Seven Days

Just popping in to let you know that my friend Debbie, who blogs at A Quilter's Table, put together a fantastic reference of binding tutorials over at Sew Mama Sew yesterday. I was tickled to see that my binding tutorial is first up, so my photo turned up in my reader, and maybe yours too, how cool is that. All the binding tutorials on that list are really excellent, I encourage you to bookmark or pin it or something for future reference.

And I have, this morning, made the to do list for the holidays, which are hosted for my family by me, at my house. Its going to be a busy and fun over the next seven days - which is good as I actually love all the fuss and hubbub. And thankfully, this year the list is not stressful or complicated.

Best,

Leanne

Blocks for Sydney

Last night I spent an hour or so making those 8 hash tag blocks. They go together quickly, if you are making a bunch of them. The blocks are trimmed to 5.5" and it takes 180 blocks for a quilt. The tutorial for the block is here.

My internet friend Joshua, who blogs over at Molli Sparkles, has asked the quilting world to help him make some quilts for the families of the people who lost their lives in the siege in the Sydney, Australia shop this week. You can read his Help for Sydney Heroes post here. His plan is to make a quilt for each family, or, if enough blocks arrive, he will make 6 quilts - you can read the plan and the handy FAQ here.

I hope you will take a minute to send some blocks too.  If we all work together, we can send a hug and a message of goodwill to those families and to the folks of Sydney.

Best,

Leanne

December Scraptastic Winners

I was able to do some more work on my red scrappy improv blocks tonight and I turned them into a strip - it is nicer in person, it is pretty late and dark here now. I have a plan to maybe cut them into an actual strip and add that to my black and white improv blocks from a week or so ago. We shall see.

Today is the day to award the prizes for the December Scraptastic Tuesday link. Thank you all for joining in. I have been enjoying the scrappy inspiration. If you have not yet had time to visit the links, I encourage you to do so - go here for the December links.

This month we had prizes from these fantastic sponsors:

A huge thank you to each of our generous sponsors and congratulations to our winners:

• Simply Solids - 3 mini charm packs - 13, Helen, Archie the Wonder Dog

• Sew me a Song - a $20 gift certificate - #23, Jennie, Jennie's Threads

• Massdrop - 15 fat quarter bundle of designer fabrics, plus two coordinated Aurifil threads (Mako' Ne 50/2) - #33, Patty, The Quilty Lady

• Mad About Patchwork - a $30 gift certificate - #34, Lisa, Sunlight in Winter Quilts

• Sew Sisters Quilt Shop - $25 gift certificate - # 27, Christa, Christa Quilts

• Green Fairy Quilts - $25 gift certificate - #18 Audrey, Quilty Folk

• Fat Quarter Shop - a $25 gift certificate - #10 Debbie, A Quilter's Table

We will be emailing the winners once it is morning in Canada - this post is scheduled to go up when it is morning at Nicky's house in the UK -  but feel free to email Nicky or I first if you read it here before we get to you, and then we can connect you to your prizes.

Please join Nicky and I using your scraps over the next few weeks - use our button or tag your posts #scraptastictuesday. And come back to join us for the January Scraptastic Tuesday link on the second Tuesday, which will be January 13, 2015. 

Best,

Leanne

Ten Days

I'm trying to remember that amid all the excitement and preparations, planning and secrets, this is the time of year to also relax a bit, enjoy the moments in the moments, to also just be.

So maybe I will try less writing for some of the posts leading to the holidays, but no promises, I tend to have a lot to blab on about many days. I'll try to take more pretty pictures as I go. The amount of sewing around SCQ Towers will be up and down, depending on how much of the other holiday stuff is happening.



There is a full on shot of the Edmonton Modern Quilt Guild's QuiltCon Charity Quilt. I am very proud to be part of the group who made this fantastic quilt, which will be displayed at QuiltCon and then returned home to donate to a charity.

The MQG chose the colours, Stacey designed it, a group of us pieced blocks, I quilted it, Gwen handstitched the binding, and I put it in a box headed to Austin on Friday. It takes a while to travel south from Canada but it should arrive on time by Jan 3.

It's last chance to join us for the Scraptastic Tuesday link  for December, join us if you have not yet done so. It closes at 10 pm tonight MST.

Best,


Leanne

Giveaway Day Winner, Scraptastic Link Reminder

Congratulations to Ali, who blogs at Alimakes! She is the winner of the beautiful bundle of Doe fabrics that I had on offer for the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day.

Thank you to everyone who stopped to join in. I have the best list of recommendations for books, movies, television series and music. If you need any ideas, do check out the comments I received (here).

I also wanted to remind everyone that Nicky and I would love to see more of you joining us for the December Scraptastic Tuesday link up. There are fantastic prizes from our sponsors and the links provide great ideas, inspiration, and maybe even new friends to follow. You can link a blog post, flickr or instagram picture of a scrappy project - finished or in progress - or ideas about using or taming your scrap mountain. I'll be reading through the linked posts this weekend.

If you need more incentive, look at the fantastic sponsors and prizes:

A huge thank you to each of our generous sponsors for the following prizes, which will be awarded randomly:

• Simply Solids - 3 mini charm packs

• Sew me a Song - a $20 gift certificate

• Massdrop - 15 fat quarter bundle of designer fabrics, plus two coordinated Aurifil threads (Mako' Ne 50/2)

• Mad About Patchwork - a $30 gift certificate

• Sew Sisters Quilt Shop - $25 gift certificate

• Green Fairy Quilts - $25 gift certificate

• Fat Quarter Shop - a $25 gift certificate

I missed posting "if you were shopping..." yesterday. I will try to do a post later today. The shops all have sales and other specials on, whether you are shopping for a quilter, or maybe giving ideas to those shopping for you.

There are a lot of fun holiday chores on for today, maybe some sewing too. I hope you enjoy your weekend.

Best,

Leanne