In the forest with friends......

I like the weather where I live. Things like tornadoes are few and far between, we don't get tons of snow yet all around us people are getting dumped on, we get a fair amount of sunshine and many other good things. But I'm getting a bit tired of the cold and damp. It was raining yesterday and today it's cold, and damp. Tomorrow the temperature is going up to 15 degrees.  What's that all about?  I'll take it, but this is the time of year when you must carry all kinds of weather gear with you cause when you leave the house in the morning, the temperature could be totally differently when you come home!

Yesterday was a busy day and we had a load of fun in all the classes. Surprise!  I have pictures from one of the classes. I'll try to get the rest edited this week as there is some really good show n tell.

Today it's about the Fancy Forest. The pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman.

Fancy Forest by Elizabeth Hartman

This is a super cute pattern with six different animals - well five animals and the thistle.

There is so much you can do with this pattern for coloration (of the animals and the background).  There are a lot of fabrics to pick especially if you go with the large size and that results in a lot of cutting. But the end result?  Well - it's so fun that I think I'm going to make another one and I'll tell you why in a second.

One set of homework - do you see what I see with those bunnies?

More homework with a very light background

The original fabrics (by Elizabeth Hartman)

LOVE LOVE this green background

Bunny ears are outlined with a running stitch to stand out against the background

 Janice has changed to a darker background as she didn't want the ears to disappear.  The new background is going to be much better.

Check out the hot pink version!!

And since Sacha almost never gets any homework done but we love her to death - I just had to post her next set of blocks because she had them done.

The fox, the hedgehog and the owl

We madly sewed on the next block which was the fox. You have to make 16 of the fox (for the big quilt) and thankfully, the fox goes together quickly.

Fancy foxes

So why do I want to make a second one?  Because I absolutely LOVE the green background that Trixie used in her blocks.  It's gorgeous, it sets off the blocks beautifully and goes to show that just because the quilt is a "modern" quilt, it's fun to toss those boring grey backgrounds aside and go for the gusto!!!!  So I love that background, but I'm too commited to mine to make any chages.  I also love the effect of the polka dot face on the green fox. It's absolutely adorable.  I know I've got polka dots iin my stash so now I have to do some digging to find fabric for the second quilt which won't be the big one!

And as easy as that - I've got a new project on the go!!!!

I came home from class (after making a couple of stops and let's say that SERIOUSLY???   VOGUE patterns are $35 Canadian.)   I'm not kidding - $35.  I knew they were more money than the regular patterns but $35?????   Who the heck buys them?  People like me who are looking for something specific and VOGUE is the only one that has a pattern for the thing I wanted. Thankfully it was 40% off, but still. And yes - that stop adds yet another project to my list of things to do!  And can someone tell me why we can't buy Simplicity patterns in Canada any more????  As I looked through the pattern books, I was thinking that some of my patterns that I had contemplated getting rid of - well I might keep them since they seem to be a dying thing!)

Once I finally arrived home, I was able to continue cutting on my Fancy Forest animals. It would be great to have the rest of the quilt cut (and bonus if the new smaller one is cut) so I can take it to the retreat with me. Having all those small bags of already cut pieces will take up a lot less room in my "laundry basket".

Cutting owls

My bags of fabric that need to be cut

I noticed in my two already packed bags that there are empty corners in the bags.  You bet, I'm going to be shoving projects in those corners. I may even take everything out of the bags and repack according to priority. I've never been this organized before which is probably why I'll be able to fit everything into the two bags - I mean three!

Back to Fancy Forest - if you want to make Fancy Forest, I'll be teaching it again at The Hobby Horse.  The class dates are Sunday, May 28th and June 11th  from 12:30 - 3:30.  It will fill up fast so if you want to take the class, I wouldn't wait to reserve a spot. I'll provide some great tips for accuracy, pressing, cutting that will help to make this project easy as pie.

Elizabeth has so many other cute patterns that I think one or two of them have made it into my "must do" project bag.  Wait for that! And OH GOD help me but I picked fabric out last night for yet another one of her quilts.  See how easy I get into trouble.  That Task Master is screaming at me!!!!  I haven't started the quilt yet, but I might!

I do believe that Miss Lexi was on her blog earlier this morning. That dog -she's always up to no good!

And on that note, I have loads of stuff to work on today. Two quilts to be quilted BEFORE I get to do more prep work for the retreat and finish some stuff off for work.  ACK!!!  I'm on a strict reward system - do something that has to be done, then I get a "reward" of having free time. Sucks - but The Task Master is tough!  We have a love/hate relationship!

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!