Pansy Lap Quilt - Finished Flimsy

When I was in a local fabric store a month ago, I fell in love with a pansy fabric that was marked down to clear it out as there was less than 2m left on the bolt. I was then on the search for the perfect pattern that would allow me to showcase the gorgeous print with minimal cutting. I found the pattern I was looking for in the Dec/Jan 2011 issue of Quick Quilts (page 14 - Manor House designed by Kari Nichols). This one finishes at approximately 53" x 70"--a perfect lap size.

I am working on the "reward" system right now. If I finish an old UFO, then I get to work on a reward. A reward for me is a simple project - something new - something that will qualify as quick gratification because it is fast - something that I can finish quickly so my reward doesn't turn into another UFO. This pansy project was my reward for finishing my Christmas Patience Corners to the flimsy stage.

I wasn't quite ready to call it a night last night when I had the lap quilt finished so I made this matching candle mat (still a flimsy). This is Sandra E. Andersen's design and is called Candlelight.

This is a picture of the mountain that I can see from our living room window. We woke up to a light dusting of snow on the ground this morning. The snow on our lawn was gone before noon, but the snow remains on the nearby mountains.

Patience Corners Christmas Quilt - Flimsy

My Patience Corners Christmas quilt is finally finished to the flimsy stage.

This quilt finished at 95" x 107".

The inspiration for this quilt was Finn -- http://finnleah.blogspot.com/. I started this project in December 2006 shortly after Finn's post about her Patience Corners quilt. http://finnleah.blogspot.com/2006/12/as-per-normas-request.html The scrap fabrics are all from my stash -- many leftover from larger projects -- and the border was one of my bargain purchases at Liquidation World in December 2007. http://silverthimblequiltingarchive.blogspot.com/2007/12/stash-busting-efforts.html

Thanks for the inspiration Finn!

Patience Corners Christmas Quilt

I finally finished putting together the blocks for my Patience Corners Christmas Quilt.

Next up................a red inner border and a poinsettia outer border.

I want to start a new project as a reward for finishing this one so the borders will be going on soon.

I am back to working on the "reward" system. :)

It isn't Christmas until the train comes to town!

Greeting the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train (http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/General+Public/Holiday+Train/default.htm) has become one of our families' Christmas Traditions.

The CP Holiday Train travels across Canada stopping at many communities along the way to share a short Christmas program and to collect money and non perishable food items for local food banks.

This year the weather cooperated--it was a night without wind, rain, and snow.

These are some of the pictures I took of the decorated rail cars.

One of the boxcars holds the entertainers. This year's entertainment was provided by, The Odds. http://www8.cpr.ca/cms/English/General+Public/Holiday+Train/Bios/default.htm

Even the jolly red guy made an appearance!

New Pattern and an Old UFO

I have been working on a new pattern: Right Angles by Anne Wiens of Sweetgrass Creative Designs. The pattern can be purchased from quiltwoman.com at http://quiltwoman.com/Right-Angles-Quilt-Pattern.aspx

I finished the washing and pressing of the yardage and initial cutting to kit up this project for construction today. Then today after having my morning coffee, I was ready to assemble. Tonight I have a finished flimsy.

In hind sight, I should have used a darker brown to give the design more definition. However, this was the brown I had in my stash. I was determined to shop the stash and not purchase any fabric so IIWII. I have some ideas that I am exploring to extend the snow on the branches in the inner panel out to the borders. I will machine quilt this piece first and then explore the embellishment ideas further. After getting the flimsy done, I dug out a very old UFO. This is my Finn-inspired Christmas Patience Corners. http://finnleah.blogspot.com/2006/12/finally-something-quilty.html I started this quilt back in 2006 after seeing the Patience Corners quilt that Finn showed on her blog. I have the borders attached to my squares and this much of the top assembled. It should not take much longer to get this one finished to the flimsy stage.

Linda http://catsnqlts2.blogspot.com/ kept me company today as I sewed. Linda completed her flimsy--Prairie Window--on Friday and she is now working on her Christmas Patience Corners quilt. We have both had a chance to play with a new pattern, now it is time to buckle down and get these Christmas Patience Corners quilts finished and on the bed.

Back Yard Visitor

This was the visitor to our backyard today - a beautiful Flicker.