Quilts!

So I have been off work since September 20th, which I have enjoyed, and I have spent some time working on quilts. I have also been helping my sister periodically with childcare, which I Love spending time with my nephew. I have also been taking the time to reassess where I am an how I have made decisions regarding work over the past few years. It seems I made a few decisions which I regretted. At any rate, I have been working on quilts!

One quilt in particular is a Monster Quilt. I purchased the kit 6 years ago, in 2004 while passing through the town of Cochrane. I had been road support to my husband and his company team while the many team members were running the K-100. It's an annual 100 mile run. So I was being a bit selfish, feeling that after having been in the car driving all over the highway and waiting for the leg to begin and picking up people... anyway, I wanted to stop in to the quilt shop. I purchased this block of the month quilt. I had no one at the time to make it for, I had thought that I would make it and donate it to the Stollery Children's Hospital, however life happened and I didn't get the ball rolling on that one. My Sister had a baby boy the following year and I now had someone to make this quilt for. But again life happens and now he is 5 and I am finally, with this time off, taking the opportunity to get things organized and I am making the quilt. It is turning out to be a monster of a Monster Quilt!

I had to put the quilt away at one point because I was not paying close enough attention and I had to rip 75% of it apart and start over! I was quite frustrated by this and felt a sense of rushing and was not enjoying the process, so I thought I would take a small break from it. I am not quite sure what was going on with this one however I keep making stupid mistakes. But I must celebrate none the less because the top is complete! here are some photos of the top.

Nephew went with me to the fabric store to pick out the backing fabric. He fell in love with the Minky stuff, in animal prints so that will be the back. I am very nervous about that part of the quilt, minky is difficult to work with. I will have to keep you posted on how that goes. Soon I will have to dive into that. (The Monstre Quilt - copywright Susan H. Garman)

BUZZ......

But I have also been working on another quilt. Buzz Saw. It is a beautiful quilt actually. Loads and loads of work too. Funny how that is with quilting.

This quilt is being made for the annual MCC fundraising Auction that is held around Alberta. I quilt with a group of ladies at church and several years ago we got money to purchase fabric for quilts to be sold at the auction that was goign to be held in Sherwood Park. We chose three quilts and bought new fabric for them. One of them was the Buzz Saw quilt. I have a recurring theme here, my life got in the way and I didn't get the Buzz Saw quilt made. Actually, I think it was more along the lines that I was working on another quilt, my personal life was busy and well, something has to give. unfortunately its been yet another 3 years and I have not finished that quilt. With this time off work I am working hard on this one.

I have a whole bunch of the blocks made. I don't quite have enough made, but just about. I am now stumped with what the layout should be for the blocks. The following photos are for layout options. The first with the blue in corners and the middle is what is in the book that inspired me to choose this pattern. I thought about doing an alternating blue and red block. And the third photo is to put the blocks on point and alternate blue with red. It is quite pretty I think however would require 12 more blocks be made..... if anyone wants to vote, please do. I meet with my ladies to night and will get their opinions on the layout as well. (Buzz Saw - copywright Lynne Edwards - Stash-buster quilts)