Guilds postcard exchange.

I had to make two postcards this month, as this one is for a birthday.

At first I thought of having a cake on the postcard, but I was just not inspired by that.

So, I made a fall postcard.

I hope the recipient likes it.

I call it "Fallen Leaves".

I used silk fibers to make my design.

I'm really enjoying experimenting with these fibers on postcards.

Its a lot of fun!!

I hope you like it!!

Pegasus Post Card

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all safe tonight.

Hurricane Sandy is creating havoc on the east coast of North America.

Here the power has been flickering as the high winds blow through town.

It will continue to blow through tomorrow.

But, we are prepared with emergency rations and water.

Tonight I worked on a postcard for my Quilt Guilds postcard exchange group.

This months theme is Mystical Beasts.

I decided to make "Pegasus".

I first transferred the picture I chose using chalk.

Then, stitched the outline with white thread.

I then painted Pegasus white.

I then added some embellishment of silk fibers attached with free motion quilting.

I hope the recipient likes it.

Linking with The Needle and Thread Network.
http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.ca/

Hugs

Wicked Blog Hop Day 6

Hi everyone!!

I hope you are having a wicked time following this blog hop.

Today, I'm first on the list of blogs.

First, I would like to thank Madame Samm and Wendy for organizing this blog hop.

If you have missed any days, the full schedule can be found here.

Here is today's schedule:

Ariane Quilts

Cindy Crafty Creations

.Quiltscapes.

Sentimentalstitches

Moosestash Quilting

Krislovesfabric

Marjorie's Busy Corner

Stitchinbythelake

Rose Creations

Simplesew
Charlottes Creations
Alexa's World

Betty - That Other Blog

I decided to make some fusible appliqued blocks.

I was looking online for some inspiration.

I found these free printable masks for kids,

 that I thought would be great templates to make my blocks.

So I printed them out.

I managed to get two blocks done.

Here they are:

and block #2

Aren't they wickedly cool?

My teenage boys really like them!!

I had fun making these.

I hope to get more of these blocks done,

and make a lap size Halloween quilt.

I won't be getting it done in time for this years Halloween though.

Don't forget to stop by the other blogs today!!

Hugs

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Fall 2012

Hi everyone,

Today, I'm participating in the Blogger's Quilt Festival.

 I'm sharing a quilt I just finished this morning.

I call it "The Auge family color quilt"

Quilt Stats

"The Auge Family Color Quilt"

Finished quilt measures : 51″x 62″

Special techniques used : 3 dimentional applique, free pieced letters

Quilted by : Ariane Kring (that's me) on a domestic machine 

Best Category : Throw Quilt,  Home Machine Quilted Quilt, Scrap Quilt

I made this quilt for my brother's family.

They just had a new baby in September.

When I started working on this quilt I didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl.

So, I designed this gender neutral, bright quilt.

I wanted the quilt to be big enough for both of their kids to enjoy it.

I used free pieced letters inspired by the book  Word Play Quilts by Tonya Ricucci.

The block is the Japanese x and + block.

The kite is appliqued and the little pinwheels on the kites tail are 3 dimentional blocks appliqued to the quilt.

I embroidered the line using crochet cotton.

I free motioned quilted this quilt on my Pfaff Expression 4.0.

Unfortunately, it was raining by the time I had a chance to take a picture.

So this picture will have to do.

I hope you like it.

Hugs

Hexagon Star Quilt progress...

Hi everyone,

I got another row of stars attached to my hexagon star quilt.

I now have 11 rows of 17 stars done and together.

I have more stars made and I'm slowly working at getting another row done.

I need 4 more rows to get the center of the quilt done.

This quilt is not supposed to have borders, but I have decided to add some in order to have it hang down lower over the thick mattresses we now use.

If you haven't gone to the Wicked Blog Hop, you should check it out.

It started yesterday, and my turn is next Monday.

Hugs

Maple Leaf Medallion....

Hi everyone!!

I hope you are all having a good weekend.

I finally got some time to sew this evening.

I decided to add a border to the block I made for the "Leaf me Happy" Blog hop.

I had sketched this border in my note book earlier in the week.

I just had to make it.

Here it is.

With the borders on, this block now finishes at 20 inches square.

I decided to use this block for my local guilds BOM quilt challenge.

The guild members are making medallion quilts and we could either make one of the optional patterns provided or start with any block of our choice. 

If you want to see the BOM patterns our guild is sharing just hop on over to my guilds website.

The patterns for their two versions are available for free.

I really like the way this project is coming together.

I hope you like it too!!

Hugs

My "Leaf Me Happy" Blog Hop Day!!!

Hi everyone!!

Welcome to my day of the "Leaf Me Happy" blog hop.

Today is the last day of the hop.

It's been so much fun seeing all the blocks that were shared.

I'm so inspired by all the participants.

Thanks so much to Madame Samm for coming up with this wonderful Blog Hop.

And thanks so much to Cherry from Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio for organizing all the bloggers.

Here's my scrappy "Maple Leaves a plenty" block.

I made my block from a paper pieced pattern I purchased here.

The pattern is for one 6 inch finished leaf.

So, I made 4 to make my 12 inch finished block.

I love Maple leaves and I love using scraps.

So this was the perfect combination for me.

I used medium blue as the background fabric because I wanted it to mimic the blue sky.

I've used this pattern before.

I had made a placemat and pot holder for a swap a few years ago.

I had reduced the leaf pattern to 3.5 inches for the placemat,

and used the original pattern for the potholder.

I hope you like my block!

Don't forget to visit the other blogs on the hop today.

Here is the list.

Wednesday 10

Quilter in the Closet

SewMuch2Luv

Peanut's Patchwork

Quilting Lines

Mochawildchild

Ariane Quilts

Lily Patch Quilts

Cindy's Crafty Creations

Hill Valley Quilter

Count it *all* JOY!!!

Sew We Quilt

Hugs

Some great mail....

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all having a great weekend.

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada.

I will be cooking a turkey dinner on Monday, Thanksgiving Day.

I work all weekend, but me kids and husband are enjoying a long weekend.

On Wednesday, I received a great package in the mail.

I had won these items in a giveaway on the blog "Sew We Quilt".

I love the Quilter's Block-a-day Calendar.

It fits perfectly on the dresser in my sewing room.

Thanks Madame Samm for the great prize.

I also made a postcard last week.

Here it is....

I call it "Opportunity Knocking"

Well, that's all for today!!

Hugs