Finishing Up

I was rummaging around in sewing world the other day and found an unfinished quilt top.  That is not like me--I don't have quantities of flimsies lying around. I'm a start it, finish it kind of gal, unless I run out of fabric of course, or fall out of love with it. Anyway, this little top looked like it needed to be quilted, and let's face it, creativity was at a low ebb, so I whipped it out and started cutting backing and batting and in short time it was done.  No hesitations or quandaries, no second guessing.

I have no idea what the fabric line is, but it is pretty.

The backing is an old piece of Ikea fabric that was lying around with a bit of pink to make it wide enough.  

I love polka dots for the binding. I only ever did one binding by hand and swore never again! I know that some people find it very soothing and zen-like, but not me.  I kept pricking my finger and it seemed to take forever.  Once I saw a tutorial on sewing binding down from the front, I never looked back. To give credit where it is due, the tutorial is here. (Red Pepper Quilts)

I find it works well for me and it leaves a neat look to the front.  The stitching is barely visible.

I did the usual straight line quilting after securing the blocks with stitching in the ditch.  I have tried free motion quilting, but haven't practiced it enough to feel it adds to my quilts.  The straight lines haven't let me down yet!

And, just because it's spring, here's another quick walk around my corner of Quebec.  Don't you love the vibrant colours of the new growth on the conifers.  They all remind me of velvet.

Of course I cannot name this, but it grows all along the roadside and produces nice, sharp tasting, red berries in the fall. They're great for cooking into muffins or coffee cakes.

Of course Neil would call the shrub a weed since it isn't a tree that can be cut down and chopped into endless piles of wood!

And here he is waging war against another pernicious weed--cattails. They are starting to creep further and further into the pond, so he donned his hip waders and went to battle.

Two hours later he declared himself the winner and came in for lunch.

Neil and I are both fond of stones, large and small.  Anytime he turns up a good one while ploughing or working in the woods, he brings it home.  I love this big one in the little garden in front of the porch. I also bring home a good stone from any place we go to for vacation.  If I find one with a hole in it or shaped like a heart, that's a bonus!

Linking up to Sew Fresh Quilts and The Needle and Thread Network (which isn't shutting down-yay!)